Title: Counterfeit

Author: Aerith Queen of Cetra

Chapters: 1/1

Summary: 'I'm not your mother, Ed.' But it was the wide, pleading eyes that made Faye wish she was.

Genre: Hurt/Comfort

Beta'd: Nu-uh!

Warnings: A bit of OOC-ness, cute fluffiness, Ed's vulnerability and Faye's female instincts.

Disclaimer: I don't own Cowboy Bebop, but if I did, you KNOW that Faye and Spike would stop beating around the bush and FINALLY admit they at least like each other! Ahh, it's nice to dream isn't it!

Author's Comments: This was written simply because Ed is just that cute and Faye, deep down, is just kinda caring. Lol! Enjoy!

Counterfeit

Not flesh of my flesh, Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
You didn't grow under my heart - but in it.

- Fleur Conkling Heylinger -

The cold night of empty space had finally found her. Wild limbs stretched to the stars and swiped at the demons that came towards her.

Her body felt like it was running. But where was it going? Was it running away from someone? Running towards someone? She didn't know. All she knew was that she had to run.

Help… help… get help… Ein…Spike person… Jet person… Faye Faye…

Edward jumped to attention in her sweat-coated bed and threw off the thin sheets and darted from her room and down the hallway.

She stopped at the first room that came into view; opening the door she was alarmed to find an empty, but messy, room stare back at her.

Ed shook her head; her only thought was on the safety of the room's once occupant.

She ran for her life towards the make shift living room where she found Faye Valentine lounging on the couch.

Faye was distracted from the disappointment of her day at the tracks as well, as her slightly drunken haze, by the heavy panting from behind her.

She trailed lazy eyes upwards to meet the frantically, wild ones of the elite hacker.

Faye blinked and mumbled lazily, "Hey Ed, what's up?"

Ed leapt down in front of the couch that Faye lay on and stared straight into the older woman's face, "Faye… is… alright…?"

The dark haired woman made a confused noise before smiling weakly, "Oh yeah… I was just sad that I lost at the tracks again Ed. Nothing to worry about."

Unless you're a few million woolongs in debt that is… Her mind added with an afterthought.

Ed still seemed unsure and she struggled to stay standing, choosing instead to sit on the coffee table and examine the elder female from a small distance.

Faye's eyes narrowed and she sat up, "Are you alright though Ed? Did you have a bad dream or something?"

She asked this whilst placing a pale hand over the cold, sweaty forehead of the young girl. At the brief amount of contact, Ed let out a loud, ghostly wail and leapt into Faye's arms, wrapping her limbs around the exasperated older woman.

"Hey, stop that! Get off of me! I'm not your mother, Ed!" But it was the wide, pleading eyes that made Faye wish she was her mother, especially when Ed's howl reached a new height and her clinging became incredibly tight.

Worried that the two men on the ship would come storming towards their location with guns blazing, Faye let out hushed soothing sounds and patted the distraught child on the back of her head hoping it would reassure to her.

It did as Ed seemed to calm down, her noises lowering to hushed mumbles and Faye found, much to her personal aggravation, that the girl had fallen into a surprisingly deep asleep upon her lap.

"Oh Ed…" She let out a disappointed sigh, to weak to fight and allowed Ed her moment's reprieve. It was only a after a few short moments that Faye decided that the young girl's modest clothing wouldn't keep her warm, at least not compared to the hot buzz Faye herself had from some good, hard liquor.

Awkwardly, the elder woman managed to wrestle off her red jacket and wrapped it carefully around the tanned child.

As she resumed the light petting motions upon Ed's soft, fiery locks, Faye got the impression that she was acting like a mother towards this girl.

She was incredibly distressed to find that this didn't distress her. She was actually rather fond of doing this, protecting this capable young girl from anything that may have tried to harm her.

Resting her tired head atop those soft tresses, Faye considered the thought of motherhood, which didn't seem too bad to her at that instant.

It was after much deliberation that she decided that although it may have proved slightly appealing to start a family, Edward's need for a maternal figure was more important at this time.

Faye let out a tired sigh. She may have only been a counterfeit for a real mother, but her concerns for Edward were as real as any mother's may, or may not, have been.

Curling up around the girl with a content expression, Faye followed into Ed's dreams, consumed by the image of her pale hand carefully holding a smaller, bronzed hand as it led her into a world of delight and grand splendour.

It was in the early hours of the morning that a drowsy Spike walked into the 'living room'. Almost tripping down the cold, metallic steps he made a motion for the packet of cigarettes he spotted atop the table.

His hand half stretched towards the packet; he froze at the sight before him.

Lying on the sofa was his 'comrade' Faye Valentine, still in her chic, illuminative yellow outfit. Her red jacket was missing from her back and instead wrapped around a small, tanned bundle on top of her that could only be recognised as their resident genius hacker, Edward.

With her arms wrapped securely around the younger girl and her head resting protectively atop the girl's wild red hair, Faye almost gave the impression of a caring mother.

Spike unconsciously lifted the packet and gave a small smile at the adorable image in front of him, one that he was quite certain would never be seen again considering the opposing natures of the two females.

He shook his head and popped a cigarette in his mouth, quietly replacing the packet onto the table again. He walked out of the room and back down the hallways of the Bebop.

Who was he to break up such an auspicious moment?

Wow, lots of drabbles from me lately! O.O;

Right anyway, kind of a prompt from myself here! I kinda figured, despite the fact that Ed was a genius and all that, she's still just a little girl so there has to be some moment in her time at the Bebop where she really just shows her childlike vulnerability.

So, there you go! We really need more Ed fanfics up… O.O Whatever! Please review!