Author's Note: Hope this story isn't getting too predictable. Thanks for reading as always!
Summary: Spike's discharge is made notably eventful thanks to the media and some disappointing news.
Chapter Fourteen: Just My Luck
It didn't take long for Faye to get back to the hospital. As she pulled up, she saw a swarm of people with cameras and microphones blocking the doorway. Curious, she tried to push her way through the crowd instead of simply using another entrance. She drew closer to the front and heard a familiar voice.
"Excuse me, reporters. I'm going to ask that you all clear the area. Not only are you creating a fire hazard but this interview is distracting my staff from their work. This is a hospital and I'm an emergency room doctor, therefore I have a duty to fulfill. If you want to hear more about the officer's condition then you will just have to wait until my shift is over." It was Dr. Stevens. He turned to walk away, but was stopped by one of the reporters.
"Dr. Stevens, one more question; can you tell us if you know anything about the officer's girlfriend like where she is so we can speak to her?"
The doctor turned again and drew in a deep breath. These guys just wouldn't get off his back. What part of 'drop it' didn't they understand. "Listen," he paused when he spotted Faye in the crowd.
'Oh no!' she thought, 'Once they find out it's me they're looking for, I'll be eaten alive by this mob!'
Seeing that expression on Faye's face Dr. Stevens quickly averted his eyes so he wouldn't give her away, "Officer Spiegel's girlfriend went home earlier this morning. I'm sorry; you missed her."
She sighed in relief and preceded to the door, "Dr. Stevens!" she yelled catching up with him. "Thanks for not giving me away."
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," he winked, hinting that one of the reporters overheard her.
She glanced back, "Oh, I appreciate it doctor," she whispered this time.
"Don't mention it." He said discretely, returning to his post.
When Faye got back to Spike's room, she saw the nurse was taking the bouquets away. "Hey, why is she taking the flowers?" she asked Spike dropping his police training sweats on the end of the bed. He told her that there were way too many to take home so he asked her to give them away to the other patients. "Oh."
Spike reached for his tee shirt and asked Faye to help him get dressed. She had seen him naked a couple of times but it was always in the privacy of the apartment. Asking her to undress him in public was definitely out of her comfort zone. But the only thing that freaked Faye out more than her changing his clothes was the thought of some nurse doing it instead so she decided to give in.
After Spike was dressed, Faye gathered his things together and sat them on the night stand next to Spike's bed. Frantically Spike began to shuffle though the contents of his belonging, shaking the pockets and turning things inside out. "What the hell are you doing?" Faye asked annoyed that he had just completely destroyed her neat pile.
"I lost something. He answered, feeling around his pillows and rambling through the drawers of the night stand. Faye had a clue of what he was looking for, but she wanted to make sure first.
Then when she saw that he was trying to get out of bed to look, she panicked, "Spike you can't walk on that leg! Get back in bed!" she ran to his side trying to support his weight.
"Help me find my necklace, Faye."
"Necklace?" she pretended to be confused. "Which necklace are you talking about?"
"The one you gave me."
"I thought it was broken."
Spike was becoming visibly upset now, "That doesn't matter! I had it on yesterday and now it's gone!"
"Why were you wearing it?" She asked calmly.
"Because!"
"Why?"He took his hand off of Faye's shoulder and tried to search for it himself, while not bothering to entertain her anymore. "Spike," she said feeling bad now and taking the necklace out of her pocket.
"No, I'll find it. I'll just ask the nurse where she put it," he said this without turning around to look at her.
She studied the necklace in her hands, "Why is it so important to you?"
He sighed and turned to her. He was about to speak but then he saw his treasure in her palms. "You had it all along?" She nodded. "Well, that was a dirty trick!" She walked over and handed it to him. Faye watched as he casually slipped it over his head and adjusted the pendant outside his collar. "Let's go." He barely got the words out before he felt her arms tightly wrap around his torso. Automatically he returned the embrace even though he wasn't sure exactly what it was for.
A few seconds elapsed, and then a nurse came in with a wheelchair, followed by Dr. Stevens and Chief Bradley from the station. "I hope we weren't interrupting anything"
"Chief," Spike said a little surprised that he would visit him, "I wasn't expecting you to be here." Faye turned around to acknowledge their company, still keeping an arm around Spike to help him stand.
