BeBop Blues

A/N: Cowboy Bebop is not mine (yeah, I wish)

Here we are folks, the last chapter. I had intended it to be longer, but I didn't want to leave 'ya hanging like before. Believe me when I say that I never intend to write cliffhangers on purpose. Thanks for all the responses and for even reading this little project of mine. You are my inspiration!

Session 7: Take A Chance On Me

                Spike stared dumbfounded at Julia. He didn't like ultimatums, especially when he was on the receiving end of one. He never thought he would hear it from her.

                "What's wrong, Spike? You were going to leave anyway. What difference does it make if we leave right now?" she challenged.

                "I need time…to say goodbye," he responded quietly. At least he could buy a little time.

                Julia looked at him dubiously, but finally relented.

                "All right. I'll meet you in the docking bay in two hours."

                Two hours to decide his destiny. Either leave with the woman from his past, or stay with the woman who could be his future. Damn, it was just like him to have this kind of luck.

                Jet found Spike on the observation deck, staring out aimlessly. He walked up silently and stood next to his friend.

                "The last time we were here like this, I asked you not to go to Mars, but you left anyway."

                "Seems like ages ago, doesn't it?" Spike answered distantly.

                "I've always wondered. Did you ever regret leaving?"

                "I've never regretted anything in my life, Jet."

                "Not until now, anyway," the older man guessed astutely.  "Do you think that I'm so blind that I don't know what's been going on ever since you came back?"

                Spike smiled reluctantly. "Are you sure you're not a minder?"

                "When you've been a cop as long as I have, you sort of develop a sixth sense about these things."

                His smile faded immediately. "I really stepped in it this time."

                "I'm afraid my experience doesn't include relationships. I'm not exactly an expert myself."

                Jet looked at his friend sympathetically. He had promised Faye not to tell Spike how she felt, but he couldn't stand seeing the two lunkheads mess things up again. The least he could do was give Spike a friendly nudge in the right direction, and let him figure it out for himself.

                "Is it possible to be in love with two women at the same time?"

                "I thought Julia was the love of your life."

                "So did I. At least, I used to think so."

                "So what changed all that?"

                "A green-eyed pain the in the ass who I haven't been able to stop thinking about ever since I got here."

                "You really have all the luck, don't you?"

                "Tell me about it," Spike muttered under his breath. "You talked to Faye while I was gone. Did she ever say anything about me?"

                "You mean besides wanting to wring your neck for leaving? Sorry pal, you're on your own this time. But I will say this. You walked away from Faye once. Can you afford to walk away again?"

                And with that said, Jet left Spike with a lot to think about. It didn't take very long to make his decision.

                Faye wandered aimlessly down the dark corridor with her hands linked behind her head. She had promised herself that she wouldn't fall for Spike again. That it was worst thing in the world she could do, considering his past with Julia. Hadn't she learned her lesson the hard way by falling for Whitney Haagas Matsumoto? Everything was going the way she had planned. And then he had to go and mess it up by kissing her and admitting that he actually felt something for her.

                "Isn't that what you wanted?" a little voice inside her head asked.

                "Oh shut up," she muttered in an irritated voice. All this heartache over one lousy guy. A guy she happened to be in love with, unfortunately.

                Faye stopped immediately in her tracks when she found herself outside of Spike's room. The door was slightly ajar, but she could hear his voice…and Julia's. Despite her better judgment, she discreetly peeked through the crack in the door and had to cover her mouth to keep herself from crying out loud.

                She thought nothing could be worse than seeing Spike again with Julia the day he came back, but she was so wrong. Spike had his arms wrapped around Julia and was hugging her warmly. Faye felt sick to her stomach. So…he had finally chosen to be with Julia. She shouldn't have been surprised, but a tiny infinitesimal part of her still hoped. She never stood a chance with Spike. Now it was the final nail in the coffin.

                Her feet felt like lead, but somehow she managed to drag herself away and ran to the Redtail and took off as though the devil were on her heels. This time, she wouldn't be coming back.

                Faye hugged her arms around her chest as she stared at the crumbling ruins of what she once called home. She didn't know why she ended up on Earth again. But then again, she had nowhere else to go.

                "Running away never solves anything. I should know," a familiar deep voice came from behind.

                She closed her eyes tiredly, not wanting to feel any more pain. Not wanting to feel anything.

                "I told you to stay out of my life, Spike."

                "Make me," he retorted flippantly.

                She whipped around angrily. "GO AWAY, unless you want me to put another bullet in you. And this time, I won't miss."

                "Why did you leave, Faye?" he asked softly, unperturbed by her threat.

                "I don't belong there anymore," she answered simply.

                "You never stayed long enough to find out," he replied in a cryptic tone.

                "What do you mean by that?" she demanded.

                "You left before I could tell you what happened. Julia saw you in the doorway."

                "I think I can pretty much guess," Faye retorted sarcastically.

                "Faye, I was saying goodbye to Julia…forever."

                Her eyes reflected disbelief and shock at the same time. "Give me one good reason why I should believe you."

                "Because I'm here…and because I happen to love you."

                "You're lying."

                "Am I?"

