Legacy

WAFF Warning throughout... 

 

Part IV

 

Morning had come and for a change, Spike found himself well rested.  Seeing that Faye was still sleeping (in one of the shirts that she had 'borrowed' from his room, mind you), he dressed and left the room, allowing her to sleep.  The young man walked down the corridors and eventually made his way to the kitchen where Jet was grumbling about another supply run for food before catching sight of him.

 

"Hey, did you two talk last night?" Jet asked, pulling out a container of oatmeal, moving to another cabinet to remove brown sugar and bread.

 

"Yeah.  We got things worked out." Spike took a seat that the counter top, his chin coming to rest on his hand.  "I never thought I'd be a dad, but I'm not gonna pass up the chance."

 

Jet looked over his shoulder at the lanky man. "I remember when Ein and Ed came on to the ship. <i>Someone</i> said that he didn't like kids or pets.  You sure you can do this?" 

 

"I have to, and not just because of some sense of obligation. I'm sure as hell gonna try to be a decent parent."

 

Jet turned his dark eyes to Spike as he filled a large pot with water.  "You're willing to help with midnight feedings, changing diapers and all that comes with havin' a kid?"

 

"Yeah," he nodded with a smirk. "It's not like I haven't been pulled from a dead sleep because of a bounty.  I know it ain't the same but I'm willin' to deal with the sleep interruptions. I'm not going to be perfect; I don't remember my father at all since he died before I was born, but I guess I'll let my instinct help out a bit. Matter fact, I wanted to talk to you about the quarters you're looking into for her."

 

"Oh?"

 

"There are quarters next to mine and I think it would be easier if they were close to me or I was to them."

 

Jet was impressed with Spike and in a brotherly way, proud of him.  He was taking all of this surprisingly well and was making the effort to be a part of the life of the baby.  He knew that the younger man was being honest in his willingness to help her and that counted for a lot.  'Maybe they'll 'officially' get together…I can see that he cares about her and Faye, I think she loves him, whether she realizes it or not.'

 

The older man held back a smile and nodded, placing the pot of water on the stove to boil.  "After breakfast, the three of us can sit down and look at the schematics to see what the best set up will be. We can get started today.  Since she's so close, we need to get this done fairly quickly just in case your kid decides that he wants to be here a bit earlier than scheduled."

 

"What makes you so sure it’s a he?" Spike asked, the amusement clear in his voice.

 

"I just know!" he chuckled. "Its gonna be a boy, just you wait and see."

 

"You're going to owe Ed double what you bet her if you're wrong, Jet."

 

The two men looked up as Faye moved closer, clad in a pair of shorts and one of Spike's shirts.  A pair of black, fuzzy slippers were on her otherwise bare and slightly swollen feet.  She took a seat on a stool beside Spike and looked over to the pots to see what he was cooking, her stomach growling unhappily at the lack of food within it.

 

"Yeah right!" The older man snorted as he began buttering bread for toast and turning his attention back to their breakfast.

 

Spike turned his attention to Faye, his arm coming to wrap loosely around her waist as she sat beside him.  "How did you sleep last night?"

 

"Best in a long time.  No nightmares or anything, just a nice, peaceful nights rest, if you ignore the three trips to the bathroom."  She said, resting a hand on her stomach.

 

"Jet said we'll be able to look over the schematics after breakfast to see where the best place is to set up for a larger space."  He told her and watched as she nodded.

 

Soon Ed and Ein had joined them and the group enjoyed their first breakfast together since Spike had returned.  Even though they had dinner together the previous night, it didn't take away from the fact that they were all together again.  The family that lived upon the Bebop was whole once more.

 

-=-

 

The group sat on the bridge as Ed's fingers flew over a keyboard at a high rate of speed as she entered various command lines and altered the screen she was looking at.  "There!  Ed is finished!

 

"There's three ways we can set things up before Faye and Spike's baby girl comes…"

 

"Baby boy."  Jet interjected and received a raspberry from the hacker.

