Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ An Alternate Ending ❯ Time To Know ( Chapter 14 )

An Alternate Ending

Part Fourteen: Time To Know

By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki

(Trigun isn't mine. Vash and Wolfwood go to see Milly after Vash tells Wolfwood about what happened at the house.)

" Ruined everything? What are you talking about? " Wolfwood asked, not sure what Vash meant.

Vash shook his head and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, " Meryl saw me in Knives' room… she saw me doing it… she saw me. "

Wolfwood grabbed Vash by the shoulders and gave him a hard shake. Vash stilled and stared at Wolfwood with wide eyes and looked frightened as he tried to catch his breath. " Needle noggin! What in God's name are you talking about? What were you doing to your brother? "

Vash blinked a few times but didn't speak. Wolfwood let his shoulders go and he visibly relaxed. He went to the ground, kneeling at Wolfwood's feet as he looked down at the ground. He didn't speak for a long time before he finally spoke, his words quiet, almost too quiet for Wolfwood to hear.

" Nick… I've been draining Knives' power from him to keep him weak. "

Wolfwood shut his eyes, " I figured as much. "

" But I didn't tell Meryl. She thought he was just healing slowly. She saw me doing it and I don't know what she thinks of me now. "

" Did you ask her? " Wolfwood knelt down to get on Vash's eye level.

Vash shook his head before looking into Wolfwood's eyes, " I left as soon as she saw me doing it. "

Wolfwood nodded, " I see. What did her face look like when she saw you? "

" She looked horrified. She had her hand over her mouth and she was shaking. I didn't even know she was standing there until I finished telling Knives… " Vash's words trailed off as he started to think. He shook his head, " No. That's can't be it. "

Wolfwood put his hands on Vash's shoulders, " What were you telling him? What exactly did you say? "

" I don't know how long she was standing there so I don't know what she had heard… " Vash shut his eyes.

" Oh. So you're not sure what she heard, " Wolfwood nodded.

Vash nodded, " She could have heard all of it or none of it and only saw me taking Knives' power. Or… "

" Or? " Wolfwood arched an eyebrow. " You didn't tell Knives you loved her, did you? "

Vash chewed his lower lip for a moment before muttering, " Um, actually I told him that she loves me but the feeling is mutual. "

Wolfwood chuckled, " That's just like you to admit that you love her to someone who is not only unconscious but hates humans. "

Vash looked away, " Shut up. At least I know Knives isn't going to take out a full-page ad in the newspaper to announce it. "

Wolfwood laughed then shook his head, "I would never do such a thing, needle noggin. However, I am going to hold you to that bet we made. "

Vash looked up, his brow furrowed in thought. " What bet? "

" Oh, you don't remember? " Wolfwood said smoothly. " We made it when the coffee hit us. Remember? It was the day before the ass-kicking party where we were the guests of honor. "

Vash blinked as it came back to him. He thought that Wolfwood had been bad about giving too many details and not shutting up before but once the coffee hit, he was even worse. Vash had also become hyperactive and the two of them had talked about many different things in a short period of time. Both of their minds were like ping-pong balls, jumping from one subject to another… and that was when the bet had been made.

(Flashback)

" Hey! Needle noggin! " Wolfwood called across the house as he folded the dirty laundry.

" What? " Vash walked out of his room, his hair was wet and was twisting it in different directions.

Wolfwood turned to face him and cracked up laughing. " What in God's name are you doing? "

" I'm trying out new hairstyles, " Vash said as he continued to twist his wet locks into tight curls with his fingers.

Wolfwood continued to laugh, " Why? "

" So you'll stop calling me needle noggin, " Vash smirked.

Wolfwood smirked, " I think you're doing it to look good for Meryl. Admit it, you love her. "

Vash stopped curling his hair, " I do not! I just… like her. She's not so bad. "

" I bet you love her, " Wolfwood said coolly. " I also bet you'll give in and admit it someday. "

" I don't think so! " Vash clenched his fists at his sides. " Would you quit picking on me about her? "

Wolfwood put down the dirty pair of jeans he had been folding and walked over to Vash. " No. "

" Why? Why can't you just leave me alone about it? " Vash whined. " I don't know what I think about her. "

" Yeah you do but you're scared. You don't want her to get hurt. "

Vash looked down at the floor, " So? "

Wolfwood threw an arm around Vash's shoulders, " I'm going to make a little bet with you. "

" What kind of bet? " Vash eyed the priest warily.

