Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop does not belong to me *siiiiiiigh* , although this story does (HA!)
Chapter 4: A Few Plans And That Shrew Woman
Jet Black...what are you going to do with yourself? He knew the period of mourning was over...or should be. It was time to move on. Jet asked himself severely again, what are you going to do, but it was like talking to a brick wall. There was no answer, which left Jet pounding savagely on the solid redness. That was all nonsense, of course, but it was about the way he felt. He peeked in on Faye-sound asleep. Well, he thought, at least one of us is all right. Because now, he couldn't sleep anymore. Maybe it was because he'd spent the last few weeks in a daze, sleeping more and more and when awake, he was day-dreaming.
Jet stood silent again, leaning against Faye's door and thinking hard. He knew it was time to stop letting himself wallow in the past and he knew that he was strong enough now to put it behind him. He wouldn't allow the past to consume him, as it had Spike. It would be hard...but Jet was used to that. It was time to acknowledge his past and then put it where it belonged: behind him. Spike had been a once in a life-time friend and Jet would never forget him.
A plan. He had to formulate some kind of plan. Maybe Faye could help...well, he grinned wryly in the dark, at least she could tell him what not to do. He roused her, oblivious to the fact that it was the middle of the night and some people needed their sleep, for God's sake! In the warm, pale yellow light, the two settled themselves around the old table, Faye resting her head against the back of the couch.
"Faye?"
"Mmm?" She muttered, opening one eye to look at him and then shutting it promptly.
He fell silent, not sure what to say and instead studied her short, tousled hair. Faye looked over, yawning and sat up. "Well? Is there a reason you are depriving me of my sleep?"
There was something about Faye that made Jet want to be sarcastic and rude. He almost said, no, I just felt like waking you up, dragging you out here and making you clean the ship right now. But instead, he said, "I was just thinking..."
"Oh, that is a good reason to wake me up!" Faye interrupted, holding her hands up like a picture frame and making a clicking noise. "Wait-lemme take a picture of this rare occurrence! Yes, folks...I believe Jet Black has had a thought! Can you tell me, Sir," she leaned forward towards him, "what strange thought happened to find its way into that bald head of yours?"
Jet glared at her, "I see sleep deprivation doesn't affect your sense of tact."
"Nope. I'm still my usual charming self."
Jet shook his head-that stupid shrew woman! Why had he even woken her up? Why had he ever thought for an instant she would help him plan what to do next? "Never mind. Just go back to sleep." He stood up to leave.
"Oh fine...I'm curious now. Besides, I'm wide awake. What's bothering you?"
"Nothing. I'm just trying to decide what to do next, but since you'd be perfectly happy just sleeping on this ship, I shouldn't have troubled you."
"Jet...wait!" Faye called quickly. He turned around, "is there something you thought we should do instead? I don't mean to just stay here for the rest of my life, but it's just that I don't have anywhere else to go..."
He sighed, "neither do I...but I just want..." But Jet didn't know what it was that he "just wanted".
Faye shrugged. "What's wrong with staying here on the Bebop?"
"I can't. I can't stay here anymore...I'll just keep moping around, wishing Spike would come back and we could be bounty hunters again. I think...I think I'm actually getting tired of it all. I don't like living here anymore."
Faye stared. " You don't like 'living here anymore'?!" She echoed, incredulous. "And just where did you plan to go instead?"
"I don't know."
"You can't, Jet! You belong here...on the Bebop," Faye said, almost pleading.
"No I don't," Jet said stubbornly. He loved his ship and he had enjoyed being a bounty hunter. But he couldn't do it anymore. Spike's death was too present here...like another person on the ship that sat with him, ate with them. Jet couldn't escape it. "There's nothing to do here, Faye."
"We could still be bounty hunters! I know I'm not the..." she paused, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, "the partner that Spike was, but I'm not...so bad. I-"
"It's not you," Jet spoke up. "I just don't want to be a bounty hunter anymore, that's all."
"So what?! So that's just IT?! You're just going to throw it all away then!"
Jet slowly shook his head. "Well, if I'm not a bounty hunter, then what the hell am I supposed to do, Faye? Sit around and water my bonsai trees all day?!"
"Don't be stupid. I just think you ought to think about what you're saying...that's all. And what about me?"
"You? I don't know...what about you?"
"For God's sake, Jet! Try not to be so damn uncaring for once, okay?! I happen to have no where to go...I happen to be alone and you're the only one who can help me. You're the only one who I can," her voice broke and she said more softly, "the only one I can call a friend now."
Jet sat, shocked into silence. She was right. They both didn't have anyone else anymore and here he had been forcing her to help him plan out the rest of his life for him. He hadn't thought to make a space for her in this new life of his. How could he be so selfish? Hadn't he just been thinking how lucky he was to have a friend again? Some friend he was turning out to be.
"Faye-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"
"Shut up. I don't care," Faye announced and stormed out of the room. "Just sell the stupid ship and move to Pluto, it doesn't matter anyway!!"
Jet sighed...he'd really blown that. He wished he'd been able to explain, but those kind of words didn't seem to be ones that were easy to get out. He hoped Faye would understand what he wished he had said once she calmed down.
Well, it took me forever, but here it finally is! My fourth chapter...YAY! i'm so proud of me...i apologize for the chapter title: i know it's corny . but i really couldn't think of anything else at the moment...stupid mental block! anyways, i hope everyone liked this chapter. it was rather interesting to write, what with faye's smart remarks and so-forth. Questions? Comments? Write to me!! (lol, that's on the back of the cereal box...i'm so odd...) but really, send me reviews if you liked it or if you didn't. And ideas for what to do next...(even tho i already wrote the next chapter, mwhahahahaha) yes, no more sugar for me, i promise. Adios folks!
