CHAPTER FOUR: DISHARMONY (continued3)

"Vanessa…Vash, what are you thinking!" Knives exclaimed, "Bringing her out here…It's far too cold!"

Vash climbed to the cave top with Vanessa in his arms. She was bundled in her cloak and a blanket, and carried a tray of sushi. Vash lowered her to the cold stone.

"It's too cold for you, too," Vanessa stated, holding the fish out to Knives.

"She made me carry her up here," he explained, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Knives took the tray, but gazed in concern to Vanessa. "Really, you shouldn't endanger your recovery by…"

"Then come back into the cave. You can't act like this," Vanessa interrupted, her face hidden within her hood.

Vash began to sit next to her, but she held up her hand.

"Go inside," she said softly.

"But…" He threw a quick look at Knives and gritted his teeth.

Vanessa dropped her hand into the folds of her cloak. "I'll be fine. Won't I, Knives?"

Knives stared at her, then looked to his brother in surprise. "Yes, you're safe with me," he replied softly.

Trying to act calm, Vash turned and left them alone. He sat along the rock wall below, unable to enter the cave while his brother was out. Vash remained within earshot, should action be needed.

"Tell me why," Vanessa murmured after he had departed.

"Why…why I did it?" Knives guessed. "I'm sorry, Vanessa. Really I am. Please forgive me, it…it's tearing me up that you…"

"Tell me why," she repeated. "Otherwise, there's no point in saying I forgive you."

Knives cleared his throat. "Well, I thought if you knew what it felt like, to fire it, then you'd realize that we're…superior…Because it just makes you see that we were meant to…Nevermind."

"No, not nevermind," Vanessa retorted. "Think about it – you've forced both Vash and myself to use our power, but still you're the only one of us that thinks that way. Don't you find that odd?"

"It gives me doubts," Knives admitted. "But Vash is just being a baby about things, and you…you don't really know what it's like since you can't…"

"I forgive you for causing me the pain. But that's all you're sorry for. Isn't it?"

Knives flinched.

"Your plans are unchanged? But surely you know Vash and I couldn't allow that?" she asked, turning to him and drawing her hood back. Her sharpened ears were silhouetted in the moonlight of five satellites, her eyes the deep shade of ocean water he'd never seen. "The only way you'll get your Eden is over our dead bodies."

"Well, I don't want to kill you," Knives interjected. "I'm thinking of the greater good – the survival of an entire species…And as much as I wish I could please you, my duty to the race…It would, um, break my heart, so to speak…to have to…" He scooted closer to her, and abruptly laid his hands on her shoulders to face her.

In response to his touch, a strong shudder ran through her body, which he mistook for a shiver from the cold night air.

"I promise, no harm will ever come to you, or Vash, if you two would just…"

"There's no way we'd do that. No possibility," she interrupted.

Knives started to speak, but instead let a discouraged, empty breath. Staring into her eyes, he was again taken by her in the way he both despised and took pleasure in. His throat tightened sorely. "Why won't you…just…" A hot tear fell from his eye, tickling his cheek mockingly. He rubbed his face against his shoulder awkwardly.

Vanessa frowned. Surprised to feel the same choking in her own throat, she slowly pulled her arms from the folds of her cloak and laid them limp against the backs of his shoulders. "Talk to me, okay? Tell me what you think about. Let's find an understanding," she murmured, almost frightened by him even in his moment of weakness.

Knives wrapped his arms behind her and gripped her fiercely.

Again, she shuddered, but he ignored both this and the flaccidity of her grasp.

"Why doesn't Vash affect you like this?" she asked him, nauseated by the answer she felt she knew.

Knives sniffed. "Because he's…Vash. When he disagrees with me, he talks like the child he's always been. But you…I don't know. He's just my brother. You're more." He pulled back and looked into her eyes again. "Does that make sense to you? It seems so illogical to me…"

Vanessa hid a sigh of relief as the warmth of his body distanced itself from her. "Your heart is taking precedence over your mind. It's not supposed to be logical."

"My heart?" Knives repeated, and sniggered softly. "That's so impractical. Huh." He smiled.

Vanessa maintained her gaze upon him, resisting the quiver in her eyes. Still, the muscles of her face twitched neurotically at moments.

"I'm sorry; you're cold. Let's get inside," Knives offered in a congenial tone. "You can't walk, right? I'll carry you. Hold this," he said, holding the sushi tray out to her and lifting her in his arms. Below, he greeted Vash with a gentle grin, which sent chills down Vash's spine.

Vanessa lowered his eyes so as not to face Vash. She had to maintain her composure, and was already far too close to losing it.

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