Bill was up long before the sun even rose on that fateful Saturday. This wasn't atypical for him, but he'd been up even earlier than normal. He went about his morning routine with a sort of slow decisiveness; fully aware of what he would do later that day. Every single thing he did during the course of the morning, from making tea, to working out, to shaving...it was all a gradual set up for the events to follow. He showed no hesitation or real emotion during all of this, he simply did...with cool stoicism and a calm air of introspective resolve.

The decision had already been made for him. Beatrix had made it when she'd left him and broken his heart so cruelly, and he had finalized it when he chose to respond in a surpassingly cruel way. It was all clear to him now, the path that he had taken to get here and the path he would walk on after this. At least, that is what he thought at this current time.

Bill had gotten a hair cut the previous day. Of course, with Bill hair "cut" meant something just above the shoulders, nothing more. He had decided his hair was getting too long and for some odd reason that reminded him of Beatrix. He 'cleansed' himself of that reminder, so to speak. Now, sitting at the kitchen table, he read the paper as calmly as always, having donned a robe after his post workout shower. The usual cup of green tea sat at his elbow. In all appearances he did not look like a man who was about to shoot the woman he loved in the head in a mere few hours.

Nikishi had shown up around seven, a full two and half hours after Bill had already been up. She'd done some routine cleaning and was quietly happy not to find anything broken or any dead bodies lying around. Bill had thrown her a few curve balls lately, ones she wasn't even sure she could handle again. But now, he seemed to have settled into some sort of placid state, which wasn't really any more comforting than before.

"The rehearsal is today, yes?" Nikishi asked softly as she folded linens on the counter behind Bill.

"Yes," Bill replied equally as softly, still reading the paper.

Nikishi knew all about what was going to happen today; it had been a topic of much interest in the house over the past week. She, like some of the Vipers, had mixed feelings. But, unlike the others, she had thus far been completely silent about her reservations. She hadn't looked Bill in the eye the entire week, afraid he'd catch the glint of disapproval in her own eye.

"You will leave soon?" She spoke again, deft fingers folding the material.

"In two hours," Bill answered, voice and posture unchanged, "It will take a few hours to drive there. I want to have at least an hour surplus before the rehearsal starts. I have informed the Vipers to be here at nine. We will have a short meeting, and then leave in separate cars."

Nikishi looked up from her work, turning to him, "You will kill them all...all of them in the church." This wasn't delivered as a question.

Bill glanced up from his paper for the first time, steely glance falling on the Japanese woman. He looked at her for a few long seconds before replying. "I killed a man in a church once...I've smoked weed behind a church, I even set fire to a temple in Japan." He picked his paper back up with a snap, "The location is irrelevant."

Nikishi pursed her lips and bowed her head to return to her work, but she stopped again. "The baby?"

Bill looked up again with a tinge of annoyance. He'd already been over this goddamn subject once. "Not my concern." He replied coolly.

"I," she faltered, "...I...think Beatrix will make a good mother."

This time Bill turned towards Nikishi, folding the paper in half, "Would…have made a good mother," he corrected. "She was also a good killer, a good lover, a good driver and a good liar. It's all irrelevant Nikishi," he stood, setting the paper aside for the moment "..and after today, even Beatrix herself will become irrelevant." He walked up next to Nikishi; who immediately went back to folding.

He picked a piece of dirt off of one of the folded swatches of linen, and held the minuscule thing up in front of Nikishi's face with a frown.

Bowing her head, Nikishi nodded a few times and silently picked up the offending piece of linen and walked out of the kitchen to see to it.

Bill then turned and sat back down at the table to read without anymore annoying interruptions.

The bedroom was filled with a vibrant glow that seemed to only exaggerate the bliss within the area. A low string of classic rock on the radio was playing over the rushing water admitting from the bathroom. Tommy was in the shower, freshening up for the big day and Beatrix was situated in the bedroom blowing out her hair. It was Saturday, the wedding rehearsal.

