Disclaimer: I don't own Cowboy Bebop or anything else that may have helped with the inspiration behind this. Nor am I making any money from this. The lyrics are from my beloved Sugababes, About You Now. I want to try this new style where I have lyrics from a song at the start and the end. Please keep in mind that a) I don't own any of the songs, b) only the lyrics that I've written are relevant to the chapter and that the tune of the song, the genre, the band, the rest of the lyrics, everything else may be wholly irrelevant or unsuitable, and c) it's something new I'm trying. So take pity. (And believe me when I say finding relevant lyrics is harder than might first appear.) Enjoy version II of this chapter from what was the prologue. ;)

Author's Note: This one came to me randomly today, when I finally took a break from Cowboy Bebop. (I've definitely been over-doing it lately.) And I thought this was a sweet, hopeful idea. I hope you guys like it. It might develop to be more than a one-shot but nothing's certain. Let me know if you see potential for it to develop into a multi-chaptered story, and also, if you think Spike should or shouldn't die in this. Thanks.

I feel so much better about this. I had to re-edit this prologue, because the direction of the story finally came to me. I've not got part of the basic outline written down. The rest should be written down by tonight, and then, I'll start on Chapter 1. Hope you guys like it, and please R&R. I would really appreciate it.

Sometimes it's enough

Chapter I – About You Now

It was so easy that night

Shoulda been strong, yeah I lied

Nobody gets me like you do

Could I keep hold of you then

How could I know what you meant

There was nothing to compare to

Faye's breaths were coming out heavily and painfully, as she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. The tears had dried quickly, almost before they had fallen, and the dry sobs had stopped soon after. She just stared blankly at where Spike had been, before he had turned and walked away from her. She still couldn't understand why she hadn't shot him.

She'd tried it on Gren, and even though it hadn't stopped him, it would have stopped Spike. She was sure of it. Absolutely certain. For one, Spike had had his back entirely towards her. For another, if she had succeeded in shooting him – and she was sure that she would have been – he wouldn't have been able to fight against her, the way Gren had. And she was equally certain he wouldn't have silenced or stopped her with a kiss – kisses – the way Gren had.

So she returned to glaring at the bullets, as if that would alter anything. Of course it wouldn't, but it was easier than going through all of the guilt she felt right now. And not only was she incapable of talking right now, but her muscles felt far too heavy to move as well. The more the thought of an injured, dying Spike came to her, the more she felt incapable of moving.

Why in the world had he done this? Distantly, as if trying to recall a dream (or a memory), she seemed to understand that he had to do it. If he hadn't, Vicious would have continued to come after him, and one meeting with Vicious had been more than enough for her to know that he wasn't the type of guy she'd want after her.

Memories drifted across her mind as she continued to glare at the bullets. The way he had looked the first time she had met him, across the Black Jack table. She had been sure he was attracted to her – it was in his body language. The way he leaned forward slightly, the knowing smile on his face as he watched her cheat him out of all of his chips, and that certain something in his eyes. It was only once she began to feel attracted to him herself that she began to doubt his attraction to her. And the knowledge of Julia was enough to convince her that if there had ever been any attraction, it had been skin deep at most, on Spike's part.

The recollection of Julia floated across her mind. Beautiful blonde hair, beautiful cold eyes, beautiful icy demeanour. It was easy to see why Spike and Vicious both had fallen in love with her. She wished that they could have maybe loved her less or hated each other less. Death shouldn't be the only way of dealing with this. A brief, momentary idea presented itself to her. Maybe it wasn't about Julia but betrayal? It was gone just as swiftly. Would it place Spike in any less danger? Would he be any less dead, if it was over betrayal rather than Julia? No. Damn it, why hadn't she shot him?

She recalled to her mind another memory - a far more recent one. Spike pointing out that Faye herself may have led the attackers to Bebop, when she had accused him of calling them over. She had time to ponder this now. Spike had clearly known that other bounty hunters could follow Faye and attack the Bebop. He had known that she could bring them a whole lot of trouble, and they really didn't need any extra trouble. And he had always complained about her staying on the Bebop, aside from a lot of other complaints too. So why hadn't he ever used this in an argument against her? Gods know that he used every other damn argument! Had he known that she would have taken it seriously and maybe even left them, for their own good? Well, she would have tried to leave them, she thought honestly. A forbidden part of Faye call Hope whispered that maybe that was why he didn't tell her. Maybe he didn't want her to leave, because, if he was anything like her, then arguing was just a means of communication, not indicative of their inner emotions in the least. Maybe he liked her more than she realised, and he didn't want her to leave? She disregarded it.

