Beyond Reasoning
Chapter 16
Singing Away
The faint smell of a perfume came to my nose as I slept. It had been a long night the night before as we celebrated Meryl and Milly's engadgement and wedding in a few days. Snuggling closer to the warmth I smiled lightly thinking about what had happened the night before. I took a nice long breath in smelling the entoxicating perfume that I had semi awoken to. Yes the night was a good one.
flashback
Gazing up I laughed seeing her on stage. The whole bar was at an uproar as she stood there with the micraphone in her hand near the old tecnoloagy that was a karaoke machine. A giant smile adorned her face as she stood there with the mic in hand, semi drunk but not drunk enough to affect her singing.
"What should I sing next?!" She yelled out to the crowd which was happy to respond all at the same time. Her eyes danced across the bar happily. I couldn't help but smile. Yeah she was alive around the time that this karake machine had obviously been made.
"'Bout ya play m'wife's favorite song!" A man yelled above the crowd that got Candy's attention who nodded looking at the happy couple.
"It's an old country love song.." The wife smiled happily. "..If you don't mind that is."
"Of course I don't mind.." Candy said happily her face flushed probaby cuz of the alcohol that was in her system.
"Well it's called 'That's how you know it's love'. It should be in the data base..." She responded. Candy's head dipped down as she began to press buttons on the machine and smiled happily looking up putting her thumb up.
"Found it!" She shouted as the bar went in an uproar. "Ok folks, this is a love song like the woman said. So clear the newly formed dance floor for the love birds!" She grinned chuckling. I guess it was strange really for me. Most of the time when I went into a bar everyone was just to drunk to care about the music going on in the background but somehow the alcohol in the air was encouraging the music and a small make shift area was now named the dance floor as Candy sang. It was like having a live singer instead of a karakoe machine. Like this was some high classed bar/diner with a live musical guest. I couldn't help but smile. It wasn't like she was bad or anything. No she could carry a tune very well. Beside me Meryl and Matt got up and walked out there smiling happily while Milly and Wolfwood followed them as the music began to start up.
Of course it was a slow song. She had said it was. I couldn't help it but just watch her as she got ready with the first notes..
"if you
get out in the driving rain
Stand in the eye of a hurricane
and never think twice
if you...
turn your back on selfishness
and your thoughts are for someone else
cuz they've change your life..." Her clear voice sang. It was like this song was really ment for her to sing, I had to admit. The strange thing was I found myself blushing lightly as I watched her up there with this song. My heart began to race as well...
"That's how you know it's love
that's how you know it's ment to be
when the span of forever just never seems long enough
that's how you know it's love..." She continued. Glancing down I broke my stare of her and watched Matt and Meryl and Wolfwood and Milly dance slowly to it. Milly was gazing into Nicolas's eyes while Meryl just leaned against Matt with a blissful smile upon her face, her cheeks as well faint with a blush.
"When your heart
insist you give it all
when you longer feel the fall
and you just let go
when the past
is finally dead and gone
fate leads you somewhere to go on
that has your soul
that's how you know it's love
that's how you know it's ment to be
when the span of forever just never seems long enough
that's how you know it's love.." Of course the couple that had requested it was out on the dance floor as well. I smiled enjoying what they had picked knowing that by far it was one of the most beautiful songs I had herd. Then my eyes gazed up at Candy once again. A chill went down my spine as I realized she was staring right at me just then as she started up the next part of the song..
"no part of you questions
no part of you doubts
your only sure this is what loves about
nothing and no one can stand in your way
or keep you from saying what your heart is dying to say....." Something about the way she was looking at me and how she was singing was giving me shivers and forcing the blush that had been on my face to grow even more. I didn't know what was happening but I couldn't break the lock I had on her eyes..well till she closed her eyes softening her voice a bit..
