The happy couple sat eating politely in their seats. No elbows on the table, no gulping; perfect manners. Down the street Vash and Meryl did quite the opposite. Well, Vash did anyways.

Vash continued to eat his pancakes five at a time, while Meryl looked at him in a disgusted manner and Milly smiled, as usual. "How can you eat like that, Vash?"

"Like this!" His reply was muffled a little from the food he left in his mouth so it came out more like "lye fiss" and gobbled down more of Milly's delicious pancakes.

"Ugh. You are so immature Vash. I don't know why I even bother with you in the first place." Vash looked up from his pancakes and made his eyes sparkle.

"Because you love me…." He said, innocently, fluttering his eyelashes.

"Nope. I don't think that is it." She grinned. Meryl stood up from her seat and headed towards her room. "I'm going to go grocery shopping today."

"That's okay Meryl, I'll go." Milly stood up and went over to Meryl. "I need to get out of the house anyways." She closed her eyes happily, still smiling. "You two should go somewhere." Milly didn't let her partner reply before she bounced up the stairs to her room.

"You know she's right Meryl." Vash set his hands on the short girl's shoulders. "We should do something today."

"You're right." Vash was stunned at her response.

"I am?"

"Yup. You need a job. We are going to find you one."

"Aww Damn. That was not what I meant." Meryl walked up-stairs to her room so she could get ready to go job hunting with Vash.

Milly was on her way to the town market, needing groceries. She had a portable radio on, listening to her favorite station. It was a beautiful day. Almost beautiful enough to make her forget her troubles. But they were too large to forget. She sang along to songs, earning many strange looks along the way. Then a song came on the station that she didn't know, so she listened especially careful so she would next time it came on.

"I don't need you by my side

I don't need you, baby I've lied

'Cause I'm lonely, lonely as I can be

My one and only, changing the mood in me."

She thought the song reminded her of herself. She was brought back to memories of Wolfwood , of her only love. Her one-night lover.

"I can't see you anymore

I don't feel you as before

And I'm lonely, lonely as I can be

And it's only because you're never here with me."

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She was the only one she knew with no one. She was the only one in the house who was alone, unlike Meryl and Vash or her friends with fiancés, boyfriends, or husbands back at Bernardelli Headquarters.

"Trying, oh-oh-oh I'm trying

Sighing, woh-oh-oh you've got to believe me."

She belived in Wolfwood, that was a terrible mistake. He said he would come back for her, but he didn't.

"Because I'm lonely tonight

Something ain't right

Saving a place for you by my side

But you're still away

I don't know what to do

Because I'm lonely tonight

And all that I need is you.

I'm so lonely can't you see?

All alone all I see is me

And I'm lonely, lonely as I can be

I don't wanna fight, come on home to me.



Trying, oh-oh-oh I'm trying

Sighing, woh-oh-oh you've gotta believe me



Well I'm lonely tonight

Something ain't right

Saving a place for you by my side

I'm lonely tonight, what else is there to say?

I'm lonely tonight, nothing is going my way

'Cause I'm lonely tonight, what else is there to say?

When the song was over, she was oblivious to everything around her. She was unaware of the tears cascading down her cheeks, or of the dark haired man holding her tightly. Everything. It was all gone. It was just her, alone. Like it had been for the past year since *he* died. Slowly, everything came back, starting with the man in which arms were wrapped around her.

She looked up to see the man holding her, only to be stunned out of her mind. "N-n-nick??"