Chapter 8
The bullet caught Spike dead center in his chest and pulled him off his feet into some of the boxes. Movement caught her eye as she whipped the gun around and tried to train it back on Jet. He dove forward moving on pure instinct and knocked the gun to the side as she pulled the trigger again. Fear choked Obsidian as he grabbed her gun arm, then wrapped his cybernetic arm around her waist, picking her up firmly but gently. Jet's other hand pressed at the pressure point on her wrist and she dropped the gun almost instantly.
Jet didn't know what to do; his mind was still reeling from the events that had just transpired. His partner and best friend had just been gunned down before his eyes, as he stood powerless to help. He held Sid tightly until she stopped struggling, then moved her in his arms until he held her more securely. Jet turned and started walking over to check Spike, never once letting go of his murderous hostage. He looked down at his best friend and saw the bullet hole through the chest of the usual wrinkled blue suit that Spike always wore. Only one thing caught his attention. There was no blood.
"I thought I always taught you to aim for the head?" Spike smirked as he opened his eyes.
"Spike! What the?" Jet mumbled confused, Obsidian was stone still in his arms.
"I wore a vest. I had a feeling she wouldn't be happy to see me." He dusted himself off as he stood.
"You fucking asshole." Jet was shocked to hear such strong language come from the mouth of the young girl. "You don't deserve to live after what you did."
"Watch your mouth little girl." Spike said angrily.
Obsidian's mouth snapped shut almost audibly then she glared at him. "Hypocrite."
"We are going in the other room, where it is warmer. If you two want to continue this journey down memory lane, then you may continue it in the living area." Jet shot out before the argument could escalate further.
Obsidian glared at Spike, and he stared sternly back at her. It was not going to be easy to get her to trust them, and both of the men knew it. She was half-wild and unafraid of pain and death. The three of them made their way back down the corridors to the living area silently.
"Jet-person! She came back in." Ed grinned as she spoke, attempting to lighten the tense mood that enveloped the group.
"Yes Ed, we know." Jet simply stated.
Jet set her back down on the couch and unbuttoned the coat from her slender form. Her eyes went wide and panicked as she watched his fingers work and her hands shook in her lap. Jet simply took the coat and scarf silently back to his room, before coming out with the blanket from his bed. He wrapped it around her and then knelt down before her.
"I want you to stay here. Ok? I'm going to go make you some lunch, then we will all sit down and talk."
She nodded, not looking him in the eyes as she did. She did not want to incur the wrath of the large hunter. Ed stared at her curiously, then wandered off to play chess on her computer Tomato. Spike sat down in the faded yellow chair across from her and lit a cigarette.
"So how long did it take Spike?" She bit out the words.
"How long for what?" Spike asked suspiciously.
"How long before that two-bit whore was double timing you with someone else." She smiled cruelly at him, "Before she walked out on you and vanished, before she left you broken and filled with pain. Did she leave with someone you trusted?"
Spike shook with anger. "That's enough Obsidian." He said low.
"How many other men did she have before she left you? Did it hurt?" Her painful line of questions went on. "I hope it killed you inside. I hope it still eats at you at night when you lie alone in bed."
Spike sat bolt upright and slammed his fist on the table causing her to flinch. "I said that's ENOUGH!"
Jet poked his head back into the living room from the kitchen to see what was going on, and looked over the two angry people with a warning glare, before returning to the kitchen. Ed buried herself in Tomato, surfing the net and trying to ignore what was happening around her. Spike shook with anger and his eyes were narrowed dangerously.
"Is that why Vicious beat the shit out of you? He couldn't stand listening to your mouth?" Spike spit out at her.
Obsidian's eyes went wide then she laughed herself into a coughing fit. "You fucking idiot. My Vicious would never have done this!"
"TOO LOUD!" Ed stood and shouted at them before stomping off with the computer balanced precariously on her head. "Ed cannot even hear herself think."
Sid looked down at her hands, a nervous habit she had acquired from Spike. Spike shifted uncomfortably then moved next to her on the couch. Sid looked away from him, almost like she was fighting the urge to forgive him. He had been her friend, almost like an uncle to her. She had looked up to him so much, then one day he was gone and all he left in his wake was heartache and a forgotten little girl.
"You didn't even care. You just walked out on us. We were a family and you threw us away for some blonde piece of fluff." Tears threatened to spill as she spoke quietly. "You were his best friend, his brother. It killed him when you betrayed him like that."
"Baby, I couldn't stay. I couldn't live my life like that anymore. I found something worth living for."
"Wasn't I good enough? Wasn't he?" She looked up at him. "You didn't have to sneak around behind his back. I thought you were worth something, but you didn't even have the decency to be honest. You didn't even say goodbye."
"I'm sorry Baby Blue, I didn't mean to hurt you." Spike sighed, suddenly realizing that his deception had hurt more than Vicious. "I guess I made a lot of mistakes when I left."
