-Janey POV-

Two Months Later

"Hey you're back!"

I dropped the shopping bags on the floor as something catapulted into the small of my back.

"Hey you," I laughed, looking down at the arms latched around my waist. "How am I supposed to hug you if you're behind me?"

Knives' big blue eyes peered around my shoulder.

"What kind of hug would it be?" he asked suspiciously.

"It would be a 'hello, I missed you too and I love you so much,' sort of hug," I smiled.

Knives nodded approvingly after a moment.

"As long as it's not a 'cute little guy, he looks cuddly,' hug," he said letting go of my waist and moving to the front.

"And no picking me up," he warned as I opened my arms.

"You're too big and heavy to pick up," I replied, wrapping him in a hug, leaning my chin on his head. I felt his arms re-wrap around my waist.

"Hmm I like you at this size," I grinned.

Knives grunted and let go, leaning over to pick up the shopping bags for me.

"I'd really prefer being my adult form. Going through puberty three times seems a tad over-kill. I got the point the first time."

"But you're cute as 14."

"I don't want to be cute," replied Knives disdainfully, trudging to the kitchen. "I want to be an adult."

"Why?"

"…."

"Aw come one, why? Being a kid is fun. You can get away with things that adults can't get away with. Like playing in the dirt for no reason."

"As absolutely amusing and even though it's totally something I would love to do," frowned Knives, "There is a certain business I want to attend to and it can only be completed when I am an adult again."

"What, pray tell would that be?" I asked, putting away the groceries as he handed them to me. He got a vague expression.

"Oh nothing."

"Nothing my Aunt Fanny.'

"I didn't know you had an aunt."

"I don't, it's just an expression. Why won't you tell me? Cummoooon…"

Knives sat down at the kitchen table and studied me seriously.

"You will know soon enough."

I sighed.

"You really don't sound 14 when you talk like that."

'That's because I'm not."

--

One Month Later

"Janey, I need to be dropped off in town."

I looked at Knives over the edge of my newspaper.

"Why?"

"I have an errand."

"Okay, no problem. Where do you want to be dropped off?"

"Around," Knives said vaguely, waving one hand in the air.

I propped my cheek on my hand and gave him a look. He stared back at me and sighed.

"Just… near the department store or something. I'll walk back."

I shrugged and folded the newspaper.

"Okay. I can drop you off on the way to work. You still have the key to the front door?"

Knives nodded and held up a key-chain, the house key dangling from it.

"Okeedoke, lets go then."

--

I pulled over to the sidewalk and stopped so that Knives could get out. He slammed the door behind him then leaned through the window a little.

"You're home at 4, right?"

I wrinkled my nose at him.

"I'm always home by four, you know that."

He shrugged.

"Just wanted to make sure."

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing," he grinned. "Absolutely nothing. Have a good day at work!"

I frowned and then leaned over the seat and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Be careful. You better be home by the time I am."

Knives snorted a little and kissed my cheek back.

"I will, I will. You know me, Mr. Responsible."

-Knives POV-

I watched as Janey pulled away from the curb, returning her wave good-bye. Waiting until she was out sight, I then sauntered down the street. I was in no hurry, I had plenty of time. Last time I had been in town, I had caught Janey admiring a necklace. When questioned, she told me it was a frivoulous expense, but she liked looking.

Well her birthdy was coming up. And I had enough saved from work. It was simply a question if the store would sell it to me or not. If they knew what was good for them and their business they would.

And hour later, I was about to leave the store, the box snugly hidden in my jackeet's inner pocket. I was just about to step out the door when something caught my eye. It was delicate, sparkled, and was absolutely. I waved the sales person over.

"How much is this?"

"Sir, that's a…"

"I know it is. How much."

"Well it's unusual for someone of your age to-"

I fixed him with a dangerous look. He swallowed nervously.

"It's nine hundred dol-"

"I'll take it."

The salesperson gave me another nervous look. I glared at him.

"Of course if you don't want my money, I can take it else where. I'm sure your manager would be quite interested to hear how you let a 900 sale slip through your hands just because the customer had a damaged pituitary gland. I'm sure he would love to hear about this discrimination."

He opened his mouth to protest, but said nothing when I fixed him with a dangerous look. But then opened it again.

"But you're…"

"I," I snarled, raising myself to my full height and fixing him with my most dangerous expression. "I am over the legal age and you have no good reason not to make this sale. Now sell me that-" I jabbed my finger at the display case. "or I will take my money elsewhere!"

The salesperson gulped and nodded.

"Yes sir."

I folded my arms and smirked.

"That's better."

I watched as the salesperson wrapped the box carefully and accepted my check. Janey would love it.

-Janey POV-

"Happy Birthday!"

I groaned and sleepily blinked. There was a heavy weight on my stomach. Cool lips brushed against my cheek.

"Wake up, I can't wait any longer to give you your present."

I rubbed my eyes and looked up. Knives, sitting straddled on my stomach, smiled down at me, his hair still slightly mussed from sleep. I smiled back, cocking my head slightly to one side.

"Hey there, handsome."

He was handsome, having grown again just two weeks before. He now seemed to be about 18 and was starting to lose his teen gangliness again. I smiled and propped my head up on one hand. Knives got off my stomach and scooted up so that he was kneeling near my shoulders, keeping both hands behind his back.

"What are you up to?" I smiled.

He grinned back, a slightly sneaky expression.

"Happy Birthday," he repeated, again kissing my cheek. "I want to give you your present now. May I?"

"No," I teased, scratching the side of my head. "You have to wait until next year."