"ohh
that's how you know it's love
that's how you know it's ment to be
when the span of forever just never seems long enough
that's how you know it's love
that's how you know it's love
that's how you know it's ment to be
that's how you know it's love
that's how you know it's love..." With the final notes of the song a big chear went up from the dance floor as she smiled lightly blushing from all the comotion up there and thanking people left and right...leaving me to wonder what had exactly happened..
"Mr. Vash!" Milly said coming back from the dance floor. "You're beat red!" Quickly I turned my face away covering it with my hand lightly.
"...Must have drank to much..." I muttered grabbing a bottle off the table and began to drink it. That song really had shaken me up more then I really wanted it to. That's when another song came on and I could hear her voice in the background as I was lost in my thoughts.
your heart is dying to say...I knew that indeed loved her. If that song was a guideline or a checklist on how to figure out if you love someone I had 90 of it down. It's just my brother was the problem.
'Nothing and no one can stand in your way...'
Shaking my head I ordered another drink figuring I wasn't drunk enough yet...
end flashback
Moving lightly I opened an eye seeing a book bag on the dresser in front of me that wasn't mine...and then I realized as my brain began to really awaken that there shouldn't be something in my bed that was radiating heat, that my arms where wrapped around, snuggling closer to me. Glancing down I noticed a pile of long brown hair and the back of a head. My eyes flew open as I couldn't jump off the bed any faster. I eeped and stared at the figure snuggled in the blankets of the bed as it began to move grabbing for more blankets that I had disturbed while jumping off the bed. The figure turned over revealing my bed mate. Her face was very peaceful as a brown eye fluttered open slowly as she sat up from the bed, leaning on her arm as the blankets fell around her as her other hand rubbed the side of her head.
"..What the heck yawn are you doing in my room yawn..what the heck happened last night. Why do I have this headache..." She mumbled slipping her legs off the bed opposite my direction not even saying another word about me being in the room and walked out of it. My heart stopped right then and there as I fell over in a crash.
"Vash!" A worried voice called out as Meryl's head pocked in looking for me then noticing me on the floor. "O I see your awake finially. You should really control your drinking..." She said then blinked. "Hey wait a minute...what are you doing in Candy's room exactly?!"
"..I asked him the same thing when I woke up..yawn," Candy's voice was herd around the corner of the door. Meryl looked at something or someone in the hallway or something. Obviously she didn't realize that a few moments before we had been sharing the same bed. Thinking back to the night before I realized my memory began to go fuzzy after the fifth bottle.
"..Y..You where snorning!" I lied trying to make up an excuse. "I was going to try and stop it...it was giving me a splitting headache and all.." Walking over to the door I began to laugh manicly all the way to my room and quickly slammed the door. Grabbing at my chest the color of my face began to drain as I tried to stop my beating heart. That was TO close. What if she would have awoken with me draped all over her like I was in my sleep. Of course I didn't mind it really but how the heck would I explain to the woman that we where sharing the same bed all of a sudden. Maybe I shouldn't have drank last night. "Stupid Brain!" I shouted grabbing at my head and then hang it.
"Well breakfast is ready!" Meryl announced then I herd footsteps going down the stairs as I sighed. This was just getting to much. What if I said or did something last night...while she was as drunk as she was. I would never forgive myself. Sighing I quickly changed out of my pajamas thanking God that I hadn't jumped out of the bed naked. Brushing my hair up I stood in front of the mirror trying to figure out what went on after the fifth bottle. I clearly remembered the song that gave me shivers and the look upon Candy's face that made me blush. Sighing I realized I had to confront her sooner or later wither she remembered or not. Turning toward the door I opened it ajusting my shirt collar to see nobody visiable in the hallway. Smiling lightly at my luck I headed toward the stairs, and down them to see them gathered at the table, that's Meryl and Candy that is.
"Hey Vash I've got a surprise for you.." Meryl said turning and setting the tea kettle on the table as Candy came and set down the bread that I assumed she made as she slid in the chair nearest to her. Candy looked up and smiled as she began to put things on her plate like nothing had happened. Maybe she didn't remember anything.
