Normal disclaimers, I don't own any characters FROM Cowboy Bebop but Khani
and other minor characters are my own creation. This chapter was very hard
for me. Please R&R. I will accept anonymous, for some reason my account
keeps reverting my settings.
Sister comes home.
Kahni stretched out on the back seat of the car next to Shin. Her short, black leather jacket made creaking noises against the matching cushions. "Ah, it's good to be home." She said casually. Shin watched out the window as they drove through the city. He couldn't believe his sister, the way that she'd walked out of that ISSP prison like it was a nightclub or something. Back into the world and back into her life. THE life. Shin cursed silently to himself. What had gone wrong? He thought he had it all figured out, the way to get Kahni away from it all, from the death, the guns, the greed, the syndicate. He wanted to give her a chance at a free life. He glanced at her quickly and back to the window. Everything seemed so easy for her. She was so unlike Lin and himself. He wore is uniform, proper attire and crest for a Red Dragon man, just like his superiors, just like Vicious. Kahni was nothing like them. Nothing like Julia either. Julia was a woman that dressed for the occasion. She was Vicious' art, attire, and decoration. Kahni was her own free spirit. She bought and wore what she wanted. Her normal working clothes were jeans; t- shirt and that black jacket Vicious had bought her after her first successful mission.
"You gotta smoke?" she asked giving him a hopeful smile. Shin gave her a disapproving look. She glanced away. "Oh, right." She replied. Shin sighed and continued his post at the window. She as so much like. . . him . Like Spike. The name sounded strange to him now. Kahni caught her brother's mood and touched his arm. He jumped.
"What's wrong?" she asked. He noted the quick change in her voice. She was all serious now, throwing herself back into the game.
"Nothing." He replied.
"What is it? " She said a little more intensely.
"There is nothing wrong. Everything is going to plan." Kahni waited but her brother wouldn't offer any more information. She leaned back into the seat again and started tapping her foot to an unheard tune in her head. Oh well, she thought. It didn't matter. If it were important Vicious would tell her. And if it was personal, well then, Shin had a right to keep it to himself. That was one thing they had agreed upon early in their adult life. Stay out of each other's personal life. You had to in order to fulfill your duties as a Red Dragon. If you let personal matters interfere or cloud your thinking you jeopardize everything. Do what you have to do and the Syndicate will take care of you and your family. Break the rules and everybody suffers. Kahni wondered if Shin ever thought of these things, but figured he was not in a conversational mood. Shin never doubted he sister's devotion to Vicious but he hated the thought of her with him. He didn't trust Vicious to a great extent. He wanted his sister to be happy, but could not reason with himself that she would ever be truly happy with that kind of a man. Vicious truly scared Shin. He couldn't understand how his brother could stand being with him all the time. Shin was a man torn between two nightmares. He was worried that Vicious' coup would not succeed and that they'd all be hunted, all become targets of the Van just like Spike and Julia. He didn't want that life. He was also worried that Vicious would succeed and what would happen then? If he got Julia back what would he do? Whom would he choose? Shin did not want to see his sister hurt like that either. Maybe Spike had done the right thing all along by leaving. Maybe they should have went with him. Kahni watched him from the corner of her eyes. He sat straight up, watchful, alert. Something was definitely bothering him but Kahni couldn't imagine what it would be. She hoped that Lin would be in a better mood for her homecoming. Still, she sighed and ran a hand through her long raven black hair. It was going to be a long ride home.
The building was the same, the sounds and smells of the lobby were all the same, but there was something about the atmosphere that wasn't right. It was heavy, weighing down on Kahni's shoulders. She glanced at Shin who was frowning. He felt it too. So what was going on that had him so uptight. Kahni didn't feel like wasting anymore time and decided to find out. "I'm going up." She told her brother.
"Wait. . ." Shin started but it was too late, Kahni was already in the elevator and the door was closing. He had to run to squeeze in beside her. He huffed and glared at her. "You could have waited." Kahni grinned but said nothing.
