𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 (Kill Bill)

𝐗𝐈.

𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑: 𝐗𝐈

𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡. She hadn't really expected to, but the day's events had caught up to her. The stress, the fear, the strange relief when she had realized that it would not be an immediate fight.

Bill was still sitting across from her when she yawned, leaning to the side, closing her eyes. "Rest," he had said. "Rest is good for the baby."

And she had just slipped away. Sleep had been needed, in all honesty. She hadn't so much as taken a nap while with Beatrix. She had slipped away into the world of sleep, free of the nightmares that used to plague her, images of Beatrix in her pure white gown, covered in blood.

Those nightmares were gone, replaced now with Budd, black mambas, a one-eyed figure glowing in the darkness, lashing out with a sword like a snake flicks its tongue...

She was still asleep when Beatrix emerged from B.B.'s room, coming to the top of the stairs.

"I was just admiring your sword," Bill said to Beatrix. "Quite a piece of work. Speaking of which, how is Hanzo-san?"

"He's good," Beatrix answered.

"Has his sushi gotten any better?"

Beatrix shook her head, starting to make her way down the stairs.

"You know, I couldn't believe it," Bill said. "You got him to make you a sword."

"It was easy," Beatrix said. "I just dropped your name, Bill."

"Ha. That'd do it," he said, a faint smile on his face.

Beatrix's eyes drifted to Danielle. "She's sleeping," Bill said. "Do try not to wake her. It looks like she needs it."

He set Beatrix's sword down on the bartop.

Beatrix continued down the stairs, coming around the couch, sitting beside Danielle's sleeping form. Danielle murmured something unintelligible in her sleep, curling tighter into a ball. Her expression was fraught with worry.

"I suppose the idea is we cross Hanzo swords," Bill said. "Am I right?"

Beatrix gave a small nod, her eyes drifted to Bill's sword, presented on top of the TV.

"Well, it just so happens this hacienda has its own private beach," Bill said. "And that private beach just so happens to look particularly beautiful bathed in moonlight. And there just so happens to be a full moon out tonight. So, sword fighter, if you want a sword fight, that's where I suggest. But if you wanna be old school about it- - and you know I'm all about old school- -" Beatrix chuckled. "...then we could wait until dawn and slice each other up at sunrise like a couple of real-life, honest..."