"What is it?" I came in and sat down on a chair that Meryl had pulled out.
"Well...see.." She began taking a sip of her tea and then smiled. "Since Matt and I are planning on me moving into his place after the wedding, it leaves my place open."
"Yeah?" I asked not fully getting what she was trying to say.
"Well I want to give you my house..." Meryl then said. "Since you've never really had a house to call your own and all." Blinking I looked at short girl and wondered if she was somehow joking but the expression upon her face told me otherwise.
"..Me..a house.." I mumbled glancing between the two woman then settling back on Meryl.
"Yeah..you can't be planning on traveling around Gunsmoke forever...and even if you travel for another twenty years, you'll still have this place to call home to come to when things get a little to tough." She smiled looking at Candy. "Don't you think its a good idea."
"That's a wonderful idea!" Candy exclaimed her voice cracking a bit as she giggled trying to clear it. "Must have over used the voice box yesterday.."
"That or puberty has finally hit.." I muttered as I took a sip of tea seeing her face become all flushed with anger.
"I am plenty fine!" She said glaring at me. "Your so mean.."
"I'm just saying it as it is.." I laughed then looked to Meryl. "I thank you for the offer but I don't know if I can accept it..."
"But you must!" Meryl said as a vein seemed to pop out of her forhead. "Don't make me..." I saw her reaching for her cape as I started to chuckle nervously.
"Ok ok!" I said waving my hands up in the air as to give up. "You win. I'll take the house." That's when Candy threw up her arms.
"Yay!" She shouted. Then fell back down grabbing at her head. "Ooo to loud..my head.."
"You don't even need someone to be loud for you..you just do that naturally.." I grinned poking her in the side to see her angrily glare at me and push my hand away.
"Just shut up ok.."
"I've never seen someone get drunk off of wine coolers either.." I laughed leaning back and taking a bite out of the bread I had on my plate.
"I don't normally drink ok!" She said glaring at me. "Geez you with think after pushing me to drink you would be a little more simpithetic..."
"That's not Vash for you.." Meryl laughed turning toward Candy.
"Hey shut up!" I said then standing up. "If you excuse me I'm going to go get some donuts.."
"But you just ate!" Meryl shouted turning her head back toward me.
"So?" I said waving by to the two shocked woman in the house and heading out the door to the bakery here in December. Sighing I leaned on the door for a second trying to get the vision of Candy sleeping out of my head again. There was something that was going to happen in the emitie future. I really wanted to wait till my brother was delt with so I wouldn't risk any more of her life then I was already for being around her before I told my feelings. But this morning was something I never really expected to happen. Rubbing the side of my face I chuckled a bit nervously. It was getting harder and harder to be around her and not to act on the growing feelings I had for her. That's why I was picking on her now. It seemed to be the only way to detour my heart from blabbing it's secret..though somehow Milly, Meryl, Wolfwood, and I'm guessing Matt knew. Continuing to walk I glanced up seeing the happy couples walking down the street, feeling a bit enveous about it all. I could picture myself with my arm around Candy's shoulders laughing about something with her as we walked down to a store or back to the house from a shopping trip happily together. Then having group get togethers with Milly, Wolfwood, Meryl, and Matt just to do something since they where my friends.
I was so deep in thought that I totally walked passed the bakery that I had intended to go but insteed found myself in front of a jewery shop. Blinking I looked around wondering where the heck I had wondered to in this town and sighed. I was bored and needed to get my head clear to think straight, why not kill some time. So I headed in the jewery store. There where only a few times that I actully went into one. I wasn't one to go into a jewery shop just every day. I had no reason to. Turning my head I gazed at all the fine medal work that the jewer had going on.
"Good day sir.." A man said behind the counter. "Are you just browsing or do you anything in mind?" Looking around a bit I turned to him.
