Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Mine ❯ Bonds Reforming ( Chapter 19 )

 

Disclaimer: Hmmm... I own my kids (Because I made them) I own my husband, (Because the Marriage License says so) and I own a REALLY big mortgage. (Because I'm stupid and signed on the dotted line.) However I don't own Trigun. (Because if I did, I wouldn't have said mortgage.)

“blah blah” : talking

`blah blah' : thinking

“blah blah” : telepathic talking

blah blah : other misc. stuff.

 

*~*~*

 

Forever Mine

Chapter 19: Bonds Reforming

 

 

 

Vash continued to stare at the medical ward's exit with a winsome smile on his face. The woman of his dreams (including the erotic ones) just walked through those very doors, but not before telling him that she would always need him. `How did I get so lucky?' he thought to himself before getting pulled out of his whimsy by the Doc.

 

“Vash?” he started, taking in the gunman's unusual expression.

 

“Yeah Doc?”

 

“If I may be so bold… Just what exactly is your relationship with Miss. Meryl?”

 

“Well… I'm not sure really, but…” the blonde started, furrowing his brow over the question, as he turned to face the smaller man. Then with his expression softening, he smiled again while admitting, “I… ahhh… I'm in love with her, Doc.”

 

“I can assume that she reciprocates your feelings?”

 

“Even though she hasn't come out and said it… but yeah, I can feel it.”

 

“She does know that you're not human, correct?”

 

“Yes, she does. She knows everything,” Vash skeptically replied. “Why do you ask?”

 

“I just wanted to make sure that you are fully prepared for this, is all,” the older looking man answered. “You know, falling in love can be the most rewarding feeling. But, at the same time, please remember that it won't always be easy. Especially, when the love is between two different species…”

 

“But… we are basically evolved humans!” Vash blurted out as he cut him off. “You said so yourself from all of the data that you found in the archives. Theoretically, we are even compatible enough to produce offspring.”

 

“Yes… according to what is recorded, that is correct. Although, it has never been proven, since you and Knives were born A-sexually and outside of a containment sphere,” Doc pointed out. “What I mean is with the two different life spans. You are going to be 133 years old in a few short weeks and Miss Meryl is about Jessica's age. So, please Vash… just keep that in mind!”

 

“I…I have. That's really the only reservation I have about this whole thing. Though…” He paused for a moment to take a deep breath while contemplating his words. “…at the same time, just knowing that I can have her in my life, even if it is only for the next fifty or sixty years, is worth all of the loneliness afterward,” Vash sincerely finished, with a small smile, as a tear slipped down his cheek.

 

“Then I'm really glad Vash. I know that you do deserve it,” the Doc said, smiling in return as he raised his right hand to grab the blonde's forearm in comfort.

 

“Thanks Doc.”

 

“One thing, though. A request really.”

 

“Sure, what is it?”

 

“It's concerning Jessica…” the smaller man started as he let go of the outlaw and brought his right hand up to rub his bald head while chuckling lightly. “Remember, how I told you about how she turned Brad down, because she thinks that she loves you and that you two are going to get married?”

 

“Uhhh… yeah?”

 

“Well, she still thinks that and I don't want her to get hurt,” the Doc continued as his tone took on a more serious tone. “Besides, I think she realized that she actually had feelings for him after what happened… and if you get taken away suddenly by someone else…” he trailed off as sadness enveloped both men.

 

“I understand,” the gunman whispered as he closed his eyes in attempt to keep the tears from falling.

 

“I just ask that you try to make your feelings for Miss Meryl not so obvious when she is around. Well, at least not right away.”

 

“Okay Doc. I'll tell Meryl, too. Though, I really don't think we would have much to worry about there. She's actually pretty shy when it comes to stuff that that,” Vash informed him as he opened his aqua orbs. “Once everything settles down, I will also talk to Jessica about Meryl and I. Hopefully that will smooth things over.”

 

“Thank you, Vash.”

 

“No problemo, Doc. Ya' know… I think of Jessica as a little sister, after all,” Vash smiled slightly before turning his attention to the center door on the opposite wall. Sighing loudly, he said, “Well, I suppose I should go and see my brother now. I'm sure that he's pretty peeved that it has taken me so long to get in there.”

 

“All right, I will stay out here, just in case you need me.”

 

“Thanks Doc,” he replied before stepping around the Doc and striding toward his brother's room.

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

 

 

“It's about time you decided to grace me with your presence, brother.” Knives sarcastically commented.

 

“Oh come on. It hadn't been that long,” Vash whined as he walked over to a chair in the corner of the room and picked it up. Carrying it over to the semi-upright bed, he placed it on the floor again and sat down before bringing his attention back to his brother. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Humph… like you really care.”

 

“Hey, what's that supposed to mean?”

