Hey hey hey!!! I finally managed to get some time to write! I took my AP Chemistry test and I'm sure you're ALL happy to know that I am so not gonna have to take freshmen chemistry in college!!!! Exciting, no? Anywho, I didn't get the sixty reviews I wanted (twitch, twitch), but I may as well finish this baby. But you guys have to let me know what you want to see in this fic. I live to serve you!!!! ……….. At least for a while. So here it comes, Chapter 8!!! Please R and R and give your opinions!!!
Liquid Sunlight
Chapter 8 - White Battle
Milly had always been an early riser, so it didn't surprise her when she woke up to a storm of snores reverberating through the room. With a smile, she rubbed her eyes and looked around the room at the piles of her female relatives in sleeping bags on the floor. Across the room, Meryl lay in the other bed, an arm wrapped protectively around Milly's youngest sister, Molly. The rising sun cast a reddish hue on both of their faces. Everything was so peaceful…. Milly sighed and lay back on her pillow.
"MILLY!!!! MERYL!!!!!" Both girls shot out of bed and ran to the door. Meryl's fingers had just touched the cool brass doorknob when… BANG!!! Mrs. Thompson threw the door open, effectively smashing Meryl behind it. Milly cast a concerned look towards Meryl before her mother drew her into her arms.
"Milly, darling!" she cried. "We've got sooooooooooo much to do today!!!"
"Ummmmm, what?" Wolfwood appeared at the door with a smirk, which quickly turned to a dark blush as the other girls screamed and pulled their blankets over their pajamas. Molly jumped down from the bed and chased after him.
Milly's mother gave her a little shake. "We have to get ready for your wedding of course! I just can't believe my darling daughter is going to be a wife!" She gave Milly an extra-tight squeeze.
"But mother, the wedding isn't for a week-"
Mrs. Thompson shook her head. "We had to move it forward because everyone has to leave sooner than they thought. Your cousin Bethany is expecting her baby anytime now!"
"Oh my!" Milly squealed. "That's wonderful!" She rubbed her own tummy and smiled radiantly.
"Well come on then! Let's get you some breakfast and get ready! There's SO much to do!" She grabbed Milly's wrist and drug her down the hallway. The girls roused themselves and quickly took off after her, all chattering about the impending wedding and debating whether or not Wolfwood would flee before everything was ready.
When the giggling had died away, Meryl pushed the door off herself and rubbed her head. "Owwwww……. Milly's mom is just a little overenthusiastic…" Dizzy, she threw herself down in front of Milly's vanity. She gave a scowl to her unkempt reflection and started to brush the tangles from her hair.
'Man, Milly is going to be a beautiful bride,' Meryl thought with a little smile. She could picture her, bright and smiling, all ready for her big day. She was going to wear her mother's wedding dress, which had to be elongated a little to accommodate Milly's height. Milly had already commissioned Meryl to arrange her hair and veil, and her father had even managed to import a few real flowers from a faraway town called Rayne. Meryl sighed. The whole thing was going to be gorgeous.
Of course, Meryl had already screwed up part of the plan. Because of her, Milly couldn't have the bride's maid dresses she wanted…
A knock at the door vaguely interrupted Meryl's thoughts. "Come in," she called automatically.
She pulled at the shoulder of her nightdress, revealing the ugly red scar from when she was shot, preventing the bank robbery. The thing still hurt her sometimes, aching so bad she had to grit her teeth to keep from crying out.
Milly had wanted her bride's maids to wear strapless dresses with huge skirts, each a different color of the rainbow. Meryl was supposed to be blue, until Milly saw her in the dress and remembered the injury. She acted like the style of the dresses didn't matter to her, just for Meryl's sake, but Meryl felt terrible for ruining the plans.
Someone clearing their throat brought Meryl out of her reverie. She swung around to meet Vash's aquamarine eyes and gasped, quickly clasping her legs together in the short nightdress. "Vash! What the hell are you doing in here?!"
To his credit, Vash turned around so fast he dripped coffee all over the floor. "You said it was okay, and I brought you coffee before it was all gone. You already missed breakfast." He snuck a peek over his shoulder.
Meryl heaved a sigh. "Fine. You can turn around you big idiot." Vash obliged, giving her the coffee and a grin. He touched his cup to hers, then sat on the bed.
"So, umm… what's wrong?"
"Why would anything be wrong?" Meryl snapped back as she dug through her suitcase.
"You're worried that you ruined Milly's wedding."
She whirled on him. "Who told you that?"
"She did." Meryl snorted and turned back to the suitcase. "So you're saying I'm right?"
"The day I say you're right is the day the world ends, Tongari." Vash was silent.
Meryl had picked out a clean shirt and skirt and stood up when his rough hand fell on her shoulder and turned her to face him. Gently, his hand went to the shoulder of her nightdress, and peeled it away from the scar. Meryl tried to pull away, but couldn't move Vash's gentle hands.
"Stop," she whimpered.
"Ssshhh…" He traced it with his fingertips, careful not to hurt her. "It's okay Meryl…" She glanced up at him, feeling the tears rush to her eyes.
'Oh god, I'm not gonna cry in front of him! No way….' she thought desperately.
