**Although I've written other fan fictions, this is my first Bebop one! Hope you guys like it. Although I am a huge Faye lover, there is no saying how this story will end. I don't own Cowboy Bebop (though I wish I did!) and I didn't write nor do I own any of the songs I use (though I also wish I did). Feel free to e-mail me with comments, likes or dislikes or even ideas. Hope you enjoy!**
"So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here."
--Pink Floyd
Faye stood over the lonely grave, watching beads of water roll down the headstone's dark, glossed face. Tiny pools seemed to gather in the carved curves of the letters, before leaking out like tears. The rain that morning came down in thick sheets, pounding her shoulders and the puddles below her feet. But still she stood, calmly staring at the headstone.
"Spike Spiegel." Her voice barely reached over the falling drops. Dropping to her knee, she placed a small bouquet of flowers, 2 yellow tulips and 2 yellow acacia's, upon the wet grass. "Fool."
Standing again she dug her hands into the pockets of her oversized coat, burring her head into it's collar. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, inhaling his scent. For a moment she felt like he was there, right behind her, standing just like her, hands jammed in pockets as a cigarette hung from his lips. Her fingers drifted to the hole that was gashed across the chest of his trench coat, which happened to land just below her ribs.
"She's alive, you know." Her voice was soft, yet bitter and full of pain. Anger flashed in her green eyes as they began to water. "They found her soon after you had left her. Jet insisted we take her back to the Bebop, said we owed it to you." She snorted. "Like we owe you anything. You were the one who owed us at least the rest of your life. Selfish jerk." Wiping the tears from her eyes she sighed. "Edward and Ein came back. I hate to say it, but I missed the little demons. I miss you too." She added softly. "We're leaving Mars tonight. We've been here long enough." A moment of hesitation dangled in the air before she turned. "Take care, Spike."
Then she paused, yet again and glanced over her shoulder. It was then she noticed they had yet to carve in the year of his death. They hadn't found his body. A sad smile formed on her lips.
"And if you're still around, stop by sometime."
Chapter 1
Ed waited patently by the hanger, waiting for Faye to return. She sat, perched like a human gargoyle, anxiously humming a song to herself. Finally the hanger opened, sending a big burst of wind gushing by her. Her eyes widened in excitement and she bit down on her lower lip, not being able to wait a moment longer. She squealed and flew from the railing, dancing beside the door of the Redtail. As soon as the hatch opened, she jumped on Faye, clamping her arms and legs around her waist like a monkey.
"Faye-Faye!" She giggled, thumping her head on Faye's chest.
"Hello Edward." Faye answered dully, shutting the door to the Redtail and walking, Edward still attached, towards the kitchen.
"Ed made something for Faye-Faye." As they approached the kitchen Ed jumped off of her and scrambled to the counter, grabbing something and holding it behind her back. "Something nice."
Unable to help herself, Faye smiled and leaned her hip against the counter. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrow. "Something nice huh?"
Edward smiled widely and nodded. From behind her back she pulled out a sheet of paper and shoved it in Faye's face. "Ta Dah!!"
Blinking, Faye found herself staring at a piece of uncooked macaroni. She took the paper from Ed and held it back a bit. To her surprise she saw a noodle person, who she thought was smiling, with black string for hair.
"Is this me Ed?" She asked.
"Faye-Faye noodle person!" Ed shouted, striking a weird pose before expanding her arms and 'flying' into the other room. Faye chuckled, looking down at the picture and heading towards her room.
She placed the macaroni portrait on top of her television and flopped down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Things were just boring lately. They had been on Mars for months now. Her and Jet never talked about why. They both knew the answer. Deep down, they were both holding their breath, waiting for Spike to walk in the door, cigarette in lips, coat slung over his shoulder, hand in pocket. Like he used to. He would stretch himself out on the couch, dangling limbs here and there, as he watched 'Big Shot' on the television. Moaning, groaning and griping about how much he hated women, dogs, kids and life.
