Watanabe: So I hear your writing a fic post The Real Folk Blues.

P.O.J.A: Yep, have you read it yet?

Watanabe: Actually I just did.

P.O.J.A: Really? What do you think of it so far?

Watanabe: I think the reviews say it all. I just wanted to make sure you're giving me credit for what's rightfully mine.

P.O.J.A: (sweat drop) of course! Hehe, it's his you guys, ok, ALL CHARACTERS AND PLACES HIS!!!

Chapter 2

"Oh Christ will the two of you get off your lazy asses for once! There's work to be done in the hanger and I could do with a hand," Jet scolded as he wincingly gazed down at the sight before him in the living room. There they were, the two sloth of the Bebop, both sprawled out on their respective couches. Spike lay on his stomach in his familiar spot on the tattered yellow sofa, a cigarette shifting from side to side in his mouth, its smoke filling the air in all its toxic glory. Faye on the other hand had her legs crossed over an arm of the chair, her arms doing the same, and a half empty bottle of McCormick's resting nicely on her lap as the television played on with neither tuning into the program.

"When's breakfast?" Spike finally said, breaking the small silence that begun to loom after Jet reprimanded them.

"Lazy son of a bitch," Jet scoffed as he shook his head and returned to where he came from. Spike smiled at the small curse and returned his thoughts to Never-Never land until he heard her sigh. That small noise, an indicator of her incredulous ennui, had his mind racing back to events of yesterday in the hanger.

She was on the brink of screaming his name in rapture had they not been interrupted. Maybe it was for the better, but all Spike knew at that time was he wanted Faye, he wanted her in his bed, in his arms. As she sits there, so serene for a change, she has him thinking about the endless ways he could please her, but why? The woman had been nothing but a nuisance since she came aboard, barking orders and wasting his well earned bounty on gambling and shit, so why had she become such a prominent figure in his life now, and why did he want her to stay?

"I'm gonna see if there's anything in that damn kitchen to eat, I'm starved as hell," she said as she hesitantly rose from her seat, a small imprint of where she sat visible for all to see.

"Wait," Spike said with an arm outstretched to hold her in place, never looking up nor moving from his spot. The instant he touched her, her heart began a maddening race. Her body belonged to him, and she despised herself for ever allowing her heart to feel for anyone, especially a man, and a man like Spike Spiegel.

"Gimme that," and he grabbed the bottle that was held loosely by her free hand, taking a quick swig before returning it to its rightful place. "It tastes cheap," he said as he scrapped his tongue on the roof of his mouth trying to erase the bitter taste.

"Tastes like you," was Faye's icy reply as she took a swig herself and proceeded to the kitchen.

"You didn't think so yesterday," he bellowed just before she was out of earshot and returned to his sluggish profile. Fighting the blush that crept up her face, Faye could only swear an "asshole" under her breath as she knew the words spoken were so damn true. Fucking lunkhead.

"Jeez, why do we never have damn food around here?" Faye rebuked as she slammed the refrigerator door shut, causing it to tremble a bit at her fit of anger. Sigh. "Guess I'll go see if Jet needs me in the hanger then," and off she went to see the cyborg mechanic who was steaming pissed at the diligence of his crew, or lack thereof.

"Hey Jet, how's it going there?" Faye asked poised against the wall where Jet was busy hammering away at her RedTail.

"Lemme guess, you found no food," was his satirical response.

"Well see if next time I get up to help your ass," Faye replied sassily.

"And to think it's for your ship. I know Faye, I'm as lazy and ungrateful as you can get." Now that was sarcasm. But he had a point; he's always there preparing meals, getting bounties to put such meals on the table for the greedy bunch, and on top of it all he fixes any damage done to their ships during a mission. Call him fricking mother hen if you like, but the man has been there for his crew, the least they could do is give him a hand when he needs it.

"I'm sorry Jet," Faye fumbled with the words feeling like a complete ass. "Listen…do you need me to make any groceries or anything?"

