Chapter 10: This Much Fun

I hoped that through my sorry look
you didn't see my great, big smile.
-Cowboy Mouth

Spike rolled a shoulder and stepped outside his room. He could hear a door down the hall creak open. Assuming Ed was up to her usual tricks, he made a note to hide his shoes and strolled easily outside. Remembering to avoid the loose slat, and noting mentally he needed to tack it back down he steered for the barn. The air was crisp and cool. The sky had barely tinted a soft violet. Frazzled over Soro, and Remy's impromptu outing the cowboy had arisen earlier than usual. Slinking into the dusty gloom, he scanned the room and the ships quickly. From the look of things he was alone.

Inhaling deeply, he dropped to his first position. The exercises increasing as he went. Too busy trying to relieve tension he missed Ed and Remy scurry to the Hammerhead. Stealthily, the teen bumped the door open and pushed the little boy inside.

Remy glanced at her, teeth chomping his lip.

"Remember," Ed hissed, "Only touch the yellow button." She winked, easing the door closed and darting away.

Remy slowly turned. The ship was kind of scary without power. It was dark. The air heavy and dusty, laced with the smell of grease, cigarettes and metal. Swallowing, he remained near the hatch fussing. With a deep breath, he inched towards the pilot's seat. Holding his breath every time Spike grunted or hissed.

Nervous fingers curled around the chair, a tiny huff as the little boy pulled himself up. Satisfied with his progress, he glanced out the windscreen, the top of Spike's head just visible. Studying the cowboy as he bobbed in and out of sight Remy wondered what he was up to. Occasionally an arm or foot would appear but nothing could be seen clearly. Remembering Ed's advice he looked for the proper button, eyes widening, he gulped softly when he came across the bright yellow switch. Lip slurped into his mouth he punched the button, watching with shock as moving parts clattered and clanked, the claw slipping off its arm and across the dirt floor below.

Ed settled in her seat, smiling sweetly at Faye. Pete's eyes narrowed, she was up to something he just couldn't tell what. He waited until Faye turned before nudging Ed roughly with an elbow, "What nasty've you got planned today?" He bit angrily into his toast, "Miss Faye burnt several fingers unplugging Spike's bed last night and I don't want to have to deal with her cranky over another of your stupid tricks."

She shrugged, "Nothing. Ed is just glad Faye-Faye is letting us work at the plant alone today." A toothy grin split her face, "Doesn't Pete-boy think it's neat she's trusting us to make our changes without her watching?"

He blushed, it was kind of cool.

Faye turned, "Hey. Where's Remy?"

"Oh," Ed smiled, "Ed saw Spike-person take Remy out to the barn." She shrugged, snagging a piece of toast, "Guess Lunkhead is trying to teach Remy some more moves."

Pete's eyes narrowed.

Faye frowned, "Really?" It quickly melted, her gaze shifting to peek at the barn. Its doors open, the faint whisper of a lanky shadow twisting in the dust. "That's good."

Ed crammed another bit of toast in her mouth to keep from snarling. She swallowed thickly and hastily chugged her juice. "Ed and Pete will see you later Faye-Faye." Thin fingers curled into the boy's shoulder, "Bye-Bye!"

Faye nodded, waving limply as she prepared hotcakes for the two exercisers. A happy flutter, shivering in her stomach. She floated back to the sink, watching as the shadow kicked. "Well," she turned to Ein, dropping a few strips of bacon, "Glad to see those two getting along."

The dog grunted, dropping to slurp up the crispy pork.

Spike dropped for a sweep kick, the loud clack of a bolt releasing drawing his attention to Jet's ship. The arm swung limply towards him. Gaining momentum as it swiveled around.

"Oh..." he was on his feet, trying to figure out how to avoid getting hit. Hoping to duck it, he fell flat. The claw whistled over his shirtless back, Spike instantly on his feet when it swung past his head. Something rattled, the ship's arm crashing into a rafter above. He dodged the falling bits and pieces but not the claw whooshing back. It cracked him from behind.

Remy ducked at the sound of things breaking. Twisting into the chair, he pressed his nose to his knees. Arms wrapped protectively over his head. A faint, pain filled grunt forced him to bury deeper.

Spike smacked into the distant wall. As the world began to darken; sharp, weak breaths hissing through his teeth; he noted the Hammerhead was empty. Crumpling limply to the dirt he glared at the ship, "What the," his head grew heavy, body lurching to the side, "hell?"

Faye stilled at the loud crash blasting from the barn. Windows rattling from the force. "Remy? Spike?" On her feet instantly, notes and research fluttering around her she darted out the closest door. Eyes locked on the dust puffing from the barn she didn't see the disturbed slat. Pitching forward she hissed, her shin grating across wood before smashing into the porch. She landed hard with a strained, "Oof." Wincing, she rolled upright and resumed her panicked sprint with a noticeable limp.

"Remy! Spike!" She slid into the barn door, hand fanning at the dust as she scanned the space. The Hammerhead's swaying claw came into focus. Her gaze dropped to the unmoving lump behind it. "Spike?" She stepped closer, green sweeping the space for a sign of the little boy. "Remy? REMY!"

