Vash's eyes flickered around the room as the lights began to turn on automatically, everything, even down to the color of the panels, resembled the ship they grew in. As he quickly scanned his surroundings, his eyes fell heavily on an empty light bulb, but, his observation was cut short by a light chuckle.

"It's too late to save the humans Vash, they will be eliminated in a couple of hours,"

Knives looked over the expression on his brother's face after those words left his lips, it looked mystified, agonized, and terrified all at the same time,

Precious

Just precious

After all did he truly believe that he would even change after being with the humans for such a short time?

Pathetic

As Knives thought of this and how well it turned out he walked over to the screen,

"You see this Vash? Do you know what it is?"

Knives glanced over at the screen then leveled his eyes with Vash's,

"It's a virus unknown to the humans on this planet, once the countdown ends, it will simultaneously dispatch the virus in the form, of mechanical flies, the flies will then attach themselves to the humans and inject the virus into their bloodstream, then, the virus will spread into the human, killing them slowly and painfully, it was the best way I could think of in eliminating the humans,"

He chuckled in delight,

"One could say they died the way they lived, miserable,"

"Knives… you have no right to take away their chance to live!"

"They should never of had survived in the first place,"

"Humans are survivors!"

"Yes, but look at what there surviving on! Our Bretherein!"

Knives hissed,

"If they-"

Knives cut him off,

"Don't waste your breath brother, it won't matter in a couple of hours anyway,"

"I won't let you!"

Knives shook his head,

"And what are you going to do about it Vash? Jump around like an idiotic acrobat? Shoot me? That derringer won't do you any good."

Vash stern expression became grim, he should of known that Knives could easily hear the sound of a gun.

Vash took out the small derringer from his pocket, silently pondering if he could really aim another gun towards his brother,

"It may be small Knives, but even the smallest bullet can make a difference,"

Knives cool expression changed, a smile curved onto his lips, as if encouraging his brother to do it,

"You won't kill me Vash, you don't have it in you,"

The arm Vash held the derringer in shook lightly as he steadily aimed it at Knives,

"If I have to Knives, I will,"

The dark humor that Knives held suddenly vanished with a quick look into his brother's eyes,

"Idiot, I was going to let you watch me destroy mankind, but I might as well get you out of the way, once I insert your body into the bulb I will continue as planned,"

Vash glanced over the bulb,

"Knives, were is she,

"who?"

"You know what I mean I can still feel her aura,"

"Ah yes, our sister, dead,"

"Dead… what…"

"Sometimes Vash, sacrifices must be made for the better of our race, and in order for me to understand how we work one or two have to be sacrificed,"

It took Vash a minute to realize what he'd meant,

"You… you killed her didn't you…"

"I wouldn't call it killing Vash, more like collecting data,"

Vash clenched his fist, as angry tears streaked down his face, how could Knives be so calm after telling him what he just did to one of their own?

"Knives... you haven't changed at all.. Your not human Knives, YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

As those words left his mouth Vash felt his flesh rip open near his side, he crumpled to the floor with agony as Knives heavy breathing could be heard from across the room,

"DON'T YOU EVER COMPARE ME TO HUMANS!"

He walked over to were Vash stood crumpled and kicked Vash on the his wounded side. Vash screamed in pain as he clutched the side he was shot in, the pain Knives was sending him made him want to gag,

Kicking him repeatedly Knives face filled with contorted hatred,

"EVER!"

As he was ready to kick Vash once more he stopped, stood up straight, and regained his cool composure. Picking up the gun Vash idly held in his hand he threw it behind him, hearing it fall behind him he looked at Vash straight in the eyes, unfazed at the moment that his brother was hurting and gasping for air.

"Its seems you don't understand Vash, you've lost, so be a good little brother and get this through your idiotic head, I never wanted to join you and the humans, this was all an act to get you to believe you were winning, soon after you would take me to your destination were I could analyze you further to conclude the best way to proceed as planned with ought interruptions. Vash, you need help, the humans have twisted your mind, I'm here to save you, to take you away from this hell and into Eden, once I transport you into the bulb, you will be trapped there for your own good, from then on I will run test, I will cure you from your obsession of humans,"

It took a moment before Knives got an answer from Vash,

"I don't need help Knives, you're the one that needs it,"

Almost expecting it he shook his head, taking a red gun from his left pocket, he stood directly above Vash,

"Vash this is a gyromenotic sterilizer, created to sedate plants,

Knives aimed the gun at Vash's left arm,

"Stay still,"

Unable to move at the moment because of the pain inflicted to him earlier he watched his brother as he put into the gun a red liquid, as he looked on he remembered something,

"Knives… those dreams…"

"Fake memories and figment of you're past memories I was able to locate and configure as you slept, I had somewhat of a difficult task when it came to accession your memories though,"

Knives smiled,

"I had no trouble with Meryl though, humans are quite easy to mess with, after giving her the visuals of you and Rem together she became delusional. Sometimes I would have her kiss you in her dreams and you would call her Rem, other times I would have you and Rem together, kissing while she looked on. But, my favorite had to be the one in were you would break her heart by saying that you only loved her because she looked like Rem,"

