Disclaimer: Hmmm... I own my kids (Because I made them) I own my husband, (Because the Marriage License says so) and I own a REALLY big mortgage. (Because I'm stupid and signed on the dotted line.) However I don't own Trigun. (Because if I did, I wouldn't have said mortgage.)

"blah blah" : talking

'blah blah' : thinking

"blah blah" : telepathic talking

blah blah : other misc. stuff.

Warning: Oh my… another one! Only this time we have LEMON meringue pie! Well… sort of. Okay it's key lime again. However if you prefer lemon meringue over key lime, simple go to my bio page and click on the link to my mediaminer account! ENJOY!

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Forever Mine

Chapter 38: Of Needs and Propositions

McKenna continued to lie there, panting as the lingering effects of the very realistic fantasy were making her ache for more. Knives had purposely sent the images to her. He must have, because she could still feel his presence in her body. She had already wanted him, badly. And now, after that little stunt, her desire for him had increased tenfold. And she knew that going back to sleep immediately would be nearly impossible.

'But why?' the doctor wondered, until she heard his husky voice in her mind.

"Come to me, McKenna. I have a proposition for you."

Without another thought, the charmed redhead rose from her bed and quickly scrambled about her room, grabbing her glasses and robe before rushing out her quarters. A few minutes later, she was practically running out of the elevator and up to the doorway that a tall, handsome man was behind and waiting for her. She just stood there for a moment, staring at the entrance, while trying to control her breathing and keeping her heart from racing. Taking a calming breath, she prepared to knock, until the door opened.

"Oh my," McKenna breathed as she stared at the Plant before her.

Only a few feel away stood Millions Knives wearing only a pair of loose fitting blue pajama bottoms that hung low on his lean hips. His smooth ivory skin was practically calling out to her as she took in his stunning form. Starting at is broad shoulders, she trailed her appreciative gaze downward, memorizing every inch of his beautiful body. She took in the strength of his shoulders and arms, the sinewy muscles of his chest, and the taut stomach that rippled with even the slightest of movements. God, he was simply perfect.

"So, woman, do you like what you see?" Knives asked as he slowly walked up to her. With a dangerous glint in his now indigo orbs, he pulled her into the room and once the door automatically closed, he gently pushed her back against it.

"Ahhh… Knives," Mac whispered has she continued to take in his masculine form that was now less than a feel away from her. She noticed the rise and fall of his chest that was in sync with his heavy breaths and how his normally ice-blue eyes smoldered with a darkened intensity that it made her lose all coherent thought, but one. He was just as affected by the erotic images as she was.

Stepping closer to her, he breathed in deeply to take in her scent before lazily whispering, "Mmmm… lilacs. You remind me of a plant that would bloom in my recreation room every spring. I could never forget the sweet refreshing scent… your scent. It's quite exhilarating."

"Knnn...nives…." She stuttered as he stepped infinitely closer.

"Hmmm…"

"Ummm… you… ahhh… called me here?"

"Hmmm… I did, didn't I," he absently replied, while moving his hands up to her white robe before fingering the material laying on both of her collarbones. "Yes… I have a proposition for you."

"A proposition?" she squeaked out the question, quickly looking downward only to bring into view his tightly muscled abdomen and the waist band of his navy pajama bottoms.

"Yes," he answered, with a hint of uneasiness. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath before opening them on the exhale. "I have been contemplating my theory regarding Meryl's changes and I feel that more research is needed."

"More research?" she asked in confusion, quickly looking up and meeting the Plant's almost anxious gaze.

"Yes. Vash made some valid points and it made me wonder if perhaps more experiments need to be conducted… this time using live test subjects."

"And?"

"And…" he started, while slowly slipping the robe from her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. Then lightly caressing her bare shoulders, he supplied, "Using Vash and Jessica won't due, because Vash will only copulate with Meryl and who knows when he will be with her again. So…"

"So?" she quietly asked as they continued to gaze into each others eyes.

"So… I have decided to use myself as one of the subjects and…" the platinum blonde whispered as he stepped even closer so their bodies touched. "…you are going to be the other. It is for the future of my species, after all."

