A/N: A long and inexcusable wait...apologizing wouldn't even cover the time.
Retreating From War
"Nicholas!" Millie screamed as she dove to catch him, managing to reach her hands beneath his head before he collided with the floor. "Nicholas, are you alright!" she yelled as she cradled his head in her lap, fighting back tears of fear as she turned to the blond gunman behind her. "Mr. Vash, will he be all right?" she asked, looking toward the gunman gently setting down the tiny bundle.
"Let me look at him" he spoke quietly, kneeling down beside the wounded werewolf. Grimly he looked at the bleeding holes over Wolfwood's body, lines of worry on his face. However, a small smile soon spread across his lips as he leaned back, turning to Milly with softly glowing eyes. "He's lost a lot of blood but he's gonna be fine. He's been in worse shape than this."
"That's wonderful!" Millie cried out, hugging the still unconscious preacher to herself.
"Uh, Millie?" Vash asked, his eyes gazing toward his unconscious friend with a look akin to horror.
"Yes?" she replied innocently, looking up from her love with a wide smile.
"I think he's having trouble breathing" he answered, pointing to the heavily breathing man in her arms.
"Oh, sorry" she said, loosening her grip with a small laugh. "I forgot how strong I was."
"You'll have to get used to it" Vash reprimanded softly with a smile, standing to his feet. "Now, help me get him to your bedroom" he spoke, taking Wolfwood's feet.
"Okay" Millie responded, wrapping her arms under the preacher's own.
Together the two carried Wolfwood's prone figure to the bedroom across the hall, setting him gently upon the bed. Soon he lay still among the sheets and pillows, his wounds dressed and his breathing even. With Meryl in no danger, Millie decided to stay with the preacher while Vash returned to his room. Closing the door behind him, he looked with a wide smile at both mother and child curled up against one another. He quietly walked over to the bed and lay down behind his wife, falling asleep quickly.
The next morning Millie awoke to a movement in the bed, her eyes opening slowly to an empty space beside her. With a sudden rush of adrenaline did she sit up, looking about her wildly for signs of Wolfwood. To her relief she saw him standing next to the bed looking out one of the windows, a cigarette in his hand as his eyes looked out onto the town. Sensing someone watching him he turned toward her and smiled softly.
"Nicholas, what do you think you're doing?" Millie scolded, standing and walking over to him. "You shouldn't be out of bed until all your wounds are healed."
"They are" he answered, opening his shirt to reveal a bare, and unwounded, chest. "Thanks to you and Vash. At least, the broomhead could never have pulled off these bandages" he spoke, putting out his used cigarette in a tray by the bed.
"I was so worried last night" Millie now said with a small pout, turning her back on him and walking toward the door. "You can't go off alone next time, okay?" she asked firmly, looking back as she put her hand on the knob.
"I think you're going to make sure of it, honey" Wolfwood responded with a good natured smile, walking over to Millie and wrapping his arms around her.
"Then it's agreed" she spoke, looking up to the preacher's face with a smile of her own. "Now it's time for breakfast and I need to check on Meryl."
"Yes ma'am" Wolfwood said, releasing his grip and following her out into the hall.
Their mission to the kitchen, however, was interrupted as Vash exited the other bedroom, his eyes tired but otherwise alert. He nodded happily to them, though the strains on his face showed he had important questions on his mind. The two nodded their heads silently in return, leading the way downstairs as he followed.
Soon they were congregated in the kitchen, all smiles gone at the seriousness of the business they were about to discuss. The first question asked was what had taken place outside, of which Wolfwood recounted the events.
"So it was Legato" Vash stated, his face grim as he stood looking to the two people seated at the table.
"Yeah" Wolfwood replied, lighting a cigarette to calm himself. "And the both of them mean business this time. There's no escaping a confrontation."
"Then we can't stay here any longer" Vash announced softly, shaking his head sadly. "Knives knows where we are and how weak we are, so it's only a matter of time before he attacks the house again."
"I agree" Wolfwood said, leaning back in his chair as he looked to the gunman. "The sheriff is also going to want to know what happened at the insurance agency. However," he added, peering at the gunman through narrowed eyes. "Where do you suggest we go? In case you haven't noticed, Meryl's in no shape to go bouncing around in a truck and we don't have much money left."
"I know of someone who lives not too far from here" the blond answered hesitantly, seating himself in an empty chair. "He might be able to help us."
"You've never told me about this guy before, so what's the catch?" Wolfwood asked, lighting a cigarette as he waited for his answer.
"He doesn't like to be bothered" Vash replied grimly, though he noticeably averted his eyes away from the two.
"But if he's old friends with you, shouldn't he want to help, Mr. Vash?" Millie asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.
Wolfwood took a puff on his cigarette, his eyes practically boring into Vash's as he suddenly nodded his head.
