Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own Cowboy Bebop. I'd be filthy stinking rich if I did.

Blues in the Night

By roxyravette

Chapter 11

Fate Works in Really Screwed Up Ways

            Thunder rumbled and dark clouds lit up with lightning flashes. Rain assaulted the surface of Mars with no mercy. All of this seemed to stand still for Faye as Spike collapsed in front of her. She lay there on the roof of the building soaked and frozen.

"No," her mind said over and over.

"Spike!" she called out over the roll of thunder. He gave no answer and lay deathly still. Fear gripped her heart and Faye felt chills. Gathering herself, she began to crawl towards Spike. Her legs, still not recovered from the drug, hung behind her, limp and of no use. The rain didn't help either. With a rush of adrenaline, she felt them start to warm up. Finally, she got to Spike, drained and tired, yet she remained determined and hopeful. With much difficulty, she turned him over and gasped when she saw the extent of his injuries. His upper body was an absolute mess. Bloody ragged holes tore through his shoulder and abdomen. His face was so pale; he didn't even look like himself anymore. Faye blinked back tears as she thought of all the pain he must have went through to save her. She checked his pulse to find it erratic but present. Hope flickered in her heart and she shook him gently.

"Spike!?" she called to him frantically. "Please open your eyes." Faye wiped her tears with the back of her hand and shook him harder. He groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He stared at her with his wine colored eyes. It was the most beautiful sight Faye could have ever seen. She hugged him ferociously to herself. Spike flinched and weakly tried to pull away. Faye let him, but a confused look passed over her face. Spike turned over, away from her, and let out a bubbly cough. Faye reached out to touch him and he lay back on the concrete. The uneven rise and fall of his chest was her only clue that he was still alive.

"Spike?" she questioned as she leaned over him. Spike opened his eyes, but they were already cloudy and beginning to stare. With much difficulty, he focused on her, reaching up to touch her face, almost as if to make sure she was there.

"Faye?" he whispered softly. Faye pressed his bloodstained hand to her cheek and closed her eyes to keep from crying. His hands were freezing. His coldness reminded her of how cold she was and she shivered in the rain. It had let up a little and was now a light sprinkle.

"I'm-" he started but he was interrupted by another bloody cough. He tried to speak again but Faye hushed him.

"Don't say anything." She said as she removed her wet jacket. "I'm going to get some help." She pressed the jacket into his wound and Spike winced. She was about to get up when Spike grabbed her wrists with a deathly grip. She met his eyes and she shirked away from him. His eyes were that of a drowning man. Fear and pain eclipsed any other emotions.

"N-no…" he struggled to say. "Stay…I don't want …to be alone." 

"Spike if I don't go you'll-" Spike interrupted her.

"Faye…I am dying…" Realization dawned to her and Faye's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. She gripped his shoulders, causing him to cry out. Seeing that she was only making things worse, Faye let go abruptly.

"No Spike!" she yelled. "I won't let this happen!" He closed his eyes and Faye panicked.

"This isn't fair! You left me once and you broke my heart." she whimpered, tears threatening to spill again. "Don't leave me again." Spike opened his eyes and gave her a pitying look.

"I'm…so sorry…" He said, his breath quickening. Faye had no doubt that his body was going into shock after all this time.

"Please Spike, save your strength." She begged, bringing a fingertip to his lips.

"I couldn't protect you." He went on, his body shaking with effort. "You still got hurt. I broke my promise."

"Forget about it Spike." He ignored her.

"I…didn't…mean to…" he trailed off. His body eventually stopped trembling and his breathing became even more irregular. Faye brushed a lock of unruly hair from his face. His looked so pitiful. She burst out in tears, unable to contain the overwhelming sorrow and guilt she felt. Spike reached up to brush away the tears as the mingled with the rain and she let him caress her face. Faye met his eyes.

"Why'd you come for me?" she asked. "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't come." Spike looked puzzled.

"I couldn't …break a promise." He murmured.

"Forget about the promise. Don't leave me." Spike stared past her; it was like she wasn't even there.

"Don't cry…for me," he spoke softly. "It doesn't…hurt…anymore…" Spike gave her a sad smile and closed his eyes. His hand fell from her face and he let out a sigh. Faye checked his pulse to find it fading. She felt new tears form.

"Spike?" she ventured. He didn't respond and his face looked even more ashen then before. Faye shook him gently. Again, no response. Faye hugged him to herself and cried for her loss. She brought his lifeless hand to her face and lightly pressed her lips to each finger. She pressed her last kiss to his blue lips. Tears splashed onto his face and she wiped them away.

"I love you for coming back to me," she whispered in his ear, tears blurring her vision. "And I hate you for leaving again, you stupid lunkhead."

A shaft of light enveloped them and Faye looked up.

"You can't take him!" she screamed at the hateful light. A sudden wind whipped her hair around and she remained defiant, anger burning in her emerald eyes. "I won't let you." The events from the evening flashed before her and her eyes rolled back into her head. She fainted.

***

He was falling to his death and suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed him. He slammed into the face of the building, bringing him back to reality. Spike looked up to see a hand holding on for dear life as he dangled from the edge. A familiar face peered down at him. He nearly face faulted when he recognized who it was.

