Tears of Prayer....
By: KidHeart4
Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun, or any of their characters. I do own Faith though. This is a one chaptered story, and I hope you like it. It's pretty cool and sweet.
It was a hot day, just like any other on Gun Smoke. The land is as dry as their mouths; which are parched and begging for water. They are tired and longing for rest.....
Well, he was anyway.
Yes, poor Vash was once again carrying the girls on his back in the broken seat of their once more destroyed and broken down car. While he carried them; they were enjoying the rest and water they were receiving as Vash tried hard not to collapse.
"How are you doing Mr. Vash?" Millie asked pleasantly.
"Getting...tired....," he panted as he sank more and more to the ground, yet he still was dragging along.
"Well, maybe if you'd stop getting our car destroyed you could rest too; but now you have to wait until we get to the next town!" Meryl scolded.
Millie now looked at Meryl as she asked curiously, "What is the name of the next town, Meryl?"
Meryl looked at the map she had; and after a moment of making absolutely sure, she answered, "The town of December."
"December?" The light brunet girl wondered out loud.
Vash frowned with a bit of sorrow as he thought to himself quietly, "Wolfwood's home."
"Mr. Vash, are you okay?" Millie asked with concern.
"Oh, I'm fine," Vash assured as they continued on.
It was only a month after Vash's fight against Knives, and his brother was safe at home where he couldn't hurt anyone. Though Vash had to leave him to help the girls on some business he had promised to help them with.
About two hours later, they arrived at their destination. Vash almost immediately dumped the girls on the ground; but then remembered to treat them like ladies.
Then they looked around the town. It was a nice peaceful place, now with the gun ho guns all gone; although they weren't aware of their own Priest being one of them, or that he was now gone from their world.
The church was fixed up to be a beautiful sanctuary of pure white, with gold painted window edges and roof. The windows were made of colorful glass with pictures of angels in them. Yes, this play of prayer was a proud and faithful one, and kureoneko sama was sleeping contently on the roof.
December was a very joyous place of peace and hope.
"Wow, this place is so nice. Things have certainly gotten better since Knives's attacks are over," Meryl said with a smile.
"Yeah," Millie agreed.
Just then Vash noticed a young girl walking towards the church. She was a pretty 20 year old with long black hair braided back in a white ribbon. Her dark dress had a white color around her neck. She had a thin waist line and a mostly developed chest. Her long legs hid underneath the long skirted ebony dress, and long arms as well with delicate hands; and she had pale skin with grayish blue eyes.
"OH WOW!" Vash exclaimed with the biggest and bluest eyes you would ever see as he basically flew over to her, "Hellooo!"
The girl stopped and looked at him bewildered, "Hello?"
Vash now planted his feet on the ground as he gazed down at her with a happy smile, "You're very pretty, would you like me to take you to lunch?"
The young lady blushed slightly with an innocent giggle; but then she shook her head, "I'm sorry stranger, but I don't even know who you are."
"Then let's get to know each other, and then I'll take you out to dinner?" He suggested.
She laughed lightly again, "That's okay."
"Oh, darn...I guess I'll be eating alone then!" He said dramatically.
"I'm sorry, sir," she told him.
Just then Vash noticed a silver cross that rested just below her color bone from a gold chain. It was then that he really looked at the girl and was stunned when he found so many resemblances between her and his departed friend, Wolfwood.
"Is she really?!" He wondered, "No, it can't be, he never said anything about any family?!"
The girl noticed the confused and shocked expression on the strange man's face. She wondered if he were a weirdo, or just exhausted from the heat and lack of food, water, and rest.
"Um...are you okay?" She asked him with worry.
Finally Vash snapped out of the surprise and inquired, "Excuse me miss, but are you by any chance related to a man named Nicholas D. Wolfwood?"
The girl's dark blue eyes widened with shock as she exclaimed, "How do you know my brother?!"
Vash's own eyes grew bigger with his own surprise, "I was right; but why didn't he tell us about her?"