"There's something else you're not telling us, is there?" he gently accused, sitting up in his chair. He held up his hand in silence as the gunman began to speak, shaking his head. "You probably have your reasons, and right now we don't have time for a long story."
"Yeah" Vash agreed, standing to his feet. "I think we need to find something better than the truck. Meryl's not going to like the bouncing in the bed." He then turned toward Millie, his voice tinged with unusual seriousness. "Millie, you stay here and watch Meryl while we're gone."
"Okay" Millie said, her face brightening up as she looked to the two men. "And while you're out, can you get some milk for the baby?"
"Millie, you're a miracle" Wolfwood said as he stood, giving the big girl a smile. "Anyway, we'll be back in no time, so don't worry too much."
"Oh, that's all right Nicholas" she answered, herself standing to her feet. "I'll have everything packed before you come back."
"Nicholas?" Vash teased as they made their way out the door.
"Don't start, broomhead."
Several hours later found the duo with one less truck and, minus a few hundred double dollars, as comfortable a car as they could buy. However, their search for milk had turned up in vain, leaving the two to return without anything for the child to drink. They entered the home in a slightly subdued manner, both heading upstairs when they found Millie to be missing from the downstairs rooms.
"Has she woken up yet?" Vash asked, stepping toward the bed quietly.
"No" Millie answered, hints of worry in her voice. "She won't wake up no matter how much I shake her. Is something wrong with her, Mr. Vash?"
"No" the blond responded, shaking his head sadly. "This is natural after a lot of energy's been used" he explained, kneeling down beside the sleeping insurance girl. "Meryl" he called softly, gently nudging her shoulder. "Meryl, you have to wake up."
"Nnngggg" Meryl grumbled quietly as her eyes slowly opened, blinking against the bright sunlight shining through the windows.
"Wolfwood, could you close the curtains?" Vash asked, smiling as Meryl pulled the covers over her head. Gently he pried them off her as the suns were blocked, giving a small chuckle at both mother and child hiding beneath the blankets. "Meryl" he whispered in a teasing voice, shaking her shoulders. "You have paperwork to do."
"That's not funny" she muttered between the pillows, her eyes opening sleepily as she blinked around at the people surrounding her. Turning her head, she smiled soothingly at the child still asleep beside her, his eyes shut tight in contentment. "So much trouble" she whispered lightly, running a hand through a tuft of black hair visible atop his head. "Just like your father."
"Hey"Vash whined, his goofy grin appearing on his face. "It's not my fault he didn't want to come" he pouted, settling his head upon her lap with a puppy dog look in his eyes.
"Oh no" Meryl said, raising herself to a sitting position and crossing her arms over her chest. "If you hadn't be-"
However, her words were rudely broken off as the child beside her suddenly awoke, squirming in the blankets. Soon he began to cry, bringing about a turn in the conversation.
"Oh, Mr Vash, did you get the milk?" Millie asked, looking between the two men questioningly.
"No" Vash responded, shaking his head. "There wasn't any in the entire town. Besides" he added somewhat sadly, looking to the tiny bundle beside Meryl. "I don't think milk will work."
The room fell silent as each contemplated the new revelation, though the mother looked about with an expression of confusion.
"What do you mean?" Meryl asked with rising alarm, gently picking up her baby and cradling him to her breasts. "If milk won't help him, what will?"
"I think you're going to have to give him some of your blood."
"What!" she cried out, apparently causing further discomfort to the child as his cries grew louder. "Millie, could you please take him for a moment?" she asked, smiling slightly as her friend took the crying child. Then she turned her full focus on the blond still kneeling beside the bed. "Why?" she asked simply, her face stern and waiting.
"When vampires, even half vampires, grow weak they need to take in energy in large amounts" he explained slowly, his face turning into a frown as he tried to find the words to clearly explain. "The birthing wasn't very hard on you, and you were able to sleep to get back most of the lost energy. However, our child had a tougher time and needs some food right now."
Silence reigned as Meryl sat there stiffly, her body shaking with fear for the child she had only just given life to. After a long moment she breathed deeply, dispelling some of her quivering, and looked Vash straight in the eye.
"Is that...I mean, will he be...all right?" Meryl asked nervously as her fingers fidgeted in her lap.
"He can't become a full vampire unless he dies by one" Vash assured her, giving a comforting smile. "Though I don't know what would happen if he died of thirst" he added grimly, holding his palm out face up.
Meryl hesitated for a second before nodding her head in understanding, placing her hand within his with her own palm facing upward. She winced only slightly as Vash ran a suddenly long, hardened nail over her open hand, shakily watching as Millie handed the baby to Vash. The blond the placed the babe within her own arms, careful that she was able to hold the child while not spreading blood over the blankets.
"Let him suckle on your hand" he gently but firmly ordered, watching in fearful fascination as she did as was told.