From the other room Faye could here the signature gunshot that started off the show. Closing her eyes, she rolled to her side and stared at her blank wall. From below her she could feel the engines of the Bebop start up.
Finally, they were leaving.
She could feel her lashes getting wet. They were leaving, and he was never coming back.
A rustling turned her attention to the doorway. Jet stood there, blocking out the hallway light. "I have some work to do." He said gruffly. Since Spike left he had been short and to the point all the time. The only one he was ever really pleasant to was- "Bring Julia some food."
Julia.
Faye bolted upright, completely outraged. "Why should I? You're the one who wanted her here!"
With a heavy sigh, Jet pinched the bridge of his nose. No matter how much Faye seemed to have changed since her memory returned, she was still the same old Faye.
"Just do it, Faye." He said with a tone of finality before he walked away.
She chased him out into the hallway. "Just remember it was your idea Jet! If you want a pet you have to take care of it!" She shook her fist at him, but he continued down the hallway, shaking his head.
With a groan she slumped against the doorway and looked towards the door across the hall from her. Her upper lip raised in a slight snarl.
Stupid Julia.
Around fifteen minutes later, she practically kicked Julia's door open, carrying a tray in her hands.
From the mattress on the floor, the golden hair woman sat up, rubbing her eyes. Quietly she watched Faye, who refused to meet her gaze.
Faye placed the tray on her lap and quickly glanced up to see a tear roll down Julia's cheek. Her jaw tightened.
"Crying isn't going to help anything." Faye told her coldly, handing her a pair of chopsticks.
Julia sniffed and took them from her. "It makes me feel better." She picked up a piece of what she thought was chicken, and held it between the two sticks, staring at it dumbly.
Having enough, Faye stood, ready to leave.
"Faye." Julia called.
Faye stopped in the doorway, and looked over her shoulder.
Julia sat in the bed, her long waves of spun gold drifted down her shoulders and back. A soft blue blanket covered her legs, as the tray rested across her lap. She stared at Faye in almost shock, like she couldn't believe she had actually spoken. Finally she blink and lowered her head to look at the chicken again. "Thank you."
Faye stared back at her. For a moment she was lost in the woman's sheer beauty. No wonder Spike was so entranced by her. She looked like and angel, anchored with mortals by a simple dinner tray.
"Your welcome." Faye answered softly, closing the door behind her.
With a sigh she rested her back against the door and closed her eyes.
"Damn it, Spike."
* * *
"Two thousand woo-long!" Snatching the laptop from the coffee table, she stared at the screen closer. Her mouth began to water. "Think of all the food we could buy."
From beside her leg, Ein whined in agreement.
Jet sat on her other side, eating from a plate of bell peppers. "What are you mumbling about?" He asked her, spooning some into his mouth and looking over the screen that rested on Faye's lap.
Her stomach lurched when she caught a whiff of the horrid smelling food. Making a disgusted face, she leaned away from him and pinched her nose. "Agh! That smells awful Jet."
Ignoring her, Jet kept eating. "Two thousand woo-long, eh?"
"Not exactly a heavy bounty, but a lot more than the chump change they're been throwing around lately." Faye stared at the picture of the deeply tanned man in his fifties with stark white hair that fell to his shoulders. His blue eyes were so crisp and piercing, she got a shiver just looking at his image. They seemed to taunt her, daring her to try and catch him.
A smile stretched over her red lips. "He's all mine."
"And mine."
Behind them, Julia stood, dressed in a black sweater and black pants, with the same melancholy expression she always wore, surrounded by a sea of gold.
"No way." Faye said simply, standing up and shutting the laptop.
"You still need more rest." Jet told her, much like a father would a child.
"And I don't need to be pulling around dead weight." Faye added.
Julia's eyebrows lowered into a scowl. "I'm not dead weight."