Then he thought with a slight laugh to himself, "Probably to keep me from flirting wit her like I just did!"
Then when his shock lessened, Vash grew more serious when he realized that the poor girl most likely had no clue of her older sibling's death; and he would have to be the one to tell her soon enough.
Though for now, the blond locked and aqua eyed man just answered vaguely, "I met your brother during my recent travels. He and I are good friends now."
"Then why isn't he with you?" She questioned.
"Well...he and I went our separate ways for now, that's all," was all Vash could tell her for now.
"So, who are you?" Asked the now curious girl.
"I am the man without a name," he told her seriously.
Just then Millie came up and gave him a hardy and playful slap on the back as she laughed, "Of coarse you have a name, Vash the Stampede!"
Once again surprise took over the girl as she stared at the legendary outlaw she had heard so much about, especially recently.
"You're THE Vash the Stampede?!" She outcried.
Vash sighed, quietly with slight frustration, "Yes....my secret's out..."
Meryl now joined up with her two companions. She too was stunned to find out that she was Wolfwood's younger sister.
"So, what's your name?" Millie asked her curiously.
"It's Faith," the young lady answered with a smile.
"Faith? That's a nice name," Millie told her.
"Thanks, my brother named me," she told them, "I didn't have a name because my mother died just after having me; so it was just Wolfy and me."
"Wolfy?" Vash questioned her.
"That's the nic-name I gave him when I was little," Faith explained.
Meryl's eyes filled with sympathy as she remembered what she knew that Faith didn't.
The truth that Wolfwood was actually gone.
"Uh, miss, there's something that we should probably tell-!"
Vash had quickly covered Meryl's mouth before she could finish.
"What was she about to say?" Faith asked.
"Oh nothing, except that we were wondering if we could stay at your house during our visit here? We're awfully hungry, thirsty, and tired, and we would really appreciate it!" Vash lie through his teeth.
"Oh, sure you can stay with me!" Faith told them, "It's just me living there, and I don't mind at all; especially if you're friends of Wolfy!"
So they went to Faith's cozy home. Meryl and Millie were to share one room, while Vash agreed to sleep in the small living room.
Now they were eating dinner quietly. It was a nice home cooked meal with mashed potatoes, corn, and meatloaf that Faith had cooked with Millie's help.
"So Faith, what do you do for a living to be able to keep such a nice home?" Meryl asked.
"I write mostly, but every now and then I help our town with other chores, like sewing clothes and taking care of children while their parents do what they need to do," she answered.
"Wow, you're fairly independent for someone your age," Meryl pointed out.
"I get that from my brother," Faith assured.
Faith noticed solemn expressions spread over the three when she said that.
"What's wrong?" She asked confused.
Vash sighed, "I guess it's time to tell you."
"Tell me what?" She inquired with bewilderment.
"Faith; your brother, Nicholas D. Wolfwood; we regret to tell you that he's no longer alive," Meryl finally said.
Faith's eyes overwhelmed with shock and horror, "What...do...you mean?"
Meryl and Millie looked away sadly while Vash nodded solemnly, "We're sorry."
"No....," Faith uttered quietly, "He can't be....."
Without another word, Faith got up from the table and fled to her bedroom while tears flooded her eyes.
Everyone else was silent.
About an hour later, after the dishes had been washed without a single other word said since giving Faith the dreadful word of her brother's passing; Millie, still quietly, went to the young girl's room. There she lightly knocked on the wooden oak door.
"May I come in?" Millie asked gently while peaking into to see poor Faith crying into her soft white pillow.
Faith now looked up, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at the older woman.
"Millie?" She asked shakily.
Millie smiled as she walked over to Faith and sat on the bed.
"I know how sad you must be," Millie started.
"How do you?" Faith questioned while clutching the cross that she wore.
Millie looked at the younger girl and told her the answer, "I fell in love with your brother not too long before it happened. He had been so nice and funny; I couldn't help but fall for him. Even when he and Mr. Vash had a bad fight, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Then when I heard of his death, I was very heart broken. I cried for a long time just like you are now."
