*Falls over dead* X_X You guys owe me for this one! This chappie is over seven pages long! Therefore… It must be either my signature cliffy or a major chapter in the plot… or maybe both… BUWHAHA!

PLEASE REVIEW!!!

The Telltale Heart

Chapter 9

Ages:

Vash- 129

Kat- 13

(A/N: These notes are from my biology class… very long…)

'Protein has a role in virtually every activity of every organism. Organisms make up their proteins by protein synthesis. Genes code for the sequence of amino acids that make up proteins. In other words, DNA is the template for making proteins. Regulatory genes code for proteins that regulate the expression of other genes. A gene is expressed when the protein codes for is synthesized. DNA works with another nucleic acid called ribonucleic acid (RNA). The differences between DNA and RNA are that RNA is single-stranded instead of double stranded contains the sugar ribose instead of deoxyribose, and contains the base uracil instead of thymine.

There are three types of RNA: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). The first stage of protein syntheses, transcription, is when the genetic information from a strand of DNA is copied to make a strand of mRNA. The second stage of protein syntheses, translation, is when the base sequences that were copied in transcription are translated into proteins. DNA is coiled and wound in chromosomes. Inactive DNA is loosely coiled. The tightening and loosening of DNA coils is one way of controlling gene expression.

Transcription begins when the DNA coils loosen. The enzyme RNA polymerase separates the two strands of the DNA double helix, exposing the base pairs of a gene. The enzyme then matches RNA bases with the complementary bases on one strand of DNA. RNA matches uracil with adenine since it doesn't have thymine. In this way the exact code is copied, or transcribed, from DNA to mRNA. In prokaryotes, the mRNA travels directly to the ribosomes since they have no nucleus. Transcription and translation can occur simultaneously, so the proteins are produced very quickly. This is why bacteria multiply so rapidly. In eukaryotic cells, the mRNA must go through RNA splicing before it reaches a ribosome. DNA introns and exons are both transcribed into mRNA. An enzyme in the nucleus removes the introns and joins the exons to one another. After the mRNA has been spliced and rejoined, it… it…. ' Kat nibbled on the end of her pen in deep concentration. 'I hate science…'

Another wave of sympathy and concern came from the angel that hovered over Kat's shoulder. Kat turned to look at the angel, "That's really annoying you know…" Kat had attempted to speak to the angel when she first arrived but it proved too hard for her to concentrate on one thing. Footsteps sounded on the stairs and without looking Kat could tell who it was. "Leave me alone… Vash," Kat emphasized his name.

"My name should make no difference on who you know me as," he pointed out as he approached.

Kat could feel him sit next to her and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "It makes all the difference," Kat said trying to keep the tears at bay. She fiddled with her black trench coat that Vash had given her when they first met.

"Why would my name make any difference?"   

Kat shifted to glare at him. Hatred blazed in her eyes, "It was Vash the Stampede who killed my parents."

"I've never killed anyone," Vash snarled angrily.

"So says the man with a sixty billion bounty…" Kat growled unfazed by his tone. Then just barely above a whisper, "I hate you."  

Vash grabbed Kat by the shoulders and jerked her head so she had to look into his eyes. He removed his orange glasses and slowly stated, "I did not kill your parents."

Kat's gaze lingered a moment longer than necessary before she shoved him away, "You're still guilty. After all, there's no way that a man like you could have a bounty that large for doing nothing."

The silence was deafening. Even the angel was becoming a bit wary of the two. She decided to leave them alone and disappeared as she moved off farther into the bulb.

"Your parents, your real ones the Okamimure's, were not entirely my fault. You remember seeing all my scars right? Someone once told me that no one has the right to take the life of another, that the ticket to the future is always blank. My scars came from living up to what Rem told me, I've never killed anyone in my life."

"Them explain to me how my parents were killed," Kat hissed. A wave of warning pulsed from another bulb along the line of the five in their chamber. "It can't be that complicated."

"You remember how one of my arms wasn't exactly normal?" Vash asked as he shifted it to show the concealed gun, "Well my other arm isn't much better."

Vash drew his silver gun from its holster and Kat watched as the screws to the top portion became loose. The casing popped off and a ball of energy grew around a hovering ebony cylinder in the center of the gun. Kat backed up from fear as Vash's arm began to grow in size and shape. The normal sleeve of his coat split open to show that his arm had formed blue and silver scales.