Vash's other hand started to snake its way to her waist…
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Meryl and Vash leapt apart as Wolfwood, his smirk returned, grinned at them from the doorway. Vash scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly while Meryl fumed. "'Cause if I was, I can you two a little more time alone to-"
"BOTH OF YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!" Wolfwood and Vash landed in a tangled pile in the hallway. The door shut with a shotgun's report as Milly came down the hallway.
"Boys, are you almost ready… to… go…?" She looked down at the two men. "What happened to you guys?"
"I walked in on Vash putting the moves on the Small Girl-"
"I was not!"
"And she got majorly pissed and threw us both out."
Milly sighed. "Darling, you really shouldn't go in without knocking first. And it's about time Mr. Vash!"
"But I wasn't really!" Vash protested. "She still thinks she screwed up your wedding and I was just being nice!"
"Bull sh-"
"OH!!! She still feels bad about that? I'll go talk to her!" Milly rushed past them.
Wolfwood climbed to his feet and looked down at Vash. "And where's that psychotic brother of yours anyways? Haven't seen him since yesterday."
Vash gave a shrug. "Dunno. I guess this was just too much family togetherness kinda stuff for him. He probably checked into an inn with the money he stole from me." Vash reached out for a hand up.
"Talk about brotherly love." Wolfwood ignored Vash's outstretched hand and walked off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next few days passed by in a flurry of preparations. Mrs. Thompson and the other women worked night and day to prepare a feast for the family and to get all the girls outfitted with dresses. Mr. Thompson enlisted the men, including Vash and Wolfwood, to make repairs on the dilapidated church and the Thompsons' old car, a wedding gift from Milly's parents. In the days before the wedding, Meryl carefully avoided Vash whenever possible.
Finally, the battle was won. Meryl gave Milly a final look-over after finishing her hair and began to tear up; she was every bit as beautiful as Meryl had imagined. Milly, shocked, embraced her friend.
"Oh, Meryl, you're crying!"
"Well I am human you know!" Meryl sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"Wow, Milly!" Vash leaned against the doorframe. He walked over and twirled her around. "You look awesome!" Milly giggled. "Meryl, will come double-check Wolfwood?" Vash pleaded.
"Go on Meryl," Milly said cheerfully. "I'm all ready here! Make sure he looks good!" Meryl smiled weakly and brushed at her eyes again.
As they exited the room, Vash took up Meryl's arm and led her across the church. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "you don't look so bad yourself, Small Girl."
"What did I tell you about calling me that?!" Meryl blushed despite herself.
"Sorry…"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"… forever and ever, as long as you both shall live?" The priest's wavering voice was really beginning to annoy Wolfwood, who was anxious for the end.
"I do!" Milly smiled at him, and he returned the gesture.
"Bring the rings," the priest commanded. Molly stepped forward, and placed a thin golden band into Wolfwood's hand. He took Milly's hand and slipped it onto her finger. Molly handed Milly the other ring and she placed it on the wrong finger. To a little chuckling from the guests, she quickly removed it and put it on its proper finger with an embarrassed laugh.
"By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride young man." Milly shot Wolfwood a warning look before he drew her into a church-appropriate kiss. Milly's family exploded into applause, and Vash whistled his approval.
Meryl tried to clap and wipe her tears at the same time as the bride and groom led the way out of the church and back to the Thompsons' house for food and dancing. Vash appeared at her side and took her arm again, but this time, she didn't try to pull away. He smiled down at her.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Goodbye! Have a wonderful honeymoon!" Meryl called after the disappearing car. Milly turned all the way around to wave back at her family and friends and nearly fell out.
Soon, all that could be seen was a cloud of dust. Meryl glanced up at the two suns. Their combined light seemed thick enough for her to catch in a jar, and hold onto to remember this day. She ran her hand through the sunlight, feeling the warmth spread through her body.
Vash and Mrs. Thompson walked up to her. "You're not leaving yet, are you dear?" Mrs. Thompson asked. Vash handed her a crumpled piece of paper, addressed to M. Stryfe.
"What in the world?" Meryl muttered as she tore it open.
M.,
Traveling. See you when I see you.
K.
"Short and terse." She looked up at Vash. "So, where to?"
"Huh?"
"I'm the one following you, remember? Keeping the $$60 billion man under control. That's my job. But also… I wanna help you find him Vash."
"R-really?" Meryl nodded. "Okay! Then I'd say west!"
"Why west?"
Vash shrugged. "No reason really." Meryl fell to the ground.
"Well, let's just go! You can ride Milly's Tomas."
Vash raised his hand, and felt the warmth flow between his fingers. 'Wherever you are Knives, I just hope you don't remember…. Anything…'
Ta-da! Another chapter done (finally!) I'm not gonna promise another chapter before the weekend 'cause most likely that isn't going to happen. But I will sit myself down Saturday and get the next chapter up, which will finally include a plot and not just random fluff! I'm finally getting into this story. Thanks to all of my reviewers; I won't let you guys down!!! Um, if anyone else knows how to keep an indented first paragraph without going into quick edit and fixing it with WordPerfect, the knowledge would be greatly appreciated. I love you all!