ANGSTY SMANGSTY: I know, I know. Where'd the happy go? It just seems to get worse and worse. I'm the one writing it and I'm even ready for a break in the storm clouds. Just please don't give up yet. Times are rough and there isn't much to be done about it at the moment. The VM had a little gem last chapter, but now we've plunged back into the darkness. Wolfwood cusses a lot too. He gets almost a whole chapter devoted to his issues and he goes and cusses it all up(he's losing his grip if you haven't noticed). Poor guy. And if the WM'ers are going up the wall with this, come on...you guys really think she's gonna give up on him this easy? Mill is so bringing that punk sandwiches come next update. And I don't know how you'll like the way I write Knives. I don't see him as the ultimate evil or anything. Just an arrogant snot who thinks his way is the only right there is. Plus he has jealousy issues of anyone else who earns his brother's affections.

2 sleepy 2 proofread

"You know it's amusing how you all insist on presenting yourself this way. Stand before me with your mind guarded and your muscles tightened. You wipe the fear from your face just before you enter, falsely believing it could ever truly be contained."

Somehow it was disturbing to look directly into this man's eyes. The resemblance to Vash was undeniable, but it was more like distortion rather than similarity. Polar opposites of the same element. Each as maddening to the priest as the other.

A wicked smirk cut across the plant's pale face. "You see no reason to defend yourself? Perhaps you do possess more intelligence than your predecessor then." Knives was pleased when the wretch's mind locked with suspicion onto that last word. These humans just didn't understand how expendable they were. How they'd all been purchased one way or the other. "Fool, you really think it chance you found yourself here? You are already the second Gung-Ho Gun to kill under the title Chapel The Evergreen. Handpicked and trained from youth with the soul purpose of becoming another thorn in my dear brother's side." Knives' smiled, knowing how he was getting to him. "Merely an animal that only knows how to kill and bring pain to those around it. I own you and when your usefulness runs out, so does your meaningless life..."

And Wolfwood had always thought Vash was the only one who knew how to push him completely over the edge. Blur his reason and replace it with rage. Enough. He was not a pawn. Not a possession. Not a thing that could be controlled. If Tongari had blood to drain then Knives probably had brains to spill, and right now that's about all Wolfwood wanted to see. This fuckshit's brains blown across the room. All the lives this monster had ruined...

Knives looked less than impressed as the buckles of Chapel's cross snapped off in lightning succession, instantly bringing the barrel of the longest end in alignment with his face. The blonde glared slightly. "Honestly..."

Nick's hand seized up just as the trigger had begun to give way, and his eyes widened already knowing his fate. Midvalley had lied. Trap plain and simple. "LEGATO YOU FUC-" His fingers bent back, releasing the punisher all together. It crashed to the metal floor and he screamed as his arm twisted violently around behind him.

The plant smiled as Chapel fell to his knees in pain before him. "I take back what I said about your intelligence."

Wolfwood bit into his lip to keep from crying out. His arm twisted a little more, dislocating from the socket. He winced, letting out a grunt as he pressed his forehead hard against the cold metal floor. Just out the corner of his eye, he saw the black glint of the .45 as it slowly aimed down towards his head. The instinct to live instantly tried to strike up some kind of frantic plan, but his soul was too tired to give it any real backing. At least it'd be quicker this way. Better than each of his muscles tearing one at a time as he was crushed into a position no man should ever attempt. Looks like Milly would get to keep his rosary after all, he wouldn't be coming back.

"I'm surprised. For an animal so passionate just a moment ago, you won't even whimper or shed a single tear over your own demise?" He cocked the long colt in satisfaction. "Or are you still too arrogant to show that fear of yours?"

Why couldn't he just let him die like a man instead of rattling on like freaking Tongari? "Just pull the trigger you chickenshit..."

Knives glared, kicking the preacher over onto his back then stepping down on his throat. "I give the orders here, spider. Everything shall end in time. But for now, you have one last job to take care of." He smiled at the way Nick was straining for breath. "My brother is on his way to Caracas as you well know. That is where you will intercept him. He has had long enough to change his view. Now the game is over." He pressed his foot down a little harder. "Kill him."

Wolfwood smirked, speaking hoarsely. "Go...fuck...yourself."

He sighed, refusing to lose control. "It'd be so enjoyable to snap your neck right now, Chapel but I'm afraid this isn't really about you. It's about Vash The Stampede and his realization about the humans he chooses so poorly to associate with. You will show him the truth of mankind. That even the man he once thought his own trusted 'friend' could gun him down in cold blood if the solution favored him." Knives had extreme distaste for every vile creature that had ever served in the Gung-Ho Guns, but this new Chapel was definitely his most despised. He just couldn't stand it. All that time waiting for his brother to return to him and here this miserable excuse of a human became closer to Vash in a few years than Knives ever did in more than a hundred.

Nick just gave him another 'fuck you' look and Knives continued.

