Blue: Hello everyone! I posted another chapter for my Fruits Basket fic so I had some time to work on MAWBS without being mauled by the unrelenting beings that are the fans of WLU.

Ivey: Jess ordered us to get the next chapter of WLU up by five p.m. today. If it's not up she'll probably maul you.

Blue: ::shudder:: Lets not think about that and move on to the reviews. AnimeFreaks13-You're welcome! You deserved it and I'm glad you like it as much as my Furuba fic. hope-is-4ever- Me too which is why I do it.

Ivey: Don't worry Vash doesn't get hit. ::snicker:: You'll see. Inkydoo- ::glare:: You hacked into our computer didn't you?

Blue: I'm sure it was just a lucky guess. Things will make more sense in this chapter. Enjoy! Maria-I'm surprised I was able to update this quickly. To be honest I didn't know where the heck I was going with this plot until about three days ago, but now I have most all of the plot worked out in my head! Hurrah! Aine of Knockaine- I'm glad we're such a source of entertainment for you. Thank you for the review! ::looks at the next review. Eyes go wide and she falls over:: Eeep!

Ivey: What?

Blue: Faery Goddyss- reviewed our story!!! ::freaking out::

Ivey: So?

Blue: So I love her fics! She writes these awesome Knives/Meryl stories (my favorite alternate pairing) and she is reading our Trigun fic! This is so cool!!!

Ivey: ::smacks her in the head and she falls over again:: Stop spazing out. Anyway we're not sure about the Knives/Millie thing. ::glare:: You got a problem with my personality?

Blue: ::bowing to Faery Goddyss:: I am not worthy!

Ivey: You're not worthy of a lota things. Jagaimo-Writer- She might shack up with him and she might not. Deal with it. The story would suck if there weren't any conflict. ::grossed out at the thought of Gram shacking up with Meryl cause he's based on her brother:: This fic is pg-13 you perv!

Blue: Ivey don't call our readers names. Divinya9-Thank you very much! I hope you like this chapter too!

Ivey: Blue doesn't own Trigun. If she did I would know the answer to how they can grow tobacco for cigarettes on a desert planet when they can't even grow a freaking tree in that wasteland!

Blue: Um… actually tobacco grows in full sunlight and rich soil so all they would really have to do is fertilize it with manure and water it every one in a while.

Ivey: …Just cause you know that doesn't mean you own Trigun…

Blue: ::sigh:: I know…

Might As Well Be Strangers

By: Blue

Chapter Six: The Lure of the Unknown and Doughnuts

Vash stepped off of the bus with his pack slung over his back and donned his yellow shades to guard against the bright sunlight that caused him to squint. Getting directions to the Bernardelli Insurance Society from the bus driver he thanked him and trudged off towards the business district. On the way he spotted a small bakery with various cakes and pastries displayed in the window. 'They probably have doughnuts!' he thought with glee as his stomach rumbled. Thoughts of Meryl's surprised face when she saw him and her smile popped into his head. 'I probably should find Meryl first, but…' Images of Meryl lecturing him and smacking him overrode the previous thoughts. 'No use getting beat up on an empty stomach.' And he went in to buy a box of doughnuts.

Sitting on a paint pealed bench outside the shop he opened the cardboard box with "December Delights Bakery" stamped on the front of it and practically inhaled one of the fresh glazed doughnuts. Licking the sugar off his fingers he pulled the journal once again out of his bag and flipped it open.

Vash finally woke up today. He seems to be doing better, physically at least, however he's being eaten away with guilt for what happened with Legato. When I asked him if he remembered anything he said that he could recall everything. I didn't know what to do so I panicked and said I had somewhere to be even though I didn't. Even though I knew he needed to talk about it with someone. I wanted him to be able to talk to me, but I couldn't listen. I was filled with too much guilt of my own so I just stood on the other side of the door and listened to his wails of anguish. Vash saved Millie and I by sacrificing his own beliefs and all I could to was cover my ears.

Later I told Millie some things like maybe it wasn't such a good idea to follow him after all. Millie said it could have happened anyway. She said that you shouldn't hold back in matters of the heart and she's right. So starting now I'm not going to worry about the mistakes I've made I'm going to focus on working hard and making the right choices. Even if I make another mistake I can't give up. I can only try to make it right and do better in the future.

'Those insurance girls sure are smart,' he thought munching on another of his 'little cakes of honey' and turned to another section.

Vash left today to face his brother Knives. I hope he'll be all right. I know he can hold his own, but this is his brother, his twin. All I can do is pray for his safe return. I couldn't say anything other than goodbye. I feel like such a coward, but he has something his has to do and I can't get in the way of that. Millie told me I'd just have to tell him everything when he gets back and I will. When Vash gets back I'll finally say it. I'll tell him I love him.

