Planet Gunsmoke

Vash and the girls have moved on since the fight between Vash and Knives. Vash spared his brother in the end bringing him back, much to Meryl and Milly's chagrin. Knives has been in a catatonic mental state for some time now, Vash never knowing if he will come out of it. Vash and Milly take turns staying at home and caring for Knives he not being able to do it himself. Not long after Vash returned with Knives, Milly found out she was pregnant with Wolfwood's child. Much to Meryl and Vash's surprise, they never thought that anything like that had happened between the traveling priest and Milly. Milly had always seemed not the "type" to do that sort of thing, but here she is now 6 months pregnant. When this revelation came known Milly convinced everyone to move close to Wolfwood's orphanage to help care for the orphans. Milly and Meryl both quit their jobs working for Bernardelli Insurance Society, not before Meryl took care of the bounty on Vash's head reporting him dead. Meryl took a job as a secretary for a doctor in town to help pay the bills. Milly is now a big part of the young children's lives at the orphanage, calling her "Big Sister" all of them fascinated with her and "Big Brother's" baby. Vash spends most of his time helping around the house and caring for Knives. But the more and more he is around Meryl the more he realizes how he loves her. He also doesn't realize that Meryl is having the same problem. After chasing after him for so long she is starting to come to terms with her own feelings of love towards the infamous Vash The Stampede.

So our story starts out in the city of December about 300iles from the city in a little house close to the orphanage that Wolfwood worked so hard to keep running. Milly is at the orphanage helping Sister Mary Catherine( an old Nun that cared for Wolfwood as a orphan as a child before he went to train with Chapel the Evergreen), take care of the children. Vash is at home with Knives and Meryl is at her job in town.

Meryl

"Well Meryl I'll pick you up tomorrow same time an place", said Jim he was a nurse at the Doctors office that Meryl worked at. Meryl stepped out of the car "Thanks again Jim for driving me back and forth to work I'll give some gas money as soon as I get payed", Meryl shut the car door. "Bye Meryl", Jim waved goodbye and drove away. Meryl walked up to the door and slowly opened it, "Welcome home Meryl", said Milly as she hugged her picking her up off the floor, "Milly can't breath", Meryl coughed out. Milly put her down, "Sorry Meryl are you gonna make dinner now?", she said with a smile. Meryl shook her head and laughed, "All right I'll get busy on that now did Vash put on some rice like I asked him", she looked over at the rice cooker on warm. "He sure did Meryl, he's so good about doing what you ask him to Meryl", said Milly, sitting down at the table holding her back. Meryl smiled, "Yes he is".
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Sister Mary Catherine

Sister Mary hears the door open, she knew that Milly had already left so who ever this was unexpected. She left the children in the dining room to see who came. She was shocked to see who it was and then she smirked, "I knew they couldn't have got rid of you that easily son come on in your probably hungry and the children will be excited to see you". She put her hand on Wolfwood's shoulder, "I remember when they first brought you to me a scrap of a boy with a checkered past, well I have something tell you that you probably have no idea about but you need to eat first".

vashes voice came form down stairs '' MERYL ..... IS THAT YOU..... COME ON IM HUNGEY...... IS IT DINNER TIME YET!!''

he came walking down the stair's like a zombie '' FOOOODDD......FOOODD '' he glomps himself over merly's shoulders '' BRAINSSS.......FOOOOOODDDD '' he nibbles on her ear ring '' num num num ''

( sorry short post )

Meryl

Meryl almost fell over with Vash hanging on her not that she minded much she kind of liked it when he got close to her. "Stop you big goofball that tickles", when he didn't stop she punched him in the chest. Milly laughed at the two she knew that they liked each other allot it was obvious. The problem was Vash was to shy and Meryl was to stubborn. Milly thought to her self, "If Wolfwood were here he could help me get these two together", but that isn't going to happen. He was gone and he would never get to see the fruit of her and Nicholas's love. She sighed sadly and then went to the living room.

Vash fell over his long hair floped over his face has he laughed. He looked over at milly looking down in the dumps. '' It wasn't easy being the happy go lucky guy being smiles to all. '' he thought to himself. he got back up and leaped on to the couch. looking at her baby belly. '' HAY MOMMY HAY MOMMY HAY MOMMY. that's what you have to you forward too you know. he teased lightly drumming on her tummy. '' So when is the day we're looking at ?''

Milly

Milly smiled at Vash he was always trying to cheer her up, "The doctor says I still have a couple of months", she looked down at her stomach, "But I think it might be sooner than that". She looked at Vash, "Oh Mr. Vash I just wish Nicholas was here to see his baby".
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Meryl

"Time to eat you two".

'' AH GREAT FOOD !!!!'' Vash ran off into the the dinning Room Laughing like a maniac. Scooped up a bowlful of rice and starts scarfing it down. He paused for a moment tears stream down his face '' um hmhmhm soooo goood mhmhmhm'' then begins scarfing again.

