Meryl awoke from her strange dream; she was surprised she'd dreamt something like that. She knew yesterday had been a dream. She'd walk into the kitchen, drank some black coffee and still wondered where in the world Vash was roaming at. She sighed, rolled out of her warm bed and trudged down to the kitchen. It was silent; Meryl assumed Millie had gone into town to lay the finishing touches on the well. She saw Millie had turned off the coffee pot before she left. Meryl poured herself a cup of steaming black coffee and sipped it in silence. She was trying to figure out what to do with herself. Millie was gone and Vash was who knows where. She grimaced at the surmounting amount of paperwork piled on her desk. She reluctantly decided she has better get some of it done, the last thing she needed at the moment was to get fired. She pulled some rather tedious forms toward her. She didn't pay any mind when she heard the front door creak. She assumed it was Millie who had come back for some reason or the other. Meryl felt a furry something brush against her leg. She peered down to see a green-eyed black cat meowing up at her. She scratched the cat's ears and returned to her boring paperwork. "
Working hard as usual Meryl?" A male voice called out. Meryl jumped about ten feet. She could hear Vash silently laughing to himself.
"Vash!" Meryl exclaimed slightly mad he'd scared her like that.
"Gomen I couldn't resist." His eyes were twinkling and she shot him a murderous look.
"I have to fill these out or I will be fired." Vash peered over her shoulder in an amused type of way.
"You seemed distracted so I figured you wouldn't notice me come in." He was smiling now and Meryl had to turn away to hide her blush.
"Are you blushing?" He asked her slyly.
"No!" Meryl retorted defensively.
"I think you are, I saw you were yesterday to." Meryl's blush intensified.
"You surprised me," she admitted.
"You know I missed you Meryl." Vash said.
Meryl turned around. "I wasn't sure you were going to come back." She mentally slapped herself, she had just said I instead of we.
He looked at her closely. "I wasn't sure if I should. Knives is pretty dangerous and the last thing I ever want to do is put you and Millie in any danger." At that moment Knives clunked down the stairs with a disgusted and painful look on his face.
"How dare you bring me near these humans brother?" Meryl flinched, and Vash stood in front of her to block her from view.
"You were hurt and I needed somewhere to put you. This is the closest place. Most humans are nice if you give them a chance." Vash begged Knives. Meryl clutched Vash's arm.
"I'd rather die than hang around this filth." Knives spat. Vash's aquamarine eyes blazed. There were few occasions Meryl had seen them that intense, none of them very good.
"Why don't you give them a chance, they have the right to live." Vash said with an air of calm.
Knives gave a derisive snort. "Oh my dear brother, look how soft these creatures have made you. My bleeding-heart brother were are a superior race, and that is why we deserve to be the rulers of this planet." Knives shot a nasty and murderous look in Meryl's direction. "I can hardly believe you'd love an ugly wretch like that. She'll die just like Rehm and then what will you do Vash?" Vash had stepped away from Meryl and was now face-to-face with his brother. "
Don't you talk about Rehm like that!" Vash yelled. Knives let out a cold and mirthless laugh, which sent shivers down Meryl's spine. If Knives meant to say anything else, he collapsed before he got to it.
"He's still weak, so he won't be up for long periods of time, at least not yet," Vash answered Meryl's unanswered question. He sighed heavily as he heaved his deadweight brother back up the stairs. Meryl stared after him, a sense of dread arising in her stomach. Vash left soon after that, Meryl saw the look in his eyes and decided she better not stop him. He looked determined and had a gaunt look about him. Meryl sighed to herself, would she ever have enough gumption to tell the blonde-haired rogue her deep hidden feelings? She heard a cheery voice call to her from the doorway.
"Meryl I'm back!" She smiled, somehow Millie had always been able to do that even when Meryl felt her worst.
"Hey Millie, you look pretty happy." Millie pulled up a chair and smiled like a four-year old.
"Well Mr. Vash told me something, I don't know if it's true or not."
Meryl raised an eyebrow, trying to hide the fact her curiosity was aroused. "What did he tell you?" She finally asked.
"He told me that Wolfwood is alive!" Millie burst out with happiness.
Vash sighed heavily as he walked to the place where the sighting of a very unkempt priest was. He was thinking of the look of horror on Meryl's face when Knives had made his statement. Vash knew he'd have to leave Meryl again. He couldn't put her in danger. Regrets kept eating at his chest. Should he tell her how he felt? He was afraid she'd reject him, yet there was a sincere part of his heart that knew that just wasn't possible. She was afraid of her feelings, and to be truthful he was afraid of his to. He entered a derelict shack. A man with scraggy hair, torn clothes, and several unhealed bullet wounds lay covered in a thin layer of dust in a cramped corner.
"Long time, no see broom head." That voice iced with a bit of sarcasm and some impatience ran out.
"So you still are alive, Nicholas Wolfwood? Millie will be overjoyed about that. What are you doing here?" Vash replied. Nicholas rummaged in his pocked for a cigarette.
"Hiding in case your brother decides he really wants to kill me. Mind you I was almost dead to begin with." Nicholas lit and inhaled deeply. "I needed that." He replied with a slight chuckle.
"Come on Millie really wants to see you." Vash said.
The priest's expression softened. "How is she?"
Vash almost automatically ruffled his hair. "Well, she's fine as near as I can tell. She's been building that well."
Nicholas staggered up. "Well we better get going. Oh one more thing you get with shorty yet?" Vash nearly chocked on his own spit when he heard Nicholas asked this.
"With Meryl, what the hell gave you that idea?" Vash exclaimed.