Kahni tried to stop herself from trembling as she stood before the huge double doors of Vicious' office. She was finally home. Off of the main room, were three other rooms, two of which had their own doors. The largest was of course, Vicious' suite, the second was unofficially termed "her room." Vicious liked to call it her workshop, but more recently than not, it felt like a convenient place to stick her when he didn't want her in his way. The third and smallest room was Vicious' practice room and could only be reached by going through Vicious' suite. Everything was immaculate and she expected nothing less. Vic had changed nothing. His taste was expensive but not vulgar. She walked in and took up residence on the low backed white leather couch. Shin stood at the doorway like a statue. It wasn't long until Vicious joined them, followed by Lin and Garret.* Kahni jumped up at his approach and tilted her head.
"You gotta bird?." She said, half a question, half a comment. A bemused look crossed Vicious' face.
"I got lonely." was his sole response. He stretched his arm out and the bird hopped from his shoulder, walked down his arm and flew to its perch in the corner of the room. Now that Kahni looked at it, she realized it was in fact a sculptured stone tree. She laughed at the thought that if Shin hadn't shifted when Vicious came in, the bird may have landed on him. "What about you?" Vicious' words brought her gaze back to him and she walked up to him slowly.
"Absolutely."
As he bent down he slid his hand under her dark hair and held the back of her neck. She grabbed a fistful of his coat and sunk into him as they kissed. When she tried to pull back, he squeezed the back of her neck and held her in place close to him. She tried to look up into his eyes but she was too close, and could only see his tie.
Shin was restless and looked to Lin for help. Vicious gave a slight nod and the three men walked to the door. As soon as the two brothers were through the door Garret closed it and locked it. Shin turned. "What?"
"Let's go." Lin ordered, pulling him along down the hall. Shin glanced back at the doors once more and then obediently followed his twin toward the elevators.
"Vic," Kahni started but Vicious stopped her.
"Shh." He said quietly. His grip did not loosen and Kahni found herself trembling again. Once the door was secured Vicious pulled back from her a little.
"So you missed me." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
"Yes." She said, and meant it. She was scared now. She'd heard the door lock from the inside, and knew someone was still in the room with them but Vicious refused to give her any freedom to view the situation.
"What about your visitors?" he asked her. Kahni's hand slipped from his jacket. She could see his face now but refused to look at him. Vicious relaxed the hand at the base of her neck and forced her chin up with his other. "Tell me."
This was not what she was expecting when she came home. How had he found out. Of course he'd have been able to see the tapes and know that Julia had been there, but, she shuddered. He'd said visitors. Did he know about Spike?
"Why, if you already know." She managed to say without too much hesitation.
"I want to hear it from you." She met his gaze but his eyes were hollow. She swallowed to keep from crying out. "Tell me." he demanded again, his hand slipping from her chin and resting on her throat. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes but she managed to keep them from falling. She reached up and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket but he refused to relinquish his hold on her. She stared into his eyes, looking for something, anything that would give her a sign of what he knew. She found nothing there. The pressure on her throat got tighter.
"What do you want to know?" she asked, barely a whisper.
"Everything."
"Julia." She said after a moment. The name tasted bitter in her mouth. "Julia came to see me. She said that I was in danger and that you-" She stopped and tightened her grip in his sleeve. He released her neck and pulled away from her as she felt Garret step up from behind. She thought she would fall over without his body next to her. She felt exposed and cold just standing before him. "She said that you didn't love m." She couldn't finish the sentence. Vicious waited patiently, no expression on his face. "I didn't want her there, you know that." She pleaded to him. His face still did not change.
"That is not the one I am concerned with."
Oh, shit! He knew. Spike lied to her. Of course, Spike lied. And of course Vic had found out. Did she really think he wouldn't. She felt something twist inside her.
Vicious was getting impatient. "What did Spike say to you?"
So that was it. Maybe Vicious didn't know everything. Maybe he just suspected. If Julia had said she sent Spike, then Vicious knew Spike would go. Spike would do anything Julia asked. But why. Why was he making her do this. (I want to hear if from you) he told her. "He wanted to know how my brothers were doing." She looked up at him. He looked like a lost child, hands in his pockets waiting for someone to come along and take him back home.
