Faye: The Therapy Sessions *Chapter 10*

[Red Ninja]

Chapter 10 - So Much for the Afterglow -

My manager jumped up on stage.

"So we have a challenge and what's your name?"

"Julia"

"Someone special you're singing this for tonight?"

"This is for the love of my life. I just want him to know I never stop thinking about him and that I'll love him until the day I die. We woke up out of that dream together, now I'd like to spend the rest of my reality with you."

I stood there as she got a rousing round of claps. I stood with the mananger off to the side of the stage.

"Let's see what this cutie can do, eh Faye?"

"Right...."

"Come away with me in the night
Come away with me and I will write you a song
Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can't tint us with their lies
and I want to walk with you on a cloudy day
in fields where the yellow grass grows knee high
So won't you try to come
Come away with me and we'll kiss on a mountain top
Come away with me and I'll never stop loving you
and I want to wake up in the rain falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
and all I ask
is for you to come away with me in the night
Come away with me"

It was short, sweet, and absolutely beautiful. The audience replied with a standing ovation. My manager patted me on the shoulder.

"Don't let it get you down Faye."

I didn't care the audience had choosen her. I cared about one person. I searched through the croud for him, only to see him staring blankly at his table. I dreaded that look. That look meant indecision.....the worst thing in the world to me. I felt sick and high tailed it into the bathroom. 'Say good-bye to dinner.'

I was hovering over the toliet in the handicapped stall. And within minutes my dinner and a good deal of bile had been flushed away. I was still short of breath and shaking, I was cursing myself for not having my communicator on me. I need the help of a professional at the moment. I knew I had lost him, it was just a matter of time, I guess. I don't now why I didn't see it. Why would he care for a woman like me? I heard someone open the door, I didn't really pay attention until he spoke.

"Faye?"

I acted like I wasn't there 'maybe he'll just go away.' He walked in front of the door and after some fumbling he stopped. His knees hit the floor and he slid under the stall and gave me a lop-sided smile.

"You're so predictable, same stall even."

"Go"

"C'mon Faye"

He slid all the way under and crawled over to me with a piece of wet paper towel. He lightly took my chin and started wiping of the vomit, tears, make-up, and whatever else.

"You don't have to do this ya know."

"It's my fault your in here isn't it?"

I looked down at the floor as he finished his work on my face.

"I'll take that as a yes.....Jet told me."

"Told you what?"

"About the attacks, the therapist."

"How did he know?"

"He's not stupid Faye"

I grunted in ascent, suddenly realizing how close he WAS sitting to me. He had finished his task but he still sat less than an inch away from me.

"I'm sorry Faye, I didn't mean to do that to you."

He had his head on my shoulder and an arm around my waist.

"I used to hate you for it. I truly did, I thought if you ever came back I'd beat you
to a pulp and never speak to you again."

"That sounds about right."

"But thanks to some..um outside help, I realized if you ever came back I'd probably just kiss you and hug you and praise God, wherever he is, that you're back. "

"Why the change"

"Turn and face the strange Spike"

"Huh?"

"I didn't want to live my entire life hating you. I've always wanted a past, I would have done the same if I were you."

"So I have one question for you."

"Shoot"

"Where's my kiss?"

I turned at looked at him, I got a lopsided smile. I leaned down to kiss him and he stopped me.

"There's something I have to say Faye"

"Julia"

"It's not what you think. Let me explain okay?"

I turned so I faced him, he was looking at the floor....never a good sign.

"Julia is in trouble. The leftover syndicate members found her and are blaming her for the deaths of me and Vicious."

"Oh, but she is...."

"Faye, I have to go with her. Maybe if they see I'm alive they won't kill her. I can't let her die for real this time, it really would be my fault then"

"But what if they blame both of you for Vicious's death?"

"Blast out of there"

"What about me? Where do I fit into this plan?"

He scooted closer to me, filling the gap once again.

"Well, I say you wait here with Jet and when I come back..."

"You're not planning to die again?"

"Ha, no, not this time Faye."

