Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Purgatory ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Milly turned on the radio without thinking and then regretted it instantly. It would be harder to have a conversation with Nicholas with it on, and she wanted to learn more about this stranger. But too late now. She compromised by turning the volume lower as she reversed and headed out of the parking lot.

As they headed out towards the bridge, Wolfwood said, “I’ve never been to this town before,” hoping she would offer some information that might give him a clue as to how and why he was there.

“That’s normal,” Milly replied. “Lots of people live around here their whole lives and don’t go downtown or into the city. But I think they’re missing out. Look how beautiful the bridge looks, all lit up.”

Wolfwood looked. The lights shone on the river as they drove across the white expanse, illuminating the black waters with an ethereal contrast. “Yes,” he agreed, “it’s magnificent.” “Where are you from?” Milly asked, glad they were finally having a normal conversation where she might learn something about him. “I’ve lived on the east coast as long as I can remember.”

Normal question, Wolfwood thought. How to answer? He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to tell this girl the truth, at least, not all of it. His instincts told him that something was horribly wrong and he was beginning to think that he was never going to get back to Tonim Town again.

“I’m from out west. Sometimes,” he said, smiling, “when I’m here I feel like I’m on another planet.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty different, that’s for sure. Where out west? California?” Somehow he didn’t look very California to her.

“How’d you guess?” he asked.

“That’s nice, I have never been, but it’s supposed to be lovely,” Milly said, making a mental check. OK! Origin: California. Occupation: Priest. Hobbies: Saving strangers. Flaws: Carries big cross everywhere. Now what do I ask him?

She glanced over at him, unsure of what to say next. The priest seemed lost in thought, and almost unaware of her presence. She remembered that look that had passed across his face when she told him her name, and wondered again if she had imagined it.

Wolfwood was also trying to think of something else to say. Didn’t learn much there. California sounded vaguely familiar but he knew he had never been there and didn’t think it was a place on Gunsmoke. Maybe a place in a book…or a fairy tale.

Wolfwood was aware that the girl felt uncomfortable since asking him if he needed a lift, probably regretting it, but he was grateful for her offer. However, now that they were heading to Springfield, wherever that was, he realized he really had no plan at all about what to do when they got there. He had nowhere to stay, and had simply accepted the ride impulsively. Maybe he wanted to spend more time with her--maybe it was that she seemed to be a link in the puzzle of why he was in this strange place. Seems to be a different planet, different world, not just different town. As he allowed his thoughts to drift, the music on the radio lulled him gently. Closing his eyes, he listened to the words…

It was a beautiful song…sounded like a hymn from a church. There were the gentle sounds of a pipe organ. “Lights will guide you home…” sang the radio, and Wolfwood felt a small lump in his throat, wondering if he would ever make it back to his home, his friends.

“Nicholas…” The soft voice jolted him out of his thoughts and he sat up, eyes wide open.

“Sorry, guess I almost dozed there for a minute,” he said, trying to shake off the emotion he felt threaten to overwhelm him. When she didn’t respond, he thought perhaps the silence was making her uncomfortable.

“What is the name of this song?” he asked.

Milly pursed her lips together and turned up the radio to hear it better…

“I’m not sure, do you like it?” she asked him.

“Yeah, I guess so…” he responded lightly, not wanting to explain how he had been affected by the music.

Milly felt suddenly irritated and punched the preset buttons on the radio, rapidly.

“Sorry,” Wolfwood apologized again. “You didn’t have to change it.”

Milly looked over at him, ready to be exasperated, and quickly put her eyes back on the road. She had forgotten how good-looking he was. She sighed and pushed another preset. Heavy metal. Good, let him hear some of this, she thought. Probably there aren’t many priests that like this music. Too bad they weren’t playing anything blasphemous, she thought evilly. She felt a stab of viciousness--why did he have to be a priest, for chrissakes. Her friends always said the hottest guys were gay, she now has to add “or priests” to that. Maybe he is a priest and gay, she thought, bringing a small smile to her lips.

The car rolled down the highway and what had started as a companionable silence began to feel awkward, for both of them. Wolfwood leaned over and hit the presets until he found the first song again and turned the volume up even higher in the car.

