Bad: Chapter 15
"Listen, ever get a feeling when you're taken by the hand
And led a course you can't command?
Went to bed but I'm not ready
Baby, I've been fucked already"
- Teenage Fanclub
Spike's eyes fell closed as he rode out the endorphin explosion in his brain, his body awash with sudden calm, his chest heaving as he battled with his tortured lungs.
"I think you needed that," Faye said breathily.
An easy smile came across his face. "You're goddamn right I did."
They lay side-by-side on Spike's narrow bed, coming down from the height of the thrill, catching their breath.
After awhile, Faye groaned and rolled onto her side, tucking an arm beneath her head. Without looking, Spike dropped his hand to the floor, fumbling around for his abandoned pants. He pulled them up onto his chest, digging in the pockets for his cigarettes.
Following Spike's lead, Faye reached up to grab the ashtray from the table at the head of the bed. He slid two cigarettes between his lips, lighting them at the same time, puffing hard to make sure they both caught spark, and handed one to Faye.
"Thanks," she said, settling back into her relaxed pose as Spike placed the ashtray on his naked chest.
Spike shook his head in amazement, swallowing hard.
"Wow."
"What?" she said, raising a manicured eyebrow.
"Three fucking years, that's what."
She smiled, drowsy, some reverence apparent in her voice. "I didn't know that. That's sweet."
He turned to look at her. "Still buzzed?"
"Oh, yeah," she said. "I better get up. I'm going to fall asleep."
Spike rolled his eyes a little. "You can sleep here."
"Thank God, because I did not want to get up," she said, laughing. She reached over to ash her cigarette.
"So, what were your plans?"
"Eh?"
"You said your plans fell through."
"Oh, nothing. I was gonna go see Bull, but he wasn't there," Spike said, recalling how perturbed he was by his earlier findings.
"What for?"
Spike shook his head. "No reason. Just seemed like I should."
She handed him her cigarette which he stubbed out for her. She rolled onto her stomach, pulling a pillow beneath her.
"You never struck me as the type to believe that shit."
"He's never wrong."
"It'd sure be nice if he could tell us how to get out of this mess," Faye said, her eyes drifting closed.
"Yeah," Spike said absently, distracted by thoughts of his previous encounters will Laughing Bull.
I was once killed before…by a woman.
You take women too lightly my friend.
On the contrary. Catch you later.
He turned to examine Faye who had already nodded off. He refused to regret this. He decided that before he'd even gotten her out of her dress. This was just a good time had between two friends. It was a way for him to get her out of his system, and likely the same was true for her as well.
But he felt something gnawing at him, something that said, 'this was a mistake.'
He moved the ashtray off his chest and onto the floor, closing his eyes, trying not to think.
"My shipmates are going to give me hell. I always bitch at them for getting drunk during the day. They start acting stupid."
"Fuck it. Just hang out here until you sober up," Neil said. "Or, better yet, keep drinking and sober up later." He pushed the bottle toward Jet.
Jet laughed. It seemed like it had been forever since he'd been able to cut loose like this.
"Tell me about them."
"I don't even know where to start," Jet said, pouring the final dregs of the scotch into his tumbler. "One of 'em is a chronic gambler who's likely to steal the shirt right off your body if you're not careful."
He threw back the rest of his drink.
"The other used to be all mixed up in a crime syndicate, and he's got a trail of bullshit a mile long following him at all times."
"Sounds like a real motley crew."
"I mean, don't get me wrong—I'm sure I'd take a bullet for either of them, but they've both got a way of grating on a man."
"You need to get yourself a new ladyfriend. Something to give troubles of your own."
The two men laughed rowdily, the alcohol amplifying their mirth.
"Seriously, though. What's stopping you? Alisa was the last woman I saw you with, and that was what, five years ago?"
Jet waved his hand. "Too much damn trouble."
"I hear ya. I started messing around this singer. Gorgeous blonde thing. Huge tits. She seemed totally cool, not catty or jealous or anything like that. She was all, 'yeah, yeah, I understand, you don't want anything serious' and then, BAM! I sleep with her once and she's telling me she loves me and she can't live without me and she's gonna kill herself if I leave her."
"How terrible your life is," Jet said, smirking over an unlit cigarette, cupping the flame and bringing it closer.
Neil shrugged. "What about the kid?"
"What about her?"
"Didn't you say you had a kid on the ship, too?"
"Not anymore," Jet said wearily. "That's who I'm looking for right now."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know. Ran off."
Drunken melancholy was beginning to surface as he spoke of Edward.
"I wish I coulda stopped her, but it didn't seem right. She's taken care of herself her whole life. She never needed us. We always needed her. Like now."
Jet was back to staring at the coffee table again, trying to work through in his mind just what the hell was making him so miserable about her.
"I shouldn't've brought it up. I didn't know it was such a sore spot."
"Not your fault. Just nothing to be done about it, I guess."
"About what?"
"I don't even know," Jet said, perking back up, emitting a soft chuckle. "I think it's the alcohol talking."
"Were you sleeping?"
"Eh, something like that."
"It's four in the afternoon."
"I was tired. What's up?"
"I won't be home until later. I'm gonna hang around and watch Neil play."
"Did he tell you what we were doing wrong?"
"Yeah. I'll tell you all about it."
"Alright. When will you be back so I can tell Faye?"
"I don't know. Midnight maybe."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later."
"Bye."
"Bye."
He shut off his comm. unit, tossing it on his pile of clothes. Faye had already pushed herself out of bed and was pulling on her dress.
Spike scratched his head, watching as she attempted to locate her underwear.
"Guess we should probably get around."
She nodded wordlessly, a distant look in her eyes as she bent to pull on her sandals.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, of course," she said, combing her fingers through her hair, pulling it up the same way she had earlier that morning when she awoke from her nap on the sofa. He realized as he watched her that it already felt like ages ago.
She came to stand beside him and he scooted over so she could sit on the edge of the bed.
"Today was fun, but I don't think we should do it again."
He smirked, "Probably a good idea."
She smiled back and then looked down at her hands, "It's just…"
"No need to explain. I was thinking the same thing myself."
She looked back up and they stared at each other for a moment. Despite their shared sentiments about future trysts, Spike was certain that nothing would ever be the same.
"Com'ere," he said lowly, intending to squeeze in a final moment of indulgence before she departed.
She leaned in to kiss him, their lips meeting heatedly, far more sensuous than their earlier encounter. His hands gripped both sides of her face as she fought to keep her balance.
He broke away.
"Maybe just one more time."
"Sure," she said, adamant in her agreement as he pulled her on top of him.
AN: Don't drink, kids.