Faye shrugged her shoulder lazily and slid her sunglasses over her crisp green eyes. "The point is, I don't have time to chase after a trigger-happy rookie who's trying to save face for the death of our last partner."
"Faye!" Jet snapped. His eyes fixed on her, warning her mot to say another word. She huffed and looked away, her jaw setting.
"I'm not a rookie." Julia told her calmly. "I worked for the syndicate for years and--"
"I know exactly how you got where you were in the syndicate." Faye interrupted evenly.
Julia gasped; looking like Faye had just struck her in the face. Her cheeks burned red as her blue eyes began to water. She turned, in a swirl of glittering gold, and disappeared into the dark hallway.
"Damn it Faye!" Jet hollered, shooting up from the couch. "Why do you always have to be so awful to her? Would it kill you to be human towards her? Just once?"
Ignoring the question, Faye turned from him, heading for the hanger. She reached the doorway and paused. "I at least got her back in her room, didn't I?"
She walked out into the hanger, climbing into the Redtail. Jet followed her, his face red with anger.
"Faye! You have to stop treating her so badly. When she's fully recovered she's going to be a partner with us!"
Still ignoring him, she started her engines and hit the button above her head to open the hatch.
"It's not her fault he's dead, Faye!"
The sentence shot through all the noise, loud and clear. Jet had gone back into the Bebop, and it still continued to ring in her ears. Was that why? Was that why she hated the sight of the woman? Why she couldn't stomach being in the same room with her?
Shaking the thought from her head, she gunned the thrusters, shooting out from the ship and heading for her newest bounty.
* * *
Nearly three hours later she found herself at a bar, sitting two seats down from her bounty. They called him 'Snow White', which was pretty ridiculous, considering the man was all muscle and no where near as pleasant looking as he was in his picture.
She had been watching him from the corner of her eye, when he stood, seemingly ready to leave. As he walked past, she managed to catch his eye with hers. He smirked and stopped, squeezing up next to her and placing a few bills on the bar, ordering a drink for her.
As she sipped from the glass, she kept her eyes fixed on him. She slowly ran her tongue over her upper lip, to take up the extra alcohol, then smiled a him.
"Thank you." She kept her voice low, with a sexy undertone to it.
Snow White grinned like a wolf back at her. Faye pulled out a cigarette and raised her eyebrow. Still grinning, he reached into his coat pocket and produced a lighter. He sparked it for her, and she leaned in, her eyes still locked with his.
It was then she made her move. While leaned down, she swung out her hand, pushing his away, and grabbing her gun. Before he even knew what happened, she had the gun to his temple.
"You ready to come with me, Snow White?"
He grinned again. "Not just yet, sweetheart."
With one swift move, she was on her back, and he was out the door.
She jumped back up and ran after him, ignoring the ruckus that she had left behind in the bar. She followed his footsteps in the snow, running as fast as she could. Turning a corner, she saw his back, just before he disappeared into an old warehouse.
Everything was dark inside, as soon as she stepped past the moonlit doorway. Her breath appeared in puffs before her as she tried to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Slowly she crept in, gun up, ready to fire.
The entire place seemed deserted. Row after row of support columns were all that stretched before her, with the exception of a few rotted out, broken couches scattered here and there. Something rustled to her left. Swiftly she locked her gun into position, her eyes focusing on a stray cat. It's eyes glowed in the dark back at her. Letting out a sigh of relief, she dropped her gun for an instant. The cats tail twitched before it mewed and jumped from it's spot.
"Stupid ca--" Her sentence was cut off as a cold hand gripped her throat and slammed her back against a steel pillar. She choked for air, while scratching at the large hand the covered her air passage. Her head throbbed in pain as Snow White's face appeared before her.
"Nice try sweetheart." He whispered to her, tightening his grip. Her fingers stretched from the knife she kept in the back of her shorts.
