This has been quite some time in the making, I've been thinking of this
story for months now. I finally found the perfect song to start it off
with, hence why I finally started writing it. ^_^ "Losing Grip" by Avril
Lavigne is the song I decided to use for this; it's sort of a song fic.
Now, for a quickie explanation, since I'm not sure if I'll have the prequel
to this story up by the time I start posting this. I left that one at home,
and I just need to find some inspiration to write it over again. , So
we'll see. Anyhow, this fic takes place five years after the end of the
series. Spike didn't die, and he, Jet, and Faye are still together on the
Bebop. Ed was off with her father, and did a lot of growing up during those
five years. So Ed's not the same Ed as on the show, she actually sounds
completely sane and normal. But who'd really expect an 18 year-old to be as
messed up as Ed anyhow? ^_^ Hope someone appreciates this out there. It's
gonna get pretty angsty and sad, overall depressing. But that's what I
write best. ;)
~*~
~Are you aware of what
You make me feel, baby?~
A slight breeze picked up, blowing Ed's hair in front of her face. 'Damn it, I should have just kept it short.' She laid her fork down on the table beside her plate, reaching up to brush the hair off her face. Tucking it behind her ear, she glanced over the table, a quick blush coming to her cheeks as she met Spike's wry grin, sitting across from her.
"You know kid, if you tied your hair up, you might solve that problem."
"Wow, thanks for the insight. The thought never crossed my mind." Ed stuck her tongue out at Spike, who couldn't contain a slight chuckle. Ed picked her fork up again with her left hand, reaching for the pepper shaker with her right. A tingling sensation swept over her as she felt Spike's hand close over hers, holding her small fingers in his. She looked up at him, feeling her cheeks flush over again. The breeze picked up, blowing her hair back in front of her face. But this time she didn't put the stray strands back in place; instead she felt Spike's fingers trail over her cheek, brushing her soft skin as he fixed her hair back for her.
"We really need to get you some elastics. Or a headband."
"Would you tie my hair up for me then?"
"I'd probably hurt you before I managed to get all of that up, that's why I keep my hair short." He winked at her, leaving her to laugh. It was times like this, when everything seemed so perfect, that she never once regretted her decision to be with Spike. He was so loving to her, so sweet and gentle. She picked over the remainder of her salad, finishing it off and setting it aside. His hand slipped back to his side of the table, and their eyes met up.
"Say we get our bill and get outta here? Maybe go for a walk somewhere?" Ed nodded, as she set her cutlery down on the plate, finishing off her orange juice. Spike flagged the waiter down, promptly getting a receipt. He pulled out his wallet, leaving enough to pay for the meal and a tip, then pushed his chair back and stood up. Ed got up from her chair, pushing it back in as she followed Spike out the door of the restaurant. Standing outside, she waited as he took out his pack of cigarettes, drawing one out. He stopped and looked at her, smiling as he slid it back in the case.
"I really should quit that habit anyway, and getting you addicted definitely won't help me any." He smiled and slid his arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled close to him as they walked down the street together. To think, Spike was going to quit smoking for her! If that wasn't a sign of love from Spike, nothing was. They walked through the city, closing in on it's large park, full of choice park-type animals. The park was always full of happy and smiling couples; at one point Ed had hated coming here, a reminder of what she had never experienced. The closest thing to any sort of relationship she had ever experienced, had been the one she'd shared with her father; and a father's love for his daughter really didn't apply to these park people. It had been almost six months since her father's death, and though she still missed him, she had been grateful for the chance it gave her to reunite with her old crew mates. As she looked from face to face, all full of smiles and starry eyes, she tightened her arms around Spike's waist, knowing her own face was smiling, and her eyes were probably full of stars too. They made their way to their favourite sitting spot, right near a large duck pond. Spike sat down on a bench, and as Ed went to sit next to him, he pulled her onto his lap instead, holding her tightly around the waist. She pressed her head against his shoulder, not wanting to hide her happy face from everyone, but not really wanting the world to see her hugely dorky grin. She felt Spike's lips lightly brush her cheek, aware of a few small kisses he pressed to her. They sat there for a few minutes, not really saying anything. Ed wondered if Spike felt even half as happy with her as she felt with him. After losing her father, she had become totally crushed, and extremely sad. But finding Spike again had changed everything; he had become the new centre of her entire universe. Everything was perfect with him there, the void in her heart was quickly mended by his show of kindness and gentleness, the way he touched her and kissed her, as though she were some rare and priceless antique that he was afraid of breaking; it got her all flustered when he held her to him, the protective hold of his arms more than she'd ever need to feel security and love in this new world of hers.
