Unwanted Protection

Chapter 3

Resentful Meeting

Meryl woke up in a cold sweat. She found herself wound in her sheets, sweating, and uncomfortable. She took a look around her, she wasn't sure where she was, and she had a feeling that something big had happened. Realization sunk in, as she remembered she was in her new apartment, in her newly decorated room. Yet, something still ate at her stomach, and wouldn't let her relax. What happened? She though putting a hand to her forehead, Something happened… Meryl took another look around, outside, there was evidence that it wasn't night anymore, there was a small blue light coming from the window, the walls were a creamy green, and everything seemed quiet and peaceful.

Closing her eyes, Meryl sighed. It all came back to her. The coffee shop, the shooting…the waiter…her bodyguard.

After she had found out about it, the waiter- her bodyguard, had smiled sadly, and waited awkwardly for her to say something. But she hadn't, she had stood gaping, until a medic had come and told him that there was a man that wished to talk to him. Milly had led her to a bench, and hadn't rushed her to talk or anything, she just sat there looking at everyone cleaning up the mess.

Meryl didn't really know why she had acted the way, it was not so surprising, or maybe it was. It was just that the waiter, had seemed so normal, he had fitted in so perfectly, she would have never guessed that he would be the guy that would make her life impossible. He had surprised her with his experience in fights, how he had handled the scene was so…professional…But he is so young! He could only be a year or so older then me! How did he get in something like this? And a professional at that!

They had left the scene when the police had said it was OK to do so, and when Meryl looked around to see if he was still there, she couldn't find him anywhere. Milly had taken her home, and had told her to get a good night's sleep, she would be coming to study a class with her in the afternoon by the latest.

Meryl got out of bed, she didn't want to think about such things in the morning. She would take a bath, and then she would call her dad, like Milly had suggested earlier. Then she would wait for Milly, study a little, go out, and then she would worry about her issue with the young bodyguard. As she looked through her closet, she wondered if her father had known about this. She entered the bathroom, found in the same room, she was thankful for this, she didn't feel like going out of her room in a while really.

The warm water hitting Meryl made her feel refreshed and ready for anything. She would get through this, she knew she would, after all, she was Meryl Stryfe. It would only take a while until she got used to him, then before she knew it, her dad would give up on his paranoia and tell the bodyguard that it wasn't necessary to have him around anymore like always. Yes, this will pass…it's only a matter of time and patience.

Meryl got dressed quickly, with her new energy, she felt she could climb any mountain in her way. As she left the bathroom she noticed that the sun was fully out now, it was just what she needed to have complete control again. She left her room proudly, she would get some breakfast, and then call her dad and ask if he already knew what had happened. She had even started to hum a tune.

Meryl put her laundry in the laundry room, and then strode toward the kitchen, witch was all the way down the hall, by the living room. As she passed the spare room, she didn't even bother to see what had been newly installed in there, all though it would have prepared her for what was waiting for her at the kitchen.

To her, the smell of doughnuts was quite odd, she didn't remember ordering, or buying any at all. She took a closer look at the kitchen, and discovered more then twenty white doughnut boxes stacked on one another in the counters.

"GAH!" she gasped, "What in the world happened here!"

"Oh, I just got hungry, and decided I should get some food before the day started!" A all too familiar voice said from behind her.

She slowly turned around to face who she knew she would see. In front her was Vash, barely entering the apartment, her shriek must have not let her hear him coming in. Not that that would matter, he was as friendly and cheery as ever. He strode toward her, and past her gaping mouth, to one of the boxes, then to the refrigerator. "I think I go enough Milk to last us …um two weeks!" He commented with a mouth full of the doughnut that was just in his hand.

"Um… that's fine…" Meryl managed to say.

"What's the matter? You don't like doughnuts? They are the best things invented in this world!!!"

"No…It's just that…" Meryl trailed on.

Vash then looked at the small girl in front of him, she looked like he was about to shoot her, witch he wasn't. She had emotional gray eyes, and short shinny hair that came down a little farther then her ears. She had a good figure, if he did say so himself, but he pushed that to back of his mind. "You ok?"

Meryl lost it then. How could this happen to her? She had just figured everything out, and he had showed up like nothing! As though he had known her their whole life. And now he was asking her if she was OK????? She had just been bombarded with a man she didn't even know! How could she be OK??? " NO I'm not OK!!A broomhead just appeared out of nowhere ruining my morning!! What are you doing in my apartment in the first place??? Last time I checked, I was living ALONE!! NOW GET OUT!!" She yelled glaring at him.

Vash stared surprised at the small girl. "I didn't know you had so much energy in you! At the store you seemed pretty shy…" he said timidly.

She fumed, he had not gotten the point that she wanted him out! "What-are-YOU-doing-HERE!" she asked again.

