Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Midvalley's Serenade ❯ The Road to December ( Chapter 30 )

The Road to December

In retrospect, I wasn't surprised that Lenny, Hot Lips and the rest of the band made it to the depot in time to catch the evening sandsteamer. The time I spent on the road had certainly taught me how to pack to meet a deadline and it was no different for my band mates. Lenny handed me the tickets when I arrived at the station. I went to the ticket window and purchased an additional one for the nurse.

Randy and Dave made sure that Nick's motorcycle and Lenny's van made it aboard the steamer as well. Kima and the band had spent the afternoon assembling more copies of our mini-album and Lenny planned to ask the steamer captain if the band could entertain in the lounge and sell the albums. The captain embraced the idea enthusiastically, hoping it would keep the passengers from worrying about possible attacks by outlaws. There had been reports of gangs raiding sandsteamers passing through the badlands three days east of Mei City.

Nick was unconscious when the ambulance arrived at the depot. Two orderlies carried him on a stretcher up the stairs and down the corridors to the fairly large suite on the steamer that I had booked for our use. As careful as they tried to be with him, a certain amount of jostling and bumping went on, and I began to curse myself for my stupidity thinking how badly it might have hurt him had he been conscious.

Dr. Reed sensed my discomfort. "I gave him a sedative before we left. He's feeling no pain. Don't feel bad about moving him. It was a good decision under the circumstances."

When Nick was settled with the nurse in attendance and the sandsteamer under way, I went to the café lounge for coffee. Dr. Reed was there. He had obviously had experience in moving wounded and I asked him how he came by it.

"I was a cavalry doctor for a number of years, baptized in the blood of the Outlaw War that broke out in the aftermath of July. I saw a lot of wounds to lungs, guts, arms and legs. I've done enough amputations that I never want to do another. That's how I gained my experience in transporting wounded."

"I'm grateful for my partner's sake," I said. "I was just a child back then. I had nightmares about July for months afterward. I still have them from time to time."

"Those were desperate times" said the surgeon. " I think the worst thing I witnessed was the suffering of women and children, so many lives stunted by starvation and malnutrition. Some days it seems to me that civilization has made some progress and then the emergency room fills up and my faith in humanity is tested again.

Now it's all gunshots and knife wounds. I'm glad it's not my job to sort out the innocent from the guilty. Some days, I see victims of crimes so vicious, I think I'd like to kill whoever committed them. I try to be impartial, but some days are harder than others."

"That's surely the truth," I agreed. It was just that kind of a day for me.

"Your friend, Mr. Wolfwood, certainly kept the hospital staff busy during the quick draw tournament. Nobody died from gunshot wounds that day, but he wounded more than fifty and I'm sure he could have killed them if he'd wanted to. I saw the corpses of the robbers and where his bullets hit them. He's an expert marksman, isn't he?"

"I've never seen better," I replied.

There was a lull in the conversation and I brought up a subject I'd been curious about.

"I heard that Vash the Stampede was one of the contestants," I said.

"That's true," replied the doctor. "I saw the whole tournament. There were a lot of rumors flying about your friend and Vash the Stampede. One of our nurses has breakfast at a little diner not far from the hospital and that's where she saw your partner and Vash the Stampede, the day before the tournament. She said they seemed to be on very friendly terms, buddy-buddy was the phrase she used, with arms around each other, that sort of thing, the day before the contest. Then when the tournament ended up as a draw, there was gossip that the two of them set-up the whole thing to claim the fifty thousand double dollar prize for first place. But having seen your partner's ability, I think he or the outlaw probably would have won regardless.

An orderly told me that he overheard some girls from Bernardelli Insurance saying that the Mayor had threatened to kill a young boy and his family if Mr. Wolfwood didn't finish off Vash the Stampede."

"Finish him off? I didn't know it was supposed to be a gunfight to the death?! Jesus Christ, he could have been killed! This is Vash the Stampede we're talking about. Still, if a child was in danger, it would upset my partner no end. He donates most of his income to supporting an orphanage near the city of December."

"Come to think of it," Dr. Reed resumed, "I did hear your partner shout out something about not letting any more children be harmed, and to know that he helps support an orphanage makes me glad I did a good job on his stitches. I'm very fond of children. I see them as our hope for the future."

When I thought of my hope for the future, the immediate one was that Nick would recover from his wound. I asked the doctor how my partner was progressing.

