An idea of what might happen on the Bebop after Spike leaves in The Real Folk Blues Part II. I felt compelled to write this after finishing watching the series. I don't know about you, but the ending just left me so. . . I dunno! Just sort of sad and hollow, but at the same time king of satisfied, I actually cried (God I'm a loser!). Anywho, hope you enjoy. I might leave this as a one-shot or continue, depending on what you guys think, so please give your opinion!

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Last Waltz

The hull of the Bebop was empty, silent and empty, except for a solitary woman, and a solitary bottle of whisky; she sat hunched and shivering in front of the observation panels. Her spine protruded as she hugged her knees, the bare dim light of space cold against her flesh. All around was shadow, and in this shadow sat Faye.

Footsteps sliced through the silence, but she did not turn. She continued to stare listlessly into the vast black. Jet stopped behind her, and looked out. Once again silence engulfed the pair, silence but for the hum of the ship, which was now too familiar to be registered by either.

There were thoughts, words, which hung in the air between them. Tangible almost, but neither Faye nor Jet dared to touch them, as if in being voiced they would become reality. Finally, Jet spoke,

'You should get some rest.'

'I can't sleep.'

There was a long pause, and once again those ideas seemed to be pounding at an invisible door, pounding in the heads of the man and woman. Jet glanced at Faye and noticed that her eyes were red-rimmed. Maybe it was the whisky. How long had she been sitting there, foetus-like? Hours, hours just watching, drinking, waiting. Wavering between hope and doubt, her stomach tied in knots, her whole body exhausted by the tension, mental and physical.

'Can I have a sip of that?' he asked, Faye gave him the bottle, which he took a hefty drink from and handed back, asking, 'Where did you get this from anyway?'

'It's Spike's.' she answered, 'He thought I didn't know about his stash but, I knew. I didn't drink it though, figured I might need it more later.' she laughed mirthlessly, 'Guess I was right.' she drank, and the oppressive silence fell once more, this time all the worse because the taboo had been breached, He had been mentioned. There was a sharp painful recognition at that moment, as if the curfew had just passed, a shared certainty which cut through them both.

'I loved him, you know.' said Faye, and she took a swig of whisky. Jet did not answer, but she sensed a sort of convulsion in him.

Then Faye rested her head on her knees and began softly crying, her shoulders gently shaking with the voiceless sobs. Jet felt compelled to comfort her, but what reassurance could he give? He had never touched her, not really, not deliberately. So he stood, straight and unmoving, staring at his own reflection in the glass while Faye cried quietly beside him. After a time the sobs became softer, the shivering less violent, until eventually she was silent, and Jet wondered if maybe she'd fallen asleep.

'You're a better person than I am.' murmured Faye, 'I'm selfish, utterly utterly selfish.' she drew in a long breath, 'You told him,' her voice shook, 'you told him to go, even though it meant he might not come back. I. . . I wasn't brave enough, I've never been brave enough, to. . . to just let him,' she let out a sob, 'to just let him go. I could never let him go. I was scared, because I knew that if I told him, if I told him what Julia had said, even if he lived, he wouldn't come back, he wouldn't come back to me. And now. . .' Faye stubbornly blinked the tears out of her eyes, 'Now he's gone, whatever happens, he's gone.' Another swallow of whisky. 'That's the difference, see. Women like Julia, they don't ever need to hold on because people cling to them. But me,' Faye's eyes flickered and glazed before she regained herself and continued, 'Spike can just run off without a thought, it doesn't matter if he leaves me behind, if he's one of the only things I have left to care about, him and you and this stupid ship.' she thumped the bottle hard against the metal floor, shattering it. Pieces of glass scattered and Faye hissed in pain, drunkenly dropping the bottle neck and grabbing her palm.

Jet was crouched beside her in an instant, tearing a strip off his sleeve and pressing it hard on to the gash across her palm,

'Hey, what are you doing?' Faye cried out in pain, the strip had already turned purple, sodden with blood. Jet grunted, swiftly undoing his jacket and dragging off his shirt. His teeth were in the fabric, tearing off strip after strip which he thrust around her hand, winding it tight. Faye, too exhausted and drunk to comprehend what was happening, struggled lamely, but Jet held her fast, and any strength she had gave way as she slumped on to the ground in a mess of blood, alcohol and glass.

'There' breathed Jet finally; her hand was swaddled in the tatters of his shirt and the blood flow appeared to have subsided. Faye was panting, her breath moist with alcohol. Jet too was exhausted with the effort, and sat down beside her, leaning on his knees and breathing hard.

