Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop
Session 7: Enter: Lilith and the Passionate Encounter
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Jet searched any database he could find as he silently wished that Edward were still with them to help. What was taking him hours would have taken her minutes. He glanced over at Eden, who had dozed off lying on the couch. Her peaceful expression of innocence only fueled his determination to find out who this woman was that was after her. He was about to give up when he somehow stumbled upon an obscure ISSP file. He pulled up files of scientific documentation and the pictures to go along with them.
According to the files, there had indeed been five "Eden's". Looking at the picture files, Jet noticed that all five of the women had such similar features and builds that they looked like quintuplets. The only difference between the five, besides the subtle differences in facial features, was the color of their hair. Three of them were platinum blonds and the other two had dark brown hair. He read some of the files and learned that all of them were excessively trained and shipped off to the Titan war to ultimately test their skills. Of the five, only two returned alive from Titan. Eden and Lilith. They were both considered the crowning achievement of the scientific division of the ISSP. Unfortunately, the war had been quite traumatic and it was a loose theory that this caused Eden's memory loss. Lilith, one of the blonds that Jet was positive was the mystery woman, had retained her memory after the war. The ISSP and the Martian Military used her in secrecy for many years until she disappeared recently.
"Lilith…" whispered Jet aloud. "I wonder who could possibly be your accomplice?" He wasn't sure, but he had a strong gut instinct that someone had persuaded Lilith to abandon her "job" and pursue more personal goals. For some odd reason he had yet to discover, Lilith wanted her sister back.
***
"I've failed you," whispered Lilith as her accomplice fished the bullet out of her shoulder with tweezers. The pain barely fazed her after so many years of building up tolerance to it. "I'm sorry…"
The man smiled as a few strands of hair fell into his eyes. He looked up at his prized beauty before swiftly yanking the bullet out and tossing it on the floor of the ship they traveled in. He immediately started to apply antiseptic to the bleeding wound marveling at the fact that she had not winced once during the whole procedure.
"You have not failed me," he said in a deep voice still smirking. "You had merely underestimated your opponent. You had assumed she still had amnesia and did not remember how to fight."
"Apparently, she remembered," mumbled Lilith.
"Yes, she did," said the man with a chuckle as he began to bandage the wound he had just sterilized. He knew she didn't need stitches. She was quite the quick healer. Genetic tampering was a wonderful thing when done correctly.
"Do you miss her?" asked Lilith quietly not noticing the surprised expression her question had caused to appear on her companion's face. He bowed his head in thought and remained silent for so long, she figured he wouldn't answer. She knew it was a poor topic of discussion with him.
"Yes…yes, I do," he finally answered as he slowly lifted his head. "And I know you do too. That is why we will get her back. No matter what it takes or who we have to kill…we will get her back."
***
Stuck on this damn ship again, thought Faye as she snuck around trying to avoid Spike. Initially, the idea of sleeping with him sounded like a damn good one to her…but then time crept by bringing its friend doubt along with it. Maybe she was delaying the inevitable. Maybe he would never love her like she wanted him to. Maybe she really meant nothing to him despite his argument otherwise. She had too much on her mind to let the lunkhead assault her now.
She eventually found herself tucked away in a corner of the hangar sucking on a cigarette. Ah, sweet solitude, she thought not daring to speak out loud. In excess it was hell, but in moderation it was bliss. Leaning her head back she let out a sigh of contentment. Suddenly, light flooded the hangar and her muscles tensed for flight.
"Faye, is that you?" came Jet's voice as he approached her. "What are you doing in here in the dark?"
Faye sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just you…I was just enjoying some time to myself."
"But why can't you just…" Jet shook his head refusing to finish the rest of his question. He guessed he would never understand women's twisted logic. He climbed up the side of the Hammerhead and retrieved the comm. link device he had left inside its monopod. That being done, he left the hangar in silence.
Hours seemed to have passed as she smoked all of her cigarettes out of boredom. Finally, slumped against the cold metal wall, blessed sleep came to relieve her of her plight.
***
"Hey, Jet, are you okay?" asked Eden as she started to strip off her borrowed clothes and pull on the pajamas she had recently bought with Faye.
Jet glanced at her from his position on the bed and quickly snapped his head away, embarrassed. Obviously, she hadn't quite grasped the concept of modesty yet, not that he was complaining. He had caught a lovely glimpse of her exposed upper torso as her long, dark hair cascaded down to cover it. "I'm fine," he replied simply not wanting to burden her with his further discoveries about her past.