"He's doing as well as can be expected following a traumatic injury. I expect he won't be doing much for the duration of the trip except resting. He is on a heavy course of antibiotics to keep infection under control. Rest will help him heal.

Speaking of rest, Mr. Midvalley, you ought to get some yourself. You'll do your partner no good when you get to your destination if you're ill. I could not help noticing that you look exhausted."

"I thank you for your concern, but I'm more worried about my partner at the moment. You may have met my father, Kenny McCoy, at the hospital?"

"Ah, yes, the famous trumpet player, " said the doctor. "What about him?"

"In addition to his talent with the trumpet, my father has some modest healing ability. I trust you won't be upset if he uses that skill on my partner, will you?"

"I've heard of such things, of course. I'm sure at the very least the contact will be harmless. If your partner gains any benefit at all from the action, so much the better. I have no objections, but I must repeat, you should get some rest."

Truth to tell, I was exhausted by the rigors of the past months.

"I thank you for your interest in my health, but I'm going to go visit my partner now," I said and took my leave. When I got to Nick's suite, I found that he was still under the influence of the narcotic he had been given to ease his transfer from the hospital to the steamer.

I greeted the nurse who was caring for him. Her name was Ruby McQueen. I couldn't help thinking when I met her that her name would have fit better on a saloon chanteuse. Lord knows she was pretty enough to be one. She had long, wavy golden-brown hair, limpid blue eyes, and under her nurse's concealing garments, quite an attractive body. She was a little above average height.

Nick stirred in his sleep, saw the nurse through half-closed eyes and muttered in a groggy voice, "Millie, what are you doing here, my honey?"

"My name is Ruby," said the nurse.

"S'funny," Nick slurred, "look so much like her…" and then he drifted into sleep again.

I smiled to myself. So Nick had met a pretty woman on his trip and had gotten to the flirting stage with her. One of the insurance girls maybe?

This cheerful thought was followed by one not nearly as pleasant. Even before my conversation with Dr. Reed, the memory of Nick saying the name "Vash" during his delirium, had more than once given me a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. Now what the surgeon had just told me about their being buddy-buddy, arms around each other's shoulders made me nearly sick with jealousy.

But how could I doubt Nick's love for me? The man had nearly died because he risked his life to save mine. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude and resolved that I would not let jealousy poison my love for him.

There was a knock on the door of the sandsteamer. It was Hot Lips McCoy, my father.

The small suite was tolerable with three people in it, but with four and the set-up of tubes feeding into Nick's arms taking up additional space, it was downright claustrophobic. The close quarters were making me nervous, but I knew that Hot Lips was there to do some healing on Nick and I wanted to stay. I wondered what the nurse, Ruby, would make of it.

I introduced the two and explained to Ruby why McCoy was there. She looked skeptical but said nothing.

"Could I have a chair?" asked McCoy. Ruby offered hers and came to sit beside me on the cushioned bench. My father sat down by Nick, closed his eyes and fell into a meditative state. He began to breathe rhythmically and deeply, and I could feel the power growing in him. Then he reached out, put one hand on Nick's heart, the other over the wound in his side and sat in total concentration. His years as a trumpeter had given him abnormal lung capacity and breath control. I could see Nick's color improve as McCoy dug into his reserves of psionic power and gave freely.

After a few more minutes of this Hot Lips looked exhausted and diminished. He broke contact with Nick's body and sunk his head into his hands.

"I'm going to be sick, Midvalley," he whispered in a husk of a voice. His legs were shaky so I helped him over to the lavatory cubicle in the compartment and watched compassionately as he retched up bile. The contractions continued to rack his body for a minute. When he recovered a little, I helped him back to his seat. He closed his eyes. I knew he had a bad headache and I wanted to reach out and ease it for him, but when he felt my touch he said, "No, Midvalley. Don't do it. Rest yourself. I'll take some pain pills."

I had some handy so I poured a glass of water for him and gave him the medicine. In a few minutes, he was stronger. I walked him back to his compartment and settled him in his berth.

"Will you be all right?" I asked him.

"I'll play my trumpet a little later and be better than ever. Will you join us for a jam in the lounge later?"

"Maybe. Get some rest…and thank you."

When I got back to Nick's suite, it was to hear Nick talking to Ruby. I listened outside for a minute.

"…and the baby's name is Katie?" asked Nick. "Someone must want to volunteer to give her a good home."

