Meryl stopped the car as Vash suddenly grabbed his head and screamed.

It startled her so much that she nearly hit a boulder. However she managed to swerve just in time before coming to a complete stop.

"Vash? What's wrong?"

Meryl turned in her seat and grabbed his shaking shoulders.

Vash's breath was coming fast and hard as he covered his ears. It looked like from his expression that someone was screaming in his ear and he was trying to block it out. His face was so pale that it alarmed Meryl.

"Vash?!"

Meryl said gently shaking his shoulders. She was starting to get really scared.

Vash shook his head as he tightened his grip on his head.

"Its Knives…my heads going to explode!"

Tears of pain coursed down Vash cheek. Meryl not knowing what else to do grabbed hold of Vash and let his bury his face into her chest. Now that she was holding him she could feel how tight his muscles were. They were so tense that they felt like rocks.

Knives what's wrong? Tell me!

Silence met Vash's mental ears. He knew better than to think that Knives couldn't hear him. If he could feel him like this then Knives had to have heard him.

KNIVES

Mental pain slammed into his skull again. Vash whimpered like a lost child. He was falling into darkness. He could feel his brother's pain and anger. It was like a great serpent in his head, slithering, biting and twisting inside his brain. It burned like fire and stung like ice. It was pain and rage, hatred and fear all rolled up into one hoarse physic scream.

Forcing himself to focus…or else become lost in the psychological static, Vash tried to read his brothers mind. It was difficult but with Knives broadcasting his anger like he was it was possible.

He probably has every plant within a 100 Ile radius going haywire.

Vash didn't get far with probing his brothers mind before Knives kicked him in the balls, disemboweled him, wrapped his now exposed innards around his neck and tried to choke him with it…or at least that's what it felt like. Vash was forced to retreat and as he did Knives put up some rather nasty barriers. Vash cringed as he bumped up against them.

"I can sense him. He's furious. I've never felt him so angry before."

Vash said after giving up reading his brothers thoughts. Vash wasn't as good with their mental powers as Knives was. He simply couldn't breach the wall. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to. The pain he had felt was all too real. He didn't think he wanted to know what could upset his brother like this.

"My god…Millie."

Meryl whispered softly. Her face now matched Vash's pale one.

"I tried to ask what was wrong but he ignored me. But…"

"But what?"

Meryl prompted when Vash got a far away look on his face.

"But I did hear some of his thoughts before he blocked me. He's mad at Millie for some reason. I can't understand him…something about a traitor spider?"

Meryl suddenly stiffened and after getting Vash off of her slammed on the gas. The car lurch forward as it was flooded with fuel.

"You think he'll hurt her?"

Meryl pressed the gas pedal harder trying to coax a few more IPH out of the scrape heap they had stolen.

"I've never felt him so angry…not even when I almost killed him with my Angel arm."

Vash collapsed into his seat unable to keep sitting up. He looked so wore out.

"It hurts Meryl."

He whispered softly.

Meryl glanced toward Vash her face worried.

"I'm here sweetheart."

She reached over and took his hand into hers.

Vash smiled softly his eyes filled with pain.

"I love you."

Meryl nearly swerved off the road again. Forcing herself to remain calm Meryl glanced over at Vash again. Her heart was racing in her chest and felt like it was going to explode.

"What did you say?"

Vash didn't answer her.

The reason being he had already fallen into a deep sleep. Meryl frowned as she reached over and felt his forehead. He was hot but not terribly so. Meryl fought for a moment with the thought of stopping. Vash hadn't been tired a moment ago. What if like his brothers anger had somehow caused brain damage? Meryl glanced at him again. He didn't look like he was in pain. He was even smiling sweetly.

Finally Meryl decided to keep going. There was nothing she could do to help Vash, and Millie really needed her right now. She just hoped her friend was still alive.

With that settled Meryl's thought drifted to the words that Vash had said.

He just told me he loves me?

Meryl took a deep breath feeling light headed herself.

He's never said that before. Come to think of it I've never said it either.

"I love you to Vash. More than you can imagine."

Vash smiled wider in his sleep.

Meryl felt herself melt at that smile despite the danger Millie was in.

I'm the luckiest girl on the planet. I've found Vash the Stampede. The sweetest most loving man there has ever been.