"Oh… for your species," she muttered sadly, looking down and closing her eyes, while trying to keep the tears away. So, that was it. He just wanted to use her for what she could give him, just like Michael. Only this time, instead of for a career, it was for an experiment.

"Look at me McKenna," Knives said in a caress as he cupped her cheek and gently raised her head. Once her eyes met his, he gave her a concerned look and added, "I sense that does not please you."

"Well… I would love to help you with your experiment… but," she began before trailing off.

"But?"

"Is that the only reason for… ummm… picking me… that is?"

"I…I… no," Knives whispered before trailing off, not really certain if he could admit to his weakness.

"WWW…Why else?" she stuttered, noting the faint tinge of pink rising Knives' cheeks.

"I…I need you, McKenna," the stubborn Plant admitted, right before he saw a tear slip down her cheek.

With a watery smile, she brought her right hand up to his chest and delicately touched him with her index and middle finger. Looking down, she followed her hand's movements and became completely mesmerized with the act. She noted how he shivered at the contact and how his soft skin heated with the tentative touch. Breathing out, she finally replied, "I need you, too, Knives." Right before she brought her lips to where her fingers trailed and started too leave soft kisses.

"Christ woman," he groaned, wrapping his arms around her back. She was doing it again, driving him to distraction. With her soft lips slowly grazing his skin in a caress, she let her hands slip down to his hips, sending ghostlike shivers up his spine. Then she moved her mouth up to his left shoulder and tenderly kissed the fading scar that his brother had given him before trailing a line to the matching one on his right. Then he felt something else lightly dragging along his chest. "Wait,"he half demanded, half pleaded as he pulled away.

"What?" Mac nervously breathed as she looked up to the Plant in confusion. "I'm sorry, I didn't mea…" she continued until he placed his right index finger on her lips to cut her off. Then with out a word, he gave her a small smile before moving a hand upward to remove her glasses.

"Don't move," Knives whispered before walking to the kitchen and setting her glasses on the counter. Quickly, he walked back to stand before her. "There much better, but not quite right," he then said, bringing both of his hands up to caress her arms. Leaning in, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her slowly before pulling away again, his penetrating gaze instantly meeting hers.

He simply stared at her for a few moments, until a sinful smile formed on his handsome face that made his eyes twinkle. Moving his hands up to her shoulders, he fingered the thin straps of cloth that were the only things keeping him from seeing her curvaceous form. All he had to do was take initiative and cross the invisible line. By simply, pushing the material down.

"Knives?" she timidly asked. She didn't know why he was just standing there, staring at her, instead of taking her to his bedroom. However, before Mac could ask the blonde man what he was doing, he gently grabbed hold of the straps and slid them down her shoulders, making the light cotton gown fall to the floor. With a sharp intake of breath, the suddenly flustered woman instinctively lowered her head while covering her chest with her hands.

"Why are you hiding yourself from me?" Knives telepathically asked her, while feeling how uncomfortable she was with her almost complete nudity.

"The lights… you can see me," McKenna nervously whispered as her entire body began to blush. "Only one person has ever seen me naked before and he always told me that he didn't like how I looked. He said I was too fat."

Knives just sighed over her admission, while internally declaring that if he ever met her ex-fiancé he would beat him senseless. "McKenna, lower your hands or I will lower them for you," he demanded, which made her groan, because she knew that he meant that he would take over the function and mentally lower them. With a muttered 'all right,' she slowly moved her hands and let them dangle at her sides. Once lowered, the platinum blonde stepped back, so, he could take a better look at her voluptuous body. One word came to mind as let his approving gaze wander…

Beautiful.

McKenna looked like she had stepped right out of a painting from Botticelli. Her full breasts with nipples taunt from arousal that looked like wild strawberries just waiting to be picked. While her waist was tiny and flared out to well-rounded hips before slimming as they progressed downward toward her shapely thighs and legs. Her full curves so inviting, that they made him want to bury himself into her softness and never leave.

With a groan escaping his parted lips, Knives stepped back up to her and lifted her chin making her look into his eyes long enough for her to recognize the acute lust swirling in their azure depths. The very next instant, he swooped down and claimed her lips in a kiss that bound them to each other for all eternity. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her infinitely closer as she wrapped her own arms around his neck and stood on her tippie toes.

