October 9th, 2004

Author's Notes – Hello, again, friends! It's Miss Chang Po, back with another one of her infamous ones-shots for your reading enjoyment!

Nataku-chan – My, aren't we modest...

Hey now, you could boast too if you weren't slacking off on your fics...

Nataku-chan – Ex-squeeze me? For your informay-shun, I just finished my little ficlet, 'LR'... ::pauses as she sees Miss Chang Po making faces at her:: Hey! !!

Anywho, thanks to all of you guys out there who read and reviewed the last chapter to 'Heart of Space, Dove of Peace', (over 100 reviews! You guys are awesome! )I'm glad you guys enjoyed it. For those of you who haven't... well... you know where to find it. Catch up! The Epilogue is coming soon.

Miss Chang Po – Demanding...

::grins:: But, not to digress, this fic is yet another one of those random ideas that popped into my twisted little head, spur of the moment. Keeping in spirit with one of my past works, "Choice", this ficlet takes a different approach as to how two of our fave characters could have parted ways. Too lazy to actually write it down on the spot, I tried writing it in my head as it were and found that I was starting to forget what I had in mind. So, if it comes off a bit choppy and weird, I apologize.

The song 'Driven Under' is from Seether's 2002 album, Disclaimer.

Without further adieu, enjoy! )

"End"

"Hey."

Do you think I'm faking
when I'm lying next to you
Do you think that I am blind
nothing left for me to lose
Must be something on your mind
something lost and left behind
Do you know I'm faking now

He'd known who it was even before she bothered to make her presence known. Since the moment he'd met her, the woman had held an aura about her that made people take notice. It allowed her to get the things that she wanted, but it also had a tendency to get her into trouble.

For a few moments he'd debated whether to acknowledge her or to keep going. He wasn't really sure if he was interested in anything she might have to say. Jet had already given him his two cents worth and he'd had quite enough of being lectured.

"Where are you going?"

Do you know I'm faking
when I'm lying next to you
Do you know that I am blind to everything you ever do
Must be something on your mind
something lost for me to find
Do you know I'm faking

He turned around to face her, noting the Glock clenched tightly in her hand. Green eyes blazed a sharp contrast against her paler than normal features.

"Why are you going?"

He wasn't sure he knew the answer to that one, but what did it matter? It all had to end sometime. It had been fun while it lasted, but it was time for him to wake up. Hadn't she realized that yet?

Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before on him
Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before, oh man

"My memories came back..." Her voice seemed so hollow. He paused. "Nothing good came of it...I had no place to go back to."

Sad to say he had expected it. After all, 60 years was a long time. A week ago, a part of him would have been relieved. Deep down, he would have missed her if she left for good.

Somehow along the way he'd gotten attached to the Untamable Shrew.

I guess you know I'm faking
when I tell you I love you
I guess you know that I am blind
to everything you say and do
Must be something on my mind
there's nothing left for me to hide
Do you know I'm faking

"What's in the past stays in the past."

She snapped her eyes up to him again. "Don't give me that shit about the past!" she yelled, her voice echoing off the metal plating of the corridor. "You're the one still living in the past!"

Damn, she had him there. So, he told her about his eye. She yelled at him – naturally. According to her, she didn't want to know.

He smirked. "Liar."

She stared at him silently a moment before glancing down at her gun. Her trusty Glock 90. The florescent lighting glinted off of it as it aimed it at its mark. His eyes widened a fraction. "This is the only place that I felt like I belonged... and now you're leaving..." She sucked in a shaky breath. "You're such a bastard... Why are you going?"

So, she knew. What could he say to her that would make things make sense? He wasn't even quite sure he understood any of this himself. All that really mattered was what he knew he had to do.

Silence fell over the pair. He kept his eyes on her the entire time, never straying to the Glock in her white-knuckled grip.

A smirk worked its way across his face, though by no means like any of his usual smirks. "So, you gonna shoot?"

Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before on him
Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before, oh man

Her eyes narrowed on him. "What do you care?"

He did care, not that he'd tell her. It didn't really matter anymore. He shrugged. "Don't you think you're being a bit selfish?"

She laughed, albeit bitterly. "Don't talk to me about selfish," she replied. "You're the worst..."

"Faye..."

"Shut up!" she screamed. Her finger tightened around the trigger. "Just shut up! Shut UP!"

We have to succumb to the feelings we can never face
I need you. I breathe you.
I can't go through this all again.
We have to succumb to
the feelings we can never face I need you.
I breathe you. I can't go through this...

He yanked it away from her head at the last moment though he was unable to wrench it completely out of her grasp. It'd have to be enough... he'd already watched one woman die... "What the hell are you doing?!"

His anger was starting to show through now, as well as his desperation. Why couldn't she see he didn't have a choice?

The brief tussle had loosened her headband, leaving dark strands to fall loosely in her face. It made her look even more unraveled than before.

"Shut up, Spike..." she muttered. "You made me... and now you're just going to throw it all away as if it meant nothing..."

As if she meant nothing...? That's what she really meant and he knew it. An image of violet hair fanned out across his pillow played before his eyes before he shoved it back down again. It wouldn't do to think about it now.

Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before

She was still watching him, although some of the anger had faded from eyes. "She's dead..." Her words startled him out of his own reveries, bringing everything back into perspective whether he liked it to or not. "She's dead... don't you realize that?"

"She's not dead..." he replied softly, his voice hoarse. "Never to me..." He turned his back to her, forcing the expression on her face from his mind. "I have to go."

She made an attempt to say something, but her words died in her throat. Sighing, she stared down at the floor, focusing on the pain of her nails biting into her palm.

He was walking away and she was letting him. A slight feeling of disappointment tainted his relief. Pausing in his steps, he threw a few last words over his shoulder. "I'm not going there to die," There was no response. "I'm going to see if I'm alive."

He continued down the hall again.

Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before on him
Then she told me she had a gun
it sounded like she'd used it once before, oh man
Then she told me she had a gun

She didn't look up, listening to the echoing footsteps getting further and further away. She let out a short breath that almost sounded like a laugh.

she says she wants to use it on me now...

Raising her Glock again, she smirked angrily. "Liar."

IT'S THE END, COWBOY...

Author's Notes – AAAAAAANNNNNNGST! What is with all the angst I've been spouting recently? In case anyone was curious, the first idea that popped into my head for this fic was the line, "So, you gonna shoot?" and then the very last line. Weird, huh? I don't recall where I was when it came to me, but there was just this image of Faye holding her Glock saying those words and well... it just wouldn't leave me alone until I resolved to write it.

Needless to say I've been in a very creative mood, but too fidgety to sit down and do anything constructive.

Nataku-chan- ::holding the outline to 'Don't You Dare!':: This much is obvious...

::grins sheepishly:: If it makes anyone feel better, I'm trying to scrounge up the resolve to work on that with Nataku-chan again. I really like the prospect of the fic, but I can't get past the first couple of paragraphs for the next chap – should we pick up where we left off with Sango and Miroku or get back to Inu Yasha and Kagome? ::sighs heavily:: Them's the brakes, ain't it?

Anyways, hope you guys liked this one. Feel free to send any comments. They're greatly appreciated. -wink!

Nataku-chan – Please don't do that... --;;

3 R's of Fanfiction everyone! D