A/N: Delayed chapter because of Finals. Thanks for waiting!

Trouble Comes In Threes

Vash walked sleepily down the stairs, his eyes avoiding the glare of the morning sun shining through the living room's closed windows. Strolling into the kitchen, he looked around for the short girl. To his disappointment, the room was empty, so he decided to sit down upon one of the chairs and wait for her eventual arrival.

Vash suddenly heard a high pitched scream, followed by another less glass-breaking yell. They joined together for a few seconds, creating a horrible chorus of surprise and shock. Then there was the sound of feet running up the basement stairs, followed by the opening and slamming of the door.

A small blur flashed through the kitchen, setting a plate of food on the kitchen counter and rushing up the stairs. Vash sat on his stool, a stunned and confused look on his face. He was still attempting to figure out who had ran through the kitchen when a noise came from the basement. Standing, the gunman strolled to the closed door and opened the portal, proceeding to cautiously walk down the stairs.

"Vash, what the hell were you thinking!" Wolfwood yelled at the blond entering the basement. Reaching the bottom of the stares, Vash walked to the cell and stood at the bars. He wore a strained frown, the corners of his mouth twitching in humor. The priest angrily stood in the middle of his cell, only a pillow covering his otherwise naked body.

"I'm sorry" Vash said, trying to hide the laughter in his voice. He could only imagine how embarrassed both Meryl and Wolfwood had been when she found him in such a state.

"You idiot!" the naked priest yelled accusingly. "What were you thinking allowing Meryl to bring me my food!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry" Vash answered, a pout covering his face. "I overslept this morning. You know, it's not easy watching you all night and feeding you during the day."

Wolfwood continued to glare at the blond as he watched him walk back up the stairs to retrieve the food tray. Returning, he was released by his friend and given the food, after clothing himself in an outfit kept on the single chair in the room. Grudgingly nodding a thank you for the articles and nourishment, he quickly ate and exited the basement.

Millie now sat at the kitchen table, a smile on her face and eating a bowl of fruit. She said a muffled good morning to the two males, her eyes resting for a moment longer on the priest before turning back to her eating.

"Good morning" Wolfwood said, seating himself down opposite her. Seeing Vash look to the stairs leading to the bedrooms with a thoughtful expression on his face, he knew the gunman was wondering how Meryl was. "Why don't you go see her?" the priest said, sighing at his friend's reluctance.

A goofy grin appeared on Vash's face, but he took Wolfwood's advice and climbed the stairs. Standing before the door to her bedroom, he took a deep breath and tentatively knocked on the door. Hearing no sounds from inside the room, he slowly turned the knob and cautiously opened the door. Boldly pushing his face into the room, he gaped at the sight before him.

Meryl stood rooted in the middle of the room, standing before her bed with a shirt in her hands. She was dressed only in her underclothes, revealing most of her body to the very eager eyes of the gunman. A blush crept across Vash's face as he gazed at the rich, smooth skin before him, never a thought to turning away.

Meryl suddenly found her movement, and her voice, quickly covering her nearly nude body with the small shirt in her hands.

"Vash, what the hell do you think you're doing!" she screamed, scowling at the peeping gunman.

The blond grinned mischievously and entered the room, slowly closing the door behind him. He began to circle her angered form, stepping toward her right to avoid the glare of sunlight behind the closed curtains of the windows.

Meryl inwardly sighed, wondering at the gunman before her as his eyes heated with lust. Vash could outgun even the fastest outlaws, have a best friend who had serious issues with a full moon, and face insanely dangerous situations without a bother; yet his male instincts still controlled his thoughts.

"What do you think I was doing?" Vash asked, his grin widening as Meryl blushed at his insinuating words. "Were you giving me a peep show for a reason?" He stopped at her side, within arm's reach of her figure but not moving to touch her.

Meryl did wonder at his self-control, but the way red was beginning to seep into his eyes she knew he would not last long. Taking a deep breath and consciously telling herself not to make any sudden movements, the young woman slowly turned her body toward his gaze. Dropping her hand holding the shirt, her body heated as a low, possessive growl escaped his throat.

"Vash" Meryl warned playfully, the instinct to run screaming through her mind. "Easy, boy" she soothed, going against her mind and stiffly strolling toward him. A small squeak escaped her lips as Vash swooped in, surrounding her body with his arms and bringing her against his chest.

Vash sighed and nuzzled her hair, the unique scent of the small girl filling his senses. He found himself relaxing into her curving body, a purr rumbling through his chest as he tried to sooth her stiff muscles.

"Vash, we can't" Meryl murmured into his shirt, leaning subjectively into him.