"He...he had told me that he'd come back home soon; I asked to go with him, but he had said it was too dangerous. So he told me to stay here and help take care of the church and orphanage," Faith told Millie, "I knew I should have gone with him anyway; so I could have spent more time with him before he...he..."
Faith began to sob so much that she couldn't finish.
Millie hugged her while she cried, "Don't worry Faith, I'm sure he's watching over us right now as an Angel."
Faith looked up at her friend, "Really?"
Millie nodded, "I know he is!"
After a while Millie left Faith to be alone for a little while so she could rest a some if it were possible.
Though rest was far from Faith's mind as she walked over to a wooden book case and pulled out an old dark blue covered photo album. Then she sat down on her bed with a small lamp giving it's light as she slowly turned the pages, looking at the memories she had of her and Wolfwood growing up.
There were three pictures in particular that she loved the most.
The first was of Wolfwood holding her in a head lock when they were rough housing. He had been fifteen, while she had only been seven. Then in the next photo had been taken just after he had released her, and she had unexpectedly jumped on his back; putting him in a headlock just as he had done to her.
Though the last photo was just taken on a Sunday a few weeks before he had left December and his sister behind. They were standing side by side while he put an arm around her shoulder. He looked just as he had when vash had met him,; and Faith didn't look much different either. Although she was dressed like her brother that day.
"Wolfwood," Faith whispered with a single tear running down her cheek, "my brother."
With that she lied down and finally cried herself to sleep.
Everything was warmer. All was lighter.
A little girl at the age of two, was running to a young teen who waited for her with a warm smile that she recognized from the day she was born; the smile of her older brother.
"Nicholas, wait up!" She cried as he stopped and waited for her.
"Come on!" He laughed as she caught up to him and grabbed his hand.
A young Wolfwood gave her a smile that told her he'd never leave her alone in this dark cruel world; no matter what happened, he would be there to watch her grow up.
"Wolfy, we'll always face everything together, won't we?" A smaller Faith asked him.
Nicholas smirked, "Of coarse we will, Faith! I promise!"
"Yay!" Faith laughed joyfully as she hugged her big brother tight, "We'll always look out for one another!'
"Yes we will!" Wolfwood agreed.
Now it was the same year, only a little while after that; when Wolfwood was seven. She didn't know what had been on her brother's mind that day till finally Wolfwood had grabbed a gun and had begun to walk towards their step father.
"Wolfy?!" Faith exclaimed.
Nicholas turned and looked at his younger sister with a serious look in his eyes.
Yet then he said with a gentleness that wouldn't show on his face, but only in his voice when he spoke to his younger sister, "Look away sis; I promise that it'll be over soon."
Faith obediently, but fearfully, did what she was told and looked away from the horrid event that was about to take place.
Then she jumped with a short cry, but still looking away, as a gun shot broke through the air; breaking the calm silence.
Just as soon as it had happened now, Faith then felt her brother's strong arms hold her close.
"It's okay now, Faith, we don't have to listen to his unloving orders anymore," he told her, "Now, it's just us; and we'll look out for one another just as I promised you."
Faith just nodded as she hugged her brother in fear; trusting his every word, and believing in him through everything that happened.
Years passed by after that and Wolfwood was a young man at the age of twenty, while Faith was now twelve. They had stayed together, caring for one another and growing up alone at the church of December. Though it wasn't as nice as it was now; it was a lot more run down looking with almost gray walls, and broken windows, and doors hanging barely from their hinges. Though it was their home, and they wouldn't leave.
"Don't worry, Faith; in a few years when I can earn enough money, I'll go out into the world and earn more of a living to fix this church and orphanage! Then we'll help other lonely kids like we once were!" Wolfwood assured with a confident smile.
"Will I be able to go?" Faith asked him.
Nicholas shook his head, "No; it'll be way too dangerous, but I promise that when I go, I'll return as soon as possible!" Wolfwood told her.
"But Wolfy-!"
