Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Epidemic ❯ The Final Stroke ( Chapter 7 )

~*Chapter Six - The Final Stroke*~

The desert sand stretched out endlessly as the small jeep sped along the dunes, dust kicking up the miles behind them. The binary suns hung overhead, bearing down upon the travelers mercilessly; it was going to be another long day on the road. They had left the geoplant that morning after sending Meryl's spirit up above with their prayers, their quartet now down to three. It had been a simple, somber moment as they laid the young woman to rest with Heaven's grace, forever asleep under the geoplant's green tress.

Millie sat in the back, weeping silently and staring off into the endless distance as nothing but sand and rock pillars passed by along the horizon, the gritty wind cooling the tears that streamed her face. She hadn't spoken since they had left, silent in her mourning for her dearest friend. Vash sat in the front passenger seat, head bowed and his expression thoughtful. His golden-tinted glasses obscured his viridian eyes from view, and his forehead was resting somberly in his gloved hand, but the line of dusty tears betrayed his serious expression. Wolfwood was driving, his cobalt eyes hidden behind completely opaque sunglasses and fixed upon the horizon ahead of them. No sound but the wind whistling past them and the revving of the newly repaired vehicle filled their ears; they were utterly alone along this stretch of fathomless desolation.

"I…I don't understand…" Vash said finally, looking up at Wolfwood with a pained gaze. The priest said nothing as Vash spoke, but cast his eyes to the side and glanced at the gunslinger from behind his glasses. Knowing that he had the angel's attention, Vash continued. "How could she have gotten the disease so quickly? We were only in May…for maybe an hour…we didn't have any contact…with any human-"

"Just because humans have died from it doesn't mean that humans are what spread it," Wolfwood interjected, his voice soft and slightly gruff. "It could be spread through the air…through the water…I don't understand it either, Vash…" he finished looking rather troubled.

Vash sat there for a long moment, surveying Wolfwood's solemn face silently in contemplation, blond strands waving about his face fiercely as the wind cast them aside. He sighed after a bit and sat back against his seat, looking equally uneasy.

"It just seems so…"

A sudden, loud screech from ahead pierced the otherwise silent desert, and all three in the car forgot their woes for the moment as they saw the crimson hellspawn fly at them from over the dune, making a beeline for the vehicle.

"Holy shit!" Wolfwood suddenly cursed, and wrenched the steering wheel to one side, causing the jeep to veer wildly off to one side. Both his passengers and his large Cross leaned precariously and sharply in the opposite direction as they narrowly avoided the demon, but the creature was not so easily thrown off. Nor was he alone.

As the jeep vaulted over the sand with a loud, dangerous clanging sound, a rather large city appeared out of the desert, and a large contingent of the hellish creatures were flying out from the outskirts, directly at them.
"It's Inepriel!" Vash cried, his teeth chattering painfully as the jeep hit every bump in the rocky terrain. After all his seatbelt still wasn't working, so he was simply holding onto whatever he could find, which was a combination of the door on his right side and Wolfwood's arm on his left. "It looks like the plant is still working! But…the demons! Surely they couldn't have ended up like May-"

But Wolfwood's grim expression confirmed his fears, and Vash gritted his teeth. No…not another town…

A sudden scream of terror from behind caused both Vash and Wolfwood to jump, but Vash was the only one able to turn, and he saw with horror that the demons were bearing down upon Millie, who was swinging her mighty stun gun at the creatures, but seemed to be failing. Her face was pale and though she was fighting valiantly, she seemed to be struggling.

"Millie!" Vash cried, and forgetting the danger of being flung from the vehicle in Wolfwood's erratic driving, he stood, one foot in the seat, pulled out his blessed revolver and fired several rounds at the pair of demons that had swooped down upon his friend. They screeched in pain as the sanctified bullets pierced their skin and released Millie from their damned talons, clearly wounded. Several scratches ran along her fair face, and she was sweating, looking ill and terrified. Her light blue eyes were dulled slightly, and several small bloodstains decorated her khaki overcoat.

"Is she alright?" came Wolfwood's shout, muffled by the wind, as they launched over the last dune before they hit the outskirts of Inepriel.

