[Knives — Nai — might be peeling himself open, but for Meryl, the process couldn't be gentler. She all but holds her palms out, cupped together to accept this sacred offering. She doesn't have to use her imagination to know what he must be going through, figuratively and literally. It didn't take much investigation to know that this was untread ground for him.

Not after everything I've done, he says, leaving Meryl to consider the very same. It doesn't change her answer, only leaves her to wonder where it all fits in. It isn't her place to forgive him of his sins, not the ones that don't involve her at least. But it doesn't have to be, not really. Not when she thinks about it.]

We can't change what happened before. [She's trying to channel her best impression of what Vash might say. He's always been the paragon of forgiveness, and making said forgiveness sound believable.] But since you've gotten here, you've at least been nothing but kind to me. And if this is meant to be some kind of... new start or something, then I'd say you deserve it, based off of that merit.

[Okay, yeah. Maybe she should save this for Vash. She offers a nervous, almost guilty smile.]

Look. I know it doesn't mean much, coming from me. [She's small. Her gun is smaller. There isn't much she can do.] But I'll do what I can to make sure that safety isn't disturbed, okay?