Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop or anything that is associated with it. Except this fanfic, that is!
Faye had gotten a job of being a singer down at a local bar on Mars. She had thought of getting a job to help support herself, Jet, and Ed and Ein who had come back after realizing how lonely it was without the Bebop crew.
The job paid fairly well; 15 million woolongs a week. Not bad, if it helped support the Bebop that is. She sang the blues, with jazzy tunes as background. Jet would sometimes come down to check on her if she was okay. He had been caring for her for the past 3 years since that other man died. That man died long ago.
"Bartender, I'll have a beer, thanks." Jet told the bartender as he walked into the bar Faye worked at. It was a pretty clean place; in fact, it didn't let sketchy looking guys in, so Jet didn't worry for Faye's safety as much as usual.
He glanced around on stage for Faye when the curtain was raised up and he saw that Faye was on-stage. "Hello and welcome to the Starlight Bar!" Announced a man by Faye's side. Jet walked up to the stage quickly and spoke with Faye. "Hey, Faye. How are you?" Jet asked. She gave him a smile. "I'm fine. Don't worry too much about me." She replied. He gave her a slight smile and went back to a table near the stage.
"This evening, Ms. Valentine will be performing a song based off the blues! Please enjoy, everyone." The announcerwent off-stageafter he announced this. The spotlight focused on Faye. The shimmer from her dress was elegant. Beautiful.
She sang in a strong softened voice-
The real folk blues.
I only want to know true sadness.
Life in a muddy river isn't so bad...
After it ends for the first time.
A despair filled with hope,
And this chance that has a trap set out for it...
What's wrong and what's right?
It's like two sides of a coin...
Wonder how long I must live on before I am healed?
The real folk blues.
I only want to know true happiness
All that glitters is not gold...
Faye's slightly sorrow-ridden voice danced like stars with this song. Jet could almost tell that this was no regular song; she was speaking her feelings.
Faye stepped off-stage to Jet's table and sat down in a chair next to him whe she finished a got some time to prepare for the next performance in several minutes. "That... was beautiful, Faye," Jet said. "You think so...?" She let out a giggle. Jet's tone got soft and quiet. "And I know that you know...that your song was no ordinary song." Faye's eyes gleamed at this statement. "Yes, yes Jet. That was more than usual." She told him quietly.
"I'm sorry, Faye. You know I don't want you to get hurt anymore." Jet's voice always reassured her when she was troubled. She was happy for the last 3 years with Jet, Ed, and Ein on the Bebop. She had grown to care about them. She didn't want any other kind of life. Not ever, not now.
Jet stood up from the table. "It's time to get the bounty hunting done. I'm heading home." Faye nodded to him. "Okay, I'll meet you later." Jet took a last look at her and gave a little laugh. "See you, Romani!" Faye smiled to herself. Her old title. Romani. Now she was REALLY like a true gypsy searching for love. Oh, yes.
"Now," The announcer began, "Ms. Valentine shall tell us about someone she knew that was important to her. Whenever you are ready, Miss." Her told her. Faye walked up to the stage. This part of work was hard. Speaking about someone she once knew. She told them about all of her "family" on the Bebop. Except for... him.
She cleared her throat and began.
"I once knew a cowboy. He was... well, cocky, overconfident, and... bright. A real charming cowboy. That was how I thought of him once upon a time. He was carefree, didn't care much about things, but I wouldn't call him heartless. Maybe that's what really could make you trust him, his heart. He's a bit... sarcastic now and then, but deep down, you know you can trust him with those gentle eyes and reaffirming smile. But as they say, easy come, easy go." Faye choked a bit and masked it quickly.
It wasn't easy talking about someone who had been "dead" for 3 years. It hurt her. But she continued.
"Then after awhile, after I spent some time living with the cowboy and his "pals", I began to think of them as family. I had no one that was a known living relative, and I thought I found a family in these outlaws. I gained something I lost long ago." She finished.
Pain took her over. It was too hard to speak about the cowboy she once thought of as family. But she masked her emotions on-stage. The audience looked blankly at her. Her speech was moving. A few people were crying. It was too much, but the next question for Faye would be even harder.
"Excuse me Miss Valentine, but what was the bounty hunter's name?" A man asked from a back table. She choked saying his name. "His name was... Spike Spiegel." She said to the crowd in the bar.
They truly were moved by this tribute to this man. Everyone felt something for her. It was saddening. But one man by the bar seats didn't look as if any emotion took him over. He was tall, lanky looking, actually. Blue suit, puffy moss green hair. Two mismatched deep hazel eyes took along look at this Faye Valentine. A familiar smirk was plastered on his face as he watched from his seat, the woman he'd known before. He still knew her now. Just in a different light.
Still reeling from pain, Faye asked her manager if she could go home for 4 hours. Being kind, her boss let her go. Faye walked out the door to her ship, Redtail. And away from her view was a ship that she couldn't see behind the building. A spray-painted pink ship. Old, yet a fast looking ship.
And standing in the doorway to the bar was the man in the blue suit, watching her from afar. She took off, and he didn't follow.She didn't notice him at all.He directed his gaze toward the dying sunset. "I'll see you soon space cowgirl." He said with a smile.
A/N: What did you think? I don't know if I should continue. If you want me to, just review, but if you REALLY want me to continue, at least provide a persuasive review! Thanks, and as it has been said...
See you space cowboys...