Vash pulled her away, his eyes locking with hers as they stood at arm length. The next moment he found himself the shocked owner of a red hand mark imprinted upon his face, his gaze falling upon the turned back of the small girl who had caught his attention.

"I have to get ready for work now" Meryl mumbled, fumbling the shirt over her head. She had managed to hide her own heated eyes by turning from the delicious blond, but doubted she could keep the charade much longer if he stayed.

Vash smiled knowingly behind her, having caught the smell of Meryl's heated scent, and left her to her preparations. He would have to take the courtship slow, or his body would give out from her repeated abuse. Besides, he loved having the normally controlled woman flustered with his advances.

Outside on the porch, Millie and Wolfwood looked on the scene before them. The townspeople were beginning to emerge from their homes, going about their daily lives with a sense of contentment. They had decided to exit the building after hearing Meryl's screaming accusation, wishing to give the two some space to themselves.

"Will those two ever get together?" Wolfwood mused under his breath, searching for a match in his pants pockets.

"Of course" Millie answered brightly, turning to face him with a big grin.

"Oh?" he questioned, lighting a cigarette in his mouth. "And why is that?"

"Like my big big sister always said, love conquers all."

Wolfwood stared at her for a moment, a small smile showing on his own face. Turning to gaze at the peaceful lives around them, he quietly sighed.

"I sure hope so, big girl, I sure hope so."

Night came all too quickly for the occupants of the house. Wolfwood sighed as he retired to his temporary bedroom, feeling the coming of sundown fast approaching. After locking himself within the cell, he waited for the moon to rise in the sky. He was grateful Vash chose to stay away during the sunrise and sunset hours, feeling slightly uncomfortable with an audience. As he felt the changing coming on, he only hoped the night would not bring any unexpected surprises.

Unfortunately, his wish did not come true as a mist slowly seeped into the basement through the cracks in the mortar. A figure appeared within the shadows of the room, watching as the beast emerged in the priest. The single light from the ceiling illuminated the tall man, showing a young face framed by a hood while one golden eye was covered with the soft hair. When a fully formed werewolf was now pacing the cell, the person smoothly strode over to the monster.

"The Master has a command for you."

In the upper portions of the house, a strange unease lay in the air. Vash and Meryl managed to avoid each other for most of the day, their jobs giving them the perfect reason to have time to cool down. Finally dinner arrived and three of the house's inmates assembled at the kitchen table. Small talk ensued while the gunman waited for his usual hour to visit his imprisoned friend in the basement.

Suddenly Vash sensed something wrong within the house, a feeling which didn't belong and he definitely didn't want. A sudden crashing sound erupted from below, causing their heads to turn toward the closed door. Vash shot out of his seat as a pounding erupted on the other side of the entrance, dents appearing on the thick metal.

"Get outside!" he ordered as the door finally gave from the onslaught.

Wolfwood, fully transformed into the beast, burst from the basement, stopping atop the wounded metal now collapsed on the floor. He snarled at the three faces gazing at him, saliva dripping from his snout as his claws fleshed across the door. The screeching of nails against metal ripped through the silence of the room, making Meryl shiver from the unpleasant noise. Unfortunately, the beast noticed her movement and sprang toward the small woman.

"Meryl!" Vash yelled, grabbing her and sliding over the counter separating the kitchen and living room. He crashed to the floor with a loud thud, the small insurance girl collapsing atop him as his best friend sailed over their bodies.

Wolfwood ran into the door, slamming his head against the wood. The hinges collapsed under the strain and the barrier fell out onto the porch as the beast cleared the boards and landed on the sand, causing dust to rise around his form. With one last snarl toward the house, he sprinted off down the street, a low howl echoing in the night.

Vash quickly stood, also raising Meryl to her feet, and walked over to the broken entranceway. A grim line was set on his mouth as he watched the beast's form disappear into the distance, his hand slowing drifting to the gun within its holster. Turning to the two women standing behind him, he looked to each for a moment, hesitating on the smaller girl's face, and sighed. Staring ahead of himself, he stepped out the door and began walking off the porch.

Suddenly a hand grabbed the back of his red duster, causing him to turn with little surprise. Meryl stood on the steps of the porch, the moon glistening off the metal of her derringers hidden under her cape.

"You're not going alone" she stated firmly, releasing her grip and boldly walking past him. "Millie, you stay her-."

"No!"

Both turned at the raised voice, the tone firm and resolute. Millie stood in the doorway, her stungun held in her hand and her mouth set in a firm line.

"I'm coming with you" she said, her voice showing no other option would be taken. She calmly strode down the stairs and past her gaping friends, following the beast into the night.