Standard Disclaimer: This is not mine, I'm making no money, etc… everyone knows it by now!

Traveling across the sands on what was considered a road, the twins hotly debated about where to head next. They had collected the bounty from their last job and had headed off east in the direction of the next small town. Nick had angrily berated himself for hours about the near disaster they had missed. His sister could have been seriously injured or worse. Meryl and Vash would never forgive him if something had happened to her. Their last words to him had been about protecting her. He had failed. He had never been as angry or as frightened in his entire life. That scum could have… he just didn't want to think about it.

Nickie, as usual, was in a totally clueless state and chattering away as if nothing at all out of the ordinary had happened to her earlier in the day. Nick sighed tiredly in the seat next to her as he drove on.

"Well, we have $$5,000 now, where do you suggest we go next?" Nickie glanced over at her brother as he drove their jeep across the burning sands. "We could go to Demetri and see if we could pick up any trace of Knives there." She suggested with a helpful tone to her voice.

Nick sighed tiredly at the wheel. "I don't think Knives would be foolish enough to hold up in the same place Vash found him the last time." He shrugged. "Maybe this is all one big mistake… maybe we shouldn't be out here."

Nickie whipped around in her seat and shook an accusing finger in his direction, "Now you just hold on a minute, Nicholas V. Wolfwood. We made a pact to hunt down that killer or die trying and I'm not about to give up now."

Nick was taken aback at the note of outrage her voice contained. "Geez, I'm sorry, it was just a thought. Wasn't it you who said that you wanted to go home for a while a few hours ago?"

"No, I said that I wondered how long we had been out here, I never said anything about returning home." Nickie turned back in her seat and huffed. "I swear, there are times that I don’t think you listen to a word I say."

"Well, what the hell do you expect? At times you act like you don’t have a brain in your head. You smile and stare off blankly when there is the least little thing you don't want to deal with. On rare occasions, you actually show some common sense and act like a grown woman. Then, you come up with some scatter-minded idea that usually tends to backfire on us. Tell me how in the hell I'm supposed to worry about hunting down Knives and worry about protecting you all at the same time?"

Bright tears glittered in Nickie's eyes as she eyed her sibling. "I'm sorry, I never think about things like that. I guess I really don't want to deal with some of the things we have encountered out here." She sniffed against the folds of her cloak. "But I never thought that you'd be so worried about protecting me." She sniffed again before throwing her self against Nick's arm. "I'll do better I promise."

Nick sighed and patted her on top of the head as he struggled to keep the jeep in the sandy path. "I didn’t mean to make you cry. I was just so mad and scared back there when that guy got his hands on you."

Nickie pulled quickly away and stared out into the desert. "It's over, I wasn't hurt and I don’t want to talk about it," she answered quietly, but firmly.

Nick decided to let the matter drop for now. She was right, she was unhurt, but he could also see that she had been badly frightened. Maybe it would serve as a wake-up call for her. God only knew it had been one for him.

The jeep traveled along the bumpy road until a few hours later, it topped a small rise. Below in the valley was a small town. Night had long since fallen and Nick wondered briefly if there were any rooms available. He glanced over at his sister, sleeping soundly beside him. He sighed and weighed his options. He could set up a small camp out here, but there was no shelter of any kind near by. They would be wide open targets for anyone bent on creating mischief. They had camped out for the last week or so and he longed to stretch his frame out on a bed for a change. Glancing down at the town again, he noticed that lights still blazed in 3 buildings. He would take a chance that one of the beacons was a hotel.

************

"What can I do for you stranger? I was just closing up for the night." The elderly man at the counter asked the pair standing before him.

Nick eyed the surroundings in the lobby cautiously. Tall windows graced the front of the building, providing an excellent view of the street in both directions. A few tables and chairs littered the open lobby and the staircase was situated against the far right hand wall. "We need a couple of rooms for tonight… connecting if you've got them."

The man looked over the two people in front of him. "You in trouble with the law? We don’t want any trouble in our town."

"No, sir…" mumbled a sleepy Nickie at her brother's side. "We're just really very tired and have been on the road a very long time."

"Well, I have rooms to spare then. Here you go…" he smiled as he slid the keys across the counter. "Numbers 11 and 13. Top of the stairs and turn left, at the end of the hallway. You can’t miss it." He smiled genially in their direction. "Will you be paying for that now or in the morning?"

Nick pulled out a couple of bills. "Will this be enough to have our jeep parked in a safe location as well?"

The man grinned hugely. "For $$200, I can guarantee that nothing will happen to it."

