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Legacy



Hey all! I absolutely love Trigun and decided it was time to contribute some fics to this awesome serious. There's spoilers here for episode 23, so don't read if you don't want to be spoiled. I love the couple of Wolfwood/Vash, but there was always that Millie thing implied, so this fic makes it so both couples work! Yey! Well, here we go!








LEGACY



"Millie?"

"Yes, Mr. Priest?"

"I have a big favor to ask you," Wolfwood said, not knowing quite how to ask what he needed. Millie figured he needed something important-after all, Wolfwood has never taken her out to dinner alone before.

"Okay, Mr. Priest, I'll do the best I can to help you." Millie thought the favor might be very serious when Nicholas remained silent, only picking at his food, leaving most of it still on the plate.

"Well, first I have to explain something to you. I'm not quite sure how to say it. You see, Vash and I. . . well. . . " Wolfwood started to blush and fidget. This was harder than he thought it would be. How could you say politely that you were involved with a man-and not just any man, but the humanoid typhoon.

"Oh! Oh, I knew about that Mr. Priest. I mean, well, you two are always so happy together, and sometimes I hear. . . um," now it was Millie's turn to blush. Wolfwood choked on his water. "But it's okay! I think it's wonderful you both found happiness!" And Nicholas could see she meant it. Her eyes glittered brightly in joy for her friends. The priest was amazed yet again by this big-hearted girl.

"Thank you Millie. It means a lot to us that you support this," a thought occurred to him. "Meryl doesn't know, does she?" The look on his face was priceless. Millie giggled.

"No, don't worry. I always convince her the noise is just a cat, or maybe other guests at the hotel," she said, then got serious for a moment. "With Meryl liking Mr. Vash the way she does, I just don't think she'd understand." Wolfwood nodded in agreement.

"But anyway, what is the favor Mr. Priest?" Wolfwood paused a moment, sucked in a huge breath, and blurted it out.

"Willyouhavemychild?"

It took Millie a minute to register what the man had said, but when she did her eyes became the size of saucers.

"B-but. . . you. . . Vash. . . Why?!?!" she finally stuttered out. If Wolfwood loved Vash, why would he want to be with Millie?

"Well, I can assure you it's not quite what you're thinking. I-it would be, kind of, a gift to Vash." Nicholas said, a bit frustrated. This whole proposition sounded a lot better in his head.

Millie cocked her head, a bit puzzled. A gift? She looked at Wolfwood who had gotten very serious now. The two locked eyes.

"Vash just might possibly live forever," Millie nodded, "and I will not," Millie looked ready to assure Wolfwood that he would live a long and happy life, but his eyes and tone convinced her to just simply nod again. "When I die, I want to leave him something. . . someone. Do you understand now?"

And then it dawned on Millie, Nicholas could see the understanding light up in the girl's crystal blue eyes. He always knew she was brighter than anyone gave her credit for. But Wolfwood began to panic when tears poured out of Millie's eyes.

"Oh Mr. priest, that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard," Millie sniffled, grasping Nicholas' hand with her own. Nicholas stopped panicking.

"Of course I'll help you. I think Mr. Vash will love his gift! You two would raise him together, right?"

"I-" Nicholas smiled warmly, "I had planned on it being like that," then the smile failed, "but more than likely Vash will have to raise him alone." Millie opened her mouth to convince the priest of his life's value, but he put his finger on her lips before the words could spill out.

"It's nothing I can explain to you right now. I'm sorry. But that's even more reason why I'm giving Vash this gift. He's been alone so much of his life, I'd like to break that trend. So please, Millie, don't ask questions I can't answer."

Millie gave a last sad and pleading look at Wolfwood before letting out a loud sigh of acquiescence. The two went back to silence, eating, and thinking. Millie finally broke the silence with an important question.

"So, um, when should we. . . " Millie couldn't finish the sentence, a bright red creeping into her features. When Wolfwood caught on to the unfinished thought, he too seemed a bit squeamish.

"Not now, don't worry. I still have some time before things get hairy," he stopped and looked the tall girl in the eye. Maybe if things had been different-if he wasn't just a rogue pawn attached to the other team's king, if they were all just living normal lives in another world-they might have been in love. But even while thinking that, Wolfwood knew as long as Vash existed, Millie would have to make it on her own. The two were so similar yet opposites at the same time. Both had pure hearts and a strong need to help others, but he knew the darker side of things while she was just starting to understand that bad things did happen to good people. Nicholas, being one of the not so good people, needed someone who understood the dark. Vash knew, and understood-he just tried his damnedest to stop it. Wolfwood smiled brightly.

