A/N: alright: the semester is over. yay. time for another chapter! thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!

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"Watch out!" A huge bolder flew up into the sky and came crashing back down to earth. The culprit was obvious.

"Damn it, Millie! Would you watch where you throw those bolders next time!"

"Sorry Bob! My mistake! Won't happen again!" Millie looked around in embarrassment and caught the eye of the foreman. He looked at her and gave her a smile as he approached.

"Don't feel down, Millie. Bobby's just jealous he can't work as hard as you. He's quite the scrawny fellow."

"Thanks Mr. Jim." His kind words made her feel a little better, even if they were at poor Bob's expense.

"Really. The boulder wasn't anywhere close." He gave her a big smile then looked towards Bob. "Hey, Bobby, you need to toughen up, and I don't want to hear any more cussing on the job, got that?"

"Yes boss..."

Mr. Jim looked back at Millie. "Come on, we only have a little more work to do today. If we all work together, we might even get to call it quits early."

Millie beamed with happiness at the thought of an early pudding snack. "YES SIR!" she shouted, and started attacking the bedrock with her pick ax.

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(meanwhile, back at the ranch...er...kitchen)

Vash sat looking at Meryl in disbelief. "So...lemmegetthisstraight. You're telling me that four big, ugly, dumb, strong guys who were drunk...very drunk...and had guns...lots of guns...that were loaded with bullets...tons of bullets...were simply talking poorly of me, and you thought it would be a good idea to punch ALL of them them in the face?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Well, when you put it like that, it doesn't sound like a good idea at all..." She trailed off and looked at the floor. "I'm just glad Millie showed up with her stungun, because those guys were not happy. I know that sometimes I get a little...ahead of myself when it comes to getting control of a situation. Anyway, the boss decided to hire some bimbo who didn't mind being felt up and that's quite alright with me!"

"Well, it doesn't sound like I'm the one who needs to be followed anymore..." Meryl thought this comment was quite uncalled for. Her bruised ego demanded action. Vash laughed as he dodged a one of her uppercuts. "Oh, I see how it is! You defend my honor when I'm away and then want to take all your frustration out on me once I'm back!"

"That's" swing "Right" swing "Mr." swing "Stampede!" swing. She took a second to catch her breath. "To think that you are actually insinuating that I am even capable of causing as much trouble as you are!" Swing. Vash caught one arm. Swing. Vash caught her other arm.

"Man, you're tiring me out! I know a much better way to work out your aggression..."

Meryl raised her eyebrow. "I don't even want to hear your suggestion if it's perverted."

"Okay. Nevermind then..." Vash smiled as she made a shocked face. "Come on, I'm just kidding. Come have some pudding with me on the porch and I'll show you a few mind blocks that you should practice." She still looked mad, so he gave her a little kiss on the cheek. "I'm kidding. You know that."

She finally smirked. "Yes, I know. How could I take an accusation like that seriously when it's coming from the man who the entire planet thinks single handedly invented trouble?" She grinned smuggly.

"Don't be so cold." He smiled at her with a wink.

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"Hey Millie!"

Millie stopped pounding away with her pick ax and looked up. A pair of curious eyes were looking at her. "What is it Tom?" Tom had joined the crew recently and was known for starting rumors around town.

"What's up with you and the boss?"

Millie looked shocked. "Well now I'm the topic of your gossip! I don't know if I should be insulted or flattered. And for your information, absolutely nothing is going on!" Millie blushed and tried to get back to her work.

"What do you mean! You're always bringing him food, and he's always getting you out of trouble with the other guys." Millie stopped working. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you two liked each other."

Millie shook her head and started working again. "Goodness! Where do you get these ideas! Plus I'm sure a good man like him has already settled down."

Tom looked at her shocked. "You don't know? Big Jim's been single for years now! Guess he hasn't found anybody who suits his fancy." He looked at Millie. "Well, maybe not until now..."

