Disclaimer - I don't own Bebop, but I wish I did.
Author's Note: Wow, friendly reviews for the first chapter! @.@ Heh. Forgot to say this in the first chapter - I strongly suggest you watch the whole series (or at least the last two episodes) before reading this fic, since it deals with my version of what happens after The Real Folk Blues Part 2. Now, on with the story.
Carry That Weight
Chapter 2: Get Any Sleep?
Faye entered to kitchen quickly and quietly, as if some invisible shadow were nipping at her heels, urging her to continue forward. Leaning against a wall, she could see Jet was just where she thought he would be - over the banged up stove, keeping his scarred face down, and his eyes away from hers'. He just stirred the oatmeal for another minute or two and poured it into two bowls. He shifted to one foot, about to turn around, but he stopped. Faye could hear him sigh loudly. She blinked.
'Could..could he be afraid to talk to me?' She cocked her head to the side, trying to see his face, but it was a lost effort.
Jet slowly raised his hollow eyes to a basket hanging overhead, fastened to a cabinet handle with paper clips. He reached for the splintered old thing, pulled out a candy bar, and stared at it longingly.
'A waste of fifty woo-longs. Oh, well. So long, little buddy.' Slowly, he turned to face Faye, but she only received a fleeting glance before he began a thorough inspection of his metal-plated feet. He grabbed the two bowls of watered-down oatmeal and a couple of spoons, and trudged down the steps to the couches, still tenaciously avoiding her gaze. Faye could plainly see he was having a lot of trouble moving around trying to balance two bowls, a crutch and a candy bar. She hesitated for a moment before walking over to him and taking the food from his hands, placing it neatly on the foot table between the couches and beckoning for the older man to sit down next to her. His expression suddenly hardened to a glare as he looked cautiously at her. What was she up to? Maybe she was trying to scam him out of his last remaining woo-longs.
'Or maybe she's just being nice.' He finally gave in with a growl and plopped down next to her, making the deflated cushion bounce with his weight. Without a word, he snapped up the spoon from his bowl and shoved a bite into his mouth.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the Bebop as the two bounty hunters ate their meal. Faye absently twirled a strand of shining purple hair around her delicate fingers; Jet's watchful eyes never left his bowl. It seemed like an eternity before they finished. They both deliberately took as long as possible to finish the bland oatmeal, as if they were waiting for something to happen. Finally, Jet set down his bowl and exhaled. He shifted carefully in his seat.
"Get any sleep?" Faye arched her eyebrows. 'He's actually talking to me?' She was surprised, since she had guessed he wouldn't talk to her for at least a few more days. Suddenly, anger bubbled up inside of her. He had no right to ask her a question that he already knew the answer to. Jet was going to tease her; she just knew it. But why would he do something that would hurt her? She searched his eyes for the truth, but he still evaded her as strongly as ever. They both knew it would be a long time before things were back to normal, and an even longer time before they recovered from the loss of Spike. No words needed to be exchanged between them for the two to figure that out.
"No," she answered flatly. He looked at her for a long time before gradually turning his head away with a nod. 'Why did I open my mouth..' Before he could mentally kick himself, a series of long, droning beeps rang out. Jet grasped his clutch and limped to the computer, relieved to get away from Faye and the tension surrounding her. A small icon flashed on and off, casting a red bar of light across the corresponding wall, its heading reading "ISSP - URGENT!" Jet narrowed his eyes and opened the file quickly. A vid-window popped up, displaying a grim-looking, gray-haired man. 'Will..what could he possibly want?'
Will Iverson, an old acquaintance of Jet's from his days with the ISSP, had never been one to drop in unannounced, even for vid-chats. He was painfully meticulous when it came to meetings and the like, and always told his associates when and where they would meet again. As far as Jet could recall, Will had said they wouldn't be conversing again until sometime around early 2072..Jet couldn't really remember, he wasn't good with dates. All he knew is that it must've been something incredibly important for his old friend to break his own rules in such a fashion. "Jet, is that you?" Will's deep voice crackled to life over the computer. "Yeah, go ahead Will." The older man paused. "Are you alone?" Jet raised his solemn face to Faye. The purple-haired woman nodded in silent understanding and left the room. "Yes." "You might wanna sit down. I've got some bad news for you."
Second chapter done. Man, no matter how many times I try to go back and reword, revise, and add to this fic, it just seems TOO SHORT!!! Ah, well. I'll just change to a font size 14. ^____^
Next Time: Jet learns of some severe information, Faye eavesdrops, and things take a turn for the worst.
