This is the last chapter. I have no intention of going farther, i have ended it how i wanted to. I'm sorry to anyone who hates the idea of Knives and Millie, but i see them sort of balancing each other out some.

"I will not let a parasite like you feed me that human garbage!"

Meryl fumed as she held the spoon before the stubborn man's mouth.

"You WILL let me feed you and you WILL eat whatever the hell I stick in your mouth!" She smacked him over the head with the spoon, causing him to wince and his mouth to open in shock. She promptly stuffed a large spoonful of the stuff in his mouth and then clamped her hand over it.

"MMMMPFFF!"

"Swallow or I swear I'll hold your nose too and be done with you." Her glare left no doubt that she would do it. He swallowed.

"My brother would leave you in a heartbeat if you killed me, you know." He thought he had her.

"I wouldn't kill you. I'd let you pass out and then just shove it all down your throat." He grimaced.

"I'd prefer you to kill me."

"I know. But I have so many worse things up my sleeves." She gave him an innocent grin. Serves the psychopath right.

"What is this stuff anyway?" He looked at the brown goop on the spoon before his nose with distaste.

"It's pudding. It's all we've got until Millie gets back so I can go shopping. And no, I am NOT leaving you here unsupervised!" The man closed his mouth slowly, letting his argument die early.

"Look. You want to get away from us "human parasites", and the fastest way for that to happen would be by recovering as quickly as possible, which requires eating." Meryl tried to convince the man with logic.

"My desire to be rid of you all is nearly inconsequential. I will not be leaving my brother, especially since he has rendered me nearly incapable of caring for myself, and I am also incapable of killing you all off now. I am stuck here indefinitely, whether I eat or not." Meryl gritted her teeth.

She really hated how pathetic the man sounded. The way he said it always made her a little upset at Vash, until she remembered that it was this, or let him annihilate humanity.

"Knives, your brother asked me and Millie to do everything we could to help you get better, and I plan to do just that. Now shut up and eat!" She shoved yet another spoonful into the man's mouth. That made... Two.

"Then let the tall one tend to me. At least she isn't seducing my brother." Meryl blushed at this and set the pudding down.

"Seducing him? SEDUCING HIM?! You absolute moron! I love him and we are building a relationship like normal people! You know, relationship? A shared bond between two life forms with common feelings toward each other? The thing homicidal psychopaths don't usually get to enjoy?" She was trying to keep her temper under control.

She knew Vash was understanding of how difficult his brother could be, but Millie had become extremely protective of her first real patient, and always pouted when Meryl resorted to smacking the bloodthirsty plant.

"Are there no men of your own species to go attach yourself to? Are you so detestable that you can not find a mate among your own species?" That hit a nerve and she was about to knock his face in when his head hit the table and she saw her hero standing behind him, his fist firmly planted on his brothers skull.

"Knives, is it too much to ask that you behave and not drive Meryl to becoming a murderer? She is an incredible woman, and can have any man she chooses, of whatever species she chooses. I'm honored that she's chosen me. And you should also recall your belief that we are "superior beings" and keep that in mind when you're trying to insult her by loving one of us. I still do not agree with you, but you could at least be consistent.

Meryl smiled at the spiky haired man and then hugged him. "You showed up just in time. I would have ended up with a bounty to rival yours if he had kept running his mouth." Vash laughed and held her close.

"Just imagine it, your poster hanging in town. Meryl the Stampede, $$60 billion! 50% bonus if you bring in both Stampedes!" She couldn't help but giggle.

"Please tell me Stampede isn't actually your last name..." He looked at her and took a deep breath.

"My name is Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Sicidabohertz Gumbigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Pierre Andry Charton-Haymoss Ivanovici Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser III." Meryl sighed.

"You're such a dork sometimes."

"I know. The truth is, we don't have ast names. We were only given first names because Rem thought it was insulting and cruel to treat us like objects or animals." Meryl smiled at him.

"Well, i owe Rem a lot. She is the reason you are the man you are today." To her suprise he shook his head.

