Rain

Disclaimer: Nope. This is still a reality where as I don\'t own Bebop. It\'s not a wonderful reality, but at least it\'s not one entirely filled with shrimp!

Rain
Chapter 28: A Failed Coup

Vicious motioned to his men as they approached the Red Dragon building. This was it, he was going to change things. He was going to destroy the Van. He’d left a note at his apartment, just in case Sith dropped by. He neede do do this, if only to save the women that he loved. He clutched Aurora’s picture in his pocket for a moment before it began. Things were going to change.

~*~*~*~

Rain gazed dejectedly out her window. She’d finished her paperwork hours ago, but made no motion to go home. Sith was missing, to where, Rain could not tell. She sighed sadly. ‘I know why she left, though. She’s probably disgusted with my weakness. I know I am. I am not allowed to be weak, not me, I am Rain Deacon! I need to be strong! Oh who am I kidding, I’m just a empty shell of a once strong woman, a ghost that still doesn’t know that it’s dead.’

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the building. Rain steadied herself against the glass of the window. Her head turned towards the door. “What the fuck!” she gasped as she grabbed a handgun and ran out of her office.

Men ran back and forth, all Red Dragons, though some were attacking one another. The hall filled with smoke and a recognizable shadowy figure ran towards the office of the Van. A single thought passed through her mind. ‘Oh god! Vicious! He’s going to get himself killed!’

She ran with great haste towards the room, gun in hand. She rushed past the corpses of the Vans’ bodyguards and entered the darkened room. Vicious was surrounded. The Van had expected his attack. He turned to her, his eyes widening as he looked her over. “Rain,” he gasped silently.

“Rain, my dear, we did not know that you were still here. You should be pleased to know that the coup that this snake had planned has been averted. He and his compatriots will be punished mercilessly,” the first said.

“I saw no one else in charge. Who would be his compatriots.”

“We are sending out hit teams on Spike Spiegal and Julia. They must have corroborated with this cold monster here to overthrow us,” the second said.

Rain’s eyes grew huge. “No! Spike c not nothing for the syndicate! I already told you this! I know nothing of Julia, but please, I know Spike, he would never work with Vicious again! They hate one another!” she cried.

“The hit teams are out. Shin will escort you to your car, Rain. These gentlemen will take Vicious to a holding cell until it is time for his death,” the first said.

Rain felt a hand on her arm, but ignored it. “I cannot allow this! You can’t kill him! Please!” she begged.

The Van seemed shocked at her request. “He had done great wrong against the Van and you, my child. You know not what you say. Shin, take her away,” the third said.

Shin wrapped his arms about her shoulders and fought the grey eyed woman. “No!” she cried as she broke from his arms and ran through the bodyguards to Vicious.

“Rain, I didn’t know you were here, you could have bkillkilled,” Vicious spoke softly.

Rain touched his face softly. “I can’t let you die.”

Vicious smiled, her heart warming at that. “This was my choice. I need to free you and Sith and Aurora from this place. I don’t want to watch you fade away like a caged animal, not again.”

Rain smiled sadly. “I can never leave, not unless I die. Keep trying for Sith and Aurora, though.”

Vicious’ eyes grew wide. “No,” he gasped.

Rain nodded. “I have a device somewhere inside me that keeps me here until my death. I cannot be freed, Vicious.”

Vicious struggled and arm free and wrapped it around her waist. “I still love you,” he whispered.

Rain smiled and kissed him chastely. “I love you as well, Vicious. Only two men have ever captured my heart. You and Jet. You’ll always have a piece of it.”

Vicious felt his heart grow light. She did love him. The woman he’d loved for so long finally admitted to loving him back. He then felt his arm roughly grabbed as he was dragged away. Rain’s eyes grew dim with sadness as Shin too took her arms and he too took her away.

As they walked down the hall, Rain turned to Shin. “Remember what I asked of you, when I first returned?”

Shin nodded. “As soon as you’re home, I’m heading for their locations.”