"We'll both know when the night is right. And Millie, thank you, so very much," he ended his thanks by leaning over the table and giving Millie a sweet chaste kiss. The two finished their meals and decided to just have normal conversation. When Wolfwood paid the bill and both exited the building, heading to their separate hotel rooms, Millie brought the subject up again.

"You will be around for this gift, I just know it. And the three of you will make a lovely family."

Wolfwood could only pray for that outcome.



**********



Tomorrow would be it. The turning point in his life. He had to kill his past self, or be killed. Wolfwood wished Vash and he hadn't fought before this day, but there was really nothing for it. Nicholas knew Vash still loved him, just as he still loved his fallen angel. There was only one thing left to do in preparation for tomorrow.

He had to find Millie.



**********



Finally she had tracked him down. Vash had all but disappeared after the Knives fiasco. Millie hadn't wanted to find him quite then anyway. At the time she'd been too busy bringing a son into the harsh desert world.

She had named him Alex the Legacy. Millie had considered Nicholas Jr. or Eriks, but decided against both. It seemed wrong to name the child after his father, he was a gift, not a replacement. And Eriks was out because if Vash ever wished to use his favorite alternate identity, his son couldn't have the same name. But something told her Alex was right. Millie had tacked on "the Legacy" for two reasons. First, that's what Alex was-a legacy of Wolfwood's love for Vash. And second. . . well, Vash and Alex didn't sound as good as Vash the Stampede and Alex the Legacy!

She had cried hard after hearing the news of Nicholas' death. She cried for a lost friend, for their son who would never know his father, and for a perfect family that would never be. She cried also for the loneliness she knew Vash was feeling.

But he didn't have to be alone any longer.

Millie knocked on the door of the hotel room in the town of December. After looking so long, Millie was surprised she hadn't thought of the town earlier. Of course Vash would want to live close to where Wolfwood's spirit had thrived most-his orphanage near December. . .

An impatient tug at her shirt brought Millie's eyes down to her son's.

"Am I really gonna meet Mr. Vash, mommy? I've wanted to for so long, this all seems like a dream!" Millie smiled from ear to ear. She was excited too-she hadn't seen Vash in nearly six years!

"Yep, we're really going to meet him."

"And you really think he'll let me stay with him too?" Millie wasn't hurt by her son's wish to stay with Vash. After all, she had raised him with the truth. Alex knew that in spirit he was really Vash and Wolfwood's son. And Alex always said his mother was an angel for helping them out. Millie had never claimed to be an Angel, but Alex knew angels did good deeds and helped people in need. Alex would always love his mommy, but he also knew it was time for her to go help other people. Auntie Meryl always seemed especially sad. . .

There was no more time for talk as the hotel room's occupant finally opened his door with a sleepy mumble of "Who is it?" He became wide awake when he saw who it was.

"Millie! Oh wow, it's been such a long time," he said, then noticed the grinning child at her side. "And who might this handsome young man be?" The gazed wide-eyed at Vash. Vash was surprised at the familiar violet eyes.

"This is Alex the Legacy," Millie said, gently pushing Alex in front of her so Vash could have a proper hello. The blonde gunman crouched down and shook hands with Alex.

"Nice to meet you Alex! I'm-"

"Mr. Vash! It's so good to meet you!" and without further ado, Alex flung himself into his unknowing father's arms. Vash wasn't used to receiving such unwarranted affection, but he accepted it gratefully and hugged the child back. Millie was brought to tears by the beautiful pair they made. Finally Alex and Vash separated, but Alex still clung to Vash's hand in complete happiness. Vash ruffled his sandy blonde hair and turned back to Millie.

"So may I ask who the lucky man is?" Vash inquired, not sure whether the question was safe since the father hadn't come with. Millie got a very mischievous smile on her face. She had been waiting years to say this after all.

"Why, you are, Mr. Vash." Vash froze in comical disbelief. He looked at Millie, then Alex, then at his own lower extremities.

"But-I don''t-when-I can't remember!"

Millie burst out laughing. That had exceeded any reaction she thought would happen. When she calmed down a bit, Vash still in confusion, Millie kneeled in front of Alex.

"Alex, I have to talk to Mr. Vash for a while, can you be a good boy and stay in our room?" Alex nodded his head and bounced happily down the hall. After Alex turned the corner with a last wave, Millie stood back up.

"May I come in?" she asked. Vash smiled.

"Of course."

The two settled down at the room's kitchen table drinking tea Vash had made for them. Neither had spoken since Millie had come in. Vash sensed her seriousness and decided the best course of action would be to wait until she spoke. After a sip of tea, Millie finally let the secret out.

"He's Wolfwood's son. A final gift for you."

Unfortunately Vash hadn't finished swallowing his tea yet and began to choke. Millie got up to slap him on the back a few times as he coughed the tea back up. Millie sat back down and met Vash's painful gaze. There were tears in his eyes, and Millie wasn't sure if it was from the coughing fit or the mention of Wolfwood.

