(A/N-Sooo…HAPPY 420! And if you're not 420-friendly…IDGAF…and I'm sorry if I offend you..
I am so eternally grateful for all the feedback I've gotten from this story. You guys are awesome! I really enjoy writing this!)

.

.

Vash took Meryl by the hand as they weaved their way around throngs of Friday night party-goers. They stood in a long line of a really nice bar and restaurant. Certainly a step up from the bar Meryl worked at. This place had class.
Vash seemed to know what Meryl was thinking.
"You didn't I'd take you somewhere cheap did you?"
He laughed, giving Meryl a nudge with his elbow.

Meryl smirked slightly and edged nearer to her date as they neared the entrance. She figured out why Vash had taken the time to look nice this particular evening.
"Table for two, please?" Vash asked the Hostess politely, in that nice gentleman-like tone he had when he wasn't going out of his way to be totally obnoxious asshole.
She Hostess led the couple to a nice spot beside an open window with a view. It was open slightly to let in a nice breeze. Classic country songs were being played by a live band on the other side of the restaurant. Loud enough to hear, but not too loud to have to shout your order.
"Can I get ya'll something to drink?" a waitress appeared at the ready. Meryl smirked at her accent, not sure if it was faked for the sake of the restaurant theme.
Vash of course, started off with ordering a beer, while Meryl settled for some wine.
"What kind of wine would you like, hon?"
"Uh-ehhh…surprise me." Meryl blushed. Like she knew the damn difference between flavors and colors and such…she barely knew the difference between whiskey and rum. She just drank what the guys drank usually…
"Alrighty then, lemme know when ya'll are ready to order."
Meryl sighed and rested her chin in her palm, trying to brush off a sudden feeling of anxiousness. She met eyes with Vash, who had a peculiar expression upon his face as well; as if something were bothering him.
"You okay?" Meryl asked. Vash snapped out of his day-dream and smiled quickly, as if to cover his feelings. She had seen him do this several times before…
"Yeah, Mer. Why you ask?"
"Is something wrong?"

Suddenly, gunfire.

Horrified screams filled the restaurant. The sound of shattering glass could be heard as people dropped to the floor and immediately took cover.
"Nobody move and nobody gets hurt!"
A gang of heavily armed and armored men rushed the restaurant, shooting into the air, causing the ceiling to rain down in pieces. They were all adorned in some sort of leather garment and sunglasses.
All four of them all pointed their guns at the poor restaurant-goers. Some of the people cried and pleaded for their lives. Children screamed as their parents tried shushing them. The members of the live band cowered behind their instruments.
"Now, now. Nobody needs to get hurt here."
The leader of the group laughed mockingly at the people's fear. He adorned a Blue Bandana on his bald head.
"We're just here for one man and one man only. If some of you people would just hand him over, we can leave peacefully, and you can enjoy the rest of your night."
As if anyone could enjoy the rest of their night in a blown up restaurant.
He gazed around the room, eying everyone carefully.
"What do we do?" Meryl whispered, as she and Vash laid their heads down on the table.
"We can't do anything right now." Vash whispered back.
Suddenly, the leader of the group, Blue Bandana, along with his henchmen, rushed a table of men in the far corner. The leader grabbed one of the men by the shirt collar as the rest of the men who accompanied him at the table were beaten mercilessly. No one could do anything but watch. Suddenly, Blue Bandana lifted one of the men up by his short collar with one hand . He threw him back and drew his gun as he staggered. He filled the man with lead right then and there in front of everybody.
Vash flinched and gritted his teeth together painfully. Meryl sobbed quietly.
The man's body fell to the floor with a loud thud.
Blue Bandana laughed manically as his henchmen continued to punch and kick the others into submission.
Vash realized this was a gang war. The man in the blue bandana had just carried out the murder of the rival gang leader.
Blue Bandana smiled at everyone's horrified reactions, and turned his gun on the remaining gang members on the floor.
"Game Over, boys." He mocked, aiming for their heads.
An audible gasp was hear among the people in the building.

"STOP! STOP DOING THIS!"

Meryl's blood ran cold. Of course, Vash had to put himself in the middle of things.

"God damnit." She cursed quietly.

