Hello everyone. I'm still technically hermiting, but my stories won't suffer this time, I promise. See? Aren't I here? Posting *early* so Raditz don't get mad. He's (Or should that be they?) scary. But it means they love my story! And hello again, Meirelle. I thought I'd lost you ^_^ nice to see someone other than Raditz and lyerial – not that I don't love you both!! Anyway, on with the show ^_^ (grr. Still using that smilie too much)

**

Alex's cutthroats were showing signs of their defeat, most huddled around dying fires in the cramped hideout. Alex was putting on a brave face, but everyone could tell she was hurting. He couldn't do much, but Midvalley was trying to ease everyone's mind with his music. Despite their recent hardships, many of the criminals were offering what few double dollars they had to the musician.

Finally Alex stood, waving for Midvalley to stop. "All right everyone, I've got an idea for our next job." Some of the followers ignored her, but several drew near to listen and Midvalley recognized that these would be the ones to go this time. "Yesterday, we got slaughtered, we all know that. We were injured, nearly arrested, and hardly got any take because of it. But if we do another job tomorrow, we can make it up."

Several cheers went through the small gathering and not a few mentioned Midvalley's name. Alex nodded and quieted them again. "Yes, yes. We also all know we owe our Hornfreak for getting us out of that mess yesterday. And you will be there again, right?" Midvalley felt his cheeks grow hot and nodded in agreement. "Great! Now, we'll hit early in the morning. They have a safe in the back that gets emptied in the middle of the week, so it should be chocked full of loot. It's a little place – Red Suns Restaurant?"

Several of the kids nodded, but Midvalley's mouth stretched into a frown. One of the older women noticed him and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, something wrong? You got a friend that works there or something?"

You both deserve to die for what you did. Midvalley's face fell and she shook his head. There was no reason for him to hesitate or back out. Wolfwood had made it abundantly clear that they were not friends. He looked up again and forced a smile. "I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

**

Midvalley came home deliberately late. He briefly debated eating out again and avoiding Wolfwood all together as he'd done the night before. However, the simple fact was he couldn't afford it. He may be bringing in more money now that he had his sax, but most of that was going towards getting a better home, maybe even a place of his own if he managed to survive the rest of the month.

The door opened with a creak and Midvalley frowned to see that Wolfwood was still at the table. Legato was nowhere to be seen and Midvalley knew he was avoiding the irate priest too. Silently, Midvalley went to the table and sat opposite the brunette and served himself dinner. At first Zazie opened his mouth to try and start a conversation, but Midvalley shook his head, silencing him.

Several minutes passed before Wolfwood set down his fork, finished with his food. He stood to clear his place setting and finally looked at Midvalley. It was just a chance glance, but the hatred was there, pure and strong. The sax player gulped and licked his lips. "Nick?"

The priest's eyes, which had passed over Midvalley in a moment, snapped back to his face. "What?"

Midvalley flinched from the unmasked anger. "I just wanted to ask if you were working tomorrow?"

"Of course," he snapped. "Why?"

Midvalley shook his head and looked away. "Just wondering." Wolfwood snorted and stomped to the bedroom, closing the door. Midvalley sighed miserably and went back to his meal, finally starting a conversation with Zazie.

Even later in the evening, the door creaked open again as Legato returned. He glanced around before walking to the table. "I timed it better tonight then?"

Zazie nodded and at Midvalley's confused look he elaborated. "Legato got home yesterday in the middle of super and they got into a pretty violent fight, exchanged blows and broke dishes and everything."

Legato was dishing up his dinner quickly, proof that he had not eaten yet. "It was too soon, he hadn't had a chance to cool down. Was he any better tonight?"

Midvalley sighed. "Well, he didn't try to kill me. But sometimes the silence is worse, ya know?"

"So what, you guys are just going to let him dictate your lives?"

Legato nodded slowly. "We can't change the past. Avoiding him for a few days will just be simpler. I'll be out of his way after that."

"I got a deed yesterday, but do you really think I can pull of two more? We don't even know how long we have left! No, better to just give him what he wants, right?"

"But if you just talk to him-"

"He won't listen, Zazie. Nicholas has no reason to listen to us."

"Besides, actions speak louder than words. Even if I did talk to him . . . he'd never hear me." Midvalley stood, clearing his place and completely missing the worried look the other two boys shared. He stalked to the couch, grabbed a couple pillows and a blanket, and continued to the corner of the room where he made himself a nice little nest. He drifted to sleep listening to the defeated tone of Legato's conversation. That night he dreamed of frightened, screaming children.

