Thanks everyone for your support! Now, on with the story! But first, some replies...:
Puffin: Yeah, this will suck for Knives, but no one seems to have done this angle before, so I'm gonna try it! -grin-
Missa chan: Thankies! -anotherbiggrin- It's my first fanfic, so I was worried it wouldn't turn out so great, but apparently I'm doing something right if you all like it! Your replies make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
Z.A.G.: Aww, poor Knivesy-wivesy! Being treated so harshly by Zaggy-waggy...just think, even the most horrible person in the world can go all cry-baby-fetal-position on ya if they can't walk! Oh, and about Vash and his nonexistent job..he just came back a few days ago, so one: he didn't have much time, two: he was worried about Knives which leads us to two-and-a-half: someone has to watch over Knives, and even if you had Milly living with you and you had a psychopath brother unconscious in a small rundown apartment, would you trust her alone? lol...love ya buddy thanks for your second reply -blush-...on with the story...
Milly was mixing a pot of rice when Vash pushed the door open with his foot, his hands occupied with carrying his brother. Milly looked up. "Oh, let me help you Mr. Vash!"
"It's okay, Milly, I got him. But if you could bring up his wheelchair, that would be great. I left it at the bottom of the stairs. It's light so it shouldn't be to hard to handle," Vash said, smiling.
"Now, Mr. Vash. My belly isn't bulging yet! I can still handle myself like normal!" she said, grinning her childish grin once again as she hurried down the stairs.
Vash carefully placed Knives in his own bed. There wasn't quite enough room for the both of them there, and Meryl and Milly shared the other bed. "Guess I'll be sleeping on the floor…" he sighed. Milly came through the door as Vash rummaged through the closet for and extra blanket and pillow. Jeffrey followed her, dragging and extra mattress into their small room.
"Thought you might like this to sleep on," Jeffrey said, placing the mattress on the space between the two beds. After helping Vash make the bed, he grinned at the two of them and left.
"Meryl should be home soon," Milly said, going back to tend to the rice. Vash nodded and switched his gaze to his brother. It felt so odd sitting next to him, knowing Knives caused not only him but also so many others pain, yet he looked so innocent and calm in his deep slumber. He was snapped out of his thoughts as the sound of Meryl's footsteps sounded on the stairs. Vash realized that Knives might be a bit of a shock to her and jumped up, trying to cut her off before she got inside. He met her at the top of the stairs. "Ah, Meryl, before you go in there-"
"Vash, I've had an exhausting day, let's go in the room," she said, pushing past Vash and opening their door.
"Oh, shit," Vash said under his breath. Meryl walked right past Knives and headed over toward Milly to see what she was cooking. She froze halfway and ever so slowly turned around. She stared at Knives before her knees buckled from fear. The last thing she remembered was Vash catching her before everything went black.
"Gah, Milly!!!" Vash whined, adjusting Meryl in his arms. "Now we have two people knocked cold in here!" He laid Meryl in her own bed, gazing at her peaceful face. 'God, how I missed that face,' he said, grinning a bit. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear with his real hand. Vash knelt down and was eye level with the unmoving Meryl. 'If she were awake right now, she'd probably punch me,' he smirked. 'I wonder how she really feels about me. She acts like I'm just another grain of sand, lying there and only good for stepping on, but at other times she can be a pleasant and lovable person. Not to mention she's pretty attractive. Maybe we aren't that different after all. I hide myself under a facade everyday, maybe her feisty attitude is a mask for herself? Before I left, she tried to say something to me. I knew it was important, I could feel it from her, but she didn't say anything...what was she trying to say? I don't try to pry in people's thoughts, but if only I could listen to her that time. But would that have made me change my mind? Would that have made me stay there and let Knives continue his path of disaster? What is done is done so I can't go back and change it, but what we were playing with was worse than fire and at the moment neither of us knew it. Maybe...maybe we'll be able to start over...maybe...'
