A/N: Greetings, I have returned. My apologies for the delay, work, school, and other tedious activities have taken up my free time. Even now I write this is the shadow of having to study for a geometry exam. Joyous. I will try to ignore the onslaught of distractions and post this ASAP, but knowing me, this won't be up for another week. Well whatever. Oh yeah, thank you to all the other kind people that reviewed, and I await more of them. Now I shall state the disclaimers and begin the story.

Disclaimer: As you are well aware, I do not own Trigun or its characters, I am just borrowing them for my own amusement. (Yes, that's right, Legato is my play thing, mwahahahaha) Ahem, yes well here goes.


Silent Scream

Chapter Three

Rei had been staring at the back of Legato's head for almost the entire duration of class. He sat a few seats in front of her, two rows to the right, so it was easy to keep her gaze upon him. Aiden, who sat one seat to her left, saw where her eyes where directed and winked at her, grinning impishly at the light blush that appeared on Rei's cheeks.

She sighed and mentally cursed herself. Why had she volunteered to do this? What could she possibly gain from befriending a jerk like Legato Bluesummers?

'It's because you want him to like you', she thought to herself, 'if you pull this off, maybe he'll learn to like and respect you.'

Rei growled inwardly. She did have a crush on Aiden, so was that why she was going through with this? So she could gain his affection? That was one reason, the other, more shallow one being that she was being paid for it. After lunch, she had brought the subject up to Aiden, and he had agreed to give her a handsome sum of money each week. She had initially felt slightly guilty, but money was money, and Aiden's family was well known for their wealth, so he had plenty of it to spare.

Either way, both reasons were because of the still snickering green- eyed boy to her left. Whimpering, she began to contemplate ways of obtaining Legato's attention. Rei was jolted out of her thoughts at the shrill ringing of the school bell, signifying the end of the day. She looked up just in time to see a certain blue haired boy saunter out of the classroom; not paying any attention to the reprimands the teacher was trying to deliver. She sighed again, gathering her books and her bag, and walked out of the room.

After stopping at her locker and retrieving her book bag, Rei exited the building. As she walked down the stairs, she noticed that some younger kids had circled around a minor skirmish that was taking place in front of the elementary school right across the way. Curious she walked over to them.

In the middle were two boys who were harassing a younger girl, tossing her bag and forth so she could not catch it. Others watched, laughing, as she would run from one to the other, in bleak hopes of reclaiming her bag. Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as one of the boys extended his foot, giggling as she tripped and fell on the dusty earth.

Enduring all she could of this, Rei approached the group, catching the bag as one of the boys attempted to toss it once again.

"I suggest you back off." She said coolly, sending each of them an icy blue glare.

The younger kids snarled briefly before dispersing, leaving the bag in the older student's hands, and giving up on their entertainment.

Rei watched as they all left before turning and kneeling down to the small girl who lay in the dirt.

"Here's your bag," she said softly. "Are you okay?"

The small girl looked up, tears staining her dirtied cheeks.

"Y-yes." She responded meekly, "Thank you...." She looked around nervously before adding, "Will you stay here with Allegro until Brother comes to pick her up?"

Rei smiled at the girl's speech in third person. It was cute, as well as amusing.

"Sure. So your name is Allegro? That's a pretty name."

"Uh-huh!" the girl, Allegro, chirped, "I'm Allegro." She jumped up, and began to brush herself off, drying her tears with the sleeve of her shirt.

"And I am Rei. So," she began "where is your brother?"

Allegro's small face beamed at the mention of her sibling.

"He always walks Allegro home. But, sometimes he's late. Like today."

Rei was about to question why she was being picked on before when her honey brown eyes light up with eagerness.

"Brother!" She shouted happily, running past Rei's still crouching form and to the person who had walked up behind them.

Rei turned around, and was surprised see that 'brother' Allegro was embracing was none other than Legato Bluesummers. She stood abruptly, gazing into the golden eyes that stared back at her with question.

Legato was distracted by any speech he could have made initially by the small girl grasping his leg. He reached down, and set a comforting hand on her back. Then he returned his gaze to the still confused Rei.

"What were you doing?" He asked, a hint of authority in his even speech.

Rei opened her mouth to speak, but no words were heard. Instead, she blinked rapidly; still trying to come to terms with the fact that see was standing face to face with Legato. Allegro let go of her brother's leg and stepped between them.

"Allegro was being bullied by some mean boys when Rei saved her. She helped Allegro and waited with her for you." She explained.

Legato stared at her blankly, until Rei finally found the courage to speak.

"Um, yeah. They were tossing her bag back and forth, so I intervened. She's okay now though, just a little dirty."

Legato could tell that she was not lying and she wasn't a threat so he ceased the hard stare he had been directing towards her.

"Allegro, it is time to go home. Let's go." He commanded gently.

He walked past Rei, mumbling a barely audible "thank you" as he passed, Allegro happily trailing after him. Suddenly she turned, and ran back to Rei, giving her a quick hug.

"Thanks Rei! Bye bye!"

"See ya," Rei responded, watching as Allegro ran to catch up with her brother, who had not lessened his pace.

When she was sure they were out of earshot, Rei cursed herself once again.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She yelled at herself. "You just had the opportunity to talk to Legato and you completely blew it! 'Um, yeah I saved your sister', what a stupid way to get his attention! Though, I didn't even know he had a sister... Of course, that may bedue to the fact that I know next to nothing about him." She picked up her own bag and began walking in the direction of her own house.

"Well wait a minute.. If I keep in contact with Allegro, I'll get on his good side. Hmm, maybe that wasn't so bad after all." Her practical side reasoned. "I'll have to find them again tomorrow."

Rei continued walking, thinking of how things would play out in the future.
A/N: Well, I finished that chapter. It got a little choppy at the end, my apologies. I went back to this chapter to and took out the Japanese... finally. I'll rewrite sometime soon... All these ones at the beginning are so horrible...We'll see what happens, I guess. Also next chapter will have more Legato in it so do not fret. Now that I've finished, I can devote myself to the Ramen sitting on the desk that has long since gone cold, and you can devote yourself to reading and reviewing. Ja.