Cigarette

A Cowboy Bebop Fanfiction

by Elmblossom17, aka Jessica Robinson

04/14/'03

Warnings & Disclaimer Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. I have no money. I am writing this only for my own enjoyment and not financial gain. Please don't sue. Warning #1: this is a Spike X Faye fic, so if so don't like that pairing, you probably won't like this fic. Warning #2: This story is a (slightly) romantic, rather humorous interlude taking place sometime after what in the original series was Episode 26, 'The Real Folk Blues (part 2)'. \/ I subscribe to the 'Spike is alive' theory because: A.) It's just too sad! and B.) How could he get together with Faye if he didn't survive?

Spike looked over his shoulder. He kept getting the feeling that someone was watching him- but who? And more importantly, why? He was more than slightly creeped out.
Sighing, Spike gave up on trying to spy out whoever was spying on him, and looked back down at his hands. One clutched an unlit cigarette, and the other a lighter. His hands shook slightly as he lit the cig, and then he took a deep draw on it. Immediately he was coughing fit to burst, and he threw the burning cancer stick on the ground. He ground it out with the heel of his shoe.
Spike tossed the lighter to the couch beside him, and collapsed against the broken-down piece of furniture. He felt like laughing hysterically, or crying hysterically, or both, possibly at the same time.
"What am I supposed to do?" he whimpered. He put his hands over his eyes, pressed the heels hard into his sockets, and rubbed furiously. His eyes were red, constantly watering, and irritated the hell out of him.
Suddenly, Spike felt someone's presence in the room. He spun around to see Faye standing in the doorway of the living room, staring at him with a puzzled expression on her too-cute face. Spike mentally cursed himself. He was not going to think about how cute the little thief and gambler woman was; he wasn't going to think about her at all.
"Spike?" she said softly, the sound of her voice making her partner's hackles rise.
"What?" he grunted in response, scooting lower down on the couch. He didn't want to look at her. Weird things happened in his gut when he looked at her. It disturbed him.
"What are you doing out here? It's...really late..." Faye yawned.
"Nothing," Spike snarled, sinking even lower. He could not escape from her! He couldn't see her, but just knowing she was there was enough to set him off. He growled at himself mentally.
"Spike? Is there something wrong?" It was evident from the earnest-sounding concern in Faye's voice that she was honestly worried about Spike. This was the last thing he needed. He cursed under his breath.
"I'm just not feeling too great, that's all," Spike grudgingly said.
"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that... Is there anything I can do to help"
'Yeah! Just hop on over here and git nekkid, and then we can...' Spike smacked himself on the thigh before he could take that line of thought any further. "Not unless you know a way to make my cigarettes work again..." he muttered.
Faye came around the side of the couch and sat down, and Spike averted his eyes from her deliciously curvaceous little body. She was just too... He couldn't even think of a word that would describe Faye.
"What's wrong?" she asked again, and Spike wanted to either kiss her until she shut up or strangle her to the same point.
"My cigarettes do not work anymore," he repeated out loud. He sighed, gazing longingly at the crushed cigarette he'd attempted to smoke earlier.
"How... I've never heard of cigarettes 'not working,' Spike," Faye said in confusion.
"Yeah, well, mine don't," Spike snarled. He felt a migraine coming on and groaned.
"What's the matter?" Faye asked again.
"Migraine," Spike replied abruptly, and clutched his head. "Gawddamm," he moaned. This was the worst one yet.
Suddenly, he felt Faye's hands over his. She manoeuvered his hands in a repetetive massage pattern over parts of his temples, shocking him. It was even more shocking when the pain abruptly lessened and then went away completely. Spike looked up and stared at his rescuer with wide eyes. "How did you"
She grinned and giggled lightly, waving one hand flippantly. "Just something I picked up," she said.
Spike couldn't help but let his starving eyes drink deeply of her beauty while she wasn't paying attention. He sighed deeply and averted his enamored gaze before she noticed him staring at her dreamily. 'Oh, how I want you,' he thought sadly. His face fell.
Faye studied Spike's face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. She was immensely attracted to the space cowboy, but she could never quite figure him out. He was an enigma...that was part of her attraction to him, she figured. But he would never be able to love anyone but Julia... Faye sighed and looked away, feeling the old sadness welling up in her heart again.
Spike stole another glance at his little gypsy, and saw that she looked sad and unhappy. Before he could stop himself he blurted out, "What's the matter"
She looked at him, and their eyes met. For a long, drawn-out moment, Spike couldn't breathe. He was drowning in her emerald green eyes.
Faye felt trapped and frightened. Spike was looking at her in a way that reminded her of Whitney. Hungry, adoring, a little bit scared. But this was Spike... Spike, her partner, her buddy, her pal... and the man she had secretly loved for so long now, she could no longer remember what life was like before him. Was it even possible that Spike could feel the same way for her that she did for him...? Her mind said 'No,' but her heart cried 'Yes'
"Faye," murmured Spike, "I"
Suddenly, a barking Ein came flying through the living room, closely followed by Ed the wonder-weirdo, who flapped her arms like a bird's wings and shouted "Ed-birdie! Ed-birdie flyyyyyingg!" over and over again. Both Spike and Faye stared in shock at the girl and the dog, and then looked back at each other and started laughing.

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