"I don't know! She looks ill! Just like-"

Vash felt a sudden cold dread hit him as he realized the likeness of Millie's pallid face…the sweat upon her brow…

Meryl…just like Meryl…

"No!" Vash cried, but before he could cry out further, Wolfwood shouted back again.

"Here they come! Ward them off, Vash! Make sure they don't get her!"

Sure enough, just as Wolfwood had said, a new onslaught of the creatures bore down upon them, but despite the fact that Vash was the one wounding them, they only seemed interested in Millie, who was by now too injured and ill to put up much of a fight. Grimacing, Vash reloaded his revolver quickly and took another six shots, which deterred a few, but still on they came, an endless supply set on attaining Millie for their own.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake! Vash!" Wolfwood shouted, and suddenly pulled him down into the seat, looking at him firmly. "You can't do anything more against them! We need more than one gun to get them off our tails! Take the wheel!" he said, and pulled Vash over into his seat as he climbed up and over him into the passenger seat. The wind whipped past them both as they struggled with the difficult movement, and as Vash finally got himself into the driver's seat and got the vehicle under control, Wolfwood was standing in the seat much like how Vash had previously been.

"Mr. Wolfwood…" Millie questioned vaguely as she looked up at the priest weakly. Wolfwood looked down at her with deep compassion and worry.

"It'll be alright, Millie! I'll take care of them!"

"What the Hell are you doing?!" Vash shouted, but Wolfwood didn't look at him as he glared angrily at the demons, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Get to a church! I'll meet you there!" he shouted in return, and before Vash could reply, there was sudden rustling sound and a flurry of ivory feathers to Vash's right, and Wolfwood was no longer standing there. Vash gasped slightly as he realized what had happened, and swerved dangerously as he went to avoid the first few buildings of the town.

His horrified viridian eyes fell upon the mangled bodies that littered the streets, dragged out of their homes and places of businesses by these vile creatures, and the stench was unbearable, just as in May. Men, woman, children…all lifeless, victims to this epidemic that had mysteriously came out of the desert…it had taken Meryl…and was now hoping to claim Millie as well.

"No!" Vash said firmly as he cut down a narrow alley, ignoring the horrible screeching that was slowly growing closer. As he erupted out into another main street, a small building with a humble stone cross perched upon its steeple loomed at the intersection of two other streets, and Vash turned wildly towards it. "The church!" he gasped, and took a few moments to look over his shoulder at Millie. She was still conscious, but barely, and her cheeks were flushed with fever.

"Mr. Vash…hurry…" she murmured weakly, which only spurred Vash on further. As he came to a jerking halt at the doors to the church, the outlaw leapt out of the car without even opening the door, and quickly gathered Millie into his arms before bolting through the small wooden doors and into the inner sanctum.

It was a small room, with about five pews lining each wall. A small stone altar sat at the very end, covered in slightly tarnished emblems of the faith, a chalice and a cross, and in the seat behind the pulpit was the body of a man dressed in clerical garments, holding an open bible in his wasted hands, his head bowed as though his prayer. Closing his eyes slightly, Vash found a pew near the middle and laid Millie out gently upon the stone seats, and put a gloved hand to her forehead. Even through the thomas hide he could feel a fever raging in her blood, and he knelt beside her, taking her hand and brushing a few brown strands out of her scratched face.

"Wolfwood'll be here soon, Millie…and he'll make you better…" he said with what he hoped was a hopeful smile, but this hope was frail…Wolfwood had the power of God on his side…and yet he had been unable to heal Meryl….just what kind of horrendous disease was this that could resist even the power of the Almighty?

For a long time, there was no sound but Millie's heavy breathing, giving a lonesome, eerie feel to the entire place. The stench of death permeated even through these thick stone walls, slowly sapping away at Vash's hope and resolve, and Millie's as well.

"I promise…Wolfwood'll be here soon…" Vash reiterated, trying to convince himself that the angel had not fallen as well to the vile things.

Suddenly, the wooden doors burst open, and a figure stumbled in, slamming the doors behind him. Vash looked up as the sound echoed through the room, and inhaled slightly as the amazing and yet tragic sight met his eyes.