"Don't be silly my boy. You think I wouldn't come personally thank one of my best men for their grade A performance?" he laughed. "Now sit down; sit down. Get off that leg before my buddy Jo here has to patch you up again," the chief gestured for the nurse to bring the chair and Spike sat.
Spike looked to the tall man in the white coat and extended his hand to him. "You must be the doctor; I meant to thank you earlier."
"It's my job and pleasure, Officer Spiegel." The doctor shook his hand.
"Oh don't be so formal with my good friend. This is Jo; I've known him for years. My buddy Jo here has taken fantastic care of my hero," he said referring to Spike.
"Oh don't be ridiculous," the doctor joked, "I've saved the lives of almost all your men, not just your hero."
The chief laughed a hardy laugh, "You see why I like this man?" he wrapped his arm around Dr. Steven's shoulder.
"Hero?" Spike questioned. Spike still didn't know about the significance of his capture so the chief explained it to him. Like Faye was, Spike was also shocked at the news. Dalvin and Spike's partner even came in to warn Spike of the collection of news teams waiting out the hospital to interview him.
"Spike you saved the galaxy police a lot of money. I'm sure the officials would be glad to meet you. I mean if you weren't a police officer, every cop in the universe would've looked like a damn fool."
"I don't understand. Why'd he say you saved them money? Does the money go to the station or something?" Faye asked Spike.
Before he could explain Chief Bradley let out one of his laughs again, "HA HAHA HA! She's funny; I like her!" Seeing the annoyed expression on her face, he realized she wasn't joking. "Wait, you're serious?"
"Well of course I'm serious!" she put her hands on her hips. "Do we get our money or not?"
'OUR money,' Spike thought, 'It was supposed to be MY money.'
"GOD, NO!" Chief Bradley stressed, "Police don't get bounty rewards for doing their jobs."
Faye looked to Spike hoping that the chief wasn't right, but Spike explained to her that he would've only been entitled to the money if he weren't on the force.
"But you weren't on duty; doesn't that count?"
"I'm afraid not. Whether or not a cop is on the clock, they're always considered an authority of the law. It's the same principle that allows me to act as an officer off duty; for instance, carrying my gun. In fact that's why the galaxy police prefer us to catch wanted men as oppose to non law enforcements. It doesn't cost anybody a damn thing for a cop to apprehend bounty heads. They are really picky about rewarding bounties over the thousand dollar mark anyway. Even if I were still a bounty hunter I probably wouldn't be rewarded all the money until after retirement."
"He's damn right! This is exactly why I'm so grateful to Spike here. If somebody besides my men would have turned those guys in, they would've kicked me out of my position of command so fast my damn head would spin! Who would have thought that fugitives like that would just be walking around Earth and nobody recognized them?" The chief went on to tell Spike that out of appreciation for his ideal police work, he wanted Spike to be the honorary guest to his Christmas Eve formal the next day. Of course, he also invited Faye to come as well, mistaking her for his girlfriend. This was a lot for Spike to take in, yet he took it all in modest stride, insisting that he wasn't a hero and hadn't done anything special enough to attract all the attention. Obviously his was disappointed that he didn't get the bounty, but no one was more pissed than Faye.
Once their discussion was finished, Dalvin and Spike's partner escorted Spike, Faye and the chief out of the hospital so they would not be ambushed by the press. As they cleared a path to Spike's car, the reporters begged for a headline shot.
"Well, Mister Hero, will one photo hurt?" asked the chief.
Spike looked at Faye, who is still really mad and asked to stand next to him. Just as she was about to refuse, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. The gang crowded together and the cameras captured the scene.
When Spike and Faye drove anyway she let out all her aggression. She growled and complained that the only reason Chief Bradley was so happy Spike caught those guys was to save his own job. "That lard ass only cares about himself! The least he could do is give you a raise, a promotion, or something! And those stupid reporters, 'Officer Spiegel, Officer Spiegel, how do you feel about giving up the bounty?'" she imitated one of them mockingly. "How the hell do think he feels, jackass?"
Spike laughed to himself from the passenger side. Faye always had her way of making a point.
"Ugh, I could just tap dance on that fucker's face right now. Maybe I shouldn't go to the formal."
"Hey," Spike interrupted, "Let's go to the mall."
Faye glanced over at him, "Now?"
"Yeah, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I want to get you something."
Too be continued…
Author's Note: Be prepared to see some familiar faces on the next chapter. Leave a review if you liked this one!