Ok, so I think the transition to the part of the story went a little better after I redid it...Thank gawd none of you have to read the original crap! You'd probably burn me alive for it! Hope you like the turn in the story...I know it's totally predictable, but it's gonna get better(I think it is XD)
"Hey toots, gimme another one of them." The man at the corner edge of the bar said to Faye.
"Coming right up." she said, feigning a smile so she didn't smack him for just being alive.
Faye had changed. Her hair was a little longer, and she had it pulled back into a ponytail. Looks good, and makes her eyes stand out a lot more. She is dressed so different...no more slutty yellow, gravity defying outfit.
Wonder if she still has it...
Anyway, she's probably just dressed for work. That's gotta be it.
I still can't believe I found this place. I walked in, tipped my hat down toward the floor to cover my face, and headed to the back corner to a dark and dismal seat. I can see the whole bar from here.
She slid the druken man his requested drink, and went to the back. Another bartender came out and took over for her.
Is her shift over? I should've got here earlier. Oh wait, she's coming out to the front of the bar and putting on a apron. Looks like she's taking orders now.
Ha...this will be fun.
Just my luckâshe's going to wait on me. And here she is...
"Hi, how are you doing today?" she asked ever so politely. Is she an actress, or what?
"Fine." I said quietly, looking down at the menu.
"Can I get you a drink to start?"
"Sure, but you never told me." I said just as quietly to hide my voice from her.
"Never told you? What's that?" she asked, slightly confused. She probably wants to smack me or cry...I can't tell which yet.
"Your name, Faye."
"Excuse me?? How'd you know..." she started to say when I stopped her and pointed at her nametag.
"Oh...gosh, that was pretty dumb of me."
"I'll have a Cowboy." I said, smiling so wide it's a shame my face is hidden underneath this huge-ass hat.
"Any appetizers for you?"
"Not yet. Just the drink. And an ashtray."
"Comin' right up." She said and walked away.
How long can I keep this up? It's really funny. But it'll be a waste if I don't let her know it's me.
"Here you are." She said putting the ashtray down and reached for her notepad to take my order.
"What will you have this evening?"
"Not hungry, just thirsty."
"Oh well, if you do get hungry just call me."
"When are you done tonight?" I asked smoothly before she walked away.
"Um, no offense, but that doesn't really matter to you." She said, getting a bit defensive.
"I'd like to tell you something important. I can't do it here."
"I don't even know..." she said as I cut her off again.
"I've got some info you'll want."
"Sir, I really don't want..."
"Please, just wait for me." I said so smoothly that if she didn't agree I'd be shocked.
"Um, ok...at nine. I'll be out front." she said trying to put herself back together, since it was obvious that I had shaken her up.
Awesome. She took the bait. Just two more hours.
Nine o'clock rolls around. I'm standing up against the wall outside of the bar. A small and quiet figure known as Faye walks up next to me.
"You came." I whispered.
"Yeah, but I can't stay long. I've got to get home to my family."
"Family? You don't seem like the girl who'd settle down so young." I said, shocked at this notion of Faye with kids running around and a man waiting for her arrival.
"We're not really a traditional family, but we have to stay together now."
"Sounds tragic." I said, contemplating what that could mean.
"You have no idea." She whispered as she shifted her weight uneasily.
"How's life been for you, Faye? How has the last year been?"
"I don't think that's any of your business. Would you just tell me what you came out here to tell me??"
"How's Jet, Faye? How are Ed and Ein, Faye? How is life? Please answer me. I'd really like to know." I asked, almost in my normal voice now.
"Just who the hell are you?!" she screamed and jumped a good five feet away from me.
I walked closer to her and took off my hat. It was really dark, so I know she couldn't see me. I kept walking closer to her until she backed into a wall on the side of the bar.
Her face was slightly illuminated by a streak of moonlight, while mine was still shadowed.
"Don't make me hurt you!" she yelled and reached to her side. Still has the gun. Smart girl.
I quickly pinned her wrists to the wall.
"Ow!" she cried.