He sounded vibrant and passionate.

"That's just the problem, Father Wolfwood, no one does. She's the daughter of a whore and the respectable women in the town don't want to have anything to do with her. `Blood will out,' I heard one woman say."

"That's just stupid. The baby's not responsible. It's just a baby," Nick sighed. "There's an orphanage in December that would be happy to take her, and find her a place in a good family where she would get more attention. "

"I've been tempted to take her, myself," said the nurse, "but then reality sets in. I barely make enough money to support myself and then the shifts that I work…I'd have to find someone to take care of her while I'm at work. I can't see any way to do it."

"You've got a beautiful heart, Ruby, but you're absolutely right. There's no way you can take care of her. She'll be better off in December. I can pay for the transportation…but we'll talk about the details later."

I knocked on the door and entered.

Nick had color in his face again and not from the flush of fever.

"God, you look so much better," I said with a smile of relief.

"I feel better. Ruby was telling me what a quack she thought Hot Lips was until she saw what he did. Made a believer out of her. She told me he was really sick afterwards. Why did he go to all that trouble for me? He hardly knows me, Midvalley."

"He didn't do it for you. He did it for me."

"An old friend of yours?" Nick asked almost shyly.

I knew he was wondering if Hot Lips had been a sexual partner.

"He's my father, Nick."

Nick nodded thoughtfully and then seemed jolted by the revelation.

"Well, that explains a lot. Your eyes are the same," he said and he looked at me so fondly, my heart started to flip-flop and I had to sit down I was so weak in the knees.

Then the nurse addressed me.

" If it's all right with you, I'd like to get some coffee in the café lounge, Mr. Midvalley. I think that Father Wolfwood looks well enough that I can leave for a while."

"By all means, take a break. I'll get Dr. Reed if an emergency comes up," I replied.

Ruby left and then Nick and I were alone again.

I moved over to the chair next to him. He held out his right hand to me and I took it gently.

"I was worried about you," I said.

"Now you know what it feels like," he said with a faint smile.

"In spades, partner."

"Is it true we're going to December, Midvalley? Is it a new assignment for you?"

"No, not really. While they operated on you, I got to thinking about what made me feel better after the concussion, and it was doing something I love. I thought about what would make you feel better and I know what you love, so I thought the Orleans Orphanage would be the best place for you."

"That was thoughtful, Midvalley, but how is it that you know so much about the place? Did my father tell you?"

"No, when I brought you to the hospital, a nurse gave me your jacket to hold. I was so nervous I wanted a cigarette to relax. While I was digging around to find your matches, a fund transmittal receipt fell on the floor. I couldn't help noticing that it was made out to the orphanage. Then I got curious, snooped a little and found the rest."

Nick slid his hand out of mind and tried to sit up. He groaned in pain and said with an edge to his voice, "I was trying to keep my involvement quiet."

"So shoot me. I know that you've played it close to the chest, but I am your partner and the clues were piling up. And as far as keeping your relationship to the orphanage quiet, surely you know your father has no secrets from Legato and Leonof. If you think they aren't aware of how every c-cent that they pay us is spent, you're living in a fool's paradise, my friend."

Nick sighed heavily and said nothing for a minute, "I'm sure you're right, Midvalley. There are some things I haven't wanted to admit to myself. I just hope that they never try to use my love of the children against me."

I could tell that Nick was very upset at the thought and I mentally kicked myself for my insensitivity. But I thought of something that would cheer him up.

"I can't imagine that would ever happen. But I have another confession to make," I said with a smile anticipating his pleased surprise.

"Really?" said Nick.

"Worse than smoking your cigarettes and going through your pockets," I said.

"I would have let you have the cigarettes," said Nick.

I reached into my jacket pocket for my wallet, pulled out a bank deposit slip and handed it to him.

"This is a deposit to my bank account," said Nick. "Two hundred thousand double dollars," he breathed and looked at me with incomprehension, and then started to flush with anger again.

"What are you mad about now, Nick?"

"I didn't expect you to pay me for saving your life."

"Don't be angry with me, Nick. That isn't it. You don't understand…"

"Understand what?" he asked. He sounded annoyed and I could tell he was getting tired.

`You earned it," I rushed to say. "There was a bounty out on the three you killed that night for $$200,000. I had to forge your name on a request for power of attorney so that I could get the paperwork done. It's your money. I didn't think you'd get so pissed off about it. But just for your information, I'd do it again."