"Thanks old timer…"

Nickie clutched a key in her fist and wearily trudged up the stairs, carrying her small bag, a large stun gun well concealed under the folds of her heavy cloak. Nick nodded at the man and hefted the Cross-Punisher on his shoulder before he too disappeared up the stairs.

The man looked thoughtfully at their retreating backs. Something about a tall man in black carrying a cross tugged at the darkest corners of his memory, but after a few moments, he shrugged and turned out the downstairs lights. It wasn't his business why they were here, but he still wished he could remember what was so familiar about the man in black.

*************

Early the next afternoon found Nick, sitting quietly at a small outdoor café, enjoying his lunch and the brief respite from the constant traveling. Nickie was off at some of the small shops, picking up a few necessities as she put it. As much as he loved his twin, he relished his time alone. Nick was in such a good mood that he didn’t think much about the odd looks he had received from some of the townspeople during the day. It was a small town after all and they probably didn’t see many strangers in these parts.

He was lost in thought about where to head to next when he was suddenly surprised to find himself flung from his chair and lying flat on the floor. "What the hell…" he muttered softly as an outraged feminine voice began to demand an explanation. "Well…? Where is he? What have you done with Erichs?"

Nick gingerly raised his chin and looked up from the floor. The first thing he saw was tall red boots molded to a pair of shapely legs, which were covered in denim. He grinned at the thought of what lay atop the long legs his eyes were swiftly devouring. He raised his head a few more inches and smiled at the sight of a generous flair of hips, a trim waist, and a pair of high firm breasts. Standing slowly, he grinned into a pair of outraged wide blue eyes.

"I don’t think I've had the pleasure, Miss…?" He began smoothly. This was a case of mistaken identity surely, but one that could have a favorable outcome if he played this right. He smiled down into the animated face. He guessed her age to be in her mid-thirties, but that was not a problem with him. Older women had always held a certain appeal to him. A small scattering of freckles dusted the bridge of a pert nose and short brown hair framed her face. Her red lips were generously full and pursed at the sight of him. He wondered what they would taste like.

"What do you mean? You were the one who took Erichs away from here. You brought him that gun and convinced him to leave with you." She looked around quickly before lowering her voice, "What have you done with Vash? Has something happened to him? Please Mr. Preacher, where is Vash?"

"Umm… Miss … umm…." Nick slowly reached up and lowered his dark shades. Brilliant sky blue eyes gazed down on her face. "I think you have me confused with someone else." He smiled gently at her.

The woman drew back with a startled gasp. "I… I'm so sorry," she stammered out in a rush as a bright flare of crimson flooded her face. "I saw your cross and black clothes and thought you were someone else." She backed up several paces and turned to go. "Please, forgive my rudeness and my rush to judgement. My grandmother says it's my worst fault."

Nick reached out and caught her by the sleeve of her shirt. She bristled at the unexpected contact. "My father…" he said simply. He smiled at the confused look on her face. "You have mistaken me for my father." He held up a hand at her protests. "Please, sit down. I would like to know how you met him and Vash. What was it you called him? Erichs, I believe?" She nodded.

A few of the people at the café began to look their direction. Some visibly started at the mention of the name, Erichs. The woman looked hastily around for a moment and nodded again, "I think it would be for the best if you came with me. Even though there is not much to the story, some people still get a little touchy about the time Vash the Stampede stayed in this town."

Nick casually glanced around the crowd and was startled to find that many of the other patrons had suddenly grown silent and were looking with undisguised curiosity in his direction. He stifled a groan and quickly counted out the necessary amount to pay his bill. He wanted to know more about the time his father and Vash had spent here.

The woman in front of him hurried off down the street, glancing back to see if he was following her. Nick admired the way she looked from behind as he kept a close watch on her progress. He sighed to himself though. It would not be any use to try to go there. Who ever this woman was, it was plainly obvious that she fancied herself in love with Vash.

He followed her to the out skirts of the small town until she stopped before a simple wood frame house. A clothesline stood on one side of the yard and a thomas stable was a few yards distant from the back of the house. Nick's attention was diverted from his careful observation of the surroundings as an older woman came out onto the porch.

Nick estimated the elderly woman to be in her late sixties or early seventies, but she moved with the fluid grace of someone much younger. She wore a plain green dress, which was covered by a neatly starched and pressed white apron. Heavy boots covered her feet and a pair of round spectacles framed her eyes. Her hair was also cut short, but not nearly as short as the younger woman's hair. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the twin suns. "Lena? Is that you back already? Did you remember to get everything I asked for today?"

"Yeah, grandma. It's me, but I didn’t get anything in town today. I've brought company home with me." The woman answered back lightly at her older relative.

