There is the sound of a drum roll, like last time, but this time there is a loud wham as the drummer is hit with a large mallet. The lights on the stage flare to life as your authoress walks on, a rather contented grin on her face.
Kurane: Hi everyone!! Unlike last chapter, this one won't be done as a song fic. The reason? Well...I had originally intended for this to be a one-shot song fic...but I decided that I just couldn't leave you wondering what would happen with Vash and Meryl. So, with that said, here's chapter two!
Chapter 2
Meryl looked at the calendar for probably the fifth time that morning and sighed, "It's almost been three months, where could he be?" She poured herself yet another cup of coffee, most likely the eighth one of the morning (honestly she hadn't bothered to count), and frowned, "I'll have to go look for him. If he's hurt, I'm going to find him and help him."
There was a knock at the door and Meryl jumped at the sudden noise, her nerves were really getting to her this morning (Probably all the coffee, eight cups tends to make you a little jumpy). She opened the door to find Wolfwood and Millie, without a word, she moved aside to let them in. Wolfwood put a hand on her shoulder, "How are you holding up?"
She shrugged, "I'm fine, a little jumpy is all. I just hope he's alright."
Wolfwood smirked slightly, "You don't need to worry about needle noggin. If anyone can get out of an impossible situation, it's him. Oh, by the way, you should lay off the coffee... it stunts your growth."
She scowled at him, "And just what are you implying!?!"
Millie smiled at Meryl, "Now Meryl, getting angry at him won't help us find Mr. Vash."
He winked at her, "Anyways, as I said, don't worry about needle noggin. We came here to check up on you, as he asked."
Meryl's eyes widened, "As he asked...? You mean you've heard from him!?! Where is he!?! Is he alright!?! Wolfwood, where is he!?!"
Wolfwood recoiled, "Yikes! Hey, cool it!"
Scowling, she pulled out one of her derringers, "Wolfwood, I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is he?"
Millie grabbed Meryl's wrist, "Meryl, no! Threatening him won't help us find Mr. Vash!"
Meryl leaned against her friend and was soon shaking with tears, "I'm worried about him Millie. He could be out there, dying in the middle of nowhere, all alone. I want to go to him, I want to help him."
She held her friend tighter, "I know Meryl, don't worry we'll find Mr. Vash." She looked over at Wolfwood, "Right dear?"
If ever Nicholas D. Wolfwood had looked bashful, it was then and he thought to himself, 'I can kill a man without flinching, but even after two years, whenever she calls me dear, or honey, or darling....What the hell have I gotten myself into this time?' He cleared his throat, "Meryl, I know where he is but......never mind."
She ran forward and grabbed him by the shoulders, "Where is he? I have to know!"
He sighed, "Fine, but when I last saw him...he didn't seem to remember anything...or anyone. He didn't recognize me at all, but I took him to the orphanage near December. I figure he'll be safe there."
Meryl gave him a hug, "Thank you! I'm sure he'll get his memory back with our help!"
They both looked over to Millie, who seemed...to put it simply, she looked less than impressed, "You knew where he was!?! Why didn't you say anything!?! We could have brought him to Meryl!"
Wolfwood caught her in a firm embrace, "I know, but I just don't think it would have been a good idea." The two stayed the night at Vash and Meryl's, and after a warm breakfast, the trio set out for the orphanage.
Millie had requested that they take a rest in a small town six iles from the orphanage to get some food and drink. After they ate, she ran off claiming to have some shopping to do and she wouldn't let Meryl or Wolfwood follow. Meryl sat on a bench looking through a folder she had packed; inside were several of the drawings she had done of her and Vash.
- Flashback –
Millie looked into Vash and Meryl's room and saw her friend packing for the trip, she smiled, "Hey Meryl! How's the packing going?"
Her friend sighed, "Oh, not too bad I suppose. I wonder if I should bring...nah."
Millie tilted her head to the side, "If you should bring what?"
Meryl shrugged, "Just some drawings...they aren't even that good."
She walked over and peered over her friend's shoulder at the drawings, "Wow! Meryl, those are really good!! You should definitely bring these! They might help Mr. Vash get his memory back!"
She nodded, "I guess you're right."
- End Flashback –
Meryl smiled, 'Good old Millie, she always knows to help. I don't know what I would do without her or Wolfwood for that matter. Those two have really been supportive since I told them, but when did Vash ask Wolfwood to look out for me?'