"Oh, me? I thought you knew! I'm going to be living with you! It's the only way it'll work out if you don't want to have security cameras, and I don't want to always be watching a TV screen!" he added happily.

"WHAT!!??" Meryl yelled, "when did this happen???"

"This was the plan since the beginning, but I was supposed to move in tomorrow. But then the whole gun thing happened, so we decided to change it for your safety."

"What?" Meryl asked for the tenth time in the morning, this time more softly. She left the kitchen and sat down at her couch. "Why didn't my dad tell me?" she whispered more to herself then to anybody else.

Vash appeared at the corner with a confused look on his face. "You mean you didn't know?" he asked even more timidly, he had no intention in getting the little beast mad again, or more then she already was.

Meryl only shook her head. This can't be happening! I cant live with him!! It's going to kill me! And I'm gonna kill him!

Vash looked around, this was not going as planned, he had hoped to talk to her friendly about the way things would work out, but it seemed as she was in no talking mood. He groaned, this was harder then expected, he thought it would be the easiest thing, but when he found out the girl he was supposed to be taking care of was 19, his hopes went a little down. This was his last chance to get a new life, if he screwed this up…he didn't want to think about what would happen next. He picked up the cordless phone and got closer to the stunned teenager. He crouched down carefully, and lifted her chin up.

The sudden movement made Meryl flush madly, she wasn't used to guys touching her, least her face. His luminous eyes stared at her, hopefully, sadly, and cheerfully at the same time. His smooth voice soothed her. "You can call your dad if you want, I didn't know you didn't know, if I had known, I wouldn't have come in like this, I would have called you first or something…"

Meryl took the phone, and looked around her, "I guess it wouldn't hurt"

Vash nodded, and smile widely. "I'll make breakfast while you call!"

She walked slowly back to her room, while dialing the number to her dad's cell. "Yes it's me Dad…"

Back in the kitchen a relieved Vash opened the fridge and got out some eggs. What in the world did I get myself into? This girl has a short temper, and she obviously doesn't want a bodyguard! She almost fainted when I told her it was me in the coffee incident….Vash was not very convinced that this was going to do any more good then staying where he was in the past. Vash was deep in thought of what he could do, when his phone rang in his pocket. He picked it out, and answered.

"Hello?"

"Vash! I finally got a hold of you! I thought I would never talk to you! Are you in the girl's house yet?" A familiar voice said.

"Wolfwood! Boy and I glad you called! Yes, I am at the 'girl's' house, well, it should be anyway. It's supposed to be an apartment, but it's as big as any house I've been in." Vash answered regaining his famous smile.

"Really? I'm not surprised, I mean, she is pretty rich. Well anyways, I went to the school, you know you are supposed to go to it, maybe you will learn something! But apart from that, I got to know something I think you should know" Wolfwood said carefully.

"What do you mean?" Vash asked

"Well… It's going to be hard for you to be 'normal' because, all these people, they know a lot about the Stryfes, I mean A GREAT DEAL. I wouldn't be surprised if they know more then the girl herself" Wolfwood replied.

"What are you saying? And how could she not notice they know a lot about her?" Vash inquired getting surprised.

"Well, you see, they don't really talk about her in her face, it's more like when she's not around, and today she wasn't around, and whoever was in the College library, was talking some …stuff…"

"Stuff?" Vash was beginning to get a bad feeling about this, even bigger then the one before.

"Well, it was a boy talking about her, he was saying practically every bit of history about them, and how he knows about the attempted kidnapping. He knows all about her mother's death, he knows all about her too! Well this boy, I couldn't see his face, his back was to me. But he was saying how he had a plan to get her money no matter what. He said it would all happen this Friday too. He said something about marrying her..."

"WHAT??? He knows about the kidnapping? Do you think he knows about me? Wait… he wants to get rich by marring MERYL?? Good luck with that!" Vash replied

"I don't think he knows about you, he didn't mention you at all, but you have to stop whatever is going to happen on Friday, because if he somehow does what he wants, you're going to be in trouble." Wolfwood warned steadily.

"What are you getting at Wolfwood?" Vash asked seriously.

"This guy looks like he would do anything to get wants, and I'm not so sure he's gonna be very clear about his intentions to her so he's planning to MAKE her marry him" Wolfwood explained.

"I doubt Meryl will let some guy force her to MARRY her… you don't know her yet…" Vash considered.

"Don't be so NAÏVE! He's not going to force while she knows! There are such things as getting drugged, or drunk!" Wolfwood grumbled.

"Are you serious? Agh! Why can't we just tell her father?" Vash dared to inquire.

"Because… he's not reachable."

"Meryl's just talking to him"

"yes, but after that, he will leave, and we don't want to disturb him! He has already done enough for us, and besides, what if I heard wrong?" Wolfwood reasoned.