Knives raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Kidding! You can give it to me whenever you want to."

With a more gentle smile, Knives pulled his hands from behind his back and slid a beautifully wrapped box onto my lap. It was a little bigger than normal sized paperback and a little thicker.

"This is actually Present Number One," he said almost shyly, pulling his hand back and smiling at me.

I grinned at him for a moment then sat up and carefully unwrapped the box, taking time to stick the bow in his hair. He scowled at me and shook it out. I stuck my tongue out at him and carefully lifted the lid of the box. My breath caught a little in my chest.

There, carefully nestled in a bed of velvet, was the necklace I has been admiring a week ago. Tiny rubies and been set so that they looked like the stamen of a delicate silver lily.

"Oh Knives," I whispered, pressing one hand against my mouth. "Oh thank you so much! It's so beautiful! You shouldn't have…"

Knives smiled and carefully took the necklace out of it's nest and held it up. I obligingly held my hair out of the way as he gently fastened it around my neck. I looked down and saw the very tip of the lily ticking my breastbone. Knives wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned his chin on my shoulder.

"You like?" he asked innocently. I laughed and leaned my head against his.

"Very much, thank you!"

"Oh good," he grinned and let go. "I'll get breakfast started."

He slid off the bed and trotted to the door.

"Get dressed, I want to take you somewhere," he called over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall. I laughed and got up out of bed. Such a bossy guy.

My hand stayed for a moment as I was pulling a shirt out of my closet. Had he said 'Present Number One'? There was more?

--

"Okay, where are we now?"

Knives had been taking me all over town and the surrounding all day, pampering, teasing, and generally making me as happy as he could. It was now nearing evening and Knives had led me somewhere, his hands clamped over my eyes.

"You'll see," he replied calmly, manuevering me over terrain. "Okay… Look!"

He suddenly pulled his hands away from my eyes. I blinked a few times and then gasped. We were on top of a small cliff, facing the desert. The setting twin suns cast a golden glow over the desert, a glow that was quickly melting into reds, pinks, and a dusky purple.

"It's so beautiful!" I smiled and leaned against Knives. He wrapped an arm protectively around my shoulders. We were quiet a few moments, watching the specticle as the desert was painted in ever-changing hues.

"Janey?"

"Hmm?"

"I'd like to give you your second present now, but you have to answer a question first, all right?"

I looked up at him. His eyes were fixed on the sunset.

"Okay."

He looked down at me, his blue eyes soft and gentle instead of their usual icy cast. He let go of my shoulders and took a step back.

"I was wondering… Well, I was wanted to ask you…Janey, will you marry me?"

I stared at him with wide eyes, then looked down at the hand he had raised up to me. A tiny fire seemed to be flickering over his fingertips as a diamond caught the light of the setting suns. I felt myself tearing up as my hand flew to my mouth for the second time that day.

"I.. I know you've mostly seen me as a child…" Knives said nervously. "And I'm not asking you to marry me right away or even decide right away… But… When I'm adult again…"

He kneeled down in front of me.

"When I'm an adult again, will you please... at least consider it?"

I looked down into his eyes, those eyes that were so nervous and so hopeful. I saw the seven year old, crying in the street. I saw the twelve year old carrying little Emma. The fourteen year old putting away the groceries. The seventeen year old, pressing his head against the plant bulb. The man who had saved my life with his own. They were all there, watching me, hoping, apparently against hope, that I would say yes.

But most of all, I saw love.

Pure, unfettered love. As vast as the desert, as deep as space, as pure as clear water, and as warm and gentle as a flannel blanket in winter. A love that told me that he knew me, all of me. My sweet side, the one that worked hard and tried to be the best it could be. My selfish, needy side that wanted him there, that needed him there. He knew all of me, my sadness, my joy, my anger, hate, fears, and hope, and loved them all, loved me despite them, because of them…

I fell to my knees in front of him, dimly aware of the tears coursing down my cheeks.

"I don't need to wait and think, because I already know the answer."

Knives' eye flickered slightly in fear, seeing my tears.

"Yes."

He blinked.

"What?"

"Yes, I'll marry you," I said, voice breaking slightly. "I don't.. ever want to lose you… I want to be with you and grow old with you and I don't have to wait until you're adult again to know that I love you and will always want to be with you."

Wordlessly, Knives swept me into his arms and hugged me tightly, crushing me a little against his chest. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face into his jacket. We stayed there a few minutes, a few seconds, a perfect eternity. Then Knives pulled back and gave a watery laugh. Taking my hand in his, he gently slid the delicate diamond ring onto my finger.

"Thank you," he said quietly, eyes on my hand, a soft smile curling around his mouth. "I do believe I'm the happiest man on the planet right now."

I laughed a little. Knives looked up at me and gently wiped the tears off my cheeks before pulling me close again. I curled up against him, safe and warm and oh so happy. He held me and we watched as the fist sun disappeared behind the horizon. The Knives turned his head toward me.

"May I kiss you?" he asked.

I smiled and met him halfway.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The end!

Oh geez, I got major squees writing this chapter eehee...

I'm so so so SO sorry about the long silence, but I had studying for exams and the exams themselves to do! I'm so so sorry! But the last one was today and as you can see, I sat right down and wrote this out! The ending was actually different, but I got to almost the end of it and decided I didn't like it, heh heh.

But I could use it for a sequal. If you wanted :D

By the way, I wasn't sure how obvious this was, but Knives turned into a child both times because he used too much energy, eheh.

Trigun is owned by Nightow, the brilliant man that he is