Disclaimer- I don't own Trigun. I do own this fic, though!!! Yay!!!

AN- I did it! I updated! Are you all happy? Good! Me too! Bla... I have to go back to school again tomorrow... (;;) Whatever. I'll live. As long as we don't have our history test tomorrow. (') Oh and thank you so much for all your reviews. I don't have the time to answer them all. Thanks to those who did review, though. If you didn't, PLEASE DO!!! ... ahem... Keep reading. Oh, and just to let you know, my mom doesn't really treat me like dirt. I just needed something to build on.

Chapter 4 The Compromise

Meryl looked at all the hopeful faces in the crowd. She really wanted to go to bed and sleep. That was all she wanted. 'I deserve a rest!' she thought. "No!!! I wont do it!!! I refuse to do it! This is the reason I left this town! Just leave me alone!!!" she screamed and ran into the streets with Vash and Heather behind her. Everyone blinked.

"Hey! She's getting away!" someone yelled. The mob ran after her.

"Wait for me!" said an old guy in a janitor's uniform. "I have arthritis in my leg! Ugh!"

"Come on, you guys. I know where we can hide," said Heather, walking into an ally. Vash and Meryl looked at each other and silently followed her. She came up to a shabby looking door and opened it. Inside, was what looked like an abandoned basement. It smelled like... "Rats..." she whispered.

"What was that?" asked Meryl.

"Nothing!" It wasn't important. "I guess we'll just have to wait till the crowd dies down. What time is it?"

"You think I can see my watch in this dark?" Meryl shot back.

"Wow! Sorry! A little grumpy are we?" teased Heather.

"You'd be too if you were being chased by hundreds of people all night!"

"It's your fault you got all famous and everything!"

"I didn't mean to! You know how mom always wanted us to be famous and known by the whole planet!"

"Correction! She wanted you to be famous and known by the whole planet!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Please girls! Stop fighting! I have a headache," Vash begged.

The girls gasped and said, "Vash the Stampede has an itty bitty headache? Poor poor baby! Do you think we should call an ambulance?"

"Stop!" Vash whined.

"We're sorry," they said but didn't look sorry at all.

"Why don't we feel for a light switch or something?" inquired Heather. So they felt the walls for something to turn on.

"Ouch! Ah!" Vash tripped over an object on the floor and tackled Meryl to the ground.

Heather picked up the thing that caused her two companions to be in such an awkward position. It was a flashlight. She turned it on, flashed it toward the couple on the floor, and doubled over in laughter. It took a second to realize what was so funny. Vash and Meryl jumped up, knocked heads together, and fell down again, Vash on top of Meryl.

"Would you guys wait till we get home for that? There is a child present in the room," Heather said after she calmed down a bit but just started laughing again.

"Ugh, my head..." a very embarrassed Vash mumbled and slowly got up. "Are you ok, Meryl?"

She was lying on the ground breathing hard, and by the looks of it, you couldn't tell because of the lack of light, she was blushing hard and staring at the ceiling. Meryl shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. "Of course I'm not ok! Vash! You're twice my size! Please be more careful!"

Vash grinned. "Sorry Meryl. It was dark."

"Would you lovebirds cut it out? You're making me sick!" Heather made more fake gagging noises and stuck her finger in her mouth.

"Lovebirds?!" Meryl and Vash screamed and jumped apart.

Meryl- I so do not like him that way!

Vash- Heather! How could you do that to my dignity? I'm wounded...

"You don't, Meryl? Who are you trying to assure? Us or yourself? And Vash, I do this because I love you so much!" She pinched his cheek. "And I want you and my sister to be happy together!"

"You are so evil!" Meryl and Vash said simultaneously.

"I know! Isn't it great?" she grinned. "Look! There's a back door! Let's go through there! It might lead to a way out!"

"Good. We can finally get out of this rat infested stinking hole," said Meryl.

Vash went out first to check and see if the coast was clear. "It's ok. No one is here. Come on." They cautiously walked into the moonlight.

By the light of a streetlamp, Meryl read the time to be 1:00 am. 'I wonder what Wolfwood, Millie, Mom, and Dad are doing.'

Meanwhile, back at the house, Kelly was showing evil naked baby pictures of Meryl to Wolfwood and Millie. "And that's Meryl at the beach. She took of the swimming suit the little angel. Here's Meryl at her 1st birthday party always trying to impress the boys. Still is actually. Speaking of which, where is her boyfriend? He ran after her and he's been gone for hours. Oh and where is the woman of the hour anyway? I wonder where Heather went... Maybe she's dead! Anyway, this is Meryl at..." It went on for hours.