The tall blonde had felt a tingle of butterflies in her stomach earlier that morning and confessed to Tommy she wouldn't be having this problem if the rehearsal was a simple rehearsal without the dress. Tommy assured her it would fine and then they both proceeded to cuddle before getting up to prepare. It was a pleasant start to the morning and helped ease things along.

Beatrix now stood in front of the full length mirror on the back of the door; dressed in a blue checkered flannel robe that was Tommy's, but that didn't come as a big surprise. In her hand was a brush and in the other was a blow drier which she used to tenderly treat those blonde locks. She knew exactly how she was going to do her hair. Straight, down over her shoulders, and half back with a yellow ribbon. It was going to be perfect. Everything was going to be perfect.

She was getting what she wanted. She was going to have a life she could only fantasize about before. She couldn't have found a nicer man who cared and loved for her, a stable living, a 'calming' job, supportive and trustworthy friends, and most of all, her baby girl.

Yes, all of this was going to be for her little girl, but Beatrix didn't expect to be pleasantly surprised at how much she was benefiting from it. Her life in El Paso was working out and nothing was going to ruin it.

By the time noon rolled around, Bill found himself driving at 85 miles per hour in his black Ferrari 355 Spider across the expanse of nothingness that was Southern Texas...on the way to El Paso...alone.

The rest of the Vipers had shown up at his place when instructed to, all of them knowing better than to be late for this occasion. Bill had given them a few select instructions. Sofie had been there, at Bill's request, and her along with the rest of them were left to figure out their own car arrangements. Bill had desired to drive alone, and nobody contradicted that. They had all shown up with the appropriate weaponry and attire as well. And Bill was happy for their professionalism in the face of a rather unorthodox assignment. None of them verbalized any more reservations.

Before anybody had shown up, Bill had dressed in that same slow and methodical manner he'd been displaying all morning; black slacks, white high collared shirt, one of his usual black jackets and, favorite black cowboy boots...casually nice, his usual, nothing that would set Beatrix off that he was up to something. As he did this, he concealed two guns on his person. One, a 44 caliber Beretta pistol, fully loaded...safety on of course. He strapped it into a holster that was fitted into the inside of his jacket, on the right hand side. The other gun, his favorite, the 45 Colt Special revolver, loaded with one bullet only. He slipped that into a leather belt holster that he pulled around to the back and which remained perfectly concealed by his jacket. It took some skill to be able to pull of strapping two guns and look completely natural, but if anybody could do it...it was Bill.

That was the end of his primping. He needn't bother with anything else and by the time the Vipers had shown up, he was more than ready to get on the road.

Now, driving in complete silence, stoic behind a pair of dark sunglasses, he stared ahead at the road in front of him.

Was he looking forward to seeing Beatrix again? Oh yes, more than anything. He would cherish those few minutes they'd have together before she became painfully aware of the real reason for his visit. He didn't worry about being able to lie successfully, that wasn't even a concern; Bill could lie like he breathed air.

He would miss Beatrix after she was gone, there was no doubt about that, but...he'd already been missing her anyways. At least now, he'd have the pleasure of ending it all for her. He didn't hate her. There was no hate behind his actions; he only hoped she'd understand that in those few seconds before she died. In truth, he still loved her, as he'd said all along. But, that didn't' mean that he couldn't' kill her. No love, or any feeling for that matter, could stand in the way of Bill and the redemption he deserved.

Beatrix was simply going to learn the price of what it meant to fuck him over. She had underestimated him. How could she have thought she should just leave him and have a happy little life...after all she'd seen him do, after all she knew about him? She knew what he was capable of, what the fuck was she thinking...?

Who knew, Bill was still clueless as to why. Would he ask her before he killed her? No…..probably not, perhaps because a part of him didn't really want to know. He was better like this, not knowing...better off ending this here and now; better off remaining cold. He'd been weak before, but that would not happen again.

