Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Unseen Scars ❯ And They Dream ( Chapter 2 )

Meryl awoke in sweat. She had terrible dreams all the time, but none were as horrifying as ones of her childhood. Her childhood was a nightmare. Her m-...No, not her mother. Remember...She's alone.

 

Meryl has worked with Milly for five years now. They were like sisters now. They know everything about each other. Including crushes for Vash…not a crush, but love. With a hint of lust.

 

The blue haired woman stood up and got out of bed, desperately needing a shower. She gathered her rope and a towel and headed for the bathroom, longing to the hot water to pour down on her aching muscles. She stood in the shower for a little bit, just letting the water rinse away some of the sweat and tears that were shed in the night. She then washed away all of his troubles with raspberry soap.

 

Opening the curtain, Meryl grabbed her towel and shook it around her hair to gather the water, letting her hair hand loosely around her face. Meryl then covered herself with her robe. Covering the body that she hated and the scar from her childhood.

 

That scar was the one left behind when they took away all chances of having a true family. It was the only physical remainder of the whole incident from long ago. It was also the one scar that hurt the least.

 

"Meryl?" Milly called, knocking on the bathroom door. "Is that you?"

 

"Yes. Who else would it be Milly?"

 

"I don't know. I guess I was just hoping Mr. Vash had snuck in during the night."

 

Meryl smiled at the thought, wishing the same. " I know. It would be nice." Meryl opened the door. "I really wish he would come home."

 

"He'll come back."

 

Meryl grinned and thought of something. "Oh Milly, was there something you needed to tell me?"

 

"Oh right. I'm going in to work a bit early so I'll see you later okay?"

 

"Alright bye!"

 

"Bye."

 

Meryl walked into her room and got dress and went straight to her typewriter.

 

Vash has not caused damages in over a year. I believe that it is safe for him to go out of our hands.

 

Meryl read over the report and decide against it. If I sent this in...they might call us back...and we may never see him again. Meryl sighed. "Another day, another report unsent."

 

"MERYL!"

 

"Huh?"

 

Milly's voice called again. "Meryl come here! Quick!"

 

Meryl ran outside to find her friend. "What is it?"

 

"Look."

 

Out in the distance, where he friend was pointing, was a spikey haired man that the girls had come to know as Vash the Stampede. On his shoulder was a pale look-a-like.

 

"Vash." Meryl whispered against the wind, taking a small slow step forward. "Vash!" She said louder as she took off running.

 

The blonde gunman grinned at the approaching woman. Grinning slightly but then also wondering whether or not she was going to slow down.

 

Nope. Meryl kept going, running, dust rising behind her. "Why you!"

 

Meryl stopped with a suddon halt and gave Vash a good punch over the head. "What took you so long!"

 

Vash, who was now lying on the ground, made a squeaky response. "I'm sorry!"

 

"Well good." Meryl dropped her head where Vash couldn't see her face, orthe happy tears streaming down her face.

 

Vash stood up from the ground but left his unconcious brother lying on the sandy earth beneath him. He grinned brightly and looked down at the girl standing in fron of him. "Did you miss me?"

 

"How could I not miss you?" She said quietly.

 

Vash's grin became genuine. A true, heart filled smile. "I missed you too." He placed a hand on the small girl's shoulder.

 

The blue haired woman stopped thinking as she fell against Vash and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace. Vash hugged her back just as gently.

 

"I was so worried." She said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

 

"I'm sorry." Vash felt his shirt become wet with the small girl's tears and slightly tightened his grip on her. "Don't cry. I came back. Please don't cry. I'm here."

 

"I thought you'd want to leave." with that Meryl collapsed into his arms.

 

"Meryl?" Vash shook her lightly. "Aw man! I can't carry both of you!" He looked around to find Milly, though she as heading that way anyways.

 

"Mr. Vash!" Milly looked down at Knives and Meryl. "Need some help?" Milly grinned.

 

"Yeah, hehe, I guess I do." Vash reached down towards Knives but was surprised when Milly picked him up first. "I'll get him Big Girl, you can get Meryl."

 

"Well I thought it'd be easier for you to carry her considering the long distance you've traveled with someone heavy like Knives. Maybe you could use a bit of a break."

 

"There's no way I can when this argument is there?"

 

Milly giggled. "Nope!" she lifted the pale blond psychopath onto her shoulder. "Want me to get Mr. Wolfwood's gun for you?"

 

"Uh...that's okkkaayy..." Vash said as Milly picked it up anyways and began to walk. "Uh...thanks."

 

"No problem."

 

The two of them walked back to town, Milly talking about this and that. Such as the first grey cloud and different things.

 

"It might even rain! They are hoping so. Do you know how wonderful it would be to have REAL rain Mr. Vash?"

 

"Yeah. Anyways, Milly,"

 

"Hm?"

 

"Why did Meryl just pass out like that? Has she not been getting enough sleep?"

