Disclaimer: Still don't own Bebop. I don't own get it faster either which belongs to jimmy eats world.
A/N: ARRRRGGGGHHHH! Crippling writers block almost brought me to my knees, and I had to get this omega read before I was happy. Shift in tone in this chapter as the plot kicks in. Dammit, I thought this was going to be relatively light as well. Oh well, it's not all doom and gloom from here on in. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, you help keep the worst of the writers block away.
I don't care what you do,
I'm getting out,
No nothing ever shames me.
Don't want a thing from you,
I'm going out,
I don't care if you're angry.
I should have thought things through,
I'm holding out,
But not getting an answer.
I want to do right by you,
But I'm finding out,
That cheating gets it faster.
~ Get it faster
As Faye stared at the man before her all the long repressed emotions of a year ago came rushing back. Feelings, thoughts and memories flooded her mind in a paralysing collide scope. The moment stretched out until Spike shifted nervously and gave his patented disarming smile. It didn't work. The contact between them broken, Faye turned back to Jet.
"I know you didn't come here for a touching reunion so I'll ask again. What do you want Jet?"
Jet sighed as he stared at the unflinching woman in front of him. "Aren't you even going to say hello?"
Faye's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. "Don't make me ask you a third time."
Spike stared in confusion as some unspoken communication passed between the man and woman. He sensed there was something that he was missing, some vital event that he didn't know about, that was filling the silence in an oppressive manner. His thoughts moved back to the conversation that he and Jet had on the Bebop. In hindsight Jet had seemed a little reluctant to talk about their erstwhile comrade.
Spike's eyes flickered between the two figures before him, engaged in an unspoken form of combat. What was it that he didn't know? What could have happened during the time he was lying unconscious as a John Doe in a hospital bed? Spike felt a million questions rise in his mind, demanding answers he already knew would not be forthcoming. A slow uncurling of unease spread through his stomach as the tension between the two former friends grew to breaking point.
Suddenly Faye turned sharply and began to walk away.
"Faye wait!" Jet called out sharply to the retreating figure. The tension visibly drained out of his body as he said gently. " We need your help."
Faye stopped walking and glanced at the two men behind her. Her emerald eyes flashed with some emotion which disappeared too quickly to be identified. With a sigh she gestured forward with her head.
"This way. We'll go somewhere a bit more private."
Spike and Jet exchanged a look which served little purpose other than to reassure the other that they had one ally in whatever war might follow. They then followed Faye as she walked back towards the stage and through a doorway previously concealed by shadows and a heavy burgundy curtain. Spike tried to ignore the fluttering feeling in his stomach that had returned with a vengeance as he followed the solid figure of Jet. He was beginning to think this was a bad idea as he remembered the showdown of a few moments ago. A little bell was ringing in the back of Spike's mind, and he suspected he was about to learn things he really didn't want to know. Ignorance is bliss and all that, Spike thought.
Faye let out the breath she'd been unaware of holding. As she turned away from the unwelcome reminders of what she was hiding from, Faye glanced down to see her hands were shaking. Appalled at the sight of her own weakness she walked quicker down the dim corridor, anxious to get to the sanctuary of her dressing room and the pack of cigarettes that were starting to seem really appealing right now. Faye led the way past numerous wooden doors, stained almost black after decades of cigarette smoke and many layers of varnish. Faye walked down on autopilot, refusing to let her thoughts take her to the black place of a year ago. All she wanted at that precise moment, other than for Jet and him to disappear back where they came from, was the sweet soothing burn of smoke in her lungs. She stopped at a door right at the end and entered, hoping desperately the two men behind her hadn't noticed the rattle as her hand shook on the door handle.
Faye stepped inside and stood by the door, waiting impatiently until both the men had entered. She swept the door shut, almost clipping Spike. As he jumped in surprise their eyes for a moment, and Faye saw the confusion he had over her treatment of them. It was then she realised that he didn't know about what had happened. Jet had kept that much of his promise at least. She dropped her eyes quickly, not wanting anyone to see the inner turmoil she was feeling, and brushed past the two men as they stood awkwardly in the centre of the room. In one fluid movement she had perched on the top of her vanity table, and was able to survey her visitors, trembling hands carefully concealed under her legs.
"So talk." Faye reached into a nearby sequinned black purse and pulled out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. As Jet and Spike exchanged apprehensive glances she sparked up and took a deep drag down. "Well?"
The silent communication between them over, it was decided that Jet was spokesperson. He cleared his throat then relaxed into an affable smile as he leaned back against the wall opposite Faye. "We need some help in finding a bounty. Everyone we've spoken to has recommended you as the person to talk to."
Faye leaned back against the mirror behind her and stared warily at Jet. She knew full well that Ed was back on board the Bebop and as such, Jet had access to practically any information about anybody that he wanted. Except me she hastily reminded herself before any feelings of panic surface. She raised an eyebrow and adopted an air of faint amusement.
" And how exactly is talking to the jazz singer going to help you find this person?"
Spike snorted as he dropped onto the chaise lounge next to Jet. He might not have a clue about what was going on before, but this he did not. This was Faye at her most obstructive, difficult, shrew-like and well… Faye. He caught her startled look at him and leaned back on the chaise lounge, his left hand searching out the packet of cigarettes he had stashed there earlier. He pulled one out and stared at her as he reached into his trouser pocket for his lighter.