"But that is only the optimal plan of course. If you are truly unwilling to offer your services any further, then the other three will be sent instead, with less specific instructions. I believe there are what, two other spiders constantly in my brother's company? Those females." He gave a look of disgust. "According to Legato, you've grown to vainly covet one of them. I assume this means you would at least wish her to keep living for the time being." Knives stepped off Nick's throat, but kept the long colt aimed at him "Are the terms understood?"

Wolfwood closed his eyes with a weak smile. This wouldn't have happened if he was half as professional as he used to be. He'd been too careless getting attached to that girl. But Needle Noggin would understand right? That he had no choice now. Tongari's life and what was left of Wolfwood's soul in exchange for Milly and Meryl's safety. It was a fair trade, wasn't it? "Fine...you want the kill shot through his head or his heart, Lucifer?"

ONE WEEK LATER

"Knives."

The insurance girls exchanged looks of concern, not knowing whether to leave the blonde man to his thoughts or to walk over and try and comfort him. It was almost sunset in this ghost town called Caracas. There was nothing here but that man's name painted in red on the center monument. They hoped it was just written in paint, but neither girl was sure.

Milly watched the outlaw with sympathy as he stared at the writing. His brother's name. Meryl had tried her best to explain the history and how's and why's of the two but Milly still found it a troubling concept to grasp. She'd easily accepted the fact that he wasn't human(it made so much sense in retrospect), but he and his brother's problems had been hard to understand. To see two brothers divided so violently as this. It'd hurt for anyone to do things like that to you, but if it was your own blood...well that was just a shot through the heart point blank. "Hey, Meryl..."

She blinked, snapping out of her own thoughts on the matter. "Huh?"

The tall girl pulled her duffel bag from the backseat, slinging it over her shoulder. "We are spending the night aren't we?"

"I guess so."

"Should I just pick a house then?"

She opened the car door, grabbing up her suitcase from the floorboard. "Well I don't see where anyone would mind." Meryl turned, looking back at him. He did seem like he wanted to be alone for a little while. "Vash, it'll be dark soon so we're going find a place to stay. We'll make some food a little later alright?"

He smiled slightly, glancing over his shoulder. "Call me when it's ready!"

The short girl nodded and followed Milly into one of the nearby houses.

When he knew they were gone, he sighed sitting down in front the monument. Vash really didn't know. If there was a solution, he sure as hell couldn't see it yet.

She stared idly out the window over the sink while raising the spoon to her mouth once more. It was good, but the name of this particular flavor always struck her as a bit of a paradox. Leave it to her to be the one person who finds thought provoking concepts in containers of pudding. In her mind there were only two ends of the flavor spectrum. Chocolate being the darkest and vanilla being the lightest. Every other taste fell somewhere in between. But still, they all had original names. The one she was currently eating sounded more like a desert with an identity crisis.

The short girl looked up from the table, towards the tall woman sitting on the counter. "What do you think will happen now?"

Milly cocked an eyebrow, looking away from the view of empty desert behind the house. "My guess is as good as yours..."

Meryl leaned back in her chair with a look of annoyance. "Come on Thompson, I know you pick up on these things."

She took another spoonful of the white chocolate while thinking aloud. "Well...I think they're just going to have to face each other and end the argument once and for all. If Vash can't win with words then he'll have to play the big brother card."

She gave her a weird look. "The what? They're the same age, Milly."

"It doesn't matter. It's more a mental thing anyway. If brothers or sisters get in an argument where it's too hard to prove who's right and who's wrong, then the older can take seniority and win by default. Usually with boys, someone just ends up getting roughed up a little and that'd the end of it. If Knives is really so out of control, Vash just needs to let him know who's boss and take him down a few notches."

The short girl sighed, shaking her head. How did Milly always manage to sum up the most complex of situations with the simplest real life examples? "I'm glad I'm an only child."

Nearly an hour sitting out here and he was still no closer to the answer. The once blue sky was now a mix of fiery hues as the suns began to sink below the horizon. He needed to clear his head. Vash had done all the contemplating he could allow himself today. Right now, there was a certain short girl he'd rather be checking up on. As if on cue, he heard the footsteps coming up on his side. He prepared a smile for whichever insurance girl had come to fetch him and turned to greet them. All he received in return was a blue eyed stare that made his blood run cold.

The priest glared down at his target with contempt. Sometimes he wished he'd never met them at all. If the bus had left him to die in the desert that day, then they would have all been spared this current hell. Nick's fist was tight on the punisher's main strap as he contemplated. It would only take a flick of his hand to unleash it, and a flex of his finger to pull the trigger. Steal the life from those disturbing green eyes, thus silencing the voice of uncertainty they inspired in him once and for all.

Vash was too dumbstruck to even think of moving or speaking. He'd never expected to see Wolfwood again...but this man wasn't Wolfwood. Wait, that didn't even make sense. Something was wrong.