"Julia?!" he called out in surprise. She smiled at him and he felt his heart flutter at her angelic smile.

"Spike," she said, sounding far away. "You need to let go; of me, the past, and your hate." Spike gave her a puzzled look.

"What?" he asked, confused. Julia's smile faded.

"You let the past rule you." She stated. "How can you live with it haunting you?" Spike looked at her in disbelief as she changed into Vicious. It was if she disappeared with one blink and was replaced with his worst foe. He smirked and squeezed Spike's hand.

"Why don't you just fall, you coward?" Spike's shock quickly faded and he glared at Vicious.

"I am not a coward." Vicious gave him an amused grin. "Could have fooled me."

"I will take you down with me." Spike said harshly.

"Would you really do that Spike?" said a voice. Vicious had changed into Faye. Stunned again, Spike didn't answer.

"Would you really do that Spike?" she repeated. "Would you drag me down with you?"

"No." he said guiltily. She smiled at him.

"So pull yourself up." She said. "You can have a second chance if you only let the past go." Spike looked up at her, doubt gripping his heart.

"I-I can't." he said anxiously. "The past is all I have."

"And that isn't my fault." She said immediately. Spike looked away.

"If the past is all you have, then the futures is all you dream, and the present is all you fear." She said sensibly. "You are no coward, Spike Spiegel. You saved me after all." Spike said nothing and silence prevailed between the two. Faye reached down with her other hand.

"Spike," she pleaded. "Grab my hand. If you do, this nightmare will finally end." Spike looked down into the black abyss and back up at her. He closed his eyes and decided.

***

It was dark, that was his first thought. His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and he could see where he was. It was a hospital room. There was a dull beeping in the background and he recognized it as a heart monitor. An IV dripped fluids into long tubes to his body. He tried to move but the bandages on his chest prevented him from getting up and restricted any extreme movement. He couldn't believe it. He was alive. He decided that it was a good thing.

Spike settled back on the pillows, tired from the enormous effort it took to move. He looked around the room and to find a large vase of flowers beside him. They were roses. He made a mental note that he didn't like them anymore. Memories assaulted his mind and he pushed them away. He shifted to another side of the hospital bed and felt a weight by his leg. He was surprised to see Faye resting her head, sleeping. She looked horrible. Tears had dried into lines on her once beautiful face. Her hair was a sloppy mess and her bandanna was gone. He saw that her fingers were bandaged and set, and wondered what had happened. Spike didn't want to wake her but a muscle spasm chose that moment to come about, causing the bed to move. Faye lifted her head sleepily and looked over to him with groggy eyes. They snapped open when she realized that he awake.

"Spike?" she asked. He nodded and she went over to him and hugged him as if he would fade away at any moment. She let go and he motioned for some water. Faye got up and got it for him. After a few gulps, he handed the cup back to her.

"H-how did I get here?" he asked hoarsely.

"After your heart chose to stop beating, Jet landed on the roof and he rushed us to the hospital."*

"Lucky us." He quipped. Faye shot him an annoyed glare but it faded from her face. Spike noticed for the first time how tired she looked and the fact that she looked much older.

"Spike," "Faye," they said at the same time. Faye motioned for him to go first.

"How long has it been?" Faye sighed.

"It's been three days of non stop torture. You lost a lot of blood and frankly they thought you wouldn't wake up." Spike let this sink in.

"Faye, I got my memories back." He said at last. He looked at her right in the eye as he spoke. "I never realized that it was that tough. You were strong to keep going." Faye gave him a tired smile.

"Memory is what make us who we are." She started. " If we lost all our memory whenever we fell asleep at night, it would be the same as if we died and a new person woke up in our body the next morning." Spike nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad you returned to us, Spike." She trembled as she spoke, he voice near the breaking point. "What I'm trying to say is…" Faye broke out in tears and hugged Spike. Stunned by her abrupt show of emotion, Spike could do nothing but hug her back and comfort her with soothing words. Finally, her tears trickled off to a stop and she spoke again.

"Thank you." She murmured into his chest. Spike lifter her chin with his finger to wipe away her tears.

"No problem." He grinned. "But that was a freebie, next time it'll cost you." Faye frowned and socked him lightly in his shoulder. Spike feigned hurt and she hugged him even harder. Spike rocked her in his arms and began to hum. It was hoarse at first, but Spike managed a few bars. Faye stared up at him shocked. Spike grinned.

"C'mon," he said playfully. "I don't sound that bad." Faye rested her head on his chest and listened. The tune drifted in between the beepings of the heart monitor and the rest of the noise of the room. It was joined by another voice, light and feminine.

"My momma done 'tol me," she sang. "When I was in pig tails," They sang and didn't notice the burly man walking through the door. Jet smiled at the two as they laughed and sang hysterically.

"They're both crazy." He thought and let himself out. The song filled the hospital and they didn't notice the insane number of people that knocked on the room door. Faye was just glad that Spike was alive and Spike was just curious to see where things would go from here. As the song ended, he couldn't help but feel as if what had happened was only the beginning.

The End

Thanks to all who stuck with me to the bitter and (angsty!) end. Til next story, cya!