 

"As Ed was saying, If we use Spike's room, there is a small store room here,"  She pulled up the first image and touched the wall along the right side of the room and watched as it disappeared.  Then typed in a command and a doorway appeared on the left side. "The baby's room could be here."

 

Faye nodded, taking in the enlarged area for them to share where as the baby would be close and have his or her own room connected.  The computer genius then showed them a plan where the walls between the small storage area on the left side and the larger room on the right were completely removed, creating one large room.  The final set up was show to be three total rooms.  Spike's current room would stay as it is and two rooms to the right of the representation of his room on the screen would be converted into bedrooms with the baby's room being in the middle with the parent's rooms on either end.  Both spike and Faye mentally frowned at the last schematic.

 

"So, which set up do you want?  We can get started today." Jet asked.

 

The pair looked at each other, Faye bit her lip then looked over at the schematics once more.  "I think the first setup will work the best."  She watched as Spike nodded in agreement.

 

"Then it's settled.  We'll get started today and it should be all done by tomorrow night...the next morning at the latest. I have a friend down on Mars who works in a shipyard and I'm sure I can get him to help out." Jet looked to Spike.  "I know that you have to get your ship and it would be easier to do everything if the bebop was planet side.  We'll land after I talk to Quint.  The only thing that we'll need is for your room to be cleared near where we'll be working, Spike.  Agreed?" 

 

They all nodded and Jet left to make his call to Quint.  Spike stood and offered a hand to Faye, pulling her to her feet.  The two left the bridge and Faye looked up slightly to the man at her side.  "You sure you're okay with that setup?"

 

"Yeah.  That's the one I would have chosen.  We're both grown ups and it'll just be easier."  Spike didn't mention the fact that last night was the best night of sleep that he had had in a very long time.

 

The plum haired woman held eye contact with him for a few more moments before nodding.  "I'll help you get your quarters ready." She said and started off down the hallway.  "And no this won't be too much for me to handle." She smiled over her shoulder, leaving him behind as she turned the corner.

 

The dark haired man stood there for a moment, the corner of his lip upturning slightly.  "Its good to be home…" He mumbled as he began walking again, following her steps towards his quarters. 

 

-=-

 

The Bebop landed on Mars later that morning and soon, Quint and a small group of men were already at work in the rooms.   Jet told them that he was going to have the ship inspected while they were on the surface as they walked towards the docking bay.

 

"They're going to be a while so you two might as well get out for a while.  Ed and Ein already left to go exploring and you should probably pick up some paint for the room."   Jet noticed the slightly apprehensive look that traced Faye's features as she bit her bottom lip.  He understood why she would still be a little shaken, considering what had happened and the danger posed to the baby and apparently, Spike noticed it too.

 

Pulling out his Jericho 941, he checked the clip and made sure that his weapon was fully loaded before slipping it back into its holster beneath the jacket of the black jacket he now wore.  Forgoing his usual attire of suits, the crimson-eyed man had donned a pair of loose black jeans and a dark claret shirt, gaining a lingering and appreciative gaze from Faye in the process. 

 

"Don't worry Faye, we'll go out and have a good time." He said, watching as she nodded.  He looked to Jet and nodded.  "We'll be back later."

 

"I'll call you when the work is done and you can follow us up in your ship so we can dock it." Jet watched as the pair walked down the recently lowered ramp and towards the city.

 

-=-=-=-

 

Faye looked around their new-shared quarters appreciatively.  It was definitely larger, plenty big enough for the two of them.  While they had been placing their things around the large room, Quint and Jet had been laying new floor padding on the bare deck plates, placing soft carpeting, and painting the room behind the newly hinged wooden door.  She had told the older man that she just felt better if the door was wooden rather than made of metal.  She had read of a horrible account in a parenting magazine about an infant being badly injured by them.  While the doors were pretty safe, she just couldn't shake that apprehension.