Millie blushed. "Tom, go away. With the way you talk, if I wasn't looking right at you, I would swear you were an old woman!"

"Alright, alright, I'll leave you alone. I just wanted to know if there was any truth to any of the talk I've been hearing around the water cooler."

It was Bernardelli's all over again...except the people gossipping this time were the men of a construction crew instead of the office girls in the city. Millie almost giggled at the contrast. She was glad Meryl didn't work with her because Meryl couldn't stand gossip no matter who it was coming from. That's why Meryl had opted for the field assignment in the first place. "You guys must be really bored out here. You should concentrate on digging irrigation canals and everyone will be better off for it! Now, run along and do your job and stop distracting me from mine..." Only Millie could make a statement like that sound sweet.

"Okay Millie, but just keep an eye out next time you talk to Big Jim. Maybe you'll see what everyone else does."

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Vash plopped down on the first step of the porch with a pudding cup and a spoon as Meryl situated herself next to him. "Move a little closer," he told her. When she gave him a questioning look, he said, "It's easier for me if we're touching."

"Oh. Right. Of course." She said it like reading minds and having to block thoughts all made perfect sense and was an everyday occurance, even though she didn't know what she was doing in the slightest. They were facing each other with their knees touching. "How about this?"

"How about a little closer," he winked at her.

"Are you trying to cop a feel or are you gonna show me how to protect myself?" Meryl smirked as Vash put his hands in the air in surrender.

"Okay! This will do just fine!" He ate the last bite of pudding before putting the empty container down on the porch. "Alright. First things first: I want you to relax."

"Okay. Relaxed."

"Um, you can't just say you're relaxed..."

Meryl was a little peeved. "Fine! Tell me how to relax!"

Vash smiled. "Well, first off, you need to stop yelling at me."

She blushed "Okay."

"Now, I want you to concentrate on every muscle in your body from the top of your head down to your little toes one at a time and untense all your muscles. Make sure to pay special attention to your back and neck. And don't rush it, or we'll both get frustrated."

"Okay."

After a little while, Meryl announced she was relaxed. "Alright, we're going to start out with a simple block. I want you to think of a color, but don't tell me what it is."

"Okay, check."

"Alright, now I want you to imagine a wall around the color. Don't let any of the color escape the wall."

She concentrated very hard. "Umm...okay, I think I've got it." She took a bite of pudding.

"Okay, now I'm going to go into your mind and it might feel a little weird. If you don't like it, tell me and I'll stop. Are you ready?"

"I'm ready." Meryl closed her eyes.

"Okay. Here goes." Meryl was suddenly aware of a presence along the edges of her mind. She felt the edges begin to dissolve.

"Remember to relax."

"Right, sorry."

"It's okay. You're doing great."

Meryl was trying to concentrate on keeping her color enclosed in her imagined wall and not focus on the strange sensation that was going on in her head. She felt tendrils stretching out over her mind, probing her consciousness. She took deep breaths to try to remain calm.

Vash felt her panic a little. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Mmmhmm. I'm okay." She felt the tendrils on the wall around her color. They were inspecting for any weaknesses.

"This is pretty good for a first try! I'm impressed!" Vash noticed her eyes were still closed. He also noticed a little bit of pudding on the corner of her mouth. 'I wonder how she handles distraction,' he thought to himself. He gently brought his hand up to her face and wiped the pudding off with his finger. She opened her eyes just in time to see him lick the pudding off the tip of his finger. "You know, you shouldn't let sweet stuff go to waste like that."

Meryl was flabbergasted. Before she had time to realize what she was doing, a thought slipped into her mind. 'I wonder what it would feel like for him to lick pudding of my --"

Vash's eyes shot open as he jumped back. "WHOAH! Whoah! Um...okay..."

Meryl's blush was uncontrolable. "Oh my god! Did you just hear that?"