Grandma came to the edge of the porch to see whom Lena had brought home this time. It seemed she was forever picking up strays. Her aged hands flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp. It had been over twenty years, but she would have recognized the preacher anywhere. She glanced frantically around the small yard. Was it possible that Erichs was here as well? She hurried down from the porch toward the pair. Drawing up short in front of Nick, she demanded, "Well Mr. Preacher? Where is our Erichs? Don't tell me he's come to a bad end while following you."

Nick held up both hands in front of his chest. "Sorry, Grandma. I'm not who you think I am." He lowered his shades from his eyes to reveal their brilliant blue depths. He smiled softly at the dismay in her eyes. "If it helps, you’re not the first to mistake me for my father." His smile broadened as he held out his hand. "Nicholas V. Wolfwood is my name."

Grandma reached out to take his hand in hers. "The resemblance is uncanny. I swear you could be his twin except for your eye color." She paused for a moment to study Nick as he stood before her. "Well, come inside and give us the news. "How is our Erichs? And is he being taken care of?"

The woman, Lena, stood back and allowed Nick to enter the house behind her grandmother. As much as she hated to admit it, she wanted to know where Vash was and how he was doing as well. After all, she had pined for him these twenty years past.

************

"Well, that's pretty much the story. Erichs saved Lena and the town from some criminal claiming to be Vash the Stampede. He and your father managed to take out about two hundred outlaws without killing anyone." Grandma paused for a moment, glancing over at Lena. "The townspeople were grateful to have the bandits taken care of, but when it became known that Erichs was really Vash the Stampede, there was a lot of talk about running him out of town."

Nick stared down into his coffee cup. This was a side of his father and Vash that he had never heard about. It made him glad that his father had helped to save this small town, but at the same time he felt badly that his father had encouraged Vash to leave these nice people. Judging from what they had told him, Vash had to have made his way here after the Augusta incident and been found by Lena.

Nick glanced at Lena as she sipped from her own cup. She really was an attractive woman. Had she been waiting for Vash to return all these years? He knew the questions would come about where was he and what was he doing. Nick really didn't want to cause any distress to these two nice women, but he knew he couldn't avoid the truth if Lena asked.

"Nicholas," Lena began. "How is Vash now? I mean is he still alive?" Her voice held a hopeful note as she spoke. He glanced across the table at her grandmother who was nodding her head in agreement. "Yes, Mr. Wolfwood, please tell us all the news of Erichs."

Drawing a breath, Nick decided instantly it would be foolish on his part to try to spare Lena by keeping anything from her. "Vash is alive and well, living at the December orphanage with my Aunt Meryl." He paused as Lena gasped sharply. "Your Aunt Meryl?" she began cautiously.

"Well, Meryl isn’t really my aunt. She and my mother were best friends. When my mother died, she took care of my sister and I. Her and Vash raised us both from infants."

"But your father, where is he? Even though he seemed a hard man, he didn’t strike me as the type to avoid responsibility." Grandma demanded of him. "He took Erichs away from us in an attempt to solve a problem. Surely, he didn’t abandon his own family?"

Lena leaned forward in her chair, suddenly fascinated with the story unfolding around her. She felt her heart plummet a second time in the space of a few moments. Nick glanced at the two women again. "My father was killed in a shoot out about twenty three years ago. He was shot in the back after showing mercy to a hired killer." Nick angrily tightened his hands around his cup before continuing, "He never even knew of our existence."

Lena reached out a slim hand to lightly pat his. "I'm sure he knows about you. He was a preacher and even though he had done some things in his life he wasn't proud of, I'm sure he's in heaven watching over you now."

Nick glanced between the two of them and silently nodded. Looking out the window, he noted that the late afternoon shadows were falling. "I guess I'd better head on back to the hotel. My sister will be worried about me."

Nick smiled and thanked Lena and her grandmother as he took his leave. He promised to send their hellos and well wishes to Vash at the earliest opportunity. He turned to go, but drew up short at the sound of his name.

"Young Mr. Wolfwood? Why are you and your sister out here in this desert? I'm sure your family is very worried about the two of you."

Nick's eyes took on a darker shade as he answered coldly, "We are looking for the man who is responsible for the death of our father and who gunned down our mother in the streets of a small town about 800 iles from here."

Lena and her grandmother could not answer as he swiftly moved off in the direction of the town hotel.

*************

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To Be Continued…

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Love and Peace,

Blackhat (^_~)

P.S. For those of you who are wondering, Nick and Nickie are 22 years old by now in the time line of the story.