A/N: More chapters for the growing collection. I have no idea when I'll end the story, either. Thanks as always to my readers and especially the reviewers!!!

Emotions

When Erica awoke some time later, she was at first confused by her surroundings. Moving slightly, she was surprised to feel a moving warmth against her back. Staring up, she gasped at she looked into the face of the psycho.

Knives was still in sleep, his head resting against a large tall stack of storage boxes. She was struck with how closely he resembled his angelic sisters. She realized his arms were wrapped around her almost protectively, and she blushed at the closeness of their bodies.

Lifting herself away from his chest, she noticed the room was no longer freezing. Seeing that the lights above were back on, she wondered if the power to the door mechanism had also returned.

Erica was afraid to move too much, for fear she would disturb Knives. But how else would she free herself. So gathering her courage, she lifted her free right arm and began to roughly shake one of his shoulders.

With a loud snort, Knives awakened to a startling sight. Here he was, voluntarily sitting with a human girl in his lap. And his arms were wrapped around her.

With a violent push, he shoved her off his lap. Erica hit the ground with a resounding thud, making her yelp in pain.

"What was that for?!" she yelled, rubbing her now bruised backside.

"Filthy abomination! Keep your soiled hands to yourself!" he yelled back, disgusted for having touched her more than was necessary.

"You sure don't like to blame yourself for your actions, do you?! If you want to know, you're the one who wrapped them around me! You should apologize for such conduct, filthy plant boy!"

"I never apologize" he said calmly, gaining control over his emotions. Standing up and looking about the room, he observed that the lights were once more on. Meaning the doors to freedom would be blessedly open.

Walking quickly to the entrance, Knives pressed the hand pad and was relieved to see the doors slide open. He exited the room without another word, leaving Erica to find her way back to the familiar portion of the ship.

"You jerk!" Erica yelled after him. After the doors had closed behind him, she slumped to the ground.

A few hours later, Knives found himself sitting at his large computer consul. Strangely, he wasn't paying any attention to the many flashing screens showing the data output on the ship's condition. His mind was distracted by that girl. He couldn't stop thinking of her warm body pressed to his, nor the way she'd looked so comfortable in his lap. He started remembering when she'd emerged from the plant bulb, the shape and curves of her body. And as the doors to the room suddenly opened, he realized matters were about to get much worse.

Meanwhile, after Knives had left her stranded, Erica had luckily found her way back to her bedroom. After saying a quick hello to Vash, she'd snatched a sandwich from the kitchen and began wandering the ship. Having the psycho as a guide had been too unreliable for her tastes, so she'd decided to memorize on her own the many rooms and corridors.

Having already learned a great portion of the ship during her stay, Erica went exploring into the lesser known depths of the large compound. Walking along one of the many hallways, she stumbled upon a corridor described by Knives as being the 'keep out' part of the ship. As usual, there was no explanation nor reason for being forbidden from the area. Maybe she'd just sneak a peak, what could it hurt?

Exploring the few corridors in this section of the ship, she found little to interest her. There were very few rooms, and most of those were only used for storage. She did notice some comfortable living quarters, much nicer than the ones she now occupied. Maybe Knives would allow her to change rooms, if she could only find him in a pleasant enough mood.

Suddenly Erica heard several noises coming from a room she hadn't entered yet. Creeping closer, she wondered if Knives was in there. Finding another of those hand panels beside the door, she pressed her own on the pad and watched the door open. Her excitement at seeing the door open was quickly eliminated as she gazed at who was in the room.

Erica was the last person on the planet Knives wanted to see right now. She had also disobeyed his orders in coming into this room, which added fuel to his already angered state of mind.

"Filthy spider!" he screamed, rising from his chair. "I had told you never to enter this area!"

"I, um, I'm sorry" Erica stuttered, standing frozen in the doorway. She wasn't sure whether to run or enter. But by the looks Knives was giving, she supposed entering would be hazardous to her health.

"You are never to go beyond the ship's main areas" Knives growled, walking toward her. "That means only your bedroom, the kitchen, the arboretum and the Plant room. If you disobey my orders once more" he threatened, grabbing hold of her shoulders and crushing them painfully. "I will personally destroy everything you hold dear." He shoved her ruthlessly against the corridor's wall, and proceeded to sit back down in his chair.

Eric knew she was now expected to leave, but was intent on having the last word. She didn't know why she teased Knives so mercilessly, maybe to pay him back for his own torture toward her. And a little payback for rudely shoving her away.

"You know, you should marry your computer" she said suddenly, a mischievous smile crossing her face. Erica knew she would be walking a thin line in teasing him this badly, but she was too angry and hurt to care.

"What?!" Knives exclaimed, confused and startled by her statement.

"Yeah, you've dated her long enough and let's face it, you're both so much alike."

"What do you mean?" he growled, his eyes narrowing with anger.

"You're both cold, lifeless, and have a few screws loose."

Vash, searching for his brother, suddenly heard a wild howling of laughter from down the hall. Erica appeared around the corner, trying to laugh and run at the same time, and succeeding very well. On her heels came Knives, yelling every human obscenity he could remember. As Knives passed by him, Vash couldn't help but smile at the sudden thought that had struck him.

"Geez, Knives, can't you keep your hands off of her."

The homicidal maniac formerly known as Knives stopped in his tracks.

"Vash, if you wish to see your precious spider ever again, I suggest you stay out of this."

Vash held up his hands defensively, while nodding his head in understanding. He knew more talk would only provoke the beast before him. Vash quietly watched Knives continue his pursuit, his expression changing to worry when his brother was out of sight. Something's bothering him, and Erica made matters worse.

Meanwhile, Erica had been able, with Vash distracting Knives, to gain some distance from the plant. Unfortunately, she now found herself at the corridor which led outside the ship. She had only two options. To turn around and retrace her steps might prove fatal if she was found by the psycho. He really meant to kill her this time, and it was all her fault, too.

But could she hide outside? Well, only one way to find out she thought.

Knives, followed the sounds of her echoing footsteps as long as he could. A sick smile on his face, he started off in the direction of the ship's entrance. Reaching the metal entry, he pressed his hand to the pad and watched the doors slide open. Surprise filled Knives' face at the sight before him.

He saw Erica kneeling near the entrance, her whole attention focused on something she held. Approaching the girl cautiously, he saw that she held in her arms a striped bundle of fur. The cat was half starved, and dehydrated from over exposure to the sun. Knives could almost see the beast's ribs. Clumps of the cat's fur had fallen out, leaving patches of exposed skin. Someone had cruelly left the poor animal in the middle of the desert, in the hopes of killing the feline.

"What are you doing?" he said, somewhat subdued by Erica's stillness. "Leave the beast and come back inside. If the angels found you had left the ship on my account, they would possibly destroy the compound in their fury."

"I won't leave the poor creature to die out here" she said, quiet determination in her voice. "I want to keep him." Erica didn't bother looking at him as she spoke, knowing he would not agree with her appeal.

Knives stared at the pitiful cat, trying to decide on the best course of action. His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening behind him, and he groaned inwardly at the sight of his brother walking out.

"Hey, what are you two doing out her . . . " Vash's sentence trailed off as he noticed the feline in Erica's lap. "Wow, what a nice kitty, is he yours Erica?"

Erica stared at the blond gunman for a moment, then smiled and nodded her head vigorously.

"Well, then what is he doing outside. He looks kinda hungry. I think we still have some donuts from breakfast."

Before Knives knew what had happened, Vash, Erica and the cat had walked into the ship, leaving him outside by himself.