Beyond A Sky So Blue -- Part X

“Meryl?” Vash called, hoping that his voice sounded calm. He didn’t want to alarm her if everything was okay. Yet, as the house remained silent, he was beginning to worry. “Meryl?”

His heart stopped as he entered the kitchen. Chopped vegetables were scattered across the counter and the contents on the shelf on the opposite wall were on the floor. But that wasn’t the worst of it.

He prayed that blood on the knife on the floor didn’t belong to Meryl. More blood was splattered on the far wall. A lone shoe rested on the floor.

Fighting tears, he picked up it. He had just bought Meryl the shoes when she had complained that the swelling of her feet caused her regular shoes to pinch. She had been so touched by the gesture.

“I’ll get you back,” he whispered. There was no doubt in his mind who had been responsible for this. And his brother was going to pay.

“Mr. Vash?” There was a gasp. “What happened?”

He turned to face Milly. The tall girl was carrying a covered dish, her contribution to the night’s now cancelled dinner. When she glanced up at his face, she took a step back.

Vash tried to rein in his rage. Despite all they had seen, Milly and Meryl had never acted afraid of him. Until now.

“Where’s Meryl?”

He clutched the shoe in his hand. “Knives has taken her.”

“Knives? Why?”

“I don’t care,” Vash growled. “He’s not getting away with this.”

Milly suddenly shoved her dish at Vash. “Wait here. Don’t leave until I get back.”

“Why?” he demanded.

The tall girl shook her head. “Just wait, Mr. Vash, please.” With that, she was gone.

* * * * *

“Hello?”

Ben frowned when he didn’t receive a reply. He could have sworn that Vash had said that dinner was tonight. Had he missed up the time? Had Vash?

He made his way through the house, searching for any sign of Vash or his wife. He debated whether he should just go home and ask Vash about it tomorrow. Then he saw the man sitting at the table.

The lanky man wasn’t dressed in his usual clothes. The leather and metal formed some kind of body armor. As a stark contrast, he held a small white shoe in his hand.

Ben’s jaw dropped as he saw the rest of the kitchen. “My God, what happened?”

Vash was immediately on his feet in a defensive position. He appeared to notice Ben for the first time. Releasing a deep breath, he fell back into his chair.

“I’ll explain later,” Milly promised as she breezed past him. Ben opened his mouth to protest but she was already standing before the other man. “Thank you for waiting, Mr. Vash.”

Vash eyed the package the tall girl carried. He hoped that this had been worth the wait. His entire body was screaming for him to go after Meryl.

He felt numb as he watched Milly clear one of Meryl’s place settings. Would he ever have dinner with Meryl again? Vash shoved the depressing thought out of his mind. He instead focused on the package Milly was working on opening. For a moment, he forgot to breathe as familiar red fabric came into view.

“Milly, what is this?” he demanded.

The tall girl picked up the bundle of his old coat out of the box. With deliberate movements, she unfolded it. Inside were the two long Colt pistols.

“Where did you get these?” Vash tore his eyes from the guns to Milly. “How did you get them?”

“Remember the project that I had right after you got back. Well, there was no project. I borrowed a truck and went into the desert to find his cross. I also found these. I hope you didn’t mind.”

“No, Milly, I don’t mind.” He took the bundle from her hands. “Thank you.”

The girl nodded. “You can have the cross, too, if you think you will need it.”

“Keep it.” He quickly donned the coat and holstered the guns. He pulled his glasses out of a pocket, finding them intact. His eyes seemed to glow as he put them on.

Ben took a step back. “My God, you’re Vash the Stampede!”

Vash glanced at him, as if suddenly remembering that Ben was there. He shot a look at Milly. The tall girl nodded. Satisfied, he left, red coat billowing behind him.

Milly sat down in the chair he had left. For the longest time, she just stared at the table. Ben wondered if she had forgotten about him.

“Is he really Vash the Stampede?” he asked, trying to break the silence.