Meryl

Meryl shook her head and rolled her eyes at Vash, he as always so dramatic, she set a plate in front of Milly who started picking at it. She served herself last and then sat down to eat she could make a plate for Knives in a little bit so Vash could take it up to feed him. For some reason that she just couldn't understand she had gotten used to having Knives around.
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Milly

Milly picked at the food on her plate she wasn't as hungry as she thought she had been. No all she could think about as how much she missed Nicholas. "May I be excused?", she asked even thought she was an adult she still did that she had been taught to do that as a child and it was a hard habit to break. Meryl nodded, and Milly picked up her plate and cleaned it off, "I a little tired I'm going to bed early goodnight Meryl, goodnight Mr. Vash". She then turned quickly to avoid anyone seeing the tears running down her cheeks.

Vash could sence the sorrow inside of milly. Vash put down the bowl still hafe fool and gets a serious look. " Meryl we gotta do something for her. she can't have be a mother to a child acting like this. he places a hand over his mouth he was beginng to feel emotional himself. '' If only i could have stopped him. I know you've told me Meryl. But I can't help feeling sorta responsible for Wolfwoods death. I.....I just wasn't fast enough.''

he looked back down '' yeah.....okay, Knives I sometimes forget about him. I gotta look after him as well. after all i did promise Rim that i would take care of him. he takes the the plate upstairs to go feed Knives

For the longest time, he couldn't remember how to walk.
How to eat. How to talk. But that never stopped him from thinking.
Now Knives was sitting up in a bed, in an unfamiliar room. He vaguely remembered his brother carrying him- at which thought he sneered and died a little inside. Also, as small of his coma-like drifting came to him, he recalled the chatter of girls.
Sitting on this bed, staring a whole into the floor, he could hear people downstairs. One was the unmistakeable voice of his boisterous brother. He smirked. Why had Vash spared him? That was right, he had never been as ruthess as he himself was. Even after Knives blew Vash's arm off and tormented him with the Gung Ho Guns, he was still that same loving caring annoying little thing. He sighed and wondered if he'd be able to make it downstairs.

Vash comes into the room door and see's Knives sitting up he drops the pate of food ''KNIVES !'' as a slight suppurate movement he reached for his no existent Gun holster after realizing his gun wasn't there he smiled and walked towards him. '' Knives...... '' he tried hard to think of the words he could say to him. he removed the sunglasses so that he could tell it was his brother. the only words he could think of was '' h-h-how are you feeling ''

Meryl

Meryl heard the plate crash to the floor upstairs, and the heard Vash all out "Knives!", she went running upstairs to see if what she had feared for 6 months had happened. She couldn't stand the thought of something horrible happening to Vash because Knives was awake. She came up behind Vash, "Whats going on Vash?", thats when she saw him the bane to the human races existence Knives Millions.
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Milly
Milly heard commotion in the hallway and peeped out her door."Meryl what going on?", she asked, she heard Meryl call back, "Say in you room Milly!". She nodded and closed the door back, she knew they were in Mr Knives's room had he woke up.

Knives stared at his brother for a few uncomfortable seconds, registering his failed attempt at his gun holster. He couldn't help but smirk and rubbed the back of his neck at Vash's response to him.
Vash was wearing some ridiculous getup including suspenders and an old laid out hairdo. He looked as though he was much older than he was, and nothing like Vash the Stampede.
"I have to say," he chuckled, "I believe I preferred the red coat." He stood, a little shakily, though solid. "Where are we? How long has it been?"

'' Easy Knives, you've been in a catatonic state for seven months now.'' he helped steady him '' Your Body hasn't fuly regenerated yet you need to take it easy. Where three hundred Isles from the city of December.'' Vash helps him down the stairs and sits him on the couch.

Meryl

Meryl watches in awe at the way Knives is behaving she was expecting him to immediately start to try to murder them all in rage. But this Knives seemed subdued and calm, and almost concerned for his own well being. She cleaned up the broken mess that Vash had dropped on the floor. Milly peeped her head out again, "May I come out now?", she asked, Meryl looked over and nodded. "Meryl what going on?", asked Milly, Meryl sighed, "Knives is awake Vash has him downstairs right now, make sure you know where your stun gun is we might need it if Knives decides to change his mind about being civil". Milly nodded she had almost a angry look on her face.
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Milly

Milly went into her room and pulled her stun gun out of the closet, surprisingly she could still carry it as pregnant as she was. Then she looked at Wolfwood's Cross Punisher, she thought about grabbing that and using it on Knives. "He's the reason why Nicholas is dead why should he get to live", tears streamed down her cheeks and she walked out the bedroom door with her stun gun.