Rain smiled slightly, her eyes still cloudy with sadness. “Good. Protect them, Shin,” she said as they entered an elevator.

Shin nodded to her. “You know I will,” he vowed as the doors slid closed.

~*~*~*~

The rain fell from the sky like cold tears. It seemed to perfectly match her mood. Rain stared out her bedroom window with empty eyes as she thought of Vicious.

[Flashback]

Eve smirked as Sith dropkicked the mossy haired male to the ground, leaving her and the silver haired man alone. He grinned back, his cold eyes watching her every move.

“I’m Eve,” she introduced herself.

“Vicious.”

Eve smiled. He was going to be fun to play with.

[White flash/Time shift]

Eve clutched her bleeding torso as she leaned against the wall. ‘Last time I ever go on a mission without armor or backup again,’ she groaned mentally.

“You look like crap,” a dark cold voice said as Vicious appeared from the shadows.

“Well one usually does when they get shot in the gut.”

Vicious grinned. “Must you joke about everything?” he asked.

Eve shot him a grin of her own. “It’s part of my undeniably attractive charm.”

Vicious shook his head. “It is that,” he said as he placed his shoulder under her arm and began to carry her towards his apartment.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked.

“I like you, not something I say lightly or often. You’re… different.”

Eve laughed. “Not really.”

[White flash/Time change]

Eve buttoned up her jeans and was reaching for her shirt when she heard him. “You’re leaving?”

Eve turned to the silver haired man and nodded. “The Van summoned me,” she said as she turned away and went back to dressing.

The whisper of sheets followed by the feel of strong arms grasping her from behind and pulling her against a nude chest made her drop her shirt. “You can be late,” he teased as he began to kiss down her neck.

Eve sighed and nodded. “They will understand. I’ll say I got stuck in traffic,” she said as she faced him and fell to the bed a sly smile on her face as she kissed him soundly.

[End Flashback]

For all her bad memories of him, there were so many more that were happy, that were good. When she was with him, she had felt safe, almost free. Rain let her forehead fall to the glass as tears stung her cheeks and a familiar presence came to be known behind her.

“He tried to start a coup,” Rain said softly, her tears choking her voice. She knew that Sith understood who she was talking about.

“What?” Sith’s voice sounded genuinely surprised.

“He gathered followers and attacked the building. They knew and stopped him. He’s going to be sentenced to death.”

“What an idiot,” Sith ground out.

“He is that. How did Aurora like the zoo?” Rain asked, trying to change the subject.

“She’s barely a year old, she would have liked going anywhere…. She was happy though.”

Rain smiled. “A child’s innocent joy is such a precious thing,” she whispered.

“They won’t kill him.”

Rain stood and turned to her friend, not caring that the tears were on her face. “I know, they caught him too easily, he’s planning something. Vicious is nothing, if not cunning. I just… it’s nothing. Old memories flying about in my brain like bats trapped in an attic. I just didn’t expect to see him. He looks like crap.”

Sith snorted. “I was working on that.”

Rain chuckled. “I figured,” she said. Sith turned to leave. Freezing as Rain called out, “Sith!”

The blood haired woman turned, her eyes shadowed by her red locks.

Rain smiled sadly. “Stay with me tonight? I… I just need som ton tonight and you’re the only one I trust,” she rationalized. “It’s okay, if you think it’s too weird, I’d understand.”

Sith turned completely to the woman she had known for so long as a friend. The question weighing heavily in her mind, the decision in her hands as Rain stood there in a pair of black silk pajama pants and a black tank top, her grey eyes pleading. Sith took a deep breath as she came to a decision.

~*~*~*~

Levii: Hey peoples! WE are counting down to the end of the story, I\'m sad to say. I belive we will have one or two chapters, more likely one than two, left. Please review and tell me what you guys think of this chapter and if you want to know what happens between Sith and Rain, read Shadows. Natakamani illustrates Sith\'s decision, far better than I could. Oh, and don\'t forget, this upcoming ending will be twisted! Ja ne and review!