“Yes,” Milly said. She looked up at him. “I guess I have a lot of explaining to do.”

“It would help.” Ben glanced around the kitchen. “Perhaps we should go somewhere else.”

“Oh, I can’t leave Meryl’s kitchen this way. What would she say when she got back home!” She leapt from her seat, becoming a whirl wind of movement.

Ben watched her, dumbstruck. Where was Meryl? Why did Milly have guns belonging to Vash the Stampede? And why was she suddenly cleaning a kitchen?

“Milly, I’ll help you clean but you have to tell what’s going on.”

“Okay,” she said, carrying a stack of dishes to the sink. “You know that I worked for the Bernadelli Insurance Society with Meryl. Our last assignment was to make contact with Vash the Stampede.”

They cleaned as she talked. Occasionally he would ask her a question. Otherwise he remained silent. He quickly learned about Nicholas D. Wolfwood, the Gung-ho Guns, and Vash’s psychotic brother Knives. While he was sure that she was leaving out details, it was still a lot of information to process.

“And Knives has kidnapped Meryl?”

Milly nodded. “Mr. Vash has gone after him to get her back.”

“When were you going to tell me about all this, Milly? You could have easily been the target instead of Meryl.” His blood froze at the thought. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

She had graced to look embarrassed. “I have been thinking about it for a long time, but I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t tell you everything because I would be telling other people’s secrets. And I couldn’t tell you just part of it because you would know that I wasn’t telling everything. I didn’t want to lie to you.”

He wondered if it was more than that. Obviously the priest, Wolfwood, had been very important to her. After all, she had lied to everyone so she could go into the desert to get his cross back. What exactly had gone on between them? Was she still mourning, mourning over someone who was more than a friend?

Ben forced the thoughts to the back of his mind. “Milly, it’s getting late and we’ve done all we can for tonight. Please, let me walk you home.”

She agreed. He waited on the porch as she locked up the house. They were silent until they arrived at her door. After exchanging brief good nights, she went inside and he started towards home. Chief among his thoughts was whether he should tell Milly his secret.