 

“I mean… that if you really cared, then you would not have left in me the hands of some worthless human,” the platinum blonde bit out. “You would have been here or, at very least, one of your pets would have been!”

 

Vash just looked at his brother and sighed. He couldn't really believe that Knives was really that put out, just because someone unfamiliar was near by when he had awakened. But, then again, if their roles were reversed…

 

“You can see where I'm coming from, can't you?” Knives mentally asked his twin after reading his thoughts.

 

“Yes… I do. I'm sorry Knives,” the golden blonde replied as he brought his hand up to his hair and ran it though the tousled strands. “It's just that Doc said that McKenna is perfectly capable of handling your injuries and I guess I wasn't thinking clearly.

 

“Obviously! You have been too busy thinking about getting into the pants of your little pet!”

 

“Heh… I just can't seem to help myself,” Vash remarked as a deviant smile made his eyes twinkle. “I guess you can call it hormonal!”

 

“That's an understatement!” Knives groused as he rolled his eyes. “Your whole body is buzzing because of these so called hormones! It is disgusting!”

 

“Okay… that's enough,” Vash advised. He really didn't want to have his `sort of sex life' be the main topic of their conversation and decided he needed to change the subject and quickly. “How do your shoulders feel? Have you tried to lift your arms yet?”

 

“My shoulders are fine,” Knives answered as he raised his arms to prove his point. “And as you can feel, I have only minimal pain.”

 

“Good! Red did say that your side should be completely healed in a couple of days as well. Though, I guess… I… ahhh… kinda shattered both of your femurs,” the outlaw sheepishly said as he raised his right hand and scratched the back of his head. “So, they may take a little while to heal.”

 

“I know… Vash,” Knives sighed as he closed his eyes and brought his right hand up to rub his temples. “I entered the little spider's mind as she was going over her data.” As he returned the hand to his lap, he opened his brilliant blue eyes. Immediately returning his gaze back to his brother, he added with a light chuckle, “Damn… you got me good.”

 

“You mean you're not pissed?”

 

“Oh I am… very much so. Although, I decided that I won't dwell on it. It's just that when I'm completely healed… I am going to thoroughly kick your ass, dearest brother,” Knives answered as a broad smile crossed his normally spiteful façade making him look just like his twin.

 

Once Vash saw the mischievous gleam in his brother's eyes and the alarming smile, a stricken look crossed his handsome features, which caused the normally brooding plant to laugh jovially. Oh… crap!” he muttered before starting to laugh as well.

 

The twins sat there and continued to laugh over the `threat' for the next few minutes, while actually enjoying being together for the first time in over 120 years. Finally, realizing just how much they had missed each other's company, the connection they shared, the bond. Eventually, their laughter slowed to chuckles and after another minute, it died down to smiles as they both continued to look at one another.

 

Finally, a sigh escaped the platinum blonde as his smile turned sad before whispering, “Vash… I'm sorry. I never really wanted anything bad to happen to you. I…I just wanted…” he trailed off as he closed his eyes to try to fight the tears that were threatening to fall. After all, he hadn't cried since his brother shot him the first time, right before they separated, and he wasn't about to start now. Especially since he was a superior being and above such a weakness.

 

“I understand,” Vash quietly murmured as he grabbed his brother's hand with his real one and gently squeezed. He knew that his brother only wanted him to see his point of view and even though the methods were extreme, he understood what his brother was doing. He had already decided to forgive him for his indiscretions. But, he would not forget. No, he could never forget, because if he did, then everything that he stood for would become irrelevant.

 

“Do you think that you could ever forgive me for what I have done to you?” he quietly asked, using their link.

 

“I already do, Knives.”

 

“Thank you.” Knives whispered before companionable silence enveloped them. After a moment of quiet, he looked at his brother again and noticed that he was staring at their clasped hands. Then with another sigh, he advised, “Though, I still have not decided if the human race is worth saving…”

 

“I kinda figured as much,” Vash began, sighing himself, as he let go of his brother's hand so he could run it through his hair again. The very next instant, he brought his pleading eyes up to his brothers and added, “But, you will at least let me try to sway you, correct? You do owe me at least that much.”

 

“I suppose… If it means that much to you,” Knives muttered. He figured that he could at least humor his twin for the time being.

 

“Great!” Vash exclaimed happily before stopping his train of thought once he felt Meryl's presence. “The girls are here.”

 

“Humph… It's about time.” Knives cynically commented as he returned to his normal arrogant self.

 

After dropping off a cup of coffee and a slice of dessert to the Doc, both women walked through the doors to the Plant's room. Mac was carrying a tray with Knives' meal, two pieces of cheesecake and a glass of water, while Meryl carried a silver colored carafe and two coffee cups. Once reaching Vash's side, McKenna asked if he could wheel the bed's mobile table over and set it in front of his twin, so, she could set the tray down for him. With a smile, he said sure and brought it over.