He mocked sympathy,

"Poor spider, having to wake up in the middle of the night, wondering if what she dreamt was true,"

"Knives… if there is one thing I want to get straight is this, Rem and I never had that sort of connection, and if you were there to see it you would of realized that she was like a mother to me, she was never anything else besides my mother, and you cold-bloodedly took her away from me, and if you harmed Meryl… I will…"

Vash felt tears sting his eyes,

"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

"Vash, they were going to die anyway, I just did them both a favor by ending their lives early,"

Vash felt sweat trickle down his face as he watch Knives closely, hatred momentarily consumed him as he looked on at his brother, it then came painfully clear to Vash, he would have to take down his brother, but, in the situation he found himself in the moment, he had no idea in how to actually escape Knives, as he readied himself for the pain he closed his eyes.

A shot was heard,

But Vash felt no pain,

He slowly opened his eyes to realize that Knives was showing a surprise look on his face. Touching his chest Knives realized he was bleeding and staggered back from Vash, he let his gun drop to the floor, his face quickly enveloped in an emotional tantrum, unable to stand up he knelt onto the floor then fell, Vash was quickly by his side.

Vash held his brother close and felt his brother gasp, after a few moments of quiet solitude Knives, unable to speak, spoke telepathically to Vash,

'We could of created Eden Vash, it would have been beautiful, you, me, for us to have a future were we could live out our days peacefully, I thought that maybe, if I forced you into seeing it my way, you would finally understand that I did all this for you, for us,'

Vash softly responded,

'I know, but you know I could never allow the Eden you desire, there as much my family as you, our sisters and brothers are,'

Knives laughed mentally, it was not menacing, but a sad laugh, after a few moments past he looked up at Vash,

'Do you hate me Vash?'

This caught Vash by surprise, turning his head slightly he looked away,

'I… don't know,'

Knives smiled a little, his mental voice becoming weaker,

'I understand Vash, and I hope that in time, you can forgive me, but I can never change, not even for you,'

Knives gripped Vash's chest as he felt the pain, before dying Knives sent Vash one more mental note before closing his eyes and lying perfectly still.

"I'm sorry Vash, but I had to do it, I had to…."

Vash looked up, Meryl stood there, the derringer on the floor by her side, he nodded, shedding tears of sorrow he though of a million ways his brother could of lived, and then a million ways how his brother would come back and try to kill the humans. His brother would never change, his heart was tainted with the hatred of humans since he was young, wiping his tears away, he looked up towards Meryl, he didn't want her to see him like this, he would get her out of there as soon as possible and then come back, she's suffered enough already, as he was about to tell her she fell to the ground, getting up quickly with great difficulty he let Knives down gently and limped towards Meryl. Holding her like he did Knives he realized how cold she was,

"What's wrong Meryl?"

"Vash, I'm sorry I let him manipulate me,"

"Its okay Meryl, once I deactivate the machine we can leave,"

She shook her head, and looked up at him sadly,

"Vash, I'm no going to make it,"

"What… do you mean… I don't understand,"

"Vash, this isn't some fairytale story, this is life and in real life people die, even if you don't want them too people die,"

"What are you talking about, you're... your just tired and… you need rest…"

He finished weakly,

"Vash, I'm sorry, but before you came Knives took me to a room, and injected the virus into my system,"

She breath in heavily, as it suddenly sunk into him, he leaned down and embraced her in his harms tighter,

"Not you! Meryl please! Don't leave me!"

"I'm sorry Vash, but that's not up to me to decide,"

"Meryl!"

He sobbed into her chest as she weakly brushed his hair,

"I want you to know, that I do love you, and I'm sorry that I ever doubted you …"

His response was muffled as he cried into her shirt,

"I love you so much,"

"I know,"

Looking at her he looked down in one of his jeans and took out a small ring from his pocket,

"Meryl, will you marry me?"

"Vash…"

"Please Meryl,"

She looked into his eyes, before smiling and nodding,

"Of course I will, you broom head,"

He smiled a little as he took the ring and put it on her finger, it was a plain golden ring

"I'm sorry if it's not as pretty as it should be,"

She shook her head as tears streaked down her face,

"It's…. beautiful…….."

She closed her eyes as her hand fell to the floor, the small clink of the ring hitting the floor echoed through the room as she laid still in his arms, he shook her and begged her to open her eyes, when she wouldn't respond he gripped her tighter, the virus was worsening, and that's when he realized,

This wasn't a fairy tale,

This was life,

Life of a man, who brought misfortune and death to those around him,

This was the life of Vash the Stampede

Stay tuned, one chapter left, don't know which way it will swing, as always, thank you for the reviews.

Cinafran: yea I hate it when I do that, thanks.

Dark-pyro-angel-2: Yea I really am a killer with cliffy's, but I cant help it. (Cries)

Gothmiko: thank you

Aine of Knockaine: shocked?

Teya Yashitoda: I'll try to update faster,

Bloodstained Hands: thanks for your opinion, I really appreciate it,

Faery Goddyss: yea, hope this chapter cleared some things up,