Snow White let out a loud howl then, which became mixed with a wild hissing. His hand dropped from her neck, as he batted at his back, turning himself into circles. Faye looked up in shock to see the cat, viciously scratching at Snow White's back.
He finally managed to grab the cat by the scruff of it's neck. He threw it forward, causing it to slam against another pillar, then fall into the snow, completely motionless.
"Fucking ca--"
This time he was cut off by a gun to his face. "You're ready to go now." Faye told him through gritted teeth. She drew back her gun and clocked him across the cheek, knocking him out cold.
He thumped not the ground, little swirls of snow kicking up around him, just as a loud jet engine was heard outside. Light shone in through the windows, illuminating the entire warehouse.
Blocking the light from her eyes, Faye squinted, as the wind blew her hair back from her face.
The Swordfish.
Her heart leapt. It began to beat so fast, she thought she would drop dead. He was back. Somehow he had eluded death again and had come to save her, just like old times. She felt tears start to well in her eyes.
But then it all ended. All ended with a swirl of gold. Like it always did.
Anger boiled in her veins. How dare she! That wretch of a woman, taking something that didn't belong to her out for a joyride. Using Spike's ship like it was her own. Like she had the right to.
"Faye?" Julia called, now at the opening of the doorway.
For one crazy moment, Faye lifted her gun, aiming it right at the unsuspecting blonde. No one would know. She could be done with the wretch now. She'd never have to deal with her again. Never have to look at what she could never be. Never have to live with the ghost Spike could never rid himself of.
She lowered the gun.
"I'm over here." She said emotionlessly.
Julia ran over to her, looking down at Snow White. "You got him?"
"Yeah, I got him." Her eyes drifted over to the heap of black fur that still resting in the snow. Quietly she knelt beside it, searching for a pulse. She found one. A smile came to her lips as she scooped him up, bundling him in the warmth of her coat. "Call Jet," She nodded towards Snow White. "He's too big for us to carry."
* * *
Jet groaned and shook his head. "Damn dirty crooks."
Faye, who had been passing by, stopped in her tracks, her eyes catching a glimpse of the computer screen. "Three hundred woo-long?! That's all we get!?" She whined and dropped her head into her arms. "I'm so hungry." Her stomach groaned for effect.
"Well expect even less, with one more mouth to feed."
Faye stood, and began walking towards her bedroom. "Morris saved my life, Jet, I couldn't just leave him there to die."
Just as she reached her doorway, Julia stepped out of hers. Their eyes met, and Julia's automatically fell to the floor. They brushed past each other in silence, but for a second, Faye hesitated.
"Julia."
The blonde turned slowly. "Yes?"
"Thanks for checking up on me." Faye didn't know why she was saying it, it just seemed right to do so.
"The only other person who ever came to get me was--" She cut herself off. Something flashed through Julia's eyes. A mixture of sadness and worry. "Well, let's just say it's been a while." She smiled softly. "So thanks."
Julia gave a weak smile back. "Your welcome." They both hesitated for a second, questions hovering in air, waiting to be asked. But instead they turned, Julia to the hallway, Faye to her room.
On her once bare wall was now Ed's macaroni picture, and on her once empty bed, lay Morris, sleeping peacefully. She smiled and lay down beside him, lost in her own thoughts.
Had Spike told Julia about herself and him? Or was Julia just assuming that since she and Spike had been together for a while that they had in fact "been together"?
Morris had gotten up and was now nuzzling her ear, purring loudly into it. She laughed and petting his head, as he closed his eyes and layed down again, this time on her pillow, right beside her head. Laying a kiss in his head, she scratched behind his ear.
"At least I have someone to share a pillow with again, huh Morris?"
"Faye?" Julia asked quietly from the doorway. "Jet found another bounty..."
"How much?"
"A million."
Faye sat up. "Well then, let's go."
