Chapter One: In The Beginning
But I know...
So I tell myself, I tell myself it's wrong.
There's a point we pass from which we can't return.
I felt the cold rain of the coming storm.
All because of you,
I haven't slept in so long.
"Where are you going? Why, are you going? You told me once, to forget the past, cause it doesn't matter, but you're the one still tied to the past, Spike!" She cried out causing him to stalk towards her.
" Look at my eyes, Faye. One of them is a fake cause I lost it in an accident. Since then, I've been seeing the past in one eye, and the present in the other, so I thought I could only see patches of reality, never the whole picture." She looked away not wanting to hear any of this.
"Don't tell me things like that; you've never told me anything about yourself, so don't tell me now!"He continued like he never heard her.
"I felt like I was watching a dream I'd never wake up from… Hmp. Before I knew it, the dream was all over." She tried again this time the desperation clearly evident in her voice.
"My memory… finally came back…but… nothing good came of it. There was no place for me to return to; this was the only place I could go. And now, you're leaving, just like that! Why do you have to go? Where are you going? What are you going to do, just throw your life away like it was nothing?!"
"I'm not going there to die; I'm going to find out if I'm really alive. I have to do it, Faye." With that he turned and walked away. Trembling she gave in firing shot after shot into the air, until there were none left. He just kept going. She collapsed to the cold ground, head sinking, her body racked with unshed tears.
She awoke with a start, gasping and clutching at her chest. Sighing she pushed a piece of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Glancing at the clock she saw she had been asleep for four hours. -A new record- she thought sarcastically. Throwing aside her blankets she got out of bed knowing there would be no more sleep tonight. She left her room and made her way down the hallway to her kitchen. It had been months since she had left the bebop, and almost a year since he ran head on into his death, and yet he still haunts her almost every night. She made a mental note to call Jet in the morning, she was pretty sure that she was a few weeks late with her check in. That was the only thing he had asked of her, and she couldn't even do that right. Maybe she really was loosing it. She shook her head trying to get a grip. She had everything she wanted, she finally paid off her debt, she had a good job, she had her own house, she had her own life! She needed to stop dwelling on things she couldn't change . She made herself a cup of tea and took it out on to her balcony. Curling up in one of the chairs, she used her tea to warm herself while watching the sky over Mars slowly lighten. This was her favorite time of the day,watching the light slowly dispel the darkness making everything brand new. Once the sun was fully up, and she could see people down below starting their day, she dragged herself from the chair and made her way inside. Dropping the empty mug in the sink, she pulled open a draw digging through the junk. Pulling out her communicator,she dialed Jet.
"Faye? Everything ok? What's the matter? " he asked in his gruff voice. She sighed, he always assumed something was wrong.
"Nothing is wrong Old Man. I can't just call to say hello?" she replied sarcastically.
"When it comes to you Faye there's always a problem" he says chuckling.
"Is that Faye Faye?! Tell her Ed says hello Faye Faye!" A small smile crept onto her face watching the large man trying to fight off the tiny hacker.
"She can hear you Ed you don't have to scream. Ed knock it off! Get down!" he yelled prying the small girl off his arm. He rubs his face sighing. "It's been a while Faye, she misses you. Maybe we can come for a visit? "
"Actually..." his face falls "that sounds wonderful Jet. You know I have the spare bedroom and Ed sleeps wherever she falls. You are welcome to come whenever you want. " She says with a smile watching his face light up. In the background she hears Ed screaming and telling Ein how they have to go pack to see Faye Faye.
"Well we don't want to intrude Faye, we know how busy you are. " He says smugly.
Laughing she replies, "I'm not a super star Jet, well at least not to anyone but you guys."
"You sure you're ok Faye, you look tired. You been eating?" he asks looking serious.
"Jet I'm fine stop worrying so much you're gonna have a stoke or an anurism. Anyway I gotta run, work calls. See you soon." She says trying to end the conversation that was surely going to turn ugly real quick.
"Ok Faye, we'll see you soon and this conversation isn't done." he says cutting off the com link. Faye sighed tossing the communicator onto her counter, just one more thing to look forward to.
She walked down the hall and into the bathroom, turning on the shower she realized that today was going to be a long day. She finished her shower quickly and walked to her room. Opening her closet she browsed through her clothes deciding on a grey pencil skirt and a dark purple sweater. She tossed some heels on her feet and left her apartment locking the door behind her. She briskly walked the six blocks into the heart of the city, stopping to get a cup of coffee on her way. She walked through the revolving doors of her office building and took the elevator to the eighteenth floor waving a pleasant hello to the security guard before the doors shut. She walked in the office and sat at her desk putting her purse into a desk draw. It still surprised her that she was so content to work behind a desk, but then again it was better than being shot at. She got to work and found her day flying by. At 11:30 the door opened and the usual delivery man walked into the office. "I assume those are Mr. Reed's latest motions? " she asked smiling at the man.