"Is that all." Again, he didn't ask her, he was telling her to continue. She closed her eyes and tears rolled freely down her cheeks.
"He said that you had to be stopped." She felt like she was poisoning him, every word a needle longer and sharper than the last. "That I would die if I stayed with you." Vicious turned slightly, his silvery hair falling around his shoulders and obscuring her view of his face.
"So. What was his proposal?" God no, she thought. "What do you mean?" "Don't play that game Kahni. You know I hate when women lie to me." His voice was steady but edged with anger. Kahni couldn't stand it any longer. She sunk to her knees. Why did he insist on torturing himself like this.
You know why. He wanted to hear it, he needed to hear it from her own lips. That his friend, that Spike had tried to tear from his life yet another happiness, if indeed he found any happiness in her. She knew better than to make herself out to be that important. Still, why did he push this?
"He wanted me to go away with him." She felt dizzy. "He said he could protect me." There, she had said it, she was done. What more could he ask from her. Yet, he did ask.
"And?"
She looked up at him. What do you think, she thought. Her eyes were red but no longer wet. "I told him," no, she didn't say no, dammit. She never SAID no. "that you were my only protection." Vicious turned to face her again, apparently pleased with her answer. He took a hand from his pocket and reached for her.
"Come here." He demanded. She stood and walked towards him. He reached up and brushed hair out of her eyes, then slapped her, making her stumble but not enough to send her to the floor. "Why?" she said her voice shaky, her breath ragged.
"That's for striking Julia." He said, his back to her.
"But I never touched . . ." She stopped when he glanced over his shoulder. She knew what he meant then. That little comment that she let slip at the prison. Kahni's face turned red, a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Kahni stared at his back as he walked into his suite. To add further insult he left the door open, his way of invitation. She turned and headed for her room slamming the door behind her.
Do I have you intrigued? Please give me some input, I promise more Vicious in future chapters. And yes I know I took liberties with Lin still being in the picture, but, well you'll have to read in order to find out.
Sister comes home.
Kahni stretched out on the back seat of the car next to Shin. Her short, black leather jacket made creaking noises against the matching cushions. "Ah, it's good to be home." She said casually. Shin watched out the window as they drove through the city. He couldn't believe his sister, the way that she'd walked out of that ISSP prison like it was a nightclub or something. Back into the world and back into her life. THE life. Shin cursed silently to himself. What had gone wrong? He thought he had it all figured out, the way to get Kahni away from it all, from the death, the guns, the greed, the syndicate. He wanted to give her a chance at a free life. He glanced at her quickly and back to the window. Everything seemed so easy for her. She was so unlike Lin and himself. He wore is uniform, proper attire and crest for a Red Dragon man, just like his superiors, just like Vicious. Kahni was nothing like them. Nothing like Julia either. Julia was a woman that dressed for the occasion. She was Vicious' art, attire, and decoration. Kahni was her own free spirit. She bought and wore what she wanted. Her normal working clothes were jeans; t- shirt and that black jacket Vicious had bought her after her first successful mission.
"You gotta smoke?" she asked giving him a hopeful smile. Shin gave her a disapproving look. She glanced away. "Oh, right." She replied. Shin sighed and continued his post at the window. She as so much like. . . him . Like Spike. The name sounded strange to him now. Kahni caught her brother's mood and touched his arm. He jumped.
"What's wrong?" she asked. He noted the quick change in her voice. She was all serious now, throwing herself back into the game.
"Nothing." He replied.
"What is it? " She said a little more intensely.
