I don't really remember what happened. I just kind of fell asleep. But when I woke she was gone. It was sunset of the next day, at least I think.

I climbed back onto my bed with some strenuous effort. As I sat there, Millie burst in.

"Oh, Mr. Vash! You're awake!! Thank God!!!" She cried as she ran to my bed, throwing her arms around me.

Now, don't get me wrong, I loved the sentimentality. But I think she forgot the "injured" part of my situation.

Luckily, she quickly realized. "Oh shoot, I'm sorry!" She let go abruptly and put on an apologetic smile. "Well, how are you?"

"Good," I leaned back against the wall. "Considering that I've just survived two attacks over the course of the past three days..." I added, smiling.

She raised an eyebrow, "What...? OHHHH...." She scratched the back of her head. "Ah, I almost forgot!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a box of chocolate.

Mmmm...chocolate.... I grinned. SCORE, she's going to FEED ME.

She handed me the box hastily. I was about to open it when she slapped my hand away. "Vash! That's for Meryl! Could you give it to her? I've been in this hospital for the past three days, and I really need to get back to work in the other town." She headed to the door.

"Why don't you give it to her yourself?" I asked, obviously disappointed.

She looked at me strangely. "Meryl's still comatose."

***

I sat in my bed, utterly addled. Millie's words stuck to my head. "Meryl's still comatose." What the hell was that supposed to mean? She wasn't! She was just here the other night... I saw her; I felt her... I traced my right hand with a finger; I could still elicit her touch.

I heard the door creak open, and I looked up. Knives.

He walked toward me, and I could feel his stare above me.

"Don't say anything," I muttered.

I saw him smirk. "Oh, there's quite no need for words..."

I sighed and put my head in my hands. "Knives, I couldn't protect her. She had to protect me! And now look at the state she's in..."

"I said that nothing needed to be said. The whole situation is hilarious."

I glared at him. "Hilarious?"

"Yeah, she saved you. It's pathetic and funny. Period."

I shook my head. I didn't feel the need to perpetuate a pointless argument with a sardonic idiot.

"There's something else on your mind," he said.

"Yeah. Can you read it or do you feel the need to hear it orally?"

"I already know what it is."

"Yeah? Well, do you have any, uh, explanation for it?"

"Nope. Nothing in your comprehension spectrum, at least."

The door suddenly burst open as the doctor stormed in. "Mr. Vash, sorry to disturb you," he said, apparently agitated. "But your friend is missing."

I was confused. "Missing?"

He sighed. "She's disappeared. There's no possible way that she could have walked in that condition. She had to have been carried."

"You think she was kidnaped?"

He shrugged. "It was either a stealthy kidnap or a stealthy escape. Of course, an escape is completely illogical."

I stood up. "Uh doc, I think I'll go take a walk. I need to clear my head..."

He nodded hesitantly. "But you can't be out there for more than an hour. You're in no condition..."

I grabbed my coat and slipped it over my hospital robes. "Right..."

I turned to Knives. "Be good," I said, winking.

He rolled his eyes, and I felt my pocket for a gun.

***

After searching the outskirts of town, I walked across four miles of desert. Finally, crossing a sand dune, I saw them.

From the dim light, I could see that there were more of them now, maybe fifty or so, all surrounded around a white heap. Meryl. Her small body was wrapped in a white, flowing dress. Those bastards dressed her like she was some play doll! She was lying on the ground, unmoving. I felt a sudden surge of anger course through my body.

"Vash..." One of them took a step forward. "Vash the Stampede."

I looked at him. His face was hidden by a large, worn, black leather hat. His gun flashed in the twilight.

"What does this woman mean to you?" He asked in a low voice.

I was silent. What did she mean to me? Nothing he would understand. Hell, I wasn't even sure if I understood entirely. What the hell kind of a question was that anyways?

He nodded slightly, and a man behind him aimed his gun.

A gunshot rang through the desert. They had shot her in the shoulder.

Naturally, I was infuriated. I raised my gun, only to find fifty pointing straight back at me.

"What the hell are you guys? An anti-Vash cult!?" I screamed.

They looked at each other.

"As a matter of fact..." the first man began.

And then I went all out.

Sure, I still had Rem's philosophy of "killing equals bad." But it was a hell of a messy gun fight. And of course I wouldn't have survived without taking at least two more shots.

The leader had fled, giving me a smile before flooring his Jeep into the open sand.

I sprinted to her side and propped her against my body. I ached all over, but it was nothing compared to how I felt as I watched her flinch at my touch and shiver as the desert night blanketed all.

I tore off my coat, and I wrapped it as best as I could around her. Her shivering slightly abated. I picked her up and began walking when I felt her snuggle against me.

A tear slid down her pallid face as her body started to vibrate. She was crying. Hurting. Badly. And there was nothing I could do about it. I set her down in the sand and took her into my arms, slowly rocking back and forth.

Her arms were limp; her hair quaggy. Suddenly, I felt something gingerly grip my back.

She leaned her head against my shoulder. I rested my chin on her head. And we stayed this way until I heard the rumbling of a car and felt a cold metal in the back of my head.

"Well, well, well...how are you going to get out of this predicament, Vash the Stampede? How are you going to get out of this one?"