Disclaimer still applies......
*
A/N: Well, you guys didn't have to wait so long for this chapter, but that's only cause I'm going on spring break and won't have access to a computer for about 10 days. I wanted to be sure to post another chapter before then, to tide you guys over until I can post again.
As always, R/R!
***********
Desert Sands
By: Batbabe
***********
Chapter 9
***********
Vash couldn't help the inhaling a sharp breath at Milly's pronouncement. She had to be mistaken....he had found Wolfwood's body himself and buried it just outside of town. There was no way that he could still be alive.
"Milly", he started gently, not wanting to hurt her more, "maybe it was just someone who looked a little like him. And it was awfully hot out today, maybe you just thought you saw him."
The bigger woman looked up at him and replied indignantly, "I know what I saw Mr. Vash! I saw Nicholas and he was alive." She looked down at her hands sadly, but she had stopped crying.
"So, what happened Milly? Why are you so upset? I would have thought that you'd just be happy that he's alive...." Meryl's voice trailed off. She obviously didn't quite believe that it was really Wolfwood that her partner had seen, but didn't want to upset her by saying so.
Milly looked hopefully at her partner. "Well, I was coming out of the general store..."
****************
Milly didn't even register the can of her beloved pudding crashing to the ground at her feet, spreading its contents on the wooden floorboards. The only thing she saw was the tall dark haired man across the street from her. The man whose child she was now carrying. The man she thought she would never see again.
"Nic....Nicholas...?" She said in a hushed whisper, completely disbelieving. She wanted to rush over to him, to embrace him and never let him go, but her feet seemed to be planted in their present position. Her eyes began to water as she fully realized that the only man she had ever loved was still alive and right in front of her.
He just stood at the entrance of the bar, lighting up his trademark crooked cigarette. He hadn't even seen her yet. As he began to walk away, Milly found the strength to move to go after him. She couldn't loose him again.....
/Oh, he'll be so happy so see me! Maybe he's been looking for us all along!/ She couldn't help but smile at the thought of what his reaction would be. He'd take her into his arms and tell her he was never going to leave her like that ever again. He'd tell her how much he missed her and how happy he was to find her again. And then he'd beam with pride when she'd show him her protruding belly and pronounce that he was going to be a father. They were going to be a real family together. Oh, he'd be so happy!
It didn't even occur to her to question just how he had come back from the dead.
She kept her eyes on his back as she followed him down the street, not once losing sight of the preacher in black. "Nicholas." she breathed heavy as she picked up her pace, gaining ground on him. He was almost at arm's reach when he suddenly turned around and looked into her eyes.
She barely stopped herself from running right into him. "Nicholas! You're alive!" Milly then did something that she thought she'd never be able to do again: she put her arms around him in a fierce hug.
Surprise was evident on his face but was quickly replaced with a cocky smirk. "Sorry, honey, but I think you've got the wrong guy." he said as he released himself from her grasp. She looked up at him, not comprehending.
"What do you mean? Nicholas, it's me! Don't you recognize me?" She was more than a little hurt when he responded with a look of indifference. Her eyes began watering again, but for a much different reason this time.
"Sorry, big girl but I'm just a traveling preacher and I don't think we've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get going. Got souls to save." He winked at her and turned back around and continued toward his destination. She just stood there, unable to move yet again.
"But....but.....you're going to be a daddy...." Her whisper seemed to get lost in the wind before it could reach his ears.
***********
"Oh Milly...." Meryl breathed as the woman finished her story. Her arm was around Milly, holding her as she wept quietly. She looked over at Vash, who had that serious, determined look that he always got when he had to save lives and towns.
Slowly, Vash stood then made his way over to the coat rack by the door. He took off his rebuilt red coat (a present from the girls) from its hook and put it on for the first time in months. His hand reached into one of the pockets and pulled out his yellow sunglasses and put them on.
Meryl's eyes went wide as she watched him. He was so methodical, so serious. She hadn't seen him this way since he brought his brother back. "Vash?"
He turned back to the girls from the doorway.
"Don't worry, Milly. I'll find him and bring him home."