Vash looked at the ground. This lesson was definitely over. "Well, ahhh...um...at least I still don't know what color you're thinking of..."

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Millie got off of work early and made her way home. When she got there, Mr. Vash and Meryl were in the kitchen making dinner. She walked in quietly and snuck up behind them. "Why, don't you two look adorable!"

The two at the counter jumped and spun around at the sound of her voice. It was the first time the new couple had been observed by a third party and they were suddenly completely self-conscious. Meryl looked like she would have given anything just to focus on the food preparation, and Vash looked like he was about to jump out of a window to get away. Millie started giggling.

"You two seem tense! What's the matter?"

Vash started for the door. "Um, I just remembered, there was something I had to do...um...outside... I'll be back in a while." He left the kitchen without looking at either of the girls.

Millie could sense Meryl relax with Vash out of the room. "So..." Millie started, "what's up?" Meryl looked up and gave her friend a blushing smile. Millie's smile grew as well. "Did you tell him?" Meryl nodded her head up and down quickly. Millie was beginning to get excited. "And...is it mutual?"

Meryl looked like she was about to die from happiness. "Yes! Can you believe it?"

"Um...well...yes. HELLO! I've been telling you to tell him about your feelings for weeks!" Millie smiled warmly at her friend as she retrieved a few pudding cups from the pantry. "So...TELL ME EVERYTHING!"

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As Meryl unloaded all the good news on Millie, she felt increasingly guilty, because after this good news, she had to tell her about Vash and Knives and Wolfwood. She wasn't looking forward to doing it, but she had made a promise to Vash and she wanted Millie to know the truth. As she left a pot of soup simmer on the stove and finished recounting the day's events to Millie, she broached the topic.

"Millie, there's something serious I wanted to talk to you about. It's most likely a touchy subject, but you need to know what's going on." Meryl poured Millie and herself two cups of coffee and sat down at the table accross from her.

"What is it?"

"It's about Knives, and who he is, and his involvement with Wolfwood."

"Nick? Nick had something to do with Knives?"

"Yes..." Meryl could see her friend's curiosity and dread on her face. Meryl couldn't help but question if telling Millie was really the right thing to do.

"As you know, Knives is Vash's brother. It was Knives' mission to make Vash see that they are superior to humans and that the humans should be smote from the face of this planet. When Vash refused, Knives swore he would cause Vash eternal suffering. To do this, Knives formed a group of assassins. They were the Gung-Ho Guns. All those monsters who were after Vash were part of this group."

"That's so horrible..."

"Wolfwood...was also part of this group."

"Wha--what?"

"Wolfwood was paid to first keep tabs on Vash and then to kill him. When he refused to kill Vash, Knives ordered his execution." Meryl reached her hand accross the table and tried to take Millie's hand, but she withdrew hers and put them in her lap.

"Knives is very dangerous and Vash wanted you to know everything. He didn't want Knives to be able to use the knowledge against you."

"Knives?" She said it like she had just remembered he was there in the house. "Knives is here. Why did Vash bring him here?"

"Vash couldn't kill him after the fight. He's trying to save Knives."

Millie was suddenly drowning in rage and depression. "How could he! How could he be so selfish? After all the people Knives has killed... How could Vash let him live? And Nick... How could he not have told me?" Millie stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where...where are you going?" Meryl got up and walked towards her friend.

"Don't follow me, Meryl. I need to be alone for a while." With that, she walked outside the house and towards town.

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Millie pushed through the swinging doors of the saloon. She took a seat at the bar and ordered a bottle of hootch, his favorite brand. The smell of cigarettes and the taste of liquor reminded her so much of Nick. He always smoked the cheapest brand of cigarettes he could find. She poured some whiskey over her ice, just like he would have, and tried not to think about what Meryl had told her. She didn't want to believe that Nick had been a hired murderer. How many other people had he murdered for profit? The man she loved had been in reality a complete stranger. She was normally so perceptive. How could she have completely missed this? She didn't know what hurt worse: the fact that Knives was responsible for Nick's death, or that Nick was a hitman out to betray Vash.

