Gunshot Serenade

Disclaimer: I don't own Cowboy Bebop or Man who Sold the World

A/N: Thank you so much to all of the people who reviewed!

Chapter Four:

Tunnel Jazz

I thought you died alone

A long, long time ago…

Oh no,

Not me…

We never lost control.

You're face

To face

With the man who sold the world…

-David Bowie

Water fell from Faye's hair as she wrung it out. Droplets splattered on her ankles as the larger blobs shattered on the tile floor. Absentmindedly, Faye shook her head, throwing more crystalline shards around the steamy bathroom. She wrapped a fluffy towel around her thin frame and pulled open the bathroom door.

Like most of the rooms in her home, the hallway was bland. White walls, beige carpet. She couldn't paint or anything, and if she could, she wouldn't. No energy, no time. The only real bit of color in the room at the moment was Ed.

The girl was sprawled on the floor, spread eagle, inspecting the ceiling. Ein was curled up by her side. Faye walked toward her, pausing at her feet. She poked Ed's heel with her toe.

"What are you doing on the floor?" She asked, indifferent to the answer. Ed could lie on the kitchen table for all Faye cared.

Ed replied without looking up. "Faye-Faye got in big trouble with the bad guys today." She commented. Faye sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. And Faye is probably gonna pay for that one big time."

"Edward erased all of the tapes so Faye won't loose her job."

"Thanks, Ed. That was sweet." A corner of Faye's mouth turned up as she leaned against the wall. "But at this point, loosing my job should be the least of my worries."

"Are the bad men going to come after Faye?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Because I stole a lot of money from them, I guess. And then we blew them up."

"Does Faye do that a lot?"

"You have no idea."

Ed tilted her head up, her golden eyes locking on Faye. She stared at her a moment, then turned her attention to the dog. A few moments passed. Ed lowered her head back to the ground.

"Ed and Ein think that you should call Spike-person and Jet. They would help you."

Faye sighed again, her stomach sinking. Hadn't anyone told Ed Spike had died? Apparently not.

"I can't call Spike, Edward."

Ed's eyes grew large and round as she sat up to face Faye again.

"Why? Did Spike-Person and Faye-Faye have another big fight?" Faye looked down to the carpet.

"No... Spike died. A long time ago. Just after you left. Sort of." Faye herself could barely hear the words. She wasn't trying to protect Ed by whispering. She was trying to protect herself. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she still hoped that Spike would come back into her life as if he had never left.

Ed didn't move for a good thirty seconds after hearing the news. She just stared at Faye like she was crazy. Suddenly, something dawned on the teenager.

"Oh..... Edward understands now. Jet-Person said this would happen, right Ein?" The dog yipped. Ed flashed Faye a grin before standing up and giving Faye a deep bow. "Edward is going to her room. She will see Faye-Faye in the morning."

True to her word, Ed popped up, grabbed the dog, and slid into her room, grinning like a madwoman.

Faye groaned. Ed's eccentricities weren't important. She still didn't know which syndicate she had pissed off and how... fond... they were of revenge.

Faye pushed off the wall and wandered aimlessly into her room, pulling on fresh clothes. Clad in a pair of old, hole-ridden jeans and a black T-shirt, she fell back on her bed. She could see out her windows from her spot, and her twelfth story apartment had a good view of the bustling city.

Faye watched from her bed as the sun sank and lights began to flicker on in apartment buildings and offices, casting a strange glow on Faye's light blue sheets. It wasn't long before Faye drifted off into a troubled sleep.

$$

At exactly nine o'clock am, the shriek of an alarm clock woke Faye up. Groaning, she slapped her hand onto the nightstand, knocking off a few bottles of nail polish and a copy of Personal Power through Awareness as she searched for the source of the racket. Eventually, she found the clock, and clicked off the alarm before it drove her crazy.

She sat up slowly, her eyelids heavy. Thirteen hours of sleep, and she had gotten no rest at all. Bummer.

