Disclaimer: As always, Trigun is not mine. Thanks for all the reviews!! Feedback is always welcome.

When Meryl's family had said they had a fully armed caravan, they hadn't been kidding. The caravan was armored all the way around, the plating riveted to the frame. Except for the front and the back, the only windows were slits, perfect for putting a rifle or a shotgun through, which is what several of the cousins did. Mac and Riff joined Jack in the front, their machine guns ready. The back windows were larger, floor to ceiling slits, and Wolfwood headed back with his cross punisher. Millie joined him at his window, kneeling down, her stungun ready.

"Damn Meryl, I need you to take a bigger gun too, but the ones I have will knock you over." Her brother frowned.

"I'll brace her." Vash replied. His colt was in his hand. "Give her one." Sam handed Meryl an automatic rifle.

"I'm going to launch some of my surprises. Shoot them right before they hit the ground, okay?"

"No problem." Meryl and Vash took the second back window. He stood behind her so she could lean back against him. Meryl braced the gun against her right shoulder. Her left was much better- the stitches were out- but not enough for bracing the rifle.

"They're gaining! Almost within range!" Jack called from the front.

"I see them. They've got the Black Dog Insignia. I thought these guys got wiped out!" Sam replied, from where he sat in the upper gun turret.

"These ones probably hid under a rock."

"Should be the cockroaches then," Wolfwood commented, flipping his cross punisher around and opening the sights. "Glad I restocked this thing." He grinned at Vash. "Usual mantra to the big guy?"

"The lord helps those who help themselves," Vash replied with a smile.

"Someone want to give them a warning shot?" Jack called.

"They're still out of range!" Zoe replied.

"No, they aren't." Wolfwood sighted on the lead car and pulled the trigger. The loud whoosh of rocket thrusters echoed through the car as the rocket made a beeline for the lead car. A frantic driver tried to swerve to the left to avoid the missile, ramming the truck that was just a few feet behind. Both cars jumped as the rocket threw them onto their roofs.

"Holy shit! Who the hell has missiles?" Sam called down.

"I do." Wolfwood called back.

"Where the hell did you get something like that?" Sam hollered, "We sure as hell weren't packing any missiles, Cavalry says they cost too much."

"The good lord provides me with all I need to walk unmolested through this valley of darkness- even if they are a bit expensive." Wolfwood chuckled turning his sights to a new target.

Sam peeked down below and looked at the unwrapped cross punisher and let loose a whistle. "Well I'll be damned."

"Not today." Wolfwood grunted, firing on the next car. Another missile went winging towards the pursuing caravan. This shot struck the front of the car, knocking it on its side. The front axle was wrenched free and flipped up into the air end over end, and came crashing down through the roof of a trailing vehicle.

"Show off," Vash teased.

"Yeah, let's see you do something useful, Tongari. They're getting closer."

"All righty then." Vash aimed carefully. And fired. Another car rolled to a stop with steam blowing out in a huge cloud and the front wheels shot out.

"I only heard one shot..." Rich looked amazed. Vash popped his cartridges out and reloaded. "You fired six times?"

"Pull it together, people! They're gaining!" Sam snapped. "Meryl, here come the first ones." A stream of small black cartridges sailed through the air. Meryl sighted and squeezed, the kick of the rifle pushing her back into Vash, who stood like a statue, bracing her as his gun danced in his hand. Gunfire erupted up and down the caravan as the bandits started to surround them. Meryl managed to hit most of the cartridges, causing several explosions. Millie's stun gun and the cross punisher were doing serious damage as well.

"They're pulling back! Wait... Ah shit!" Sam cursed. A missile rocketed towards the caravan. Wolfwood cursed too, flipping the cross punisher over. Meryl and Vash sighted on it simultaneously. Two guns went off at the exact same moment. The missile blew up in mid-air. "Nice shot!" Sam grinned. "Now, let's clean up, boys and girls." More little bombs flew through the air, exploding as they were hit. The bandits gave up a few minutes later, dropping back and vanishing into the dust. Meryl put the gun down with a sigh, rubbing her shoulder. She had braced the gun against her right shoulder, not her left, but that just meant they both hurt like hell. Vash's hand closed over hers.

"You need some meds for that," he said, his fingers pushing hers out of the way so he could rub it lightly.

"I'll be okay." She glanced over at Millie, who was looking at them strangely. "Millie- you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. It's nothing," her partner laughed nervously. Wolfwood helped Millie to her feet as Vash and Meryl made their way back to the middle of the caravan.

"What's up Millie?"

"You didn't notice?"

"Notice what?"

"They were firing at the same time... every shot." Millie's eyes had widened. "They weren't even looking at each other, Nick! And... well..."

"What?"

