Redemptions and Repercussion

The loft in which this particular maiden stayed was somewhat overly transparent. She lay in her bed of midnight sapphire silk staring up at the stars. Every India made décor in her room was either bleu or silver and her walls were made of glass.

Her companion, however, seemed to have fit that room, his pale skin, which was widely in contrast to her bronzed tone. And his fair, silvery hair and well chiseled body was a well fit indeed. This woman's black spiraled hair spread wildly about her face onto the pillow, as she turned to look at him. Has he a right to be here? After but so much done. Either way, she thought, shifting her body to face him. He is a difficult man to deal with. But he is not the problem… the problem is do I love him and does he love me… She stared at him until his eyes opened. His eyes bore into hers and her, his…

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he whispered soft and awkwardly. It wasn't like him to have a soft voice. It even caught her off guard. Her eyes widened,

"Huh? Uh, nothing, nothing at all!" she said hastily. Her voice held deep inquisitive seduction and hint of childishness all incased in a French accent. She flipped over on her back, returning to staring at the stars.

"I know you Freya, I know you well enough to know that you're thinking about something. What is it?" his voice hardening a little.

"And what may I ask, could I be thinking of?" not looking at him.

"You're thinking of us, Freya. Wondering if this is right or not? I'm supposed to kill you and here I am, under your bed sheets, in the highest pent house this one city on Saturn has to offer with water front property. I get to see its icy rings in a state of peace like never before. How do you do it, Freya? You and I kill people all the same, hell you're even a class A thief, but yet I feel at peace…" he grinned in amusement. "Damn it! I sound like Spike talking to Julia."

Never miss a thing do you Vicious. "Is that a problem, Vicious? You know…everything you just said?" she glanced at him briefly so he wouldn't see her real emotion. "Even as much as I hated that woman, time went on and I saw how much like her I really was. And I suppose that was all the more reason we needed to hate each other, even though I came before her."

"I never said it was a problem did I?" completely ignoring the thought of Julia.

"You didn't have too…" Freya answered finally sliding out of bed, when she felt the weight on her arm. Her smile found amusement and tried to play innocent…

Vicious surveyed the faint scars on her back, "Come back to bed, Freya." Said he almost coldly, "I wouldn't want to have to occupy myself with a dead body." Freya turned to face him now grinning from ear to ear…So he doesn't love me…I can't believe I was actually contemplating that he might have… her smile faded slowly, I just thought that… the amount of times we've played this game…we're so… Freya tried to regain her good natured mask, but Vicious had already caught the discontent and sadness in her eyes. Although he said nothing to her about it he still tried to make the mood a little better…

"Even if it's not you're dead body, that is. I'm almost to the top now… I don't have to hunt you anymore… Lay back down…"

Freya stared back down at the mess of bleu silk; "Well…" she started; now looking at him dead set in the eyes. "Almost doesn't cut it." She knew saying something like that to him would get her a first class ticket to oblivion…but this was her, not one of his other partners in crime. Would he really strike her? Vicious didn't.

"Women always like to play it safe so they wouldn't get burned…but you're one of the few that I've known who takes her chances. You can doubt as much as you like whether my throne be short lived or not, the bottom line is that I got there."

"Yeah, but at what price… Vicious, if you get to the top- no, when you get to the top…there will be someone else who will make attempts to kill you." Freya unconsciously passed her hand over her low abdomen. "I don't want to 'ave to get somewhere with you and then you go get yourself killed!" she said harshly.

Vicious smiled wryly, "You don't have to have to cry, Freya." Turning her face toward his.

"I'm not crying!" She pulled away from him and walked to the bathroom. She set the water in her granite and glass shower. In the reflection of the glass she saw Vicious leaning against the door post.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked

"No nothing at all… I want you to tell me something Vicious…"

"What is it?"

Freya replied quickly, "I have a business trip I'll be going on so I'll be gone for a –little- while."

"How long?" Vicious stated, wondering how the subject changed so quickly.

"Not sure it all depends on how the plans work out." Freya stepped into the shower and closed the glass door behind her. Still leaning against the doorpost Vicious stared at the fogged glass walls of the shower. He didn't know whether to answer her previous question let alone how.

That was a month ago. It was the night that Freya decided to finally find a place to get away for a while. To get away from Vicious in particular…..What better place to stay than the Bebop…always traveling never clinging to one surface.

Freya slipped out of her spaceship and landed gracefully on the platform the led her to the side entrance of the Empress Ice Towers. She strolled in casually with a smile on her face as she greeted the staff.

"Good Night Miss Milan. You are back from your business trip I see. Enjoy your night. All mails were sent to your suite and it is in the best of shape."

"Thank you Brice there will be a handsome tip for you shortly!" she said casually as she pressed for the elevator, "By the way has anyone come by for me?"

