Jackie: So I pumped the incubator up a degree, which didn't help the 12/15(that's the date the eggs were collected) hatch. However, everything from 12/17-12/20 has been hatching. 'Passes out cigars' I'm a momma!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trigun

…………………………………

Meryl sat beside Millie again. This time Millie was driving. Meryl didn't feel like doing much of anything at the moment. Except for a few 'yeah's and 'uh-huh's Vash had been totally silent during the meeting. To make matters worse, he had insisted at staying behind at Mira's house to talk with Knives. Meryl's eyebrows knitted with worry. Did I go too far last night?

"It will be alright, Sempai," The ever observant Millie cheeped, "I'm sure Mr. Vash is just thinking about it."

"Yeah," Nick said lighting a cigarette, "From what you said after we left, the Needle noggin deserved it anyway. I got no problems with being honorable and all, but he shouldn't tease you either. That first night you described was pretty steamy. It sounds like he would have done it then."

Meryl blushed. She couldn't believe she had bawled out the entire story to Millie right in front of Wolfwood. She rubbed her temples lightly and said, "I don't get it either. That night he said the only thing stopping him was that we were drunk, now the only thing stopping him is morals? What's next? If he does ask, am I going to spend my married life celibate for whatever reason he can conjure at the time? I just wish he'd be strait with me."

Nick took another puff and said, "Well, that's Vash for you. You never know just what is going through that spiky head of his. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Yeah," Millie chimed, "Besides, when you weren't looking, he kept staring at you. He's smitten, I can tell. He's just trying to work things out in his head."

"Great," Meryl sighed, "I need 'working-out'."

"Hey!" Wolfwood said brightly, "I think you need a drink!"

…………..

Back at Mira's house...

Vash and Knives sat at the table staring each other down. Knives had asked Mira to leave the room for a moment. Vash set down his cup of coffee and said, "Look, I think it's a good idea. I'm not arguing that, but how are we going to keep the free born plants a secret? I have a lot of faith in humans, but I just don't think that they are ready for this."

"I see what you mean," Knives said with a heavy sigh, "My plan never included humans before."

Vash nodded and said, "I still think we should do it, but we have to be careful."

"Agreed," Knives said, "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"No," Vash said quietly, "Well, you know more about human physiology than I do because of your… experiments."

Knives winced at the mention of it. He growled and said, "Your point?"

"I was, uh, wondering," Vash said, "Are the two races compatible?"

Knives smiled and said, "You want to know if you and your short girl can mate?"

"Yes," Vash said with a blush.

Knives smiled at his younger twin and said, "Much to my disgust at the time, I did do a few reproduction related experiments. I artificially inseminated ten females."

Vash had to fight to keep from calling Knives a bastard, but he had to remember that that was the old Knives. The edge in Knives' voice while he was speaking showed that he felt great guilt for it. Knives lowered his head and said, "And ten babies were born five months later."

"What happened to them?" Vash asked.

"I ran a few tests, to see if they were viable," Knives continued, "That they could continue to reproduce. They can. The human race and the plant race both have 26 chromosomes, and it seems they line up perfectly."

"But that would suggest…" Vash started.

"That we are not another race," Knives finished, "Just two very different breeds of the same species. At the time I dismissed it as a fluke, but now it seems more testing is in order. I'm going to need some of your blood. I want to analyze just how close they are."

"Knives," Vash started, "You never said what happened to the children… YOUR children."

Knives hung his head and said, "Because I don't want to talk about it."

"You KILLED them?" Vash breathed.

"Yes," Knives muttered.

"But they were your blood," Vash said.

"I know, but they were also half-human," Knives said, "At the time I couldn't accept that. If I had it all to do again…"

Knives wiped away some tears. He seemed to be prone to crying lately. He was trying to hold them back, but they kept coming. He began to shudder with sobs as he said, "I don't deserve her do I? I don't deserve to live, let alone live happily."

Vash shook his head and said, "You have a very long life ahead of you to make up for what you have done. Start over. You can do things that will save ten times as many people as you ever hurt. I wish I knew a way to undo what you did, but I don't, so you are just going to have to live with it. Try each day to do something good for this world… Does Mira know?"

"I showed her everything," Knives said, lowering his head.

"Everything?" Vash breathed.

"Everything," Knives nodded.

Vash sat back in his chair. Everything. He didn't know what impressed him more; the fact that Knives had changed enough to trust a human that much, or the fact that Mira seemed to still love him. Vash lifted his hand up and scratched the back of his head.

"Wow," Vash muttered, "Well, then I guess she must really love you. My advice is that you accept that, accept her, and accept your happiness. Your plan is going to save new people every day. It's going to save our race too. Just try to make good for everyone you hurt."

Knives nodded slowly, put on a weak smile and said, "You must be anxious to get back to Meryl."

"Actually," Vash said with a blush, "I have one more thing to ask."

"Yeah, Vash?" Knives asked.

"Can you teach me how to terraform too?" Vash asked, "I want to make something very special."

………………………………

Jackie: 'sings' one little, two little, three little chickens! EVERYBODY! Four little, five little… hey, don't look at me that way.

Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been busy with the chickens and the new semester is getting ready to start.