Hello again. I know, I disappeared.again.. So sorry (please don't beat me
with wet noodles)! I typed this up a few months ago on my evil mac that
has gone bye-bye. I figured it was way past time to post it. Thanks to
everyone in advance. I know this is really short, but I needed an
interlude between the last chapter and the next.
Usual disclaimer applies (Cowboy Bebop not mine, etc, etc.but this plot is)
Chapter 4 Naked is My Shame
Faye held the oversized white T-shirt and too long black sweatpants at arms length. She wrinkled her busted nose, grimacing slightly from the pain, as she studied them. Clearly they were meant for someone a bit taller and broader than she was; someone like Spike. She let her hands drop to her lap and sighed in resignation.
"Couldn't he have brought me something of my own?" she muttered, tossing them aside.
She smoothed the white hospital gown over her lap, sighing once again. It seemed she had two choices. One, she could go home in the paper-thin hospital gown that showed off more leg than she was comfortable with; or two, she could wear Spikes clothes. Neither choice was very appealing at the moment.
Faye grumbled and pushed herself off the rumpled bed.
Why can't they just put locks on the doors, she thought unhappily as she pulled the blue privacy curtain. She wasn't going to chance anyone barging in on her while she was dressing. It wasn't like Spike or Ed would knock before inviting themselves in. Jet, maybe, but not the other two. Exhausted by the slight activity, she hobbled back to the bed once more and collapsed.
She frowned at her swollen legs and ankles. They were still horribly sunburned, but the black and purple bruises and numerous cuts obscured the redness. She glanced at the too thin arms protruding from wide white sleeves. They hadn't fared any better. Sickened by the sight of her own body, and quite certain that she looked even worse than that underneath her clothing, she closed her eyes and clutched the hem of the garment, slowly pulling it off. It dropped to her feet with a whisper.
Quickly, Faye yanked the T-shirt over her head and pulled the pants up over her hips, tightening the drawstring as much as her wounds would allow. She flopped onto her back, realizing that she was trembling and gasping for air. An angry hand wiped away the moisture leaking onto her cheeks as she drew her knees up to her chest, rolling to the side.
What has he done to me? She thought, thoroughly ashamed of herself. Being naked for two seconds, especially with no one around, should not have felt so degrading.
She jolted upright at the small knock on her door. It creaked open before she could respond. Fear clutched at her heart. It was him, back to finish her, she just knew it.
"Faye?" Spike's voice drifted from behind the curtain.
She let out the breath she had been holding in relief.
Well, at least he knocked, she mused sourly, not wanting to admit she was glad it was him who came to get her and not someone else.
"Back here," she mumbled, sitting up.
Spike rounded the blue divider, stopping in front of her. He tried not to flinch as he looked at her mutilated body. He had seen her plenty of times in the last two days, but the shock of what that bastard did to her never wore off. Every time he saw the bruises, the crusted blood, every time he smelled the fear that clung to her like a cloud, that awful consuming anger would rekindle from the ashes. Realizing he was scowling, he forced his face to relax, averting his eyes to the window above her head.
"Ready to go?" he asked as he pulled a cigarette from behind his ear, trying to appear nonchalant.
She looked up at him with timid green eyes, still ashamed of the way she had behaved an hour ago when she had woken up on top of him.
"Yeah," she said softly, turning her gaze to the floor.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room for a moment. Finally, she pushed herself off the bed onto weak legs. She brushed past Spike and around the curtain. Turning on his heel, he strode after her.
Faye leaned on the doorframe for a moment, trying to regain her balance.
"You know, if you can't walk, we can get a nurse to wheel you out of here," Spike commented casually as he walked past her through the door.
"I don't need anyone to push me around like a baby," she snapped. She tried to sound fierce, but only ended up sounding tired.
She gave her head a half-hearted toss and shoved past him at a limping pace down the white hallway. A minute later she was leaning against the wall on shaking legs, wheezing slightly. She slid down to the white tiled floor, tucking her knees under her chin, and closed her eyes. I'm not going to cry again, not in front of him, she thought angrily. It wasn't fair. Nothing was ever fair when it came to her. Her eyes flew open as something gently bumped her foot. Spike was leaning over a brown wheelchair, arms balanced on the handles; his lips were pulled in a self-conscious grin that ended up looking more like a smirk than a smile.
"Come on princess, your coach is waiting," he said walking around the chair. He rolled his eyes slightly as he grudgingly offered her a hand off the floor.
Fayed grunted, pushing herself up without his assistance, her eyes throwing daggers in his direction.
"I don't want your pity," she said softly as she prepared to take another step forward.
"Will you just get in the damn chair so we can get out of here this century?" Spike growled.