He yelped at her startled tone, "Mom?" On the seat he prepared to crawl onto the console and slap the window.

Catching the movement, Faye snarled, "Freeze!"

Eyes wide, he did as told.

"Stand on the seat with your hands on your head." She watched, waiting with a tense breath for the little boy to do as told. "I mean it. DO. NOT. MOVE."

He gave a stiff nod. Tears snaking down his cheeks. A flush of guilt tugged at her over his upset, but he was safe. Spike was the one that needed help. Moving quickly she rushed the downed cowboy. Heart twisting at the muddy patch of blood on the side of his head. "Spike?" Shaking fingers caught his arm, bits of debris clinging to him from the sweat. "Spike?" Gingerly, she rolled the cowboy to his back. Head tipping to check his vitals. A relieved gasp escaped when he groaned softly. "I'll be right back." She absently combed her fingers through his mussed hair. "Just let me get Remy safe."

Spike's face twisted in discomfort. Lip curled as he tried to regain his breathing. Brown fluttered open, head tipping in a miserable semblance of a nod.

Satisfied he'd live, Faye scurried towards the Hammerhead. Stooping, she ducked the claw wagging limply to and fro and crawled inside.

Remy remained frozen in his seat, fighting the urge to turn when he heard the door open. "Mom?"

Faye grunted. "Stay put for a sec." She appeared beside him. Not looking his way she quickly pressed a few buttons. The soft hum of a motor filling the tense space. He frowned when she wrapped her arms around him. Her fingers were shaking.

"Mom?"

She shook her head, "Go hold the door open for me. We need to get Spike inside."

"Is..."

She sighed. Glancing out the windscreen to make sure the grappler was in place. Satisfied, she shooed him away. "Hold the door. We'll talk after."

He gave a stiff nod, disappearing to do as told. Pale and wide eyed he watched as Faye helped Spike hobble towards the house. Safely inside the kitchen, Faye settled the cowboy on a chair. "Remy, go wait in your room. I'll be up as soon as I get him settled."

He fussed.

"Please." Faye's tone held no emotion as she ran cool water on a rag. "I promise as soon as Spike's patched up and comfortable I'll let you see him but right now I need to check for anything serious."

Remy swallowed, "Did I kill 'im?"

She laughed, gently swabbing the clinging bits of blood, dirt and detritus off Spike's head. "No." Her finger tipped the cowboy's head back, "But by the look of things he's pretty banged up." Green shifted towards the boy, "Do as I ask, OK?" She waited until she heard the soft click of an upstairs door. The cricks and cracks of the floorboards leading straight to Remy's bed. She sighed, rinsing the rag clean and starting on a gash on Spike's side. "Poor kid."

The cowboy grunted, "What the hell..."

Faye appeared before him, "You had an accident." Her eyes dropped to his stomach, "Hold still so I can get you patched up and then into bed."

He grunted. Letting her continue to swipe away some of the sticky grittiness clinging to his torso. He moaned in discomfort when he felt fingers prod his head for damage. A relieved sigh rustling his hair. Slowly a bandage wrapped around him. Faye's fingers dropping into his sight occasionally. He let his eyes lower, it hurt to breathe and he felt so tired. He groaned, tipping forward in the chair until his face met something cool. With a stiff exhale, he began to feel his body grow lax.

Faye washed off her hands, frowning at the dozing cowboy slumped on her kitchen table. Swiping them dry she scurried over, rousing him enough to get an arm over her shoulder and the taller man upright. "Alright, Lunkhead." She grunted, suring her hold. "Let's get you to bed."

Remy burrowed below his blankets. Faye's soft grunts and the shuffling thuds of Spike loud to his guilty conscious. He took a shivering breath certain he'd killed the cowboy. Ein bounced onto the bed, whining softly when the bump in the blankets began to whimper and shake. The dog turned his head at the sound of the door opening. Faye plodding quietly across the room. She watched the bump tighten, pained little sobs escaping from a small hole in the side.

"Remy." She dropped her hand on the boy's back, "Hey, Remy?"

He twitched, "I didn't mean to hurt him!" Sniffled free. "Ed said if I pushed the yellow button I could see what he was doin' better." He appeared from below, eyes puffy and red. "Mom I'm sorry! I didn' mean t' kill Dad!"

She giggled. Settling the boy easily on her lap. "He isn't dead. Just bumped up." She smoothed his mussed hair, "Let's not do what Ed says in regards to your dad anymore, hm?"

His lip quivered as more tears snaked down his cheek, "Can I see 'im?"

Sighing she stood, boy clinging to her. "How about you keep an eye on him for me while I make some lunch and get a shower?"

"Really?" He swallowed thickly, "I can help?"

"Yeah." She set him by the bathroom door, "Let's get you cleaned up and then you can play nurse, alright?" She passed off a pair of pajamas.