"I'm more browsing I guess but I do have a problem..see I know of two couples that are getting married here in town within the next few days and I still don't have a present picked out for either one of them..." I laughed. It was true though. I hadn't even thought about a present to give to Milly/Wolfwood and Meryl/Matt.
"Ahh wonderful!" The man said rushing out from behind the counter. "I have a perfect gift for the lucky couples." Turning he disappeared into a back room that was covered behind a curtain only to come out with something gold in his hands. "This is it!" Grinning from ear to ear he handed it to me. It was a gold plated frame where one could store a very special picture. It was amazing I had to admit. Nothing I would ever have thought of giving them but it seemed to work.
"Fine, I'll take two," I said smiling then turning my head to look about more when I noticed something from the corner of my eye. Turning fulling I realized what had caught my attention. It was a very simple bracelet with one crimson colored jewel set in the middle of the thin silver band. Walking over as the man was wrapping up my purchuses I lifted the bracelet from its hanging spot lightly, looking at it in my gloved hand. It was gorgous I had to admit. Something about it reminded me of her. Maybe after everything had happened I could give it to her.
"You have your eye on the bracelet there?"
"Yeah.." I said looking at it some more.
"Anything preticular in mind with it?" The man said pulling it from its hanging posistion to sit in my gloved hand fully as he held the package that contend the picture frames at his side.
"Yeah..there's this woman.." I began laughing quietly not believing what I was just saying. Never in my life had I thought I would say such words but here I was...
"Ahh you wish to give it to the lass..." The man said. Reaching over he grabbed it from my hand. "Shall I wrap it up for you then?" Nodding I turned my head and watched him walk away with it wondering why the heck I was doing this. If she ever saw it she was going to think one of three things. One it was for me even though the only pair of jewery I wear is the earring that doubles as a microphone and my sunglasses, it's for her which it is but it could present a problem if she sees it before I mean to give it to her, or she thinks it's for someone else. Walking over the man set it on the boxes with the two other presents and began to ring my purchuse up. Luckly I had enough with all my travels around Gunsmoke and smiled happily walking out of the jewery store feeling a bit better about everything. Reaching down I grabbed the small pouch that had the bracelet i had bought for Candy in it. Throwing it up I smiled a bit then slipping it in the pocket of my pants and continued to walk back to Meryl's house once again forgetting about the donut shop. Opening the door I looked around.
"Hey I'm back!" I shouted in the house to have Candy's head peak out of the kicthen.
"Meryl left for the church. The order of flowers of hers came in and their going to start and set them up..." She said stepping out brushing the hair from her face. "She said I should stay here and wait for you to return." I looked down at her pale skin, brown eyes and felt my heart begin to race once again. Right now I just wanted to gather the woman in my arms and just sit there for the rest of eternity. Blushing lightly at that thought I walked over to her.
"What are you doing in there?" I asked smelling a sweet aroma.
"Cooking..." She laughed trying to push me away from the door.
"Whacha cooking?" I said sniffing the air.
"Will you just not bother me!" She laughed as I pretend fought with her as if it was life or death to get into the kicthen to see what she was cooking. It did intrique me with the sweet smell that floated from behind her.
"What...not bother you?! That's like some joke, right?" I said grinning at her seeing her face go into a pouty one. Laughing I stopped and began to walk up the stairs back to my room thinking about what had happened in the morning. Blushing I remembered how I had her snuggled up against me sleeping with my face in her hair. That was the perfume that I kept smelling. Walking in my room I shut the door and set the bag on the bed and sighed thinking about everything...Knives, angel arms, revenge seekers...the faces of many friends lost. Then I thought about the girl down in the kichten cooking happily. The same woman who sang that haunting song last night. The woman that somehow touched the lives of the people she came in contact with, very much like me in a way. Then I thought about Wolfwood, Meryl, and Milly. I wondered what was going through there minds about this whole situation. I knew Milly wanted me to tell the girl my feelings but it was never that simple. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if she was wisked away back to Earth while I sat up here thinking?! The woman wasn't from Gunsmoke and what ever brought her here was probably going to reverse it's self soon. She had already been here mostly with me for two weeks. I knew that day would come where she would have to go back. It wasn't natural for her to be here. She wasn't born here.
