Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction ❯ Play Me Some More of that Old Blues ❯ Chapter 22- Final ( Chapter 22 )

 

 

 

Chapter 22

 

 

 

Jet could hear the sounds of gunfire from two blocks away. He held his gun in one hand and kept communication with Ed on the comm. in his other hand. A short distance away, Caulder was holding his own shouted conversation with someone at the site of the battle.

 

“Dammit, no! I want you to cease firing immediately, do you understand! I'll deal with the military when I arrive, the last thing we need is them coming down on us!”

 

Ahead, a group of about five men were running from the scene- one man held his bloodied arm close to his chest as he fled with his companions.

 

Moments later, there was a final spatter of shots… and then silence.

 

Instead of a feeling of peace, Jet experienced a stab of dread as the quiet seemed to echo around him. This couldn't possibly have ended well.

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Bill Hollis crouched behind the freighter as the gunfire faded to nothing. The crimson stain on his arm had stopped spreading, for which he was very grateful. Some of his men, he noted, had run at the first break in the fighting. He really couldn't blame them though, they weren't soldiers after all.

 

Distantly, Hollis could still hear shouting, but no more shots thank goodness. His own ragtag group of fighters huddled around him breathing heavily. It had exploded into far more of a battle than they had anticipated, and they all welcomed the respite, no matter how short it may turn out to be.

 

“Andy, check on Will, that leg doesn't look too good to me. Frank, have you seen Tommy lately”

 

Frank wiped a meaty hand across his sweating brow as he turned to Hollis. “I think him and a few other guys are the ones that ran off about five minutes ago. Don't be harsh on him Bill, he's just eighteen you know.”

 

Hollis shook his head. “I'm not upset, I'm just hoping he survived.”

 

There was an echoing click, and then a voice could be heard speaking through a megaphone.

 

“Hold your fire, everyone drop your weapons! This is the military police, I repeat, drop your weapons and come out where you can be seen!”

 

Bill looked around at his friends. “Well boys, think we can take them?” It was said with a weary smile, knowing the battle was over. In any event, it cut out some of the tension, and with a look of silent agreement, they all stood as one and walked out into the hanger, knowing they could very well be walking into their deaths.

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“Sir, you need to see this!”

 

Faye allowed herself no time to think as she raised the gun. She would probably only have one shot before they'd be on her.

 

She'd better make it count.

 

The General turned away from her as the soldier spoke. For a split second, nobody was looking at her. She raised her arms, praying they'd stay steady… and pulled the trigger.

 

There was nothing but a click, the gun was empty.

 

Immediately she was tackled and the gun was wrenched from her hand. Something hard struck her in the back of the head and she fell to her side, dazed.

 

“That will be quite enough of that missy.” Came the droning voice of the General. Faye ignored him as the last of her hopes faded away. Achingly, she rolled on her side, and found herself face to face with Spike. His eyes were slowly focusing, and he was looking at her strangely. She'd seen that look before, and it frightened her for some reason.

 

“I'm sorry.” She whispered. The odd look intensified. She realized the last time he'd looked at her that way was when she'd run into him after taking a shower… the one where she'd finally recovered her memory. She'd apologized then too, something she'd never done before. His brows pulled together as he stared into her eyes. Only one other time had they been this close. The day he'd walked out on them. Only this time, he wasn't the one playing with fate… she was.

 

“Why Faye?”

 

She looked away. Why did it matter anymore?

 

A short ways away, the General was focused on something lying on the floor. All at once, the soldiers raised their rifles, holding them on something. The General spoke through the rustle.

 

“Well now, this is a very interesting turn of events I daresay. Mr. Mathis, would you kindly explain how it is you've recovered from that bullet wound to your back so quickly?”

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Jet and Caulder entered the hanger at a trot. Ahead of them, a group of soldiers had their rifles trained on a small group of unarmed men. A short distance away, Caulder's own men were standing about uneasily, their weapons held in tense hands.

 

As Caulder approached, one of the soldiers held up his hand to stay him. “Sir, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave immediately, we have a situation here and civilians are not permitted access.

 

Caulder held up his hand. “My name is Richard Caulder, my men are just over there. I suggest you let me pass.”