" If Meryl finds out that you love her, you have to do me a favor and take her out on a date so I have some time alone with Milly to get further back on her good side, " Wolfwood smiled. " You get time alone with your girl and I get time alone with mine. "

" Meryl isn't my girl, " Vash shook his head.

Wolfwood nodded, " Whatever. "

Vash growled, " Okay. I agree but you better be prepared to wait a while for that time alone with Milly. "

Wolfwood put his hand out, " We have to seal the deal. "

Vash took his hand and shook it, " Happy? "

Wolfwood nodded and smiled, " Yeah… for now. "

(End Flashback)

Vash looked at Wolfwood, " How am I supposed to give you time alone with Milly if she's at the midwife's house? "

" I mean when she gets well enough to come back to the house. I'm going to treat her like a queen when she's able to leave Deb's. I'm going to wait on her hand and foot. I will do everything I can to make any wish she has come true, " Wolfwood smiled. " I need to pay her back for everything she's done for me. "

Vash nodded then looked towards the town. " How is she doing anyway? "

" Didn't Meryl tell you? " Wolfwood said.

" Yes but you were the one with her all night, " Vash looked back at Wolfwood. " I… I can't tell you how sorry I am about what happened. I know you would have been a good father, Nick. "

" Don't talk like this was my only chance, needle noggin. Maybe things will improve between Milly and I then we can try again… if she'll have me that way again, " Wolfwood got quiet but Vash knew what he was thinking. He wasn't sure if Milly still loved him like she had before.

" If you do get back to that point with her, are you going to ask her to marry you? " Vash asked quietly.

Wolfwood turned back to Vash and looked like he was going to tell him to in his own business but stopped. He let his shoulder slump a bit and he looked down at the ground. " Yes… I was thinking about it. "

" You know, " Vash hesitated. " I can be your best man if you want. "

Wolfwood looked up and smirked, " Really? Are you just asking because you know Milly would want Meryl for maid of honor? "

Vash blinked, " You've thought about this a lot, haven't you? "

" I did a lot of thinking the night before I was shot, Vash. I didn't sleep at all that night, not even after Milly and I… " Wolfwood stopped when Vash put up his hand. He chuckled, " I had us thought all the way to having seven kids and her helping me run the orphanage. "

" Damn… you were up all night, " Vash shook his head.

" Yeah, " Wolfwood glanced towards town. " Do you want to go see her? I know she'll feel bad when she finds out Meryl came by and she wasn't awake to see her. "

Vash nodded, " Okay. I was planning on it anyway. I don't think Knives will give Meryl any trouble. "

Wolfwood stood up and helped Vash to his feet, " I don't think so either. "

Vash started to walk but Wolfwood still had him by the shoulder. " What's wrong? "

" I'll keep your secret if you keep mine, " Wolfwood smiled.

" You got it, " Vash nodded.

**

Milly hugged the blanket tighter around her. Although she was sweating, she was having chills. When she woke up from her nap, she felt worse than when she had gone to sleep. Her throat was now completely raw and even swallowing water hurt.

Her nose has started to run but it also felt stuffed, forcing her to breathe through her mouth and that didn't help her throat. She tried to call for Deb but when she tried to raise her voice above a whisper, she would start coughing. She wondered how she had gotten so sick in such a short amount of time and hoped the doctor would get there soon.

" Ms. Thompson? " Deb opened the door and stepped inside. " I heard you coughing. Is everything okay? "

Milly turned over to face Deb, shaking her head. " I think I'm sick, " She whispered.

Deb came closer, " Oh my. I came in to tell you that the doctor is going to be late. "

" Late? Why? " Milly asked before she started to cough again.

Deb shook her head, " As soon as he came into town, someone grabbed him and took him to your boss' house. When he was done there, someone else from the well crew grabbed him. According to the messenger he sent, almost everyone on the crew has gotten sick. So far, it just seems like flu. "

Milly's coughing calmed down and she tried to speak again. " But… "

" I sent the messenger back after I told him to tell the doctor you needed to be cared for first. Ms. Thompson, your body is very weak from all the work you've been doing and the miscarriage has made you that much weaker. Hopefully, the doctor can get here soon and get you checked out, " Deb shook her head. " If he isn't here within the half-hour, I'm going after him myself. "

" That'll leave me alone, " Milly whispered.

" I hope Mr. Wolfwood will be back by then, " Deb sighed.

" Me too, " Milly said.