AN: Huzzah! Sagan Fox finally updates! I sold my soul to the local Renaissance Festival back in January, so I've been a bit busy with that over the past 6 weeks, so lay off!
(Sagan Fox mercilessly beats her Festival character personality into a little box and throws it out of her brain)
That felt good. Anywho, I don't own Cowboy Bebop. If I did Spike would not be allowed to wear a shirt. Ever. (Evil grin)
Spike: What now? What are you going to do to me?
Sagan: Nothing. Never mind. Just go stand over there and look sexalicious.
Spike: (raises eyebrow, then walks away in fear and confusion)
Like I was saying, the show isn't mine and never has been. So don't sue me. You won't get much more than a lot of X-Files and anime stuff. As I've said before, all who flame will be met with an author clad only in fire wielding a katana. And that isn't a pretty sight folks. Thankies to all my reviewers! I love you all; you boost my confidence so much!
(Insert shameless plug for the fanfiction of Discordia, the Goddess of Irony here)
Just read it, it's good! I beta-read it myself!
Anyway, on with the show!
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Doctor Hall said that Ed made an amazing recovery. Only five days after she locked eyes with the Reaper, she was ready to go back to the Bebop. The only physical reminder she would have of this would be a smooth surgical scar just light enough to be seen.
She bounded into the living room from the docking bay, just like she always did. Ein began to bark happily at her, and she picked him up in a big bear hug.
"Was Ein worried about Edward? Well, now everything is okiedokie because Edward is back!"
Jet had to smile, if only just a little. She seemed completely unaffected, completely back to normal. Kid bounces back almost as fast as Spike, he thought, and ambled off to start dinner.
Faye flopped down onto the old yellow couch and flipped on the TV. As she mindlessly flipped through the channels, she watched Ed cavort with Ein out of the corner of her eye.
Something's different, she thought, she doesn't seem the same as before. She looks, I don't know, sad. Like she's just doing this as a front. As Ed began laughing wildly and mimicking Ein's stubby gait, Faye shook the thought from her mind. It's just my imagination, she dismissively told herself, and settled on a soap opera.
Ed ran out of the room with Ein trailing at her heels into the main hallway. She slowed down as soon as she was out of sight, and hung her head. Ein stopped and looked at her, then let out a concerned whine before chasing after her again.
I wonder when it's going to come, she thought, when are they going to do it? I can't believe I let myself get so attached. I loved father, and he left me. I should have learned my lesson after that.
I thought I might belong here when I forced my way onto the Bebop. I researched Jet, Faye, Spike, even Ein. They didn't have a place to belong either. Maybe we belonged together.
She rounded a corner into her room and spread out the large piece of cloth she used to carry her things in. Sometimes Jet seemed like a father to me. Maybe Faye was like a big sister. She would let me paint her toenails. Sisters do that, right? And Spike...Spike liked me sometimes, right? I hid his cigarettes and he yelled at me a lot, but I was only trying to help him. Smoking is bad!
She piled in what little clothing she had, her tools, and anything else she could think to bring and tied it tightly. I'll leave tonight after they've all fallen asleep. If they don't want me here, I'll leave. As much as it hurts, I won't stay if I'm just annoying.
Ed unplugged her Tomato and wrapped the cords around it, then hugged it to her chest seeking comforting warmth it did not contain. I'll always be alone. Every time I get close to someone I get left behind in the dust. No one wants to know me. Maybe I should drop the old, reliable safety measure, the goofy exterior, and let people see the real me.
Searching under her thin mattress, she pulled out a faded newspaper clipping. With tears in her eyes, she smoothed its wrinkled edges. It was a photograph from a Mars newspaper. A reporter had snapped a picture of her, Jet, Faye, and Spike for a story about the arrest of the leader of a smuggling ring. In it, all four crewmates were smiling at the large bounty they had successfully brought down, a rarity for these four wayward souls. Ed wiped her eyes and stuck the clipping in her shirt.
But who would want the real me? Father didn't.
She laid down on what she would for the last time consider her bed. Pulling the sheets over herself, she curled into a fetal position, sending dull pain from her fresh scar through her abdomen. If it weren't for that Krow man, maybe I wouldn't have been hurt. Maybe I could stay. Some souvenir.
She closed her tear-filled eyes, and after a while slipped into a fitful sleep. She dreamed of being completely and desperately alone in a cold, dark room, crying out for someone, anyone to show her where she belonged. When she awoke it was dark, and the chill of the air conditioned ship at night seeped through the blankets. Tears from her dream stained her tan cheeks. She rose and gathered her things, then stepped into the hall. As she passed the door to Faye's room, she stopped and stared at it. Ed carefully opened the door and peeked through at the lightly snoring woman sprawled across the mattress.
"Bye Faye-Faye. Take care of Spike," she whispered, and moved on to Jet's room. He rolled over and muttered something about bonsai clippings and beef, then started to snore.
"Bye-bye Jet. Take care of Faye-Faye."
When she came to the last door she paused before opening it. She slowly creaked open the door to see his sleeping form. Adios, Cowboy. One less annoyance on this ship when you wake up.
The girl then broke into a run toward the docking bay where she kept her red scooter. She took it from its designated corner and checked to make sure it was running properly. Can't fly away with broken wings, can I?
As an afterthought, she found a piece of paper and a pen and hastily scrawled a note to her now-former comrades. It was simple and messy, but it said all she wanted them to know.
Going Away. Bye-bye
She used the computer panel to set the bay doors to open with just enough space in just enough time to let her out, and then close in order to minimize the chance of one of them waking up and stopping her.
Not like they would anyway.
She was about to execute the program when a familiar Welsh Corgi ran up to her and started barking, as if he knew what she was planning. She smiled weakly and picked him up to give him one last hug. "I'm sorry, Ein, but I have to go. I can't stay here if everyone just wants me to leave. Be a good dog, Ein."
At least you will always be my friend.
She hit the execute key and hopped on her scooter. She revved it up, and with one last look back she slipped out the docking bay doors, across the bridge connecting the ship to the land, and away from the Bebop.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Fini! For now, anyway. Gotta love dramatic endings. Please review!