Spike groaned. Eyes opening slowly he tried to decide where he was. The last thing he remembered was playing leap frog with the Hammerhead and losing. He hissed. His head hurt, there was a stitch in his side. The room felt to warm and he tried to wriggle his legs noting there was a weight on them. Glaring at Ein, he shooed the pup off. The sound of angered voices ripped their way into the room's stuffy quiet. Brown eyes narrowed, head quirking as he tried to discern what was being said. Something shifting near his foot brought his glare onto a rather flustered, little boy.

Fist digging away sleep, bottom lip quivering Remy sat up. "Do you need me to get Mom?"

Spike shook his head, wincing at the painful zing.

The boy's eyebrows crinkled together, "Are you OK?" He carefully worked his way closer to Spike shoulder, "I didn't mean to hurt you I..."

Faye's voice tore from the lower room, "What the hell's your problem Ed?"

Remy cringed when Faye's volume increased, "Mom is really, really mad at Edward." Blink, "I've never heard 'er yell like this." Shiver, "She sent Papa Jet and Pete out for dinner," his lip wriggled, "I 's supposed to go but…" he fingered a bandage on the cowboy's arm, "I'm sorry I hurt your head and..."

Shrug, "Not the first time somethin' like this has happened."

Remy gave a nervous giggle, "That's what Mo…"

"This stops now Ed!" Something banged, "Do you have any idea what could have happened? What if Remy pressed the wrong button and launched the grappling hook instead of just releasing the claw from its lock."

Something was mumbled.

"Shut up! Nowis not the time to try your half assed attempt at pissy pubescent." Livid exhale, "You could've killed him, Ed." Faye slammed a cupboard closed, "What if the barn had collapsed?"

"Edward does not see the…"

Both Spike and Remy jumped at the sound of a body crashing into the wall. Ed released a pained grunt. The little boy inched up the bed, shivering. Spike wrapped an arm loosely around his back, unable to hide his grin.

Ed writhed angrily in Faye's hold. The older woman inches from her nose. Green eyes narrowed as Faye snarled, "I'm done kid."

The teen tried to wriggle free.

The elbow across her throat tightened, "You suck it up and behave or I'll send you away." Faye's tone chillier than Arctic run-off in December, "Understand?"

There was a pained gasp, "You'd take Lunkhead Spike over Edward?"

"Ed…" Green remained locked with gold, "I'd put Remy's safety over your pride. Do. You. Understand?"

Thrashing, "Faye-Faye is saying she loves Spike even though he's a monster meanie who left you all alone."

Silence.

Footsteps moved away from Ed's panting. The teen dropping uncomfortably to the floor. Face pink she rose on noodley legs, "Ed was just trying to keep Faye and Remy safe from Lunkhead Spike hurting you!"

Growl, "Edward," Faye slapped a bowl onto the counter, "Remy could've been seriously hurt messin' around inside the Hammerhead and you know it." She refused to turn towards the girl, shoulders hunched by her ears, a death grip on the dinnerware. "If you want to protect him why don't you stop telling him everything Spike does wrong? Why don't you start treating Spike with at least a hint of civility and stop setting up traps for him?"

"Because..."

She spun, limping closer to the teen to wave a bruised elbow in the girl's face, "Spike isn't the only one getting hit by your stupid pranks, Ed!" Something smashed into a distant wall, "Why do you think I've been getting up so early? I can't have Remy crashin' into one of them."

"But…"

"Shut up." Snarl, "You've crossed the line and you know it. I'm serious. It stops. All of it. There will be NO more." She shook her head, drifting stiffly to the sink, "I've tried to let you have some freedom to do what you need to but the pranks are getting too dangerous. It all stops here. Understood."

Sniff, "Ed was just…"

"UNDERSTOOD?"

The kitchen fell deathly still. Ed bobbing from foot to foot as she tried to gain some control, "Faye-Faye. Ed just…"

Sigh. "I know Ed," she turned away. A shaking hand lifting to swipe at her face. "Ed," she took a deep breath, "When I ran into that barn I honestly thought Spike was dead." Shift, "You know what," her head turned slightly, nose peeking from behind her bangs, "that hurt more than his leaving." She glared over her shoulder, a few tears of belayed worry and stress visible. "You may not see things the way I do but Spike's still family."

Gasp, "Faye-Faye how can you… Are you… AGH!" She pointed, gold eyes narrowed in disgust. "Faye-Faye you're stupid. Remy has an excuse he's little and his mother's in love with a dangerous weasel head but…" The flap of angry feet stomped into the hallway and towards the front door, "Ed cannot be here for a while. You make Ed too angry to stay!" She whistled for Ein.

Spike and Remy glanced to the dog napping below the window. Both noted the pup's ears twitch. Huffing, he tucked his nose into his stomach. Eyes closing. A stiff exhale escaping.

"GAH!" The house rattled as Ed slammed the door.

Remy glanced at Spike. "Um…" he chewed his lip, "Why're you smilin'?"

The cowboy gave a rough, pained bark, "Just heard something interesting, that's all."

Nose crinkle, "Besides the fact Mom just beat Ed's butt?"

Snigger, "Yup." He stiffly ruffled the boy's hair, "That was just the cherry on top."