She heard a sigh from behind her and looked over her shoulder to see Wolfwood standing there with an irritated look on his face. He grumbled, "Where is she? I hope she didn't get lost!"
She shook her head in disbelief, and then narrowed her eyes at him, "Hey Wolfwood, when did Vash ask you to look out for me?"
Wolfwood sat down next to her, "He came to the orphanage nearly three months ago, with that determined look in his eyes that means trouble. I knew something was up even before he said anything, but I remember the first thing he said was to look after you. After saying that, he left; no explanations, nothing. Damn that guy can be a pain in the ass!"
Despite herself, Meryl smirked, "You don't have to live with him."
He laughed, "I guess you've got a point there."
Millie came running around the corner with a box in her hands, and smiled at them, "Sorry to keep you waiting! I just had to get this for Mr. Vash!"
Meryl raised her eyebrow, "A box of doughnuts?"
She smiled, "Yep, I figure this should help Mr. Vash remember!"
She shook her head with a quiet chuckle, "You think of everything, don't you Millie?"
Wolfwood shook his head in disbelief, and then smirked, "Alright, let's get going." The trio set out again, and the six iles to the orphanage passed by quickly. Before they knew it, they were riding through the gates and tying their Tohmas' to a rail while being swarmed by kids.
A little girl glomped onto Wolfwood's waist, "Nico-nii! It's about time you came back!!"
He sweatdropped as he hugged her, "I only left yesterday Amelia!"
Amelia pouted, "Yeah, but...the new guy doesn't say much!" At that point, Wolfwood had to explain that Vash was not a new member of the orphanage. Meryl walked around inside the building, and walked towards a room when she heard children laughing.
Amelia ran past her with a cry of, "Vash-nii! Save me from Nico-nii!!" Meryl turned to see said traveling priest standing in the doorway with a scowl on his face.
"I told those little brats to leave him alone!" he grumbled irritably. Amelia poked her head out the door and smirked at him, then pulled Vash out into the room. Meryl was so stunned she couldn't speak; there was Vash...wearing the garb of a priest.
He smiled at Wolfwood, "You don't need to get angry at them, I don't mind kids." His smile grew as a small swarm of children appeared around him.
An elderly nun walked down the hallway and smiled at Vash, "I see you're finally up and about, I was getting worried that you would avoid all human contact." Vash smiled and told her the kids were to thank, and then her eyes fell on Wolfwood. She smiled, "Wolfwood! It's good to see you've returned!"
His eyes fell on the rosary around Vash's neck and he sweatdropped, "Good God, you've converted him!!"
Vash blinked a couple times, as Wolfwood and the nun began to argue and then looked over to Meryl, "Hi! My name's -" His eyes widened as they locked onto hers.
- Flashback –
She gave him a hug, "It's perfect." The two went inside and it was evening by the time they had finished unpacking. Meryl looked over at Vash and sighed, he was standing on the balcony eating a box of...you guessed it, doughnuts. Noticing her gaze, he came back into the room and gave her a hug, quickly followed by a kiss.
- End Flashback –
He leaned against the wall and put a hand on his head, "What the ...?" Meryl called his name and ran forward to grab onto his arm. He looked down at her, she was starting to cry, but he didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what was bothering her. He winced as another flashback pulled at him.
- Flashback –
She looked over her shoulder at him, "Oh, hey Vash. I didn't wake you did I?"
He shook his head, and then looked down at the drawings, "Hey, these are really good! I never knew you were an artist!"
Meryl blushed, "I'm not...these really aren't that good."
He kissed her, "Yes they are. Anyways, I need to leave for work in an hour so I'd better get ready." After a quiet breakfast, Vash gave Meryl another kiss and left for the restaurant.
- End Flashback –
Confused and dizzy, Vash ran off down the hallway to escape her, to escape the memories, all of it. After a few minutes, he stopped running and found himself at the edge of a cliff, wide-eyed and gasping for breath. He fell to his knees and his breathing gradually slowed.
Meryl watched the hallway Vash had run down for a moment and sank to her knees, despair clawing at her heart, "I've lost him...he can't remember anything." She clung desperately to Millie, "Oh Millie, I've lost him!! He's never coming back!"
Millie hugged her friend tightly, "Don't worry; I'm sure he'll come back! He'll remember, and then he'll come back." Frowning, Wolfwood walked down the hallway and left to find the runaway.