At times like this when she was able to just look at Vash, that was when the full force of her love always hit her.

It hurt; it actually hurt to be so deeply in love with someone. Especially since she hadn't known what he thought.

She often had to ask herself questions. Was it for the sex? Did Vash really love her or did he just like her enough to bed her. Vash was a pervert. Over the course of her assignment she had seen episode after episode confirming this.

So what did she mean to him?

He said he loved me. And I believe him.

This was a shock to her. Sure Vash liked her enough to do that. But Vash wasn't even human. He was a plant that was over a hundred years old. He was something of a superman when it came to about anything he did. He was so smart it was scary. Meryl had seen him work lost technology like nothing. He also was very quick to find an answer to any question. Being extremly modest he never showed this particular trait and actually tried to hide it. He hid it behind goofy smiles and clumsiness. But Meryl had seen him use that brain of his and it was impressive.

Not only that but his physical strength was sometimes scary as well. Vash was just plain strong that was the only thing to it. She had felt it herself when they made love. His arms were like steel and his grip was impossible. However she had noticed, how very careful Vash always was. He was so considerate and cautious, never giving her more than she could take. He never hurt her despite that strength.

That proved he had restraint.

No matter how she looked at it, Vash was the most wonderful man any woman could find.

I could really fall for him. He's a real man.

Meryl chuckled to herself as she thought about Marilyn, a woman they had met way back at the beginning of their adventures. Marilyn had seen what at the time Meryl refused to. It was strange. She had told Meryl she would see someday and here she was with Vash.

Vash is Vash and he said he loves me.

Meryl felt an idiot grin touch her face. A grin that would have been more expected on Vash not his over serious girlfriend.

Things had really worked out in the end. Everything would continue to do that as well. Meryl didn't give a damn about Knives, about the plants, or even about the whole damn human race. She planned to live the rest of her life with Vash.

Meryl Strife of the Burndeli Insurance Company wouldn't have it any other way!

Knives stormed outside the best he could. He couldn't see he was so furious. It had gone beyond anything he'd ever felt before. Stumbling down the steps he fell hard onto the ground. Stars exploded in front of his eyes at the all-consuming pain that radiated from his abused wounds. He almost screamed from the pain but somehow the sound was caught in his throat. He could hardly breath much less scream.

For the second time today Knives ignored the pain and got back up. He didn't know where he was going. He just wanted to go away. He wanted to escape the source of his pain.

Millie.

Knives cursed her and her family.

Why Millie?

Knives couldn't understand it. Why did she have feelings for Wolfwood? The priest was dead. Hell the body was probably rotten past recognition by now. Why did she remember him? The dead aren't worth remembering. They can do nothing.

Legato had been a worthy henchman. The man had been all that Knives had seen for almost 10 years. The only being he had even talked to for those same ten years, yet he did not morn the mans death. Legato was dead and thus not worth remembering.

The dead have no hold on the world.

Knives growled as he walked a few more feet. He almost fell again but managed to stay on his feet.

He had thought that Millie had felt something for him. They had kissed three times. That was three times more than he had ever kissed anyone. They could have gone further if he hadn't stopped. He somehow doubted if Millie would have stopped him.

He wondered silently if she had done the same thing with Wolfwood.

This time Knives did fall. He landed on his knees hard enough to bruise. He didn't bother to get up.

Am I nothing to her? Just a fling as the human's called it. Is she playing that game she mentioned? What was Wolfwood to her? Did she kiss him, bed with him?

Knives lowered his head feeling disgusted with himself. He shouldn't care about these things. Millie was a human. She wasn't worth the air that kept her alive.

Yet…she was important to him.

The thought that Wolfwood might have touched her infuriated him beyond reason. But at the same time he was moved past even tears at the thought that she was hurt now because of him.

And he had thought he was confused before. His feelings before were a piece of cake compared to this.

Rem I hate you! I hate you and Millie and every goddamn spider on this planet!

Knives hissed to himself quietly. Why did he always get hurt? Why was he the one to always be betrayed? Vash had betrayed him; Wolfwood had betrayed him…now Millie did as well. And strangely Millie's betrayal hurt more than any other.

It's because I didn't expect it. I knew Vash would be anger at me and try to save the humans. I knew that Wolfwood was nothing but a spider. Millie took me by surprise.

