Chapter 2: Haunting Rumors

"Meryl? Meryl, are you okay?" Milly asked.

"WHERE IN HELL DID YOU HEAR THAT?!" Meryl cried, going pale.

"What… you're not?" Milly asked innocently, sounding thoroughly disappointed.

"NO!" Meryl cried, blushing furiously. "Where'd you hear that?!"

"It's all around town," Milly said simply, then put her hand up to her mouth. "Oh… That's bad, isn't it."

"Oh, my GOD!" Meryl began pulling at her hair. "There's no way! NO WAY!!!!!" She collapsed from exasperation. "Ohhhh… Someone wake me up from this nightmare…"

"Oh, Meryl, calm down," Milly said, fanning her.

Noah stared at the two females. Oh, man… What a pain in the-

"I can't believe this… Oh, how did this happen?! Ohmygawd… What's Vash gonna say?! What's the boss gonna say?!!!"

"Oh, Meryl, Mr. Vash is very dense when it comes to rumors…" Milly tried to reassure her.

"Oh… This must have been because I stood up for him yesterday… I--I couldn't help it! All of them were speaking so badly about him…" Meryl hung her head. "Why… Why me? I've been a pretty good person, so why does all of this bad karma wrap around me?"

"Oh… Meryl…" Milly said, helping her up. "Don't worry about what other people think. My big, big sister always told me that what matters is what you think. Those people will eventually forget about it."

"yeah… I wish I could hide in my room until then…" Meryl said flatly, and Milly beamed at her.

"Gah," Noah said, banging his hands on his playpen. I'm hungry, dammit!

"Hm? Oh, I'd better get you some breakfast, huh," Milly beamed at him.

Meryl sat down on the couch and sighed. "Damn!" She cried.

"Gehbeh," Noah said. Hey, little ears are listening, babe.

-

Meryl hesitantly entered the Bernardelli Insurance Society. "Oh… Somebody's going to mention this…" She said worriedly. "-but I couldn't call in sick… I mean… that would smear my perfect record!!! -and I can't do that over some stupid rumor…" She said, walking into the office.

Everyone stared at her. She glared menacingly at them and went to her desk. Are they expecting me to skip in proclaiming love and peace to them? Jeez…They don't know how pissed I am! She began writing vigorously on her work, her teeth gritted. It was one of them who put this story out! --and if I find out who, I'll have their head! I mean… come on!!! Me…and Vash the Stampede?!

She broke the lead on her pencil. She threw it aside in frustration and grabbed another one off of her perfectly-organized desk. I mean… he's… him… We're two completely different people! He's such a free-spirited goofball, skirt-chasing, peace-loving psychopath… and he's not even human! It wouldn't ever happen… Not that I… haven't thought about it… but that's beyond the point. I don't want Vash. I don't love Vash. That's that. … and everyone better shut up about it soon, or someone's going to be injured.

Hey! Stupid Meryl! Stop thinking about it! It's not true, so lay it to rest… Right then… I won't even think about it. She nodded to herself in satisfaction.

-

Meryl opened her eyes, looking through a white cloth that was laying over her face. "I can't…" She tried to move it so she could see. Nothing was really visible, just a few blurs of bodies moving around.

"Oh, Meryl… This is the happiest day of my life!"

"Milly? Are you crying?"

"Oh… I promised I wouldn't, but I can't help myself!!!" Milly engulfed Meryl in a big bear hug, cutting off her air circulation.

"Uh… there… there, Milly…" Meryl said as she was set down on her feet again. She realized that she had been lifted out of a pair of high heels.

"Oh… You look so beautiful," Milly said.

"I can't see anything."

"Don't worry about it," Milly said cheerfully. "Now, I'll be right back. Noah needs me to put his bowtie on."

Milly was gone. "What's going on?" Meryl moaned, tugging at her wrist. "eh?" she felt up her arm until she found the end of the glove, right at her elbow, and from the feel of it, it had to be satin or something. She felt up the rest of her arm and rested her hand on her chest, feeling beads of some sort along the cloth that was serving as a cover. She could tell by the air on her ankles that the skirt was long, and her shoes were killing her feet.

"Here ya' go, Meryl." She was handed a garland of flowers.

"Kite?" She asked, deeply confused.

"Yeeeahhh…." He said, and then she heard him running off.

"Meryl! Meryl! Are you ready yet? I've got to go sit down now!" Milly cried, running up and tugging on her sleeve-strap.

"Ready… for… what?"

"Oh… You're so silly!" Milly laughed. "I'll see you in a bit."

"No, Milly, wait!" Meryl cried, but she was gone.

"Let us… depart…" Someone said, grabbing her arm.

"Deh! L-L---Legato?!!!" Meryl was absolutely horrified. What in hell is going on?!

Legato began leading her down a hallway, rather quickly. He's supposed to be dead! Is he trying to kidnap me or something?! She heard music, but it was muffled and off key.

"LEARN TO PLAY!" Knives yelled.

KNIVES?! Meryl thought frantically.

"Shut up!" Kite's voice came from seemingly nowhere. "I'm doing my best!"

"Your best isn't good enough!" Zazie the Beast yelled.

Zazie… the beast?! H-he's dead!!!

"You wanna say that to my face?!"

"Now, everyone behave," Milly said.

Silence.

The music continued.

Meryl was then dragged down another hall, and she could feel people watching her, seeing their blurry forms all around. Suddenly, she was stopped, and her arm was let go, and she was left standing, facing someone.

"Ahem… Dearly beloved…"

"Wolfwood?" HE'S DEAD TOO!!!!!

"Nice to see you to, Meryl," Wolfwood laughed. "Now… Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to… Oh… shit, I should' a memorized this… Uh… blah blah blah… Do you take him to be yours, do you take her to be yours, yeah, yeah, whatever, and now you may kiss the bride."

"Bride?" Meryl cried. The veil was lifted from her face.

"Kiss me, Meryl!" Vash cried, leaning in, wearing a black tuxedo.

"OH MY GAWD!!!!" She cried.

Meryl rose up in bed, panting and horrified. She was pale as a sheet and feeling like she'd just been put in and removed from a dryer.

"Meryl?" Milly asked sleepily, raising up and rubbing her eye.

"What?!" She cried, clutching her chest.

"WAAAAH!" Noah screamed out. Hey, can't a guy get any sleep around here?!

"Oh…" Milly went over and tended to her baby.

What a nightmare! Oh man… this has got me shaken up more than I thought… I need to get this past me! Oh…I really need something to knock me out…

"Uh-wuh…" Noah said over Milly's shoulder, looking directly at Meryl. Don't you look like something the cat dragged in…

"Meryl? Are you okay?"

"Fiiine…" Meryl stressed the I, looking more stressed then the letter itself.

"Hey, what's goin' on? I heard yelling and crying."

"Guh-" Meryl froze.

Vash stood in the doorway, blinking crookedly, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants.

Meryl fainted.

"Uh… was it something I said?" Vash asked.

"Gah…" Noah said. Well, at least she's finally getting some sleep.

(A/N: -and that, my friends, is chapter TWO! I personally loved it, what with Meryl's strange dream and Noah's dry thoughts. I figured even though he was a baby, he'd need a little character development. He's a dirty little stinker, isn't he? Cussing and what not. Bad Noah, bad! Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed reading, for I enjoyed writing, and now I'll say goodbye. SAYONARA! )