Author's Note: Wow, friendly reviews for the first chapter! @.@ Heh. Forgot to say this in the first chapter - I strongly suggest you watch the whole series (or at least the last two episodes) before reading this fic, since it deals with my version of what happens after The Real Folk Blues Part 2. Now, on with the story.
Carry That Weight
Chapter 2: Get Any Sleep?
Faye entered to kitchen quickly and quietly, as if some invisible shadow were nipping at her heels, urging her to continue forward. Leaning against a wall, she could see Jet was just where she thought he would be - over the banged up stove, keeping his scarred face down, and his eyes away from hers'. He just stirred the oatmeal for another minute or two and poured it into two bowls. He shifted to one foot, about to turn around, but he stopped. Faye could hear him sigh loudly. She blinked.
'Could..could he be afraid to talk to me?' She cocked her head to the side, trying to see his face, but it was a lost effort.
Jet slowly raised his hollow eyes to a basket hanging overhead, fastened to a cabinet handle with paper clips. He reached for the splintered old thing, pulled out a candy bar, and stared at it longingly.
'A waste of fifty woo-longs. Oh, well. So long, little buddy.' Slowly, he turned to face Faye, but she only received a fleeting glance before he began a thorough inspection of his metal-plated feet. He grabbed the two bowls of watered-down oatmeal and a couple of spoons, and trudged down the steps to the couches, still tenaciously avoiding her gaze. Faye could plainly see he was having a lot of trouble moving around trying to balance two bowls, a crutch and a candy bar. She hesitated for a moment before walking over to him and taking the food from his hands, placing it neatly on the foot table between the couches and beckoning for the older man to sit down next to her. His expression suddenly hardened to a glare as he looked cautiously at her. What was she up to? Maybe she was trying to scam him out of his last remaining woo-longs.
'Or maybe she's just being nice.' He finally gave in with a growl and plopped down next to her, making the deflated cushion bounce with his weight. Without a word, he snapped up the spoon from his bowl and shoved a bite into his mouth.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the Bebop as the two bounty hunters ate their meal. Faye absently twirled a strand of shining purple hair around her delicate fingers; Jet's watchful eyes never left his bowl. It seemed like an eternity before they finished. They both deliberately took as long as possible to finish the bland oatmeal, as if they were waiting for something to happen. Finally, Jet set down his bowl and exhaled. He shifted carefully in his seat.
"Get any sleep?" Faye arched her eyebrows. 'He's actually talking to me?' She was surprised, since she had guessed he wouldn't talk to her for at least a few more days. Suddenly, anger bubbled up inside of her. He had no right to ask her a question that he already knew the answer to. Jet was going to tease her; she just knew it. But why would he do something that would hurt her? She searched his eyes for the truth, but he still evaded her as strongly as ever. They both knew it would be a long time before things were back to normal, and an even longer time before they recovered from the loss of Spike. No words needed to be exchanged between them for the two to figure that out.
"No," she answered flatly. He looked at her for a long time before gradually turning his head away with a nod. 'Why did I open my mouth..' Before he could mentally kick himself, a series of long, droning beeps rang out. Jet grasped his clutch and limped to the computer, relieved to get away from Faye and the tension surrounding her. A small icon flashed on and off, casting a red bar of light across the corresponding wall, its heading reading "ISSP - URGENT!" Jet narrowed his eyes and opened the file quickly. A vid-window popped up, displaying a grim-looking, gray-haired man. 'Will..what could he possibly want?'
Will Iverson, an old acquaintance of Jet's from his days with the ISSP, had never been one to drop in unannounced, even for vid-chats. He was painfully meticulous when it came to meetings and the like, and always told his associates when and where they would meet again. As far as Jet could recall, Will had said they wouldn't be conversing again until sometime around early 2072..Jet couldn't really remember, he wasn't good with dates. All he knew is that it must've been something incredibly important for his old friend to break his own rules in such a fashion. "Jet, is that you?" Will's deep voice crackled to life over the computer. "Yeah, go ahead Will." The older man paused. "Are you alone?" Jet raised his solemn face to Faye. The purple-haired woman nodded in silent understanding and left the room. "Yes." "You might wanna sit down. I've got some bad news for you."
Second chapter done. Man, no matter how many times I try to go back and reword, revise, and add to this fic, it just seems TOO SHORT!!! Ah, well. I'll just change to a font size 14. ^____^
Next Time: Jet learns of some severe information, Faye eavesdrops, and things take a turn for the worst.