Muffled female chatter began to drift out into the street, offsetting his thoughts. Nick's eyes shifted toward the sound reluctantly as his glare began to weaken. They'd never forgive him. He couldn't do this in front of them. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he could do it all. Things had changed. I don't know if you're listening, but we had a deal. I don't want them involved. Give me at least until tomorrow. I'll handle this in my own way.

It doesn't become you to sound so desperate Chapel...

I didn't ask for an opinion, Bluesummers. Now stay the fuck out my head and let me do my own damn job.

Tomorrow morning is the longest that shall be allowed.

The Typhoon watched in confusion as Nick solemnly stepped onto the porch of the house the girls were in. Something was definitely different about him. Why would he return?

Wolfwood paused without looking back. "Hey Vash. Do me a favor, will ya? Tomorrow morning when the girls are still asleep...there's something important I need to talk to you about. Meet me out here."

Meryl laughed, catching the butter knife by its handle then grabbing the mayonnaise jar. "And remember what my mom said?"

"I know! I thought you were gonna strangle her, seriously. And then your dad freaked out and the whole house went nuts!"

"Well it was mainly my stupid cousin's fault! He made it sound like me and Vash were getting married or something."

Milly paused from opening the bread. "Was that Travis or Kyle that said Vash was gonna come massacre us in our sleep that night?"

"Um...definitely my cousin Travis. Remember, he said you'd only be 'safe' if you slept on the couch with him?" Meryl rolled her eyes. "I tried to tell that idiot he was barking up the wrong tree."

She smirked. "And Travis brought that other guy...what was his name?"

Meryl made a disgusted face. "STEVE! Holy crap, he would not leave me alone!" She gave Milly a mock glare. "And then you had to go and mention something about how Vash was gonna be jealous and that's what got my whole family talking about my 'fiancé' Vash The Stampede in the first place!"

The tall girl put her hand behind her head with a guilty laugh. "Oh yeh...I was the one that started it, wasn't I?"

Their conversation about the now infamous Stryfe dinner party came to a quick halt at the sound of the screen door slapping closed, and then the creak of old boards as someone walked across the dim living room.

Meryl turned, calling out to him with a perplexed look. "Idiot, why don't you turn on a freaking light? What do you want on your sandwich anyway?"

"Salmon's fine."

Out of the corner of her eye, Milly saw the complete shock as it overtook Meryl's features. She saw it, but that didn't mean it fully registered. The tall girl looked slowly over her shoulder, still half expecting to see Vash standing in that doorway. Thinking her mind had somehow misinterpreted the voice she'd just heard. But of course it hadn't. She'd never forget that voice.

Wolfwood kept his hands in his pockets, averting his eyes when Milly's face started to brighten in realization. It was cruel. Heartbreaking really. For her to look like that, when he was here for all the wrong reasons. "Long time no see..."

Meryl leaned back against the counter for support as Milly ran to him without hesitation.

And before he could stop her, big girl's arms were already around him again...sliding down his suit to wrap around his waist. She was smiling and looking like she was fixing to cry all at the same time. He held her loosely, more as a reflex than a willed action. But she didn't seem to notice. There were so many things he wanted to tell her. Before tomorrow when he'd be forced to remove his mask for good. Be in love for one more night before she hated him. But sunrise would come and he'd wound her heart again. It'd be a sin to lead this woman on, only to betray her in a few hours. Wolfwood had to keep a distance from his angel now. God, she wasn't even angry though. Meryl on the other hand...

"WHAT THE HELL? YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST WALTZ BACK UP IN HERE?"

Milly still hadn't looked back up at him. Maybe if she had, she'd see just how unfeeling his eyes were right now. "You're alright...we were so worried!"

The short girl blinked. "NO WE WEREN'T!"

"And we missed you!"

"NO WE DIDN'T!"

A voice from the living room. "Yes we did."

Nick looked over his shoulder at the red coat who was now coming in.

Milly was a bit surprised when Nick coolly let go of her to allow Vash through the doorway, and then just put his hands back in his pockets to lean against the frame. That ecstatic feeling quieted almost as quickly as it had come when she put two and two together. Wolfwood hadn't kissed her either. He'd barely even smiled when she hugged him. He was back...but their relationship wasn't.

Vash cocked an eyebrow when Meryl's glare suddenly vanished, becoming a look of sympathy.

The tall girl glanced up at her and forced an 'I'm okay' smile before going back to fixing the little sandwiches they were all so fond of. "So you wanted salmon, Mr.Priest?"

The nickname felt like a dagger when she said it like that. Like they were only acquaintances again. It didn't have that coy, little teasing sound that usually accompanied it. His poker face was trying to give out. "Eh, on second thought, don't trouble yourself big girl, I don't feel all that well anyway. You're full up here, so I'm gonna go catch some shuteye at the place across the street. See ya." He smiled, lifting his cross from where he'd leaned it and walked back through the house and out the front door.

The other three stared after him in silence. When they were all reunited, things were supposed to feel complete. So why didn't any of them look happy in the least?