"I'll do the shopping in a while. Besides, I've got a couple of things I need to get for the Swordfish so we'll be docking off by the nearest gate we meet. Thanks though," and he continued his fiddling with the ship.

"Uh, yeah." No longer essential, Faye decided to take one of her infamous long baths. A good soak is always good for the mind as she had a lot of baggage that needed to be sorted out.

-

"Sweet smell of lavender. Ahh!" Faye sighed as her body made contact with the warmth of the tub waters. Usually she's soaking with a Cosmo magazine, but today the only thing she'd be reading is her thoughts.

The man's a jackass. Let this be your new mantra. The man's a jackass. A no good, lazy, incredibly sexy and well toned…jackass. God, Spike get out of my mind! Why do you continually evade my thoughts like this, confusing me more and more with your intoxicating kiss? That kiss…did it mean anything? Will anything we share mean anything?

She expired a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and drowned her sorrows in the draining water as she ended her bath, coming to the conclusion that Spike is not a man to love, nor wants to be love. He wanted her physically, to hold and feel and touch her like lover's do, without the emotional attachment to it all. No, emotions are too messy, and they get people killed. It almost killed him, and it had shred her heart into pieces the day she thought he wasn't coming back for good. Now Faye's not one to be held in her partner's arms after sex, no, she's pure self-sufficiency. Good day, good night, be gone. No fairytale wedding, no happily ever after. A reality they both lived and breathed in, one they didn't want to change. Life was too complicated to be harboured by meaningless things such as love; that's the belief they shared, at least she shared at a point in time. So…what was happening to Miss Independent?

-

"Yo Jet, where's Faye?" Spike asked as he joined his comrade in the hanger.

"And to think I thought you'd come to help me too. I don't know where she is Spiegel, she came a while ago and left," Jet brushed him off. At least Faye had the decency to ask if he wanted help. Nope, not this unappreciative bastard. As smoothly as he came, he left and took to the hallways to see if she'd be in her room. He heard when the tap came off in the bathroom as he passed it, and knew it could only be one person.

Super hygienic bitch.

The idea of her being naked behind the metallic door he was now boring a hole through with his eyes was exhilarating as it was perverted. But he could care less what anyone thought, he knew he was a first-class pervert. Oh well. The door made a 'whoosh' as it opened revealing a damp and slightly flustered Valentine. He'd been plaguing her mind the entire bath and here he stood before her, slouched as usual with his thumbs strapped onto the belt lacings of his pants.

"Spike?" she whispered as though saying his name aloud would wake her from this dream. Yes, it had to be a dream; why else would this façade be here, now?

Before another sound was made Spike rammed her back into the bathroom like a predator, locking the door behind them as he took her mouth in his again. Falling into place her legs wrapped themselves around his waist as he lifted her to support herself on the rim of the sink. Hands roamed wildly over her breasts, cupping them beneath the comfort of the cotton robe. They'd been denied his pleasing on their last encounter, he wasn't about to let that happen again. But first, let the torture begin.

Spike pinned her hands above her head as he ravished her neck with soft kisses and nibbles, savouring the moans that escaped with each breath she took. The lavender scent was just as enticing as the jasmine was refreshing the last time he took to her neck. Did all women really smell this good? He'd remember Julia wearing faint scents of the expensive perfumes Vicious would buy her, yet the quality could not compare to the natural oils that engulfed Faye's body, the scent the driving force of his animalistic instincts.

Why is he doing this to me?

Faye wanted desperately to run her hands through those mossy tresses and cling onto them for dear life as he built up this pressure, this need, in the pit of stomach. It was sending her frenzied with bliss. Eventually her wish as granted as he released her hands to lightly remove the fabric that held onto her shoulders. He gave but one kiss to the spot where the robe was, and multiplied it as he removed the other sleeve from her. Her torso was now bare to him, to his eyes only. He had often wondered how many men have seen these devout breasts that rose and fell with the smallest of heart beats. He'd never see her bring back any to the Bebop, nor did she check into a motel if they docked off on a satellite. In any event she was his now and that grim satisfaction was enough to fuel his hunger for her body more.

