Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction ❯ In The Middle of The Night ❯ Pretty close cowboy ( Chapter 3 )

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Here I was laying in my bed again, but not for sleep. I was waiting for Jet to come and tell me dinner was ready. Sighing I rolled over, she was on my mind again... Women, you couldn't live with them, but you couldn't live without them. That was all so true. Maybe we should put men on one side of the galaxy, and women on the other. Then every so often bring them together just to keep the human race going. I chuckled to my self at the thought of that.

"Dinners ready, better hurry before it's gone!" came Jet's voice from the other side of my door.

Listening as his heavy foots steps carried him back to the kitchen I sat up. I heard the crazy dance steps Ed did while she sang about... well... I never knew what she was talking about, so I had no idea what she'd be singing about. Ein would follow her tongue hanging out and his tail waging, I almost felt sorry for the poor pup, well, almost.

My tired feet carried me to the kitchen table where Ed sat across from Jet playing with what seemed to be food. Ein would always sit under her chair waiting for her to drop small pieces, she was such a little kid.

Sighing I sat down at an empty seat. "Where's Faye?" I asked.

"She's still in her room," answer Jet shoveling in more 'food.'

I took a bite swallowing quickly. I gulped down some water trying to remove the taste, too bad it didn't work. I continued to eat, desperately trying to keep it down. The taste was awful.

"So what's this?" Faye said in her silky voice.

I looked up to see her in her bathrobe. Why wasn't she wearing the white tank top and little, blue shorts? She took her seat, I watched making sure she didn't notice my spying eyes.

"It's dinner." Jet said groughly, he took another bite.

"Oh... did you cook Ein's dog food?" she asked poking it disgustedly.

Jet just shrugged and kept eating.

Faye only took a few quick bites. I could see she was fighting to keep it down as well. She drank some water and stood up. The shrew-woman reached her arms over her head and yawned. Like the guy I was I just couldn't help but notice how her robe lifted slightly revealing, just a little, about what was underneath. My mind's eye grinned as she walked down the hall back to her room saying something about needing beauty sleep. I wasn't paying attention to what she said though, my eyes were... busy.

I finished the slop on my plate. I sat back my stomach full but a little upset. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out a pack of cigs, I stuffed one in my mouth and lit it carelessly. The smoke filled my lungs as I inhaled. I exhaled, small wisps of the intoxicating vapor floated up into nothingness. Hm, maybe I could do that. Floating up into nothingness, it appealed to me.

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It was going on eleven o'clock now. Everyone was probably asleep. It was early, I wasn't sure if Faye would be in dream land right now or not. Most-likely she was. She stayed in her room the whole night after dinner. She came out once, as I recall, to use the bathroom.

I decided I could try to sneak into her room again tonight. Creeping quietly out of my room to hers, I jiggled the handle slightly. Listening to make sure there was no movement I tried to hear anything that might give me a hint. Was she asleep yet or not? I decided to just try. Picking the lock with my thief-like skills I crept in like I had so many nights before.

There she was, twisted in her sheets. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the dark room. Sometimes I wondered why she was so pale. So pale.

I seated myself like I had the night before. It hadn't accrued to me till she turned over slightly. I had almost forgot about her limping, and slanted shoulder. She wouldn't tell me about it, I don't think she told anyone. Should I peek and find out what she was hiding? My curiosity gnawed at me. The voices in my head begged me to go. My body, I hadn't noticed, was drawing near her sleeping form. I didn't comprehend it until I stood above her.

Gently, I pulled up the sheet revealing her right shoulder. I gasped, this definitely wasn't some cut from him pulling away. I examined her shoulder. There were bandages covering what lied beneath, but there was blood. A lot of blood. It was slowly seeping through the gauss and medical tape. I didn't want to disturb her, I didn't want her to know. I had to see it though, the bandages weren't holding up, she'd get an infection if she kept trying to hid it and not see anybody who could really help her. I should have known...

I pulled up a strip of tape. Slowly. Carefully. 'Don't wake up. Don't wake up.' my mind chanted. My heart seemed to jump at what I saw. It was a deep gash.

How did it happen?

WHEN did it happen?

Obviously there was a struggle between the two.

Yet again I was asking questions I couldn't answer... All because of her.

She shivered in her sleep. Quickly I smoothed the tape back down onto her soft skin. She pulled her sheet up covering her shoulder and rolling to her side, she no longer faced me now.

I sat back down in the corner. Frowning at her I thought about how I could possibly get her to tell someone. To ask for help. I guess this time she really just wanted to do it on her own, she didn't want us to know she messed up and got hurt. I sighed, maybe to loudly. She mumbled and turned over.

All of my senses perked up. 'Please! Don't wake up!' My body stiffened, I couldn't move. I held my breath, I hoped to god she couldn't hear my heart beating. My pulse was racing, and my body was suddenly very hot. My palms started to sweat. I had never been so nervous in my life. Why did her finding me here scare me so much?

I thought I would never fear anything....

Not even death...