(A/N: Hello! This is my first fanfiction and well, I hope you enjoy it and please R&R if you have the time! Just so you know, it would probably help if you have seen all the episodes or at least the last one because this has a bit of spoilers.
DISCLAIMER: Fate has chosen that I don't own Trigun, fate is cruel.)

'Thought goes here' - it can also be Wolfwood...
"Talking goes here"
On going line: scene change

Here's a reply to an awesome review I got:

Vashluver1 – Thanks for taking the time to review! And I'd defiantly pick option a lol! This chapter may answer your questions )

Ok, I REALLY don't like to beg, but if you have any mercy in your soul, please read and review. Please give me the hope that someone is still reading this. Oh, but i do hope you enjoy this!

Chapter 8, Life and Death

'If you save a baby bird from falling from its nest, the nest won't let it back in. Instead of letting it fall to its death, you save its life. It becomes completely dependent on you. If you try and leave it when you feel the time is right, it will follow you. You let it come too close Vash. Now that trash believes that you're the only thing it's got. You should've let it die Vash… It makes me sick.' Knives thought, staring blankly into his untouched tea. Everything he had expected from Vash and these humans, had been too much for even him.

Just as Knives was about to take a sip of his tea, Meryl came charging into the café to their reserved table. Vash was trailing behind, slightly confused butmostly scared.

"Millie!" Meryl said in a slightly miffed tone.

"Oh! Yes Sempai?" Millie said looking up from her cerlon tea and Millie fuellie cake, which was partly stuffed in her mouth.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Uh, why of course!" Millie spoke with a bit of worry that Meryl might've found out where the "rainy day funds" was, which was now completely stuffed in her mouth.

As Meryl dragged the guilty Millie away, Vash sat down with a huge comical sigh "Er… I think I did something wrong again." Though, Vash wasn't quite sure why he was telling Knives this.

"You're always wrong." Knives mumbled darkly.

"What was that?" Vash said, returning to reality for a moment.

"This tea's pretty strong."

"Oh… better get some sugar then!" Vash said, going to the counter to ask for a little packet of sugar.

"Idiot."

"Um, what did you want to talk to me about sempai?" Millie said shakily. Millie tried best not to make eye contact, so instead she occupied her eyes by keeping their attention on the highly decorated wallpaper that surrounded the ladies bathroom.

Meryl's tight angry expression let go into a sigh "It's my fault isn't it."

"…Huh?" Millie was sure Meryl was going to reprimand her about the money she took, but it didn't sound like it from the way it was going.

"I told Vash about the letter we received from Bernadelli." She took another breath "And he understood how we both want to keep our jobs… but we also want to stay here."

Millie nodded, finally understanding what it was about "What did Mr.Vash say?"

"He said…" Meryl sighed angrily, remembering the exact words in her head once again "He could fake an incident, so that Bernadelli could be kept busy."

"Vash san still wants to help people like always…" Millie spoke softly, smiling appreciatively while looking down at her feet.

"But how can we keep this up! The Bernadelli Insurance Society demands constant reports, the townspeople still look at Vash with daggers shooting from their eyes and… we just… can't ask him to do that for us." She looked down at her feet as well, but instead of thoughts of appreciation, it was guilt.

"Well, sempai, it's like my sister always says…"

"Follow your heart" They said in unison. Meryl had kept Millie's usual sayings in mind, but this one seemed to always stick with her.

Meryl smiled at her friend. Millie was right, as scary as it was to say it. How was it so easy for Millie to do the things Meryl could barely take a stand at? Maybe that's how Millie reached her love with Wolfwood… but those thoughts refused to stay in Meryl's mind, instead, she looked back up at her friend with a grin "Well Millie, those insurance papers were such a bother since day one anyhow, now let's go get some tea, shall we?"

"Why of course!" Millie chimed back with her usual sweet smile.

From what had started out as a tear soaked evening, had changed to light and blissful feeling in less than a morning's time. Unfortunately for Meryl, Vash and Knives… a real rainy day was already squeezed dry due to Millie's innocent habits. But nonetheless, the day ended. Although it was an ending, to our "insurance" girls, it seemed more like a new beginning.

"What's this Vash? Putting beside the geranium this easily?" Knives spoke in a cocky tone as held up the torn red, button smothered suit that used to be a famed trademark of Vash the Stampede. He shifted his body and looked around the pitch black surroundings of the once plant infested land named Demitrihi. His foot kicked something cold and smooth and when his arm reached down to touch it, his fingers traced along the engraved letters '.45 Long Colt Revolver' He grinned the moment his fingers wrapped around it "Here's yours Vash, you left it at the first place I'd look. How careless." His opposite hand moved along the sand until it hit another similar object; the black .45 Colt Revolver.

"And here's mine, what a kind anniversary gift Vash, looks like I'll just have to find a suitable gift for you as well, dear brother" he spoke with dark sarcasm, which echoed through the barren land under the layered maniacal laugh Knives added as a finishing touch.

From the heavens, Wolfwood feared with grim horror that a new hell was reborn on Gunsmoke.

To Be Continued...

(AN: Thanks to all of you for your time, it means a lot to me that I've been doing this for well over half a year. The end of this story isn't too far away, so hang on to your beloved, but inexistent Knives plushie and please for dear lord have some mercy and leave a review? Thanks!)