Faye rolled out of bed and caught a glance of herself in the mirror. None of the bruises she had earned yesterday showed up on her face, save the slice she had received from the shattered overhead light. Her arms and legs were sore as hell, and dotted with nasty purple marks. While she was sleeping, her once wet air had dried into a strange formation.

"Great..." She murmured, snagging a hairbrush and ripping it through her hair. She quickly threw on her uniform and slid the rhinestone earrings through her earlobes before stumbling out the door and into the kitchen.

Ed was already awake and had managed to put a pot of coffee on, the aroma of which drew Faye towards the counter. The girl herself was seated on the floor, sucking down a bowl of Lucky Charms. Trying her best to ignore the disgusting slurping, Faye poured herself a cup of black coffee and took a seat on the counter.

"Good morning, Faye-Faye!" Edward's cheerful voice seemed very loud for so early in the morning, and the accompanying yap from Ein made Faye cringe.

"Hey, Ed." Faye managed to reply, watching the steam rise off of her coffee. Ever since she had left the Bebop, she had never been able to put milk or anything in her morning coffee. One of a billion weird little changes.

"Is Faye going to work today?" Ed's voice startled Faye. She had thought their morning conversation was over.

"Yep. Gotta pay the bills."

"Ed knows. Ed's father said the same thing." Faye's head jerked up. That reminded her... why wasn't Ed on earth with her father?

"Say, Ed?" Faye asked, more curious then concerned. "What ever happened between you and your dad?"

Ed shrugged and placed her empty bowl next to her knee. "Ed got tired of wandering around with the father-person. Edward missed the Bebop very much."

Faye tilted her head to one side after taking a sip. "Yeah. I miss the Bebop, too." She sighed, finishing off her coffee and dropping the mug in the sink.

"Why doesn't Faye go back?" Faye paused, considering.

"Because there's nothing to keep me there anymore." Was her short reply as she hopped off the counter and went to grab her purse from the hallway. Ed followed.

"What about Jet-person?" Ed asked.

"Just Jet isn't enough." Faye muttered. "I'll be home late. Don't wait up. Stay here and don't burn the house down." She ordered, catching a glance at Ed over her shoulder as she slid on her shoes and opened the door to her apartment.

"Okie dokie artichokie!" Ed chirped, watching from the door as Faye stepped into the elevator.

$$

Faye watched as the steam swirled up from her coffee. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent, relishing in the heat seeping through the cheap paper cup. Two in the morning was the best time to be on the casino floor. It was almost completely empty, save the few dealers still working. Every once in a while Faye would hear the clatter of coins from the slot machines, but for the most part she was left to sip her coffee in peace.

Thoughts swirled through Faye's mind as she took occasional drinks from her cup. Like most nights, they were mostly thoughts of the Bebop. She didn't know why, but the time she spent there had hovered over her like a cloud. Like she was punishing herself for leaving Jet all alone. She thought back to what she had told Ed earlier.

Just Jet isn't enough...

She was suddenly angry at herself for saying such a thing. Why wasn't Jet enough? He had taken such good care of her, dealt with her constant leaving, kept her sane when Spike left. What the hell was wrong with her? She felt like she had betrayed the old man somehow. But the more she examined her words, the more she realized that she what she told Ed was the truth. It was all or nothing with Faye Valentine, and only Spike could complete the puzzle. Without him, it was nothing.

"I hope you're rotting in hell, Spike Spiegel..." Faye whispered. The words stung, but it was the truth.

"Bitter, are we, Faye?" Faye froze, the cup of coffee touching her bottom lip. Spike. She must be going crazy. Spike was dead. That was not him talking to her. It couldn't be. Impossible. Slowly, Faye opened her eyes.

A very alive Spike Spiegel was sitting across from her, a satisfied smirk planted on his handsome face.

$$

Spike watched silently, a smirk still firm on his lips, as Faye dropped her coffee. The paper cup tipped over as soon as it hit the table, black liquid seeping into green. One of Faye's hands was set in a pool of the steaming liquid. Burns slowly began to appear on the pale flesh. Faye didn't notice.

