I don't own Trigun or any of the characters.

Crestfallen

Fallen

"Talking"

'Thinking or Ghost Talk'

Stressed Words

Dreams or Flashbacks

Meryl stood in her waitress uniform and watched as most of the drunken men ate donuts and drank more. She got out her calculator and took count of most of the bills. She sighed and put a few more beers on her tray before she walked to the other side and started passing them out. She smiled and passed out the bills that needed to go to the table. She waived and smiled at Vash when he came in through the swinging doors. Meryl handed Vash a Turkey beer and smiled.

"Where's Milly?" Meryl asked him when she handed him the beer.

"She's taking care of Knives," Vash said before he took a drink.

"Will she be safe?" Meryl asked as she tossed some napkins to a table.

"She'll be fine, Knives won't be waking up for a while," Vash assured. Meryl gave him a skeptical look, before she went back to work.

"Well, I've got to get back to work now," Meryl said as she went back behind the counter. Vash followed her and sat at the bar and watched as she filled a basket up with chips.

"Can't you get off early?" Vash asked.

"No, someone has to pay rent," Meryl said as she tossed the chips down the bar.

"Please!" Vash begged.

"Vash!" Meryl growled as she hit the counter with a wet rag. "I have to make a check so I can pay the rent!"

"Barmaid! More beer!" A male customer yelled at Meryl causing them both to glance over at her.

"One moment sir!" Meryl yelled back as she got another beer out.

"Can't you get today off? I mean this is my first day back?" Vash pleaded.

"Barmaid!" The man yelled.

"No, I can't!" Meryl yelled at him.

"Barmaid!" The man yelled.

"One moment sir!" Meryl yelled before she glared at Vash.

"BARMAID!" The man yelled.

"Sir, Damn it Casey please wait a moment," Meryl growled. She was beginning to lose her patience with Vash.

"Meryl!" Vash whined.

"Barmaid!" The man yelled. Meryl growled and covered her ears before she spun and pointed at Vash.

"Vash! Please leave me alone! And sir! Please wait!" Meryl yelled.

She finally was lost to her temper and made the one man leave. Vash choose to remain silent and wait at the bar. When Meryl pushed the man out of the bar she poured her a drink and put fresh bowls of nuts and chips out. She smiled and dusted her hands off and sat down next to Vash. Everybody in the bar was finally leaving. Meryl handed Vash a towel and had him help her clean the tables off.

"I'm going to let Eri keep the bar open the rest of the night," Meryl said as she tossed her the key.

"I'll take care of the place," Eri said as she swept the floor.

Meryl took off her apron and hung it in the back room before she walked over to where Vash was. Vash smiled at her and she smiled back at him as they both walked out of the bar. They walked to the left and went through an alley to reach their house. Before they reached their house they both heard a gentle click. Meryl and Vash both froze and then turned around.

"You should have helped me," a slurred voice laughed.

"Casey, please relax and put the gun down," Meryl calmly said as she turned around.

"Damn it!" Casey yelled.

"Put the gun down," Meryl said as she took a step closer to him.

"STAY BACK!" Casey yelled as he swung the gun around. Vash went to grab Meryl's arm and pull her to him, but she took another step towards him.

"Meryl, please come back," Vash whispered.

"Why are you doing this?" Meryl asked as she held her arms open.

"Damn it! You should have served me!" Casey yelled at her.

"Please Casey, no one should take the life of another," Meryl said as she began to reach out towards the gun.

"Stay away from me!" Casey yelled at Meryl as he cautiously watched her and Vash.

"Casey," Meryl calmly said as she smiled at him, "Please put the gun down." Meryl then reached out for the gun.

Vash watched as Casey tensed up and jumped back away from Meryl. He then firmly held the gun in front of him and time froze. Vash helplessly froze and watched as Casey squeezed the trigger. Meryl gasped as the bullet entered her gut and pushed her backwards. She went flying backwards and into Vash's arms. Vash let the tears fall from his eyes as he watched the blood fly from her mouth.

Vash then looked up and screamed as he watched Casey hold the gun up to his temple. He then pulled the trigger and Vash watched as Casey slumped to the ground in a puddle of red. Vash looked down and let the tears fall from his eyes as she reached up and gently touched his cheek. She painfully smiled at him before she cringed in pain and stopped moving.

"Meryl?" He gently whispered as he wiped the blood from her face. He whimpered as he picked her up and carried her back to the house. He kicked open the door and carried her back to their room. He heard a scream and listened to footsteps.

"Oh my Meryl!" Milly cried.

'Milly! I'm right here!' Meryl cried out as she watched her body.

He laid her lifeless body on the bed and could feel the last of her life energy slip away. He fell to his knees and used his shirt to wipe the blood away from her face. He then began to pull the bed sheet over her body.

"I'm so sorry Meryl," Vash apologized as he cried.

'It's not your fault!' Meryl whined as she floated around him.

She looked down at her body and noticed that she was wearing her black waitress dress. Meryl floated around Vash and couldn't help him realize that this wasn't his fault. She tried to touch him, but only had her hand go through his shoulder. She did notice that he shuddered at her touch.

"Mr. Vash," Milly whispered.

"What?" He plainly asked.

"This wasn't your fault," Milly assured with her own tears in her eyes. Vash's shoulders just slumped in defeat as he gazed down at Meryl's body.

'Vash,' Meryl whispered in his ear. She smirked when she saw him glance around.

"Meryl wouldn't blame you for this," Milly said. Vash dropped his head into his hands and shook his head.

"I should have stopped her," Vash said.

"You couldn't have stopped a determined Meryl," Milly said as she brushed Meryl's hair back and out of her face.

'Vash, don't worry,' Meryl whispered to him.

Vash glanced around the area and frowned when he didn't see anything around.

"What is it?" Milly asked.

"I thought I heard something," Vash said as he stood up and walked out of the room. Milly walked over to Meryl's body and sniffled when she saw no movement. Milly then wiped the blood off her face and began to clean the body up.

'Don't worry Meryl, we'll help you somehow,' Milly thought.

"Milly, you better go to the bar and take care of whatever needs to be done," Vash said as he poked his head back into the room.

"I guess I should go down to the bar and tell them about Meryl," Milly said as she walked out of the room.

Vash walked over into Knives' room and started to bandage his wounds again, before he picked up Meryl's body and place it on the table. He started to cry again as he felt the last bit of energy fade away from her body.

'I've failed,' Vash thought as he covered the body.

Please review and tell me what you think about this story.