Knives sneered a little and attempted to push his brother from so close to him, but it didn't amount to much. Besides, he was halfway grateful to get out of that room. He was already tired of it, and had only been conscious for a little while. Being escorted out of the room, he finally noticed the woman standing near the door, short and thin with short black hair. Another had shouted from a room far away, before being ushered back into her room.
"Who are they?" He asked Vash once sitting on the couch. And why was he with the likes of these humans? "Ah, that's right. You prefer the company of the parasites of this planet," he growled, only slightly aware of what he had said aloud. He couldn't help it, after all. No one could change completely.

'' look they've helped us and they didn't have to. I know I can't convince you of the their worth. But they have at least earned some respect.'' he turn's and begins walking to the kitchen to get knives another plate of food then turns back at knives for a second looking very serious ( like if looks could kill ). '' After all one of them is a Victim of your previous indeviours.''

for some reason Vash couldn't help but feel angry at knives. He thought he would be happy to see his brother awake. but now he had trouble holding back the urge to activate the machine gun in his cybernetic arm

"-as was my plan." Knives interjected. He knew Vash would be upset with him. He'd never understood Knives' philosophy. And, perhaps, he'd been working too fast... maybe Vash needed some more time to acclimate. Knives sat back in the couch, crossing his arms.
"I can't help but feel maybe you've forgotten who you are," he sighed. Then, quickly changing subject, he gave an eerily warm smile. "You seem to think very fondly of those girls. How did they help you? And why did we settle in this city?"
He didn't always like asking so many questions, but he was curious and being out of it for so long left a lot to be desired.

vash slams the plate on the counter top " YOUR PLANS FAILED KNIVES IT'S THROUGH '' He stomps into the living room infuriated. '' I brought you here because i promised Rim i would take care of you. I have robed you of the weapons you used have used to murder Innocent people. and they nurse you back to health outta the kindness of their hearts and still.... AND STILL YOU TREAT THEM LIKE THIS!!''

vash slams the plate on the counter top " YOUR PLANS FAILED KNIVES IT'S THROUGH '' He stomps into the living room infuriated. '' I brought you here because i promised Rim i would take care of you. I have robed you of the weapons you used have used to murder Innocent people. and they nurse you back to health outta the kindness of their hearts and still.... AND STILL YOU TREAT THEM LIKE THIS!!''

Chuckling to himself at his brother's reaction, he noticed as a girl, different from the one that he had seen before, sat in a chair across from him. "You need to control your temper, Brother."
Knives sat in the couch as if it were a throne, smiling eerily at the human girl that had entered the room. Her belly was swollen with pregnancy, and she was biting back a lot of contempt for him. He liked this idea, that they hated him as much as he hated them. However, he noticed there was no other man around and wondered vaguely whose child she could have. With a large pang he wondered vaguely if it could be his brother's, and threw out the idea before he had a heart attack.
"I'm quite well, I'm sure to your dismay," he replied, throwing his hands behind his head, resting on them.

vash grinds his teeth together '' arkkk damn you Knives '' He gives up and stomps back up into his room slamming the door
he slams his head into a pillow and yells. tears begin to form in his eyes '' i should have let him die....I should have....i should......Rim.....i can't, I can't bring him back. i can't make him see. damn it '' he screams into the pillow '' DAMN IT !!''

Milly

Milly stands up, "As much as your brother loves you Mr. Knives something I just don't understand but you could at least be grateful to him because you would be dead if you it where not for him. I think that you are just the type of being that is so miserable you have to make everyone around you that way and because of that I pity you, what ever happened to you to make you feel the way you do means nothing if your going to treat your brother the way you do cause all you have in the end is him". She took a deep breath walked over to the counter picked up the plate that Vash had been preparing for Knives. "Here Mr. Knives you need to eat or you will never recover fully", she hands him the plate and slightly smiled. Then she went to the dining room table and sat. "I think that deep down inside that Mr. Knives is still just a scared little boy", she thought to herself as she laid her head in her hands.

(((Hey everyone! 'll be posting for Meryl now :) ))

Meryl felt it best to let Vash and Knives talk alone, and personally she didn't really want to be in the same room as that lunatic...not after what he had done to Vash...to Milly..all the people whose lives he ruined. Standing in the kitchen, she bit her lip and wished the running water would drown out their conversation...only it didn't.

Finally she heard the slam of Vash's door. Sighing, she turned the water off and went to his room. Hesitating before she turned the knob, she took a deep breath and opened the door. It was hard, seeing her friend in so much pain. With sad eyes, she stepped forward.

"I know...I know it's not easy," she started. What the hell was she doing? It wasn't her business....but Vash was. She took another step closer, "And it won't get easier any time soon...but you can't give up on him."

She wasn't sure what Vash saw in Knives...but even if she couldn't see it, the fact that he could gave her hope. Sure, he was an overly eager optimistic sort of guy, but if anyone could help Knives...he could. At first, for the past six months, she wasn't sure how to handle Knives in the same house. After all he'd done...but Vash believed he could save him, and all she could do was help him.