 

Jet pushed his way past the soldier. “Trust us kid, we've got more reason to be here than you do.” The soldier tentatively raised his weapon, but paused as he suddenly had twenty barrels pointed his way by Caulder's men. In defeat, he allowed them two men to continue on without protest.

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Mathis started to sit up, then paused as the weapons trained on his face. The General was looking at him with a trace of a smile curling his lip.

 

“So Mathis, when were you planning on sharing this little secret of yours?”

 

Mathis winced; his back still ached where he'd been shot. “You have what you came for, just give me what you owe me. And tell your men to get their damn guns out of my face!”

 

The General smiled wider, folding his arms over his thick chest. “If you ask me, two people with the amazing ability to regenerate are far more useful than just one. Don't you think?”

 

Mathis's eyes widened, and with a surge of adrenaline he launched himself at the General, only to be met with the butt of a rifle in his face.

 

The General gestured to the unconscious man. “Take him and Miss Valentine to the ship. And take care of the other one.”

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The General had barely passed through the airlock when something cold and hard pressed into his cheek. “I suggest you reconsider your orders General.” Said a gravely voice. The General turned his head to see a large man with a prosthetic arm holding a gun, which was currently pressed to his face.

 

“Miss Valentine happens to be a friend of mine, and I'm taking her back.”

 

Several soldiers stood near the General, weapons trained on the other man. Behind Jet, Mr. Caulder appeared, holding up his hands in peace. “Gentlemen, if I could have a word with you please.”

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Once Caulder introduced himself, the General became far more accommodating. It seemed that Richard Caulder was close friends with a Colonel George Buck, who happened to be the General's Commanding Officer. As Caulder made his proposal, Jet slipped by the two men. He could see what looked like the top of Faye's head through the group of soldiers, and he practically threw the men out of his way in an effort to see if she was all right.

 

What he saw stole all the feeling from his limbs. Distantly he heard his gun hit the deck plates with a clank, but he didn't connect the sound to anything that had to do with him. He just couldn't accept what he saw.

 

“S- Spike?” He didn't recognize his own voice, nor did he even realize he had spoken until Faye suddenly turned to him, eyes shining, to call his name.

 

“Oh my God, Jet!”

 

At her exclamation, Spike struggled to sit up, a lopsided smile on his face.

 

“Yo. Took you long enough.”

 

Jet shook his head in disbelief. “Impossible… Caulder told me you survived but… I didn't really believe it…”

 

Spike groaned. “Man, I could really use a cigarette.”

 

The strangeness of the situation struck him, and Jet began to laugh. Moments later, Faye and Spike joined him, their mirth gathering odd looks from the armed men nearby. But that all went unnoticed. For the moment, this was all that mattered.

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They stood together in the medical wing of Caulder's building. This time, however, nobody was being held there against their will. Spike grumbled while the leg braces were reattached to his sore limbs, and grudgingly endured the lecture from Dr. Wilde about straining the abused muscles further. On another bed, Faye was being treated for her gunshot wound. The nurse at her side straightened suddenly, a look of confusion in her eyes.

 

“Doctor? Maybe you should look at this.”

 

Wilde finished attaching the brace, then strode quickly to where the nurse was standing. “What's happening Sara?”

 

The young woman gestured to the microscope. “I took a sample of her tissue as you ordered, but… but something doesn't seem right.”

 

Stepping forward, Wilde peered through the lens, a frown deepening the longer he looked. Finally he stepped away, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket. Shaking his head, he walked to Faye's bedside. Her eyes opened wearily as he placed a hand on her head.

 

“What's the verdict, am I gonna die?”

 

Wilde smiled at her. “No, you seem to be recovering quite well. Those little guys inside you managed to heal most of the damage, in spite of everything.”

 

Faye was already drifting as he spoke, and was soon asleep. Ordering the nurse to remain close, Wilde returned to where Spike was already standing, albeit leaning against a nearby wall. Jet stood a short distance away talking on the comm.

 

“Yo Doc, we free to go yet?”

 

Wilde nodded. “As soon as your friend recovers her strength. However, I think there's something you should hear, and Mr. Caulder as well.” At that, he motioned for them to follow him. Signing off, Jet shot Spike a questioning look. With a shrug, Spike simply followed after Wilde. Stashing his communicator, Jet trailed after them.