A different reminiscence was developing in her mind by now. It was when she had first realised she actually liked the stupid man – when he had fallen out of that cathedral. A wry smile twisted her face that was comparable to the wry smiles Spike had often worn in his time. How appropriate that the first thing he spoke was insulting rather than a thank you. She didn't think she could ever recall him actually thanking anyone. Maybe he thanked Julia, the forbidden part of Faye called Pain whispered. She pushed this thought away as well. She knew Spike didn't love her. Julia was reason enough for Spike to not love her. She ignored the expected painful clutching at her heart. She was fairly immune to it, and when she expected it, it didn't hurt all that much. She really should have shot him. Why, WHY, why hadn't she shot him?

Another memory slid into focus. Spike casually telling her to not think about her past, since she still had a future, and this made her think about the verbal exchange they shared before he left. He was the one who was still obsessed with his past. A very irritating part of Faye called Logic whispered that Spike couldn't keep running from Vicious. They had to end it somehow and, Logic whispered again, the only way that Vicious could be stopped was by killing him. Or himself, Faye thought cruelly. But that was a thought that she didn't want to think about. She snorted in her head. He had said that he was going to find out if he was really alive, not to die, but if he was going away to fight the entire damn crime syndicate to fight Vicious, it was nothing short of suicidal.

A slight sob almost escaped her as she remembered another time when Spike had gone on one of his missions. It had been against that crazy Pierrot guy! And he had poked fun at the fears she had had on his behalf! He had mockingly asked her what if this was the one he wasn't coming back from? Well, it hadn't been that one, it was this one. Just kidding, he had said. Well, there hadn't been a just kidding this time! Would she come and save him, he had asked before leaving? Would she? Would she come and save him, her damned foot! He had probably been making fun of her. The bastard! Damn it, he'd deserved it, so why hadn't she shot him?

She wondered why she did risk her life, time and again, to save that idiot's. A very uncomfortable part of Faye called Honesty whispered it was because she needed validation. She had nowhere to go, and nobody to turn to except for Jet and Spike. And, after losing her home and her family all over again, she was determined on saving any semblance of friends or family she had remaining. And this included Spike. She tried not to wonder if he wanted to be saved. He was being selfish by doing this to her, so she had every right to be selfish and save him. Honesty remained unconvinced. Faye always hated Honesty so, like everything else she hated (especially her debt), she ignored it.

She stood up on shaking legs. Spike really had been a first class idiot. Did he really have to ask her if she would come to him, if there was a chance he wouldn't be able to come back? She walked towards her Red Tail. She had a feeling he knew the answer, but, Hope whispered, maybe he had been asking for reassurance? She pushed the thought away as she prepared to go and find Spike and save his life yet again.

Instead of wondering why she hadn't shot him, she was now wondering why she was willing to save him yet again, despite the destructive (and stupid) obsession he harboured for Julia. She knew all he would do is insult her, mock her and laugh at her, and a sudden pang made her realise just how much she would miss it if he really didn't come back. Determination began to pump through her veins, making her steps stronger and confident. She'll make sure he'll come back.

She paused at her Red Tail. It was still badly damaged, and she was almost certain that she wouldn't be able to land it safely, but she got in. She was determined to be as stubborn as Spike, and if it meant risking her life to save his, she was more than happy to do it. And again, she wondered why.

She thought she heard Honesty within her whisper that when you cared for someone, you did whatever it took to make them happy; even at your own expense. It whispered that no matter how much it hurt or how little the emotions were reciprocated, sometimes it's enough for just the one of them to care for the other. She pondered over the words as she got inside the Red Tail.

Sometimes it's enough... The words seemed to give new life and new strength to Faye as she started the engine. She thought about Spike. Just...Spike. Any doubts and fears seemed to leave her. Sometimes it's definitely enough, she thought. She just hoped that she would reach Spike in time.

I know everything changes

All the cities and faces

But I know how I feel about you

There's a mountain between us

But there's one thing I'm sure of

That I know how I feel about you

I know everything changes

I don't care where it takes us

'Cause I know how I feel about you

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I had in writing it. I tried to make sure there weren't any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes but please let me know if there was. Would anyone be willing to beta-read for me? Reviews are always very welcome, as is criticism, if it is constructive. Let me know where I can improve, or if you just enjoyed it. Thanks.

To mention it again, the lyrics are from Sugababes About You Now. I love them and strongly recommend any/everyone to youtube them, if they haven't heard them before. (But then again, I might have bad taste in music!)

Just wanted to give some particular thanks to Kyra1 and anime-catdragon for their very helpful reviews. This edition has been virtually all thanks to them. Hope you like this version.

Trins xxx (a.k.a. Tuppence and Sweet Darkling)