** Well that's it for now! Things will get more interesting soon, I promise! Look forward to more fun Faye and Julia adventures also the answer to a lot of questions, like what happened between Faye and Spike? Is Spike really dead, and if so, will he come back? And if he does, what happens then??? Hmm, even I don't know the answers yet, but stay tuned and you'll find out!**
"So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here."
--Pink Floyd
Faye stood over the lonely grave, watching beads of water roll down the headstone's dark, glossed face. Tiny pools seemed to gather in the carved curves of the letters, before leaking out like tears. The rain that morning came down in thick sheets, pounding her shoulders and the puddles below her feet. But still she stood, calmly staring at the headstone.
"Spike Spiegel." Her voice barely reached over the falling drops. Dropping to her knee, she placed a small bouquet of flowers, 2 yellow tulips and 2 yellow acacia's, upon the wet grass. "Fool."
Standing again she dug her hands into the pockets of her oversized coat, burring her head into it's collar. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, inhaling his scent. For a moment she felt like he was there, right behind her, standing just like her, hands jammed in pockets as a cigarette hung from his lips. Her fingers drifted to the hole that was gashed across the chest of his trench coat, which happened to land just below her ribs.
"She's alive, you know." Her voice was soft, yet bitter and full of pain. Anger flashed in her green eyes as they began to water. "They found her soon after you had left her. Jet insisted we take her back to the Bebop, said we owed it to you." She snorted. "Like we owe you anything. You were the one who owed us at least the rest of your life. Selfish jerk." Wiping the tears from her eyes she sighed. "Edward and Ein came back. I hate to say it, but I missed the little demons. I miss you too." She added softly. "We're leaving Mars tonight. We've been here long enough." A moment of hesitation dangled in the air before she turned. "Take care, Spike."
Then she paused, yet again and glanced over her shoulder. It was then she noticed they had yet to carve in the year of his death. They hadn't found his body. A sad smile formed on her lips.
"And if you're still around, stop by sometime."
Chapter 1
Ed waited patently by the hanger, waiting for Faye to return. She sat, perched like a human gargoyle, anxiously humming a song to herself. Finally the hanger opened, sending a big burst of wind gushing by her. Her eyes widened in excitement and she bit down on her lower lip, not being able to wait a moment longer. She squealed and flew from the railing, dancing beside the door of the Redtail. As soon as the hatch opened, she jumped on Faye, clamping her arms and legs around her waist like a monkey.
"Faye-Faye!" She giggled, thumping her head on Faye's chest.
"Hello Edward." Faye answered dully, shutting the door to the Redtail and walking, Edward still attached, towards the kitchen.
"Ed made something for Faye-Faye." As they approached the kitchen Ed jumped off of her and scrambled to the counter, grabbing something and holding it behind her back. "Something nice."
Unable to help herself, Faye smiled and leaned her hip against the counter. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrow. "Something nice huh?"
Edward smiled widely and nodded. From behind her back she pulled out a sheet of paper and shoved it in Faye's face. "Ta Dah!!"
Blinking, Faye found herself staring at a piece of uncooked macaroni. She took the paper from Ed and held it back a bit. To her surprise she saw a noodle person, who she thought was smiling, with black string for hair.
"Is this me Ed?" She asked.
"Faye-Faye noodle person!" Ed shouted, striking a weird pose before expanding her arms and 'flying' into the other room. Faye chuckled, looking down at the picture and heading towards her room.
She placed the macaroni portrait on top of her television and flopped down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Things were just boring lately. They had been on Mars for months now. Her and Jet never talked about why. They both knew the answer. Deep down, they were both holding their breath, waiting for Spike to walk in the door, cigarette in lips, coat slung over his shoulder, hand in pocket. Like he used to. He would stretch himself out on the couch, dangling limbs here and there, as he watched 'Big Shot' on the television. Moaning, groaning and griping about how much he hated women, dogs, kids and life.
From the other room Faye could here the signature gunshot that started off the show. Closing her eyes, she rolled to her side and stared at her blank wall. From below her she could feel the engines of the Bebop start up.