She sighed as she downed the liquor in front of her. She didn't usually get drunk when she was depressed, but this new information was just too much.

As she refilled her glass, she thought about the last night she and Nick had spent together. He was distraught about shooting Zazie. Nick knew Zazie would either have to succeed and kill Vash or be executed for failing on his mission. No one else did. No wonder he so calmly shot a child in the head. Zazie had been doomed to die from the beginning. Nick broke down in the hotel room and Millie comforted him. Millie wasn't judging him, and he needed her to listen and understand him. He kissed her once before he left in the morning, but for such a flirt, he was surprisingly well mannered. He told her that her innocence had rubbed off on him. For most of the night he just stayed close to her and held her tightly, no doubt thinking about his certain untimely demise the next morning.

Millie swallowed the liquor and poured another glass.

He had told her he loved her and that she had to promise she would stay inside until he came back. He didn't kill Vash. He went against Knives. He wasn't a murderer! But he had killed people before. And he was a priest! How could she love a man like that? How could she miss him so terribly much? She wished she could go up to him and ask him what was true and what wasn't, but that opportunity was long gone. All she had was her memory of him and the new information Meryl had just given her. What she knew now didn't make him any less special to her. It just made her sad. He must have felt so alone and torn. He was probably Vash's closest friend, and Nick knew he had been hired to betray him. In the end, Nick didn't betray Vash, and she decided that was the important thing. Whatever happened before, on the day he died, Nick was a changed man.

Millie finished off the third shot and poured another. She felt someone come up behind her, but she didn't care enough to turn around.

"Millie? Is that you?" She looked up and saw Mr. Jim staring down at her. He saw the expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and forced a small smile. "Just thinking about someone." He could tell it was something deeper than that.

"I know that look... I know what it's like...to lose someone you love." She suddenly looked straight in his eyes. He looked down at her with so much compassion that she couldn't hold the tears back any longer. He put an arm around her. "Come on, I'll walk you home. A pretty girl like you should be very careful in a dangerous place like this."

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It was late. Meryl had helped Jim get Millie into bed. She was relieved to have Millie back, and Millie didn't seem angry anymore. She was pretty sure Millie would be ready to talk in the morning. After Jim refused a cup of coffee and left, Meryl went to find Vash. He was sitting against the wall looking at Knives' door.

"I shouldn't have brought him here. I only cause trouble," he said quietly, full of self-loathing.

Meryl knelt down beside him. "Vash, what Knives did is not your fault." She took his hand. "Look at me." He did. "Millie and I care about you and we are here by choice. Millie is upset right now, but she's found out a lot today and I think it's completely understandable for her to react the way she did. Just give her some time and everything will be alright. We're here to help you. Afterall, we do owe you our lives."

"Stop. I shouldn't be putting you in danger like this."

She could feel herself growing a little angry at his reaction. Why did he have to think everything was his fault? "Well, what were you supposed to do? Kill your own brother?"

"I...don't know. Maybe." He looked back at his brother's door. "I can't let him hurt anybody else. It's just not right."

Meryl instantly felt guilty when she saw his eyes. "It'll be alright." She leaned in closer. "I'll do whatever I can to help you with your brother."

"I know. Thank you."

"Millie is strong. She'll be alright."

"Okay."

She leaned in and kissed him and smiled. "Come on, let's go to bed."

"I don't know if I should leave Knives unguarded."

"Vash, stop worrying. He's sustained huge injuries. Even if he does wake up, he won't be able to do anything. You can't let yourself waste away because of Knives." She leaned in close. "Besides, I'll make it worth your while..."

He finally turned and smiled at her. "Really...should I get the pudding?"

Meryl laughed as she walked towards her bedroom. "I really don't think we'll need it..."