Nicholas let out an amused laugh. "You really think you both can hide it? She's always stealing looks at you, and blushing whenever she's around you. And you well let's say you got that glazed look, and it ain't from doughnuts."
Vash sweatdropped. "I had no idea it was that obvious." Nicholas stamped out the bud of his cigarette. "Hey I know these things, just tell her. Trust me you'll be glad you did."
Meryl accidentally fell asleep on her desk. She'd been thinking about Vash once again. She loved visualizing those deep eyes of his, and that sexy dreamy smile. All right, she'd be the first to admit she loved some of the quirks she pretended annoyed her. She secretly thought his devotion to doughnuts was kawaii, and she really didn't care about all the scars covering his body. The cluster of voices outside the hotel door awaked her abruptly.
"Mr. Priest so it's true you really are alive!" Millie's excited and slightly breathless voice sounded.
"It's good to see you to again honey. You look prettier than ever." Nicholas's gruff voice answered back. The next thing she heard was Nicholas chuckling saying "Take it easy there honey, I need to breath." She heard Millie mumble something but couldn't make it out. She heard the door creak open and a blonde mane of hair greeted her eyesight. She rose from her chair and followed him silently. He heard her and turned around to face her.
"Vash?" Her voice was different from her normal tone; it was kind, gentle and concerned.
"Meryl, I.. I.." Vash for the first time in his life was struggling for words
. "You have to leave, don't you?" Meryl's voice was sad. "I'll have to eventually, yes. It's not safe for me to stay here with Knives."
Meryl averted her eyes; she had no idea what else to say. "I really wish you didn't have to go Vash, I missed you." Vash's eyes widened in shock, she was finally coming out of her self-protected shell. Vash took a deep breath and made a bold move and came face-to-face with her.
"It's not because I want to." He answered gently.
"You don't want to?" He touched her face, expecting her to jerk away. She didn't instead she smiled.
"If I had my choice I'd rather stay here beside you." Vash whispered softly.
Meryl could feel herself blushing, but didn't stop it. "I wish you could Vash," she finally managed to reply. The door creaked open, and Nicholas and Millie piled in holding each other in a loving way and laughing happily. Meryl turned away, quiet embarrassed at the would-be kiss.
"Hey sempai, Nicholas is going to stay with us!" Meryl nodded at her friend. "That's great Millie." She watched Vash go upstairs towards his brother, the formidable Knives. Knives was still groggy, but gazing at his surroundings with deep disgust.
"So Vash finally decides to leave. What were you with your worthless human shrew?" Vash shot Knives a dirty look.
"Knives, what do you have against humans anyway?"
Knives gave a sadistic grin. "They are creatures beneath us. They die, we don't. They do not posses the powers that we do. What do these humans you love so much do? Lie, cheat, steal, and kill each other."
Vash shook his head. "They're capable of a lot more than that. They have kindness, gentleness, and love."
Knives shook his head. "You really are soft. How many of these creatures have been kind to you? They branded you a criminal and many have tried to kill you! They are not capable of the emotions you speak!" Vash was about to retort when he saw his brother had once more fallen into a deep stupor.
Meryl was listening to Wolfwood explain his survival to Millie. "Well after you left, I was on the verge of death. A nun found me and I was nursed back to health enough to be moved to a nearby city where I could be nursed by a doctor. The bullets were so deep and so numerous the doctors were astounded I had survived. Well, after I was healed, I was scared it would be found out I was alive. So, I found an abandoned shack and stayed there. Somehow, Vash had heard I was alive. He came to get me, and here I am." He smiled kindly at Millie, who was nestled comfortably in his arms. "
I'm just glad you're alive Nicholas." He smiled kindly at her and pulled her closer to him. Meryl stared at them for a few moments before telling them she was going outside for some fresh air. She stared up at the black sky. White and glittering stars dotted it like pinpricks. The moon cast a thin but majestic ray of light over the now cool desert. Meryl started out, the baked sand the only thing to meet her eyes. She wondered why she was such a coward. How could she have let him walk away from her? She could have yelled it right then and there, or told him when he was talking to her. But no, Meryl Stryfe let her stupid pride get in the pride. Instead, she fed on dreams, which could never compare to the real thing.
"You okay out here?" A gentle soft voice rang out, and Meryl jumped slightly. "Gomen, I didn't mean to startle you. Millie said you came out here for some air." The next moment she felt Vash next to her. He was so close she could almost feel his breath on her skin.
"I'm fine, I just thought I'd give Wolfwood and Millie a bit of private time." To Meryl's surprise, Vash took her hand tenderly into his own.
"You're worried about me aren't you?" He asked. Meryl gulped and finally nodded.
"I'm worried if you leave with your brother I may never see you again Vash." Vash eyes held sadness.
"Meryl I can't promise you that I'll come back." Meryl sighed and leaned onto his shoulder.
"I know, I'm not going to ask you to promise me that. But I should tell you something, I needed to tell you it before you left." He looked at her, his heart thudding dangerously against his chest. "Aishiteru," she looked into his deep bright eyes as she said it. Meryl wasn't expecting him to feel the same way, but to her shock he replied,
"I love you to." She turned to face him.
"You mean that, you can really love me?" He smiled. She nearly melted when she saw one of his rare smiles like that. "
I mean it Meryl." They leaned into each other's arms for a kiss. Meryl was so happy, happy like she hadn't been for a long while. The dawn broke and Meryl found herself alone in her bed. She was thinking of finally confessing her feelings to Vash and how good it felt. She was praying he hadn't left before she'd had a chance to say goodbye. She was in a dressing gown, and blearily walked into the kitchen to pour her some black coffee. She found Nicholas there smoking as usual. "Hey shorty, you're up early." He greeted her while puffing out gray clouds.