Disclaimer: Yasuhiro Nightow is da bomb!

Nova

Chapter 3: Small and Practical

-

Meryl

Morning came. The suns were just peaking up over the horizon, and the stars to the west fading in the coming light. The town was quiet, no one and nothing stirred between its sleeping streets.

Not even wind. It seemed as though the world had quieted for our departure. Watching us leave, silently.

For the last time I closed the door to the house that had been our home for well over a month, and walked over to the waiting truck.

I slid into to driver's seat and closed the door. Milly sat next to me in the passenger seat, while Vash sat in the back of the truck with our luggage and a comatose Knives.

Turning the key in the ignition, I started up the quiet street, heading north.

Milly had fallen back to sleep before we even left the outskirts of town. I glanced back at Vash, he was staring up at the sky.

What was he thinking about? I turned my eyes back to the unpaved road, and sighed.

I would probably never know.

It was early afternoon by the time we made it to the next town, Little Walton, with Vash's new appearance I hoped that no one would recognize him.

The second we entered, I expected him to run off and find some doughnut shop. But instead he just sat in the back of the truck and asked Milly and me, to 'just jet him a sandwich.' If I may quote.

As Milly and I walked towards the convenience store, I couldn't help but think that he was still Vash, but something about him seemed subdued.

I stared out the window of the store while I paid for our items. The state of his brother weighed heavily on his mind.

And something else did too, but I couldn't tell what.

Milly and I walked back to the truck, Milly of course gushing over some chocolate pudding she'd found. I stared down at the paper bag in my hands. If only I knew what to say to him. To ask him if I could do anything to help.

It was frustrating.

I felt so helpless.

I leaned over and handed Vash his sandwich, "So, where do you want to head?"

Vash sat there slowly unwrapping his sandwich, a thoughtful look crossing his face, "January."

I cocked my head to the side in confusion, "Why there? If someone finds you there and recognizes you, you'll be pegged for sure."

Vash shrugged and took a bite of the sandwich, "Seems as though people have already made up their minds about that. And to answer, 'Why?' Well I want to find out who really did this. Whoever 'they' are, killed people, I can't let this person possibly do it again."

He held my eyes with his own then smiled a genuine smile, "Say, Meryl?"

I searched his eyes, "Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

I looked down at my hand that was clutching the side of the truck, a question? What will he ask? "S-sure."

Vash's smile softened to something more thoughtful, "Before you had to go to work, yesterday, you were about to say something..."

Oh no. That. "Um, yeah."

"Thing is, I was wondering what you were about to say." I waved my hands, "Oh that was nothing! Really! I just wanted to ask you for something. But it's not important now, really."

I laughed my, 'this is a ridiculous conversation,' laugh and went to find Milly.

Vash

Later that night in another town, 40 iles form Little Walton, we rented two rooms at the Inn, two beds each.

Meryl left to get her Derringers checked at the local gun shop, while Milly and I settled Knives into one of the beds.

"Milly?"

Milly looked up from tucking in the sheets on the other side of the bed, "Yes, Mr. Vash?"

"What kind of places does Meryl like to go to. You know like eat out at."

Milly bit her lower lip, "Well, we never really had the chance to eat out much because of chasing you around, and well, Meryl's very practical, she doesn't really like to waste money."

I nodded, "Hmm, something small, not too expensive and practical. I'll have to see what I can do."

Milly smiled, "Are you thinking of taking Meryl out on a date?"

"Yeah. Is that alright?"

"Oh, Mr. Vash, you don't need my permission," then Milly's eyes took on a scary look, "But if you make Meryl cry, I'll make you wish you were never born!"

I stepped back a little and laughed nervously, "Yeah, OK, I'll be good."

Milly smiled.

Myuch Thanks to Almighty FOO!

I have uploaded some new pics onto my Yahoo!Groups thingy.

Two pics of 'The Stranger' from the prologue.

One of Knives that I drew last October and one of a young Wolfwood, who has a striking resemblance to Haley Joel Osmont 0_0.

Reviewer responses.

Rosebud: Thanks for reviewing! Aww this is so exciting, but it hurts when I can't tell you much of what's to happen. It would ruin the story. I'm glad you approve of my multiple POVs and VxM. I was a little worried that I wasn't getting their personalities right.