"Ehh… I don't know…something isn't right here… I mean, we can't do that!" Vash murmured.

"Just trust me, I need to verify it, as soon as we verify it, we'll tell him" Wolfwood persisted.

"Oh…All right, but you be ready."

"I was born ready!" Wolfwood responded, and then changed the subject. "So how's the girl treating you? I bet she has already tried to flirt with you like all the rest!"

"Actually… no… I think she hates me more then anything else in this world! She didn't even know I was going to live with her! She locked her self in her room and is now talking to her dad. I don't like the feeling of this to be truthful, this job is harder then any one I've ever had!" Vash replied.

"Really? She hasn't flirted? Wow, this is serious! When are you gonna invite me over huh? I want to meat the little girl!" Wolfwood asked

"Well actually why don't you come over now? I mean…I don't want to be alone when she gets back from her room…she might kill me…"

MEANWHLE

Meryl sat in her bed, she didn't feel like going back to the living room after the talk with her dad. He had just told her he was sorry he hadn't told her sooner, but he didn't do it because it was a sudden choice that had happened when she had left his office. That was about all he could say before he had to go.

How am I supposed to live like this? He needs to live with me! Of course Meryl also thought that this shouldn't have come to such a shock to her, after all, a body guard had to follow you everywhere, it would only make it easier if he lived with her as well. "UGH!" Meryl grunted and let herself fall into her many fluffy pillows. She slowly closed her eyes and wished she was back home, when her mom was alive…and her dad actually was home from work…

She didn't know how long she had closed her eyes, but now she heard a soft knock at her door. Meryl stood up, and stretched, the knocking didn't get louder, or got more frequent, it came twice in a steady beat. She opened the door cautiously, outside stood her tall bodyguard. "yes?" she asked a bit too gruffly.

"I don't mean to bother you, or to wake you up…" he started looking down, "… but your friend Milly is here, and she's been waiting for you to come out from your room for the past hour…"

"WHAT?? And you didn't wake me up?" Meryl asked surprised

"We didn't know you were asleep…" Vash explained with a huge laugh.

"That's right, is she still here?"

"Yeah, she's in the living room talking to Wolfwood" Vash smiled

"Wolfwood?" Meryl asked

"Yes, he is my assistant if you want to call it that, he helps me detect any danger towards you or me and warns me as soon as he knows" Vash explained

" He can do this?" Meryl asked suspiciously.

"He was hired by your father…." Vash reminded Meryl.

"Have you got settled down in your room:?" Meryl asked instead.

"Yes, I didn't have much to put in there anyway!" Vash answered scratching the back of his head.

Meryl made her way to the living room where she found Milly, sitting across from a man, a man that looked just as tall as Vash, and just as gruff as any of her other bodyguards. "eh hello" Meryl dared to say.

Milly immediately looked up and smiled" there you are Meryl I thought you were dead! Me and Mr. Wolfwood were just talking here!"

Wolfwood stood up and walked over to Meryl, he offered his hand, as she shook it, he said " Nice to finally meet ms. Meryl!"

"are you also living here?" Meryl had to ask.

"Heavens no! I can't do that, it would look to suspicious! Two boys and one girl!" He said with surprise.

"AND a boy and a girl DOESN'T??? " Meryl demanded.

"This is made to look like you guys are a couple and living together-" Wolfwood was cut off.

"WHAT??? YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BELIVED THAT ME AND VASH ARE A CUOPLE " Meryl exclaimed.

"ehhh" Milly looked from Meryl to a now scared Wolfwood. "Maybe we should get on and study Meryl! We don't know how hard that test is going to be tomorrow…"

"NO WAY IM STAYIN HERE UNTL THEY TELL ME THE WHOLE STORY!!!" Meryl snapped

"There is no story!! Wolfwood just said that to make a joke, he was trying to be funny! He's lying!!" Vash said defensively, he felt like he wanted to live longer and not be murdered by Meryl.

Meryl looked from Vash to Wolfwood and then turned on her heels and headed for her room " Come one Milly"

Milly pardoned herself and followed Meryl without a comment. She couldn't help but smile really big.

"What?" Meryl asked

"You like Mr. Vash don't you?" Milly asked

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? I DO NOT LIKE THAT MAN!!" Meryl screamed.

"eh…. I was just kidding!" Milly said with a smile.

Back in the living room Wolfwood looked at Vash with a startled look. "she sure can scream."

"Yeah, I know…." Vash murmured. "Why'd you make that comment anyway? Did you want me to get strangled or something? She was ready to kill us both!"

"I was just joking! I didn't expect her to act that way, You sure have a lot coming to you!" Wolfwood said with a grin

"Yeah I know…." Vash said with a warm smile, not knowing it would only get worse.