"I have a question."

"What?" Meryl wondered if Milly had forgotten which tent her and Vash were even in.

"Back at that contest in May City..."

She looked at him. He was leaning back with his arms behind his head and no emotion on his face. The glare on his glasses hid his eyes. She always hated when he looked like that. You couldn't tell where he was looking or what he was thinking. It frightened her.

"What did those men say to you? I heard you scream."

Did she really have to tell him that? It was embarrassing. She sighed, stirring her coffee. "They thought you were my boyfriend and Wolfwood was Milly's."

He just smiled and Meryl froze. That wasn't what he was supposed to do. Any second he'd scream like a first grader being threatened by cooties...right? Why was he just smiling? It was disturbing. She didn't understand. "Vash?"

"And even with those guns aimed all around you...you denied it in a rage." He cocked an eyebrow. "Now tell me, don't you think that's a bit of overkill just to make one point?"

She stared at him in horror.

Milly spoke to her stomach while buttoning her coat. "Promise you're not going to slip, right?"

Moore wrapped her arms a little tighter around Milly's back. "No, I'm okay...just don't run or anything."

She smiled. "I don't think anyone would expect me to."

Wolfwood covered his face. The illusion was too real for his taste. She really did look pregnant. Milly locked her arm in his and he looked at her pleadingly. "Why are you dragging me into this?"

"21 and expecting is bad enough. 21, expecting, AND single is unthinkable."

He stopped. "You're only 21?"

She looked up at him. "You didn't know that?"

He hung his head. "You weren't even legal..."

She grinned. "Don't worry, it's still 18 in some towns..."

A passing group of women gawked in disgust. Wolfwood looked up. "We're talking about the drinking age! The drinking age!"

Milly smiled. "Yeh you had about two years clearance on the law they're thinking about..."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Wait till they find out your line of work..."

"Ugh..." He put on his sunglasses with his free arm then started digging for a cigarette. Why did she like to tease him so much? The most annoying thing was, she'd manage to do it without being mean spirited at all. So you'd just end up feeling like the jerk. He stuck the cig in his mouth and began to search for a match. Big girl plucked it right back out with the sweetest smile.

"Second hand smoke is bad for the baby, Darling."

Darling? He strained a cheery tone through nearly gritted teeth. Lord, this was unbelievable. "Heh...uh sorry, Honey!" She leaned against his arm and Wolfwood went silent as they walked together. Yeh...he was a real tough guy all right.

Meryl jumped up and slapped her hand down on the table. "LOOK BUDDY, ARE YOU SUGGESTING SOMETHING HERE?"

He smirked. She was doing it again.

Four men ended their conversation by approaching the table. "Are you Vash the Stampede?"

Meryl calmly straightened up and walked out. "This discussion isn't over..."

Milly opened her coat and the girl let go.

Moore bowed to the man and woman. "Thank you so much for helping me get away."

The woman nodded. "No problem. But why were they after you anyw-" Bullets hit the sand and Milly jumped back, slamming into Wolfwood.

"GET AWAY FROM MOORE!"

The girl moved in front before he could fire again. "NO, JULIUS! THEY HELPED ME!" She ran to the newcomer and the two embraced.

Wolfwood moaned. "Don't tell me this is all some Romeo and Juliet story..."

Milly smirked. "She said Juli-us not Juli-et."

He looked down at her. "Big girl, you can't possibly be serious..."

Eventually, the kids related their story. How Julius had recently come to the revelation that he was the adoptive son of the caravan owner...and his real father was the mayor of the town the caravan was heading towards. The town and caravan were also secretly in the business of slave trading...and Moore was their new cargo. Since the two had fallen in love, they were going to runaway together. The only problem was that Julius was the caravan's only pass into the city. Without him, the whole operation would come crashing down and all parties involved would suffer.

Milly listened while Wolfwood pointed this harsh reality out to them. He accused the kids of not understanding how far the consequences of their actions would really reach. Julius countered on the grounds that any city and caravan that participated in such shady business deserved to go under. Nick slapped him. Moore gasped but Milly said nothing. There was no clear right or wrong in her mind.