 

Moments later, the three men stood with Caulder in his office. The shades were up, allowing light to filter into the room. Outside, the activity of the moon progressed as if nothing had happened that day.

 

Caulder sighed as he left his contemplation of the world outside his window. “You had something you needed to tell me Dr. Wilde?”

 

Wilde looked down, not sure how to say what he needed to say. How do you tell a man his dreams were about to die?

 

Caulder did it for him.

 

“They don't work anymore, do they. The nanomachines.”

 

Wilde nodded. “They were already shutting down by the time Miss Valentine arrived in the office. When I checked the sample just now, they were completely inactive. Already the machines were beginning to break down. In a few hours, there will be no trace of them in her body.”

 

“I'm sorry sir.”

 

Caulder nodded. With an odd chuckle, he clasped his hands behind his back. “Guess the General will be in for a bit of a surprise when he realizes Mathis will be useless to them.”

 

Wilde nodded. “Yes, I suppose he will. If you don't mind sir, I should get back to my patient.”

 

Caulder dismissed him with a small wave. “By all means.”

 

After Wilde left, Caulder returned to the window. The two other men weren't sure if he still remembered they were there until he spoke.

 

“All your hopes. You place everything on one thing… and when it's gone, you're left with nothing. It is enough to make you not want to believe in anything.”

 

Jet and Spike shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to say in the face of the older man's devastation. Perhaps aware of their discomfort, Caulder turned to them.

 

“You should get back to your friend. She's waited for you long enough.”

 

When the heavy door closed behind him, Caulder slowly sank to his knees on the thick carpet. He felt as though his limbs had suddenly gained weight, and he no longer had the strength to hold himself up. With a single cry, he slammed the side of his fist into the wall. With no one to witness his pain, he wept his grief in silence.

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It was a week before Faye was healthy enough to leave. During her recovery time, both Jet and Spike were invited to stay with the Hollis family. Bill Hollis had been released from military custody, along with his friends, as part of the agreement Caulder made with the General. Jet declined, preferring to return to the Bebop and prepare for departure. Spike spent most of his time with Bill, as he enjoyed the older man's company and his wife's cooking. And though he'd never admit it, it gave him time to think about what had transpired between him and Faye while fighting Mathis. He wasn't sure what to think of that last moment, when Faye prepared to sacrifice herself for him. Did she honestly feel he was really worth it? What would that mean now? As usual, when the thoughts became too heavy, Spike slipped outside for a smoke, a habit generously rekindled by Jet.

 

It was early in the day when they prepared to leave. Spike had already said his goodbyes to the Hollis's, consisting of a wave and a brief `see ya'. Jet stood by the ramp of the Bebop, Ed jumping by his side excitedly. She had already been cautioned not to jump on Faye or Spike until they were healed. However, that didn't prevent her from jumping on Jet when the mood struck her. At her feet, Ein bounced around just as wildly, barking now and then while she giggled happily.

 

Finally, Faye emerged from the building. Richard Caulder walked on one side, with Dr. Wilde on the other. As they neared the Bebop, Spike appeared at the top of the ramp, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Jet glanced up at him, and almost thought he saw a glint of concern in Spike's eyes. Whatever he might have seen, however, was partially obscured by the haze of smoke from Spike's cigarette. Disregarding it, Jet turned back to where Faye had stopped. She was saying something, but from where he was Jet couldn't make out the words. Impatiently, he began tapping his foot. He couldn't get off this moon soon enough!

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A few yards from the ship, Faye stopped her progress. Wilde asked if she was alright, but she waved off his concern. Turning to Caulder, she looked the older man in the eyes.

“I know about your son. I just wanted to say… don't give up hope yet. Stay here, wait for him, and love him… until the day he returns to you.” She glanced at the Bebop, up at Spike where he leaned in the hatchway. She smiled softly as he looked back, his brow raised in question. “Sometimes what you wish for most… actually happens.”

 

Once aboard the ship, Faye allowed the last vestiges of stress to bleed from her. She was finally home.

 

The thought brought her up short. Home. It was true, this place really was her home, and the people around her were her family. There was no question they felt the same way after all the trouble they'd gone through to bring her back.