**

It was a smaller group this time than before. Alex had chosen the gang carefully, sacrificing the speed of her younger kids for the strength of a couple adults on Midvalley's suggestion. Now the five of them stood outside the restraint. Alex looked around, nodding as she saw no one else on the street and they went in.

The bell above the door sounded bright and clear and the first noticeable response was a bus boy looking up with a smile. "Welcome to Red Suns!" Alex raised her gun into the boy's line of sight. Immediately his smile faded and he yelped, dropping his rag. "Nick!"

Midvalley flinched at the name. He knew it was unavoidable, but that didn't mean he wanted to see the priest get caught up in this battle. Wolfwood's head appeared from the back room and he spotted the musician and his friends. "What the hell are you doing here?" he growled as he walked out into the diner. His eyes came to rest on Alex's gun, just as the bus boy's had, and he frowned. "We don't allow weapons in here, put it away now or get out."

Midvalley shook his head slightly and watched as Wolfwood's expression turned darker. "Don't fight us, Nick, let us get in and out without an incident."

"I'm just glad you gave me an excuse to shoot you."

Midvalley saw Wolfwood turn and head back to the door at a run. "Don't let him get his weapons!" The two adults in the small gang surged forward to try and catch the fleeing man and Midvalley and the other child turned their attention to the rest of the room. Only two tables were filled, a drifter in a tattered cloak at one and the other occupied by a small family.

Crashes and curses drifted from the kitchen in the back. Alex was waiting breath held when Wolfwood appeared through the door again. He was being dragged through against his will and was sporting a bruise on his forehead that was already darkening. Through sheer force of will, he wrenched his arm free of the man on his right and made a grab for the woman's throat, but he was out powered and in another moment he'd been restrained again. Alex literally sighed with relief and moved to the counter where the elderly woman was manning the cash register. "Go close the store, close the blinds, don't allow others to get involved in this."

With a little 'eep' of fear, the woman did as she was told. The other child left Midvalley to guard the customers and disappeared into the back. She poked her head out a minute later. "Old man ain't here, but the safe is."

Alex nodded and turned to the old woman who was cowering behind the bus boy. "All right, just tell us the combination and we'll leave."

The old woman simply shook her head, disappearing further as the young boy moved to shield her more fully. "You can have what's in the register, but the safe's empty."

"Then open it and we'll see for ourselves. You aren't lying to me, are you?"

"You little hellspawn! Hooligan, ruffian! You aren't going to get anything from me. Honestly, what would your parents think if they saw you like this?" Alex's face contorted with anger and she sprang forward to strike the woman.

Midvalley gasped, just catching hold of his boss's shirt. "Alex, ignore her. This is supposed to be simple, no casualties." Though he did wonder what had set the normally calm girl off. Perhaps he'd remember never to mention her parents in the future.

"You're going to have a hell of a time if you don't want casualties, Hornfreak." Midvalley turned to Wolfwood, a frown etched on his lips. "If you don't shoot me, you know damn well you're dead."

Midvalley just shook his head and turned his attention back to the patrons of the restraint and, with a huff, Alex hurried into the back with the other girl. Midvalley crinkled his brow, something had changed. With a start he realized that while his back had been turned, the drifter had changed seats. He was now sitting much closer to the musician than he had been. Funny, he hadn't heard a thing.

"Damn it!" Alex came out scowling. "I can't break the combo. Midvalley, you go blast the thing open."

Midvalley nodded, casting one last glance at the mysterious drifter. He paused again as he passed Wolfwood and frowned. "Nick, I'm sorry."

"Like Hell you are, traitor. Take what you can get and get out of my sight. Move fast enough and you might just outrun me."

Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door and all eyes focused there for a split second. The old woman let out what sounded like a victory cry and pumped her fist in the air. "All right! I bet he went and got the cops, too!"

The little girl turned the color of sour milk. "Shit, the old man must have made a break for it without us knowing."

Midvalley glanced again at Wolfwood as the pounding continued, this time joined by shouts from outside. The priest smirked. "Look at that, don't have to shoot you after all. You'll just rot in prison until you die."

"That ain't going to happen," Alex said in a rush as she stalked over to the men. "Midvalley, go blow the safe. We'll take it and this one and make our escape."