The other angels that had been watching retreated to the safety of the back of their bulbs.

Vash's arm split down the center and a glowing sphere began to form in the opening. He had his eyes closed and Kat couldn't tell if it was from pain or concentration. The air in the room began to stir and Vash's cannon burst into its full form in a swirl of feathers and light.

"This is why they call me Vash the Stampede," he ground out from clenched teeth. "My angel arm has the power to destroy this planet ten times over. I'm sure you've heard of the destruction of July. It was when Knives, my brother, first showed me the power of my arm," his voice began to even out as the massive gun decreased in size, no longer of use. "Your parents were caught in the debris and suffered injuries. They later died of their wounds. But still… I didn't kill them." 'Although it still feels as if it was my fault.'

With everything he had wanted to say said, Vash left the chamber leaving a confused and bewildered Kat in his wake.

Something shiny caught Kat's eye. She turned to see a small thin box wrapped in gold colored paper. Curious, Kat decided to open it. She carefully untied the crimson ribbon adorning the lid and slipped the cover off. She gasped.

A red rose and a silver locket identical to the one she had given Vash lain inside. The only differences Kat could see were that the three stones in the center were emeralds, not sapphires like what hers had been. She clicked the locket open to find a comical picture of Vash doing her 'Love and peace pose.'

'But where did he get the rose? Roses don't grow on Gunsmoke…' Her fingertips slid over the bottom of the box as she switched hands and Kat noticed that there was a note attached. It read:

Dear Kat,

            I have been meaning to tell you for a while now that I'm not who you think I am…

Her tears smeared the ink so that it was no longer legible. The only parts of the letter she could still make out were the first sentence and his signature at the bottom. 'He thinks I hate him…'

^_^

Her new locket shone brightly against the black leather of her duster coat. Kat ran through the streets of town looking for her hero so she could apologize. A speck of red shone around the next corner Kat was coming to and she called out to gain his attention, "Va-!"

"Kat!" someone cut her off.

She ran around the corner to come face to face with Hank, the guy who had always had a crush on her. Kat's frustration doubled and she could see Vash's figure over Hank's large form. Kat was about five foot two and Hank was around five nine. 'How tall is Vash? He has to be around seven feet. Are all plants this tall?'

"Kat I have something to ask you," Hank grabbed her hand as Kat tried to get away.

"I'm kind of busy Hank," Kat hinted.

"I know but there's something I've been wanting to tell you," Hank loosened his grip on her wrist and moved it to her hand.

'SHIT!' Kat thought when she realized what Hank was doing.

He kneeled on one knee and drew a ring from his pocket.

Kat saw Vash turn to go, "Stop!" Her voice cracked and tears began to threaten to spill over again.

"Will you marry me?" Hank asked oblivious to the fact that Kat's attention was elsewhere.

Vash's lip curled in disgust and he vanished down the alley.

Hank, by now, had noticed that Kat wasn't paying any attention to him. He called to her but nothing Hank did could tear Kat away from her daze.

"I have to go, I'm sorry Hank," Kat excused herself.

Hank watched her go with a puzzled look until she was out of sight. He snapped the lid shut on the box the ring was in and sneered. 'She was too good for that guy. I wouldn't be surprised if one day she came and thanked me! Wish I had a picture of the expression on his face!'

^_^

"He left didn't he?" Terry asked as Kat passed the kitchen on the way to her room.

"What are you? Psychic?" Kat growled.

"I won't ask what happened. Go after him! Before you loose him for good…" Terry said with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

'I can't let Vash get away!' Kat thought. "I will go after him," she told Terry. 'But what will I say when I get there?

Kat packed a few things she thought she would need and walked down the hall. She passed the living room and poked her head in to see if she could spot her cat. A meow sounded in the room and Kat smiled as her black green-eyed cat came out from under the couch.

"Kuroneko, I'm going to find Vash. You remember him don't you?" The black cat purred. "Thought so. I'm guessing you want to come with me too?" The cat meowed and rubbed on Kat's leg. "Then do me a favor and stalk him for as long as you can," Kat joked as she scratched the cat's large ears.

^_^

'I hate heat. I hate dust. I hate this planet…' Kat repeated in her head for the thousandth time.

The Thomas she was riding on snorted as it inhaled too much sand.

