"Nikki, are you okay?"
Nikki's bedroom door creaked open. She threw a pillow at it. "Go away."
"Please talk to me." The door opened wider, framing her mother. "Nicole--"
"I told you, I hate that name!"
"Nicole," Milly said more insistantly, putting her arms around her daughter. "Please tell me what's bothering you." Nikki closed her eyes and sighed.
"What are you keeping from me? Why shouldn't I hate my name?" She then opened her eyes and upturned her chin to look into her mother's sad eyes. Milly sighed.
"You were named after you're father." Nikki didn't understand.
"So? He's gone, he never comes to see me. Why should I care about him?" Milly's expression was painful for Nikki to look upon, so she turned away. Milly breathed another sigh.
"You know nothing of your father..."
"Is that my fault?" Nikki immediately regretted the question. Milly shook her head.
"No. I admit that it's mine." She paused. "Do you want me to tell you about him?" Nikki nodded, and pulled herself away from Milly's embrace. She sat cross-legged on her bed, facing the wall. Milly sat on the edge of the bed.
"He was a great man," she began. "He was so kind, and loving. He was a travelling priest. He also told me that he worked at an orphanage once. I believe you have a friend who was there. His name is Rowan." Nikki raised her eyebrows.
"Really? Rowan knew my father?"
"Yes. You can ask if he remembers him, but I doubt it. He was only a baby then. Anyway, We met him on a train in the desert, where he and Vash saved a little girl. He was so nice and friendly. I liked him the minute I saw him. He began travelling with us. It was great to have him around. Then that terrible day came..." Milly paused to breathe a sigh. Nikki stared at the wall.
"He had killed a child. He was so upset. I made him sandwiches and coffee, but he started to cry. I tried to comfort him. Then, well you happened. And morning came. He told me to stay here." Milly's voice was distant as she patted Nikki's bed. "Here in this very room on this very bed. And I did. Hours passed and still no news of him." Nikki didn't like where this story was going.
"Vash came back," Milly continued. "with your father's cross."
"The cross in the gun cabinet." Nikki didn't make it a question.
"Yes." Milly gave one more sigh. "I knew what had happened, but I couldn't believe it. I kept thinking that he would walk through that door somehow, and be okay. I cried so long after that. Nikki..." She paused. "You're father hasn't abandonded you...He's dead." Milly hid her face in her hands at the painful memory of that day. "But." She lifted her face with a faint smile. "You were born. And you looked just like him. Down to the last feature. It was like having him around again."
"Mom?" Nikki had only one more question. "Who is my father?"
"His name was Nicholas D. Wolfwood."