"I'm not mad," Nick mumbled and then murmured to himself, "Two hundred thousand double dollars…that will keep us afloat for quite a long while."

Finally I got the reaction I'd been looking for and he smiled at me, the same fond smile that had my heart doing flip-flops when the nurse was there.

"I can't believe you forged my name."

"Just tell me you forgive me."

"You know I do. How many more of your talents are you hiding from me?"

"Just that one."

"This will do so much for the children."

Nick got very quiet for a couple of minutes and he reached out his hand for mine again. He sighed in relief when we were touching again.

"Thanks for everything. I'm in your debt again," he said.

"You saved my life, Nick. I remember you telling me a long time ago that you'd pay me back. I'd say you did and then some."

"I want to …" he began to say.

I felt through the link just to make sure I knew what he wanted. I sat on the edge of his bed, leaned down and brushed his lips with a tender kiss.

"That's it," he said with a husky whisper and kissed me back.

"I love you, Midvalley," he said softly.

"I love you, too, Nick," I said and I kissed him again.

He fell asleep with my lips on his. I looked down at his peaceful face and smiled. The jealousy I had harbored for Vash the Stampede had vanished with a kiss and a phrase leaving contentment in its wake.

I knew I was doing the right thing taking Nick to December.

Ruby came back in a few minutes and felt his forehead. I looked at Nick's wound when she checked the skin under the bandages. The area was still mottled and livid with bruises, but it looked better than the last time I'd seen it.

"Your father is a miracle worker. I've heard about healing like that before but never would have believed it was possible if I hadn't seen it for myself," she said.

Dr. Reed entered and then the place just seemed too crowded. I went back to my sleeping quarters, snagged Silvia, and walked to the lounge compartment. I heard the band in full swing before I entered. Hot Lips' forehead was sheened with sweat as his golden trumpet blared out a sizzling counterpoint to Toby's bass. He looked fully recovered from his healing session. I went to the bar, ordered a brandy, then found a seat by Dixie, who was tapping her feet as the band swung into the chorus of "Head over Heels." I could tell she was missing her keyboard. I smiled and sat down next to her.

"Hey, Midvalley. You look a lot better, so I guess that Nick must be feeling better too."

I couldn't help smiling when I thought back to the tender kiss we had shared.

"That's one heck of a smile, Midvalley, and I don't think I need an explanation.

"No, no, Dixie, it's nothing like that. I'm just glad Nick is feeling better. He sat up and talked for a while, but he got tired and is sleeping now. Dr. Reed is checking his condition and adjusting his medication."

"So you're taking a break from the sick room."

"It gets a little crowded in there, and I miss playing Silvia," I said.

"I wish my piano was more portable," said Dixie. "I brought along my harmonica but I'm taking a break."

"You taking a break? That's unusual. You must be upset about something."

"The last song they played before this one was "Serenade" and sometimes the lyrics get to me.. Randy fills the emptiness, but I still find myself crying over my husband at the oddest times. It hasn't been a year since Henry died and the wound is still fresh."

I sighed in sympathy, as I thought ahead to my new assignment. The months I'd spent separated from Nick had been one of the worst periods in my life. In a little less than three weeks, I would be separated from him again for God knows how long.

"You seem a little upset yourself, Midvalley. Chapel is going to be all right, isn't he?"

"He's better. It's just that in a few weeks, I'll have to leave and I don't know when I'll see him again."

"Or if you'll see him again," she spoke the hard, blunt truth. "That's how it was for me with Henry. I was only gone for a short tour. Two weeks, and when I got back he'd been dead and buried a week and a half. I never saw him again."

"That puts my concerns into perspective. Nick's alive. I suppose that I shouldn't complain."

"Why don't you just quit your other job? You making so much money from the music, you don't really need more income, do you? Then you could spend more time together."

"I wish it were that easy, but people are counting on me."

Legato's face came to mind when I thought of who was counting on me most.

The somber tone of the conversation had begun to put me into an emotional tailspin.

"In other words, they won't let you quit."