Spike could see it now; her bitterness and jaded cynicism were only a shield she used to hide the pain, some of which he himself had caused. He scooted closer and put his arm around her shoulders, carefully drawing her closer to his side. She resisted for a moment, then curled up against him as if it were old times again. She wanted to forget, to lose herself in the same old smell of comfort. She wanted her family back again.
"Sid, there is something I do need to ask you." Spike paused waiting until he had her full attention before continuing. "If Vicious didn't do this to you, then who did?"
"Christ, were you both blind back then?" She shook her head.
"Who did it Sid?" His heart had frozen in his chest, he knew the answer now, but he wanted to hear it from her lips.
"Joseph."
Spike's right hand curled into a fist reflexively, bile and anger choked him. If only he had paid more attention, if only he had been around more, if only he had taken her with. The stray thoughts filled his mind as he planned his revenge for her. Only one other question remained to be answered.
"When did it start?"
"The night of the tattoo, he waited until you both left." She shook slightly as she whispered out her response. "He knew it would be at least a couple weeks until either of you returned."
"You're birthday." He's eyes shut and he recalled that day with vivid clarity. "I'm so sorry Baby."
She buried her face in his side, hiding her tears in his jacket, and Spike rubbed her back as she cried. Jet came back out holding a bowl of clear soup. He looked from her to Spike then back again. One eyebrow quirked up as he looked back to Spike questioningly. Spike simply nodded, and hugged the little girl gently.
"It's gonna be ok baby. Come on now, sit up and eat some soup. We need to get you strong again." Spike murmured to her.
Jet was surprised; he had never seen Spike so caring with anyone or anything. It was almost as if his carefree manner had completely vanished. Obsidian sat up sniffling and looked around. Both Jet and Spike watched her slide the cold mask back over herself. Spike reached out and took her face in his hands.
"Don't, you're safe. This is Jet, he's one of the best friends I've ever had, and I know he would no sooner hurt you than Vicious would."
Obsidian relaxed slightly and looked at Jet, really looked at Jet for the first time. She could see the concern in his eyes, and the way he held himself spoke of friendship and camaraderie with Spike. He leaned in closer to her and extended his hand with a timid smile on his face.
"Shall we start over?" At her slight nod, he took her offered hand. "Name's Jet Black, welcome to the Bebop."
"My name is Obsidian." She spoke softly, letting him see the real her for a change.
The bullet caught Spike dead center in his chest and pulled him off his feet into some of the boxes. Movement caught her eye as she whipped the gun around and tried to train it back on Jet. He dove forward moving on pure instinct and knocked the gun to the side as she pulled the trigger again. Fear choked Obsidian as he grabbed her gun arm, then wrapped his cybernetic arm around her waist, picking her up firmly but gently. Jet's other hand pressed at the pressure point on her wrist and she dropped the gun almost instantly.
Jet didn't know what to do; his mind was still reeling from the events that had just transpired. His partner and best friend had just been gunned down before his eyes, as he stood powerless to help. He held Sid tightly until she stopped struggling, then moved her in his arms until he held her more securely. Jet turned and started walking over to check Spike, never once letting go of his murderous hostage. He looked down at his best friend and saw the bullet hole through the chest of the usual wrinkled blue suit that Spike always wore. Only one thing caught his attention. There was no blood.
"I thought I always taught you to aim for the head?" Spike smirked as he opened his eyes.
"Spike! What the?" Jet mumbled confused, Obsidian was stone still in his arms.
"I wore a vest. I had a feeling she wouldn't be happy to see me." He dusted himself off as he stood.
"You fucking asshole." Jet was shocked to hear such strong language come from the mouth of the young girl. "You don't deserve to live after what you did."
"Watch your mouth little girl." Spike said angrily.
Obsidian's mouth snapped shut almost audibly then she glared at him. "Hypocrite."
"We are going in the other room, where it is warmer. If you two want to continue this journey down memory lane, then you may continue it in the living area." Jet shot out before the argument could escalate further.
Obsidian glared at Spike, and he stared sternly back at her. It was not going to be easy to get her to trust them, and both of the men knew it. She was half-wild and unafraid of pain and death. The three of them made their way back down the corridors to the living area silently.
"Jet-person! She came back in." Ed grinned as she spoke, attempting to lighten the tense mood that enveloped the group.
"Yes Ed, we know." Jet simply stated.
Jet set her back down on the couch and unbuttoned the coat from her slender form. Her eyes went wide and panicked as she watched his fingers work and her hands shook in her lap. Jet simply took the coat and scarf silently back to his room, before coming out with the blanket from his bed. He wrapped it around her and then knelt down before her.
"I want you to stay here. Ok? I'm going to go make you some lunch, then we will all sit down and talk."
