Ehh, chapter 17 was the longest chapter yet! And about the ring on Meryl's
finger...you'll find out about it soon. The whole story is going to be
around 30 chapters, and I'll try to get chapters 18, 19, and 20 uploaded
today!
And MANY thanks to reviewers, who make it worthwhile to write this story!
Chapter 18
Meryl woke up when the shining rays of the two suns shone over her eyes. She felt fairly nice this morning as Doctor Nasevich told her that she would be able to leave the hospital today. Yet when she took a glance at the ring on her ring finger, she remembered the kiss and felt sick to her stomach.
She turned her head sideways to see a sleeping Vash, who snored away peacefully. Smoothing his out-of-shape spiky hair, she felt tears coming back to her eyes when she remembered the kiss.
'I'm so sorry Vash...I don't think I can keep this secret from you any longer...not just the kiss and the ring, but the rest of it as well.'
Meryl left for the post office quickly and dropped off her carefully typed reports. As she put the file into the box, she smirked slightly when she imagined the look on Michaelson Vandarkbrink's face when he got the fifty reports.
Meryl walked back slowly to the hospital, wincing slightly as her chest ached and her stomach pained her. As she reached her room, she was fairly surprised to see Wolfwood, Milly, and Vash waiting for her.
"Err...hi Milly, hi Mr. Wolfwood..." Meryl said quietly as she slipped into the room.
"Hey little girl, not happy to see us?" Wolfwood laughed as he put his arm around Milly, who was eating pudding.
"No no, I'm happy to see you...it's just that...I thought you two would be making out somewhere." She blurted out as she sat on her bed. Both Wolfwood and Milly blushed at this remark as Vash laughed out loud.
A few minutes later, Doctor Nasevich came in. Checking Milly, Wolfwood, and Meryl in order, he nodded his approval for Milly and Wolfwood to leave, yet no Meryl.
"But Doctor Nasevich! I need to get out from this hospital! I've got work to do!" Meryl moaned and groaned, pushing the doctor until the doctor finally consented, laughing.
"You sound exactly like my wife, Ms. Stryfe. She loved working, and wouldn't rest a bit!" he chuckled as he started to put away his notes.
"You mean...she's not alive now, doc?" Wolfwood inquired as the old doctor nodded.
"She was killed in the July accident long ago, m' boy. Although she cannot be in the living world with me, she still lives on in my heart." Eyeing Vash, the doctor patted him on the shoulder as he smiled.
"Mr. Vash, please do not blame yourself; it is you whom influenced me to become a doctor and save other people's lives. Although I've heard many false stories about you, how you care about your fellow friends have deeply touched me, and I'm sure my wife Sally is smiling down at us right now, in fact." Vash cheered up a little, and smiled as the doctor nodded.
However, Meryl was in another world. Realization of human nature had struck her, and inside her mind was a mix up of everything.
'Doctor Nasevich...he doesn't linger onto his wife's death...yet Jake lingers onto Elaine's death every second...we are all Homo sapiens, and we are saddened by the same thought, yet interpret it in different ways...'
Meryl shrugged off the thought as she got ready to leave the hospital. Dressing in her usual garments, she said her rounds of thank-yous to Doctor Nasevich and all the nurses. She was glad her insurance company paid for the medical cares, since the price was far what she would be able to afford, with three injured people.
*~*~*~*~
The four of them decided to go to the sheriff to pick up new information on Keja the Hunter. (Meryl told them about last night, except for the kissing part. And she was surprised that Wolfwood didn't get angry with her after taking his prized motorcycle.) But as soon as they got into the office, the sheriff grinned at them as he twirled around silver handcuffs.
"Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood, you two are arrested for damaging the laboratory in the desert and for stealing the grocer's car." He said lazily as he tried to handcuff both of them. Both Vash and Wolfwood gaped at the sheriff while Milly buried herself in Wolfwood. They were all about to protest to the sheriff, But before he even got to standing up from his chair, and before the three were able to complain, Meryl slammed both of her hands onto his desk and glared at him.
"Excuse me sir, you've got the wrong men. Those two people are innocent. I might also add that you don't have any proof." Meryl's voice was firm, her eyes just as firm as her voice.
"Well pretty lady, I believe ladies should be seen, not heard. And you're a mighty fine lady too. Whaddaya say we go out on a date tonight with Vash the Stampede's reward?" The sheriff was too clueless to underestimate Meryl Stryfe. Vash, Wolfwood, and Milly secretly laughed at the sheriff's stupidity.
"Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood are innocent! What proof do you have anyway? Any fingerprints? Footprints? Hair? Cameras? Or are you just after Vash's bounty?" Meryl was fuming inside, yet the sheriff continued to toy with her.
"Well pretty lady, we don't have any proof, but the Humanoid Typhoon is to blame for all the bad stuff. Besides, they need a lawyer if they want to get out of this office as free men, and I doubt you two ladies are lawyers. So come on, gimme a kiss baby." The sheriff sneered as he picked his nose in confidence.
Meryl glared at him as fiercely as she could while she defended Vash and Wolfwood. "WELL BUSTER, I AM A LAWYER. I've graduated law school, have a full degree in law, and I'm going to defend against these two. According to the townspeople around here, the laboratory was just an abandoned building in which no sufficient reforms were made, and so I don't think you'd care that much if someone blew it up. Second of all, you do not have ANY solid proof in which accuses Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood for burning down the laboratory. And third of all, you were trying to seduce me, which does go against the law because it was against my will. So if you want to stay as a sheriff, you'd better let these men go, and if you don't, I'LL PERSONALLY make sure that you and your family suffer excruciating pain. GOT THAT, YOU SICKENING WOMANIZER?"
Milly, Wolfwood, and Vash were all holding back Meryl before she could do her world-famous karate chops, punches, or kicks. The sheriff nodded meekly, and Meryl fumed out of the office furiously.
"Who the hell does he think he is, asking me on a date? That idiot, I outta show him how much pain he deserves!" Meryl cracked her knuckles as the three sweatdropped.
"Hey Meryl, I didn't know you were a lawyer." Vash said as Meryl smiled slightly.
"Well...I guess you don't know me that well. I did graduate law school, and I do have a degree in law, so I guess that makes me a lawyer." Meryl said as she walked ahead of them.
Wolfwood suddenly looked over at Meryl, surprised.
"Hey little girl...you actually defended Vash. Isn't that going against your code of laws?" Wolfwood and Vash snickered as Meryl walked off in an exasperated sigh.
"Consider yourself lucky this time, Vash. Next time you're on your own."
Milly bounced over to then, grinning. "Did you know, Mr. Vash and Mr. Wolfwood? I used to be in a cooking school when Meryl was in law school." Milly smiled happily as Wolfwood again put his arm around her.
"Didn't know that, big girl. What can you make? Can you make something for me?" he asked, and Meryl looked at Wolfwood, shaking her head
"Of course Mr. Wolfwood! Well, I can make pudding, spaghetti, stew, chocolate cakes, pudding, pumpkin pie, chicken noodle soup, pudding, and whole lots more! I'll make them for you, Mr. Wolfwood!" Milly grinned as she skipped happily down the road. Vash and Wolfwood prodded Meryl with their elbows, curious to her previous reaction.
"What's so bad about Milly's cooking?" Vash asked as he glanced at Milly, who was skipping.
"Well...she wasn't exactly the top student in the cooking class...and, well...her cooking is not exactly the best. She's improved over the years, but...well...the last time some of our friends tried her cooking, all of them had to be carried to the hospital. I should say that she isn't exactly the preeminent cook, but, well...she tries. I just hope you don't get carried to the hospital, Mr. Wolfwood."
Wolfwood did look a little pale after hearing Meryl's story. She laughed as she walked in front of them towards the inn.
There was a letter waiting for them in the counter. Wolfwood and Vash opened it as soon as they got back to their room, thinking that it was some kind of present for them. But inside the envelope was an invitation to a carnival that was going to be held tonight.
"There's going to be a carnival tonight, eh? That sounds interesting." Wolfwood said as he lit a cigarette. Milly clapped happily as Vash mentioned something about donuts. (There's going to be tons of donuts at the carnival!)
"It starts at eight...it's...five now, so we have three hours to get ready, I guess." Wolfwood exhaled white smoke from his mouth as he read the invitation.
"You three go to the carnival and enjoy yourself. I've got some reports to write." Meryl sat down on the desk to start typing up reports, when Vash tugged onto her leg.
"Aww come on Meryl! You never have fun!" Vash whined as Milly nodded.
"Mr. Vash is right, Meryl! You always do work so you need to have fun and eat pudding!"
Meryl sighed as she pressed the keyboards on her typewriter.
"I've got eight reports to write today; if I finish it by eight, I'll go to the carnival with you. But if I don't, you three go have some fun. You deserve it." Meryl replied smoothly, her eyes concentrated on her work.
Vash just grinned as he plopped onto the bed. 'The Meryl I like is back!'