'Always causing trouble.' murmured Jet, looking at Faye, who was swaying as she stared out of the window. The blood loss combined with her already inebriated state did not seem to have had a good effect on her. She closed her eyes and drooped against Jet's shoulder, his real shoulder. He started at the sensation of her hair on his skin, and sat rigid as she curled her arms around his and sighed in mindless contentment. The discomfort was soon succeeded however by thoughts of Spike, and Jet dropped his head, sitting like that for a time, unconscious of Faye or the ship or anything else, just mourning, that was all.

'I want you' whispered Faye, running her fingers clumsily across his muscular torso. Jet's heart pounded as she pushed herself against him. She hummed with satisfaction, 'Spike'.

'What?' Jet suddenly pushed her away from him and she drooped to the floor unconscious. He sighed with a mixture of relief and exasperation, like a father on seeing his daughter return late from a party.

'I wonder if.' he stared at her still form, 'If you'd said that to Spike, would he have gone through with it? If there were no Julia, what might have happened?' he shook his head, 'I guess we'll never know now. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway. You're both too damn stubborn and troublesome. It's nice to imagine though. Maybe he did love you. It doesn't matter now, it never did really. It never mattered what he felt about any of us, as long as he loved Julia. For him, she outshone everything, even his own mortality.' Jet found unexpected tears creeping into the corners of his eyes, which he swiped away, guiltily.

Effortlessly he lifted Faye's body and carried her like a child to her room, placing her gently on her mattress and pulling the sheets over her. She stirred softly, drawing them to her chest. As he looked down on her, peaceful and serene (such a contrast to her waking character) Jet felt something strange kindle in him, and, almost without thinking he said,

'You don't have to worry any more. I'll take care of you. If you need to run, I'll run with you. You'll always have a home here on the Bebop.' Faye smiled,

'Marry me.' she murmured.

'I'm not Spike.'

'I know,' Faye's eyes fluttered open slightly, 'Marry me, Jet.' He stood, motionless, his mind whirring. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his great weight making her roll towards him.

'Do you really want to marry an old geezer like me, Faye?' she nodded gently and curled herself around him,

'I know I'm difficult, but you've always looked after me. With you I'd be safe – I'd have a family, and a place to belong. That's what I want more than anything.' Jet shook his head, shaking the mist from his mind,

'You're drunk, and tired, and you feel lonely because of,' he drew a breath, 'because of Spike. But don't worry, we'll be partners, and we'll look out for each other, because that's what partners do.' Faye wailed softly and, drawing herself up said,

'I don't want a partner, I want. . . I want,' she clutched his neck, her eyes now wide and liquid. She suddenly pushed her mouth against his. Jet drew back but Faye wouldn't let go, she twisted him on to the bed and continued to kiss him, hard and passionately. Jet was suddenly very aware of her, of her body, her breasts, her hips, her legs. He was growing hot, his heart beating, his blood pumping. Without realising, he began to kiss her back. With tremendous effort he dragged his lips from hers, thrusting her away from him. For a few stunned moments they stared wide-eyed at one another, their pulses racing, their chests heaving.

'No' he panted, 'This isn't right.' Faye stared at the smear of lipstick across his mouth, her head swimming with sadness and desire.

'Don't you want to?'

'I do. I mean, no. I mean,' he ran his bionic hand over his head, 'You're a beautiful woman Faye. Dangerously beautiful. You're young and vulnerable, it's just not right.'

'But I want to' she slurred, sliding her hand deftly into his trousers. Jet leapt up at her touch.

'What if he's still alive?' he blurted. This seemed to have an impact on Faye. She paused motionless, and her eyes moved in and out of focus as her swollen mind tried to make sense of what was happening. Her lips moved as if she were about to speak, but she didn't.

'You okay?' asked Jet. Faye made a noise which might have been positive or negative but it was too tiny to tell, before asking,

'Where's Ed?'

'She left, remember? We don't know where she is.' Faye slid on to the pillow, her eyes still half open and muttered something incomprehensibly.

'What?' Jet leaned closer to hear,

'Waterfall.'

'Waterfall?'

'That's where she is, I think. I hope,' she breathed heavily, and her breath was think with whisky, 'she finds where she belongs, and Spike. Everyone needs to belong, that's why we're all here. . . why we were all here. You, me, Spike, Ed, Ein, we all had no home, so we kind of fell together, and then for a little while, just for a little while, we belonged. I hope they come home.'

Jet almost touched her hair, but withdrew his hand,

'Me too.' Faye's eyelashes fluttered and she fell asleep. Jet stood and thought for a few seconds more, then closed the door, and went to bed.