She sat, staring at Spike like she had seen a ghost. Not surprising, once Spike thought about it. Slowly, he moved his hand toward hers, gently plucking it from the smoldering puddle of coffee and placing in on a dry part of the table. Faye still didn't move.

A grin broke on Spike's face.

"What's wrong, Faye? Miss me?" Spike winked.

"You died, Spike... You left me all alone and then you... died... I saw your body... How..." Faye's voice was pained and quivering, the color drained out of her face. Spike watched as her hands balled into fists.

Spike shrugged. "Got lucky, I guess." He replied, a cocky grin replacing the smirk.

Before he could react, Faye lifted her hand, placing a sharp smack across his face. Spike winced momentarily, but met her eyes again quickly.

"That's impossible." Faye said, a bite in her voice.

"Modern medicine." He paused, waiting for her reaction. When she didn't move, he kept his eyes focused on her, taking in every detail that could hint to another slap. But she stayed perfectly still.

"This is crazy... I'm dreaming..." She moved her hand. Spike braced himself. When her hand moved past him and to her own arm, he cocked an eyebrow. Faye pinched herself. She winced, wiping away the drop of blood she had drawn.

"Looks like you're awake to me." Spike said the grin returning. Faye sighed and met his gaze.

"What do you want, Spike? Why are you here?" She unconsciously fiddled with a ring on her right hand.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"Bullshit. Why the hell are you here? And why didn't you find me sooner."

"It was impossible."

"What does that mean?"

"It means it was impossible to find you sooner."

"I hate you, Spike."

"I know. But that isn't what this is about."

"Then what is this about?"

Spike reached into the pocket of his black suite and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He took one out and offered it to Faye. She waved it away. Shrugging, he lit it, leaving his pack on the table. "That little stunt you pulled yesterday."

Faye furrowed her brow. "What does that have to do with you?"

"Nothing. But it has something to do with the Red Dragons. You pissed them off."

"So? I piss everyone I meet off."

"I'm serious, Faye." He caught her eye, and she must have seen the deadly glint. For once, shut up. "They aren't happy, and they're out for blood."

Faye cocked an eyebrow. "I'm a big girl, Spike. I can take care of myself."

"That much is obvious." He replied sarcastically. She shot him a death glare and stood, pulling on her coat and grabbing her purse as she came around the table.

"I'm leaving, Spike. If the Red Dragons are after me, that's fine. I'll be fine. I always am." With one last look at him, Faye turned her back to him and headed toward the door. Spike reached out and caught her hand. She froze suddenly, and Spike could hear her breath catch. He stood, dropping her hand as she neared her.

Faye turned to face him, her face apprehensive.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He said quietly. A corner of her mouth tilted up as she turned away from him.

"Fuck you, Spike."

Spike leaned against the blackjack table as he watched her walk through the casino doors. "You keep dreaming, Valentine..." He muttered to himself, taking a drag on his cigarette. It would be a long night.

$$

Faye walked at a brisk pace, her stomach in knots. She absentmindedly shook the hand Spike had caught, willing the tingling sensation away.

"Asshole..." she muttered to herself. She groaned when she realized she could see her breath. That meant it was cold. And cold was not good. Faye pulled her black coat tight around her body.

After ten minuites of walking, Faye paused. She had reached the tunnel that she passed through every night getting home. Saxophone music slowly drifted to Faye's ears, smooth and echoing. For some reason, Faye felt reluctant to pass the musician, who was seated on the ground at the far end of the dimly lit tunnel.

A good two minutes passed before Faye pressed on, tilting her head down so her hair covered her face. You could never be too careful. Faye wouldn't be surprised if what Spike said was true, and a hit man jumped out at her on the walk home.

She was near the far end of the tunnel, about to pass the saxophone player when the music stopped abrubtly. The sudden silence made Faye jerk her head up, suddenly at alert. Then she saw the man watching her.