 

"No. Not really anyways. She barely sleeps and when she does she as nightmares where she cries and sweats and sometimes even calls out the names of others."

 

"Who?"

 

"What?"

 

"Who does she call out to?"

 

"Sometimes it's in fear and she calls out to her mother or tells someone to stop. Usually in the same dream that happens. Another person is many times you."

 

"To me? She dreams about me?"

 

"I guess it would seem that way. But she was really worried. You were gone for two months."

 

Vash grinned. She worried about me...she dreamed about me. Milly grinned as they approached town.

 

Vash laid the girl down in her bed, tucking her in tightly. He sat down next to her, admiring her porcelain features. Just knowing that beneath those eyelids rested the lavender gray orbs of understanding made him love even the thought of her.

 

Loving her didn't happen over night. He fell for her gradually and realized it right before he became Ericks. He was lying in the dark alleyways barely inside Lina's town. He felt as though he was nothing. Only emptiness. That night, he had his first peaceful night since the August and the fifth moon incident. His dream...was of Meryl.

 

At first he didn't know what to think of the dream that warmed his heart. Then he noticed why thoughts of her made him feel... lighter. He knew then... that he had fallen in love with the young woman he had come to know as Meryl Strife. But of course... no one had to know. Not even Lina knew about when he cried at night thinking he'd never see the girl again. Never see the one he loved.

 

Now, seeing her, knowing that she cared so much as to dream and worry for him, he knew how lucky he was to even be in the presence of such a goddess like her.

 

Vash's hand slowly reached towards Meryl's face. He felt her steady even breaths against his finger tips as they gently brushed against her soft pale cheek. He smiled as she nuzzled gently against his hand. Yet something else soon drew his attention. A single tiny tear, streaming its way down her face, and a name called out with a sad whisper. "Vash..."

 

Vash brushed the tear away gently and whispered softly "I'm here." as she cried silently in her dreams.

 

"I know."

 

 

Vash closed the door quietly and walked into the kitchen/Knives's bedroom wher Milly was cooking what he hoped to be a delicious meal.

 

"Hey Milly! Whatcha cookin'?"

 

"Some rice pudding. Do you want some?"

 

"Uh...sure. I guess." Vash sat down at the table. "Umm..Milly?"

 

"Yes?" she turned to him smiling.

 

"Does Meryl seem paler...or skinnier to you?"

 

"Yeah. I guess it's because of her lack of eating. Every time she sits at the table, she moves her food around her plate with her fork until she decides she's not hungry and goes back to her room or to work at the saloon." Milly sighed. "I hope...that you coming back will make her happy enough to eat again."

 

Vash smiled. I could make her happy again.

 

 

Meryl once again woke up crying. Her dream was once again horrible. She dreamed that he was hurt.

 

"Vash!" Meryl cried, clasping her stomch in pain. "Vash!"

 

Meryl soon felt two strong arms wrap around her and looked back to see the tall gunman holding her close. "I'm here." He didn't have to say any more. He couldn't, that is, before he was shot...by his own brother.

 

Knives dropped to his knees, his gun beside him. "No...m-m...my brother...I...I KILLED HIM!" Knives cried into his hands.

 

Vash's final words came out as clear as day. "I'm here."

 

Meryl wept and help him close. "I know." she whispered as he faded from existance. "I know."

 

This wasn't the first time she'd had that dream. In fact, compared to other ones like it, this one was majorly sugar coated. It was weird for her to have dreams repetedly like that, so she really wondered what it all meant.

 

Meryl walked around the house. Clearly she had missed dinner, considering it was around 2 in the morning. The room Meryl soon reached was they spare room they had set up for when Vash came back. So she was very well aware that behind the door lay a spiky blonde gunman she had known as Vash the Stampede.

 

Meryl slowly reached for the door, its cold metal handle soon toughing the ball of her hand. The door squeaked open to reveal nothing but pitch black. The only think Meryl could actually see was the glimmer of light reflecting off the cage on Vash's shoulder.

 

She followed the light to the man. The cage being her only sign of where to go. In the moonlight she could see his beautiful face. It was probably the only place that was left unscarred. The rest of his body was battered and torn with reminders of his selflessness and bravery. Those reminders were that he would give his life to the fate of mankind. Those features about him, were the ones Meryl loved him for.

 

Meryl placed a hand on his cheek gently and smiled. His skin was so soft. His hair was tussled and hanging hin his eyes, blowing up and down with each breath he took. A silent tear crept down his cheek. "I'm here."he whispered, gently crying.

 

"I know." She told him, hoping to soothe his pain.

 

Vash stopped crying as he whispered "I'm here." once again into the night air.

 

Meryl looked down at his beautiful sleeping form and prayed over and over in her mind that the dreams they have had were just that. Dreams. Figments of their imaginations they had while sleeping. She prayed over and over that they were definately not...omens.