The sax player suddenly felt sick. "No, no hostages. Let's just call it a bust and get out of here, Alex."

"And make it two heists in a row we've botched? Forget it! Go bust that safe open, Hornfreak!" When Midvalley hesitated again Alex turned on him with a glare. "I said go!"

With a cringe, Midvalley backpedaled. I'm being intimidated by a girl that doesn't even come up to my chest! But it didn't matter. He was in this too deep to back out now. "Just don't hurt him if you can avoid it."

"And you just remember who the boss of this outfit it."

"Hornfreak, don't do this." Midvalley looked at Wolfwood again. "You know I'll shoot you without hesitation."

"Yeah, and that's such great motivation for me to trust you."

"Then thanks for the excuse." Faster than Midvalley could follow, Wolfwood ducked down and back, taking advantage of his guard's relaxed states to pull free. Out of nowhere, a gun materialized in his hand and it escalated from there.

Still dealing with the two muscle bound morons, Wolfwood didn't notice as Alex leveled her own gun at him. Panicked, Midvalley dove at the girl. He collided with her and then leapt back, trying to wrench the gun from her hands. But Alex had warned him once that she was the best around and she hadn't been lying. Without even missing a beat, she aimed and fired, almost as if the musician wasn't holding on to the barrel.

Midvalley stumbled back clutching the wound in his side and fell to the floor. He couldn't focus on the world around him. He heard more shots and saw a flash of yellow, but mostly it was all one big blur. The next thing that stuck out in his mind was when the pain in his side doubled. He opened his eyes with a startled cry, not realizing he'd closed them. Above him, pressing heavily to stop his bleeding, was a frowning Vash the Stampede. In a tattered brown traveling cloak. "Shit."

"Try not to move, let me figure out how badly hurt you are."

"You were sitting there this whole time." Midvalley's eyes closed again and he wondered how he hadn't seen it. "We were fated to fail."

Another voice Midvalley recognized as Wolfwood broke into his hearing. "For crying out loud. First time you come in here for a sit down meal and we nearly get robbed. This is all your fault, Needle Noggin. Eat at our competitors next time!"

Vash's frown twitched and turned into a tiny smile. "Naw, it wasn't 'cause I was here. And the robbery wasn't fated to fail, either. Something good just needed to happen." The blonde looked up and around at the rest of the room. "Is everyone else okay?"

A young girl wearing a deputy's badge appeared above Midvalley. "No fatal injuries, nothing more serious than him, in fact. We've got three of them in custody, but the leader got away. She's a fast little kid." The woman glanced down at Midvalley. "Speaking of your friend here, what are we going to do with him?"

Midvalley closed his eyes again, waiting for the handcuffs to be slapped on his wrists. Instead he heard Wolfwood sigh. "What do you mean? He saved the day, right?"

The deputy stuttered. "Er, yes, well, I suppose that's true. But he was one of the bad guys."

Midvalley looked again to see Vash waving the young woman off. "Nonsense, he was being blackmailed into helping them! After all, they had one of his best friends held hostage, what would you do?"

Seemingly convinced, the woman smiled and nodded, leaving the three men alone. Midvalley looked at Wolfwood, confused, and the priest snorted. "If it were up to me, they would have drug you out of here with the rest of them. It was broom head that wanted to save you."

"Wolfwood, he saved you!" Vash whined.

"It doesn't count if he's the one who put me in danger to begin with! Besides, he was only trying to save his own hide. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. This little stunt has trashed a very nice restraint."

Vash pouted as the other man walked off. When he finally looked back at Midvalley, he was frowning again. "What did happen?"

"Alex would have shot him. But you saw that yourself."

"Why didn't you let her?" Vash pressed the bandages more firmly into his side.

Midvalley ground his teeth together, forcing himself not to flinch. "It would have been a waste. I didn't want to see anyone get hurt." A thought occurred to him and Midvalley raised his right arm enough to see his bracelet shining a dull red. He smiled. "It was the right thing to do."

***

Well, there you have it.Midvalley actually may survive this after all! Oi, Jubei-chan, have you caught up yet? Review me! Pwease? And ne, Aya-chan, are you reading this or did you get all distracteded. I know you loved the idea, but what do you think about the nearly finished product? To all of you I love you my readers! (though I'd love you more if you reveiwed too, but that's beside the point.) And I'm still looking for a deed for Legato and one for Zazie.