"Did you find anything?" she asked in reference to his earlier research.
"We can talk about that tomorrow," he answered quickly. "Right now…let's just get some rest." He finished his sentence sounding as weary as he felt.
"Okay," agreed Eden with a smile as she climbed into bed next to him. She snuggled against him in such a cute manner that he couldn't help himself from putting his arm around her. They soon fell asleep.
***
"I don't love you and I never will," spoke Spike coldly with a look of determination plastered on his face.
"But…you haven't even given me a chance," argued Faye trying to mask her hurt feelings.
"How can I do that if my heart is dead?" he asked his expression moving to apathy.
Faye felt the impact of his words hit her like a bullet to the chest. The feeling blossomed in her heart and radiated throughout her nerves. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find her voice.
"Give up, already," he said after noticing her state. "It's not like you can do anything about it. I've already had my true love…I don't need you…"
Faye woke suddenly from her nightmare disorientated. Her surroundings were practically pitch black, but she knew she wasn't in the hangar anymore. There was a soft bed beneath her back. She tried to sit up but noticed a weight held her down. The weight shifted and she heard the murmur of a deep voice beside her.
"Spike?" she whispered confused.
"Hmm?"
"Where the hell am I?" she asked a bit more loudly.
"In bed," he mumbled.
"I gathered that much, genius," she retorted sardonically. "I suppose this is your room. How did I get here?"
"I carried you. How else would you get here?" he said beginning to sound irritated. "What were you doing sleeping in the hangar anyway? Trying to hide from me?"
Faye sat up and heatedly threw his arm off of her. "You know, you could have put me in my own damn bedroom," she said giving him a scowl she hoped he could see.
"I could have," he said as he sat up next to her, "but where's the fun in that?"
His harsh words from her nightmare flashed through her mind. "But…you don't love me," she said quietly.
Her statement caught him off guard. She noticed him lower his head in the dim light that entered the room from the crack at the bottom of his door. Silence ruled the room for a while before he carefully replied. "Faye…I don't think I'm really sure what love is anymore. All I know is that I care about you…more deeply than I ever thought possible."
"But…why me?" she asked letting desperation leak into her voice.
Spike looked off into the distance with a thoughtful expression playing gently on his facial features. "For two months after you saved me…I didn't feel anything." He paused and took a deep breath. "This horrible emptiness settled into me. I figured I'd finally pushed myself too far…that after those years of longing, my heart had finally given up. I grew to accept that. Then…then, I saw you on the deck with a gun to your head, and after seeing that…everything changed. Somehow, that night, you managed to wake me up. That was the night I realized how much you meant to me."
Faye remained silent as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She had never imagined she could've had that kind of impact on him. Shock and euphoria spread through her making her so light headed she fell back against the pillow. I woke him up…she thought. I mean something to him…It was then that the magnitude of the situation dawned on her. She covered her face with her hands and started to sob. Finally, after years of being alone and lost, someone truly cared about her. Someone wanted to be with her just for being her. She felt him pry her hands from her face and ease her into a sitting position. Strong arms encircled her pressing her firmly against his body. He began to gently rock her and rub her back in a soothing manner to subside her crying.
"You know…I remember that when I was little, this is how my mother would calm me down. I remember how comforting it felt…" he trailed off as if he was lost in some distant memory.
Faye calmed almost instantly as he nearly lulled her to sleep with his movements. He stopped and whispered her name. She looked up at him still cradled in his protective arms. A feeling of surrealism flooded her senses as she watched him lean down and lightly press his lips to hers. When he pulled away and carefully laid her down she was in a daze.
Leaning over her recumbent form he took in her features. First, he noticed her hair had gotten slightly longer as he let the silken locks pass through his fingers. Second, he ran his hands over her ivory skin marveling at how it glowed in contrast to his tan complexion. Then, his gaze moved to her face and slight blush on her cheeks. Her heavy lidded, deep green eyes captivated him and he couldn't stave off his growing desire. Pale hands reached up to comb through his messy hair then travel down his neck to rest on his back. This deliberately sensual action pushed his urges beyond control.
As Faye clung weakly to Spike's back, he dipped his head down suddenly crushing her lips with his own. She returned the kiss with equal passion as his hands roamed over her flesh annoyed by the cloth he encountered. Within the span of a minute he managed to expertly remove every article of clothing on both of their bodies. He let his hands and mouth explore the terrain of her body until he was satisfied he knew every inch of her. Every curve, every taunt muscle, every blemish or smooth expanse was a discovery to him. He couldn't honestly remember ever wanting to admire a woman this way. As he adored one of her svelte legs she sat up. Playfully, she shoved him onto his back and crawled on top of him straddling his hips. She smiled down at him devilishly and spoke.