Reaching down he allowed the pad of his thumb to finish where it had left off. He received a whimper in response as the tiny mounds rose to the touch of his course hand onto them. Making small circles on and around them earned his head a tight pull from Faye's hands as she bit down hard on her bottom lip in fear that Jet or Ed may hear her cries. Any second now she was sure she'd draw blood. Feeling them harden beneath his fingertips was divine. Feeling them soften in his mouth would prove to be sweeter. As planned he took one nipple in his mouth still strumming the other with his hand.

"Oh God, Spike!" Faye hissed out as immense pleasure shot through her entire system. Her eyes were closed tight now, her grip on his hair even tighter. She didn't want him to know how good it felt to have him like this, but her mouth betrayed her as she allowed the words to escape her lips. For now he would have this power over her, but how long will she permit it to continue?

His tongue rolled and flicked over that taunt nipple, reducing it to its soft pink self. Her throaty moans made Spike want to test and tease her more, but he'd save that for another time. For now, his job was done. Kissing it one last time he removed himself from her bosom and stepped back with a sleek grin across his face. He watched her flustered expression shift from a greedy want and need to raw confusion as he slowly exited the bathroom, back first, and with a wave he'd opened and shut the door leaving her behind to soak in idyllic memories.

He made her pay for her actions at the hanger, just as promised.

When the reality hit her that he'd left her sitting on the bathroom sink, half exposed and thirsty for more of him, did Faye spring up and gather herself before dashing off to find him. She had questions, he had the answers.

"Spike!" she cried out as she caught him idly strolling to his room. He stopped, but never turned to face her. "Why did you—"

"See a need, fill a need," was the simple response that escaped his lips.

"But I…I don't understand—"

"What's there to understand Faye?" He walked to his door and stopped only to say, "We both have an itch we're dying to scratch, so if you want relief find me here, tonight," and with that he was gone. Faye could only stand there in the hallway as the data processed in her head.

He wants to sleep with you Faye, and you want the same. God how pathetic can two people really get, to have to settle for such fucked up souls as us?

With her newfound conclusion Faye resumed to her room to dress and ponder some more on whether or not he was serious about what he said, and if she was serious enough to take him up on his offer.

Dinner was eaten in silence, earning them both strange glances from Jet. Ed, she could care less what was going on between Spikey-person and Faye-Faye.

"Since when are Beavis and Butthead so damn quiet? C'mon you two, fess up," the bass voice asked breaking the sickening silence of the room.

"Mother always told me if I've got nothing good to say, say nothing at all," was Spike's dry reply as he shoveled more noodles into his already stuffed mouth.

"Christ, you damn Hoover vacuum, one day you're gonna choke to death and I sure as hell ain't saving your scrawny ass! Now, since when do you listen to your mama?" Jet managed to say after recovering from the shock of Spike's horrid eating habits.

"I don't, but I figure you've heard enough of my complaints about the food. By the way, all the sticks I smoke are gonna kill me already; I could do without the high cholesterol." That comment was greeted with several swears under Jet's breath and a slight chuckle on Faye's behalf. Her brief smile was reflected in his eyes, and made him wonder if she'd really taken him on his offer.

"Well I'm damned that you still feed him after his rude-ass comments," Faye addressed to a souring Jet.

Folding his arms and leaning back into his chair he replied, "Everyday I ask myself the same question. Then again I think it's the devil's way of punishing me for ever taking him into my ship."

"Screw you guys, I'm going to bed," and with that Spike rose from his seat, brushing his fingertips lightly on Faye's expose back, and left without even taking his wares to the kitchen sink. He turned around just once to see her straighten up as the gooseflesh made its way up her spine.

"You okay there Faye?" Jet asked upon seeing her sweat dropped face.