"Not quite, this is addressed to you Faye" he said politely. Faye looked at him confusion marring her face. "Don't ask me, I just deliver them" he says holding the form for her to sign. She signed the form and handed it back holding her hand out for the package. He handed her an envelope and left with a wave. She opened the envelope and a small flash drive fell into her hand. She looked at it curiously before looking in the envelope again. She pulled out a small piece of paper and scribbled on it was one sentence, I know you'll keep it safe. She sighed utterly lost. She tossed the drive in her purse and decided it was time for her lunch break. She left the office and went to the grocery store knowing if Jet saw what she had left in her house he'd lecture her,but he'd also go out and restock her house on his dime. She smiled thinking about not having to pay for food. -Some things never change- she thought while heading up and down the isles. She paid for her groceries and took them home, putting them away and making sure the house was tidy before returning to work.
The rest of her day was rather strange. Every hour or so she would get a phone call asking if she had what they wanted. The last call came in a few minutes before she left, and finally getting fed up she lost it. "Stanley Reed criminal defense, Faye speaking, how may I direct your call? " she answered.
"Do you have what we want? "the strange voice asked.
"Listen here you fucking ass, I have told you I don't know how many times I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Call again and I'm gonna kick the shit outta you!" she yelled slamming the phone down. Taking several deep breathes to calm herself, she slowly gathered her things. Waving good night to the security guard, she made her way home. Walking into her home, she was instantly attacked as two small but unbelievably strong arms wrapped around her legs. "Faye Faye is home! Ed has been waiting for you!" the hacker yelled.
"It's good to see you too Ed. Where's Jet?" she asked looking around.
"Oh he's out talking to person. Papa Jet is angry." the young girl wiggled her fingers for emphasis. She glanced out the sliding door and saw the man in question waving his arms around while clearly yelling at a communicator. She smiled to herself and put her purse down in the kitchen. Remembering about her package, she went digging through the junk draw again and pulled out a key box. Grabbing the flash drive out of her purse and taking the key box with her,she walked back into the living room.
"Ed I need you to do me a favor. See if you can find out what's on this drive, but I need you to keep it safe. So we're gonna keep it in this box which you can put on Ein's collar. Since you're pretty much the only one who can catch that damn dog, it should be safe." she explained handing it to the hacker.
"Ohhhhhhh Ed and Ein Woof Woof have a secret mission. Ed will not let any bad persons get Faye Faye's secret drive!" the girl said enthusiastically. Just then Jet came in looking agrivated and stressed. He nodded at her and she sighed popping a hip.
"You gonna spill or am I supposed to pretend you're not angry?" she asked eyeing him.
"It's nothing Faye an old friend of mine is an idiot. You eat yet, I cooked?" he asked changing the subject. She shook her head no and followed him to the kitchen. He made her a plate and watched as she hopped on the counter to eat it. "You ok Faye? You look tired?" he asked.
She nodded while eating. "Just a really weird day. Someone sent me a flash drive, telling me to keep it safe. Then I get kids making prank calls all afternoon." she explained.
"Any good ones?" he asked cracking a smile.
"Ha ha Jet, real funny. No they just kept asking if I had what they wanted. Finally I got so damn tired of it, I told them I would kick the shit outta them if they called again." she sighed recounting her day. Jet had a strange look on his face, one she knew was going to spell trouble for her.
"Faye I hate to do this but my friend is an idiot and needs my help with a job. Can I leave Ed here, it only be for a couple days?" he asked.
"That's fine Jet, I'm off on the weekend so as long as she doesn't burn my house down while I'm at work tomorrow we will be fine." she replied. He nodded and went out to the living room to talk to Ed. She watched as the young girl nodded her head enthusiastically. She joined him out on her balcony both looking over the night life of Mars.
"I never understood why you liked it here." he said shaking his head. She shrugged taking one of his cigarettes and lighting it.
"Felt like home." she answered simply. He eyed her as she sat back smoking his cigarette.
"I thought you quit smoking?" he asked.
"I did. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself every now and then." she smirked not looking at him.
He sighed rubbing his balding head, "I worry about you Faye." She looked at him shocked that he was being so direct instead of just nagging.
"Anyone ever tell you that you worry too much? I'm fine Jet, really. I got over it and now I'm just living life." He shook his head not believing her for a second.
"I'll only be gone a couple of days. You call me if anything happens. I don't care if it's something small like you stubbed your toe, you call me."
She looked at him suspiciously, "Is there something going on Jet?"
He shook his head again. "Just the worries of an old man." She laughed aloud at that and he growled.
"We'll be fine Jet, go take care of your business so I can take you out for a proper night on the town." He smiled and opened the door to go inside but not before saying, "I'm holding you to that Faye." She smiled waving him off.