"Meryl, Rem may have set me on the path i've taken through life, but there are toher forces driving me now, and i've stopped relying on her so much. I've started living by my own words. I drifted for too long, just existing. I thought it was about time to start actually living." She leaned back on the counter.

"Vash you are an incredible man." She smiled as the door opened and Millie entered the crowded kitchen.

"Mr. Vash! You're home early! I brought a new medical kit and all the supplies I should need for the rest of the month and there is plenty left for food." She set her bags on the counter and handed a bundle of cash to her shorter friend.

"That is great Millie! This is more than enough for the things we'll need this month! We might be able to afford to start on our own garden. It will cut down on expenses in the long run. I'll be back soon guys!" She was on her way out the door when someone caught her sleeve. She turned, expecting to see Vash leaning in to kiss her, but instead found Knives leaning as far from his chair as he could and giving her a pleading look.

"Could you get apples. . . . . Please?" He looked as if the last word pained him, but Meryl smiled at him.

"Of course."

A few hours later, Meryl returned to their little house to find a surprising seen. Knives was standing in their yard, supporting himself with a pair of crutches that his brother had crafted for him. He was staring out at the setting sun with a contented smile on his face.

For a moment, she couldn't believe it was the same man. He looked so gentle then. He looked passionate and alive and... he looked, for the first time since she'd met him, like he was truly Vash's twin.

"Hey Knives. I got the apples you wanted." She handed one to him and he gave her a funny look. After a few moments of strained silence, he spoke.

"Thank you." He looked back toward the sunset and took a bite of the apple. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Knives." She was nervous. What had come over the man who had been unable to speak a civil word to her that afternoon?

"You know Vash isn't human. Neither of us are. We're something unique. We're plants that live within your world. We're unprecedented. And... We live longer than humans. We don't age the same way. How can you accept that? How can you care about him, knowing you will wither away and die, and break his heart when you do, while he lives on?" She was taken aback.

"I... Knives I love him. I know that it will be hard, but I know he is strong and... we both decided it would be worth it. It wasn't something I could choose on my own. No relationship is one sided. Have you ever felt what it is like to be loved? It is easy to forget that the future won't be as easy as the present. But it is also enough to help you struggle through it."

"I've never felt that... The closest bond I've ever shared was with Vash, and I damaged that beyond repair. And it was all for nothing. And... maybe I was wrong. Not all humans are the same." She stared open mouthed at the man. Was she hearing correctly?

"Knives... Come inside. It's getting cold." He looked at her and smiled.

"I'll be inside in a few minutes. I've always loved the sunset. It makes me feel... hopeful. Like maybe tomorrow will be better than today. Thank you for the apple. And for talking to me." He looked back out at the horizon as the sun was rapidly shrinking out of sight.

"You're welcome. It was my pleasure." She went inside in a daze. The man was not what she had first thought. Had she been as bad as him, judging his nature based on the mistakes she knew of, not what complexities might be buried inside? Vash was sitting on the sofa, snoring lightly. She smiled and went to sit with him. His eyes flickered open when she got close.

"Hey Meryl. Did you get everything you needed?" She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. His strong arms wrapped around her.

"What happened while I was gone? Knives was... almost nice to me." Vash looked at her curiously.

"Really? Wow. Millie had a talk with him today, and he has been pretty quiet since then. I thought he was just sulking because she never reprimanded him before, but maybe she got through to him some. I'm glad." He rubbed her back absently.

"I'm glad too. Today was the first time I could really tell he was your brother. The way he watched the sunset... It's like when you watch the dawn. Two sides of the same coin." She stretched and relaxed, letting her body mold to his.

"You're exhausted, Meryl. You should go to sleep. You've got work in the morning." She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sound of his heartbeat.

"I know. Just a few more minutes..."

An hour later, Vash carried her to bed, sound asleep. He chuckled as he removed her cape full of guns and tucked her in. She was something else.