But eventually, no matter how well you protect something, it always breaks. Or at least develops a few cracks or chips somewhere along the way. And then, that rare and priceless antique you used to hold so gently, is never quite perfect again.
~*~
~Are you aware of what
You make me feel, baby?~
A slight breeze picked up, blowing Ed's hair in front of her face. 'Damn it, I should have just kept it short.' She laid her fork down on the table beside her plate, reaching up to brush the hair off her face. Tucking it behind her ear, she glanced over the table, a quick blush coming to her cheeks as she met Spike's wry grin, sitting across from her.
"You know kid, if you tied your hair up, you might solve that problem."
"Wow, thanks for the insight. The thought never crossed my mind." Ed stuck her tongue out at Spike, who couldn't contain a slight chuckle. Ed picked her fork up again with her left hand, reaching for the pepper shaker with her right. A tingling sensation swept over her as she felt Spike's hand close over hers, holding her small fingers in his. She looked up at him, feeling her cheeks flush over again. The breeze picked up, blowing her hair back in front of her face. But this time she didn't put the stray strands back in place; instead she felt Spike's fingers trail over her cheek, brushing her soft skin as he fixed her hair back for her.
"We really need to get you some elastics. Or a headband."
"Would you tie my hair up for me then?"
"I'd probably hurt you before I managed to get all of that up, that's why I keep my hair short." He winked at her, leaving her to laugh. It was times like this, when everything seemed so perfect, that she never once regretted her decision to be with Spike. He was so loving to her, so sweet and gentle. She picked over the remainder of her salad, finishing it off and setting it aside. His hand slipped back to his side of the table, and their eyes met up.
"Say we get our bill and get outta here? Maybe go for a walk somewhere?" Ed nodded, as she set her cutlery down on the plate, finishing off her orange juice. Spike flagged the waiter down, promptly getting a receipt. He pulled out his wallet, leaving enough to pay for the meal and a tip, then pushed his chair back and stood up. Ed got up from her chair, pushing it back in as she followed Spike out the door of the restaurant. Standing outside, she waited as he took out his pack of cigarettes, drawing one out. He stopped and looked at her, smiling as he slid it back in the case.
"I really should quit that habit anyway, and getting you addicted definitely won't help me any." He smiled and slid his arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled close to him as they walked down the street together. To think, Spike was going to quit smoking for her! If that wasn't a sign of love from Spike, nothing was. They walked through the city, closing in on it's large park, full of choice park-type animals. The park was always full of happy and smiling couples; at one point Ed had hated coming here, a reminder of what she had never experienced. The closest thing to any sort of relationship she had ever experienced, had been the one she'd shared with her father; and a father's love for his daughter really didn't apply to these park people. It had been almost six months since her father's death, and though she still missed him, she had been grateful for the chance it gave her to reunite with her old crew mates. As she looked from face to face, all full of smiles and starry eyes, she tightened her arms around Spike's waist, knowing her own face was smiling, and her eyes were probably full of stars too. They made their way to their favourite sitting spot, right near a large duck pond. Spike sat down on a bench, and as Ed went to sit next to him, he pulled her onto his lap instead, holding her tightly around the waist. She pressed her head against his shoulder, not wanting to hide her happy face from everyone, but not really wanting the world to see her hugely dorky grin. She felt Spike's lips lightly brush her cheek, aware of a few small kisses he pressed to her. They sat there for a few minutes, not really saying anything. Ed wondered if Spike felt even half as happy with her as she felt with him. After losing her father, she had become totally crushed, and extremely sad. But finding Spike again had changed everything; he had become the new centre of her entire universe. Everything was perfect with him there, the void in her heart was quickly mended by his show of kindness and gentleness, the way he touched her and kissed her, as though she were some rare and priceless antique that he was afraid of breaking; it got her all flustered when he held her to him, the protective hold of his arms more than she'd ever need to feel security and love in this new world of hers.
But eventually, no matter how well you protect something, it always breaks. Or at least develops a few cracks or chips somewhere along the way. And then, that rare and priceless antique you used to hold so gently, is never quite perfect again.