Kat could feel its sides heave with each cough. "Don't kill yourself," Kat teased. She shielded her eyes from the blazing sun and looked to the horizon. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

A red spec could be seen off in the distance and Kat knew in her heart that it had to be Vash. She urged her Thomas to go faster and cursed it for being so slow. Kat took another swig from her canteen and noticed that it was half empty. 'I wish I had been smart enough to bring more water…'

Her thoughts were interrupted by low drone of a car's motor. It spooked her Thomas and the animal began to pick up speed. The louder the engine got the faster the Thomas ran. Soon shouts of catcalls could be heard from the car. Fear and detest began to rise inside of Kat. She yelled at her Thomas and this proved somewhat helpful since it scared the animal into a full out sprint. Vash's form grew larger and Kat could begin to make out details on him as the jeep grew closer.

Something curled around Kat's waist and pulled her with such force off her Thomas that she yelped in pain. The next thing Kat was aware of was that she had passed her still sprinting Thomas. Kat managed to swallow some of her fear and looked to see what had grabbed her. 

"Well Rich looks as if we have a live one!" the man who had grabbed Kat exclaimed. He scooted over and pulled Kat over the side of the jeep. "She's young too!"

"How young Dick?" The driver asked.

"Only about fifteen or so," Dick replied, "Just the way I like them!" Kat caught the scent of alcohol on his breath. And she leaned away. "What? Is there something wrong with my breath?" he smirked and wrapped an arm around Kat. She squirmed to get away and the man laughed.

A piercing scream omitted from Kat when she felt Dick's hand rub her rear. Tears welled up in her eyes as she began to imagine her fate. 'I forgot my gun…' Kat closed her eyes when she felt the sharp edge of a knife press against her throat.

"Enough squirming or my knife might slip," Dick whispered in her ear. His hands began to wander again and hot tears spilled over leaving warm trails down her cheeks.

Something made the jeep lurch and a loud explosion could be heard. Kat's throat began to burn and she could feel warm liquid seep down her neck. Coughs began to rack her body and her eyes shot open.

"Damn!" Dick exclaimed when he saw that his knife had punctured her throat. "The first girl stupid enough to wander out alone in ages and here she is with her throat slit open for the world to see! Rich, what the hell did you do to our car?"

"I didn't do anything!" Rich yelled. "Something popped our tires!"

Kat's coughs began to increase and it began to irritate the two men, "Shut the fuck up bitch!" Dick kicked Kat in the ribs and a crunch of bones splintering was heard.

"Aw, come on Dick! You don't have to hurt you're whore anymore than she already is!" Rich scolded.

Kat began to couch up blood as her wounds leaked more of the precious liquid.

"BASTARDS!" a familiar voice roared. Kat cracked an eye open through the pain to see Vash holding the men at gun point. "What did you do to her?" he asked while attempting to keep himself calm. His voice was filled with rage and Kat could tell that if the men did anything to anger him they probably wouldn't be around much longer. His eyes were concealed behind his orange glasses and the rays of the sun glinted off them making it appear as if his eyes were blazing fireballs.

"We were just having a bit of fun. Not like someone you, Vash the Stampede, would care for this wen-" Dick was cut off by a bullet to his leg.

Vash's teeth appeared to be fangs lasing out at the two men as he roared, "Next shot's going straight to YOUR brain!"

The men began to cower in fear. Vash's arm lifted higher to aim for their heads planning to pump them full of lead.

"N-no one has the r-right to take the life of a-another," Kat wheezed.

Vash paused a moment before recomposing himself, "Hear that you miserable scum? Even after everything you've done to her she still wants to spare your pathetic worthless lives." One blow to the head knocked both men unconscious. Vash switched his attention back to Kat. "Shit," he hissed under his breath when he first caught sight of her. Kat squeezed her eyes shut and continued panting as her breath became shorter and shorter.

"I have to move you," Vash told her, "It's going to hurt."

Kat opened her eyes once more to capture a glimpse of her hero before blacking out from loss of blood.

Vash gently picked her up. He began to start the five isle trip to his brother's secret Eden, a still intact SEEDS ship, the only other one to survive the fall. 

'I hope I can make it there in time...'

(A/N: I hope you liked it! This is one of the longer chapters I've written too… PLEASE REVIEW!!!)