"This sounds crazy, but does Meryl look lighter to you?"

"Lighter? Like weight?"

"No... I can't put my finger on it. Just lighter..." Millie shrugged. "Maybe I am going crazy."

"You? Not ever." He kissed her brow. "I'll take a good look at her, okay?"

"How's your shoulder, sis?"

"It's okay." Meryl had leaned back in one of the seats, her eyes half- closed. "Nice work, Sam."

"It's a living. Your friends are pretty impressive."

"I told you."

"I know, but hearing isn't the same as seeing. Vash was so freaking fast- and the preacher- how the hell does he even lift that thing? It must weigh a ton!"

"Practice," Wolfwood said behind them. He leaned the rewrapped cross punisher against the wall, then he and Millie took the seats across from Meryl. "Lots of practice."

"What does a preacher need with a gun like that?" Sam asked.

"The world is a dangerous place," Wolfwood looked him in the eye. "It's for self-protection."

"You two didn't need us," Zoe commented from her place next to Allie. "You and Vash could've taken out that whole group." Her voice was matter-of- fact. Wolfwood met her eyes calmly. Vash appeared out of the back, Meryl's meds in his hand.

"Having second thoughts?" He asked, his voice a cheerful lilt. Meryl glanced up at him, eyes narrowed.

"Not a bit," Allie answered. "Just wondering how we could get you two to join the Cavalry." She and Zoe smiled at Vash's surprise.

"Yeah, we need some more bad-asses." Zoe added. That caused a burst of laughter. A bit hysterical, but genuine. Mac walked in, carefully balancing a coffee tray. The caravan hit a bump and the coffee tray flew, hitting Vash squarely.

"YEOUCH!"

"Vash!" "Are you okay?" Meryl and Millie sprung up, quickly pulling the hot-coffee drenched shirt off him. They, and Wolfwood of course, had seen his scar collection. They were more concerned about the coffee burns. The rest of the observers focused on the scars.

"Holy shit," Sam cursed softly. Meryl, before Vash could even flinch, grabbed the gunman's arm.

"Let's get you cleaned up. Millie, can you get him another shirt?"

"Of course." Meryl dragged Vash off to the washroom, while Millie went hunting for his bag.

"What the hell happened to him?" Sam asked Wolfwood.

"A lifetime of refusing to kill anyone, putting himself in harm's way, getting the crap beat out of him." Wolfwood lit a cigarette. "You're Cavalry- you know his file says he's a pacifist."

"Yeah, but... you wouldn't think the humanoid typhoon would be like that."

"He's nothing like the Vash the Stampede that headquarters always tries to scare us about," Zoe pointed out. "He- and you, Mr. Wolfwood, took out that entire gang by just stopping their cars. I'll bet they only had minor injuries."

"That's how he is," Wolfwood looked around the caravan. "Don't get me wrong- bad things always seem to happen around him- I've seen towns destroyed by people trying to catch him. But Vash himself? He doesn't like to hurt anyone- even if they're trying to kill him."

Meryl was using a cool wet cloth to wipe the rest of the coffee off of his torso.

"I can do this, really." Vash protested.

"Be still." Meryl frowned at him. I want to make sure it didn't burn you anywhere. Is there anyplace that hurts?"

"Just where the corner of the tray hit me." Vash rubbed his bicep. "But that's just a bruise." Millie cracked open the door.

"Here's his shirt Meryl." Meryl took it before Vash could grab it. She placed it on the counter behind her.

"Thanks Millie, we'll be out in a sec."

"All right!" The door closed.

"Can I have the shirt now?" Vash pleaded.

"I'm not done," Meryl pointed out. She finished drying him off, checking carefully for any signs of a burn.

"Are you finished now?" Vash eyed his shirt.

"Vash, relax. You know I've seen you without your shirt before. What's the problem?" She brushed her fingers over the bruise.

"I know, but...I'm kind of a mess." Meryl shook her head, her fingers tightening a bit on his arm.

"No, you aren't. Not to me." Vash laughed self-consciously.

"Well, that's because you love me. Anyone else would admit that this," he gestured to his scar covered torso, "is pretty ugly." Meryl slid onto his lap, surprising him. Her fingers traced his scars lightly.

"Maybe," she said softly. "But to me, you're beautiful." He brushed his lips over hers.

"Aren't I supposed to say that to you?" And you are, he thought, but I shouldn't have slept with you, shouldn't have let you get this close to me...

"No," Meryl sighed and got up. "Here's your shirt." There was a faint sparkle of tears in her eyes. He grabbed her hand.

"What did I do?" Meryl smiled and shook her head.

"It's nothing. I'm going to join the others." She squeezed his hand reassuringly and left. Vash looked after her. What was wrong?