 

Faye heard squabbling from the room and grinned at the familiar sound, pushing herself to her feet and looked through the open door.  She wanted to laugh when she saw Spike sitting amongst the partially assembled crib while arguing with Jet over whether the white, adjustable railing for the side of the crib was upside down or not.  Eventually, they got the railing on correctly and she watched as Spike hopped to his feet and placed the mattress inside then tested the sturdiness of the crib. There was no wobble and the sides slid into place easily.  He tested the strength of the sides and was satisfied with the claims on the box that the crib was reinforced for safety.

 

They lifted the crib easily and placed it against the wall, kneeling down and snapping metal latches around the legs of the crib to secure it to the wall. Since there was a possibility of the ship being jarred, none wanted to risk the crib turning over and harming the baby.  Faye felt her smile slip from her lips. She knew that eventually she may have to choose a place to settle, but she didn't want to leave these people.  Having no memory of family or friends, Spike, Jet and Ed and even Ein had become the family she lost.

 

"Why the long face, Faye?"  Jet asked, having finally caught sight of the woman.

 

Faye shook her head, giving them a slight sad smile. "It's nothing." She pushed off the frame, looking at the warm cream-colored walls and the playful border that encircled the room.  A changing table and dresser that matched the crib also were placed in the room and in the corner sat the rocking chair that Spike had bought for her while they were out and about when Quint and Jet were making the changes to the rooms. "It looks really good in here, I can't thank you guys enough."

 

"You're welcome Faye and you're right, it does look pretty good if I say so myself." Jet said with a smile.  "You can start putting the baby's things away and if you guys need me, you can call me.  I'll be back later tonight."  He said, lifting his hand as he left the two of them to meet up with Quint and some of the guys before they took off once more.

 

Spike was a source of amusement for Faye during the time in they spent in the makeshift nursery.  The pair sat on the floor with drawers surrounding them as they placed the tiny clothing inside.  The lanky fighter fumbled a bit folding the tiny clothing and on more than one occasion, she caught him stuffing a onesie or a jumper into the drawer unfolded.  When they finally finished putting the diapers, toys and other necessities, Faye grumbled about being 'beached' while Spike helped her to her feet, snorting with amusement.

 

"It's not funny, jerk."  She hissed, rubbing her rear that had fallen asleep, turning her back to him to walk out of the room.  A gasp escaped her lips, however, when she felt him pull her back against his chest, his arms encircling her.

 

"Aw, I'm sorry Faye."  She repressed a shiver as she felt his lips brush across the back of her neck.

 

He couldn't stop himself from pulling her close and loving when she melted against him, her irritation seeping away quickly.  Faye turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, her head coming to rest against his shoulder as she sighed.  "You gonna make it up to me?"

 

"Oh?"  He arched an eyebrow at the woman in his arms.

 

"We're still planet side," she pulled back and grinned up at him.  "I want chicken and shrimp stir fry with yakisoba noodles…two orders. The blue wind restaurant.  Jet is already out, Ed likes it there too so don't forget about her, she'll eat anything."

 

Spike sighed and nodded, caving to this woman's will.  He saw her eyes light up at the thought of what appeared to be her favorite food but was a bit surprised when her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down to her level.  Green eyes locked with his own as she placed a soft, lingering kiss on his lips before pulling away, albeit reluctantly.  "Hop to, errand boy."

 

Spike allowed an amused sound to escaped his lips and guided her back to their now shared room.  He glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost quarter after eight.  He stuffed his wallet in his pocket and grabbed his jacket before heading to the door.  "I'll be back.  Rest, woman."

 

Faye watched as he left and shook her head, lying down on the large bed and closing her eyes.  Her body still tingled from feeling his lips on the sensitive skin of her neck, his strong, lean arms wrapping around her body…she felt as if that part that had caused her so much grief over the last eight months had been healed with his presence and just seeing the rise and fall of his chest, proving that he was indeed alive and back where he belonged. 

