Disclaimer: well obviously Trigun isn't mine nor are any of the characters.
Note: although I write a lot this is actually my first fan fiction so I'm not sure how well it will turn out, any way please enjoy it.
Edit: I have recently updated this chapter, if you notice an edit at the top of any other chapter, it means it has been updated, spelling mistakes corrected and more detail added etc...
Chapter 1 - Feelings
Meryl watched as her best friend left to go and work on the well and sighed, she wished she could do something to help them but that was not her type of work. She didn't like slaving away in the hot suns but preferred a job where she was protected from the hot rays. Her jobs were usually in small shops where she could keep herself busy with serving others.
She smiled faintly as she thought of Millie being the only female in the whole entire working force. Surprisingly the men hadn't protested at all, but accepted her help happily even though they knew she had been involved with Vash.
She finally dragged herself away from the window and sighed helplessly, there was so much that needed to be done. Her violet eyes turned their attention towards her desk that was littered with forms and other paperwork, which she had to fill out so that her company knew what was happening. She had kept putting it off though, hoping that maybe she could pretend they didn't exist and she could forget about that idiot of a man.
It had been two weeks since Vash had left them and she didn't want to write reports saying that he had left them and she wasn't sure whether he would come back. She and Millie would be dragged back to the office and lose their chance of ever seeing him again. Or worse they might be sacked. If she did write to the office what would she say? Could she tell the chief that she had let Vash walk out on them deliberately and didn't even put up a fight to stop him or follow him?
'I should have gone with him.' She thought sadly, her heart felt so fragile that she was afraid it would fall apart completely. A sharp meow entered her thoughts and looking across at her bed was a small black cat with enchanting eyes. It blinked at her and then stretched before curling up to sleep once more.
'What if he is hurt?' the thoughts kept tormenting her.
Striding across the room in her waitress uniform she thrust a couple of derringers into her pocket and left the small house that they had rented. It was in this house that they planned to wait for Vash to return - if he returned. The twin suns sparkled brightly in the cerulean sky and a couple of small green birds skittered across her path in excitement. Sighing Meryl turned the corner into the town square and saw the workers around the well and children playing with a ball in the street, their shrill cries interrupting the peace of the day.
'Everything here is so wonderful...so why am I so sad?'
Meryl lingered a moment longer in the square which was a good place to see the desert stretching endlessly ahead and wondered whether Vash would return from the same way he had left. That desert looked like such a dreadful place and in the morning sunshine looked like it was bathed in blood - or maybe it was just her imagination.
'Vash you had better come back!' She yelled mentally and let it echo over and over.
She continued on her path forcing back the tears, which shimmered in the sunlight like crystals and entered the restaurant as cheerfully as possible. The door jingled as she opened it and plastering a smile onto her face she flipped the sign on the door from 'closed' to 'open' and greeted her boss.
"How are you today Miss Meryl?"
"I'm fine thank you, it's such a beautiful day."
"Yes, it's a shame we are both cooped up in here."
"I don't mind at all, when I work it keeps me from thinking about other things."
"I see." The woman wiped her hands on a towel and slipped behind the counter to await the customers and Meryl put on her white apron and waited for her work to really begin...
Millie wiped the back of her hand across her forehead and grinned around at the other workers. They had made great progress with the well and they knew that any day now they would hit the water vein and the town would return to normal. Yet even though Millie was happy she could not help but feel a great sorrow for her raven-haired friend. She knew what it was like to lose someone you cared for, and the memories of Wolfwood slumped against his cross, flared painfully in her mind. She did not want that to happen to Meryl, and even though the short woman pretended like everything was fine Millie knew deep down the woman was being crushed.
"Hey let's get back to work!" Someone called and picking up her shovel Millie returned to her task at hand. It was the least that she could do to help this town, to make sure that they did not suffer needlessly; it was what Wolfwood would have done if he were still around.
Thinking about him made her heartache but everyday that passed she felt the hole slowly begin to heal, he was happy and at peace and so she would be as well. He wouldn't have wanted her to cry or be sad so she wouldn't allow herself to feel that way any more. Tears did nothing and neither did feeling sorry for yourself, which is what her big big sister had always told her.
Millie worked well into the evening and when finally she gave up to go home she wondered whether Meryl would be worried about her being so late. Striding quickly across the square with her shovel slung over one shoulder and eyes turned upwards to the starry sky she wondered what Vash was doing now.
'Has he finally buried his past?' She thought, Meryl had told her a little about him after he had left so now she understood things much better.
As Millie came in sight of the small rented house she was extremely surprised to see the house in complete darkness and she wondered whether Meryl was asleep already. Walking faster she reached the door and fumbled for her key, after a while she found it hiding in the darkest corner of her pocket and quickly turned it into the lock. Flinging the door wide open so that it squeaked on its hinges she flipped on the lights and peered around the room.
"Meryl! Are you home?!" She yelled but was greeted by nothing but silence. With a flutter of fear in her heart Millie wondered whether something bad had happened to her friend and whirling around to leave the house again she spotted the cliffs that looked out across the desert and spotted a white figure silhouetted against the sky.
"Oh...Meryl." Millie whispered feeling her heart return to its normal pace and eyes blurring with tears. Torn between leaving her friend to think and running over to offer comfort Millie was frozen when suddenly she spotted a figure walking towards her. Narrowing her eyes she peered through the darkness and instantly recognised the spiky hair and goofy grin.
'He came back!'
With an excited squeak Millie dropped the shovel to the ground with a clatter and ran over to embrace Vash in a huge hug when she noticed another person hanging limply from Vash's shoulder.
"Mr. Vash!" She yelled and came to a stop in front of him. "You came back."
"Of course I did." He smiled weakly and looked at Millie apologetically.
"Hey don't worry we knew you would, it's just that we were worried about you."
"We?"
"Yes Meryl was too. Even though I doubt she would admit it." Millie grinned.
"I see." Vash's look was thoughtful.
"So is that your brother?" Millie asked cautiously and then smiled again. "So you did find a way to spare him, that's great."
"Yeah, I was still a bit worried about bringing him back here though."
"I'm sure it will be fine Mr. Vash." Millie encouraged and quickly turned round and led him back to the house.
"I guess." He replied quietly as she let him in and closed the door softly. Then she watched Vash slip his brother from his shoulder and on to the couch and for the first time she noted the wounds on him. His body was wrapped in bandages and he looked extremely pale and she found herself wondering whether he would wake up at all. Looking up at Vash's face she could tell he was thinking the same thing.
"Would you like to take him to lie on a bed? He will heal quicker that way." Millie offered kindly.
"Umm yeah okay."
"Alright then, I guess we should take him to the room I have been sleeping in, I doubt Meryl will want to be chucked out of hers."
"So where is that short-tempered woman anyway?"
"She's up on the cliff."
"Why?" Vash looked slightly confused.
"I don't really know, she hasn't been herself lately."
"How?"
"She's been waking up with nightmares and she hasn't eaten properly for the last couple of days." Millie sighed and her face saddened.
"Maybe I should go tell her I'm back." Vash offered with a small smile.
"Sure thing, but let's get your brother comfortable first." Millie's smile returned as quickly as it had faded.
So what did you think? I know it isn't the best but I just wanted to show how each character was feeling at this point and how they will progress through my story. I promise the next chapter will be a lot better than this so please don't give up on me.
So leave a review to tell me how I did cos that will make me happy.
'Love & Peace'