Author's Note: Sorry this is a short chapter but this is all I could think of for right now.
Hold Me
"Talking"
'Thinking or Mind Talk'
Stressed WordsMeryl lay on the couch asleep in what calm environment she had. She was blissfully unaware of her surroundings. She yawned and stretched as she rolled off the couch. She was now floating in the air with no concern. Opening her eyes she fell to the ground and yawned again as she rolled over and saw that she was being watched. She sat up and stared right back at the person.
"Good morning Knives," Meryl said as she sat back down on the couch.
"Why were you sleeping? I thought spirits didn't sleep," Knives asked.
"That, I just used all of my energy up," Meryl said.
"How was purgatory?" Knives asked.
"Fun, I just had the time of my … afterlife," Meryl said. Knives just shook his head and gave a faint smile.
"Did you save that soul?"
"I managed to save him and gain my body back," Meryl happily said.
"That's great," Knives said as he stretched his arms.
"You seem unusually happy," Meryl commented.
"You seem unusually messy," Knives countered as he looked at her outfit.
"Well, I just came back from purgatory," Meryl defended as she stuck her tongue out.
"Mature," Knives said.
"I'm going to go and see if my plant's ready," Meryl said as she disappeared.
"That one plant?" Knives asked knowing that she was gone.
Knives walked into the kitchen and saw Vash sitting at the table eating donuts. He rolled his eyes as he poured a cup of coffee and sat down. Vash remained silent and Knives just kept smirking. When Vash noticed Knives' smirk he just took a drink of milk and downed another donut.
"Why are you so happy?" Vash asked.
"It's just a good day," Knives answered.
"Do you think she'll come back?" Vash asked as he put his donuts down.
"Who?" Knives asked knowing perfectly well who.
"Meryl," Vash whispered.
"It's been a month and your still worried?" Knives asked.
"Well aren't you?" Vash asked.
"No," Knives stated.
"Do you miss her?" Vash asked.
"Why don't you stop whining, get dressed, and go check the plant," Knives said as he got up and walked outside.
Meryl floated behind the house and finally noticed her wings were gone. She frowned and smiled at the same time. She was now a spirit and her plant was ready. She looked at the small thing and wondered how it was going to carry her. She didn't want to have to grow up again. The flower was the size of a tulip. She leaned in closer and poked it with her finger. Meryl then smiled when the thing began to expand and get a bit taller.
"Did it just grow?" Knives asked.
"Yeah, I think it feed off my energy," Meryl said.
"Is that what you're going to come back in?" Knives asked.
"I owe my life to this flower," Meryl said.
"How long will you be?" Knives asked.
"I'm don't know, I have to talk to another," Meryl said before she vanished.
"MERYL!" Vash yelled as he ran around to the back.
"You just missed her," Knives said.
"Where is she?" Vash asked.
"I don't know," Knives said as he sat down next to the flower.
Meryl sat in Knives bedroom as she waited for Rem. She was so happy to finally be going back. When Rem appeared Meryl jumped up and hugged her. Rem hugged her back and smiled. Wolfwood soon appeared and hugged Meryl.
"You've done a great job," Rem praised as she sat down.
"Are you sure you don't need my help anymore?" Meryl asked.
"Well, I still ask you to watch over Knives," Rem said.
"That I can do," Meryl said with a smile.
"Thank you," Rem said.
"Is there anything else?" Meryl asked.
"I want you to know that you will be born of a plant not a human, and there are certain side effects," Rem warned.
"I suppose nothings free, but what are they?" Meryl asked.
"That I'm not to sure of because this is our second time sending someone back, and this is a different case," Rem nervously said.
"Well, I'm ready for anything," Meryl said.
"Good luck," Rem said as she hugged Meryl and then disappeared. Wolfwood stepped up next to Meryl and smirked.
"It was nice to see you again," Meryl said.
"Yeah, but I better not see you in these parts for a long time," Wolfwood said with a laugh.
"I plan on staying alive for a while," Meryl said.
"You better stay alive after all you did," Wolfwood said.
"I will," Meryl said.
"When you go back tell Milly I love her and I'll always be by her side," Wolfwood said.
Meryl nodded and then left the room. She passed by Milly and noticed that she was yawning. Meryl jumped through the wall and noticed Vash was by the plant along with Knives. She cautiously walked towards the plant with her head up and back straight. She was Meryl Stryfe and would let no man break her heart … again. When she stood in front of Vash she noticed he didn't move a bit.
"Vash," Meryl formally said.
"Meryl? Is that you?" Vash asked as he looked around.
"Yeah," Meryl answered.
"Can you touch my hand to let me know where you're at?" Vash asked. Meryl tentatively touched his hand and by that one cool caress he sighed.
"You can't see me because I'm a spirit again," Meryl said.
"Why were you gone so long?" Vash asked in concern.
"I got stuck in purgatory," Meryl said.
"I was so worried about you," Vash admitted. Meryl smiled as she looked into his unfocused aquamarine eyes.
"I though you didn't want me," Meryl said as she stood on the defense.
"I'm sorry … but I was jealous and wanted to keep myself from being hurt," Vash answered.
"I almost didn't come back, I was an answer away from death," Meryl said.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," Vash said.
"I forgive you because love makes you do crazy things," Meryl said with a smile.
"I do, I do love you, and I promise never to hurt you again," Vash said.
"I love you too, but I have to go into my plant," Meryl said.
"But Meryl your still a spirit," Vash whispered while Knives rolled his eyes.
"Pervert," Meryl growled as she punched him on the head.
Meryl reached out and stepped inside the plant with a smile. She felt warm and fuzzy when she finally was settled. She closed her eyes and laughed inside her head as she thought about her situation.
'I'm like a bear, hibernating," Meryl thought before she finally fell asleep.