Meryl pretended to be asleep, enjoying how gentle Vash was when handling her. She tried not to blush as she felt him unfasten her cape and lift it off of her, leaving her shoulders bare. When he had tucked the blankets tightly around her and left the room, she opened her eyes and stretched out, emptying her pockets of her various accessories.

She heard voices outside her door.

"Vash, you know she will die and leave you alone. Why put yourself through that? Is she really worth that?" It was Knives' voice.

"She's worth that and a thousand times more. She gives me another reason to live. I'm living for her now. And for you. I've spent too long living for someone who's already lost and neglecting those who remained." There was a long silence.

"I am scared, brother. I feel weak. I feel... pathetic. I see your strength. I see how strong even these human women are, and I don't mean just in body, but in spirit. All of you... I envy you. I envy the love you've found, but I fear it too. I'm afraid I'll lose you again. I'm afraid I'll be alone again."

"Knives, I have no intention of leaving you. You're my brother. I love Meryl, but I don't have to choose one or the other. I can keep you both, and that is what I intend to do. And there is always the posibility that you will find someone yourself."

"Vash, i'm not like you three. I'm not as strong. I... couldn't fall in love, knowing that I would lose them in the end. It is easier to be distant by choice, than to lose them to time."

She didn't hear anymore words. She didn't need to. Her eyes were wet with tears. She couldn't imagine how horrible he must feel. So alone. Seeing the happiness those around him had and being unable to share it. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. She would do her best to make his life less painful.

"Meryl, are you awake?" Vash had entered the room, silent as a shadow.

"Yeah, are you coming to bed?" She looked back at him, hoping he didn't know she'd been listening.

"Yeah." He slipped under the covers behind her and his warm arms wrapped around her middle. She felt the stress from the day melt away as sleep took her.

Over the next few weeks, the change in Knives was incredible. His complaints about his injuries became a silent acceptance of the punishment for his crimes. His hate filled remarks and insults turned into quiet, and thoughtful comments that always made someone smile.

He still couldn't walk without the help of a person or his crutches, but he was no longer in constant pain. He couldn't lift anything heavier than a spoon to eye level. He tried out several hobbies, trying to find a way to occupy his time.

After discovering he had bad luck with cooking appliances, needles, and animals, he gave up his attempts at cooking, sewing, and bird watching, and finally settled on drawing and painting. To everyone's surprise, Knives was an incredible artist.

It wasn't until Millie's daughter was born that they finally saw Knives' smile stay for more than an instant. He became as protective of her as any father, doing everything in his power to help Millie care for her. He began to sell some of his paintings on the side and brought in enough extra money to supply the young child with various luxuries she would not have otherwise enjoyed.

Almost every week, Millie would return from work to find a package on her bed that always contained some small thing for her baby, and a container of pudding. Little by little, she began to think of Knives as her child's other parent.

She would always love Wolfwood, and somewhere deep down, she knew she should hate Knives for being responsible for her lover's death, but when she saw his pain, and the kindness he showed to her and her daughter, she couldn't help but smile. He was not the same man. He had changed for the better.

Vash had given him back his pistol not too long ago, and to everyone's surprise, he had immediately disassembled it, cleaned it, reassembled it, and put it in a drawer, unloaded. They never saw him open the drawer again. He told them he had no need for a weapon anymore. He was done with fighting.

Vash the Stampede was declared dead when his tattered, bloodstained coat was found outside town. In no time, he was just a memory. The bounty was removed, and after a while, people forgot what the legendary gunman was supposed to look like.

Soon after this, he and Meryl were married. It was a small ceremony, with only a few guests, mostly Meryl and Millie's families, but it was enough for them. For lack of a better idea, Vash took Meryl's last name on their wedding license.

Knives and Millie became nearly inseparable as Nichole grew. After a few years, they were able to afford to buy a house of their own, and they moved in near by. Nichole knew that Knives wasn't her biological father, but she looked to him as her father without regret.

Both brothers knew that their futures would be painful, but, whenever they looked at the two women who had changed their worlds, they pushed aside any fear or doubt, and enjoyed their happiness while it lasted.

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