He looked at the radio, taken by the simple rhymes that seemed to speak a truth directly to him. He said, “Milly,” softly, to get her attention. She didn’t hear him over the music, her eyes glued straight ahead along the darkened roadway.

Reaching over, he touched her shoulder. She jumped, startled, and he said, “You really don’t know the name of this song?” She knew perfectly well, but for some reason wanted to deny him her knowledge. She shrugged and stayed focused on driving. Wolfwood turned the radio down and settled back into the seat. He closed his eyes again. He could sense she was annoyed, at him (maybe she doesn’t like people from California?) or at the situation he wasn’t sure, so maybe he should just leave her alone. Feeling irritated himself, and perplexed by her moodiness, he decided to stay silent.

Why am I acting this way? Milly thought to herself. I like him, he’s been so nice, I’m the worst “rescuee” ever, she thought. She opened her mouth to apologize and looked over at the priest, only to find he had fallen asleep, for real this time.

His mouth was slightly parted as his white shirt lapels rose and fell with each breath. His arms hung languidly off the seat, his head had fallen to his shoulder, and he looked as if he hadn’t rested in days. Great, just wonderful, Milly thought. He falls asleep before he even tells me where I’m taking him. And he looks so, so good dammit.

A few minutes later she pulled off the highway to her exit. Wolfwood awoke with the sharp turn of the car but kept his eyes closed, not wanting to invite more of her questions.

Well, Milly thought, now what? She hit the first red light and took the minute to evaluate the situation. A nice priest from California had helped her out and she was acting like an ungrateful brat, that was the bottom line. He was obviously exhausted, falling asleep on the short ride to her town, and looked as if he could use a good meal. Oh no you don’t, her subconscious warned her, don’t you dare invite him home for dinner. It’s almost midnight and you have to work in the morning. And he could still turn out to be a wacko. Didn’t her dad always say California was the land of “Fruits and Nuts?” Ha! he probably is a gay priest, she internally exclaimed, deciding her earlier guess was the obvious truth. No normal priest would have a body like that.

If she hadn’t been inexplicably rude before, she might have listened to her common sense, but now Milly felt like she had to make up for the mental transgressions that Wolfwood was completely unaware of. So rather than waking him, she turned into her own parking lot and turned off the car.

Wolfwood was still feigning sleep, curious as to where they were and what his new acquaintance had in mind. Expecting her to speak at any moment, he concentrated on keeping his breathing regular.

Instead of the voice he was waiting for, a soft hand touched his sleeve. “Nicholas?”

His arm felt warm inside the jacket where her hand lay, and he didn’t move, enjoying the sensation. “Nicholas?” a little louder, a bit of a shake this time.

OK, Wolfwood thought, got to “wake up” now.

“Good morning,” he said, giving her what he hoped was his most disarming-don’t-ask-me-any-questions-please smile.

She looked a little concerned. “Are you OK?”

“Absolutely,” Wolfwood said, forcing energy he didn’t feel into his voice. “Where have we landed?”

Opening her car door, Milly let the words come out in a rush--“This is my house. You seem sleepy. And I think sleepy people are often also hungry and you seemed so tired I didn’t want to wake you up and so I figured that maybe you would want to eat” Oh god I’m totally babbling Milly realized, “and so I thought I could feed you some dinner before taking you home if you want if that is OK?” she finished lamely.

What a sweetheart, Wolfwood thought, realizing the total trust (or naïveté) this girl must have placed in him to take him here. And he was grateful. He didn’t know what to say or how to thank her.

“That sounds amazing,” he said, getting out of the car, “Thank you.”

She smiled and started to lock the doors but he stopped her, “Wait, let me grab my baggage,” he said, opening the back door and taking out the cross.

“Um, you could just leave it here,” Milly said, thinking she had allowed herself to forget his weirdo qualities for a little too long but nothing to be done about it now.

“Nah,” he said, hoisting it over his shoulder, “never know when someone is going to want to grab themselves a nice big crucifix and I wouldn’t want your car window to get busted.” He turned, looking at her with a twinkle in his eye, and she realized with relief that he was joking.

“Well, of course, there is that,” she smiled at him, walking up to the front door.