"I'm sorry, Faye. I just don't want you to shoot me. Bullets hurt." I said, in my normal tone of voice now.
"Oh my..." she gasped and went limp in my arms.
"Shit." I said and carried her tiny body over to a nearby bench on the sidewalk.
A few moments later, she came to, but I think she really wanted to stay unconcious.
"You can't be...I don't believe...this isn't real...must be dreaming..." she babbled incoherently.
"Stop." I said and hugged her. She shook in my arms, but didn't refuse them. Instead she wrapped her slender arms around my neck and squeezed so hard I thought she was trying to choke me.
"Sorry." She sniffled.
"I'm the one who should be sorry."
She sat there quietly. One moment she was Quiet Faye, the next she was Destructive Faye.
"Just who the hell do you think you are!? You asshole!" she screamed and stood up, starting to walk away from me.
"Wait! Don't you care that I'm alive?"
"For two minutes. Remember that hug there? That was me caring that you were alive. Now I'm amazed that you have the audacity to just pop back and act like it's ok!" she howled.
"I never meant..." I started, but this time she cut me off.
"If you think that everyone will just stop and bow down to you, Mr. Big Bad Ex-Syndicate Bastard, then you're dead wrong! Except you're still fricking alive! AGH!" She said, stomping her foot and clenching her fists at her sides.
It was cute, watching her get so mad...but I have to get her to calm down. Wait a sec...did she just call me...
"He told you!" I said shocked.
"What?!" she screamed.
"Jet! He told you about the syndicate! Ah shit, I'm sor..." I said and ruffled my hand through my hair.
"Yeah, right! You're not sorry! You don't even know, do you??" she yelled and shoved me. It didn't really do much, but it was all she could muster at this point by the looks of her.
She looked dead tired, physically and emotionally.
"Huh?" I said recollecting myself.
"He's dead, Spike. He died going after you!" she yelled, tears now streaking her face like glittering crystals in the moonlight. She was crying again.
Because of me.
Jet is dead.
Because of me.
Maybe coming back to this life was a bad idea.
All because of me.
I plopped to the ground after staring at her for a few minutes, taking in what she had said while holding my head in my hands. I've never felt so incredibly guilty about someone dying on my behalf, well, except Julia...but still...Jet...
"No no no...why did he...?" I muttered, shaking my head. Faye was now sitting in front of me on this desolate sidewalk in front of the bar.
"Because he loved you. We all did." She said quietly, half-crying.
"Did?" I asked, looking up at her now.
"Right. We all loved you, Spike. I wish that I would have said it someway before. Maybe it all could've been avoided. Maybe I'm just being selfish."
I don't know what to say or do or think. I'm totally lost right now. Maybe it's the alcohol making my head spin around, but I have a sinking feeling that it's not.
Saying sorry won't fix a damn thing. The past...there's nothing I can do, right?
If there is something I can do, it's definitely not coming to mind right now.
She handed me a cigarette and got one out for herself. We sat there in silence, on the sidewalk, and smoked.
What the hell do we do now?
NO. What the hell do I do now?
After smoking, Faye stood up. She brushed herself off and held out her hand. I took it and got up.
"I don't want to intrude, but I don't have anywhere to go. I've used up my I.O.U.'s among old friends." I said sheepishly, bowing my head because I was just so damn afraid to look her in the eyes.
Those piercing emerald eyes. They'd be the death of me right now.
"I don't have an extra bed."
"Oh. I'll just find a..."
"You can sleep on the floor or the couch." She said sternly.
"Thanks." I said and followed her as she headed back to the bar. She walked around to the back and unlocked a door that led to a staircase. So she lives above the bar. How quaint.
She opened the door quietly and motioned for me to be quiet. I looked over into a room to my right and made out through the darkness a fuzzy red head, and a slumbering dog next to it.
She's got Ed and Ein with her. That's good.
She closed the door to Ed's room and made her way to the couch. She tossed some blankets on it and went to her room.
I heard her door close and decided that she probably needed to be alone.