Finally, they were leaving.
She could feel her lashes getting wet. They were leaving, and he was never coming back.
A rustling turned her attention to the doorway. Jet stood there, blocking out the hallway light. "I have some work to do." He said gruffly. Since Spike left he had been short and to the point all the time. The only one he was ever really pleasant to was- "Bring Julia some food."
Julia.
Faye bolted upright, completely outraged. "Why should I? You're the one who wanted her here!"
With a heavy sigh, Jet pinched the bridge of his nose. No matter how much Faye seemed to have changed since her memory returned, she was still the same old Faye.
"Just do it, Faye." He said with a tone of finality before he walked away.
She chased him out into the hallway. "Just remember it was your idea Jet! If you want a pet you have to take care of it!" She shook her fist at him, but he continued down the hallway, shaking his head.
With a groan she slumped against the doorway and looked towards the door across the hall from her. Her upper lip raised in a slight snarl.
Stupid Julia.
Around fifteen minutes later, she practically kicked Julia's door open, carrying a tray in her hands.
From the mattress on the floor, the golden hair woman sat up, rubbing her eyes. Quietly she watched Faye, who refused to meet her gaze.
Faye placed the tray on her lap and quickly glanced up to see a tear roll down Julia's cheek. Her jaw tightened.
"Crying isn't going to help anything." Faye told her coldly, handing her a pair of chopsticks.
Julia sniffed and took them from her. "It makes me feel better." She picked up a piece of what she thought was chicken, and held it between the two sticks, staring at it dumbly.
Having enough, Faye stood, ready to leave.
"Faye." Julia called.
Faye stopped in the doorway, and looked over her shoulder.
Julia sat in the bed, her long waves of spun gold drifted down her shoulders and back. A soft blue blanket covered her legs, as the tray rested across her lap. She stared at Faye in almost shock, like she couldn't believe she had actually spoken. Finally she blink and lowered her head to look at the chicken again. "Thank you."
Faye stared back at her. For a moment she was lost in the woman's sheer beauty. No wonder Spike was so entranced by her. She looked like and angel, anchored with mortals by a simple dinner tray.
"Your welcome." Faye answered softly, closing the door behind her.
With a sigh she rested her back against the door and closed her eyes.
"Damn it, Spike."
* * *
"Two thousand woo-long!" Snatching the laptop from the coffee table, she stared at the screen closer. Her mouth began to water. "Think of all the food we could buy."
From beside her leg, Ein whined in agreement.
Jet sat on her other side, eating from a plate of bell peppers. "What are you mumbling about?" He asked her, spooning some into his mouth and looking over the screen that rested on Faye's lap.
Her stomach lurched when she caught a whiff of the horrid smelling food. Making a disgusted face, she leaned away from him and pinched her nose. "Agh! That smells awful Jet."
Ignoring her, Jet kept eating. "Two thousand woo-long, eh?"
"Not exactly a heavy bounty, but a lot more than the chump change they're been throwing around lately." Faye stared at the picture of the deeply tanned man in his fifties with stark white hair that fell to his shoulders. His blue eyes were so crisp and piercing, she got a shiver just looking at his image. They seemed to taunt her, daring her to try and catch him.
A smile stretched over her red lips. "He's all mine."
"And mine."
Behind them, Julia stood, dressed in a black sweater and black pants, with the same melancholy expression she always wore, surrounded by a sea of gold.
"No way." Faye said simply, standing up and shutting the laptop.
"You still need more rest." Jet told her, much like a father would a child.
"And I don't need to be pulling around dead weight." Faye added.
Julia's eyebrows lowered into a scowl. "I'm not dead weight."
Faye shrugged her shoulder lazily and slid her sunglasses over her crisp green eyes. "The point is, I don't have time to chase after a trigger-happy rookie who's trying to save face for the death of our last partner."