"Please..."
Vash had risen from his seat and put his hands in the air. Blue Bandana was not pleased.
"Sit the fuck down you moron!" he bellowed. A single shot rang out, missing Vash completely. Vash wasn't fazed by the single bullet, and took a few steps closer to the gang.
"You got what you wanted. Just let these guys go. Please?"
"Why the hell do you care?" He growled, firing off another shot. It missed Vash again.
"What's this got anything to do with you, huh?!"
Without warning, a sudden tearing sound, as Vash activated his false arm. A prosthetic arm cleverly disguised as a weapon.
He pulled the trigger. The henchmen dove for cover. Blue Bandana never saw it coming.
He fell to the floor, howling in pain.
Vash aimed for the non fatal areas near his shoulder and leg.
Vash's heart raced. His arm retracted back. Vash glanced over at the Henchmen, who had their hands up in the air with their weapons set on the floor. They trembled in fear as they surrendered, looking up helplessly at Vash.
As suddenly as everything had occurred, it was over. The local police came just after.
They took the remaining gang members to jail. All of them. Not before a quick stop at the hospital.
Everyone suffered only minor cuts and bruises. Other than being mentally scarred for life, the children were okay as well.
It was said that Vash's actions that day gave the people of that town some hope for their town's future. Nobody ever stood up to the fighting gangs like that.
Everyone began to disperse. Most of the police had left. Meryl threw her arms around Vash.
"You're an idiot, you know that?"
"Let's get out of here already." Vash said, taking Meryl by the hand.
"Sir? Excuse me…Sir?" one of the sheriffs called out to Vash, running to catch up.
"Sorry to bother you two." He said, straightening his hat. He pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket. Vash nearly rolled his eyes, thinking he was in for a ticket or something for sure.
"Not at all Officer." Vash said nicely.
"I know you two just wanna go home, but, I have a proposition for you."
Vash's eyebrow shot up.
"And, that would be what exactly?"
"Everyone in there was talking about what a hero you were back there." The Sheriff began, smiling quite widely. "How would you like to be part of our Department?"
Meryl and Vash gasped in unison.
"Me? A cop?"
"Sure!" the man smiled, jotting down something on his notebook.
"Usually we have to put people through some training before they can do this sort of stuff. But you seem to know exactly what you're doing, eh?"
He chuckled, "To tell you the truth. We're pretty shorthanded on law enforcement in these parts." He ripped out a piece from the notebook and handed it to Vash.
"Be at this address Monday morning at seven. Don't make me look like an idiot, okay?"

….

Vash and Meryl decided to just bite the bullet and go to a cheaper bar. Considering the fact they never even got to taste their wine OR beer at the last restaurant.
They settled for a small saloon that was open all night. They had some food; just enough to satisfy their hunger for the night. They defiantly needed a drink or two to calm their nerves.
"You never cease to amaze me." Meryl marveled over her third jack and coke.
"What do you mean?" Vash mumbled with a mouthful of sandwich.
"You really do attract trouble wherever you go. Or…you just happen to be around when bad things start happening.."
Vash set his sandwich back on his plate.
"Does that scare you?" he pouted.
Meryl rolled her eyes.
"Of course not!" she barked. "Obviously. I've been around you for this long. If I was scared, I would have been gone a long time ago."
Vash could hear the tipsy in her voice.
He liked this saloon in particular.
Stronger drinks. You defiantly get your money's worth.
"Why do dangerous situations not faze you?"
He asked Meryl. She shrugged, finishing off the contents of her drink. Ice included.
"Most people would turn tail and run in your situation."
"Well, I'm no longer motivated to stay with you because of my job." Meryl replied. "I stay because I want to."
For a moment, she wondered the same about him. He seemed to be dealing with everything that's happened lately quite well. Wolfwood hasn't even been dead for a whole month. Now he's gotta deal with a maniac twin brother to put even more strain on his emotions…
"Are you almost done?" she whined, "If we're gonna be here any longer, I'll need to order another drink!"
"Okay! Okay! Almost done!"
Meryl giggled, taking a nibble off the remainders of her French fries.
"Meryl?"
"Yes?
"Sorry this night turned out so crappy. This is nothing how I wanted it to be."

….

Vash and Meryl snuck inside quietly, careful not to wake Knives or Milly. Meryl took a peak in her room, and felt her blood turn to ice when she saw no Milly there.
"Oh God." She whispered, darting down the hall to look in Knives room. Vash had beat her there.
Milly lay curled up beside Knives in her pajamas. Both sound asleep. Knives still tied up.
"What the Fuck…?!"