 

“Meryl said that you would probably like a piece of cheesecake, Mr. Vash. So, we brought you one,” McKenna said with a smile as she set the tray in front of the temperamental twin. She then turned her attention to Knives and added, “I hope this meets your expectations, Mr. Knives.”

 

“I highly doubt it, but I guess it will have to do,” he haughtily replied as he looked to the delicious looking meal before him.

 

“What an arrogant bastard,” McKenna mumbled to herself as she rolled her eyes.

 

“What did you say, woman?” he seethed after hearing her comment.

 

“I said… sorry I didn't get it here faster,” she sardonically replied as she glared at the man lying on the bed before her.

 

“That is not what…” he viciously started until Vash cut him off. The younger sibling told Mac that her timing was just fine and thanked her for making the delicious looking meal for his twin. Upon hearing his brother's compliments, Knives just shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest with a look of disgust on his face.

 

“So Vash…” the raven-haired woman hastily intervened with an amused look gracing her lovely features. After watching the whole scene, she couldn't help but notice the sparks flying off the injured Plant and the young doctor. “Are you going to stay here for a while?” she asked, quickly alleviating the tension.

 

“Probably, why short-girl?”

 

“Well, McKenna said that she would help me back at our apartment and I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't need her,” she elaborated as she placed the carafe and cups on the table next to the plate of salmon and asparagus.

 

“No, I think I have it covered. Besides, Doc is still here.”

 

“Okay, well we had better get going then. Are you ready McKenna?”

 

“Yes, I am. If you do need anything Mr. Vash, please contact me, okay?”

 

“Gotcha red!” the golden blonde happily replied, while his brother rolled his eyes again. “I'll come down around six o'clock and we can all go to Jessica's together.”

 

Both women said that would be fine and walked out of the room, while the Plants watched their retreating forms, one smiling warmly and the other frowning frigidly. Once the women left the ward, Vash brought his attention back to his brother and said, “Ya' know you could be a little nicer to McKenna. You are going to be spending quite a bit of time with her over the next week or so and it will be a lot more enjoyable if you were at least civil to her.”

 

“Humph… I doubt it,” Knives mumbled as he started to eat the meal before him. After taking a bite of the salmon, he surprisingly looked back down to the meal, while thinking, `Hmmm… not bad.'

 

“Pretty good, huh',” Vash mentally said to his brother, since he felt that his brother actually liked her cooking.

 

“Vash, she just used the replicator. So, she didn't really fix this. The system did.”

 

“So?”

 

“So? Anyone could have made this. The only thing that is confirmed by this is that she can actually use some lost technology, nothing more.”

 

“Don't you think you're being a little harsh, brother? She only wants to help you get better.”

 

“You don't know that. You don't know anything about her, for that matter.”

 

“How about we ask the Doc? He wouldn't have trusted her without knowing anything about her past. Then if she still doesn't meet your approval, then I will move into one of the other rooms and stay here until you are completely healed. Is that agreeable?”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Good,” Vash said out loud before calling for the Doc. “Besides, Meryl and I will probably be down here most of the time, anyway.”

 

“Yes Vash?” the Doc inquired as he walked into the room with his cheesecake and coffee in hand.

 

“It's about red,” he started as he grabbed another chair for the Doc to sit on. “Could you tell us a little about her?”

 

“Sure, what would you like to know?” the smaller man asked as he sat on the offered seat and took a bite of his treat.

 

“Well… everything, at least as much as you know about her.”

 

“I guess you could say I know quite a bit,” he laughed. “She likes to bake and I swear I have gained ten pounds since she arrived. She made the cheesecake from scratch ya' know,” he added before eating his last bite and placing the empty plate on the floor next to his chair.

 

“Oh yeah?” Vash asked as he grabbed his own piece and took a bite. “Oooooh… this is really good, I'd say my third favorite treat now!” he exclaimed, while thinking that it fell in line with doughnuts and apple dumplings. `Of course, it would be considered the fourth if Meryl counted as a dessert,' he thought. After all, she would most definitely be first on the list.

 

“What about her personally?” Knives inquired, purposely ignoring his brother's lustful thoughts about the short-girl.

 

“Well, I know that she grew up at the Fed's main headquarters and her father is an official there. So, she grew up being surrounded by lost technology,” Doc stated prior to taking a sip of his coffee.

 

“What?!” both plants yelled as surprise enveloped their features.

 

“Something wrong?”

 

“Did you ever think that she could be here for Vash?” Knives exclaimed as he brought his hand up to the bridge of his nose.