Wolfwood was trudging down the aisle towards them quickly, covered in blood. It stained his white collar and was smeared across his face, giving the look of some sort of morbid war paint. His face was pale and firm, slightly angered. But it was not just the blood itself that made the sight so tragic…it was the wound from which the blood was slowly seeping.

A pair of elegant ivory wings were tucked against the angel's back, the snow-white feathers contrasting heavily with the crimson blood that smeared against them. One of the wings was hanging at a slightly odd angle, and several feathers were bent and broken, also covered in blood. The angel's face was tainted with pain, which he grittily frowned away, and as he stepped up to where Vash was kneeling, the outlaw moved away, slightly in saddened awe of the heavenly sight before him.

"Nicholas…" Vash said softly as the angel knelt and put a hand on Millie's face. "You're bleeding…" he breathed, and reached out a trembling hand to touch the wounded wing.

"No…leave it be…I'm fine…" Wolfwood said grittily, pulling away from Vash's hand. He knew the outlaw meant well, but it hurt horribly despite himself. "It's broken, but it'll heal…Vash…go get Millie some water…and I'll see what I can do," he said, clearly hiding the agony that his wounds were putting him through. Vash could see it in those cobalt eyes; the only place where Wolfwood's mask could not conceal. Swallowing slightly, he nodded and stood, and hurried off into the rest of the church to seek out some water and something to carry it in.

Wolfwood watched Vash hurry away, his red coattails flapping as he ran, and after a moment, turned back to face Millie, who was looking up at him with a slightly awed expression. Her dulled blue eyes were smiling innocently up at him, as though finally understanding what it was that he had meant when he had stated that he was an angel.

"Wow…you really are an angel, Mr. Wolfwood…" he said softly, coughing faintly. Wolfwood's eyes saddened as he watched her cough violently, and gently put a hand on her shoulder, steadying her.

"Shh…shh…I'm going to try to heal you," he said, trying to smile bravely, and as he put a hand on her forehead and bowed his head in prayer, he murmured two mantras to his Lord above…for his blessing and that this might work…

His hand filled with warmth, just as it had when he had attempted to heal Meryl many times, and passed through him into her, but the energy that he was expending was causing him great pain due to his wounds. He gritted his teeth against the pain as he put all he could into trying to heal her of this grievous illness.

As he withdrew his hand, what he saw confirmed his suspicions, and his heart sank with growing panic and dread…It wasn't working…

"Millie…I'm going to try again…" he said, his own face paling, but Millie could see that he was faltering himself; even angels can feel pain and weariness, it seemed…Gently, she shook her head and put a hand to his, smiling.

"Don't push yourself, Mr. Priest…" she said softly, breathing shudderingly. "I'm not afraid of dying…My big brother always told me not to be afraid of things you don't know…and if there really is a Heaven…like where you came from…then I have nothing to be afraid of," she said with a faint smile. She took a deep breath, sighing and coughing alternately, and frowned for a moment, as though gathering her words for something important that she had to say.

"Millie…" Wolfwood began, but she shook her head, silencing him softly.

"I'm glad you came back…I was worried about you, you know…you seemed so lost…like you once knew the path, but had lost your way a long time ago…I was worried that you wouldn't be able to find your way back to us…but you did…and I'm glad…" she murmured, taking another breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, a tear slipping down her cheek. "He was so sad after you died…he just…it was like a part of him had died with you…he became a whole other person…but when you came back…so did his smile…that part of him that only you could reach returned to us…Mr. Wolfwood…take care of Mr. Vash…even though he doesn't show it…he loves you very much…" she finished with a tired smile, and closed her eyes once more.

Wolfwood sat there for a very long moment, looking at her as her face paled and her chest stilled, and yet her lips still held a soft, pleasant smile. Slowly, Wolfwood closed his eyes and bowed his head, tears finding their way to his eyes. Just like that…she too, was gone…her life snuffed out like a candle…and there had been nothing…Nothing…that he could do about it…

Vash had hurried back to the sanctuary once he had found water, but as he came upon the scene before him, large bottle in hand, he slowed, and looked silently upon Millie and Wolfwood. Millie's eyes were closed…she looked peaceful, as if in sleep…but he could tell by Wolfwood's posture that the sleep she slept was eternal.