Gods he hated this. He hated feeling this way. It was better to be alone and not feel anything. It was better to be like the regular plants. They were perfect in their bulbs without a care in the world.

Knives lifted his head slightly gazing across the good-sized garden that Millie's family owned. He had found it without looking.

He noticed how puny everything looked. It was to be expected, there wasn't a plant anywhere near here. It took hard work to even get this far.

Knives touched the soil. The greenery would die soon. The heat from the upcoming summer would shatter what little headway the family had made.

Like I've shattered Millie.

Knives remembered Millie's face as he had told her the truth.

She had looked so betrayed and hurt, but not because of Wolfwood's actions. She had looked at him that way. It was like he had been the one to betray her.

But he didn't…all he did was tell her the truth. Tell her that Wolfwood was not the so-called Angel she believed him to be.

Spider!

Knives spat out with his mind.

Millie was nothing but a spider. Her and every human on this planet deserved to die. He would kill them all just like he said. And this time he wouldn't wait for his brother. He would start as soon as he got his gun back.

Knives gritted his teeth in anger and confusion.

Millie's not a spider, but not a Butterfly.

No a spider she a spider…no not a spider not a butterfly… she's Millie, simply Millie.

He was so perplexed. Nothing he thought made sense, yet everything did.

He wanted to hate Millie. He wanted to kill her and her damn family. Death would be a blessing for those idiots.

Yet he didn't want to hurt Millie at all. Even emotional hurt was something that he cringed at. The fact that she was crying because of him hurt so much he wanted to cry himself.

Knives closed his eyes, placing his hands on the sandy soil. He wasn't really thinking of what he was doing. It was more or less instinct, left overs from his plant heritage.

It was a plants reason to exist to supply energy, to create green life.

Besides he needed something constructive to do-least he go crazy from his ponderings. So without another thought he poured himself into the soil.

He heated the soil, changed the soil and gave healing energy to the plants.

It was how all plants worked to grow life.

Knives was a plant, he could do all they could do and more. He wasn't confined to a glass ball.

Knives shook as he continued to give himself to the soil. The air around his body started to glow unnaturally. His eyes also began to glow. They were an eerie blue that would have terrified anyone had they been there to see it.

Too much.

His body screamed at him. He had never give this much at one time before. It hurt and it burned him terribly. He felt his hands start to sizzle.

But he didn't stop. The pain was still there. The pain in his soul.

He wanted to get ride of it. He didn't want to feel anymore.

Somewhere in his mind he felt Vash freaking out over his emotions.

Knives snarled as he felt Vash enter his head. The questions were still there and demanded answers.

It took Knives less than two seconds to realize what Vash was doing, and then act against it. Normally Knives would never hurt his brother like this…a person didn't attack a mind unless they wanted the victim to become a vegetable. However Knives wasn't thinking straight and attacked Vash's mind with a fury that was surprising even for him.

Vash mind startled by the attack withdrew. Knives in no mood to deal with this again put up every mental barrier he had. He put his energy into this barrier even as he was putting it into the soil.

His emotions tainted the barrier making it anger and resentful.

Vash backed down away from it.

"ACK"

The sound wasn't loud but was filled with the very pain in his soul. With a last ditch effort which he put an insane amount of energy into the soil, he passed out.

And in a way his plan had worked. Knives did not dream.

Millie cried and cried until she felt for sure she hadn't a drop of water left in her body.

The tears just kept coming no matter what she did to stop them. Tissues and napkins, towels and even her pillow quickly became soaked in the salty rain she poured on them.

Sniffing loudly she wiped her puffy red face. Her eyes not to mention her nose felt raw and itchy. They were no doubt swollen and red as well.

I hate him!

She thought viciously.

How could he say those horrible things about Wolfwood? How could he?

Millie while a gentle soul wasn't a saint. She could get angry just as easily as the next person. She could also get violent as well. Her stun gun and a powerful right hook were proof of that.

And right now she felt like shooting both at Knives face.

In her memory she could still see his face. That furious and gleeful look that he had while telling her those horrible things. He had been happy to hurt her feelings. He had wanted to hurt her.

I'll never forgive you Mr. Knives. How could you be so hurtful after what happened between us? I had really thought…really thought this might work out.