"Okay…not it's my turn."
***
Harsh wind whipped sand against her cloaked body as she tried to shield herself from the storm. The canvas flaps of the tent did little to stop the onslaught. Her hair came loose from its turban and flew around wildly as she pulled the cloak tighter around her curled up form. She felt a hand grab her shoulder and draw her towards the comforting warmth of its owner. Looking to her side, she expected to see one of her sisters, but instead saw the dark, looming figure of a man. She couldn't see his face yet but felt safe in his embrace.
The scene shifted from the storm to tranquil seas of sand spread out before her. Behind her stood a makeshift camp. From the distance she saw a woman sprinting towards her. The closer the woman got the more she seemed familiar. When she came to a stop before her she peered into eyes that mirrored her own. Looking at this woman's face was like looking at her own reflection.
"Zillah," she heard herself speak. "Is something wrong?" she asked sensing her "twin's" distress.
"I found something…" replied the woman apparently named Zillah. "I found…a man."
"Is he one of ours?" she demanded.
"I…don't know…" answered Zillah.
"Then why didn't you kill him?"
Eden was jarred awake by the force of the woman's voice. But hadn't that been her voice? Was she dreaming of her former life? Perhaps that had been a memory from her time at war. She had no way of telling for sure. It all seemed so foreign to her. The image of the woman that looked almost exactly like her haunted her waking mind.
"Zillah," she whispered as she pushed some hair out of her face. "Why does that name sound so…familiar?"
She shook her head clear and sighed. Jet was snoring contentedly beside her as she gazed at him fondly for a few minutes. Quietly, she slipped out of bed and decided a shower sounded like a wonderful idea. On the way out of the room, she grabbed one of her new outfits and swore to talk to Jet about her dream once he woke up. Maybe he could shed some light on her predicament.
***
The first thing to grace his conscious mind was her scent. Sweet and musky, it permeated his room reminding him of some exotic flower. He rolled onto his side to put his arm around her and became instantly shocked when his hand fell on the vacant mattress. Anxiety tightened in his chest as he flew off of his bed and hastily pulled on his training pants. Stumbling out of his room he nearly ran into Jet who was on his way to the kitchen.
"Whoa, there! Slow down!" said Jet as Spike caught his balance and ran off down the hallway. "If you're looking for breakfast, it's not ready yet!" he called after his lanky comrade. He then shook his head and looked around briefly. "Hmmm…I wonder where Eden is?"
The first place Spike headed for was the kitchen. He slowed down when he saw smoke billowing out of the door. Cautiously, he peeked through the door and tried to make out the source of the recent culinary blunder. The smoke wasn't that bad yet, but it was getting gradually worse. He spotted Eden by the stove coughing and fanning something with her hand. Before he could spring to action, Jet came thundering through the door.
"Oh, god…what's on fire this time?!" he shouted looking around frantically. His crisis radar kicked in and he dove to grab the burning pan off of the stove and rush for the sink. Soon, the pot was submerged in water and merely smoldering.
"Jet," said Eden looking slightly frightened. "I…need to talk to you."
"I know, but it'll have to wait," he replied trying to calm his frayed nerved. He began to brew a pot of coffee.
Spike chose that opportune moment to casually stroll into the kitchen as if he wasn't feeling frantic and anxious. Jet seemed distracted so he leaned over and whispered into Eden's ear if she had seen Faye. She startled him when she turned her bright, troubled eyes to momentarily stare into his. People with emotion filled eyes always startled him. He felt as if he were gazing into their raw souls. When her eyes swept over to Jet, she looked on the verge of tears but still answered him.
"I saw her leave when I got out of the shower," she said in a shaky voice. "She looked like she was in a rush."
Though his face didn't show a shred of emotion, Spike felt a terrible sinking sensation in his stomach. For a few seconds he thought he might be sick. He mumbled a "thanks" and made a hasty exit. Eden continued to stare at Jet for about five more minutes as he waited for his coffee rubbing his temples and sighing frequently.
"Okay," he said eventually approaching Eden with a fresh cup of coffee in hand. "I'm ready. Let's go to the bridge and talk."