"Yep!" was the squeal before she too scurried off to her room.

"Wait, you didn't wash your—or fuck you two nasty bitches!" Jet fumed as he slammed one robotic hand on the table, causing the wood to splinter just a bit. "Just my fucking luck now huh? Damn it if I don't kick their asses out my damn ship now!"

-

Faye hadn't slept a wink since she entered her room. She lay there on her bed, the mattress springs, if it existed, throbbing her back with each shift of her weight. Where the hell did Jet get these cheap ass beds? And then she wondered…

Is Spike's bed just as hard, or would it be softer as he's lain on a bed more than a hooker on a good Friday night?

She turned on her side and pillowed her head on top of her hands as she envisioned how the night would go. Sex. That was the purpose of tonight. But how long had it been since she last heard the word? Granted she'd laugh herself to her grave the day anyone told her she was still a virgin, but that sensation, the emotions attached to the coupling; that was but a forgotten memory lost with her cryogenic sleep. Tonight though was granting her that opportunity to ignite those flames of passion, ones she'd only allow jackass boy to do for her. So it's settled, she'd join him in his bed for a night of bed shaking and sheet ruffling.

"12:00 am. Best I get prepared and be done with it." Opening her underwear drawer Faye pulled out a small gift wrapped parcel colored in an array of pastel pinks and lilac. "It's been a while Vicki, but you've got a purpose now." She unwrapped the parcel and put on the contents of the package before wrapping herself in her night robe, dabbing on some cherry lipgloss and heading out for a night of sure pleasure.

"Where Faye-Faye go this hour of night?" asked a sleepy Ed as she saw Faye tip toeing out of her room and down the hallway. She stopped dead in her tracks and began to sweat drop, unsure how to explain herself. On her heels she slowly turned and with a hand nervously behind her head, she spoke.

"Oh Faye-Faye was just heading out to the kitchen for some water to drink."

"But kitchen is that way," she pointed in the opposite direction. "That way is Spikey-person's room."

"Ah, well, (fakes a yawn) Faye-Faye very tired and didn't realize where she was going."

"Why Faye-Faye wear less clothes than usual?" the inquisitive girl asked as she reflexively rubbed the sleep away from her eyes. Glancing down Faye realized that the sash of her robe went undone to reveal the fact that she was wearing some very expensive lingerie. Thankfully Ed is too damn naïve to recognize what it was.

"Oh it just gets really hot in Faye-Faye's room sometimes. Now, off to bed Ed," and Faye pushed the girl in the direction of her room. She was glad when the munchkin came back, shocked to say the least for as sleekly as she left she returned with Ein loyally by her side. Later on did Jet find out that her father had died from cardiac arrest hence her return to the Bebop, but how Ed was able to find the nomadic crew…only the child prodigy could tell. Satisfied that she had fallen back to sleep, Faye quietly hustled down the hallway before anyone else woke up.

She closed the door as quickly as she'd opened it when she entered his room for the first time. It was dark, the only light emitted from the cigarette in his mouth. He was standing by his window watching the starless sky with a serene look on his face. Stubbing the stick out on the ashtray by his windowsill, he turned to her.

"I knew you'd come." He stood there in all his shirtless glory, wearing the same plain black trousers he'd sleep in every night. She saw the bullet wound in his shoulder, and fought back a tear as she recalled the day he came back.

Three weeks. She'd been searching for him for three damn weeks and out of nowhere he'd shown up, lying in his familiar spot on the yellow sofa watching television as though nothing had happened at all. He looked sickeningly pale, and death was etched all over his blood-caked face. She'd dropped the bottle of Vodka she'd just stolen from Jet's room and ran to him, just to make sure he was real. "Happy to see you too Valentine," he whistled when she came near, and again he allowed his comatose sleep to take over. He was hospitalized for three months after that; he'd taken a hell of a beating at the syndicate, but now it was all over. Vicious was dead, and so was Julia, but that angel from hell will never stop haunting the Bebop crew and she knew it, so long as Spike was alive and living there that is.