"Nicholas," she had stopped referring to him as Mr. Priest when they had created Alex, "asked me many years ago to help him give a gift to you." Now, as Millie remembered, crystal tears welled up in her eyes as well.

"He-he said he wouldn't be around forever and he wanted to make it so-so," Millie had to take a break, wiping her tears on her sleeve. Vash too had tear tracks down his long face.

"He didn't want you to have to be alone anymore."

Just then the door creaked open and Alex came in. He saw the two adults crying and wasn't sure what to do.

"I'm sorry mommy, I don't have the key for our room so I came back to get it. Did I do something wrong?"

Vash's breath hitched and he bolted up, chair falling to the ground. He walked over to the boy and took in all his features. The hair was Millie's color, but with Nicholas' style. And those eyes were certainly from Nick. Though his parents both had longer faces, Alex's was a bit shorter, reminding him of Meryl. But the most curious thing about Alex-and Vash had no idea why he didn't see it before-was the birthmark below his left eye.

"Mr. Vash, why are you and mommy crying?"

Vash let out a sob and clutched the child tightly to his chest. With the knowledge of who Alex was, a dark void in his soul was finally full again. Alex's small arms reached around him, hugging back. Vash stopped crying and a happy peace came to his eyes.

"We were crying because we love you and your father very very much," Vash whispered, putting Nicholas' son-and now he knew his own son as well-back down. Alex looked to his mother, who had stopped crying as well. She nodded.

"I-I wish I could have known daddy, but I know mommy and now I know you, Mr. Vash!" Alex gave a happy look to Vash and then turned to his mother. "Did you ask him if I could stay yet mommy?" Millie laughed gently and Vash looked at her both hopeful and afraid.

"Well, I hadn't yet, but how about now. Mr. Vash, would you allow Alex to stay with you? It's how things should be after all."

"I would be honored to keep him here with me. How long?" Vash quietly asked, afraid that whatever time Millie would give them together wouldn't be enough.

"Mr. Vash, he's your son. You and he will be together as long as you can be," Millie said, forcing Vash to accept that she wasn't going to just take Alex back. Millie had born Alex not to keep him, but to let him make Vash and Wolfwood happy. And Vash needed him. She did have one condition. "But only if I can visit." Vash's smile lit up into the kind Wolfwood loved so much. He bent down to be eye to eye with Alex.

"How about it kiddo? You really want to stay with me?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Vash!" Alex chirped out, then giggled when Vash hefted him up into the air and onto his shoulders.

"Okay! But the first rule is no calling me 'Mr. Vash'!" he glanced meaningfully at Millie. "That goes for you too, young miss!" Millie laughed and nodded. Alex poked Vash on the head.

"What should I call you then?" he asked.

"Is-Is papa okay?" Vash suggested, still not quite sure if Alex was ready to start calling this man he'd just met such a familiar name. He needn't have worried. Alex grabbed two fistfuls of hair and nodded his head vigorously.

"Yes sir, papa sir! Papa, papa, papa!!!"

That was when Millie knew it was her time to leave. She walked to the pair and Vash, sensing the goodbye, lifted Alex from his shoulders and into her arms. Alex seemed to realize what was happening as well. He clung to his mother and gave her a big kiss.

"Bye bye, mommy. I'll miss you." Alex was sad but not selfish. Mommy had things she needed to do now, and Alex had papa to stay with. Secretly, Alex hoped mommy would go back to Auntie Meryl and play angel for her. Millie hugged her son close, then gave him back to Vash.

"You two have fun and be safe, all right? I love you both very much." Alex returned the sentiment and Vash gazed softly at her.

"You visit /any/time, you hear?" Vash half-demanded. Millie nodded. "And Millie?" she cocked her head.

"Thank you."

Millie sensed the emotions behind the simple words and gave a bright grin.

"It was my pleasure Vash. See you both soon!" Millie threw Vash the key to their room so he could pick up Alex's things later. Millie had all her things with her. Vash caught the key and Millie left. Vash was finally happy and Millie was all too glad she had the opportunity to make it happen. She exited the hotel and looked up at the sky.

"Nicholas, I hope you're happy up there too. Watch over them, okay?" was all she said before boarding her thomas and heading off.

Nicholas D. Wolfwood gave her a wave and a promise from up above.


End.



So was it any good? Personally I think I made everyone cry too much. . . but I don't know. :-) I named the son Alex on a whim, and it turns out Alex is also the name or Rem's dead boyfriend. So score for my subconscious for coming up with that. Feedback would be appreciated since this is really the longest fic I've written and i want to make it my best. I hope you all enjoyed!