Meryl, Vash, and Heather were walking the lamp lit streets in the dark on their way home. "What a night!" said Heather. "I just love adventures!"

Meryl and Vash sweat dropped. "Adventure...?! Are you insane! This was chaos! It was annoying! It's-"

"Not over yet!" a huge crowd screamed behind them.

"Ah! Run!" yelled Vash.

"No wait!" A man walked out of the crowd. By the looks of it, he was representing the whole mob. "We're really serious this time. We just want one new song, Meryl. One! Then we wont bother you anymore. We promise. No autographs are needed as long as you agree to visit us again and more often. We only ask that you keep writing music and that you send it to us. What do you say?"

"Ok. I agree." Meryl smiled. "But only one! I need a guitar."

"Here's one!" Someone handed her the instrument.

"Hmm... how convenient..." She shrugged and walked to a spot in the middle of the street that was lit by a streetlamp. She looked at Heather and motioned for her to come forward. Heather pointed to herself and gave a questioning gaze. Meryl nodded. Heather sighed and walked up with her head down.

"What do you need, Meryl?" she whispered.

"I want you to sing with me," Meryl said matter-of-factly.

"How did you know I could sing?" asked Heather wide-eyed.

"I know a lot more than you think." Meryl smiled. Heather smiled, too.

"All right," she smiled. "What are we going to sing?"

"Here is your guitar and the music." Meryl handed the stuff, which was magically pulled out from under her cloak, to Heather. "1... 2... 3..." They started playing and singing.

Can't you see?
There's a feeling that's come over me
Close my eyes
You're the only one that leaves me completely breathless

No need to wonder why
Sometimes a gift like this you can't deny

'Cause I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings
And time held its breath so I could see, yeah
And you set me free

There's a will
There's a way
Sometimes words just can't explain
This is real
I'm afraid
I guess this time there's just no hiding, fighting
You make me restless

You're in my heart
The only light that shines there in the dark

'Cause I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings
And time held its breath so I could see, yeah
And you set me free

When I was alone
You came around
When I was down
You pulled me through
And there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you

'Cause I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings
And time held its breath so I could see, yeah
And you set me free.

Everyone applauded and cheered. Vash ran up and gave Heather and Meryl a huge hug. "You guys were so great! Your voices collaborate so well! You should be a professional singer, Heather! Why aren't you two saying anything?"

"Ack! Can't... breathe...! Put... down... ugh... Vash!"

"Oh, sorry ladies." He set them on their feet. "So... who wrote that song?" Heather's hand immediately went to Meryl. "So... Meryl... who did you write that song for?"

'I knew this was coming,' she thought. "No one in particular," Meryl said lightly.

Vash's eye's hardened. Heather started fake coughing. "Cough –Vash- cough!" Meryl turned to glare at Heather. "What? I didn't do anything!"

"It's ok, Meryl. I already know," said Vash remembering what Millie told him not to tell Meryl. "I love you, too."

Meryl just gaped.

"Well it's about time! I never thought you'd tell her! Geesh! Men these days..." Heather trailed off and left them alone.

"Y- you l- love m- me? Oh my God! I love you, too! What do you mean you already knew? Who told you? How did you find out?"

It was Vash's turn to gape. "You love me, too?" Vash pulled her into a huge bear hug and swung her in the air.

"Put. Me. Down!"

"Oh... sorry. I guess now would be a good time for me to start running?"

"I think we've had enough of that for one night. Well? How did you find out?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you this but Millie told me."

"She did? Oh well... There's nothing I can do about it now..."

"Hey! At least we don't have to fear rejection anymore since we love each other! Ooh! Maybe we can have little mini- me's running around! Yeah! That would be cool! So Meryl... What?" He just noticed that she was staring at him, tapping her feet, and checking her watch.

"Well? Aren't you going to kiss me?" she asked plainly speaking.

"What? Oh! Of course!" He leaned in hesitantly at first to her lips.

"Oh on with it!" Heather popped out of nowhere and screamed at them. "If you want to kiss her, just do it!!!" Vash and Meryl jumped in fear and kissed just to make Heather stop yelling at them. "Ah... finally..."

Wolfwood, Millie, Kelly, and Caleb ran up to them. "Oh come on guys and gals! Lets go inside!" suggested Kelly.

Once they were inside, Kelly ran up to Meryl and said, "Oh hun! You were fantastic! That was great! Oh and you've finally found yourself one good man!"

