Wistful Yearning

Chapter 1: Limits

Wistful Yearning Chapter 1 (Limits)

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. ~Peter De Vries

She knew she pushed the limits when she used Julia against him, calling him a lovesick fool, chasing a shadow. Julia, who cheated on her man, then pitted best friends against each other.

She knew she pushed her limit. He closed in on her space, slammed his hands to either side of her head, trapping her against the wall of the deserted Bebop hallway. His face was screwed up in anger, and anger that she had never seen directed at her before. She was scared shitless. Spike's cool façade had finally dropped and she desperately wanted to stick it back where it belonged. Of course her reaction only made it worse. She punched him in the face, hard; she felt the cartilage in his nose crunch under the impact of her fist.

It was with drops of blood dripping from his face Spike staggered back. It was at that moment whatever force holding him back from doing any real harm snapped like a rubber band that had been pulled too tight.

It hurt like hell, his punch had hit its target with a smack that echoed the through the Bebop. She fell with the force of it, but pain only registered second to the anger. Her first punch had been a knee jerk reaction to him physically invading her space, but now she was just pissed. If she had a bruise on her face, he was dead man.

Her leg sweep took him down, but not for long. He was up and dodging her enraged punches within seconds.

His punches were expert, but misguided by anger, so she managed to avoid most. Her high kick caught his jaw. She was about to celebrate when a powerful round house sent her into the wall. Faye grunted on impact.

Her knees gave for a second and she fell heavily against the wall, he moved in. Faye glared at him through the tangle of hair that had fallen into her face. She felt Spike's presence over her, standing with a false air of aloofness having tamed his beast once more. The bastard.

Faye tried to ignore the part of her that she didn't want to admit she was intimidated by him, not scared really, but aware that he could take her down if he ever really wanted to.

It made her so mad, and letting that emotion take over once more she launched herself at him aiming for another punch to the face, when Spike latched onto her arm and twisted it painfully behind her. "You're not worth my time; get the fuck out of my sight Faye." He shoved her to the floor and walked away. Faye sat there trembling with adrenalin and anger and …She didn't know what else. It would figure that she would be the one to break Spike's emotional wall, she was like a kid that just couldn't stop pushing a button, just looking for a reaction.

She waited till the lights were off, and the crew had gone to sleep to move from her bedroom. She needed to get the hell out of here. She was Poker Alice, a wanted criminal, and bounty hunter too (how strange), she wasn't going to stay. Not with Spike hating her, and she didn't want Jet's sympathy when he saw the bruises, or to have to explain to Ed where she got them.

She was going. The money she stole from the safe caused her conscious only the slightest twinge. It wasn't much, and the crew had gotten by on less.

She crept through the halls. Ein looked at her; Faye had to grab his snout as he tried to bark. To silence the mutt, she left a can of his food in front of him. That really bewildered the dog, but he ate anyway.

She stood and moved to continue to her ship. The sound of a door caught her attention. She whirled on the person. Spike Spiegel stood there in all his bed mangled glory. Tired eyed, and if at all possible his hair in even more disarray.

His eyes were cold, and she returned the look. He glanced at her rather large bag then back up at her. His question was obvious. 'Are you leaving for good' She returned the look with a slight nod. 'Yes'

She turned slowly, and heard the bathroom door close behind her. She continued walking at a faster pace.

She reached her ship and took off quickly; there was no need to wait. It didn't take her long to find herself on the frigid, barren Callisto. Pulling a jacket from her bag she moved along the streets until she found a bar in the seedy town of Blue Crow.

**************************** Sorry that was short. Please read review. This takes place around the Jupiter Jazz session, except its taking place 1 week earlier then the show. Meaning Gren isn't going to be going off to die the same night Faye meets him.