"Faye!" Jet snapped. His eyes fixed on her, warning her mot to say another word. She huffed and looked away, her jaw setting.
"I'm not a rookie." Julia told her calmly. "I worked for the syndicate for years and--"
"I know exactly how you got where you were in the syndicate." Faye interrupted evenly.
Julia gasped; looking like Faye had just struck her in the face. Her cheeks burned red as her blue eyes began to water. She turned, in a swirl of glittering gold, and disappeared into the dark hallway.
"Damn it Faye!" Jet hollered, shooting up from the couch. "Why do you always have to be so awful to her? Would it kill you to be human towards her? Just once?"
Ignoring the question, Faye turned from him, heading for the hanger. She reached the doorway and paused. "I at least got her back in her room, didn't I?"
She walked out into the hanger, climbing into the Redtail. Jet followed her, his face red with anger.
"Faye! You have to stop treating her so badly. When she's fully recovered she's going to be a partner with us!"
Still ignoring him, she started her engines and hit the button above her head to open the hatch.
"It's not her fault he's dead, Faye!"
The sentence shot through all the noise, loud and clear. Jet had gone back into the Bebop, and it still continued to ring in her ears. Was that why? Was that why she hated the sight of the woman? Why she couldn't stomach being in the same room with her?
Shaking the thought from her head, she gunned the thrusters, shooting out from the ship and heading for her newest bounty.
* * *
Nearly three hours later she found herself at a bar, sitting two seats down from her bounty. They called him 'Snow White', which was pretty ridiculous, considering the man was all muscle and no where near as pleasant looking as he was in his picture.
She had been watching him from the corner of her eye, when he stood, seemingly ready to leave. As he walked past, she managed to catch his eye with hers. He smirked and stopped, squeezing up next to her and placing a few bills on the bar, ordering a drink for her.
As she sipped from the glass, she kept her eyes fixed on him. She slowly ran her tongue over her upper lip, to take up the extra alcohol, then smiled a him.
"Thank you." She kept her voice low, with a sexy undertone to it.
Snow White grinned like a wolf back at her. Faye pulled out a cigarette and raised her eyebrow. Still grinning, he reached into his coat pocket and produced a lighter. He sparked it for her, and she leaned in, her eyes still locked with his.
It was then she made her move. While leaned down, she swung out her hand, pushing his away, and grabbing her gun. Before he even knew what happened, she had the gun to his temple.
"You ready to come with me, Snow White?"
He grinned again. "Not just yet, sweetheart."
With one swift move, she was on her back, and he was out the door.
She jumped back up and ran after him, ignoring the ruckus that she had left behind in the bar. She followed his footsteps in the snow, running as fast as she could. Turning a corner, she saw his back, just before he disappeared into an old warehouse.
Everything was dark inside, as soon as she stepped past the moonlit doorway. Her breath appeared in puffs before her as she tried to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Slowly she crept in, gun up, ready to fire.
The entire place seemed deserted. Row after row of support columns were all that stretched before her, with the exception of a few rotted out, broken couches scattered here and there. Something rustled to her left. Swiftly she locked her gun into position, her eyes focusing on a stray cat. It's eyes glowed in the dark back at her. Letting out a sigh of relief, she dropped her gun for an instant. The cats tail twitched before it mewed and jumped from it's spot.
"Stupid ca--" Her sentence was cut off as a cold hand gripped her throat and slammed her back against a steel pillar. She choked for air, while scratching at the large hand the covered her air passage. Her head throbbed in pain as Snow White's face appeared before her.
"Nice try sweetheart." He whispered to her, tightening his grip. Her fingers stretched from the knife she kept in the back of her shorts.
Snow White let out a loud howl then, which became mixed with a wild hissing. His hand dropped from her neck, as he batted at his back, turning himself into circles. Faye looked up in shock to see the cat, viciously scratching at Snow White's back.