"No Madame! Why was someone supposed to?"

"No not at all Brice I was just asking!" Freya waved goodbye and stepped unto the elevator. Although she tried to ignore it, something in the back of her mind kept nagging her.

Freya stepped unto the floor and walked casually to her suite, one of two on that floor. She opened her door dropped her keys on the coffee table and her bag on the floor. Her Suite was on the top most floor of the tower it had an upstairs and a down. The suite was well decorated with the finest of things, just as bizarre and complicated as its owner.

Freya went to her room, took a shower, and came downstairs to grab a drink. She opened her fridge, poured herself a drink. Normal for her of course, except the fact that there was someone sitting on the couch. Of course she could only see their reflection thru the mirror between the Living room and the dining room. Freya didn't need to go out to know who it was. She was surprised he moved so quickly, but then again…this is Vicious we're talking about!

Casually Vicious got up and strolled to the kitchen, he stopped at the door as Freya pretended to be making a sandwich. She looked up suddenly as if surprised.

"Oh Hello, Vicious! Didn't expect to see you here so soon."

"Yeah well lucky guess I suppose. How are you Freya?" he said slightly growling. Freya looked up at him. She was now taking a full look. Vicious stood by the doorway leaning against the post, his white cotton shirt stood open revealing a well toned chest under a black vest, long black pants, and some black shoes to match. To top off the entire look which some how blew Freya away was his hair. Vicious' silver hair was long…about four inches past his shoulders which he held in a low ponytail.

"I'm just fine but…What miracle grow you've been using that your hair grew an extra 6 inches between last month and a half now? Let's see my hair is about down to my waist but it didn't grow like this in about a month…it took like two, considering the fact that I had a head start. So what's your secret!" Freya joked with a smile on her face.

Vicious knew this was how it was going to go on for now. He knew that at some point they were going to hit a critical point and she'd end up yelling and he'd end venting his frustrations by yelling back, then she'd end up going into her room and locking her door daring him to come in or else she'd shoot him. Yes, the two were dangerous for each other…but they were also the only two human beings they could maybe trust their heart with. For some reason he was starting to feel him and Freya slowly drifting apart. He knew it wasn't another man, he knew it wasn't her work, but he did know it had something to do with him.

"No trick to it Freya, just a few spas at the dojo, some stress," Freya's eyes flickered slightly, "and some good old fashion work." He finished in a low tone.

"Oh darn…I 'adn't really 'ad any of that. Want a sandwich? I made two." She asked adjusting her towel and shaking her wet hair out of her face.

"Thanks, hadn't really eaten much today. So how was your trip to Venus?" he asked. Freya paused, not chewing, not looking at him, and not speaking…yet. That was it. The biggest question of the night. Was he going to get the biggest lie? Or was he going to get the most complicated truth about that phone call.

Freya sighed and then smiled, "It was absolutely great! Not only did I get my business done but I had fun too. Made a little extra woolongs while I was at it!" Her violet and gold eyes stared into Vicious' steel ones. Then, still smiling she started again.

"Come on Vicious, you know I wasn't really on the business trip. That was my only lie. I practically went planet hopping. The only one I miraculously hadn't landed on was this one. And it wasn't like I said to the captain I don't want to land on Saturn, no! That wasn't it. If fate brought me back earlier than expected then so be it!"

"So what was the real reason why you left?" he asked staring her in the eye. She looked right back at him as casually as possible and said:

"Because I wanted to get away from you! You know that. I shouldn't have to say it."

"It feels more reassuring coming from you." Vicious stated looking down at the sandwich he just bit. Freya swore she saw something flicker in his eyes, but what sense would that make? If he really gave a flying fuck he would tell what was more important to him. The syndicate or her. Or were they so equally important that he couldn't choose?

"So what was it I did or said?"

"Oh you've got it all twisted love, its what you didn't say…it's what you never say. Vicious…For the first time I realized that…I don't really know what goes on in your head anymore. Matter of fact have I ever known what goes on in your head!" she stated incredulously, she was breaking now, "I mean Vicious I love you but god so help me if I ever figure out what I mean to you!"

Part one was down, act two was down, and now was part three. Something in the back of Freya's mind kept whispering tell him, tell him! TELL HIM! But Freya couldn't do it. No matter how many times she opened her mouth to tell him the second part of her doubt, she just couldn't do it…instead Freya got up.

"Freya wait-" Vicious started completely perplexed at this point. This was the first time Freya had broken down so quickly in front of him.

"No Vicious! Look I'm sorry but I'm really not feeling so well! I shouldn't have eaten that sandwich so right now I'm just heading off the bed!" She sped walked from him leaving him there with a blank expression on his face.