A/N: Well, aren't I just the little miracle worker this month? Sagan finally gets around to writing the third chapter of this fiction! The one after this is already in the works. Be prepared for fluff, people. ::coughlemoncough::
Many thanks to my loyal beta-reader, Discordia the Goddess of Irony. Read her fanfic! It's good, and I beta-read it myself!
Vash: It was scary being locked up in your brain for so long. I think you need to clean that place out.
Sagan: Hush, you. Back in the box.
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"Mr. Vash...Knives is waking up."
Vash and Meryl exchanged worried glances. To Vash, Meryl seemed afraid of what was to come next. He had only seen her truly afraid once, maybe twice before. To see a hint of fear in her eyes unsettled him more than he let on. He quickly kissed her and whispered, "Please don't worry. I promise, everything will be alright."
Vash quickly threw off the covers and stepped out of the bed, crossing to the door while Meryl hopped out and quickly began to dress. He grinned and quickly looked back at the half-dressed Meryl, hoping that she wouldn't notice and give him a concussion for peeping. With a determined look, he set his mind on the task ahead, and left the room for the living room where his brother lay. Milly was standing at Knives' side as if she were concerned for him, which Vash knew to be the case, but far enough away to be out of danger should he lash out. Smart girl, thought Vash as he came to stand over his brother.
Knives' eyes were rapidly fluttering open and shut, as if he could not control them, and more than likely he couldn't. His brother had never had a very high pain tolerance, and the weeks of traveling and untreated wounds must have been almost unbearable for him. His frightening moments of lucidity were extremely rare. Vash had no doubt in his mind that his wounds were now infected, and he was probably running a fever. The sooner Knives saw a doctor, the sooner Vash could begin to help him.
"Thanks, Milly. Could you go get a glass of water for me please?"
She didn't take her eyes off of the waking man as she replied, "Yes, Mr. Vash," and left for the kitchen. He pulled a chair up to the couch and sat down, pensively resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands. Using a technique he'd had precious little time to practice, he closed his eyes and concentrated on reaching into his brother's mind. He could see his brother in his mind, struggling against something; struggling against Vash himself. Knives, said Vash telepathically to his brother, stop resisting me. I'm only trying to help you.
Fool, his brother responded with audible difficulty, you're the one who needs help.
Wake up, Knives. Wake up now.
Vash's brow furrowed with effort as he struggled against his brother's will, which, despite his injuries and Vash's mental barriers, was still quite formidable. After a few minutes, Vash felt his brother relent, and opened his eyes to see if Knives had woken up. His brother glared at him through slitted eyes at being made to acquiesce to someone he had for so long seen as an inferior.
"Where...have you taken me?" he hissed, and groaned from the pain of his wounds.
"A house, in a small village. We're going to stay here while you recuperate," said Vash as Milly handed him a glass of water. He thanked her, and held it to Knives' lips. "Drink this, you haven't had any water in two days."
Knives set his mouth in a firm, unyielding line before he relented and drank heavily from the glass. He knew when to play along for his own good. "This place reeks of human," he said, coughing from the water. "There are humans here, aren't there? You're a bigger fool than I believed."
"You aren't going to hurt them, Knives. I won't let you. You're too weak."
"Not for long, brother. I'll heal, and eventually break these pathetic bonds you've placed upon my power. You honestly believed you could bring me here and not expect me to be disgusted?"
Knives' eyes searched the room before coming to rest on the shadowed forms of the insurance girls standing in the doorway looking in on this scene. He smirked and turned his focus back on Vash again. "I see. You wanted to go back to your foolish human whores."
Vash stood and clenched his fists. "Don't talk about them like that, ever!"
Knives ignored him and stared at the girls. As he focused on Milly, he sneered and said "You're right, brother. Only one of them is your whore. The other one was the whore of that ineffectual priest, Nicholas D. Wolfwood."
Milly gasped, and Vash took his brother by the shoulders. "Stop it, Knives! This is wrong! Leave them alone!"