He finally managed to grab the cat by the scruff of it's neck. He threw it forward, causing it to slam against another pillar, then fall into the snow, completely motionless.
"Fucking ca--"
This time he was cut off by a gun to his face. "You're ready to go now." Faye told him through gritted teeth. She drew back her gun and clocked him across the cheek, knocking him out cold.
He thumped not the ground, little swirls of snow kicking up around him, just as a loud jet engine was heard outside. Light shone in through the windows, illuminating the entire warehouse.
Blocking the light from her eyes, Faye squinted, as the wind blew her hair back from her face.
The Swordfish.
Her heart leapt. It began to beat so fast, she thought she would drop dead. He was back. Somehow he had eluded death again and had come to save her, just like old times. She felt tears start to well in her eyes.
But then it all ended. All ended with a swirl of gold. Like it always did.
Anger boiled in her veins. How dare she! That wretch of a woman, taking something that didn't belong to her out for a joyride. Using Spike's ship like it was her own. Like she had the right to.
"Faye?" Julia called, now at the opening of the doorway.
For one crazy moment, Faye lifted her gun, aiming it right at the unsuspecting blonde. No one would know. She could be done with the wretch now. She'd never have to deal with her again. Never have to look at what she could never be. Never have to live with the ghost Spike could never rid himself of.
She lowered the gun.
"I'm over here." She said emotionlessly.
Julia ran over to her, looking down at Snow White. "You got him?"
"Yeah, I got him." Her eyes drifted over to the heap of black fur that still resting in the snow. Quietly she knelt beside it, searching for a pulse. She found one. A smile came to her lips as she scooped him up, bundling him in the warmth of her coat. "Call Jet," She nodded towards Snow White. "He's too big for us to carry."
* * *
Jet groaned and shook his head. "Damn dirty crooks."
Faye, who had been passing by, stopped in her tracks, her eyes catching a glimpse of the computer screen. "Three hundred woo-long?! That's all we get!?" She whined and dropped her head into her arms. "I'm so hungry." Her stomach groaned for effect.
"Well expect even less, with one more mouth to feed."
Faye stood, and began walking towards her bedroom. "Morris saved my life, Jet, I couldn't just leave him there to die."
Just as she reached her doorway, Julia stepped out of hers. Their eyes met, and Julia's automatically fell to the floor. They brushed past each other in silence, but for a second, Faye hesitated.
"Julia."
The blonde turned slowly. "Yes?"
"Thanks for checking up on me." Faye didn't know why she was saying it, it just seemed right to do so.
"The only other person who ever came to get me was--" She cut herself off. Something flashed through Julia's eyes. A mixture of sadness and worry. "Well, let's just say it's been a while." She smiled softly. "So thanks."
Julia gave a weak smile back. "Your welcome." They both hesitated for a second, questions hovering in air, waiting to be asked. But instead they turned, Julia to the hallway, Faye to her room.
On her once bare wall was now Ed's macaroni picture, and on her once empty bed, lay Morris, sleeping peacefully. She smiled and lay down beside him, lost in her own thoughts.
Had Spike told Julia about herself and him? Or was Julia just assuming that since she and Spike had been together for a while that they had in fact "been together"?
Morris had gotten up and was now nuzzling her ear, purring loudly into it. She laughed and petting his head, as he closed his eyes and layed down again, this time on her pillow, right beside her head. Laying a kiss in his head, she scratched behind his ear.
"At least I have someone to share a pillow with again, huh Morris?"
"Faye?" Julia asked quietly from the doorway. "Jet found another bounty..."
"How much?"
"A million."
Faye sat up. "Well then, let's go."
** Well that's it for now! Things will get more interesting soon, I promise! Look forward to more fun Faye and Julia adventures also the answer to a lot of questions, like what happened between Faye and Spike? Is Spike really dead, and if so, will he come back? And if he does, what happens then??? Hmm, even I don't know the answers yet, but stay tuned and you'll find out!**