I wrapped his lanky arms around my waist and buried his face in my neck.

"I promise I'll come back."

"Don't promise me Spike."

He pulled back and looked at me, he smiled again and returned to his head to my neck

"I WILL come back Faye."

"Good."

I draped my arms over his shoulders and we sat there very akwardly....but comfortable none the less.

"So that kiss I was gonna get?"

"Hold your horses cowboy."

I leaned down to kiss him when the bathroom stall flung open. It was her

"Are we going or what?"

"I'm gonna get my kiss"

"Your what?!"

I couldn't help but smile at her 'Eat it bitch'

"We're not leaving til tommorow morning, Jules. Go back to your hotel and meet
me at the Bebop tommorow morning."

She shot daggers down at me, I kept smiling.

"Fine, I'll wait for you outside. I still have some things to say to you. When you
finish with the whore, I'll see you out there."

That was IT! I started to stand up to go after her, but Spike pulled me back down.

"Don't waste your time Faye"

"You don't think I could take her do you?"

He went back to nuzzling my neck.

"No you could"

"Taking in count our current position, I don't think I believe you."

"Well you see, if you go beat the shit out of Julia, you'll have to leave this position. And then I won't ever get my kiss."

"It's gonna taste like vomit"

"I don't care."

"Are you sure you want it from the likes of me."

He pulled back and gave me a harsh stare.

"Don't let her win Faye. You're not a whore, you never will be. I know that and Jet knows it, that's all that matters, right?"

"But...."

"She's just jealous she never kissed me on a bathroom floor after she threw up."

I smiled and granted his much await request. It wasn't much of a kiss, but it was beautiful. Simple, clean, and beautiful.

"Why me Spike?"

"Look at you! Who wouldn't?"

"I mean it"

"Okay, I did some thinking while I was gone. I couldn't help but realize that all that
time on the Bebop there was something there. Some spark between us, I'd never fought like that with anyone, I'd never worried about anyone as much as I worried about you. The pieces just fell into place, I guess. That's when I high tailed it back to the Bebop. Only to find Jet getting ready to see you sing. And there you were, looking as beautiful as ever, but something changed within you too. I knew you had been doing some thinking. You got outside help, but I won't hold that against you."

I smiled and gave him a gentle punch in the arm. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up of the bathroom floor.

"How did she get into the stall anyway?"

"Nails, Spike"

"Hmm, I can see how they would come in handy."

He kept ahold of my hand as we walked outside the bathroom. Julia shot me as many daggers as she possibly could, but it didn't matter. The great Faye Valentine had won by a landslide. My manager found me followed by Meghan and Sarah.

"Faye....thought you were sick."

"Woah Faye!"

"Does he have any friends Faye?"

"I thought you were sick! Why aren't you singing?!"

"I was sick"

"Right Faye"

"I'll go sing, alright?"

"Good, I'm gonna check the bathroom from now on."

Spike leaned over and gave me a light kiss on the cheek.

"Have fun out there"

"I always do."

I walked up the stage, Julia had found her way to Spike and was pulling at his arm, yelling stuff in his ear. But unfortunately, I Faye Valentine the pillar of strength and beauty, had all of his attention.

"Sorry about that everyone. This next song about changes, turning and facing the strange, if you will"

"Still dont know what I was waiting for
and my time was running wild
a million dead end streets
and everytime I thought I had it made
it seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
but I've never caught a glimpse
how the others must see a faker
I'm must to fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
Watch ripples change their size
but never leave the stream of warm impermanence
and so the days float through my eyes
but the days still seem the same
And these children that you spit on
as they try to change their worlds
Are quite immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
but you can't trace time
Strange fascinations, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Oh look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon youre gonna get older
Time may change me
but I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
but I can't trace time"


(Yeah Julia's so out of character it's crazy, I'm fully aware. That's just the way it is, also take in consideration its from Faye's point of view)

[Calla Lily]

This chapter amused me greatly, especially with the Spike/Faye/Julia triangle and the backstabbing grumblings that I just had to leave a note.

Great job, Red Ninja!

~ Calla.