"There is nothing wrong. Everything is going to plan." Kahni waited but her brother wouldn't offer any more information. She leaned back into the seat again and started tapping her foot to an unheard tune in her head. Oh well, she thought. It didn't matter. If it were important Vicious would tell her. And if it was personal, well then, Shin had a right to keep it to himself. That was one thing they had agreed upon early in their adult life. Stay out of each other's personal life. You had to in order to fulfill your duties as a Red Dragon. If you let personal matters interfere or cloud your thinking you jeopardize everything. Do what you have to do and the Syndicate will take care of you and your family. Break the rules and everybody suffers. Kahni wondered if Shin ever thought of these things, but figured he was not in a conversational mood. Shin never doubted he sister's devotion to Vicious but he hated the thought of her with him. He didn't trust Vicious to a great extent. He wanted his sister to be happy, but could not reason with himself that she would ever be truly happy with that kind of a man. Vicious truly scared Shin. He couldn't understand how his brother could stand being with him all the time. Shin was a man torn between two nightmares. He was worried that Vicious' coup would not succeed and that they'd all be hunted, all become targets of the Van just like Spike and Julia. He didn't want that life. He was also worried that Vicious would succeed and what would happen then? If he got Julia back what would he do? Whom would he choose? Shin did not want to see his sister hurt like that either. Maybe Spike had done the right thing all along by leaving. Maybe they should have went with him. Kahni watched him from the corner of her eyes. He sat straight up, watchful, alert. Something was definitely bothering him but Kahni couldn't imagine what it would be. She hoped that Lin would be in a better mood for her homecoming. Still, she sighed and ran a hand through her long raven black hair. It was going to be a long ride home.
The building was the same, the sounds and smells of the lobby were all the same, but there was something about the atmosphere that wasn't right. It was heavy, weighing down on Kahni's shoulders. She glanced at Shin who was frowning. He felt it too. So what was going on that had him so uptight. Kahni didn't feel like wasting anymore time and decided to find out. "I'm going up." She told her brother.
"Wait. . ." Shin started but it was too late, Kahni was already in the elevator and the door was closing. He had to run to squeeze in beside her. He huffed and glared at her. "You could have waited." Kahni grinned but said nothing.
Kahni tried to stop herself from trembling as she stood before the huge double doors of Vicious' office. She was finally home. Off of the main room, were three other rooms, two of which had their own doors. The largest was of course, Vicious' suite, the second was unofficially termed "her room." Vicious liked to call it her workshop, but more recently than not, it felt like a convenient place to stick her when he didn't want her in his way. The third and smallest room was Vicious' practice room and could only be reached by going through Vicious' suite. Everything was immaculate and she expected nothing less. Vic had changed nothing. His taste was expensive but not vulgar. She walked in and took up residence on the low backed white leather couch. Shin stood at the doorway like a statue. It wasn't long until Vicious joined them, followed by Lin and Garret.* Kahni jumped up at his approach and tilted her head.
"You gotta bird?." She said, half a question, half a comment. A bemused look crossed Vicious' face.
"I got lonely." was his sole response. He stretched his arm out and the bird hopped from his shoulder, walked down his arm and flew to its perch in the corner of the room. Now that Kahni looked at it, she realized it was in fact a sculptured stone tree. She laughed at the thought that if Shin hadn't shifted when Vicious came in, the bird may have landed on him. "What about you?" Vicious' words brought her gaze back to him and she walked up to him slowly.
"Absolutely."
As he bent down he slid his hand under her dark hair and held the back of her neck. She grabbed a fistful of his coat and sunk into him as they kissed. When she tried to pull back, he squeezed the back of her neck and held her in place close to him. She tried to look up into his eyes but she was too close, and could only see his tie.
Shin was restless and looked to Lin for help. Vicious gave a slight nod and the three men walked to the door. As soon as the two brothers were through the door Garret closed it and locked it. Shin turned. "What?"
"Let's go." Lin ordered, pulling him along down the hall. Shin glanced back at the doors once more and then obediently followed his twin toward the elevators.
"Vic," Kahni started but Vicious stopped her.
"Shh." He said quietly. His grip did not loosen and Kahni found herself trembling again. Once the door was secured Vicious pulled back from her a little.
"So you missed me." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
"Yes." She said, and meant it. She was scared now. She'd heard the door lock from the inside, and knew someone was still in the room with them but Vicious refused to give her any freedom to view the situation.