At first the babe pushed against her hand, screaming louder as Meryl tried to get him to swallow some of the dripping fluid. Soon, however, he learned what she was trying to do and latched his mouth around her wound, happily taking in the much needed nourishment. Everyone in the room let out a sigh in unison, smiles appearing on their faces as the babe took in what he needed and pulled back. Soon he was burped and had once more fallen asleep, full and content in his mother's arms.
"Well, now that that's taken care of, we should be going now" Wolfwood spoke, looking out the windows toward the high sun to emphasize his point.
"Going? Going where?" Meryl asked, watching as Millie began packing their things out of the room.
"I know a safer place we can go" Vash explained, standing and gently taking the child from Meryl's arms. "And we don't have much time to get there."
Meryl nodded her head, jumping out of the bed and hurriedly grabbing some clothes which had been laid out for her by Millie. Quickly she changed out of the nightgown she had been wearing and joined the others waiting outside, bundling the child in several blankets before taking a comfortable seat in the two door vehicle they had acquired.
Soon they were traveling over the sand, the town they had made their home just a memory as the car speeded toward their new destination. Very little was spoken as the time passed, most just preferring to keep to their own thoughts and watch the suns travel across the sky. However, the monotony was broken after several hours of driving by a sudden announcement.
"There it is" Vash spoke, everyone turning their attention ahead as in the distance buildings could be seen.
No one spoke as they reached the outskirts of the large settlement, each looking around at the many buildings lining the streets ahead. However, their faces soon showed confusion as the roads held no traffic, the area being entirely devoid of any living thing.
Silently the car stopped before a large bar, the five of them getting out of the car and looking around with not a little apprehension. Turning to the bar, however, the group shuffled their way along the quiet street to possibly get some food. Each of the companions looked around the silent area with apprehension, not even the sound of a tomas breaking the unusually calm air. In silent agreement Vash stepped ahead of the others, settling his hands on the swinging doors and pushing them open.
Suddenly he stepped back with a shocked cry, his hands letting the doors swing freely as the others froze in their tracks.
"What's wrong, Mr. Vash?" Millie asked, her eyes going between the blond and the moving slabs of wood. "Is there no one in there?"
Biting on his cigarette, Wolfwood pushed his way past the frozen Vash and slammed through the doors. However, he stopped in his tracks in the doorway as his mouth dropped open, his head moving slowly from one side to another. Millie and Meryl looked to each other, nodded their heads both in determination and resignation, and slowly looked around Wolfwood. Their mood changed to horror at they saw what lay beyond.
Piled high along the floor lay dozens of bodies, the tables and chairs piled around them as though a child had built a fort of protection. Men and women alike were gathered around the center of the bar, their clothes torn and bloodied with a losing fight. Limbs lay scattered about, some along the bar while others had been nailed to the walls. Empty eyes silently watched the intruders of the death room, as if accusing them of the atrocities which had taken place.
Vash, as if a curse had been lifted, suddenly dashed away from the building, sprinting straight across the street to a neighboring store. However, looking at the windows he knew the same carnage had taken place, the glass so stained with blood he could barely see through into the shop. The bodies of several women and children were arranged the same as the bar, their violent struggle against an unknown assassin apparent with the scattered remains of the shop goods around their decomposing bodies.
"The entire town is dead" Wolfwood spoke softly behind him, the rough tone of anger evident in his voice. "Murdered by Legato. Not too long ago, either."
Vash turned from the window and looked at the empty streets in dismay, his face long and his eyes wide. His teeth suddenly gritted against each other as the tears continued to roll down his face.
"Knives" he said between clenched teeth, his eyes glowing red for a second as he fisted a shaking hand. "He knew we were coming and did this."
"Vash" Meryl spoke softly, stepping to his side and still carrying their child. She gently placed a hand upon his shoulder, the gesture somewhat calming the distraught gunman. "We can't do anything for them" she explained, fighting back tears as she looked into the window of the shop.
"He can't be dead" Wolfwood heard the gunman mutter, raising a brow in question as he looked at him. Meryl also turned at the strange words, hugging the child in her arms closer as she stepped toward the blond
"The person we're supposed to meet?" Wolfwood asked, turning to look down the deserted street. "If he is dead, then there's nothing we can do for him now."
For a long moment Vash appeared to merely look out into the distance, his eyes concentrating yet unfocused. Wolfwood, confused by his friend's unusual behavior, was about to interrupt this spell when the gunman suddenly literally jerked out of his thoughts. He turned his head toward the west, the opposite way they had come, and nodded his head.
"He's not dead" Vash confidently spoke, looking to the people surrounding him as Millie walked up beside Wolfwood. "We have to hurry to his house before the night falls, and unfortunately it's a longer way off than I thought."
"Let's get goin' then" Wolfwood commented, spitting out his cigarette and leading the small group to the car. "Before we end up like these poor souls" he muttered under his breath, the group piling into the car and driving further into the dead town.