Getting out of bed Millie sniffed again and went to her window.

From her bedroom on the second floor she could see most of the family farm.

She sighed deeply as she watched some dark clouds in the distance. It looked like a sand storm was coming this way.

Millie watched the storm and the static lighting as it flickered across the plain.

Was Wolfwood really…really a GunHo Gun? Was he really part of them terrible people?

Millie swallowed hard as new and fresh tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She could remember everything about her dark priest. The way he always had a cigarette in his mouth. The way said cigarette was always bent because of where Nicolas kept them.

"In his left breast pocket of his coat."

Millie whispered.

Nicolas had been a wonderful soul. He had loved children and would do anything to protect them. He always had a cocky grin on his face and a sly remark to anyone who bothered him.

Mr. Vash and Nicolas had gotten along great. Even thought they fought all the time it was a lot like the way she fought with her sisters or brothers. It was an easygoing battle. One that neither side could win, one that neither side wanted to win.

She remembered that day she first met Wolfwood so clearly. Like it had happened yesterday and not the two years that it had been really.

She remembered how after Vash and Nicolas saved that little girl; Nicolas had asked to sit by her. He had then leaned up against her and fallen asleep.

Millie gasped her breath sticking in her throat.

She remembered what he had said to her.

"You're really comfortable."

Was Wolfwood a GunHo Gun then? Was he a GunHo Gun when he died?

Millie didn't know what to think. She didn't think Mr. Knives was lying. He had no real reason to, nor did she fell that he was lying. On the other hand she just couldn't believe that Wolfwood had really been a bad guy.

Millie frowned as she looked out at the storm. It looked like a big one. And it also looked like it would be here in less than 10 minutes. Truly amazing how fast those things traveled.

"Better tell Momma to put up the Thomas's."

Something nudged Millie's mind. Tickling her senses and telling her that she had forgotten something.

She frowned deeper trying to bring the reason up to mind.

KNIVES!

Millie gasped as she whirled around and ran out her door.

I left him alone with my family!

Cursing to herself for being so stupid she raced down the stairs.

If he had hurt any of them!

The threat echoed through her mind. No matter what she felt toward the guy and no matter what Vash said, if he had hurt her family.

Millie was thus relieved when she saw all of her family sitting in the living room quietly.

Everyone was all right and accounted for….except one.

"Where's Knives?"

Millie's mother snorted. Her face coming close to being cross. Terri like her daughter hated to be nasty about anything. She would much rather be smiling and joking around. However some things just couldn't be joked about.

"He went outside."

Millie's eyes widened in surprise and without thought she quickly grabbed her coat to go outside.

"He's hurt. He can't go walking around yet! And…and there's a storm coming!"

Something grabbed her arm stopping her from running out.

She looked down at her arm, noticing the large hand attached to it and blinked.

"What?"

Millie looked up at the face of her Big Big brother. His face was almost angry although such an emotion in her brother was unheard of. Millie remembered way back when Tony had been a teenager. He had gotten into a fight. She couldn't remember the reason why. Well anyway to make a long story short he had gotten shot. Almost had killed him…yet even then he hadn't been angry. Even though he had been in pain and bleeding he had smiled and talked friendly to the guy.

So to see his face like this spoke of something big!

"Don't."

He said his voice flat. Tony or just BB as his family called him was the gentlest friendly man on the planet. He never had anything bad to say about anyone and believed a lot like Vash.

"That man doesn't deserve your concern."

Millie's mother stood up face also grave.

"Little Baby…we've decided…the family that is. That man Knives isn't welcomed here. He's not welcome to come into this house again!"

"I don't know what possessed you to bring him here…"

Tony trailed off clearly not liking saying these things. Millie could see the conflict in his eyes. He wanted to be friendly; he wanted to be the good guy. But he just couldn't put his own family and his mother in danger.

"But he's dangerous. Just leave him."

Millie blinked again tears forming in her eyes.

She knew what they wanted her to do. Just leave Knives by himself. No doubt he would find shelter before the storm hit. He would be ok by himself.

They didn't want her to have anything to do with him. They wanted her to 'dump' him so to speak.

Knives said those horrible things to me. I shouldn't care about him. I hate him…don't I?

Millie felt her heart pulled in two…no three directions.