"Knives," Mac breathed after he pulled away from her mouth and started to kiss down her left cheek to her neck where he started to suck and leave sporadic little bites that were sure to leave marks.

"Hmmm…" he sent back telepathically, not wanting to stop his assault that was now leading down to her collarbone.

"Bedroom," she moaned right before he brought his mouth back up to hers and kissed her with such passion, that she whimpered over the intensity. Then without breaking the kiss, Knives tightened his hold around her waist as he pick her up and carried her into his bedroom.

That night he learned that there was definitely more to the human race than what his brother would have ever been able to show him. They were also passionate and amorous creatures that loved to show their emotions for one another in the most satisfying of ways. He also realized something else…

Plants were the same way.

And he learned it all from a petite and fiery redhead with a big attitude and an even bigger heart.

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"So, watcha gonna do, Needle-noggin?"

"I…I don't know," Vash sighed as he sat up in the dreamscape and rested his arms on his bent knees. "I'm so confused."

"Well now that doesn't surprise me," Wolfwood muttered as he continued to lay on the flowing expanse of blue with his arms cradling his head and a cigarette in his mouth.

"And just what do you mean by that, preacher man?" the outlaw defensively asked, assuming that the man in black meant it as an insult.

"It means… exactly what it sounds like, Vash," the preacher simply stated, throwing the cigarette butt in the air and it disappearing right before his eyes. Then sitting up as well, he added, "I think that what you need to do is rather obvious."

"Oh yeah… and just what is that Wolfwood?"

"Well… you do love her don't ya'?"

"So much that it hurts."

"Then it's simple, really. You need to break off your engagement and go after short stuff."

"But Meryl left me! Remember?" Vash sadly pointed out as his whole expression became dreary. "If she wanted me, she would have stayed."

"Did you ever think that maybe she left because she knew that it would have been too hard on the both of you to see each other daily, especially knowing that you two couldn't be together," he simply supplied. "You know the old saying, if you love someone set them free… blah, blah, blah," he then added as he raised his left hand and rolled it at the wrist every time he said 'blah.'

"I know the saying… Vash sighed before finishing the ancient phrase, "If they come back then it's meant to be."

"Well, I think Meryl is simply waiting for you to come back, Tongari."

"I'm not so sure about that. I…I mean… I really hurt her and she probably hates me now. Besides, I don't deserve her."

"No… you don't Vash. But, for some crazy reason she picked you anyway," Wolfwood said as a lit cigarette floated from the sky. Catching it with the thumb and forefinger on his right hand, he brought it to his lips and sucked on the filter. Then on the exhale, he added. "Besides, you won't know for sure until you seek her out and talk to her."

"BBB…But I'm still an outlaw and it would be too dangerous for her to be around me," he stammered making his aqua eyes go glassy as the tears welled. "It's probably better for her to settle down with some attorney or doctor…"

"Don't be an idiot!" Wolfwood exclaimed in irritation, cutting of the blonde right before he reached over and smacked him up side the head. "Now you're just grasping for straws! You know damn well that she can take care of herself. The sixty billion double-dollar bounty never bothered you before, why now? Is it because you're afraid of rejection, Tongari?"

"I…I don't know…" Vash whispered again before trailing off.

"Whatever Vash," Wolfwood muttered with a roll of his eyes right before he laid back down, placing his head in his arms. Closing his eyes, he sighed loudly before asking what Vash's plans were for Jessica. However, his question was never answered since Vash remained quiet. Opening an eye, he looked over to the golden blonde and repeated the question, "Vash, what are you going to do about Jessica?"

"Well, I do know what I am going to do about her," Vash finally replied as he looked back to his friend gave him a small smile.

"Well?"

"I'm going to talk to her in the morning and tell her that I can't marry her."

"Miracles never cease. A least your halfway back to your senses," Nicholas said with a big smile. Then with a chuckle, he added, "You had better wake up then… It's morning."

.

Rolling over, Vash opened his eyes and looked up to the sky. The early morning sunrise was verifying that it was time for him to rise and start another day without Meryl by his side. Only this time it was different, he wasn't hung-over and the empty feeling inside didn't seem quite so vast. He felt something else there. It was a spark, a shimmer of light called hope.