"Mr. Vash?" Milly's voice pulled him from his thoughts. He turned around, pulling on another grin. She smiled and said, "Supper is ready."
All they had to eat was rice and a loaf of bread. They set aside some food for Meryl when she woke up. "Best to let her get her sleep nowadays. Poor thing, working like a thomas in a sandstorm!" Milly had said. Though their meager income only allowed so much food at a time (now with two more mouths to feed, it was even harder on them), Milly was able to make their small supper taste fit for a god. With a content sigh, Vash leaned back in his chair.
"Would you like a drink, Mr. Vash?" Milly said, handing him an almost empty bottled. "We have a tiny bit of scotch left and I figure you can have it because you're the only one awake that can! I shouldn't have any alcohol now that I'm eating for two people!" she said, patting her stomach. Vash laughed and helped himself to the scotch, pouring it into his glass. He slowly sipped it, watching Meryl from the corner of his eye. "You like her, don't you Mr. Vash?"
Vash choked on an ice cube. He punched at his stomach a few times and the offending cube flew from his mouth and slid across the dusty floor. Though he never truly admitted it to himself, he knew that there was always a special place for Meryl inside his heart. But he was always too afraid to get attached to her as danger always followed him. Milly grinned and said, "It's okay, I've figured you liked her for some time now!"
"You never miss a beat, do you, Milly?" Vash wheezed, in which Milly responded with an even bigger smile, "Nope!" Vash laughed and stood up to retrieve the evil ice cube. As he picked it up, a moan came from Meryl's bed. She was sitting up, rubbing her head.
"Oh, good! Had us worried there, insurance girl!" Meryl looked dazedly up at Vash and then at the bed beside her where Knives was still asleep.
"GAH!!!" Meryl fell from her bed and ran wildly across the room, nearly knocking Vash over. Vash caught her and pinned her arms at her side as he held her from behind. "Meryl, it's okay, Meryl!" he said gently in her ear. She still struggled a bit. "He's asleep, it's alright. He won't be able to hurt you. Calm down, Meryl..."
"W-Why is he here?" She said quietly, her voice fearful. "What h-happened? Why is he here?!"
"It's okay, Meryl. He's my brother and I'm going to take care of him. He's not about to hurt anyone either. Come on, sit down and eat something. It's really tasty!"
Meryl numbly walked to the table and sat down. Knives had given her hundreds of nightmares since Vash left. Nightmares that Vash couldn't stop Knives...Knives killing off whole towns...Knives killing her family...Knives killing Milly...Knives killing herself...Knives killing Vash...Knives killing her Vash...KNIVES KILLING HER VASH.....A tear ran down her cheek. Then another, and another. She sobbed and felt Vash's strong arms around her once more, along with Milly's. "Oh, Vash," she cried. "What happens if he tries to kill us? What happens if he just wakes up in the middle of the night and walks over and...and..."
"Shh, it's okay, Meryl, it's okay...Knives can't just...he can't just walk up and kill us. Meryl...h-he won't be able to walk. Ever...I...I shattered his leg bones in the fight. He won't ever be able to walk again." And all the unshed tears Vash had kept inside fell and mingled with Meryl's own. Milly just stood there, astonished. She alone was the only person beside Vash that understood. Though Knives was an insane murderer, though he had a hate for humans unrivaled by any other, he was still a breathing person and this new, unknown sense of weakness could shatter Knives' mind into more pieces than his own leg bones. Milly understood that it hurt Vash just as much, because Knives was family, Knives was his twin. She knew that Vash would suffer the same amount that Knives would. However, she also understood Meryl's own situation. Milly heard Meryl moan every night since Vash had left as nightmares of Knives murdering again flowed from her subconscious and echoed about the room. If Knives wished it so, he could forget his new disability and cause chaos from his own wheelchair. Soon, tears stained her face as well. The three cried for hours, one in fear, the other in grief, and the last in neither but for both.