She wanted to do as he family wanted. She wanted to hate Knives. And…she wanted to love him. She had almost been there before his horrible words.

I've kissed him three times. The Knives I kissed wasn't the man that said those horrible things. That was someone else.

Millie remembered his face…the face that he wore when asleep. It was so innocent; with that face it was easy to forget his was a mass murderer.

Images of the memories of the past week flashed before her eyes.

Knives stunned look as she first beat him at Chess. The subtle yet obvious change in the way he looked at her. Like she was finally a person and not a moving piece of furniture.

His comments on Spiders and Butterflies…the hostler she had gotten him.

The way he held her so close that night he had grabbed her in his sleep. He had felt so needy, but not a sexual need. It was an emotional one need. Something so deep he probably didn't even realize it.

"NO!"

Millie shouted surprising everyone including herself. Her face-hardened into a stubborn frown as she glared at her brother.

She couldn't just leave Knives. Not after all they had been through. She wouldn't forget…

"I can't just leave him out there alone! I won't leave him alone!"

Ripping her arm out of her brother grasp Millie ran into the harsh winds that the upcoming storm had already kicked up.

She barely heard her family as they called out to her. Millie closed her coat around her neck and continued on, ignoring them.

"KNIVES!"

She screamed out.

All that met her worried ears was the howling of the wind.

Millie frowned as she started to get really worried.

Sand storms weren't something you just ignored and walked into. It was rumored that the sand could stripe flesh off the bones and nasty stuff like that.

Millie flinched at the stinging sand that was being blown around just by pre-storm winds.

Stripe flesh off the bones…yep she could believe that.

"KNIVES? Where are you?"

Millie frantically looked around. Knives wouldn't have wondered off would he? He would stay close by surely?

He can hardly walk. He has to be close by.

Something tugged the edge of her mind. It felt strange…like when you lay on your arm wrong and it goes to sleep. The weird thing was the strange feeling was in her head.

Rubbing her temple slightly Millie turned and followed the feeling.

Granted even she thought this was stupid. She told herself that as she walked on. But there really wasn't much else to go by. She had no idea where Knives was. This was at least a feeling and a feeling was something. And something was more than nothing.

The storm was arriving quicker than she had thought. Already sand whipped around her with bruising force.

If she didn't find him soon then she wouldn't at all. There was no way she could stay out in this.

"KNIVES!"

She screamed.

Knives..

Millie.

Millie gasped as a voice that sounded like Knives…yet didn't…echoed around her.

No…not around me. That sounded like it was in my head.

Despite how very weird this was Millie followed the feeling closely, letting it lead her to where her family grew their small garden.

Millie's eyes went wide and her face white as she saw Knives. Already he was half buried in sand. He looked hurt.

"KNIVES!"

She screamed as she ran to his side. Quickly her eyes glanced over him to see if he had opened his wounds. What confused her more than anything…even the voice, were the terrible burn marks on his hands and arms.

"Oh my god Knives."

Tears swelled in her eyes again.

I can't take him into the house. Fine then…the barn!

With a mighty heave that made Knives grunt in pain, Millie lifted him up from the sand.

Her face was strained from carrying his full weight but she was determined.

Finally after what seemed like forever she entered the barn. The musty scent of Thomas's and leather filled her nose making her sneeze.

Looking around for a place to put Knives, she smiled as she noticed several large bundles of hay. The hay was fresh and smelled rather nice.

So with the utmost care, she gently laid Knives down on it.

"Knives? Wake up please."

Knives didn't respond to her gentle call.

"Wait here Knives. I have to go get the med kit."

Millie draped her coat over Knives still form before getting up and hurrying to the door. If she wasn't quick it was possible she could get lost in the whirling sand…or worst.

It was a risk…a big one but Knives burns had to be treated. Burns were truly terrible since they were at such a high risk of infection.

With a deep breath to steady her courage she opened the barn door and went out into hell.

Oh my gosh!

She thought franticly as she became lost in the whirling sand.

This has hit sooner than I thought. I got to hurry…the car should be over here. Be careful Millie don't get turned around.

Covering her face with her arm she forced herself against the wind and started forward.

She couldn't open her eyes against the stinging sand. She just blindly went forward.

She winched in pain as the sand rubbed her arm and face raw.

