Trigun is owned by Yasuhiro Nightow.

The gun and the woman

Meryl heard the cry and pulled the blanket up off herself and Vash and said, "everyone out, pack what you can and find us fast transport out of here." Millie and Nick nodded their heads, used to being told what to do. Stella and Knives were a different matter. After Millie and Nick had left Knives glared at Meryl.

"Who are you to tell me what to do woman?"

Meryl sighed and stood the blanket wrapped tightly around her waist while Vash held their shared pillow over his naked manhood. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and looked up at Knives through her bangs. "Do not presume that I am easily dominated. I have looked after Stella and myself for over a hundred years. Do as I say I have dealt with Seed before, now you will do what is in our best interest or you will loose your precious mate. Now go." Meryl growled and glared at Knives until he mumbled back and left saying something about a car under his breath.

Meryl sighed and sat back down. "Do you have my clothes?"

Stella nodded and pulled out from her bag a black wrapped cloth. "I…I also have your guns…if you need them." and Stella rose quickly and left the room also mumbling about a car.

Meryl sighed and took the cloth. Wrapped inside was a long black leather duster (something a kin to what Vash had worn) and matching pants. There was a black shirt that looked like it had been wrapped in red fabric to cover tears on the existing fabric.

"Umm Meryl what's that?" asked Vash as he pointed to the clothing that now covered the bed beside him.

"That Vash is what I wore when we were running. It's quite practical. So get dressed we haven't much time. They will surround the house before they make a move and we have to be ready to leave before that." Meryl dropped the blanket and began to dress.

Vash sat looking over his insurance girl as she dressed, fascinated by her body and how the cloth and leather clung to her curves. Meryl tossed Vash his tattered shirt and said, "Vash enough gawking, get dressed already." She turned away reaching out for her and Stella's shared bag when she saw the glint of metal. Meryl took a quick glance to Vash and was glad when she found his back turned. Meryl closed her eyes and pulled the guns from the bottom of the bag. This was the first time she had handled the guns since that day. They were heavier then she remember and far dirtier. Stella was right she hadn't touched them since then.

She had to make a decision, there were four more of them on the run and she needed someway to protect them all. She knew Knives had no qualms about killing but Vash and Stella never liked the idea and they could only do so much. Taking another quick glance at Vash, Meryl wrapped the holster to her hips and settled the guns in their home.

Grabbing the bag she heard Millie and Nick enter the house. "Vash." Vash looked up from putting his boots on and smiled softly at Meryl. "It's time we left."

-----

Vash and Millie were watching the street from inside, their eyes scanning for any movement and waiting for the queue from Knives and Stella. They had 'bought' a truck and were waiting for the suns to begin to set to get out. Many of the men gathered to capture them weren't the smartest out of the barrel and they were hoping that this change in plans would throw them for a loop.

Meryl had the moment that Vash and Millie had taken up posts at the door and window handed one of her guns over to Nick to clean, while she did the other one. Nick knowing what it meant to clean them kept his mouth shut and made sure that it was in working order. Every so often he glanced over to Meryl to see her eyes clouded over with thought. To have to use these weapons again must have taken a great deal of effort. If she had avoided them for so long it only meant that now, the people around her were more important then her fear and trepidation.

'Sister.' Came Stella's voice. Meryl stopped in her movements and tapped lightly on the floor catching everyone's attention. 'I'm here Stella, what's happening?'

'They are starting their attack sooner then we expected. You have to move now. We're ready, so be prepared for my signal.'

Meryl relayed the message and they stood at the door, Nick first, Millie next, then Meryl and lastly Vash taking up the rear. Nick silently passed Meryl her gun and she replaced it. She could feel Vash's eyes on her but there was nothing that she could do about it. He had left the guns that Knives had made in the desert. There was no way for him to help other then to take a bullet and that was something that Meryl did not want.

Vash was well knew there was nothing for him to do and putting aside his distaste for what he was making his mate do he wrapped his arms around her, giving her silent consent and love for what she was willing to do. Meryl began to melt into his embrace when she felt Stella scream in her mind, and a second later the roar of an engine.

"There they are!" Nick whispered fiercely and he swung the door open.

The truck rolled up and Nick tossed Millie in then reached out for Meryl. Vash followed soon after with Nick and Knives hit the gas.

They could hear the cries to catch them and the barrage of bullets that never hit their target. Meryl had Millie's head in her lap and was trying to hold herself upright. The guns on her back bounced and shrieked for use.

"SHIT!" yelled Knives as they neared the exit of the town. The thugs had placed a barrier to try and stop them if they made for an escape. Meryl gritted her jaw and reached over into the cab's front seat and pulled the other heavier duffle back that Stella had brought.

"Have you finished the adjustments Stella?"

Stella looked back and forth, her mouth unable to form the proper words.

"Fine then I'll just have to use it the way it is." Meryl reached up and torn open the tarp that covered the back of the truck. She fell back to her knees as she pulled out a long metal pipe, a shoulder butt, and the cartage. Screwing and snapping the pieces together she brought it up and over the torn fabric and spread her legs while trying to support the weight of the over sized gun. She took aim at the centre of the blockade and screamed over the wail of the engine and gunfire to Knives to 'put the peddle to the metal and don't slow down'. Knives said nothing but did as he was told. Nick, Millie and Vash looked on amazed. The short insurance girl really wasn't what they had thought she was.

Meryl breathed deeply readying herself for the after shock of the gun and fired. The kick was so much so that it literally threw her back in to the floor of the truck. Knives never stopped as they drove threw the shrapnel and fire of the after math of the weapon that Meryl had so skilfully used.

Meryl pulled herself back up and breathed a sigh of relief. She grinned up at Vash as he continued to stare at her wide-eyed.

"They're still coming!" yelled Nick. He had Millie sheltered under him as gunfire once again erupted over their heads. Vash fell over Meryl covering her, protecting her.

'We aren't going to make it.' Meryl heard Stella's saddened assumption. Meryl knew there was a way to get out and if she had to sacrifice a shoulder so be it. She shoved Vash to the floor and threw her back against the back; the gun nestled against her chest. She held it up and took aim. Their pursuers were in an arrow formation and with the power of the gun she could easily stop half the cars and trucks following them. She took aim and saw that someone else was as well. Exhaling her breath she fired just as her counter part did. The bullets flew by one another; Meryl's taking out more then half of the vehicles while the other bullet no bigger then a child's pinkie penetrated its way into Meryl's chest, the massive gun fell heavily to the floor, smoke rising from the over cooked barrel.

The bullet buried its way deep into her body and smacked her head against the back of the cab. Nick too concerned with the fallen pursers yipped his pleasure. While Millie looked at Meryl, fear once again present in her eyes. Vash on the other hand screamed Meryl's name and pulled her body to him. He cradled her prone form to him, trying to call her back.