***************
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please review, that way I'll be more inclined to write more when I come back......not that I wouldn't anyway...... ;)
*
A/N: Well, you guys didn't have to wait so long for this chapter, but that's only cause I'm going on spring break and won't have access to a computer for about 10 days. I wanted to be sure to post another chapter before then, to tide you guys over until I can post again.
As always, R/R!
***********
Desert Sands
By: Batbabe
***********
Chapter 9
***********
Vash couldn't help the inhaling a sharp breath at Milly's pronouncement. She had to be mistaken....he had found Wolfwood's body himself and buried it just outside of town. There was no way that he could still be alive.
"Milly", he started gently, not wanting to hurt her more, "maybe it was just someone who looked a little like him. And it was awfully hot out today, maybe you just thought you saw him."
The bigger woman looked up at him and replied indignantly, "I know what I saw Mr. Vash! I saw Nicholas and he was alive." She looked down at her hands sadly, but she had stopped crying.
"So, what happened Milly? Why are you so upset? I would have thought that you'd just be happy that he's alive...." Meryl's voice trailed off. She obviously didn't quite believe that it was really Wolfwood that her partner had seen, but didn't want to upset her by saying so.
Milly looked hopefully at her partner. "Well, I was coming out of the general store..."
****************
Milly didn't even register the can of her beloved pudding crashing to the ground at her feet, spreading its contents on the wooden floorboards. The only thing she saw was the tall dark haired man across the street from her. The man whose child she was now carrying. The man she thought she would never see again.
"Nic....Nicholas...?" She said in a hushed whisper, completely disbelieving. She wanted to rush over to him, to embrace him and never let him go, but her feet seemed to be planted in their present position. Her eyes began to water as she fully realized that the only man she had ever loved was still alive and right in front of her.
He just stood at the entrance of the bar, lighting up his trademark crooked cigarette. He hadn't even seen her yet. As he began to walk away, Milly found the strength to move to go after him. She couldn't loose him again.....
/Oh, he'll be so happy so see me! Maybe he's been looking for us all along!/ She couldn't help but smile at the thought of what his reaction would be. He'd take her into his arms and tell her he was never going to leave her like that ever again. He'd tell her how much he missed her and how happy he was to find her again. And then he'd beam with pride when she'd show him her protruding belly and pronounce that he was going to be a father. They were going to be a real family together. Oh, he'd be so happy!
It didn't even occur to her to question just how he had come back from the dead.
She kept her eyes on his back as she followed him down the street, not once losing sight of the preacher in black. "Nicholas." she breathed heavy as she picked up her pace, gaining ground on him. He was almost at arm's reach when he suddenly turned around and looked into her eyes.
She barely stopped herself from running right into him. "Nicholas! You're alive!" Milly then did something that she thought she'd never be able to do again: she put her arms around him in a fierce hug.
Surprise was evident on his face but was quickly replaced with a cocky smirk. "Sorry, honey, but I think you've got the wrong guy." he said as he released himself from her grasp. She looked up at him, not comprehending.
"What do you mean? Nicholas, it's me! Don't you recognize me?" She was more than a little hurt when he responded with a look of indifference. Her eyes began watering again, but for a much different reason this time.
"Sorry, big girl but I'm just a traveling preacher and I don't think we've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get going. Got souls to save." He winked at her and turned back around and continued toward his destination. She just stood there, unable to move yet again.
"But....but.....you're going to be a daddy...." Her whisper seemed to get lost in the wind before it could reach his ears.
***********
"Oh Milly...." Meryl breathed as the woman finished her story. Her arm was around Milly, holding her as she wept quietly. She looked over at Vash, who had that serious, determined look that he always got when he had to save lives and towns.
Slowly, Vash stood then made his way over to the coat rack by the door. He took off his rebuilt red coat (a present from the girls) from its hook and put it on for the first time in months. His hand reached into one of the pockets and pulled out his yellow sunglasses and put them on.
Meryl's eyes went wide as she watched him. He was so methodical, so serious. She hadn't seen him this way since he brought his brother back. "Vash?"
He turned back to the girls from the doorway.
"Don't worry, Milly. I'll find him and bring him home."
***************
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please review, that way I'll be more inclined to write more when I come back......not that I wouldn't anyway...... ;)