Bill glanced at his own hands, clamped tightly onto the leather steering wheel. Ah, but he needn't forget all the good times he and Beatrix had had together. He remembered everything so clearly, from the moment he'd first seen her, to the moment...he thought, he would last see her. Five years separated those two women, five years and a hell of a lot of experience. He'd taught her so much, nearly everything he knew...damnit, and she'd been so good. And that was what hurt the most...that she could do this after all he'd done for her. Then again, he knew better, she was a killer and a liar like himself. She would then die a killer and a liar's death. She would die the death she had requested.

With a sudden movement, Bill turned the wheel of the car and pulled over onto the side of the straight expanse of highway. He sat there for a moment, staring out the windshield and then got out of the car. The dusty air was already hot under the midday sun. He took a few steps off the road and onto the low brown shrubbery. The weight of the guns was a comforting feeling as he stood there, hands in his pockets, gazing across the empty parched fields.

One might think that he was having a moment of hesitation or remorse...but that wasn't it. Bill did not hesitate nor did he feel remorse. He'd spent his entire life, from childhood to the old bastard he was now, lacking hesitation, self doubt and remorse. That wasn't to say that he didn't take moments to reflect on things. And right now, he was reflecting on Beatrix.

Who was Beatrix Kiddo really? She'd been a skinny feisty trailer girl when he'd met her. Before that, he knew little...and beyond small moments of curiosity, he was not all that concerned. What he was concerned with was what she could become. And boy, had she impressed him in that category. She had become the best he'd had. She'd become perhaps more than even he had anticipated. She was...really, an amazing person, his favorite person. It was really quite fucking shitty that he would have to kill her. He'd never meet another like her...that he was sure of.

It could have been quite something, if she hadn't betrayed him. What would they have become together? Surely, they'd still fight...but that only added charm to their relationship, he would have been disappointed if they had not. But, that wasn't to happen...because they were destined to be nothing more than what they had been; which in itself had been something quite special, as brief as it was.

Bill had had lovers for longer than Beatrix, he'd had lovers who were more outrageous, more experienced...but still...they all paled to Beatrix. He did not regret what they had been, he was extremely grateful for it but, what he did regret, on Beatrix's part, was that she had done this to him. She had forced his hand into this. She knew he was a murdering bastard and she had to know how a murdering bastard would react to being betrayed.

Turning to look across the brown fields, hair whipping in the wind, Bill had a strange sense of déjà vu. It was then that he realized that where he was standing looked quite like the place he'd visualized during one of those horrible substance filled nights after he'd thought Beatrix was dead. The resemblance was uncanny…and somewhat eerie. With a frown, Bill quickly got back in the car and pulled back out onto the highway.

When a quarter to four rolled around Beatrix was in the back room of the Two Pines Wedding Chapel, allowing herself last minute primping before the rehearsal. The only thing was, she was not primping, not exactly. Sure she was standing in front of the mirror, adorned in that gorgeous white dress engraved with a subtle flower print, a wide v-neck collaring, long lace sleeves, and a lace trim on the bottom. She was standing in side profile to the full length mirror with hands at her sides.

This was it, the big day, or at least the rehearsal for the big day, either way she couldn't shake that high feeling of euphoria. Finally her dream was coming true. A dream she had dreamt about for ages; a normal life. She thrived on it, and now she didn't need to because she had all she wanted. The idea was almost unreal, but here she was, standing in her wedding dress, taking a few moments to reflect on her future; a future with Tommy, her husband, and the 'father' of her child.

On the edge of the mirror, at eye level was a creased and well loved black and white photocopy of her baby's sonogram. Hands settled on her swelling stomach as blue eyes stared fondly at the pixilated picture before her. Just staring at it only proved to the blonde how important and crucial her choice had been. She made the right choice, she was positive. No, more than positive, she didn't have a fucking thought in the world against it. And it wasn't because she was egotistic or selfish but because she had faith.

She had faith that everything would work out in favor of her baby girl. Her baby deserved all of this. Beatrix didn't have a doubt against it and even if she had, she had long since washed those daunting thoughts away and came to the point of lying so much she was believing her lies. A fault of her own, but she didn't give a damn; it was working.

