THE NEXT AFTERNOON

"I'll haunt your children! And your children's children! I SWEAR!"

The outlaw looked hopelessly from one insurance girl to the other. "Come on! Can't you get her to stop!" Vash clutched at his ears and gave Meryl his best puppy eyes.

"You are so ungrateful Mr.Stampede! Do you really have such a poor memory as to forget that you owe us!"

"Huh? But I was in that horrible duel rememb-"

Meryl growled, getting in his face. "And you wouldn't have even lasted that long if we hadn't risked our lives to take out those Bad Lad Gang members, and sacrificed our pride for wearing those God awful outfits to save your ass from getting shot by B.D.N. point blank! The least you could do is lend us some damn bus fare so we don't rot out in this stupid desert!"

"I'D LEND YOU SOME! AND AFTER ALL THOSE TIMES WE BOUGHT YOU DONUTS!" Milly continued, becoming more incoherent with each word.

"You aren't even really crying!" He looked one last time at Meryl with a 'please' expression. But she was unflinching. He threw the money at both of them. "FINE! NEVER FOLLOW ME AGAIN!"

Milly immediately stopped crying and calmly boarded the bus with Meryl. Both girls smirked.

Vash sighed, sitting down at a window seat. "You insurance people are very evil, you know that?"

Both girls simultaneously. "We know."

He turned his back to them violently. "Agh! You're not supposed to agree!" Amazing how fast things went back to normal. It was hard to believe that Meryl was the same girl that had given him that heart-wrenching look the night before...

"I'm so glad we're finally getting a little peace, don't you think Milly?"

"Hmm...?" She opened one eye. "You mean you don't like getting shot at, or blown up, or running for your lives against horrible odds, everyday all the time..." Her voice trailed off.

"Are you even awake?"

"Yeh huh...sort of."

"Sorry. Just go to sleep. I'll wake you up when we get to the city."

"You aren't tired?"

"..."

"Meryl?" Milly glanced over. Meryl was watching Vash with that contemplative look again. "Oh yeh, I was supposed to tell you to-"

Vash leapt towards the window. "WHAT IS THAT?"

Milly shot up, revolver in hand. Realizing no one was shooting at them, nothing was on fire, and nothing was minutes from explosion. She turned and glared sleepily at Meryl.

Meryl nodded. "Oh yeah...what I said in the ballroom last night."

With a crack of her fist over his head, Vash was quickly silenced. "People are stressed enough you idiot!"

He whined from the floorboard. "But there's something out there!"

"Yeh...sand. Now quit disturbing the passengers!" Meryl said kicking him in the side. The bus ground to a hault and she nearly fell over. "He's just moron Mr.driver, really...please don't listen to him."

"Sorry mam, there is definitely someone out there." He opened the door and a few men began to exit the bus.

"Someone?" Milly looked at Meryl.

A few moments later, a gruff voice erupted from outside. "HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD! I'M SAVED!"

The girls just stared at each other then looked toward the front. Within a few seconds, a tall, tan, scruffy looking man with black hair, steel blue eyes, and a tailored black suit stepped into view.

He rushed up to them. "YOU GIRLS ARE THE ONES THAT SPOTTED ME RIGHT? YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"

"Actually it was that moron over there." Meryl motioned to the still whimpering Vash.

"Well I'm Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Thanks stranger! If you hadn't spotted me I'd be dead for sure!" He eagerly shook hands only after devouring all Vash's water. The Typhoon protested to no avail. The priest looked at him expectantly. "And you are?"

Vash stood and rattled off about sixty different names in quick succession. Wolfwood just stared.

"I think you mean Vash the Stampede." Milly said with a smile.

He threw his hands over his face in over-dramatic agony. "AAHH! I HATE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME BY MY FULL NAME!"

Milly turned back to face Meryl while the boys loudly carried on some rowdy conversation. "Looks like they're hitting it off."

"Well I wish they'd do it somewhere else. I'm trying to go to sleep here."

"Oh yeh. I was finally comfortable when Vash screamed...now I can't remember how I was."

"You should go punch him in front of his new friend."

"Did that man say he was a preacher? I've never known one that dressed like that. His shirt isn't even buttoned."

Meryl looked up with a smirk. "Why Milly, are you staring at that priest's chest?"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID THAT!"

The entire bus stopped and stared at Milly, including Wolfwood and Vash.

Meryl made a quick escape, giggling all the way, to another seat before she could retaliate.

Vash turned to Wolfwood in fear. "I have NEVER seen that short one giggle. Or the big one scream like that. Something amazing just happened. That was once in a lifetime. Remind me to figure it out."

Wolfwood cocked an eyebrow. "So what's the story there anyway. You don't seem like their type."

Vash made a face. "It's not like that at all! They stalk me! They work for this insurance company. I ditch them all the time...but they always come back. It's so creepy." Vash's eyes filled with fake tears. "You have no idea what it's like always having to look over your shoulder! The little one's like a piranha! She'll tear your ego to shreds in seconds!"

"What about the big one?"

"Well...honestly, I still haven't figured her out yet. Sometimes you'd swear she has no idea what's going on. Other times it's like maybe she's really the smartest person on the planet and she's just messing with you. Seriously. I have no idea..."