"No Faith, it'll be too dangerous! Besides; you'll need to be here to help fix up the church as much as you can, understand?" Wolfwood lectured.
After a few hesitant moments, Faith finally nodded, "Alright."
"Good girl," Wolfwood said while putting a hand on her head.
Then he gave her the cross necklace that she wears to this day; the one that their mother had worn till she died.
Now; Wolfwood at age 25, and Faith at age 17 and a half, were about to say good-bye as he was about to leave to earn enough money for the church so he could return home quickly.
"Well, I guess this is it," Wolfwood pronounced as he began to leave the town's entrance.
"Wolfwood, wait!" Faith begged as she grabbed her brother's arm, "Let me go with you, brother!"
Wolfwood shook his head, "Faith, we went over this; it's too dangerous, and they need your help here. Remember?"
Faith looked at the dusty ground sadly.
"Now, now, don't be sad!" Wolfwood laughed lightly while lifting her head slightly with his hand beneath his chin, "You need to be brave and strong like your big brother; okay?"
She nodded, "Okay, Wolfwood, I will!"
With that Wolfwood kissed his sister's forehead, and then he left, "May God protect you always, Faith; my sister."
Then as he grew further away, Faith said a silent prayer, "God, protect him and his Soul. Please, watch over him for me."
"Good-bye, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, my brother; always!"
The next morning, Faith was awoken by a cheerful Millie, "Faith! Faith, wake up!"
Faith sat up, while rubbing the sleep from her dark blue eyes, "What is it Millie?"
Millie smiled, "I have a surprise for you!"
Then Millie grabbed Faith by the hand, pulling the younger girl out of bed and out to the living room where Faith was shocked to see Wolfwood's large cross that he had used so many times for their protection and to fight.
"How did you get this?" Faith asked with widened eyes.
"Your brother left it to me if something were to happen to him; but I think he did so that if I ever met you, I could give it to you to remember him by," Millie told her.
Meryl and Vash were watching with smiles as Faith walked over to the giant white wrapped cross.
Faith then rested a hand at the center of the cross as she spoke quietly, "Thank you, Millie."
Millie's smile grew warmer, "My pleasure, Faith."
That afternoon, Faith was in the church sitting alone. Dressed from head to toe like her brother.
With her hand grasping the small cross Wolfwood had given her, she prayed for her resting brother, "God, I come to you asking if my brother is indeed up there with you? I know he has done many wrong things in his life; gambling, cursing, smoking, and even killing. Though please, I pray and beg that his soul was spared and brought to you. Yes, he probably one of the worst Priests you could find; but he was a good man, and the best brother I could ever ask for. He took care of me, and he raised me. So please, let him be there safe and happy with you; so he may also watch over me, just as he always has. Please God!"
Just then Faith looked up to find who she thought was Wolfwood looking at her with a warm smile. He was exactly like she remembered before he had left her; the same brother she loved dearly.
"Wolfwood?!" She gasped in wonder.
"Hey Faith! Why you crying?" He asked her in the same voice she had heard all her life.
"Wolfwood!" Faith cried happily as she ran to her brother and hugged him.
"Easy Faith," he whispered, "it's okay. I told you I'd always look after you; didn't I?"
Faith nodded, "I know, but, you're gone now! When you said you'd come back!"
"I'm here aren't I?" He questioned.
"That's not what I meant! I meant alive!" She snapped.
"Shh, that's enough, Faith, I don't want you to cry over me anymore; understand?"
She looked up at him through her tears.
"Hey, I want you to go on as happy as you once were. I want you to stay just as brave and strong before I ever left; and I promise you, Faith; that I'll still always be looking out for you. I'm still your big brother, even if I'm gone!" He promised.
"Wolfwood-,"
"Faith!" Vash's voice called as the tall man in a red trench coat entered the beautiful church and walked over to her, "Why are you in here all alone?"
Then he put an arm around her as he began to lead her out of the peaceful home of God, "Come on, Millie has some good news she would like to tell you."
"She does?" Faith questioned.
Vash nodded.