"Wolfwood…"

"Come on, Vash…we have to go…" he said, standing. He grimaced in pain and closed his eyes, willing his wings to hide themselves away as they had been before, and Vash watched in saddened awe as the bloody feathers and ripped wings vanished from view, leaving Wolfwood's back unscathed. Slowly, the priest turned to face Vash, his face firm, but eyes rimmed with tears that he was forcing away. "We can't let anymore die from this…we have to stop this…for them…" he murmured, and began to walk towards the door.

Vash looked up at Nicholas as tears began to fall once more down his face, and as he passed, he couldn't bear to look at the lifeless form of the formerly vigorous young woman who lay there. As he stepped outside, he watched Wolfwood get back into the driver's seat of the jeep with much effort, as though he was both physically and mentally wounded. Vash closed his eyes and joined him in the passenger seat, and sighed as the jeep roared to life and they drove, headed for the outskirts.

"Why aren't the demons…"

"They have no need to hunt down someone who's dead and someone who isn't human, Vash…they'll leave us be now…"

~*~

After the day had waned into the evening, Nicholas had pulled the jeep over near an outcropping of rocks, where he and Vash made camp for the night. The angel was still wounded, though the wound was no longer visible, and both needed time to think without the roar of the engine around them. The suns had set long ago, and a fire was crackling now, casting dancing light across the campsite. Vash had taken up a seat against a rock, his knees drawn up to his chin. His expression was solemn and sad, his expressive eyes fixed distantly on the fire. Tears streaked down his dusty face, and every once in a while, his shoulders would move with a heavy sigh, but save for that, he moved very little. He didn't understand all this loss…all this senseless, unexplainable death…Why must everyone he'd ever cared for be lost to him to death? Was there no end to the senseless slaughter that followed him? Sighing, he tightened his arms around his knees, not even paying any heed to the other man who stood directly adjacent to where he sat.

Nicholas stood near the fire, his hands shoved resolutely in his pockets. A crooked, half-burned cigarette hung from his lips, a thin wisp of silvery smoke twisting up through the air, obscuring his eyes slightly from view. He was staring silently into the flickering flames, watching the coals glow above the sand, but despite the steady expression on his face, it was evident that he was struggling internally with some untamable demon…something that he could not resolve…

Suddenly, the priest picked the cigarette from his lips and violently threw it into the flames, making a soft sizzle, and began to pace. He ran his hands angrily through his raven hair, his entire posture that of grief and frustration, and suddenly, he began to shout, causing Vash to jump in surprise.

"Why?! Damn it, Vash, why couldn't I save them!? Why couldn't I protect them?! I don't understand this!" he shouted as he stared at his hands, which had failed him in saving his dear friends. "Why has God abandoned me?! What have I done to displease him that he would not protect my friends and help me protect them!? Why?!" Tears were falling freely from his eyes now, but he paid them little heed as he continued to rant. "Why couldn't I help them!?"

Then, just as quickly as he had begun, he stopped, and with a soft whimper, he sank to the ground and drew his knees up, hiding his face in his arms. "…Why couldn't I save them…" he said, his voice muffled from tears and his arms. His shoulders shook as he began to openly weep, his frustration and anger and pain finally breaking away his tough mask. "…I don't know what to do anymore…"

He'd been sitting there in his mourning for a long moment when, gently, a pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders and drew him into their comforting embrace. An embrace that smelled of leather and gunpowder and of many years…

The priest reached up immediately and grasped Vash's sleeve in his hand, pulling himself into that embrace like a child…he needed this embrace…this knowledge that he wasn't alone in this…

He needed Vash…

"I…I don't know…Wolfwood…" came Vash's voice, trembling so badly that the angel could hear the tears in his voice. "I don't know about anything anymore either…sometimes…sometimes I wonder why I even try to live anymore…Ever since I got here…ever since July…I've done nothing but cause people pain and suffering…" His embrace tightened around the priest as he spoke, biting his lower lip as he finished.