                She had been on such an emotional roller coaster that she was finding it difficult to believe in anything anymore.

                "How am I supposed to believe that you love me? All you've ever done is pine after Julia. You never gave anyone a chance to get close to you. You left us because you couldn't let go of the past. And now you expect me to fall into your arms and pledge my undying love you because of your spontaneous declaration of love? Fat chance, Spiegel."

                "Oh boy, Jet wasn't kidding when he said that it wasn't going to be easy convincing Faye," he thought to himself.

                "What would it take to convince you, Faye?"

                Faye was visibly startled. "Tell me why you love me," she challenged him.

                Spike shoved his hands into his pockets. Now was not the time to hold back. She deserved to know the truth after everything she had been through.

                "Because you infuriate me and you make me crazy at every opportunity. You're gutsy and savvy, but goofy and sometimes even vulnerable. You hide behind a wall to keep out everyone, when there's nothing more you'd like than to be with someone. You came bursting into my life and made me care about you, even though I didn't want to. You made me feel again. I didn't know how much I missed you until it was too late. I made a mistake leaving you once, Faye. I don't intend on doing it again."

                For the first time in her life, Faye was speechless. Could she really believe him this time?

                "When did you suddenly realize this?" she asked softly.

                "I think I always knew, but I was too stubborn to admit it. Okay, so I'm a little slow sometimes."

                "You thought you loved Julia. How do I know you won't fall out of love with me?"

                "Look Faye, you know as well as I do that nothing in this crazy universe is ever a sure thing. But if you're willing to take a chance on me, I promise to never leave you again. I love you Faye. It's as simple as that. And I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

                "I want to believe you Spike," she said uncertainly.

                "The Faye Valentine I know was never uncertain of anything in her life. When she wanted something, she would go after it with everything in her power until she got it. Since when did you ever resist a challenge?" he quipped jokingly. "Come on, Romany. What do you say?"

                Faye smiled at him, her brilliant emerald green eyes shining even in the dusk of evening. She cupped his face in between her hands and kissed him with all the fire and passion in her soul. She melted against him when she felt his arms wrap around her back, pressing her against the length of his body, as he kissed her back with an equal passion. When they finally separated, Faye pulled back slightly, but kept her lips hovering over his before answering.

                "I say, welcome home cowboy."

                Spike smiled at the woman he loved. It had taken him a while to realize that what he wanted had been there all along, right in front of him.

                "Come on. Let's go home."

                "You know, it was nice of Jet to do the shopping," Faye commented as she leaned back against Spike's chest on the sofa. He had both arms wrapped possessively around her, as her legs draped over his.

                "You never told me how you got him to agree to do it," Spike replied, tracing his finger down her arm, sending chills of pleasure up her spine.

                "He said, consider it a present."

                "All this free time. What SHALL we do?" he asked suggestively.

                Faye turned around and kissed him deeply. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

                Spike smirked at her and gently pushed her backwards until he was leaning over her. "You know me so well," he replied kissing her back. They were about to make love again, when a familiar happy face appeared on the monitor, followed by a wild-haired girl with spiked hair and thick goggles.

                "Oooo, Spike-person and Faye-Faye are making kissy faces. Edward is glad."

                They immediately separated and found the computer genius smiling at them.

                "Ed! Where are you?"

                The fourteen year old removed her goggles and made funny gestures that only she could understand while she spoke.

                "Edward missed Jet-person, Spike-person, and Faye-Faye. Ein misses them too. So Edward is coming back from Earth."

                "What about your father?" Faye asked.

                "Father-person said to go where Edward wants to go. And Edward wants to be back on Bebop-Bebop."

                "There goes our privacy," Spike muttered. Faye jabbed him in the stomach.

                "She can bring the Bebop to her, you know," she reminded him. "We'll come pick you up when Jet comes back."

                "Faye-Faye promises this time? Not like last time."

                She smiled indulgently. "I promise."

                "Well, looks like the gang's all back," she commented when Ed's transmission ended.

                "I guess it's not so bad."

                "Boy, you've changed your tune. Whatever happened to the smartass who couldn't stand kids, animals, and pushy women?"

                "I guess Jet is finally beginning to rub off on me," he answered sheepishly. "So, do you fancy an game of cards?"

                "What are the stakes?"

                "High card draw. If I win, I get to spend the night in your bed."

                "That's hardly a challenge. What if I win?"

                "What do you want?"

                She leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

                Spike smiled at her. "You're insatiable, do you know that?"

                "Where do you think I get it from? Okay, gaujo. You first."

                Spike drew a king of clubs and confidently showed it to her. "Beat that."

                Faye smiled back and took the next card and didn't even have to look to know that she had gotten the higher card. "Ace of diamonds." She got up and started walking to his room. "Don't keep me waiting, Spiegel," she said over her shoulder.

                Spike was about to follow her when he picked up the deck and smiled to himself. It was a marked deck of cards. He should have learned by now never to mess with Poker Alice.

He got up and made his way to his room whistling to himself. He had a lifetime to get even with Faye, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

Happy Trails Cowboy

The End

Dedicated to all Bebop'ers in the universe!

Written by: Babboo (veggies4utoo@yahoo.com)

9/30/02