DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.
"Meryl! Meryl, wake up!" Meryl was jerked into consciousness by an earthquake – no, it was just Milly shaking her.
"Stop that, Milly! I'm awake."
"Why didn't you wake me up, Meryl?" Milly fretted. "You fell asleep, and now Mr. Vash is gone again!"
Meryl looked down at her hand. Saw an open cuff where not so long ago there had been a hand that was attached to the man who had held her close.
Smiled and chuckled to herself. So he could have gotten away any time he wanted, huh? That wonderful jerk.
Milly shook her again. "Snap out of it, Meryl! We have to go find him and make sure he's ok!"
"Will you stop treating me like a rag doll?" Meryl demanded. "Just relax, Milly. He was fine last I saw him; and if you look out the window, I think you'll find him within line of sight."
Her partner peered out. "You're right, Meryl! Why is he just standing there smirking like that? What does he think he's doing?"
Meryl smiled again, remembering the taste of his kiss. Remembering what Vash had told her.
"Waiting for me to chase him."