"No…no, you haven't…" Nicholas interjected, raising his head slightly to look up at the outlaw with pain and compassion in his eyes. He raised a hand to wipe a few tears from Vash's dusty face, his own fingers trembling slightly as he moved, and he took a deep breath. "You've done so much more good than you realize…"

"People have died because of me!" Vash abruptly shouted, causing the priest's hand to quickly still its gentle movements. The outlaw gritted his teeth as tears continued to fall, too quickly to Wolfwood to try and catch, and he continued, his anger evident, and directed completely at himself. "People I've cared about…they've all died! Everyone….Everyone! They I've ever loved has been taken from me…Rem…Meryl, Millie…" he paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he swallowed thickly. "And you…you're all gone…forever…"

There was a moment of silence as Vash bowed his head and succumbed to his sorrow, his shoulders trembling as he found his suffering too heavy to bear silently any longer. He leaned his head down against Wolfwood's shoulder, gritting his teeth and silently weeping against his shoulder.

"No…no, we haven't…" came the soft reply, and Vash slowly raised his head to look at Wolfwood tearfully, swallowing heavily. "You can't always see us…but…we've never left you…" he murmured, and softly smiled, raising a hand to Vash's face. "I…I've never left you…"

Gently, he ran a thumb over the nearly healed scratches along Vash's face, his own cobalt eyes tearful but smiling gently, and perhaps almost bashfully. Vash's breath stilled for a moment as he felt those hands once again trace along those scratches, and closed his eyes briefly, leaning against his hand tenderly, needing the contact, and smiled. This was the side of Wolfwood kept subdued under opaque glass…the side that none very few ever had the privilege to view. Gone was the gruff, almost careless man that had long been his traveling partner, and, at least for a moment, Vash once again saw the warm kindness, the sheer honesty and compassion that he long ago had seen in the priest despite the brash masquerade he put on.

"I know…I know, you haven't…" he murmured, and, for a moment, there was no sound save for that of the fire crackling nearby. It danced along the faces of the two men, shining along dusty trails of tears long bidden passage, stripping away their last layers of gritty reserve.

For a brief moment, Wolfwood found himself without words as he sat there, nestled in the outlaw's consoling embrace, but as he saw the light flicker in Vash's eyes, Millie's words gently came back, nudging him along.

"Even though he doesn't show it…he loves you very much…"

Silently, Wolfwood peered into those eyes, looking for a trace of truth in what Millie had said…Was there still a chance for this, even though he knew taboo forbade it? Even in this hellish, disease riddled time, could there still be a chance for he and Vash to have at least some small happiness?

Was that too much to ask?

"Nicholas…I-"

The priest promptly silenced the outlaw, putting a finger to his lips gently. Wolfwood didn't want to hear any more words…actions alone could only properly convey the message that he wanted to send…So gently, his hand still lightly resting against Vash's face, he smiled at the outlaw with a resolve unlike any other he'd given before and began to lean in…he was determined to grant Millie's final wishes…

Vash sat there for a moment, somewhat stunned as he watched the priest lean in. He closed his eyes partially as their noses brushed, his breath hesitating for a moment, and suddenly, warm, almost tentative lips brushed against his, wordlessly delivering a message that had been delayed for far too long…Vash felt Wolfwood's grip on his coat tighten a bit as he tasted salt tears on the priest's mouth, and gently pulled him tightly in his embrace, an overflow of emotion pouring itself into the kiss that Vash returned.

Finally…Nicholas had come home…and for a moment, albeit a brief one, their pain and sorrow were sustained in one small moment of warmth and happiness…both something that they had too long been denied…

No longer would they be made to carry the weight of their sorrows alone…

~*~

Author's Notes:

Well…It's about time I got those two together, though I just hated killing Millie…but there was no way she could have survived after being constantly exposed to the virus…

The next three chapters are going to be hard for me to write. Not only are they going to be developing the romantic relationship between Vash and Nicholas, but they will be facing Knives' three generals, each in succession of each other…and I'm paranoid about keeping those three in character…so…bear with me!