Aggravation filled her bones, made her angry, filtered up through her eyes where everything looked like a strange haze, and she pushed through into the bar before she knew where her feet were headed. Meryl sat down at the nearest table, her eyes turned back through the window to the outside where Milly and Vash still sat on their swing. She closed her eyes and turned to look at the scarred table with the cigarette burns and words carved by knife point. There were various obscenities, many of which were going through her head at the moment.

She wasn't jealous… That was the first thing on her mind at the moment, but she couldn't quite convince herself of that, even upon looking over her shoulder again at the couple as the priest joined their conversation. No, she was just angry that she was right, Milly was the weakest link in this team. Her boss wanted Meryl to take her along because she was never on time and maybe Meryl's strict way of doing things would get her to fall into line. Meryl had argued against it, Milly was a good back up, but she wasn't a fighter, her heart wasn't into the job either, and this was proof of it. But she never bothered to tell Milly about the conversation between her and the boss, she just told her friend that she wouldn't have anyone else with her during this trip. It was partially the truth, she wouldn't trust her back to anyone else, but at this point Meryl realized she would have been better off by herself.

Mr. Wolfwood came into the bar a few moments later and he looked down on her with an odd expression, nodding to the bar. "You want me to buy you a drink?"

"Gin and tonic," Meryl murmured, not wanting to look at him. He nodded and went to the bar for a few minutes before returning with a bottle of whiskey and the gin and tonic Meryl ordered. He set it all down, took the shot glass from its spot on the bottle and popped the cork. "You really a priest?"

A smile spread over his lips as Wolfwood poured himself some of the rich colored liquid. "You need a priest, little girl?"

"The name is Meryl," she said with her lips to her drink, smelling the lime on the edge of the glass. "I don't need a priest per se, but I've got a morality problem, if you're in the listening mood."

Wolfwood shrugged his shoulders and reached into his front pocket, "You mind if I smoke while you talk?"

"No," Meryl replied. She leaned over the table, putting the glass on the marred surface, her hands still on the cool glass. Wolfwood put the cigarette to his lips and striking a match on his heel, he lit it. After taking a few test puffs, he took the smoke from his mouth and held it out in front of him. "What would you do if your best friend was doing that?" She watched as his gray eyes lifted from her to the window behind her. Meryl couldn't bear to look again at the moment.

The priest chuckled, putting his chin in his palm, "You think the big girl has abandoned you?"

"She's abandoned her job," Meryl corrected, "Her duty…"

"Even working girls need a vacation from time to time," he said, drinking his whiskey. "I don't exactly like the idea that she's taken up with Needle Noggin myself but…" Wolfwood's eyes twinkled, "Shall I tell you what they just told me a few moments ago?"

Violet eyes peered through dark bangs, "I'm not sure I want to know."

"It's quite amusing actually," he said with a smirk, and then put the cigarette back into his mouth. "The big girl says it's a game."

"A game? Really…" Meryl pushed her hair out of her eyes and glanced over her shoulder… Vash was… She turned suddenly, "Looks more than a game to me." Vash had just kissed Milly and it didn't exactly look like they were playing anymore… She turned red, her eyes were narrowed as she looked down at her glass. "What are the rules of this game?"

"They're playing 'normal' people," he smiled, chuckling. It was really funny, an ace gunman and an insurance girl pretending… It was funny, but at the same time it irked him. Milly was soft and sweet, and he could imagine hanging out with her again if he could finish with his business… He shook his head and looked at the little insurance girl, "You like Vash don't you?"

Meryl looked up at him fiercely, "No."

"Sure…" Wolfwood wasn't convinced, "I see the way you're always watching him, and it isn't just because he's a job." He leaned over the table, "You're just jealous that the big girl got to him first."

"I am not!" Meryl protested but suddenly she found Wolfwood's hand on her wrist and the grip was quite firm. She looked away from his amused expression and sighed, "I'm working, and so is Milly. Neither of us is allowed to just drop our way of lives just because of some stupid womanizer, no matter who he is. He's dangerous and he's our job." Meryl looked down at her captured wrist, the priest was slowly rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. She swallowed, "What are you doing?"

Wolfwood's eyes were soft as he smiled, pulling his cigarette from his mouth and putting it out in the ashtray. "Tell me something. Does it bug you more that it's Vash that she's hanging out with, or just that she has someone?"

Meryl swallowed, "You think I don't want her to be happy?"

The priest moved his hand to put his fingers in her palm, "Would it make you feel better if you had someone to play a game with as well?"

"What?" Meryl pulled her hand back suddenly and looked at him, "What in the world…"

Chuckling, Wolfwood got to his feet and he looked down at her, "Think about it." He came around the table, and leaned toward her, Meryl swallowed as he moved her chair to face him. She sat in wide-eyed surprise as he put his hands on the chair on either side of her hips, his smoky breath so close to her face. "You're right, Vash is dangerous. But, if you want him, then I'll take the big girl away from him. Or you can have another playmate." He smiled and kissed her on the cheek before straightening. "Let me know tomorrow." Then he spun on his heal and waved at the bartender, "Where's the can?"

The bartender pointed to the back and Wolfwood nodded, "Thanks." He disappeared and Meryl just sat there shocked. After a long moment she reached her fingers up to the spot where he'd kissed her and then shook her head wildly. What in the world was going on here? What kind of twisted game was going on here? Neither man had paid her or Milly any mind so why the sudden change? Was it mating season or something? What he was proposing… What kind of priest was he? Meryl stood from her seat and grabbing her drink, finished it off and after the initial heat of the alcohol subsided she turned and looked out the window.

She didn't need the priest's help… No… She'd find her own way to break up this little charade by herself. Meryl didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings, but this was all business. A smile came to her lips, yes, and who knew business better than her?

Notes: Thanks to everyone for reviewing, there's more to come! If you find any mistakes drop me an email, I've always wanted to write this type of story before, so it's something of a challenge!

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