"Come on Faye, give it up. Everyone knows you're still hunting bounties in your spare time."
Faye stared at Spike, wondering if her earlier assumption had been correct. How does he know I'm still hunting bounties? She wondered, a slight frown appearing on her forehead. My last bounty was weeks ago on Mars… Faye felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at Spike and remembered. She felt like someone had just punched her in her stomach, as the gut-churning revelation hit her. Oh my god, it really was Spike…
A cough broke her train of thought and she looked up at Jet. His eyes flickered slightly as he noticed her sudden paleness. Jet folded his arms and stared steadily at Faye, his face unreadable.
"How is the bounty hunting going Faye?"
Faye flinched and instantly threw up her mental guards, carefully erasing any emotions from her features, as she put on her poker face. Internally though the panic had finally burst through. Where's he going with this? She wondered frantically, He can't know about the bounty, spike can't know. I was masked for chrissakes! No one could ever know. However the gleam in Jet's eye made her assertions less than certain. Making sure her voice was calm and neutral she slowly replied.
"I can pay the bills."
"Heard you did well recently. Captured a bounty on Mars worth 10,000,000 woolongs."
Faye saw the slight smirk that played across Jets features. He knows… a movement in the corner of her eye suddenly reminded her of the rooms other occupant. She felt a tremor of fear as she wondered how much he knew about that day.
In a movement almost too quick to see, Jet noticed Faye's eyes flick to Spike and back. A small smile crossed his face as he saw a glimmer of panic in Faye's expression. His suspicions were confirmed by the one little movement.
Faye turned her attention to the cigarette in front of her, avoiding any eye contact while she blew out a long stream of smoke. She needed to buy herself some time. She needed to think about this. More importantly she needed to know if this was going to be the first in the possible revelations Jet could make of Faye. Exuding an air of false calm as she allowed herself to idly watch the serpentine coils of smoke she took a moment to maintain her act before carefully answering.
"What of it?"
Jet chuckled, earning himself a puzzled stare from Spike who suddenly found the conversation going over his head. He was unsure of exactly when this had happened, and he knew was it felt like everyone was playing a game in which he didn't know the rules. Jet was giving away as little as Faye in his expression but the tension in the room was building until it was almost visible in the air around him. Jet inclined his head slightly before meeting her eyes.
"Faye, it's not like you to be so modest. Harold Kinter was a hard man to capture."
Spike felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as he realised what Jet was telling him. Faye? It was Faye in the massage parlour? Shock held him paralysed and he was barely conscious of the conversation continuing around him. The clipped voices became murmurs in the background as Spike found himself remembering that massage. He shook his head slightly, unable to believe what Jet was saying until he looked at Faye and saw the truth of it in her expression. Or lack of to be exact. All these sleepless nights, all those daydreams caused by Faye? He stared at the floor by his feet; his mind and emotions whirling round in confusion.
Faye saw him. Saw the look of shock and something else that passed across his features. Her voice, which had been steadily rising in volume, died as she watched him and wondered what it was that he was feeling. Probably horror that he allowed someone like me to touch him, she thought bitterly, the anger dead inside her. A wave of fatigue washed over her and she raised a hand to brush tiredly at her eyes. A sudden emptiness was clawing at her insides. Carefully she placed her lighter down on the surface beside her before speaking in a flat tone.
"That debt has been paid, Jet. I owe you nothing."
Spike glanced up. Faye was shaking slightly and her face had gone white. She was slumped at the table, the anger gone from her body and looked close to collapsing. He felt a stab of concern at the frail figure she cut, until Jet stepped towards her. Jet had lost the warmth from his expression.
"Dammit Faye, that's not why I'm asking!"
Faye cut him off in a blank monotone, refusing to look at either of them. "I don't care why you're asking, I don't care what you're offering. We made an agreement four months ago…"
"For old times sake, for your old friends." Jet interrupted, trying to defuse his anger.
"Friends?" Faye let out a humourless laugh and raised her head to meet Jet's gaze. "I don't have any friends. Especially not in this room."
Spike shivered involuntarily as the atmosphere in the room dropped another six degrees. Jet and Faye were staring at each other, a whirlwind of emotions flickering across their faces as they both fought to hide their feelings. Eventually it was Jet who broke the silence, stepping forward silently with a pained look on his face.
"Faye…" he began gently but was cut off by an angry gesture from Faye.
"Don't even think about saying it." She said her voice heavy with emotion as tears burned in her eyes. "Don't say it."
Jet stopped and stood looking at Faye, concern and something that looked like pity visible in his eyes. Jet let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"So you won't help us?"
Faye shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes and walked slowly to the door which she opened.
"I've got a job to do. You've heard my answer, now leave."
Jet stared at her for a moment before walking out the room. Spike rose to his feet and walked awkwardly towards Faye. As he stood in front of her, trying to figure out what to say, she raised her head to meet his eyes. "Why can't the men in my life stay dead?" she whispered as her eyes glistened.
Spike opened his mouth to say something but was silenced by her headshake.
"No. Just go."
A heavy feeling settling uncomfortably in his chest, Spike turned and followed his companion out into the main part of the club again. Faye collapsed against the doorframe. The vision of a lanky man walking away from her blurred as the tears began to fall.
Just Keep on Walking…