Then there was Knives...the one thing really standing in my way being able to tell her, well besides myself. He was still out there waiting for me to lower my guard I'm sure of it. He had been bothering Candy for the past few times he showed his face. Standing up from sitting on my bed I decided to go downstairs and just make sure she was ok cooking. Closing the door slowly behind me I walked down the steps.
"I almost forgot...I need to change your bandages again today.." I laughed. Candy looked up from the pan she was next to and smiled brushing her hair back a bit and nodded.
"I was wondering when you would remember.." She laughed covering what was in the pan and turning off the stove.
"Why didn't you just tell me...?" I asked eyeing her.
"Well I got busy.." She laughed pointing at the stove.
"Ahh yes..that reminds me.." As I said that I began to push past her mockingly as she began to giggle and I felt her hands on my shirt trying to hold me there.
"Vash!" She said. Her musical laughter filling the air in Meryl's house making my heart jump in my chest as I looked down at the top of her hair. Somehow she was always able to do that to me..wasn't she. Even before I realized the true extent of where my feelings led to her laugh or smile could make any worries that I had about my brother or the future just float away.
"What?" I laughed. Then grinning I grabbed at her waist, being mindful of the stitches on her back and swong her on my shoulder.
"Vash!!" She yelped thrashing about as I held here there so she wouldn't hurt herself or me in my little joke. I just wanted these days to just last forever.
That's when the creak of a door opened behind me as I turned seeing Meryl and Milly looking at me as I laughed nervously accedently dropping Candy beside me on the floor. Rubbing the top of her head she frowned as I glanced down at her.
"...Can I just appol.." I started but was cut off by a sharp pain in my ankle as I felt Candy wack at a pressure point there as she stood up brushing herself off slowly.
"Geez!" She said glaring down at me because by this time I had fallen to the floor. "I'm going to finish cooking and when you've gotten to your age then you can come and fix my bandages.."
"Miss Candy I'll do that for you," Milly said beside Meryl who was just shaking her head as I laid there grabbing at my leg, trying to calm the pain that was surging through it.
"Ok." I herd her voice in the kichten. Sighing I looked up at Meryl for some help who just laughed.
"You deserved that Vash," Meryl said then heading in the room past me. "I got the carrots you said you wanted Candy!"
"O thanks!" I herd Candy said. Sighing I leaned my head back in the entryway trying to figure out what had exactly just happened...Laying there sprawled out on the floor I gazed up at the ceiling watching the light swing lighlty back and forth thinking about other things. My brother was one of the problems still. Like I wanted to be killed by him. I couldn't let that happen. I had to save him...There was no way I could allow him to fall farther in the abiss that was his mind. Something had to change though I had no clue as to what had to. Turning my head I saw flashes of Candy through the small sliver in the kichten I could see and sighed. If only Knives could fully understand what it was to be human...he would understand. Even though I could never truely be human, that would require something that I could never obtain I felt that I had gotten as close as one could be without being human themselves.
Knives...
Why couldn't you understand. There isn't a single day I don't pray for you..for you to see the light and realize your mistake but it only seems to worsen. There has to be a way to make you see the light without killing you. There just has to be...
That's when I noticed a smiling face above me blocking my view of the hanging light. It was Candy and she had a smile upon her face as she looked down upon me. I must have been zoning out not to notice it.
"He's back to reality!" Candy shouted standing up fully once again and turning toward the kicthen. Then she turned back and smiled at me. "Now Mr. Vash you can't just lie around in the middle of the floor in front of the door all day if you must know. People will trip if you stay there.." She stated poking me in the chest softly every few seconds. Reaching up I grabbed her hand gently and gazed into her eyes, getting lost for a moment in their depths.