Hands came up to tighten the yellow ribbon behind her head, pulling back blonde locks into a half pony tail style. She stood full frontal to the mirror. She was perfect, everything was perfect. She plucked off the photocopy paper from the side of the mirror and gave her little girl a loving kiss. Then she walked over, folded up the paper, and secularly stuffed it back into her bag.

Turning she slipped on those neon pink flip-flops and that blissful pregnant blonde walked out to rehearse her wedding.

Four-thirty in the afternoon. Bill had been in El Paso for about an hour. He'd called Budd on his cell phone and they had had a short conversation. The Vipers arrived in town about a half an hour after Bill. They did not meet, but continued on with their plan. Bill would arrive at the chapel first. Then, ten...fifteen minutes later the Vipers would show up. Bill left the details of organization up to his brother. This was a fairly straightforward ambush, Budd could handle it.

According to Bill's sources, the rehearsal was scheduled for four that afternoon. He decided to give the wedding party a little time to settle in for the rehearsal. He didn't have much interest in the wedding party, the reverend, or the groom. He had come to talk to Beatrix before the massacre, he'd socialize as needed beyond that. They were all going to die either way.

Bill parked his car a good hundred feet from the chapel. Beatrix would easily be able to spot his style of vehicle if spotted. He instructed the Vipers to do likewise with their own cars.

Getting out of his car, Bill removed his sunglasses and squinted across the dusty road at The Two Pines Wedding Chapel. He'd parked pretty much behind it, but it was obvious the building was a fairly small one, in the traditional Texas Southwestern style. It was quant and old school. He rather liked it actually.

Ducking back into the car, Bill reached for his flute that he'd stowed in the backseat. This was one of his oldest flutes. He'd played this particular one, a bamboo chute of roughly two feet, for Beatrix a number of times. It was part of his plan as well.

Buttoning his black jacket, he locked up his car and after making a quick visual sweep of the surrounding area he slowly headed for the chapel. There wasn't a soul around, seeing as this particular chapel was situated a few miles out of El Paso, just off the highway. It was quiet and deserted; a perfect location for what was about to occur.

Bill took his time walking there; his boots kicking up the fine dust that covered the ground, his flute in one hand. He remained completely calm throughout this walk to the chapel. Throughout his life, he'd had a number of "moments"...slices of time that seemed sharper and more real than others. This was one of those moments.

There wasn't much more to go over mentally. He'd been through the various stages of thought and angst over the last few months. He'd thought mostly about Beatrix the entire time and now, about to meet with her one last time, he began to slowly detach himself from those thoughts of her. He was ready to be done with this, but...before that time came, he'd have one last good moment with her; for old times sake.

Reaching the chapel, he carefully walked around the side, avoiding the few windows. He could hear voices inside, happy voices, young voices. Had he ever been that young or happy? It was hard to imagine really.

Rounding the corner of the building, he stayed clear of the open door and steps, and instead took a big step onto the raised front porch area. Everything was wood, well worn…..again, perfect. There was a long bench on the right hand side of the doorway.

With a small smile of satisfaction, Bill sat down on the bench and placed his flute across his lap. For a few minutes he simply stared across the nearby highway and to the desert landscape beyond. He could distinctly hear Beatrix's voice now, emitting from inside the chapel. She was happy; happy without him.

Looking away with a scowl, he picked his flute up and placed it to his lips. Enough of retrospect, he'd spent three months being a man he was not. It was time Beatrix learned who and what he really was...but first, it was time to charm the Black Mamba one last time.

Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Just a quick little note from Mel and I. We all know what chapter is coming up next and for those of you that have been reading with us for this long, especially those from the prequels, we owe you a great deal of thanks! Without your encouraging reviews sharing these fanfics would not be the same.

Again thank you so much to those that have left reviews to tell us that you are still there and still enjoying the story.

The next chapters will be up in time!