Wolfwood was right, what he needed to do was simple. Well, at least theoretically. All he had to do was tell Jessica that he couldn't marry her and then go to December and retrieve his short-girl. Then tell her that he couldn't live without her, get married, have tons of kids, and live happily forever after. The only problem was that he didn't know if she wanted to be retrieved or not. And Wolfwood was again correct in his assumptions. Vash was afraid of rejection.

No, he wasn't afraid. He was terrified.

"What if she found someone else?" he asked to himself, while sitting up and looking around their secret spot. He knew if Meryl did, then he would die from a broken heart. Though, he figured that it was something that he deserved, especially since he did it to himself.

Or even worse, what if she did take him back, only to be gunned down because of the sixty billion double-dollar bounty? Unfortunately, he already knew the answer to that. He would simply drop his gun, let the bounty hunters kill him and take his corpse to the Feds. After all, if she were dead then what would the point of living be?

"I'm not really living now though am I," Vash muttered before standing and stretching, in order to remove the sleep from his long limbs. With a wide and loud yawn, he scratched his head before turning his attention to the door. He needed a shower and then, at very least, tell Jessica of his decision. Once he got that out of the way, he could make up his mind about whether he should retrieve Meryl or not.

"Hmmm… maybe I should ask Knives first," he then mumbled, making his way to the door.

A short time later, Vash entered his quarters not even noticing the small pile of white cotton in the doorway, subconsciously stepping over the mass. Scanning the room, he noticed a pair of glasses on the counter and thought it was strange for them to be sitting there. But, what was even stranger was that Knives wasn't at the table drinking a cup of tea. 'Maybe he's already down in the infirmary,' the younger twin absently thought, until realizing that he could feel that his brother was still in bed, which was even more unusual. After all, Knives never slept in.

Immediately deciding to make sure his brother was okay, Vash walked back to his twin's bedroom. However, his trek was instantly halted once he reached the room. Simply standing in the doorway, he openly gaped at the sight before him. There was Knives lying on his side in bed, which (not including that it was past dawn) normally wouldn't have been too abnormal. Except for the fact that he had his arms wrapped around another person, a woman, a naked woman with curly red hair, who was nuzzling into his brother's chest.

"Holy shit," Vash exclaimed at the site, instantly waking his brother.

"Shhh… she is still asleep you idiot," Knives mentally bit out right after he opened his artic-blue eyes and glared at his twin. Then with a sigh, he pulled away from his little mate and slipped out of the bed. Grabbing his pajama bottoms from the floor, he put them on before ushering his stunned brother back into the living area.

"Ahhh… Knives," Vash started right after he shook his head to make sure what he saw was real. "That was red in your bed… and naked!"

"And?" Knives questioned as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"And you were naked, too!"

"So!"

"I…I mean you… ahhh… did it and with McKenna," the outlaw stammered in disbelief. "I thought you said that it sounded disgusting?"

"Vash, you said that you didn't believe that my hypothesis was correct. So, I decided to take the experiments to the next level and use live test subjects. And since you told me that you couldn't fornicate with Jessica, then that left me with only one alternative," he simply replied as he ran a hand through his mussed hair. "So, I decided that I would donate my body for the tests. It's for the good of our species, after all."

"Yeah right… I had a feeling you had the hots for her," Vash blurted out as a glimmer of mischief appeared in his aqua eyes. "So… how was it?"

Knives just smirked at his brother's choice of words, especially since he knew that it was significantly more than just having the 'hots' for her. He had a feeling that Vash knew it, too. Then he had the audacity to ask how it was, which made his smirk turn into a deviant smile and his eyes sparked. It was indescribable, the intense feelings too strong to put into words and the sense of sharing it all with her was beyond anything he had ever imagined. However, instead of admitting all of that, he replied, "I am not entirely certain, yet. I believe that I will need to collect quite a bit more data before I can give you a definitive answer."

"I bet you will…"he retorted back with a chuckle until his perverted mind kicked into gear and was about the act on it, until Knives verbally stopped him.

"Don't you even ask it, brother, let alone think it," Knives said, eyes narrowing, as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Oh man… I was just curious," Vash whined as he scratched the back of his head.

