Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun.....though I wish to God I did.......


A/N: I'M SO SORRY!!!! I cannot believe how long it took me to write this chapter! Everytime I sat down to write this, I got a tremendous case of writer's block. That, mixed with having to take care of my finals and moving back home, made for a huge delay. I hope I haven't alienated anyone by taking so long, but I would understand if I have. But I promise I'll try to do better next time....

Please Review!


Dessert Sands

By: Batbabe


Chapter 18


The tunnel seemed to stretch on forever, encasing them all in darkness. But he was gaining ground on them.

Vash clenched his jaw, not thinking about what he was going to do once he caught his brother, only that he desperately needed to stop him. The sound of Meryl's muffled protests reached his ear, forcing him to pick up his pace.

He was so close! In just a few steps he would be able to reach out and touch the frightened insurance girl, if Knives continued running at the same pace. Vash thought for a moment that he could smell Meryl's raspberry shampoo.....

Suddenly, the plant stopped and shifted his weight so that he could switch his captive to his other shoulder. Blood gushed from the bullet wounds in his wrists and his face seemed paler than before. Vash almost ran into him, but was able to stop himself in time. They were only a few feet apart with Knives' back to his twin.

Meryl went silent and unmoving. She lifted her eyes to meet Vash's and their gazes locked. Her gray orbs softened slightly and the anger left her face. The young woman knew that no matter what happened to her, nothing would matter unless Vash survived and Knives was stopped. She only hoped that her gunman would be able to do what was needed, she didn't want him to sacrifice everything for her. She would be more than willing to die if it meant that he would live. He was everything.

His breath stalled as he took in the sight of her. There were bright red finger marks on her neck from where Knives had grabbed her and there was a bruise forming on her temple, a small gash adorned her lower cheek. Even wounded, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Breathing heavily, Knives turned his head so that he could see his twin and the pain he was causing him. Vash could see the murderous grin on his brother's face and it filled him with despair. This was the end, there was no going back now....for either of them. He just hoped he had the strength to do what needed to be done.

/I'm sorry Rem......I tried....../

Without warning, the psychopathic plant threw his captive against the wall of the tunnel, almost knocking her out. Vash looked quickly to Meryl, but did not go to her knowing that was what the other man wanted. When the gunman looked back to his brother, the grin was completely gone.

"My dear brother, why do you still protect these vermin? Why do you go against your own kind to defend them when it will only cause your death?" His arms crossed his chest, covering it in blood. At the rate he was bleeding, Knives would be dead in just a few moments.

Vash's aqua green eyes narrowed. Amidst the anger swirling inside him was a tremendous grief. He and his brother would never be able to reconcile, they would never be true brothers again. Now it was just a matter of who killed who first.

"Saving them is more important than saving me. If I have to give my life to save them, I will."

Vash knew that, if he needed to, he could simply stall until his brother bled to death from the wounds that he inflicted earlier. But that was the last option. Even though he knew it was hopeless, a part of him still believed that his brother could reform and they could be a family again.

But that wasn't to be.

There was a blur of moment from his brother and, before he could react, Vash felt a sharp pain in his chest, next to his heart. Instinctively, he brought his hand to the spot and looked down to see it covered in blood and the handle of a knife sticking out of his chest. Shaking, he raised his head to look again at his brother.

"Fitting, no?" Knives chuckled. "Not only will you die because of my namesake, but we can die together." The tunnel filled with the sound of his laughter.

"VASH!!!" Meryl's shriek drowned out the sound of Knives laughing as the blonde gunman fell to his knees.

He was losing a lot of blood and losing it fast. His artificial hand clutched at the wound in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. His vision darkened slightly and his breathing became ragged. For an instant, he wondered why his brother hand not simply gone for his heart and ended it all at once, only to realize that Knives had missed because he wanted to make Vash suffer yet again. Meryl made her way to his side as quickly as she could, still bound at her hands and feet. The rest of Vash's body toppled over, his head barely resting on the insurance girl's lap. He looked up at her face, seeing a reflection of himself in her eyes. All the energy seemed to leave his body, weakening him more than anything ever had. He could see Meryl was sobbing, but he could no longer hear it.

/So this is what it feels like..../

Turning his head, Vash could see that his brother was still laughing maniacally. Vaguely, he could feel his own breathing slow and his own vision darken again. It couldn't end this way....

"Knives....." He choked, reaching out towards his twin.

The plant stilled, a haunted expression replacing the enjoyment. It seemed as if many moments passed, brother gazing at brother. Both knowing they were about to die.

Slowly, as if without thinking, Knives reached out a hand towards his brother. They mirrored each other, both wanting one last connection with the person they loved so much. A pained expression crossed the plant's face, perhaps because he knew that he had been the cause of his own pain, as well as his brother's. His mouth opened as he tried to speak....

Then a bullet went through his skull.

Vash heard the shot as if it were very far away. He felt his whole body shake as his brother slumped to the ground, completely lifeless. Knives' eyes were still wide open though he was no longer looking at anything. He would never look at anything again.

The blonde gunman could feel hot tears running down his face in steady streams. A deep pain filled him that had nothing to do with the knife in his chest. His head turned sharply in the other direction, not surprised by what he found there.

Wolfwood stood there, gun in hand, facing the now deceased plant. His face was hard and he breathed deeply and rapidly. Finally, he looked towards Meryl and Vash and came towards them.

The preacher stood over the gunman, then kneeled beside him. He exchanged looks with Meryl before bending down closer to Vash. He mouthed something, but Vash couldn't hear it.

The last thing Vash saw was Meryl bending down to kiss him on the lips.

.