I couldn't respond to that so I unfastened the clips of Silvia's case, pulled her out, slipped the strap over my neck and stepped up next to Hot Lips. I joined in on the chorus of `Hell and Damnation'. The song fit my present mood exactly. Silvia wailed and moaned my blues. Soon I was in a horn duel with Hot Lips who gave me a side-long glance, raised an eyebrow, then upped the ante with a hot jazz lick that drew a delighted, `Oh, yeah!' from Lenny. Not to be outdone, I came back with an string of notes like ripping silk that slipped higher and higher until Silvia peaked in an agonized scream. I held that note at a fever pitch, then let it fade away as Lenny finished with thundering tom-toms and crashing cymbals.

I hadn't noticed that the lounge had filled up, but the room erupted in applause, cheers and wolf whistles when the piece was done. Lenny gave me a thumbs up, Hot Lips wiped the sweat from his brow with his red bandana, flung an arm around me, and took a bow with me. I couldn't help smiling. Playing helped me clear my head and put my worries in perspective. Even new assignments couldn't separate the two of us forever. With Mouth of Gabriel business, I was sure I could find a way to see Nick more often. And there were always vacations.

We played three more songs at white-heat intensity, then with my mood restored, I packed up Silvia and headed back to see Nick before I went to bed.

He was throwing up into a basin that Ruby held under his mouth.

"Oh, God help me," I moaned, sick with this new worry.

"Is it from the infection again?" I asked Dr. Reed who was slowly injecting the contents of a hypodermic into a vein in Nick's arm.

"No, whatever kind of healing your father did cleared up most of the inflammation but the narcotic has worn off and Mr. Wolfwood is in pain from his wound."

In less than a minute, the expression of agony on Nick's face eased into peaceful relaxation, his head rolled back onto his pillow. He sighed in relief and I exhaled the breath I had been holding.

"Are you feeling better, Mr. Wolfwood?" asked the surgeon.

"Yes," Nick responded drowsily.

"Are you hungry at all?"

"No, I don't think I could keep anything down right now."

"You've had vomiting from the infection, then from the anesthetic we used during your surgery, and now the nausea is from pain. It should pass by tomorrow morning, I think, and we can see about getting you up and about, but for now, just rest."

Nick fell asleep. I sat with him for a while. The fever he experienced in the hospital had burned flesh from his already lean face and body, but I had a hunch as I felt for him through our link that he was on the mend. I felt a weight lift from my heart.

It had been a long day, so I went to my compartment, undressed, crawled under the covers and was so hammered by fatigue that sleep took me instantly and I dreamed.

I am walking through the desert with a sky of midnight blue, hung with stars. The moons shine bright as silver. I look up at the fifth moon and see that it has a demon's eye like Dominique's and the moon asks,

"Why, Midvalley?"

I don't know what to answer but hear a rattle at my feet, look down and see Legato sprawled naked writhing sinuous as a snake. His mouth opens and his serpent's tongue flicks and he hisses, "Sssuck you,Ssssssax-man?"

I tell him no, but golden eyes hold me mesmerized. I sense that I am naked while the snake's tongue laves my cock. I tell him no, but it feels so good I don't want it to stop, the feel of the split tongue like two sucking at once excites me. No, I moan. No, I beg as the sensations grow more intense. NO! I scream in ecstasy as the white snake sprays its venom and my eyes roll back in my head.

A heartbeat later, the world shifts and we walk together, just the two of us on the narrow ridge that spans two chasms.

The night wind blows as Legato dressed in white like the purest of angels stands on the edge of the precipice. He holds out his hand to me and smiles as the skull tied to his sleeve smiles and I step back.

"Don't be afraid."

"Life is pleasure," says the blue moon.

"Life is pain," says the red moon.

"Death is the cure," says the pink moon.

"Death is pleasure," says the white moon.

The fifth moon wears the demons eye, and "Jump," is what it says.

The abyss beckons. The power of the demon's eye moves me to the edge and I feel the upswept wind from the chasm on my brow.

I hear voices calling from below.

"Midvalley," says my mother.

"Come and play," the children cry.

"Jump," says Dominique.

"Just the two of us," sighs Legato at my elbow. "We can end the pain."

I begin to think I should. Just jump. Just fly. Just die. The wind is warm and I'll fly like a bird until I die… I tense my thighs and prepare to dive, but hear a whisper on the wind, "Midvalley," that stops me.

I turn and see Nick. He extends his right hand to me. In his left hand he holds a beating heart. My chest throbs in rhythm with the heart he holds. When I put my hand in his, it feels like going home, the nightmare moon's demons eye shatters into shards and I am safe.