"What about your visitors?" he asked her. Kahni's hand slipped from his jacket. She could see his face now but refused to look at him. Vicious relaxed the hand at the base of her neck and forced her chin up with his other. "Tell me."
This was not what she was expecting when she came home. How had he found out. Of course he'd have been able to see the tapes and know that Julia had been there, but, she shuddered. He'd said visitors. Did he know about Spike?
"Why, if you already know." She managed to say without too much hesitation.
"I want to hear it from you." She met his gaze but his eyes were hollow. She swallowed to keep from crying out. "Tell me." he demanded again, his hand slipping from her chin and resting on her throat. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes but she managed to keep them from falling. She reached up and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket but he refused to relinquish his hold on her. She stared into his eyes, looking for something, anything that would give her a sign of what he knew. She found nothing there. The pressure on her throat got tighter.
"What do you want to know?" she asked, barely a whisper.
"Everything."
"Julia." She said after a moment. The name tasted bitter in her mouth. "Julia came to see me. She said that I was in danger and that you-" She stopped and tightened her grip in his sleeve. He released her neck and pulled away from her as she felt Garret step up from behind. She thought she would fall over without his body next to her. She felt exposed and cold just standing before him. "She said that you didn't love m." She couldn't finish the sentence. Vicious waited patiently, no expression on his face. "I didn't want her there, you know that." She pleaded to him. His face still did not change.
"That is not the one I am concerned with."
Oh, shit! He knew. Spike lied to her. Of course, Spike lied. And of course Vic had found out. Did she really think he wouldn't. She felt something twist inside her.
Vicious was getting impatient. "What did Spike say to you?"
So that was it. Maybe Vicious didn't know everything. Maybe he just suspected. If Julia had said she sent Spike, then Vicious knew Spike would go. Spike would do anything Julia asked. But why. Why was he making her do this. (I want to hear if from you) he told her. "He wanted to know how my brothers were doing." She looked up at him. He looked like a lost child, hands in his pockets waiting for someone to come along and take him back home.
"Is that all." Again, he didn't ask her, he was telling her to continue. She closed her eyes and tears rolled freely down her cheeks.
"He said that you had to be stopped." She felt like she was poisoning him, every word a needle longer and sharper than the last. "That I would die if I stayed with you." Vicious turned slightly, his silvery hair falling around his shoulders and obscuring her view of his face.
"So. What was his proposal?" God no, she thought. "What do you mean?" "Don't play that game Kahni. You know I hate when women lie to me." His voice was steady but edged with anger. Kahni couldn't stand it any longer. She sunk to her knees. Why did he insist on torturing himself like this.
You know why. He wanted to hear it, he needed to hear it from her own lips. That his friend, that Spike had tried to tear from his life yet another happiness, if indeed he found any happiness in her. She knew better than to make herself out to be that important. Still, why did he push this?
"He wanted me to go away with him." She felt dizzy. "He said he could protect me." There, she had said it, she was done. What more could he ask from her. Yet, he did ask.
"And?"
She looked up at him. What do you think, she thought. Her eyes were red but no longer wet. "I told him," no, she didn't say no, dammit. She never SAID no. "that you were my only protection." Vicious turned to face her again, apparently pleased with her answer. He took a hand from his pocket and reached for her.
"Come here." He demanded. She stood and walked towards him. He reached up and brushed hair out of her eyes, then slapped her, making her stumble but not enough to send her to the floor. "Why?" she said her voice shaky, her breath ragged.
"That's for striking Julia." He said, his back to her.
"But I never touched . . ." She stopped when he glanced over his shoulder. She knew what he meant then. That little comment that she let slip at the prison. Kahni's face turned red, a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Kahni stared at his back as he walked into his suite. To add further insult he left the door open, his way of invitation. She turned and headed for her room slamming the door behind her.
Do I have you intrigued? Please give me some input, I promise more Vicious in future chapters. And yes I know I took liberties with Lin still being in the picture, but, well you'll have to read in order to find out.