[Author's Note: Heyy ^-^ Meryl's a lawyer! Did you guys know that? Okay, in real life Meryl's not a lawyer, but I'd bet she'd be a great lawyer because she's got a sense of justice and is great at arguing!]
Chapter 18
Meryl woke up when the shining rays of the two suns shone over her eyes. She felt fairly nice this morning as Doctor Nasevich told her that she would be able to leave the hospital today. Yet when she took a glance at the ring on her ring finger, she remembered the kiss and felt sick to her stomach.
She turned her head sideways to see a sleeping Vash, who snored away peacefully. Smoothing his out-of-shape spiky hair, she felt tears coming back to her eyes when she remembered the kiss.
'I'm so sorry Vash...I don't think I can keep this secret from you any longer...not just the kiss and the ring, but the rest of it as well.'
Meryl left for the post office quickly and dropped off her carefully typed reports. As she put the file into the box, she smirked slightly when she imagined the look on Michaelson Vandarkbrink's face when he got the fifty reports.
Meryl walked back slowly to the hospital, wincing slightly as her chest ached and her stomach pained her. As she reached her room, she was fairly surprised to see Wolfwood, Milly, and Vash waiting for her.
"Err...hi Milly, hi Mr. Wolfwood..." Meryl said quietly as she slipped into the room.
"Hey little girl, not happy to see us?" Wolfwood laughed as he put his arm around Milly, who was eating pudding.
"No no, I'm happy to see you...it's just that...I thought you two would be making out somewhere." She blurted out as she sat on her bed. Both Wolfwood and Milly blushed at this remark as Vash laughed out loud.
A few minutes later, Doctor Nasevich came in. Checking Milly, Wolfwood, and Meryl in order, he nodded his approval for Milly and Wolfwood to leave, yet no Meryl.
"But Doctor Nasevich! I need to get out from this hospital! I've got work to do!" Meryl moaned and groaned, pushing the doctor until the doctor finally consented, laughing.
"You sound exactly like my wife, Ms. Stryfe. She loved working, and wouldn't rest a bit!" he chuckled as he started to put away his notes.
"You mean...she's not alive now, doc?" Wolfwood inquired as the old doctor nodded.
"She was killed in the July accident long ago, m' boy. Although she cannot be in the living world with me, she still lives on in my heart." Eyeing Vash, the doctor patted him on the shoulder as he smiled.
"Mr. Vash, please do not blame yourself; it is you whom influenced me to become a doctor and save other people's lives. Although I've heard many false stories about you, how you care about your fellow friends have deeply touched me, and I'm sure my wife Sally is smiling down at us right now, in fact." Vash cheered up a little, and smiled as the doctor nodded.
However, Meryl was in another world. Realization of human nature had struck her, and inside her mind was a mix up of everything.
'Doctor Nasevich...he doesn't linger onto his wife's death...yet Jake lingers onto Elaine's death every second...we are all Homo sapiens, and we are saddened by the same thought, yet interpret it in different ways...'
Meryl shrugged off the thought as she got ready to leave the hospital. Dressing in her usual garments, she said her rounds of thank-yous to Doctor Nasevich and all the nurses. She was glad her insurance company paid for the medical cares, since the price was far what she would be able to afford, with three injured people.
*~*~*~*~
The four of them decided to go to the sheriff to pick up new information on Keja the Hunter. (Meryl told them about last night, except for the kissing part. And she was surprised that Wolfwood didn't get angry with her after taking his prized motorcycle.) But as soon as they got into the office, the sheriff grinned at them as he twirled around silver handcuffs.
"Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood, you two are arrested for damaging the laboratory in the desert and for stealing the grocer's car." He said lazily as he tried to handcuff both of them. Both Vash and Wolfwood gaped at the sheriff while Milly buried herself in Wolfwood. They were all about to protest to the sheriff, But before he even got to standing up from his chair, and before the three were able to complain, Meryl slammed both of her hands onto his desk and glared at him.
"Excuse me sir, you've got the wrong men. Those two people are innocent. I might also add that you don't have any proof." Meryl's voice was firm, her eyes just as firm as her voice.
"Well pretty lady, I believe ladies should be seen, not heard. And you're a mighty fine lady too. Whaddaya say we go out on a date tonight with Vash the Stampede's reward?" The sheriff was too clueless to underestimate Meryl Stryfe. Vash, Wolfwood, and Milly secretly laughed at the sheriff's stupidity.
"Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood are innocent! What proof do you have anyway? Any fingerprints? Footprints? Hair? Cameras? Or are you just after Vash's bounty?" Meryl was fuming inside, yet the sheriff continued to toy with her.