 

Ed giggled at her feet where she was typing at her Tomato. “Faye Faye is smiling!”

 

Faye suddenly bent down and wrapped the other girl in a hug. “It's good to see you too Ed!” Rolling to his feet, Ein barked.

 

It really was good to be home.

 

As the ship lifted off from the surface of the moon, Jet breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, until that moment, he wasn't totally sure they were going to make it out in one piece.

 

In the main living area, Spike and Faye were playing some sort of card game. In spite of the fact that she wasn't wearing her special ankle bracelets, Faye was still winning. In the corner, Ed tapped away at her computer, with Ein snoring at her side. For a moment, Jet felt a flash of déjà vu. The whole scene was surreal. With the ship set on autopilot, Jet made his way to the kitchen. He had a special surprise for them now that everyone was back onboard.

 

Fifteen minutes later, he leaned into the living room wearing his dark glasses and an apron. “Yo, food's on!”

 

Spike looked up, along with Faye and an already salivating Ed. “What is it?”

 

Jet smiled. “Bell peppers and beef!”

 

Ed cheered. “Alright! Ed is very hungry!” Faye and Spike groaned as they sat at the table. Steaming plates were set before them. Ed and Ein dove in right away. For his part, Spike nudged the food with his chopsticks. Suddenly he stopped, looking at Jet oddly. “There's beef in here.”

 

Faye sat up. “What! Really, there is?” Excitedly she pulled her bowl towards her. “Oh my God, you really cooked something this time!” With almost as much enthusiasm as Ed she scooped a mouthful, chewing quickly. “Wow Jet,” she exclaimed through her mouthful, “this is fantastic! I had no idea you were capable of real food!”

 

Jet crossed his arms. “Now wait just a minute,”

 

Spike swallowed his second bite. “She's right Jet, I have to say I'm impressed. I never would have expected this from you!”

 

The older bounty hunter growled as he grabbed his own bowl. “Quit being obnoxious. Just remember, if you want to eat like this again you're gonna have to start earning your keep!”

 

At his words, the youngest member of the group squealed with glee. “Ed found a bounty!”

 

Jet nearly choked on his food.

 

“Gah, what? You did?”

 

Ed nodded. “Yep! A really really bad man!” Flipping away from the table, she grabbed her Tomato. “See, here he is!”

 

All three of them leaned forward. Faye read the numbers out-loud.

 

“Fifty Thousand Woolongs for the capture of… oh God, you have got to be kidding me!”

 

Ed recited happily. “Andrew Mathis! This subject is highly dangerous and prone to violent mood swings. If spotted, do not approach but contact your local authorities immediately!”

 

“He got away from the military?”

 

Spike shook his head. “Those guys would lose their dicks if they weren't in their pants.”

 

Jet looked around at the group. “Well, what do you say?”

 

Faye smiled slowly. “Yeah, let's do it!”

 

Spike nodded as well. “He and I have some unfinished business.”

 

Jet stood to his feet. “It's settled then. Ed, get me his last known coordinates. Spike, no lone gun crap this time- you and Faye can work together for once!”

 

Spike sputtered. “Jet, are you kidding- Faye?”

 

The object of his ire smiled tightly. “Sorry pal. When you left the ship, I moved up the ladder. As of this moment, I'm the one calling the shots!”

 

Spike leaned back against the couch. “We'll see about that.”

 

Faye grinned. “Wanna make a bet?”

 

Ein barked.

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It's come full circle…

 

 

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Oh. My Goodness.

 

Is it really, finally over? I knew I'd finish- eventually, I just didn't expect it would happen this century!! I know, I know- I left it wide open! And yeah- no huge romantic ending for Spike and Faye. But hey- that just can't happen… yet. It'll take time. Besides, it's just more fodder if I ever choose to write further stories based on this timeline. In any event, thank you all so very very very much! You guys are amazing to have stuck with me for so long!

 

As before, if you'd like to see illustrations based on this story, please visit my page at:

 

w w w.dragonnan.deviantart. c o m

 

There's a ton of other artwork there as well- so it may take some searching. Anyhow, I'll see you again!

 

-Tanya