Vash's mouth fell open and he dropped his doughnut. Shaking himself out of shock he found himself in he picked the donut off the ground, blew the dirt off, hunched over the book in his lap and flipped through the pages rapidly. He skimmed the entries about his return with Knives and the daily events that occurred over the next several months pausing to re-read various things like I had the perfect opportunity to tell him this morning when we were alone in the kitchen, but once again I chickened out. I have to tell him soon. Tomorrow, I'll tell him tomorrow. 'She never told me!' his mind shouted frantically. 'Why didn't she ever tell me?!' Finally he came to the last entry, which was marked by a scrap of his red coat he'd long since abandoned for less conspicuous attire.

I should have told Vash everything when I had the chance. It's too late now. It's been over a year since he left and he hasn't written. I worry that something has happened to him, but I have to face the truth. Vash doesn't care for me the way I care for him and he's not coming back. I can't stay here waiting for him despite how much I want to. Millie doesn't want me to go, but I can't spend the rest of my life waiting tables in a nothing little town waiting for a man who doesn't love me. Tomorrow I am going back to December. Perhaps if I beg enough I can get my job back at Bernardelli. If not I might go see Johnny, but I don't know if I'll receive a warm welcome. I said such awful things to him before I left. I can only hope for the best.

Vash stared at the page as questions swirled in his head. 'Does this mean she still loves me? Who's this Johnny guy? An old boyfriend? Why didn't I ever write? Why didn't I ever tell her how much she means to me? Why am I still sitting here and NOT LOOKING FOR HER!?!?" And with that last thought he shoved the journal in his bag and took off running down the street towards Bernardelli leaving the doughnuts forgotten on the bench.

Meryl sat silently across from Gram in the Harry's Pancake House staring into the inky depths of her black coffee as they waited for their order to arrive. The man kept his own counsel as well as he alternated between taking a drag from his cigarette and sipping coffee. After several minutes the petite woman sighed and poured some cream into her lukewarm coffee along with a packet of sugar and watched as it changed from black to a dark brown color with the stirring of her spoon. Setting his mug down Gram reached inside his jacket and pulled out a flask from which he poured a bit of amber liquid into his own drink as well as Meryl's.

"You look like you could use an Irish coffee," he said answering her questioning look. After a moment Meryl shrugged.

"Why not…" she muttered with a sigh and picked up her mug. A few minutes later their waitress brought out their pancakes and bacon and Meryl had a slight buzz. Drowning her blueberry pancakes in syrup she looked over at Gram who was munching on a slice of bacon. "I was running from a trap. The same trap my parents and my brother got caught in."

"What kind of trap?" he inquired as he spread butter of his own pancakes.

"Spending all my life in a dead end job waiting for something to happen. The first time I ran was when I was eighteen. My brother and I had a fight and I said something I shouldn't have. He said that if I really felt that way then I didn't have to stay so I packed my things and left. This time I left my friend because I didn't want to wait for someone who wasn't coming back. There were too many memories in that town and I didn't want to work in a diner for the rest of my left waiting to die." They ate in silence for a while and Gram had the intent look on his face that most people get when they're contemplating something.

"So you want adventure?"

"I don't know what I want anymore…" she answered laying her fork on the edge of her plate.

"You any good of a shot?" he asked seemingly at random.

"I'm not too bad with derringers, why?" she responded.

"I'm a bounty hunter. Most of the time I stick to small fry, but sometimes things get sticky. I could use a partner for a while if you're interested. Just until you figure things out." Meryl stared at him in surprise.

"I don't know…" she answered hesitantly.

"Why don't you take some time to think it over? I'm taking the first bus out tomorrow morning. Be at the station at seven if you decide to join me," he said and placing some money on the table he got up. "See ya around." And he left Meryl to her own devices.

Vash burst into the Bernardelli Insurance Society startling the receptionist half to death. Panting slightly he walked up to the counter and smiled at her. "Hello, I'm looking for someone. Is Meryl Stryfe here?" Ms. Wheaton stared at the strange, slightly sweaty blonde man in front of her like he was crazy.

"Ms. Stryfe was here earlier, but she left not too long ago."

"Oh well do you know when she'll be back?" he asked nonplused by the information.

"She won't be."

"What do you mean? She works here of course she'll be back," he said slightly confused.

"She used to work here," the stiff woman corrected and Vash's face fell.

"Do you have any idea where she went?" When she said she didn't Vash thanked her for her help and walked out. Discouraged, he sat down outside on the very same step Meryl had occupied not long before wondering what to do. Bernardelli was his only lead and he had no idea where she was now or where she would go. December was a fairly large city and it wouldn't be easy to find her. If she left town there was no telling when he'd find her if he ever did. He was sure Meryl would eventually write to Millie and let her know where she was so he could always go back and wait until a letter arrived, but… 'I have to find her now. What if she falls in love with someone else or goes back to this 'Johnny' person? I can't go back until I find her.' With his mind made up he stood and went off to find his short girl.

Blue: If you didn't know an Irish coffee is coffee with whiskey in it. Do you think Jess will really hurt me if we don't post Ch. 25 for WLU by five this afternoon?

Ivey: Probably…

Blue: That's not good… Please review!