"Well pretty lady, we don't have any proof, but the Humanoid Typhoon is to blame for all the bad stuff. Besides, they need a lawyer if they want to get out of this office as free men, and I doubt you two ladies are lawyers. So come on, gimme a kiss baby." The sheriff sneered as he picked his nose in confidence.
Meryl glared at him as fiercely as she could while she defended Vash and Wolfwood. "WELL BUSTER, I AM A LAWYER. I've graduated law school, have a full degree in law, and I'm going to defend against these two. According to the townspeople around here, the laboratory was just an abandoned building in which no sufficient reforms were made, and so I don't think you'd care that much if someone blew it up. Second of all, you do not have ANY solid proof in which accuses Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood for burning down the laboratory. And third of all, you were trying to seduce me, which does go against the law because it was against my will. So if you want to stay as a sheriff, you'd better let these men go, and if you don't, I'LL PERSONALLY make sure that you and your family suffer excruciating pain. GOT THAT, YOU SICKENING WOMANIZER?"
Milly, Wolfwood, and Vash were all holding back Meryl before she could do her world-famous karate chops, punches, or kicks. The sheriff nodded meekly, and Meryl fumed out of the office furiously.
"Who the hell does he think he is, asking me on a date? That idiot, I outta show him how much pain he deserves!" Meryl cracked her knuckles as the three sweatdropped.
"Hey Meryl, I didn't know you were a lawyer." Vash said as Meryl smiled slightly.
"Well...I guess you don't know me that well. I did graduate law school, and I do have a degree in law, so I guess that makes me a lawyer." Meryl said as she walked ahead of them.
Wolfwood suddenly looked over at Meryl, surprised.
"Hey little girl...you actually defended Vash. Isn't that going against your code of laws?" Wolfwood and Vash snickered as Meryl walked off in an exasperated sigh.
"Consider yourself lucky this time, Vash. Next time you're on your own."
Milly bounced over to then, grinning. "Did you know, Mr. Vash and Mr. Wolfwood? I used to be in a cooking school when Meryl was in law school." Milly smiled happily as Wolfwood again put his arm around her.
"Didn't know that, big girl. What can you make? Can you make something for me?" he asked, and Meryl looked at Wolfwood, shaking her head
"Of course Mr. Wolfwood! Well, I can make pudding, spaghetti, stew, chocolate cakes, pudding, pumpkin pie, chicken noodle soup, pudding, and whole lots more! I'll make them for you, Mr. Wolfwood!" Milly grinned as she skipped happily down the road. Vash and Wolfwood prodded Meryl with their elbows, curious to her previous reaction.
"What's so bad about Milly's cooking?" Vash asked as he glanced at Milly, who was skipping.
"Well...she wasn't exactly the top student in the cooking class...and, well...her cooking is not exactly the best. She's improved over the years, but...well...the last time some of our friends tried her cooking, all of them had to be carried to the hospital. I should say that she isn't exactly the preeminent cook, but, well...she tries. I just hope you don't get carried to the hospital, Mr. Wolfwood."
Wolfwood did look a little pale after hearing Meryl's story. She laughed as she walked in front of them towards the inn.
There was a letter waiting for them in the counter. Wolfwood and Vash opened it as soon as they got back to their room, thinking that it was some kind of present for them. But inside the envelope was an invitation to a carnival that was going to be held tonight.
"There's going to be a carnival tonight, eh? That sounds interesting." Wolfwood said as he lit a cigarette. Milly clapped happily as Vash mentioned something about donuts. (There's going to be tons of donuts at the carnival!)
"It starts at eight...it's...five now, so we have three hours to get ready, I guess." Wolfwood exhaled white smoke from his mouth as he read the invitation.
"You three go to the carnival and enjoy yourself. I've got some reports to write." Meryl sat down on the desk to start typing up reports, when Vash tugged onto her leg.
"Aww come on Meryl! You never have fun!" Vash whined as Milly nodded.
"Mr. Vash is right, Meryl! You always do work so you need to have fun and eat pudding!"
Meryl sighed as she pressed the keyboards on her typewriter.
"I've got eight reports to write today; if I finish it by eight, I'll go to the carnival with you. But if I don't, you three go have some fun. You deserve it." Meryl replied smoothly, her eyes concentrated on her work.
Vash just grinned as he plopped onto the bed. 'The Meryl I like is back!'
[Author's Note: Heyy ^-^ Meryl's a lawyer! Did you guys know that? Okay, in real life Meryl's not a lawyer, but I'd bet she'd be a great lawyer because she's got a sense of justice and is great at arguing!]