"Now you've never been so formal with me before..." I said sounding a bit to serious for the situation. I realized that after I said it. She just stood above me bent down so she could look at my face and her hand being held in mine. I noticed a faint blush building upon her cheeks as she looked at me blinking, probably confused and wondering why I had just said that. It even startled me.
"..Vash..." She muttered really sounding confused as I slowly got up, letting go of her hand and brushing my shirt and pants off from the dust I had collected on the floor.
"See..there is the unformality I know well with you!" I grinned trying to put on my 'gee golly isn't it swell' look. "Now what was it that you wanted?"
"..O the food I made is done...." She said very hesitently as I walked past her into the kicthen. The aroma of a sweet food was in the air as I walked in. Sniffing I grinned happily.
"What did she make?" I asked Milly or Meryl as I walked in.
"A recipe I've never herd of." Meryl laughed setting a plate on the table. "Honey Chicken." Looking down my mouth began to water as I quickly sat down dishing up some rice and then some carrots in honey I figured and placed that over the top of it then grabbing a piece of chicken that she must have been frying when I began to bug her about cooking.
"Smells wonderful Miss Candy!" Milly said turning her head to the doorway behind me.
"Thanks..it's a recipe from back home. I love to make it." I herd her voice say behind me as I turned slightly to see a more serious face upon her features as she stood there arms crossed over her chest.
"You should come join us in eating it!" Meryl said.
"Nah...I ain't feeling to well all of a sudden.." Candy responded behind me. Turning my head fully back facing the two insurence girls I smiled poking at my food lightly wondering how a honey chicken tasted like. I never thought you could put such things together. Tearing a piece of the chicken away from the bone I picked it up with my fork and stuck it in my mouth hesitently. My eyes began to water tasting it. The chicken was so moist, even if it was fried, and the soft taste of the honey with a little zing of lemon made my taste buds scream with delight.
"..It's...so...gooooood..." I muttered crying.
"Well I'm going to my room." Candy said as I herd the footsteps from behind me head off and up the stairs. Blinking I looked down at the food. This was a real dish from Earth I just realized and my two friends here didn't even realize it as they where eating saying how good it was.
"I should get the recipe from her later!" Milly said clapping. "I've never had Chicken quite like this.."
"Yeah I know!" Meryl said taking a bite. "Well we know one thing.."
"Yeah we do!" Milly said nodding and then turning toward me. "Once Mr. Vash and Miss Candy hook up he'll be well fed!"
"Heyyyyyyy.." I said glaring at the two girls who just sat there giggling lightly with their forks in their mouths. Sighing I hang my head low and then turned it slightly to see a portion of the stairs. She went back all serious..like the second day I had been with her.
"Maybe we should take some to the guys!" Meryl said. "She made enough for everyone anyway."
"That is a really good idea Sempi!" Milly said.
"Yeah where are they?" I asked turning my head back to face them. "I thought I would see Wolfwood by now."
"O their working some things out for the wedding I guess," Meryl said. "Tomorrow is the big day and all!" Milly nodded beside me and smiled eating happily.
"I can't wait Sempi! I mean I thought I could only dream of this day.." Milly said looking down as a wave of pain washed over her face. I remembered the day Wolfwood had died well. There hadn't been a day since that I wished Wolfwood where alive still. And now that he is everything seemed a whole lot better. Tomorrow would be the big day...and maybe after I could deal with my brother like I should. If I could get him to realize his mistake almost everything would be perfect...except for Candy. Then after everything I could present her with the braclete and confess everything. Maybe what ever brought Candy here to me would allow her to stay with me...if that where the case I could imagine myself spending the rest of her life with her, loving her every moment like she should. Yes..if fate would allow I will try and win her heart.