A/N: Almost done with this story, my first completed Hope everyone enjoys the chapter!!!

Runaway

Knives sat in his room, for once missing his daily routine. He had neither eaten nor slept since the day before, when he'd nearly killed Erica. The memory kept replaying in his head, and he was ashamed at himself for losing control of his emotions.

There was suddenly a knock on his door. Using his senses, he felt his brother on the other side, waiting impatiently for permission to enter.

"Come in" Knives said gruffly, watching the doors open.

Vash walked into the room, holding Pussy in his arms. His face was etched with worry and Knives briefly wondered why, before going back to his pondering.

"Knives, Pussy hasn't been fed and I can't find Erica anywhere" Vash said bluntly. There was no time for formalities. The blond set Pussy down, as he watched as his brother's eyes widen in surprise.

"What?!" Knives yelled, his head snapping upward. He rose from his chair and strode over to his brother, gripping the gunman's shoulders painfully. "What do you mean you can't find her?" There was a quiver in his voice, one he didn't want to admit to himself.

"She's gone" Vash said simply, wincing as Knives' grip grew worse.

"I don't believe it" the insane plant answered, trying to calm his voice. But inwardly, he was feeling the slight edge of worry in his stomach. His mind was also berating himself for his stupidity the few days before.

Knives scoured the ship himself, not wanting to believe what Vash had told him. But she was gone. And it was all his fault. He'd yelled at her, blamed her for all the faults of her entire race.

She'd runaway with as much provisions as she could carry in her bag.

"We must find her, or the angels may destroy the ship" Knives stated, going for the keys to the vehicle.

Vash suspected Knives might have another reason for finding Erica, but chose not to speak his thoughts. They needed to find the girl, not have a discussion about emotions. And the gunman never thought he'd get such a reaction out of the unemotional killer, but the proof was right in front of him. Knives was panicking over Erica's disappearance.

A few hours later found the brothers in Knives' car, searching the impossibly large desert. They'd gone in the most likely direction Erica would have taken, toward the town she'd been to with Knives. There were no other leads they could have followed, since all traces of her direction had been wiped away by the wind and sand.

Vash hung on as they crested another dune, gripping the dashboard with both hands. Knives was driving at a breakneck speed, trying to catch up to Erica as quickly as possible. But she'd gotten quite a start on them, and her plant body was capable of long travel.

Suddenly Knives stopped the car with a screeching halt, peering over to his left. Vash's eyes followed, then grew wide with hope. Not more than a few hundred yarz off, there lay a figure in the sand. The driving plant turned the wheel and raced over to the spot, recognizing Erica's clothing as they drew closer.

Reaching the girl, both plants jumped out of the vehicle and quickly strode toward Erica. Knives reached her first, catching her almost possessively up in his arms. He looked over her prone form carefully, his face growing darker with worry.

The heat had taken its toll on her body. Her breathing was irregular and her body was dry from lack of water. She was also shivering from overexposure the night before, when the temperature had dropped well below freezing. Even with the provisions she'd brought with her, there was nothing to protect her from the elements.

Knives could feel something warm slide down his face, as he gazed down at her ravaged features. He watched in amazement as a single tear fell from his cheek, splashing Erica's ashen colored skin. Clutching her closer, he could barely feel her weak pulse, struggling with every shallow breath she took.

"Why did you leave?" he whispered, not expecting her to hear him. He was surprised when she slowly opened her eyes to look at him.

"You..didn't care" she coughed out. Though her words were cold, she tried to give him a comforting smile. Maybe in forgiveness. Then her eyes shut, as her body violently convulsed in Knives' arms.

Lifting her gently but quickly, Knives walked toward the vehicle. Vash had ran back to the car while his brother had checked Erica's condition, preparing a place for the ailing occupant. Now a soft blanket lay across the back seat, upon which the girl was laid down.

Climbing into their own seats, Knives turned the vehicle around and they raced back to the ship. But Erica's condition was growing worse, as her breathing grew into gasps and her body was tensing from the shocks. Knives finally turned to his brother, an almost pleading look in his eyes.

"Vash, I know you can use your plant energy. Try to stabilize Erica until we get her to the ship."

Vash nodded his head, then climbed into the backseat. He knew his brother would have gladly taken this job, but Knives was the only person who knew the exact location of the ship. Focusing his energy into Erica's body, he concentrated on regulating her breathing and heartbeat.

Reaching the ship in record time, Knives jumped out of his seat and tore open the car's back door. Gently but quickly lifting Erica out, he sprinted toward the engine room. Reaching the entrance he slowed down his pace, barely slipping through the opening mechanical doors.

Knives went for the center bulb, knowing she would have the most strength to revive Erica. He himself placed her into the bulb, pushing her body through the glass. Though the center angel did not say a word, he could hear the chatter of his other sisters as they tried questioning him. Vash was trying his best to calm them down, with little success.

The center angel quickly took Erica's now limp body, pulling back into the bulb. Knives slumped against the glass, watching as they disappeared. One question went through his mind, as Erica was lost to his sight.

Was I too late?

Several hours later found Knives sitting down near the bulb, his face a mask of worry. He was absently petting Pussy, who lay in his arms. The two seemed to have come to a silent peace agreement, when the one they cared about was in such a critical state. Vash was leaning against the entrance arch, patiently waiting and hoping.

Suddenly the two brothers both felt the center plant's presence, and looked into the bulb. They watched silently as the angel lowered into the main portion of the glass, Erica in her arms.

Knives jumped to his feet, searching the angel's face for what he feared. But the worried plant saw no emotion of sadness or loss. Rather, there was a hidden joy in the smile the plant angel gave him, as her eyes met his.

"Is she alright?" Knives asked, as Erica was set down on the glass. Her body phased through on its own, and he knelt beside her.

"They will be fine. Now only rest is needed to heal the remaining physical damage."

"What do you mean?" Knives asked, confused by her wording. Was Erica mentally scarred for the rest of her long life? Did she still hold a grudge against him and what he'd done to her? The plant couldn't blame her if she did. But what did the angel mean by 'they'?

"Erica is pregnant" the plant angel said, smiling at the father. Who promptly collapsed on the ground in a heap.