Vash shuddered, the flashbacks weren't the worst part, it was knowing that he had hurt someone...someone he had been very close to, and didn't know how to fix it. He groaned in dizziness as another flashback hit him.
- Flashback –
Wolfwood stomped down on Vash's sunglasses and scowled at him, "You wanna finish what we started in May City!?!" He grabbed the gun from Vash's hand, and popped out the bullets. Snatching one in mid-air, he popped it back in and aimed at Vash. His scowl didn't lighten as he spoke, "It's awfully hard to kill someone...when you're shooting with rubber bullets!"
He shot and Vash cried out in pain, "Oww!! Hey, don't shoot those so close! It really hurts!!"
- End Flashback –
When he opened his eyes, Wolfwood was standing over him, a look of anger in his eyes, "Hey needle noggin, how long do you plan to run from people who want to help you?"
He got to his feet, "These flashbacks...they're worse since I saw her."
"Come on, you may be a plant, but you're not staying out here all night."
"...Will I remember her?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know? Let's hear about these flashbacks."
Vash coughed, "Well, the most recent one involved you...well...you shooting me with rubber bullets."
Wolfwood laughed, "Ah yes, I remember that...good times."
He sweatdropped, "Good times for you maybe! I don't consider getting shot with rubber bullets fun...although it is preferable to being shot with real bullets..." He trailed off, and slumped to his knees, too dizzy to move.
- Flashback –
Knives was sitting on the desk of the man Vash had come to speak with, and said person was leaning over onto the desk...quite dead. Knives smiled and waved at him, "Hey Vash!" He stood in the doorway, too shocked to move and with tears streaming down his face.
- End Flashback –
- Flashback –
Pain...searing pain. Vash looked down to where his left arm should have been, and winced; Knives had shot his arm clean off, and now the stub was bleeding badly. Vash glared at his brother, who took a couple steps towards him with a smile, and snapped his fingers, saying something about an Angel Arm.
- End Flashback –
Wolfwood looked over at Vash, and cursed; something was wrong...really wrong. His arm was...changing, and his screams were agonized. Meryl came running towards them, worry written all over her face; she stopped in her tracks when she saw his arm. She looked over at Wolfwood, "What's happening to him?"
He shrugged, "How the hell should I know!?!"
Vash looked at them and screamed, "Get out of here, now!!"
- Flashback –
He gave her a hug, "Meryl, I don't have a choice. If you came with me and anything happened to you, I'd never forgive myself." He grabbed his coat and gun, and gave her a kiss.
- End Flashback –
She knelt beside him and gave him a kiss, hoping beyond anything that he would remember her and stop his Angel Arm. There were a few moments of tense silence, and then she felt two arms, both human, wrap around her to pull her deeper into the kiss. When they pulled away, he looked into her eyes with a smile, "I remember now, I told Wolfwood to check on you while I went to deal with...Knives."
He said the name with a pained wince, and she put a hand on his cheek, "Vash, are you ok?"
A tear rolled down his cheek and he looked away, "I...I killed him. I killed Knives." He shuddered and pulled her closer, needing the reassuring warmth of her skin.
Wolfwood came towards them cautiously, "Hey, I hate to interrupt, but if you two don't get inside soon, you'll both get sick."
Millie hugged him with a smile, "Isn't he sweet? He always looks out for the well being of others!"
He cried out in surprise, "Gah!! Where did you come from!?!"
She laughed, "From the orphanage of course! I followed you and Meryl out here."
Meryl stroked Vash's cheek, rubbing away his tears, "I'm here for you, no matter what." After a few moments, the four made their way back to the orphanage and blocked the kids from bothering Vash or Meryl. The two stayed and didn't leave for two weeks, as the children seemed to help him get over his fight with Knives.
When they finally got home, Meryl smiled, "It's good to be home!"
He hugged her, "It's even better to be home to stay."
- Flashback –
She smiled as she finished the drawing she had started earlier that day; it was of Vash coming home with no fear of being hunted. She looked out the window, 'I know he'll come back, and if he doesn't come back after three months, I'll find him.' Humming quietly to herself, she started washing the dishes. The two had plenty of time to be together, and Meryl knew their days would be peaceful.
- End Flashback –
(A/N: I don't own Trigun or the characters, only the plot. With that aside, I hope you liked this chapter! Some of the events in the flashbacks in actually happened in the series, the rest happened in chapter one.
Vash: I love happy endings! T.T
Kurane: ...Right...now get out of my author's note...please.)