She nodded, not looking him in the eyes as she did. She did not want to incur the wrath of the large hunter. Ed stared at her curiously, then wandered off to play chess on her computer Tomato. Spike sat down in the faded yellow chair across from her and lit a cigarette.
"So how long did it take Spike?" She bit out the words.
"How long for what?" Spike asked suspiciously.
"How long before that two-bit whore was double timing you with someone else." She smiled cruelly at him, "Before she walked out on you and vanished, before she left you broken and filled with pain. Did she leave with someone you trusted?"
Spike shook with anger. "That's enough Obsidian." He said low.
"How many other men did she have before she left you? Did it hurt?" Her painful line of questions went on. "I hope it killed you inside. I hope it still eats at you at night when you lie alone in bed."
Spike sat bolt upright and slammed his fist on the table causing her to flinch. "I said that's ENOUGH!"
Jet poked his head back into the living room from the kitchen to see what was going on, and looked over the two angry people with a warning glare, before returning to the kitchen. Ed buried herself in Tomato, surfing the net and trying to ignore what was happening around her. Spike shook with anger and his eyes were narrowed dangerously.
"Is that why Vicious beat the shit out of you? He couldn't stand listening to your mouth?" Spike spit out at her.
Obsidian's eyes went wide then she laughed herself into a coughing fit. "You fucking idiot. My Vicious would never have done this!"
"TOO LOUD!" Ed stood and shouted at them before stomping off with the computer balanced precariously on her head. "Ed cannot even hear herself think."
Sid looked down at her hands, a nervous habit she had acquired from Spike. Spike shifted uncomfortably then moved next to her on the couch. Sid looked away from him, almost like she was fighting the urge to forgive him. He had been her friend, almost like an uncle to her. She had looked up to him so much, then one day he was gone and all he left in his wake was heartache and a forgotten little girl.
"You didn't even care. You just walked out on us. We were a family and you threw us away for some blonde piece of fluff." Tears threatened to spill as she spoke quietly. "You were his best friend, his brother. It killed him when you betrayed him like that."
"Baby, I couldn't stay. I couldn't live my life like that anymore. I found something worth living for."
"Wasn't I good enough? Wasn't he?" She looked up at him. "You didn't have to sneak around behind his back. I thought you were worth something, but you didn't even have the decency to be honest. You didn't even say goodbye."
"I'm sorry Baby Blue, I didn't mean to hurt you." Spike sighed, suddenly realizing that his deception had hurt more than Vicious. "I guess I made a lot of mistakes when I left."
Spike could see it now; her bitterness and jaded cynicism were only a shield she used to hide the pain, some of which he himself had caused. He scooted closer and put his arm around her shoulders, carefully drawing her closer to his side. She resisted for a moment, then curled up against him as if it were old times again. She wanted to forget, to lose herself in the same old smell of comfort. She wanted her family back again.
"Sid, there is something I do need to ask you." Spike paused waiting until he had her full attention before continuing. "If Vicious didn't do this to you, then who did?"
"Christ, were you both blind back then?" She shook her head.
"Who did it Sid?" His heart had frozen in his chest, he knew the answer now, but he wanted to hear it from her lips.
"Joseph."
Spike's right hand curled into a fist reflexively, bile and anger choked him. If only he had paid more attention, if only he had been around more, if only he had taken her with. The stray thoughts filled his mind as he planned his revenge for her. Only one other question remained to be answered.
"When did it start?"
"The night of the tattoo, he waited until you both left." She shook slightly as she whispered out her response. "He knew it would be at least a couple weeks until either of you returned."
"You're birthday." He's eyes shut and he recalled that day with vivid clarity. "I'm so sorry Baby."
She buried her face in his side, hiding her tears in his jacket, and Spike rubbed her back as she cried. Jet came back out holding a bowl of clear soup. He looked from her to Spike then back again. One eyebrow quirked up as he looked back to Spike questioningly. Spike simply nodded, and hugged the little girl gently.
"It's gonna be ok baby. Come on now, sit up and eat some soup. We need to get you strong again." Spike murmured to her.
Jet was surprised; he had never seen Spike so caring with anyone or anything. It was almost as if his carefree manner had completely vanished. Obsidian sat up sniffling and looked around. Both Jet and Spike watched her slide the cold mask back over herself. Spike reached out and took her face in his hands.
"Don't, you're safe. This is Jet, he's one of the best friends I've ever had, and I know he would no sooner hurt you than Vicious would."
Obsidian relaxed slightly and looked at Jet, really looked at Jet for the first time. She could see the concern in his eyes, and the way he held himself spoke of friendship and camaraderie with Spike. He leaned in closer to her and extended his hand with a timid smile on his face.
"Shall we start over?" At her slight nod, he took her offered hand. "Name's Jet Black, welcome to the Bebop."
"My name is Obsidian." She spoke softly, letting him see the real her for a change.