"Vash, what do you want?" the platinum blonde asked, trying to steer his brother's thoughts back to what he initially wanted.

"Well… I have decided to break off my engagement to Jessica and I wanted to know if you think I should go after Meryl?"

"You're… asking me?" Knives muttered in disbelief. He couldn't believe that Vash was actually asking him advice on his love life.

"Well yeah."

"Why?"

"Because you are my brother," Vash indicated with a warm smile, which made Knives smile back.

"Well… when are you going to tell the little twit of your decision?"

"I'm planning on going to Jessica's right after I take a shower."

"Very well," Knives started as he brought his hand up to his chin and rubbed as if in thought. "Are you showering here?"

"I don't have to. I guess I could get a change of clothes and go across the way again."

"Okay… why don't you do that… then go and tell you're soon to be ex-fiancé. Meet me in the infirmary once you're done," Knives commanded as he started to walk back to the bedrooms with Vash following. Stopping in the short hallway, Knives advised Vash that they would go over the details then before he turned to head into his room. However, before he shut the door the older sibling turned back to his brother and telepathically added, "Oh and Vash…"

"Yeah?"

"She is a natural redhead," he mentally said with a big grin, which made the golden blonde laugh out loud as he walked into his room to grab some clothes. Knives then shut the door and turned to head over to his bed where he left a sleeping doctor. Once there, he stared at the sleeping beauty before him and smiled. She deserved the extra bit of sleep she was getting, especially since he kept her up half the night making love.

Now he knew why Vash couldn't keep his hands (amongst other things) off of Meryl, because one time would never be enough. And just the thought of making love with McKenna again made his blood sing with anticipation. Unfortunately, it was getting late and he knew that she should already be in the infirmary. However, his desire for her was getting the better of him and he decided that he just had to have her again.

Then an idea came to mind and he quickly opened his senses to locate the Doc. Knives mentally conversed with the older looking man for a few minutes until he severed the connection and smiled over his stroke of genius. He then quickly removed his pants before crawling back under the covers and pulled McKenna into his arms.

"Hmmm… what time is it?" McKenna mumbled as she snuggled into his embrace.

"Almost 8:30," he replied as he pulled her infinitely closer and brought her left leg over his thigh before cupping her bottom.

"What!" she cried before pulling away from the Plant, trying to scurry off the bed. However, Knives grabbed onto her hips and pulled her back so that her derriere rested snugly against his enthusiastic groin. "Knives let me go! I have to get to work."

"No," he simply stated as he moved her hair and started to nibble on her neck. "I'm not through with you yet."

"BBB…But, Oh God… that really feels good," she groaned, his sensual mouth making her lose her train of thought. "No… I still have to take a shower and only Carla is in the lab," she said weakly, while trying not to give in to the temptation of having Knives make love to her again.

"I just talked to the Doc and told him that you were helping me with an experiment. He's going to the infirmary now to tell your assistant to contact him if any problem arises," he muttered in between kisses, while he moved his right hand to tease her breast. "Now, what did you say about a shower?" he then whispered in her ear before lightly biting down on her fleshy lobe.

"I sss…said I need to… ahhh… shower," McKenna breathed before she turned in his arms and kissed him heatedly.

"Woman, you just had another good idea," Knives said after drawing away from her inviting lips. Then with a twinkle in his cerulean blues, he slipped out of the bed and pulled the redhead with him. Picking her up, he proceeded to carry her to the bathroom, with the intent to fulfill the very erotic fantasy that he just loved to enter her mind for.

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YAAAY Knives got lucky! Wolfwood was right maybe he did just need to get laid! ;o) Hey, what can I say women ARE amazing creatures, after all! And I'm not just saying that because I am one! You can ask my hubby and he'll readily agree (Don't mind me standing behind him with a softball bat in my hands when he tells you I'm right )

Okay, on to my favorite part of the evening… time to bow down and say 'I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy' (I feel a Wayne and Garth moment… SHA… as if! ;o) )

YAAAY for more fanart! Check out SilverMoons BlackWings beautiful pictures of Mac and Knives together! I have a link set up on my bio page! Oh' such talent…

Until next week!

Kisses,

Aine