Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop in any way, shape or form. Alas, this girl does have dreams... sniffle

Be Forever Blue

Chapter One: News

Julia finally crawled out of bed at about one o'clock that afternoon. She was such a wreck. Sweaty, matted hair, and puffy, red eyes from crying. It had to have been the millionth time in three years that she had woken up like that.

She showered, ate a muffin, got the newspaper, sat down hard on the lumpy couch and relaxed as she watched the news. Spike's picture was on the screen.

"Former Red Dragon syndicate successor Spike Spiegel has reportedly come back. He has begun a violent bloodbath. He has killed the three Elders and many of his own subordinates. He was last seen exiting the ceremony hall. We warn everyone to take caution, as he is armed and dangerous. His description: six-foot-two white male, mismatched eyes, fluffy green hair, and the name Julia tattooed on his left calf. He has a bullet wound on his right shoulder as well. If you or anyone you know has any information at all on this man, please call this number: 333-589-hey-icaught-abadguy. Again, the number is:"

flick

Julia turned off the television and changed her clothes from sweats and a tee to a black sweater, pair of pants, shoes, sunglasses and trench coat. She grabbed her gun and keys and left the apartment as quick as she could.

She just had to find Spike...

His friends always told him that some things were better left unsaid. But he didn't really understand why. Things would have been better in Julia hadn't promised to leave with him in the first place.

For the longest time, Spike was really depressed, sometimes even suicidal. But as he would hold the cold had gun, his favorite Jericho 941, he would look at Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein, and for some reason reconsider.

One day, after reconsidering, he sulked on his bed and turned on the radio. It was on his favorite song, currently the high point of the day. He stopped moving and listened.

"it's too late to cry 'I love you'

the wind still blows

my heart still aches

one of my eyes sees tomorrow

and the other side sees yesterday

I wish I could sleep peacefully in the cradle of your love, again

cry for me, somebody, with dry eyes

so long, be forever blue

I just want to feel a real sorrow

it's not bad

a life drowned in a river of mud

hopeless hope

and the chance with traps

what's right or wrong?

which side of the coin?

how long must I live on until I'm free?

so long, be forever blue

I just want to feel a true happiness

knowing all that glitters isn't gold"

Spike grinned as the song ended. Julia love that song too. How he missed her so... The next song ended very quickly, then the DJ's voice reappeared.

"You just heard 'Blame' by Rachel Toups. Before that, we had the duet of Mac Mckeithan and Kourtney Rollins, 'Be Forever Blue,' finally reaching number one on February's charts. And now, we have Sharon Probst with breaking news. I'm Nick Keller, over and out."

"There has been some serious heat withing the Red Dragon syndicate ever since those two hundred people left on that cold February day three years ago. One of them came back today, starting a violent bloodbath. It has been reported that the man's name is Spike Spiegel and he has killed the three Elders, many of his own subordinates, and the current successor. His description goes as follows: six-foot-two white male, mismatched eyes, fluffy green hair, and the name Julia tattooed on his left calf. He has a bullet wound on his right shoulder as well. If you or anyone you know has any information at all on this man, please call this number: 333-589-hey-icaught-abadguy. Now, today's weather report. Sunny all through Mars today..."

Spike turned off the radio, his eyes were wide open in disbelief. That's not me! I haven't seen that place for three years!! Someone's gonna pay for framing me like that!! He though, completely angry. Then there was a knock on his door.

"What is this crap I hear about you going back there?!" It was Faye, obviously. She just let herself in.

"You know, there is no point in knocking on someone's door if you're just gonna let yourself in."

"Who cares!!? Answer my question! When did you do this?"

"You know, you would have felt pretty foolish if I hadn't been in here at all. Jet would be thinkin' you were talkin' to yourself again..."

"Stop changing the subject!"

"Faye, that's not me."

All has quieted down at the Red Dragon building. The bodies of the dead littered the floor, and their blood was spilled all over the place. Vicious and Shin walked down the ceremony hall.

"Who did you hire, anyway?" Vicious asked.

"A man who names himself 'Imperfect'. He's supposedly a master of disguise."

"And he does well?"

"Yes, now everyone thinks it is in fact Spike Spiegel. It's all over the news, radio, and now on Callisto there are wanted signs for him. The ISSP is on it as well."

"So how much is the bounty?"

Shin looked at his feet, ashamed of betraying his "big brother" for money. "Fifty Million Woolongs, double if he is caught alive."

"Good. Very good. So how good is this 'Imperfect' gonna be for us?" Vicious grinned a very thin line.

"Well, on Saturn, he wiped out three major cities at once. On the battlefields of Titan, he killed four hundred men single handedly."

"I know he can kill, Shin, but what about his disguise skills?"

"Well, he has the galaxy fooled, doesn't he?"

Vicious shot a look at him. "Don't get smart with me, or you'll regret it."

Julia's car sped down the highway as fast as she could. She knew it wasn't Spike, and she had to find out what was going on between the Red Dragons. But how would she approach Spike after she left him?

There is no need to believe...