Trigun is owned by Yasuhiro Nightow.

The Good Doctor

Knives continued to drive while Stella continued to barite him with questions. Meryl was silent and would not answer any of her queries, and she had to get them somehow. Stella had never really been told of this place or this old friend. Vash said nothing; Meryl didn't want to talk to her about it, and Knives just grunted and told her to leave it alone. Stella huffed and crossed her arms over her chest anger bubbling up on her face. Well if they were going to be like that fine, she'd just ignore them.

Meryl could feel Stella's anger with the unwillingness of her companions to tell her anything but she had to leave it to Vash to tell her, this was his 'family' and it was his right to explain it. She looked to Vash who sat holding her close. "Vash."

"Mmm?"

Meryl sighed; this was going to be more difficult then she had expected. "Why are we going there?"

Vash looked back to Meryl then buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. "I don't want you to be mad at me. I…I don't want you to have to defend us alone. I understand that the years on the run you looked after Stella alone but now there are two more of us. Knives and I can do more then just stand there like idiots. We want to protect our mates, plus it is kind of damaging to our male egos to have one lone woman protect us."

Meryl had to let what Vash said sink in. Only after the idea of Knives plus guns equals' piles of dead humans did she blow up though guns never came up, it was obvious what Vash was saying. "WHAT?" she screeched, completely forgetting about Vash not wanting her to be mad. "What do you mean? You're going to get the doctor to make you and Knives new guns? Are you crazy Vash? Do you not remember what he can do with a gun?" Meryl twisted and shuffled in Vash's grip trying to wrap her slender fingers around his neck.

"Meryl, please calm down. Knives won't do anything to upset you, or rather Stella. He knows that she looks down on mass murder and won't go on a killing spree because she would not allow him to touch her." That little statement did absolutely nothing to stem Meryl's anger.

"What? So what just a few murders are ok? Not piles of dead humans? And you believe him?"

Vash sighed and pulled Meryl into a tight bear hug, "no but it's the best I can expect. I'm sorry for upsetting you, but we have to. You can't protect all of us forever, especially with what we are intending on doing. I can't loose you."

Meryl sighed and resigned herself to her motionless position and clutched on to Vash's shirt. "If he goes on a rampage, I'm blaming you." She lamented into his chest.

Vash chuckled, "deal."

----

Knives glanced back at Vash and Meryl as they fought over the decision that he and Vash as the males had every right to make. Seeing the two finally calm down and beginning to drop off to sleep did he look over to Stella. She was still mad at him for not telling her where they were going and was waiting impatiently for them to reach their destination.

"They are what Vash called family."

Stella looked over at Knives, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"I killed many of them trying to get to Vash. It may not be a safe place for me, but you, your sister and Vash will be welcomed."

Stella scooted over to Knives and wrapped her arm over his. "Well you'll just have to prove to them that you're better now. Unless you want to sleep in the desert for the next few days we are there."

"Yes, we'll see."

----

It was mid morning when Knives spotted the downed SEED ship. Vash was already waving exuberantly at the people around the town limits. Stella looked on with fascination, Knives with boredom, and Meryl continued to dose against Vash's thigh. Knives pulled up to a short bald man who greeted them with a genial smile.

Vash jumped out of the back and greeted the man with a bright smile. "Hello Doctor. How are things?"

"Good Vash, very good." Doctor answered. He glanced over to where Meryl was pulling herself out of the back. Her jacket was pulled up tightly against her cheeks and they were red from the cool air. "Welcome back Miss Strife."

Meryl nodded silently and reached out for Vash to help her out. Vash took her and gathered her once again in his arms. Holding her exhausted frame close to his chest.

"Doc, I'd like you to meet Meryl's sister Stella." Said woman peered out from behind Vash and extended her hand to the man.

"Well, well. It's a pleasure to meet you." It was then that Doctor noticed the cold man standing behind Vash. He extended his hand to Knives as well and said, "Welcome to our home, Millions Knives."