Hehe… Haven't gotten many reviews but at least I got some… Well enjoy! Oh and yes! This story kind of follows the story line but I've warped the ending & in the next chappie Vash meets Spike!! *growls* Oh & Musici, I'm in the same grade as you. *laughs*

PLEASE REVIEW!!!

One is the Loneliest Number

Chapter 7

"Ouch," Kat coughed as she sat up.

Vash spit out a mouthful of sand and dusted some from his hair. Wolfwood glared at Kat from where he lay sprawled out on the floor.

"Everyone ok?" Kat asked after spitting out a mouth full of sand. Vash looked a bit pale. "Are you hurt?!" Kat asked as she scuttled over to check on him, worried that it was her fault he was hurt.

Vash clutched his side, "I was shot a few days ago."

"Then what the heck are you doing hopping around like this?" Kat scolded as she attempted to check his wound. He was about to answer when a laser shot past.

"Run!" Wolfwood yelled to them as he took off down the hall. "This is your fault you know!" Wolfwood yelled to Vash when the outlaw had caught up.

"And why is that?!" he screamed over the noise of the firing robots.

"Because you're the outlaw!" Wolfwood yelled back as he ducked a laser shot.

"What does that have to do with anything!?"

"Shut up and run!" Kat ordered as she picked up speed and passed them.

They reached a bridge too narrow for the robots to follow. Vash fired at the remaining two that had been after them. The robots shattered in the places they had been hit and slumped to the floor hissing and spitting.

Laser fire from below made the small group crouch down to avoid being hit. Pieces of the bridge above them crumbled and bits of plaster rained down upon them.

"I'll go and see if I can shut this place down. Wolfwood, cover me!" Vash yelled as he jumped over the side of the bridge.

"And what bout me?!" Kat yelled as she peeked over the edge of the bridge to see if he would land safely.

Laser fire from the other end of the bridge answered her question. She returned fire and was knocked backwards by the kick the gun gave. Kat quickly sat up and a piercing pain shot through her shoulder. 'I've been hit!' "Wolfwood," she hissed in pain. Blood seeped through her fingers and pooled on the floor

The priest turned to see what the matter was and cursed. He tore off parts of his jacket to use as a makeshift bandage. There was another curse from below and the two on the bridge sat up to see what happened.

Kat and Wolfwood peered over to see Vash's arm smoking. Robots also lay smoking in great heaps around him. They watched as he disappeared into a small room. Kat freaked when the lights went out and it became too dark to see.

She screamed when she felt the bridge give way as something massive connected with it. Kat was dimly aware of something cushioning her fall but the next thing she remembered was someone yelling, "Are you guys ok?!"

^_^

Kat awoke and blinked a few times to adjust to the light. Something black and fury was in her lap and she noticed that it was her cat. Her hand stroked it and she was surprised to see that she was in a hospital. Her shoulder ached and she reached up to find it was bandaged. Her memories began to come back and she sat there a few moments longer with her eyes shut to unshuffle the flood of memories.

She opened her eyes and spotted a blurry red blob resting on the edge of her bed. She blinked a few times to clear her vision. It was Vash and he was snoring lightly. His orange glasses were perched lopsided on his nose and he was drooling. His hair was messed up and he had dark circles under his eyes. Kat was shocked and wondered how long he had stayed there waiting for her to wake up. Then Kat wondered just how long she had been asleep.

She sat up and hissed from the headache she got. She rubbed her temples and it subsided after a few moments. Her black cat stirred when she moved to the end of her bed. It looked up at her and began to purr. Kat ruffled the outlaw's hair and whispered, "Vash…"

He opened his eyes and blinked a few times, "Huh?"

Their eyes met for a few moments. "H-how long have I been asleep?" Kat asked her voice horse from days of not being used.

Vash yawned and stretched, "Two and a half days. We're in May City now."

"Have you been waiting here this whole time?" Kat wondered allowed. Vash blushed and Kat stuttered to change the subject, "I-is Wolfwood ok?"

"Just fine," Vash said as he stroked her black cat.

"And what about you?" she asked as she joined in on petting the cat.

"My bullet wound reopened but I'll be ok. You're the one we were all worried about," he said with a light sparkle to his eyes, "How are you doing?"

Kat touched her bandaged shoulder, "Hurts like hell but I think I'll be ok. When can I go home…? I mean get out of here?"

"The doctor said you could leave as soon as you woke up," he answered.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kat asked as she hopped out of bed. Her legs gave out as soon as her feet touched the floor. She let out a squeak of surprise and closed her eyes as she waited for the impact that never came. When she opened her eyes she saw that Vash had caught her. He set Kat back on her feet and held onto her a little longer than needed.

"Thanks," Kat smiled, "I'm a bit of a klutz."

Vash grinned back, "No problem."

^_^

Kat dressed as everyone including Meryl and Milly waited outside for her. Kat emerged wearing the white trench coat she had woken up in on her first day there. For some odd reason the coat seemed to keep all the heat out even though it weighed around twenty pounds. She opened the door to her hospital room and was greeted with hugs from the two insurance girls.

"I'm so glad you woke up!" Milly said as she crushed Kat in a massive hug.

"My… shoulder," Kat coughed as Milly let go of her.

"Way to go Milly, you probably just hurt the poor girl even more," Meryl scolded.

"We should get you back to the hotel so you can rest," Wolfwood said as he started off down the hall.

"Hey did the girl get saved?" Kat asked.

"She got back to her mother just fine thanks to you guys!" Milly chattered.

Kat smiled, "That's nice to hear."

(A/N: Yes, yes I know it was short but the next chapter plays a large role in this story! PLEASE REVIEW!!!)