"What about Heather, Mom? She sang with me, too."

"What about her?"

"Don't you care?"

"About what?"

"Heather! She's a great girl but you don't take the time to see it!"

"Fine. You were good, too, Heather. Always trying to be as great as your sister but never adding up to her." Kelly shook her head. "Anyway-"

Heather started to walk out but Vash blocked her way. "Didn't you hear her singing out there?" he asked.

"Well of course I heard Meryl," said Kelly.

"No. I mean Heather. She wasn't good. She was great. She doesn't dream of being like Meryl like what you said. Do you even know what Heather wants to be when she grows up?" Vash asked.

"She wants to be a singer of course. Bring some glory to your name-"

"No. She wants to be a psychiatrist. You would know that if you knew your daughter, which you don't. You would know that if you took the time to find out who she was and not obsess over the daughter that left and went to college already. She's only 13 years old. Treat her like it."

Kelly was speechless. "Vash? I could stay with Danielle," said Heather.

"All right." He turned to walk outside.

"Wait! You need my permission! And I say no!" Kelly screamed after them. Vash just kept walking.

"Mom. You knew it was going to happen sooner or later. You didn't even like her."

"Yes I did," Kelly mumbled. Meryl raised her eyebrows. "Well... maybe she annoyed me a bit." Meryl scowled. "Ok! I did hate her! She was a mistake! You are a true Stryfe, Meryl."

"So is she! But don't worry. She hates you, too!" Meryl stormed upstairs.

Vash arrived. "Well, she's gone. How do you feel?" he asked Kelly.

"Relieved." She walked off.

The next morning, everyone was there to see the traveling group off. "Well! It's been great except for the little mishap last night." Kelly glared at Vash and Heather who stood together by the car.

"Don't mention it. I mean really don't mention it," pleaded Wolfwood who sat in the front seat.

"I just came to say good bye to my one and only darling daughter," Kelly said stressing the word "only". She then walked away.

"Bitch," said Heather.

"Now now! Don't be that way!" chastened Vash. He smiled. "I'm going to miss you, kid," Vash said messing up her hair.

"Hey! It took 5 hours to make my hair straight this morning!" Heather said but smiled all the same.

"You seem a lot nicer today," observed Wolfwood.

"Oh really? You know, Wolfwood? I'm one of those people who can change emotions faster than you can say 'uh oh'."

"Eek!"

Vash and Heather laughed. "You going to be ok?" Vash asked.

"Of course I am! I am Meryl's sister by the way." Vash chuckled.

Meryl walked up. "And you know what I'll do if don't leave soon, right Vash?"

"Um..."

"There will be pain." She narrowed her eyes.

Vash screamed like a little girl and jumped in back of the car. "Protect me, Heather!"

"Leave him alone, Meryl," she said as Meryl advanced on Vash. "Save it for the honeymoon."

Everyone laughed at this but Meryl. "Hey! That's not funny! We're not even married!"

"Yet," said Heather just to trigger more laughter.

"You should be a comedian, short stuff!" said Wolfwood.

"Excuse me? Meryl is 26 and just 5' 4". I'm only 13 and I'm just 2 inches shorter!" Millie and Wolfwood started laughing again.

"Are you making fun of my height again, Heather?" asked Meryl who was on top of Vash beating the living daylights out of him just to see him moan.

"Maybe..." more laughter. "Am I really that funny?"

"Yes!" Millie exclaimed who sat in the passenger seat.

"Why thank you, Millie. Um... Meryl? You know you're not really hurting him, right?"

"Huh? Well of course I am! He's crying isn't he?"

"He's also a good actor!" more laughter.

"How did you know I was faking it?" Vash asked.

"Because I've got mad skills. Look! I even scored a guy in one night!" she pointed to a boy about her age. He was blonde with blue eyes and about Heather's height.

"Hi. My name is Fred," he said.

"Take care of our girl well, ok, Fred? If you don't, we'll hunt you down," said Wolfwood.

"Yes sir!"

"Guard you're carnal treasure!" said Vash and quickly told Wolfwood to drive.

"What?! Oh, I'm going to get you Vash the Stampede! You are so dead!" Heather screamed.

AN- So! I'm done! Was it ok? Was it romantic? Was it funny? Should I change 'general' to 'humor' or was it not that funny? Review! Oh and Andie? I put down Fred not as in 'Freddie' for Eric but as in Fred because of Ffffffffffforr- I'm not saying anything!