But Knives didn't stop. His upper lip curled in disgust as he continued to spit poison words at the girls. "He was nothing but useless human refuse! I gave him a simple task, and he couldn't even do it right. I suppose that's your fault, brother, for twisting his resolve with your anserine words. If he'd done his job and killed you, he'd be alive. Weak, just like the rest of his pile off teeming filth..."
Milly had been slowly inching toward the bed with her hands clenched in fury. Tears stung her pale blue eyes as her throat burned with anger and grief. As he continued to ramble, she suddenly pushed Vash out of the way and struck Knives' jaw with her best left punch. His head reeled back as she took him by the shoulders and began to shout at him.
"Stop it, stop right now! You don't know anything about who Nicolas really was! He was a good person, and he would never have done those terrible things if he had any choice! He would never have hurt Mr. Vash, and if it's anyone's fault that he's gone, it's yours! If you speak about him like that ever again I'll beat you up so bad you'll wish you never met me, you big jerk!"
When she stopped, tears were running down her cheeks and her whole body was shaking. She quickly wiped her eyes and turned to Vash, who stared at her, dumbstruck. "I'm...sorry I hit your brother, Mr. Vash. I'll go get the town doctor." she whispered before slowly walking toward the door back to Meryl. Meryl stared at her partner in shock at what she had just done. She didn't even care that the man lying prone in the bed was quite possibly the most dangerous being on the planet. Meryl embraced the now-weeping Milly, and looked to Vash, who just shifted his focus between Knives and Milly.
The room was silent as a grave for more than a minute before a low sound began in Knives. It began lower than the moan of the wind, but quickly rose into recognition. His body shook with strained laughter as he turned his head to face the girls.
"You're more idiotic than I thought! Any being with a modicum of simple self-awareness would see the predator lying in front of them. Stupid girl..."
His eyes seemed to glaze over and focus suddenly, and almost immediately both Meryl and Milly dropped to the floor clutching their heads, crying out in pain. Vash was at their side instantly, his brow furrowed in concentration. Their faces contorted with pain as they began to shake violently. He could tell that they were fighting valiantly against the assault. He got to his feet and stalked to Knives' side, shouting "Stop it! Don't hurt them! Stop it right now!"
Knives was dead to everything save for his intense concentration on the girls. This was a taxing effort for him, and his face beaded with sweat. Without another option, Vash reached back and hit his brother as hard as he could, sending him once again into unconsciousness. The cries of the girls stopped abruptly and he turned to face them breathing heavily. He kneeled down at their side, but refused to meet their eyes.
"Are...you two alright?"
Meryl looked up at him and began to stand up. "Yes, I'm fine," she replied in a shaking voice. Milly sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. She looked up at Vash and said, "I'm sorry Mr. Vash, but he's a terrible, terrible person. I hope you can help him," before getting up and leaving the room. She paused at the door and said cooly, "I'm going to get dressed and go find the doctor," and left for her room.
Vash watched her leave, and turned toward Meryl, still refusing to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry," he said as he moved to leave as well. "I never should have brought him here...I never wanted him...to hurt either of you." He began to walk out the door when Meryl grabbed his hand and pulled him back.
"Vash...you can't do this by yourself! I won't let you! If you leave again, I'll follow you, just like before! I won't let you let yourself be killed because of him!" She reached up and put a hand on his cheek to force his eyes to meet hers. "Please, don't leave again. I want to help you do this."
He closed his eyes and sighed, placing a hand over hers on his cheek to lean in to its warmth. "I'm not leaving. I just...have to think for a while. I'll be back later, I promise." He tossed a weak, tired smile at her, and was gone.
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Fini! Now remember, all flames will be met with an author shrouded in fire wielding a katana, so beware. That said, read, enjoy, and review!
Vash: Sagan...I think you need to poke some more air holes in this box...Wolfwood doesn't look too good...
Sagan: He should have known better than to smoke in here...