She couldn't handle this. She would have to go back!

Right when Millie thought that she bumped into something. She almost laughed in response.

The car…thank god.

Quickly she forced the door open and grabbed the med kit. The kit was heavy since she had packed about every medical item imaginable in it, but that wasn't a problem.

With kit in hand she quickly ran toward the barn. It wasn't nearly as bad going back since she was going with the wind instead of against it.

Making herself walk instead of run Millie counted the steps back that she had taken to the car. It was the only way to measure the distance in the brownish hell that her home had become.

24, 25…26.

Millie bumped into the door of the barn. She sighed in much needed relieve before opening the door and forcing it closed behind her.

Once the door was closed Millie choked and collapsed to the ground coughing and sputtering. She had gotten quite a bit of sand in her mouth and nose. In fact she had sand in places she didn't even know she had.

Millie moved her arm and winched.

Looking down she was surprised to see that her arm was actually bloodied. It had been rubbed so raw…that she was bleeding.

Concerned she touched her face, which also hurt. It was tender but unlike her arm it wasn't bleeding.

You'll survive. Tend to Knives first.

(one hour later)

Knives felt like shit. He hurt all over. A dull aching pain that throbbed in sync with his heartbeats. He opened his eyes slightly confused over what had happened.

Wasn't he outside? Why did he have a barn roof over his head?

Knives tilted his head slightly as he heard humming. It was Millie's sweet voice.

He smiled and let himself relax.

He remembered now. He had overdone his powered and caused himself to pass out. If Millie was here she must have dragged him here.

That meant she didn't hate him…right?

Leaning up Knives winced as his hands screamed at him. Blinking in surprise he brought the newly bandaged limps up so he could see them.

What? I must have burned them. To much power indeed.

Knives heard a hiss of pain. He whirled his body around so fast he was a blur to anyone looking. His eyes were wide as he took in the sight before him.

Millie was sitting down not far from him. She was dabbing rubbing alcohol to her arm.

Knives swallowed a sick feeling in his stomach as he looked at said arm.

It was nothing but a mass of red and swollen flesh. Literally patches of skin were ripped off and bleeding. Glancing up he noticed her face was also raw although nowhere near as bad as her arm.

"Millie?"

He asked wondering what happened.

Millie looked up and smiled happily.

"Thank god you're awake. I was really worried."

Knives ignored her words.

"What happened?"

He asked his eyes not leaving the badly damaged flesh of her arm.

Millie looked down as if seeing her arm for the first time. She then shrugged.

"There's a sand storm outside. I went out to get the med kit for you."

"Are you stupid?"

He asked the words coming out before he could stop them. No one went outside in a sand storm. Nobody…not even he a plant could survive long out in one of those.

"I…I had to get the med kit."

She whispered softly.

"Burns can get infected so easily. I didn't…"

She got those wounds trying to help you. She risked her life for you.

Knives stared in shock.

Not only that…she wrapped my burns before her own wounds. Millie.

Knives looked away unable to stand the sight of her damaged flesh. Damage that was caused because of him.

They sat in silence as Millie took care of her own wounds and dressed them. Both were in their own worlds, thinking their own thoughts.

"What you said about Wolfwood."

The words sounded strange as they broke the silence that had settled for so long.

Millie choked, then coughed, feeling the awkwardness as well. Her voice sounded so unsure.

"Was that true?"

Knives looked up. What he saw in her face stilled the hurtful words forming on his tongue. It was trust…simple trust that would accept anything he said as the truth. If he said that Wolfwood was a killer of children and woman. A monster born of hell and everything the priest had told them was a lie…she would believe him.

Such open trust was something that Knives had never seen before.

Sure Legato took everything he said as gospel, but that was because Knives was a god to him. Millie thought no such thing.

She was trusting another person. A person that had proved to be untrusting and hurtful.

It as strange to see such faith.

"Yes…it was true."

Knives watched as he face fell. She nodded her breath shaky.

"But…in the end Wolfwood was what you believed."

Knives dislike the taste of those words. Yet he couldn't stop them. The sudden brightness in Millie's eyes as she looked up in surprise, struck him to hard.

"The priest betrayed me in the end. He died the man you thought he was."

Millie lowered her head as her shoulders shook with silent tears.

"Thank you Knives."

Thank you.