"Luck is always to blame." Jean de La Fontaine
Chapter Eight: Back to the First Measure
I don't know what made me go back. Perhaps it was the dying words of an old friend. He had wanted me to be the new leader. Though this cult had cost me a woman I had loved and more, I was drawn to it, probably because it was dangerous, and all I had ever known. I knew that Faye wouldn't appreciate what I was about to do, but I had to do it, no matter what she thought.
The building looked the same as it always had. They had already fixed up the mess I had made. I flet my lips pull into a smirk over the edge of my cigarette. Placing my hands in my pockets, I strolled up the steps, heading right inside. The doors opened as I walked through. When I got into the lobby, I was met by the astonished faces of other Syndicate members.
"Hey hunny, I'm home."
Not one of them laughed. I don't think any of them breathed. They all just stared, like I was a ghost, back from the grave.
I stood there, as motionless as the slaves in front of me. No one had tried to shoot me yet. That was always a plus. However, this ongoing silence was unnerving. These men were like mindless ghouls. Since they weren't my time, I shrugged and went upstairs to the room where I should have died but instead had been reborn.
The elevator was slow, almost agonizingly so. Each time the bell rang for another floor reached, I could feel the memories of that day hit me. I saw Julia getting shot, saw her body fall, and heard her dying words. I remembered scaring Jet awake, making him prepare me my final me. Then I recalled Faye and her reaction to everything I was trying to do. She hadn't liked it, but she hadn't stopped me either. She had known, but she had let me go.
Now she was lying in a hospital, almost dead. Would this place cost me her to? Or would it take the rest of the Bebop crew from me? They were all I knew from after this damned place, the only safe haven I held. Was I ready to give up something like that?
The elevator stopped and I got off, knowing all too well where I was meant to be.
(: Interuption in Communication:)
Ed would like to announce that Nev-Nev has finally seen the last episode of Cowboy Bebop (that's Edward's favorite show too!) and she would like to thank her boyfriend...aka Spike-person for letting her watch the episodes out of order so she could get back to working on this fic. (Am I done now?)
Yay! Let's go Ein!
Back to The Story...
Faye stared at Jet, not really understanding what he had said. Spike. Go back. Syndicate. What was that lunkhead thinking? What was Jet thinking letting him go? They were going to lose him all over again and just when she and him...
She shook her head.
No, there was nothing between them. There never had been. That moment when had decided to leave, to go back to the Syndicate, those words he had spoken to her had not meant that he shared her feelings for him. Those words had been his way of protecting her, sheilding her from the blow his absence was going to cause on the ship. That's all that had ever existed between them. Not attraction, and certainly not love.
Sighing, she flipped on the television. Big Shot would be on soon, she could catch up on her work, burying herself under the things she had to do, instead of thinking of the same things her mind had been going over since Jet's words had hit her. The old man, saw the distance in her face, and left her to her own thoughts. He had things to do back at the ship anyway, and it wasn't wise to leave Ed there by herself. Who knew what that mokey would get herself into.
Faye didn't hear him leave, but as Big Shot's Opening Theme played and the two hosts appeared, she checked to make sure he had gone. Then, she turned off the tv and gazed out the window. Last night's rain had created puddles on the sill outside. The ground below was littered with minature lakes that swept across the sidewalks. These were evidence of the weather from hours before, but what she was looking for was evidence that she and Spike had shared something worth more than normal words.
He had given her no token, no physical proof that he held any affection for her at all. Still, she wanted to believe that she wasn't involved in a one-sided love. She needed to believe that a small part of him did long for her the way she had come to realize that she longed for him.
But there was proof. Jet had told her that Spike had shared his information with her before anyone else. If he didn't feel something for her, then why hadn't he told Jet what had occured when he had met up with Vicious? Why had he waited until now and finally answer her question?
Maybe because I almost died, she thought wearily.
If that was the case, she was back at the first measure of this symphony. Spike was only trying to soften her, make things easier on her, as he had always done. That wasn't exactly the way of attraction. It was nice and polite, but it wasn't really love. One could be nice to another without feeling for them in a way that meant they would fall in love. Just because Ed had given her a tomato didn't mean that she loved Faye. Then again, Ed wasn't the best of examples. The door creaked open, and she turned to see a man dressed in a suit.
"Ms. Valentine?"
Her eyes looked over him, as though she was deciding whether or not to give him her true name. "Yes?"
"I am very sorry that we have to meet under conditions such as these, but I was hoping you could give me the help I require. You see I am looking for someone. I believe you know him. His name is Mr. Spike Spiegel. Would I be correct in that assumption?"
Faye looked at the floor, wondering what she should do. If this man was from the Syndicate, then he knew more than what he was letting on, which meant that if she lied to him, she could be putting herself in danger's path. However, if this was just some regular cop, he probably had next to nothing. She was just glad that Jet wasn't here.
"Well, Ms. Valentine?"
She stared him right in the eye. "No."
(: Interuption in Communication:)
News you can use! Edward's advice for life.