Wolfwood was angry. They just didn't understand. For their happiness, hundreds of others were to die? Perhaps they needed a visual aid. He released the main belt on the cross punisher.

Milly took a step back. She couldn't read him at all right now. What was he going to do?

He opened the side arm, removed a pistol, and aimed it at Julius and Moore. "The less sacrificed, the better...am I right?"

He wouldn't...would he? It scared her that she didn't know. In her heart she hoped he couldn't. He moved the gun to his own head and Milly went wide-eyed. "Mr.Priest?"

Wolfwood ignored her, and spoke only to the boy and girl. "If you do this. I will be the first to die. Are you really so determined..." He cocked it. "that you could make your escape over the bodies of the dead?"

Moore and Julius exchanged glances. They were afraid but they had already made their decision. They joined hands and began to slowly walk towards him...much to Milly's dismay.

She reached her hand out. "Please don't!" was all she could say to them. She looked in Wolfwood's eyes for some kind of answer.

Nick stared at her. He could see she was truly afraid. Just as the kids passed him, he smirked and pulled the trigger.

Her heart stopped and she winced. But there was no gunshot...there was no blood spatter, no sickening sound of a lifeless body hitting the dirt. So why did she still feel like screaming? He lowered the gun to his side. She settled for a heavy exhale.

Julius looked up at him. "Thank you."

Wolfwood didn't move. "I don't want your thanks. I still think what you're doing is wrong."

The kids couldn't be persuaded though. They'd shown him their resolve. The two walked on towards the geyser filled desert.

Milly sighed. The stress still hadn't fully left her. She knew she had to go with them. They'd die out there. She'd gotten in this deep...she couldn't just turn a blind eye now. She began to pass Wolfwood.

His voice was deadpan and more of a statement than a question. "You're going with them."

"I have to. I know it's the right thing to do."

He looked sideways at her. "Is that what your heart says?"

"Yes." She looked at him. "And please don't illustrate a point that way ever again." Milly walked on before anything else could be said.

He sighed and his cold demeanor finally faded. The priest looked skyward. Why was it that everything he couldn't do...came to her so naturally? Any other time he'd shrug her off as being someone's spoiled daughter. Some kid who'd lead a sheltered life...who'd never been forced to pick up a gun like he had. Who hadn't seen the worst like he had. But he knew that wasn't true with her. It was in the way she shot, the way she actually knew how to fight...the scar on her face. She hadn't gotten that way by living the easy life. So why were her eyes so damn pure? Why did she have to smile at him that way? He shoved the pistol back and slammed the cross closed.

Meryl stood uneasily outside the tent. Had Vash really meant what it sounded like? Was he saying he thought she had feelings for him? Did she have feelings for him? No immediate answer came to her mind. That made her afraid. If she didn't know...then didn't that mean she could? She crossed her arms and looked at the dirt. What the hell was wrong with her? She was making a big deal over one stupid thing an idiot had said...

Vash stepped out the tent and Meryl looked up. He had that soulless typhoon thing going on again. Wasn't he even going to tell her what the men had wanted? He got in a jeep and started it without saying a word. She angrily stomped over and got in with him. They drove off.

After a few minutes she couldn't stand it anymore. "Well aren't you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" He didn't answer. There was no word to describe how much his silence frustrated her. She reached for the keys and he blocked her hand. She pulled away startled. He had so many different personalities. "Why won't you tell me?"

"They wanted a hit."

"And you accepted?"

"Yes."

She just stared at him. "You really are the man everyone says...aren't you." She grabbed a Derringer and thrust it against his head. Her hand was shaking. "I have no choice, but to eliminate the risk." He just kept driving. She glared at him...but she just couldn't do it. No matter how bizarre he was acting. He was still the man that had saved them so many times, and acted like a complete idiot countless more. She lowered the gun. "I don't understand you...I don't understand you at all."