Secrets “Meryl?” Vash called, hoping that his voice sounded calm. He didn’t want to alarm her if everything was okay. Yet, as the house remained silent, he was beginning to worry. “Meryl?” His heart stopped as he entered the kitchen. Chopped vegetables were scattered across the counter and the contents on the shelf on the opposite wall were on the floor. But that wasn’t the worst of it. He prayed that blood on the knife on the floor didn’t belong to Meryl. More blood was splattered on the far wall. A lone shoe rested on the floor. Fighting tears, he picked up it. He had just bought Meryl the shoes when she had complained that the swelling of her feet caused her regular shoes to pinch. She had been so touched by the gesture. “I’ll get you back,” he whispered. There was no doubt in his mind who had been responsible for this. And his brother was going to pay. “Mr. Vash?” There was a gasp. “What happened?” He turned to face Milly. The tall girl was carrying a covered dish, her contribution to the night’s now cancelled dinner. When she glanced up at his face, she took a step back. Vash tried to rein in his rage. Despite all they had seen, Milly and Meryl had never acted afraid of him. Until now. “Where’s Meryl?” He clutched the shoe in his hand. “Knives has taken her.” “Knives? Why?” “I don’t care,” Vash growled. “He’s not getting away with this.” Milly suddenly shoved her dish at Vash. “Wait here. Don’t leave until I get back.” “Why?” he demanded. The tall girl shook her head. “Just wait, Mr. Vash, please.” With that, she was gone. * * * * * “Hello?” Ben frowned when he didn’t receive a reply. He could have sworn that Vash had said that dinner was tonight. Had he missed up the time? Had Vash? He made his way through the house, searching for any sign of Vash or his wife. He debated whether he should just go home and ask Vash about it tomorrow. Then he saw the man sitting at the table. The lanky man wasn’t dressed in his usual clothes. The leather and metal formed some kind of body armor. As a stark contrast, he held a small white shoe in his hand. Ben’s jaw dropped as he saw the rest of the kitchen. “My God, what happened?” Vash was immediately on his feet in a defensive position. He appeared to notice Ben for the first time. Releasing a deep breath, he fell back into his chair. “I’ll explain later,” Milly promised as she breezed past him. Ben opened his mouth to protest but she was already standing before the other man. “Thank you for waiting, Mr. Vash.” Vash eyed the package the tall girl carried. He hoped that this had been worth the wait. His entire body was screaming for him to go after Meryl. He felt numb as he watched Milly clear one of Meryl’s place settings. Would he ever have dinner with Meryl again? Vash shoved the depressing thought out of his mind. He instead focused on the package Milly was working on opening. For a moment, he forgot to breathe as familiar red fabric came into view. “Milly, what is this?” he demanded. The tall girl picked up the bundle of his old coat out of the box. With deliberate movements, she unfolded it. Inside were the two long Colt pistols. “Where did you get these?” Vash tore his eyes from the guns to Milly. “How did you get them?” “Remember the project that I had right after you got back. Well, there was no project. I borrowed a truck and went into the desert to find his cross. I also found these. I hope you didn’t mind.” “No, Milly, I don’t mind.” He took the bundle from her hands. “Thank you.” The girl nodded. “You can have the cross, too, if you think you will need it.” “Keep it.” He quickly donned the coat and holstered the guns. He pulled his glasses out of a pocket, finding them intact. His eyes seemed to glow as he put them on. Ben took a step back. “My God, you’re Vash the Stampede!” Vash glanced at him, as if suddenly remembering that Ben was there. He shot a look at Milly. The tall girl nodded. Satisfied, he left, red coat billowing behind him. Milly sat down in the chair he had left. For the longest time, she just stared at the table. Ben wondered if she had forgotten about him. “Is he really Vash the Stampede?” he asked, trying to break the silence. “Yes,” Milly said. She looked up at him. “I guess I have a lot of explaining to do.” “It would help.” Ben glanced around the kitchen. “Perhaps we should go somewhere else.” “Oh, I can’t leave Meryl’s kitchen this way. What would she say when she got back home!” She leapt from her seat, becoming a whirl wind of movement. Ben watched her, dumbstruck. Where was Meryl? Why did Milly have guns belonging to Vash the Stampede? And why was she suddenly cleaning a kitchen? “Milly, I’ll help you clean but you have to tell what’s going on.” “Okay,” she said, carrying a stack of dishes to the sink. “You know that I worked for the Bernadelli Insurance Society with Meryl. Our last assignment was to make contact with Vash the Stampede.” They cleaned as she talked. Occasionally he would ask her a question. Otherwise he remained silent. He quickly learned about Nicholas D. Wolfwood, the Gung-ho Guns, and Vash’s psychotic brother Knives. While he was sure that she was leaving out details, it was still a lot of information to process. “And Knives has kidnapped Meryl?” Milly nodded. “Mr. Vash has gone after him to get her back.” “When were you going to tell me about all this, Milly? You could have easily been the target instead of Meryl.” His blood froze at the thought. “Were you ever going to tell me?” She had graced to look embarrassed. “I have been thinking about it for a long time, but I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t tell you everything because I would be telling other people’s secrets. And I couldn’t tell you just part of it because you would know that I wasn’t telling everything. I didn’t want to lie to you.” He wondered if it was more than that. Obviously the priest, Wolfwood, had been very important to her. After all, she had lied to everyone so she could go into the desert to get his cross back. What exactly had gone on between them? Was she still mourning, mourning over someone who was more than a friend? Ben forced the thoughts to the back of his mind. “Milly, it’s getting late and we’ve done all we can for tonight. Please, let me walk you home.” She agreed. He waited on the porch as she locked up the house. They were silent until they arrived at her door. After exchanging brief good nights, she went inside and he started towards home. Chief among his thoughts was whether he should tell Milly his secret.


Part XI: Searching Back