Then before she left, Faith turned and looked back at the fading image of Wolfwood as she wondered, "Before I go, tell me; are you an Angel?"
Wolfwood smiled as a pair of pure white feathery wings appeared behind his back.
"What's it like in Heaven?" She asked.
"You'll see someday, Faith, but for now; live, and live a happy and peaceful life," he told her.
With that he faded away as she left.
Now they were at home in the living room while Millie prepared to tell the good news that she had to tell.
"So Millie, what is it?" Faith asked.
"Well, Faith, today I wasn't feeling so good; so Meryl and Vash took me to the doctors," she started, "and do you want to know what I found out?"
"What is it?" Faith inquired curiously.
Millie smiled, "I found out that I'm pregnant; and two months along the way!"
Faith's eyes grew with joy as a an even bigger smile spread over her while she jumped up and hugged Millie.
"Really?!" She exclaimed, "That's great, Millie!"
Then Faith released her as she asked, "But how?"
"Well," Millie said shyly while blushing, "Before your brother died; he and...you know....and now two months later it turns out that I'm pregnant."
"So, it's Wolfwood's baby as well?" Faith asked.
Millie nodded.
Tears swelled in Faith's eyes once more; but this time they were tears of joy.
"I also was wondering, if you would be the baby's God Mother?" Millie inquired.
Faith smiled, "I would love to, Millie; thank you!"
Seven months later; Vash, Meryl, and Faith all waited patiently at home while the doctor tended to Millie.
Then a few stress full and restless hours later, they were overjoyed to here the cries of a new born baby filling the house with joy and new life!
Soon after, they were let in to see Millie wearily holding an infant wrapped in a dark blue blanket; it was a baby boy!
"Hello everyone!" Millie greeted cheerfully.
"Hellooo!" Vash replied happily as he and the two girls approached them.
Faith was the first of the three to see the infant being held safely in his mother's arms.
His eyes were a mix of light and dark blue; he was completely adorable; and so small as well.
"Oh Wolfwood," Faith whispered, "He looks just like you."
Millie noticed the joy in Faith's eyes as she looked at her and asked, "Would you like to hold him?"
Faith nodded while Millie carefully rested the baby in her arms.
"What is his name?" Vash asked.
Millie smiled, "His name is Nicholas Wolfwood Jr."
"Wolfy Jr., huh?" Faith thought to herself as she gazed down at the small infant she was holding.
Faith then vowed to look over Nicholas Wolfwood Jr. just as her brother had watched over her.
"Do you see your son, Wolfwood?" She wondered while picturing her brother with the same warm smile that he always had shown her.
No matter what had happened in their lives, Wolfwood had always given her protection and care; which was why he was an Angel now.
"I promise to watch over him for you, Wolfy, my brother," she told him sincerely.
Five years later, Nicholas Wolfwood Jr. Was a young boy now. He played and learned about his father everyday thanks to his aunt, who had kept her promise; and still was.
Now as Faith and Little Nicholas sat in a church, just the two of them, they both looked up at the cross that she and her brother had made themselves.
"Is my Father really in Heaven?" He now asked.
Faith nodded, "Yes, Wolfy Jr., he is!'
"How do you know?" He questioned.
"I spoke to him along time ago, and he told me himself as an Angel," she told him with a smile.
"So now, he's watching over us; even now?"
"Of coarse he is; he's always watching us, just like he did for me when he was alive."
"I wish I could have met him."
"I know you do."
"Faith,; do you know what I'm going to do when I grow up?"
"What's that?"
"I'm going to be a Priest just like he was!" He promised with his father's smile.
Faith smiled back, "I know you will, Wolfy; I know you will."
Then with that, Faith stood up as she took little Wolfy's hand as they began to leave.
Though before they left; Faith turned slightly towards the giant cross as she thought, "I know you're still watching over us."
In her mind and heart; her brother appeared, still looking the same as he did about six years ago as he said, "May you go with the love and protection of the all mighty God."
Faith smiled back, "We will, and same to you my brother....
Nicholas D. Wolfwood."