 

“No, she isn't here for Vash,” Doc simply replied as he looked at the platinum blonde and logically supplied, “How could she be? She didn't even know he was linked to the ship until after I received the wire from Max on Thursday and told her? Besides, Knives, I'm sure that you have already entered her mind. And did you find anything malicious?”

 

“No, I didn't sense anything…” he muttered, looking down at the table before him.

 

“Please go on Doc,” Vash urged as he started to eat again.

 

“As I was saying, she has been surrounded by lost technology all of her life, so, when she came here she helped immensely. I didn't have to show her how to use any of the equipment.”

 

“Why did she leave her home then?” Knives wondered as he brought his attention back to the smaller man.

 

“She said that it was because she and her father didn't see eye to eye on things. Like… hmmm… let me think. Oh, I remember! Her father didn't like the fact that she decided to practice medicine and thought that she should be more like some of the other official's daughters.”

 

“Like how?” Vash asked that time.

 

“Well… her father wanted her to act more like a `woman.' To become a… oh how to put it…” the Doc began before pausing for a moment as he thought about how describe the redhead's situation. “…more like a debutant, you could say. Of course, Mac isn't really the type. She would rather do research and help others heal, than care about her appearance and what other people thought about her. Anyway, I guess her father had enough and told her that she had to marry this captain in the Calvary. Who was only willing to do it, because of what he would gain career-wise instead of being interested in Mac.”

 

“Really?” Vash asked as a look of confusion crossed his handsome face. “But she's kind of a cutie!”

 

“Hmph… I thought you at least had some good taste, brother. At least your pet is comely enough,” Knives commented before taking a drink of water.

 

“What's that supposed to mean? McKenna is attractive… well in a geeky sort of way,” Vash defended.

 

“Oh come on Vash, look at her hair… ugh… it's all curly and the color… and she needs those hideous spectacles. In my opinion that makes her even lower than the lowly species that she comes from,” Knives remarked coldly as his blue eyes flashed in annoyance.

 

“I think it's you that doesn't have any taste, brother!”

 

“When she first arrived, a few of the single men would come to the ward with phantom injuries. So, I would say that my kind likes her well enough,” the Doc added with a smile.

 

“Well, what happened? Does she have a boyfriend then?” Vash asked.

 

“No… she only said that she didn't have time for that sort of thing.”

 

“Oh…” both Plants murmured before Vash added, “Well, what did her mom have to say about all of it?”

 

“Her mother had past away, Vash.”

 

“How?” the outlaw breathed, requesting the details from the bald man.

 

“Well… she died when marauders attacked an armed caravan they were traveling in. I believe Mac was about eight at the time,” the Doc somberly elaborated. “She was shot by a stray bullet while trying to get her daughter to safety.”

 

“That's terrible,” Vash whispered as sadness took over making his eyes glisten. Knives immediately called him a baby and told him to suck it up.

 

“That was over sixteen years ago, Vash,” the older looking man pointed out.

 

“Yeah, but still… she lost her mother at such a young age,” he added as a tear slipped down his cheek. “While knowing that her mother was instantly killed while trying to save her own life…”

 

“Ummm… well… she didn't die instantly because of being shot,” the Doc said as looked down to his now empty coffee cup. “The wound was non-lethal. She died from blood loss.”

 

“Oh… God,” Vash breathed eyes wide. “That's why she collected the blood samples, isn't it?”

 

“Yes it is. That's also why she decided to study medicine. She said that she felt so helpless while watching her mother bleed to death in the middle of nowhere,” the Doc reflected. “So, when her father told her that she had to get married and could no longer practice medicine, she left. That was almost a year ago. She said that she wandered and helped people wherever she could. When she heard about our ship, she decided to come here. That's about it.”

 

“Wow… that's amazing. To leave behind everything like that…” Vash said mostly to himself, before bringing his attention to Knives who was also thinking about the petite auburn-headed woman. “Well Knives? Does she pass?” he asked, feeling the conflicting emotions running through his twin before he mumbled something non-coherent.

 

“What was that, brother?”

 

Knives sat there looking down at the table before him, wondering if he really was wrong when he initially judged the entire human race on one person 130 years ago. Sure, after the Great Fall, the race was desperate and malicious, which in his opinion, did prove his point. However, didn't he create the turmoil, the desperation? Now, however, he had only been with Vash and his companions for less than a week and he had already been introduced to three prime examples that completely threw his original analysis completely off kilter.

 

`Am I wrong?' Knives thought as he heard his brother ask him if she passed. He closed his eyes as he mumbled that she did, but said it so lightly that Vash asked him to repeat himself. The question effectively snapped the confused Plant out of his transient state as he instantly brought his ice-blue orbs up to meet his brother's aqua ones, before haughtily replying …

 

“I suppose I'll let her tend to my wounds… for the time being.”