Numero Uno: When getting shot at, eat a beaver!
Numero Dulce: Do not retrace your past, you'll find a horrible space alien!
And Thirdly: Spike-person and Faye-Faye should get married and have a tomato!
Faye and Spike enter ED!
Ooops! giggles Have to go! disappears
This has been news you can use curtosy from Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky the Fourth. (bark bark) And don't forget Ein!
Back to The Story...
Spike stood in the middle of the room, slowly going through the same motions he had when Vicious had still been alive. No one had been in here when he had reached the door. Now, several had gathered by the doorway. He didn't stop what he was doing, despite the fact that he now had an audience. Instead, he continued, until he got to the point where he had collapsed upon the stairway in front of the recruits.
For several moments, he layed there, trying to recall everything that had gone through his mind when he had figured out he was dying. None of it came back to him. He knew he had remembered Julia and Faye in his last moments, but not one of those memories were concrete in his brain.
I loved Julia, he told himself, but what I feel for Faye...
"Sir!"
The cowboy stood up, seeing the man who had spoken. Flicking his cigarette upon the floor, he snuffed it out with the tip of his boot. It left a singe mark on the red carpeted floor, but Spike only shrugged.
"Hey! You're destroying private property!" the same soldier yelled once more.
"I don't recall anyone shooting you to death," Spike replied cattily.
The solider looked behind him at the others, needing reassurance, but they were ally eyeing their new target with caution. Not one of them appeared any more familiar with him than another. It would make his job easier. Pulling out his gun, he loaded a new round. "Who's the first?"
Meanwhile...
"I am going to ask you one last time, Ms. Valentine, do you know Spike Spiegel?"
This joker couldn't take a hint. I know cops usually aren't the smartest dudes on the ride, but usually they can keep their beat. This one seemed to have lost his rhythm quite some time ago. Leveling my eyes, I growled, "No."
He shook his head, placing his hands into he pockets of his coat. "You're protecting him," he stated, closing his eyes as he chuckled softly. "You're going to protect him just the way she did. Why not stop now, while you're still alive?" he asked me. "Don't wait until a bullet is lodged in your spine."
I gasped. He knew. Whoever this bastard was, he knew Spike and he knew all about Julia. "Who are you?"
"Answer my question, Ms. Valentine, so I won't have to kill you." He grinned, flashing me a smile of pearl white teeth. Then, slowly, he pulled a gun out from his pocket, allowing the rays from the sun to glint off of the silver edges.
I pressed the button for nurse aid, but nothing happened. It wasn't until then that I realized he had probably killed everyone on the floor. I moved as far back as I could, knowing full well that I'd never be able to dodge a bullet in this condition.
Back on Board Bebop…
Jet was preparing a nice meal, with actual meat, to welcome Faye home. With all that had gone on in the past few days, he figured they all deserved to eat a hearty dinner. He was positive that there would be memorable feedback from Spike. Faye would normally agree, but as of that morning when he had gone to talk to her, she seemed different, suddenly more mature. It was almost like she had come to reality about herself.
"Ein is hungry. Edward too," Ed whined, leaping onto the counter.
"This is for later," Jet replied.
"But Ed is hungry nooow," she complained again.
"We have to wait for Spike to come back. Then we'll go pick up Faye," he explained the best he could, while still concentrating on the food.
"Can't we take the food with us to the Faye-Faye?" Ed suggested, thinking up the fastest way to get some food in her belly.
Sighing in defeat, Jet relented in agreement. Ed screamed in joy, jumping off of the counter and running out of the room. He gathered the food together, placing it in containers. When all of the steaming meal had been put into the Hammerhead, he called Ed and Ein to board, and they were on their way to the hospital. He sent a message to Spike, telling him that they would be at the hospital with dinner and he was welcome to come when he was ready. However, Jet wasn't sure how long it would take for Spike to come back. Dealing with the past was hard enough when you had lived a normal life, but for someone like Spike, it would be just as difficult as his made his life become.
It was crazy trying to unload the food with one barking dog running around his feet and yet another creature that could almost pass for human yelling at him to hurry going on at the same time. Finally, the Hammerhead was cleared and the trio made their way into the hospital. Only when they got into the building, there was something wrong. Nurses and doctors, even some patients were dead, lying in pools of their own blood on the marble floors.
Jet handed the food over to Ed. "Take this, go back to the ship."
"But..."
"No buts," he barked, pulling out his gun.
He made sure she had listened, then clicked on the elevator to go to Faye's floor. He just hoped she was still alive.
A/N: Another cliffhanger my friends! Mwhaahahaha! My brother thinks I'm a loser, but I call myself an artist! Ah...yes, well this was an interesting chapter. I tried to keep all points of view going and fun from Ed prominent, but alas, it took me over three weeks to write. I'm sorry for the delay, but I've been extremely busy with this whole getting published thing and several projects from my teachers at school. But now, hopefully, I'll have more time. Thank you for the reviews and keep them coming! Neveada Sierriana