She flinched at his harsh words and obeyed, falling heavily onto the brown vinyl seat. Who was she kidding, anyway? She knew there was no way she would have been able to walk out of the hospital on her own. She let a heavy sigh escape her lips as he pushed her into the elevator.
Usual disclaimer applies (Cowboy Bebop not mine, etc, etc.but this plot is)
Chapter 4 Naked is My Shame
Faye held the oversized white T-shirt and too long black sweatpants at arms length. She wrinkled her busted nose, grimacing slightly from the pain, as she studied them. Clearly they were meant for someone a bit taller and broader than she was; someone like Spike. She let her hands drop to her lap and sighed in resignation.
"Couldn't he have brought me something of my own?" she muttered, tossing them aside.
She smoothed the white hospital gown over her lap, sighing once again. It seemed she had two choices. One, she could go home in the paper-thin hospital gown that showed off more leg than she was comfortable with; or two, she could wear Spikes clothes. Neither choice was very appealing at the moment.
Faye grumbled and pushed herself off the rumpled bed.
Why can't they just put locks on the doors, she thought unhappily as she pulled the blue privacy curtain. She wasn't going to chance anyone barging in on her while she was dressing. It wasn't like Spike or Ed would knock before inviting themselves in. Jet, maybe, but not the other two. Exhausted by the slight activity, she hobbled back to the bed once more and collapsed.
She frowned at her swollen legs and ankles. They were still horribly sunburned, but the black and purple bruises and numerous cuts obscured the redness. She glanced at the too thin arms protruding from wide white sleeves. They hadn't fared any better. Sickened by the sight of her own body, and quite certain that she looked even worse than that underneath her clothing, she closed her eyes and clutched the hem of the garment, slowly pulling it off. It dropped to her feet with a whisper.
Quickly, Faye yanked the T-shirt over her head and pulled the pants up over her hips, tightening the drawstring as much as her wounds would allow. She flopped onto her back, realizing that she was trembling and gasping for air. An angry hand wiped away the moisture leaking onto her cheeks as she drew her knees up to her chest, rolling to the side.
What has he done to me? She thought, thoroughly ashamed of herself. Being naked for two seconds, especially with no one around, should not have felt so degrading.
She jolted upright at the small knock on her door. It creaked open before she could respond. Fear clutched at her heart. It was him, back to finish her, she just knew it.
"Faye?" Spike's voice drifted from behind the curtain.
She let out the breath she had been holding in relief.
Well, at least he knocked, she mused sourly, not wanting to admit she was glad it was him who came to get her and not someone else.
"Back here," she mumbled, sitting up.
Spike rounded the blue divider, stopping in front of her. He tried not to flinch as he looked at her mutilated body. He had seen her plenty of times in the last two days, but the shock of what that bastard did to her never wore off. Every time he saw the bruises, the crusted blood, every time he smelled the fear that clung to her like a cloud, that awful consuming anger would rekindle from the ashes. Realizing he was scowling, he forced his face to relax, averting his eyes to the window above her head.
"Ready to go?" he asked as he pulled a cigarette from behind his ear, trying to appear nonchalant.
She looked up at him with timid green eyes, still ashamed of the way she had behaved an hour ago when she had woken up on top of him.
"Yeah," she said softly, turning her gaze to the floor.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room for a moment. Finally, she pushed herself off the bed onto weak legs. She brushed past Spike and around the curtain. Turning on his heel, he strode after her.
Faye leaned on the doorframe for a moment, trying to regain her balance.
"You know, if you can't walk, we can get a nurse to wheel you out of here," Spike commented casually as he walked past her through the door.
"I don't need anyone to push me around like a baby," she snapped. She tried to sound fierce, but only ended up sounding tired.
She gave her head a half-hearted toss and shoved past him at a limping pace down the white hallway. A minute later she was leaning against the wall on shaking legs, wheezing slightly. She slid down to the white tiled floor, tucking her knees under her chin, and closed her eyes. I'm not going to cry again, not in front of him, she thought angrily. It wasn't fair. Nothing was ever fair when it came to her. Her eyes flew open as something gently bumped her foot. Spike was leaning over a brown wheelchair, arms balanced on the handles; his lips were pulled in a self-conscious grin that ended up looking more like a smirk than a smile.
"Come on princess, your coach is waiting," he said walking around the chair. He rolled his eyes slightly as he grudgingly offered her a hand off the floor.
Fayed grunted, pushing herself up without his assistance, her eyes throwing daggers in his direction.
"I don't want your pity," she said softly as she prepared to take another step forward.
"Will you just get in the damn chair so we can get out of here this century?" Spike growled.
She flinched at his harsh words and obeyed, falling heavily onto the brown vinyl seat. Who was she kidding, anyway? She knew there was no way she would have been able to walk out of the hospital on her own. She let a heavy sigh escape her lips as he pushed her into the elevator.