A/N: Woohoo! Sagan Fox finally updates! I hope you all enjoyed my cliffhanger hehehe. Now, before we get the show on the road, Sagan Fox has a little surprise for you. (Pulls Spike out from behind a curtain) Spikey-dearest is going to do the disclaimer!
Spike: No I'm not. (Walks offstage)
Sagan Fox: Oh yes you are! (Clicks the button on the retractable dog leash and snaps him back to her side) Now be a good bishie and say the disclaimer!
Spike: (glares and mumbles) Sagan Fox...show...not hers....
Sagan Fox: Pardon me? I couldn't quite hear you.
Spike: (glares more) Sagan Fox does NOT own the show! Happy now? (Lights cigarette)
Sagan Fox: ^_^ Very. (Puts out Spike's cigarette) Stop that. It's bad for you.
Spike: Bitch.
Sagan Fox: You know you love me.
Spike: (walks offstage mumbling something about contracts)
Anywho, read, enjoy, review! Especially that enjoy part! All flames will be met with a pissed off author (namely, me) hurtling down the street clad only in fire wielding a katana....and it ain't a pretty sight, folks... Many thanks to Discordia, my loyal beta-reader, and my bishie-obsessed beta-reader-in-training whom I shall from now on call EarFetishGirl!
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"Oh god...Ed!"
In the dim light streaming in from the bullet hole in the duct, Jet saw Edward curled into a semi-fetal position clutching her side. Blood oozed between her fingers and stained her white shirt a deep crimson. Jet was shocked by the fact that she wasn't crying, just whimpering and grimacing in pain. He shot out his arm and grabbed her foot to drag her to him, eliciting stifled screams of pain. He gingerly lowered her down out of the duct. Now he could see that the bullet had punctured the left side of her abdomen, and she was bleeding profusely.
Jet tore his eyes from her and barked "Don't just stand there, do get the med kit!" at his gaping comrades.
Faye and Spike both gasped when they saw her, exchanging weighted glances with each other and Jet before rushing off to get medical supplies. Jet carefully laid Ed on the yellow couch. She was breathing hard, irregular breaths now. He took off his blue vest and balled it up, then pressed it against the wound to stop the bleeding.
"Ed! Ed, can you hear me?" he said, looking for a sign that she could understand him. Her amber eyes shot open and she nodded, laying her head back on the couch to stare up. It hurts so much...How does Spike not cry out when he gets shot? Please don't let them be too mad at me...I couldn't stop it...I think I'm in big trouble. She closed her eyes and winced from the new pain of pressure on the wound.
"Ed, you're going to be ok. Don't worry; we're going to get you to a hospital." He smiled to reassure her, but really he was being torn apart. Damn it! I never should have taken my eyes off of that man! If I hadn't let myself get distracted this wouldn't have happened. God, I'm sorry Ed. Hold on kiddo.
Right then Spike and Faye returned. Both of them looked just as scared and concerned as he did. Faye kneeled down next to him with the med kit. Spike set down the blanket next to Jet and backed out of the way.
"What happened, Jet?"
"Bullet caught her in the side. Bleeding pretty bad. We have to get her to a hospital," he replied, and began to wrap the wound tightly. Faye instinctively took Ed's hand in hers and squeezed it to comfort her. To her surprise, Ed squeezed back. After finishing his makeshift bandage, he wrapped her in the blanket to prevent her from going into shock.
Spike leaned down to see how bad it was. He found himself becoming angrier and angrier the more he saw how pale her usually tan skin had become, but he couldn't tell if the anger was directed at the man who had shot her or at himself. He calmly strode toward the still-bound Derek Krow, and began kicking him repeatedly in the stomach. With a feral growl, he pulled the man up by his collar and snarled "If she dies, God help me so will you..." before slamming him into the wall. The man crumpled unconscious to the floor.
Faye called out "Stop it, Spike! What good will that do her now?" She did, however, have to admit to herself that had she been in the same place, she would have done the same thing.
Jet gathered Ed into his arms and carried her to the docking bay. He thanked Ed's lucky stars that they weren't out in space, but docked in their usual spot on Mars. Faye trailed at his heels awaiting instruction.
Ed's world was now one of passing blurred colors and shapes, muted sounds, the hovering faces of her shipmates, and, most of all, pain. She felt herself being pulled in by the excruciating, piercing pain that seemed to spread to every cell of her being, and as she was pulled the world became darker.
So peaceful, she thought, so sleepy.
She was jarred awake by a barking voice. "Edward, you have to stay awake, girl!"
Another lighter voice chimed in. "Jet, what's going on? Ed, don't you dare close your eyes!"
Jet. Faye. I'm scared. She let her head drop back a little, and the world once again became one of passing color.
Jet stopped next to Faye's ship and turned to her, joined by Spike a moment later.
"I'll take her in my ship. Faye, you follow me. Spike, you wait here with our friend and please don't do anything rash."
Spike glared and opened his mouth to protest, but his eyes said what his mouth could not.
"Just do it, Spike. I'll keep you posted."
He grudgingly nodded in compliance, and the three separated again. Before climbing into her ship, Faye cast one last glance at Ed as Jet gently loaded her into his ship. Please don't die, Ed. You can't leave me as the only female on this ship. She sat down and activated the controls.
In Jets ship space was cramped, but that was the least of his concerns. He laid her across his lap and activated the controls of the Hammerhead. The ship took off like a shot, closely followed by the Redtail.
A few minutes later, Faye's anxious voice crackled over the radio. "How is she, Jet?"
"She's holding." He quickly scanned her and found her staring intently at him. In her eyes he saw a sobriety she had never shown before.
"Jet," she laboriously whispered, "am I going to die?" Her voice was as serious and as adult as any her had heard. He noted that she had not referred to herself in the usual third-person manner, and, to be honest, this alarmed him. He stared at her dumbfounded before answering.
"No, kiddo, you're going to be fine. Try not to talk. We'll be at the hospital soon."
She could not longer support her head on her own, and let it drop back. Unconsciousness claimed her and her body went limp. Jet accelerated even more, nearly crashing though a wall as he landed outside the emergency wing of the hospital. He threw open the hatch and lifted Ed's limp body out. He broke into what would have to pass for a run into the emergency room, soon followed by Faye.
"This girl's been shot!" He yelled at the startled staff, and in second he was laying Ed down onto a stretcher. As they wheeled her into the operating room he told the doctors roughly what had happened to her, with Faye following closely. A nurse shoved a clipboard with paperwork at Faye and halted them from following them any further.
"Doctors only from this point on. You'll have to go back to the waiting room." She disappeared behind the swinging double doors, leaving Jet and Faye standing alone staring at the doors.
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Does this count as a cliffhanger too? If so, MUAHAHAHAHA (coughcoughcough) HA! Once again, pleeeeeeeeeaze review.