"I came prepared," Faye at last spoke as she returned to the present. She let her robe sweep down her body, touching every crevice before hitting the ground. Spike let loose a slight grin at the sight; he sees her almost everyday in a skimpy get up, yet watching her posed as she was now, in a black lacey brassiere with complementary boy shorts was just breath taking. She looked just like the models that endorse the brand-name sleepwear, and he loved it.

Nearing her he caressed her face, enjoying the delicacy of it all one last time. He would take this slow, relishing each moment like life itself counted on it. He kissed her, not with the fiery passion as before, but soft and gentle allowing the heat and tension between the two to build up.

Hmm…cherries, he said to himself as the flavour made contact with his taste buds. She truly came prepared, not only to be pleased, but to please. He deepened the kiss and slid his tongue in smoothly, and as always it was warmly welcomed. He held her closer to him as her arms snaked around his neck. Skillfully he unclasped her bra and let it fall to the ground as he began fiddling with the rims of her underwear.

"The bed," he husked out as he scooped her up bridal style and lay her on the bed. He hovered over her, watching the rosy expression on her face. She then pulled him to her and whispered in his ear, "Show me heaven." With that he drew in another kiss from her, and carried those ministrations down from her breasts to her stomach, stopping at the dip and gently teasing the small hole. He continued further until he reached the second lacey barrier, taking his time as he pealed off the fabric. He licked his lips as he went down and suckled on the flesh between her legs, teasing and taunting as Faye's lustful cries were heard from overhead.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt such pleasure like that, and doubted that she ever did. The man clearly had skills in the bedroom, and she anticipated the moment when he would enter her.

The wetness of her skin told Spike she was more than ready, and the increasing pitch of her whimpers verified it. Anxiously he undid his trousers and shook them off as he prepped himself for entry. He looked down at her and stole another kiss. "I promise I'll be gentle," he whispered and bi-colored eyes locked with emerald ones, he thrust in slowly, giving her walls time to adjust to his size.

"Are you okay?" he asked as a tear made its way down her cheek. She nodded in accordance and he rocked their hips again in easy, tender motions. Faye held onto him as the speed of it all increased, clutching to his torso like a lifejacket.

"Spike," she hissed out as he triggered every tiny pleasure sensor in her body with each thrust of himself into her. Her legs found themselves around his waist again, squeezing down hard bonding the two together. The heat of it all was intense as their bodies moved in sync with each other, driving them both over the edge. When she dug her nails into his back Spike knew she was climaxing, and so was he. The tightness of her onto him, the friction that burned between their legs as he moved faster and faster was supernova. She cried out his name, long and hard as her world caved in and all she could breathe was Spike, and soon his body shuddered with cosmic pleasure as he released his seed into her.

He collapsed on top of her, both unable to say a word as they heaved on the other's chest, blood pumping madly through their systems. He had shown her heaven tonight, but in the morning she'd wake back up in hell. She stroked his hair tenderly lulling them both to sleep, but she didn't rest for long as now her fantasy was fulfilled and it was time to go back to the real world, a world where she was a Roma, he was a lone cowboy, and neither was suppose to love the other.

The man's a jackass, she recited in her head.

She rolled from under him and got up from the bed, collecting her clothes from the ground and hurriedly throwing on her robe.

"Faye…where are you going?" he asked behind close lids. The minute her warmth escaped him he felt himself lose all meaning. 'It's just sex' was the mantra he duped himself into thinking tonight was, but now those words were as empty as his bed had become. He's not suppose to feel, so why is he feeling?

"I don't belong here. See you later cowboy," she saluted as she left his room for the night.

--

Stay with me won't you cowgirl?

--

Author's note: wow, it turned out longer than expected but I must say I'm really proud of this chp, it went a lot better than I thought. Now R&R plz and let me know if u feel the same way. Ja ne :)