Trigun is owned by Yasuhiro Nightow.

Home coming

It was nearing evening when they came upon the town that Stella had spoken of. It was a quaint little town, streamers hung from the houses, leftovers from a festival no doubt, and people mulled about the street in search of yet another party.

Stella leaned her head out the window calling out, "hey everyone! The sisters are back! We need help call the doc!" The people nearest the truck took one look, surprise and then happiness crossing their faces. A teen ran to a near by house rousing the occupants.

Vash looked about the town his expression clear. This town reminded him of the people he had left behind when the final SEED ship crashed. These people most likely grew up with Stella and Meryl as family friends, and even possibly stemmed a few crushes.

Stella was out of the cab and was helping Millie and Nick down. Unlike the look she had given Vash only a few days before she looked on him and Meryl with happiness and contentment.

"What in blue blazes is going on here?" asked a soft aged voice. They all turned to see an older man of at lest fifty shuffling his way to the truck. Knives was still in the driver seat and looked down on the old man with wary eyes.

"Doc Ben. We need your help, Meryl was shot, and she needs the bullet removed." Stella motioned to Meryl who still lay wrapped in Vash's arms.

"Well, well. Haven't seen anything like that in a while, come on now young man bring her over here. I'll get the operating room ready."

Vash nodded vigorously and picking Meryl up gingerly leaped off of the truck and followed 'Doc Ben'.

The teen that had run into the doctor's home came up to them. "Stella, come on. Your place is still here. There is enough room for you and your friends." his dark brown eyes and sandy coloured hair gleamed against his lightly tanned skin.

Stella smiled, and took the offered hand, "thank you Jimmy. And might I say that you have grown quite a bit since the last time I was here."

Knives, Millie and Nick followed quietly behind, still unsure of the people in the town.

Stella called back, "oh by the way this little town is called Meadows."

----

Vash stood near by while Doc Ben looked after Meryl. Vash had refused to leave the room while he worked. Vash wasn't worried that the doctor might try something; it was just that he couldn't bear to let Meryl wake without him there.

"So young man, you must be the great Vash the Stampede." Began Ben, though his attention was all on the prone woman before him.

Vash stilled, wondering how he knew, but answered any way. "Yes I am. How did you know?"

Ben chuckled and said, "Meryl promised that she would not return unless she had found her mate. I just assumed that you were he. When she was last here she had spoken of a lone traveler who went by that name and had been for forty or so years, but still looked the same age."

"How long ago was that?"

"Oh, about thirty years ago, not long by your standards but, heck of a long time for us humans." Vash watched as Ben cleaned Meryl's chest and replaced the blanket over her bared flesh. The tender way in which he touched her instigated another question from Vash. "How well do you know my mate?"

Ben smiled ruefully and looked down on the sleeping Meryl, "I…I was her lover, once."