 

She usually wasn't one for prayer, but she thanked whoever had listened to her thoughts, her wishes since the night that he disappeared.  Faye sighed happily, a small smile tracing her lips as she pulled a pillow to her chest, allowing her body to relax.

 

=-=

 

It didn't take Spike long to go out and grab their meals and when he returned to the ship, the first ones to greet him was Ed and Ein.  He handed a container to the golden eyed girl who gave him a wide grin before quickly disappearing with Ein on her trial, his nose held high, following the scent of food.  Spike shook his head as he ambled down the corridor to his quarters.

 

He entered quietly, not sure if she was awake or not, kicking his shoes off before moving to the bedside.  He placed their dinner on a dresser and shed his jacket, tossing it to a recliner in the corner of the room.  Spike stretched his arms high above his head and let out a pleased sigh, turning to the bed only to find a pair of sleepy green eyes watching him.

 

“I still can't believe it.”  Faye mumbled softly, her eyes locked with his as he sat on the bed at her side.

 

“Oh?”  Spike's eyebrow arched, waiting for her to continue.

 

A faint upturn graced her lips, her warm hand reaching out, coming to rest atop his.  “Yeah.  It's like I 'm dreaming because nothing I really want, comes to be.  I'm afraid that I'll wake up and I'll be back in my old quarters with Ein hogging the foot of the bed.  That Jet will then knock on the door and look at me with those pitying eyes and Ed, well she'll just try to cheer me up, keep me focused on the baby so I don't have time to think.  I keep thinking that all this,” She gestured to their new suite and then reclaimed his hand, a meaningful look in her eyes as she did so.  “Will all crumble and the you'll be missing again only I wouldn't be lucky enough to run into you because we all know that luck is a fickle bitch...”

 

Spike was struck with silence at her words.  He really didn't know what to say to prove to her that everything was real.  I made him feel like scum since he knew that she had wanted him to stay all those months ago, but he didn't.  He couldn't.  But now, he had no vendettas to accomplish.  He had found closure on the chapter of his life that included Vicious, Julia and the Red Dragon Syndicate.  He was nothing but a cowboy, hoping from one sector of space to another, chasing down criminals and cashing in on the prices placed on their heads.  This lifestyle sated his need to move about, to not be contained by a mundane regular job and have the action that he craved.

 

When he looked at Faye though, his hand moving as if involuntarily to the swell of her stomach, he realized something else as well.  He truly had family in the people that lived aboard the Bebop, but none more so than with the woman lying in their bed, in their room.  She also carried that desire to move and understood him, despite all the arguments and fights that they had, and more than likely, would have in the future.  He wouldn't be leaving his family behind because no matter how far the Bebop traveled, they'd be there.  Every mission that he took his dragonfly out on, it wouldn't really matter because at the end of the day, his ship would be tucked in to her bay aboard this ship.

 

“I'm not going anywhere and this isn't a dream.”  He said, rubbing her belly and still seeing the doubt in her eyes. Spike leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers gently at first, but upon feeling her respond, their kiss became fierce and full of need.  Her arms draped around his neck as he nipped at her lips then broke their kiss, both panting slightly, their eyes darkened from the heat flowing through their bodies.

 

“Do you believe me now, Faye?”  He mumbled against her lips.

 

She was dumbstruck and it was only made worse by the soft kisses he was placing on her lips and the confident grin that traced his lips.  She reached up and thumped him on the forehead with a fingernail.  “You're too smug for your own good sometimes, you know?” She said with a smile before pressing her lips to his in a brief kiss.  “But I do believe you.”

 

The lanky man chuckled and helped her to sit up then ushered her over to a small love seat, then snatched up their food.  He handed her the double order of shrimp and chicken stirfry over to Faye before turning on the TV and digging into his own dinner.  A smile graced his lips when the plum haired woman moved a bit closer to him as she at her own dinner.

 

o-o-Author's Notes-o-o



Thanks again for reading! I hope you're enjoying the fluff! I'm still trying to decide the sex of the baby and names too...