***
She left, he thought while sucking on a cigarette and aggressively scrubbing his Swordfish. The first thing he had done after hearing she left was run like a fool to the hangar. Apparently, his instincts had told him to go find her, but he had no clue as to where he should even start looking. So, instead of looking suspicious and walking back to his room, he decided his baby needed to be cleaned.
As wild and unreasonable thoughts swirled in his mind, his knuckles turned white from his death grip on the scrubbing broom. Usually, washing his ship was an enjoyable and relaxing experience. Today, he was venting his frustration through this act and absent-mindedly hoping he didn't scratch the faded paint anymore.
What if she doesn't come back?
What if she regrets last night?
What if she hates me now?
His mind was driving him insane. Crying out he threw the broom aside and sank to the floor grasping his head and forcing the internal voice to shut the hell up. Why did he even care so much if she came back? He knew the answer but it quite frankly scared him. With a ragged sigh, he retrieved the broom and continued his violent cleaning.
***
"I had a dream last night," stated Eden.
"About what?" asked Jet from his usual seat at the control panel. He quickly punched in come coordinates and turned his attention to Eden sitting beside him.
"I was on a desert planet. There was a man with me in one part but I couldn't really see his face. The other part…" she trailed off staring off into space though the bridge windows. "There was a woman there and she looked just like me."
"It was one of your 'sisters'. The woman that attacked you yesterday was also one of your sisters," explained Jet. "I found more information on them last night."
"Where are they? And…why would one of them try to hurt me?" asked Eden looking extremely eager and confused.
Jet sighed and took a sip of his coffee. "I don't know why Lilith tried to hurt you. Maybe she was just trying to knock you out so she could take you to her accomplice without hassle."
"Lilith? That's her name? Wait…you think she has an accomplice?"
"I'm almost positive," he answered.
She lowered her head in her characteristic meek attitude. "Where are my other sisters?"
"They're dead, Eden," he said bluntly feeling no need to beat around the bush. She deserved the truth. "All five of you were sent to Titan to fight in the war. They wanted to test your abilities. Only Lilith and you survived. One of the files said the trauma of warfare and your sister's deaths may have been the cause of your memory loss. You must have seen some horrible things happen."
Eden pondered what he had said. Slowly, she was gaining pieced of her old life, but not nearly enough to constitute as memories. The more she figured out, though, the more she wondered if she really wanted to remember anything.
"Eden," said Jet breaking her train of thought. He turned towards her and grasped her hand as he stared intently into her startled eyes. "I know this must be painful for you…and I'd much rather the past stay buried…but there is a woman out there that is after you. I don't know why or what her motivations are, but I'll be damned if I let anyone hurt you! I need to figure this out…and I can't do that without your help."
She stared back into his blue eyes and saw the concern and raw determination radiating from them. All she could utter was a thank you before throwing her arms around him. Jet beamed with pride as he embraced her back. He had never imagined he would find a woman that truly wanted and needed his protection. But, here she was, in his arms. He couldn't have been happier.
***
To be continued….
Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long…(damn, I'm beginning to sound like a broken record) I don't have a good excuse except that this horrid writer's block took hold of my mind. In fact, I think this session is kinda shabby compared to rest, but I am my own worst critic ^_^ If the gods will it…I will be updating again soon. Oh, and forgive any grammar errors…I wanted to get this uploaded quick before work O.o
Musetta22: I wrote more! Finally! Heh.
Outis: That was beautiful and appropriate! Thank you for sharing ^_^
Rupeshwari: Thank you ^_^ Sorry if I did keep you waiting too long, I'll try to be better in the future. *crosses fingers for luck*
Kendra Luehr: Thank you for the megaphone announcement! I think it worked! Lol
XinXchainsX: I don't want you to cry! Here, read! Hehe…thank you ^_^
Bec126: Thank you! I'm surprised at how many people wanted me to update! I appreciate the support!
Red-Tenko: I realized Jet was being kinda mean to Faye, but he usually was in the anime…so, it's not right and now I have to think of a way for him to apologize…or see the light. Hmmm…*thinking* Thanks for the compliment on the romantic scenes, cause I was wondering if I was pulling them off well at all. ^_^
Pimpin Satan: Thank you! ^_^ I doubted that I kept Spike in Faye somewhat in character and it's nice to know it's believable. As for the mystery man…he will make an appearance in the next session and I am itchin' to write him in *evil laugh* Hehe…
Teef: Thank you! I'm glad you like it and I hope to update more frequently now that winter break is here.