His dark skin shimmered slightly in the artificial lighting, black eyes narrowed as he watched her. Faye's eyes darted to his neck in search of a red tie. All she found was the man's plain white shirt and black pants.

"You're up awfully late, Miss." He said, his deep voice bouncing down the tunnel. A corner of Faye's mouth turned up.

"You're one to talk." She replied. The man smiled his teeth dazzlingly white.

"True. But I'm waiting for someone." Faye cocked an eyebrow, a little suspicious.

"And who might that be?"

"My Valentine, Miss." Faye's eyes widened. She took a step back. The man continued, "You see, it's almost Valentine's day, but I have to leave day after tomorrow. So we're meeting today. Do you have a Valentine?"

Faye bit her lip, her mind rapidly searching for the date. February 9th. Maybe the man was telling the truth? Faye sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't really know. I guess not."

The man nodded understandingly. "Shame." Carefully, he placed his saxophone, which had been resting on his knee, into the black case beside him. One by one, he clicked the shining latches shut with his thumb.

Faye watched for a moment, but the feeling that something was wrong forced her to continue her walk home. She halted abruptly when she felt the cold barrel of a gun on the back of her neck. "Crap." Faye whispered.

"I'm really sorry, Miss Valentine," The man said as he swivled her around to face him, a hand tight on her wrist. "But orders are orders. I do what I'm told." He shrugged and brought the gun up to her forehead. The metal was cold against her skin.

Panic began to run through Faye as she watched the face of the man with the gun. She saw no emotion in the deep black eyes, and wasn't surprised. "You're a Red Dragon, aren't you?" The man smiled his blinding smile again.

"You bet your life I am. Goin' on five years now." He replied. He seemed proud. "What's your name? I know you know mine already."

"Why do you want my name?"

Faye shrugged. "Can't I know the man who killed me?" She asked. The man seemed to see the logic. Faye tried not to squirm, but his grip on her arm was cutting off circulation. She was buying time, but she didn't know what she was waiting for.

"Can't do any harm. I'm Sam." Faye smiled.

"That's a nice name. Named after someone?" Faye was very happy with herself. Just keep asking questions. Sam furrowed his brow.

"Yeah. My grandfather." Faye nodded.

"That's really cool, ya know? I'm not named after anyone." Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Alright. Enough talking. I'm sorry, but I have a job to do." Faye sighed. She tried to recall what had justified jumping out of a window the day before.

Not like I have anything to live for, anyway... Faye closed her eyes, ready for anything. Hopefully, a shot to the head would be painless.

Click.

Bang.

Faye opened one eye. A dead man was standing in front of her. Sam's empty eyes stared blankly at the wall above her. The gun to her head dropped and skittered across the cement sidewalk. The corpse hit the ground with a sick thud to reveal the person Faye Valentine both had wished would come and hated to see. Spike.

He stood, gun still smoking in his hand, a smirk fresh on his face.

"I told you so." Was all he said.

"Bite me." Faye shot back, her voice angry and relieved as she pushed off the wall and stepped over Sam's dead body, intent on getting home as soon as possible.

"With pleasure." Spike retorted, playfully reaching to grab her arm. She smacked his hand back, trying to hide the fresh fear in her eyes. She could hear Spike's soft laugh from behind her, and the quick footsteps as he jogged to catch up with her.

Faye shot him a smile. "Thanks." She said. He looked surprised for a moment, but quickly recovered and fell into step with her.

"No problem, Romany." She arched an eyebrow, watching him from the corner of her eye.

"Why are you following me?" She asked as she neared her apartment complex. He shrugged.

"I figured you owe me. The least you can do is put me up for the night." Faye turned to face him. He grinned.

"Asshole." She muttered.

"Bitch."

"One night."

"You won't even know I'm there. Besides, I know you've missed me."

Faye smirked. "Keep dreaming, Spiegel."

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long! I had a bit of writters block, and I'm not too sure on Spike's charicter... please review! And the only pairing I have so far is SF, but I'll keep you posted. Until next time!