Chapter Four

Part One

Bebop Bobber

A couple weeks had passed since they turned in Kyou, Jet saying it was too dangerous to catch too many close together. Astryd had taken up the cooking duty and Spike was happy for it. No more burnt bell peppers. Astryd had done all the shopping, even throwing some of her own money in without telling them. She had stocked up on months worth of food and it was a good thing too. Paying all the damages to the diner had taken a chunk out of the bounty and now they were running out of fuel.

Jet had landed the Bebop in one of Earth's oceans, and after finding some money (that Astryd had snuck into the safe) Jet decided to go ashore in the Hammerhead and figure out a way to bring them in for fuel. Astryd and Spike were still sleeping so he took Ed and Ein along with him.

"Where's Jet?" Astryd leaned into the common room, Spike passed out on the couch. She rolled her eyes. Another long night with his second best friend. Alcohol. The half empty bottle loose in his grip.

She frowned and took the bottle of booze out of his hand, setting it on the table and kneeling down beside the couch. He looked to peaceful. Her head tilted, then rested on her hand at the edge of the couch.

"Julia…" He mumbled, brow furrowing slightly.

Astryd's smile faded. Julia. He said her name in his sleep all the time. Astryd wondered who she was. There was another name he said sometimes instead of Julia. What was it again? Faye. Yeah, it was Faye. Astryd could only guess the binds these women kept on the cowboy. With a sigh she stood, almost afraid to wake him, she stood at the head of the couch, peering down over him.

"Spike. Hey, Spike."

His eyes opened with a snap and he sat up a bit too quickly, smacking heads with her. He fell back to the couch and she stumbled into the wall.

"What the hell Spike!?" She held her head, feeling it throb. It felt like her brain was being used as a pinball. Waking him was far too dangerous. Big goof ball hurt her every time.

"Dammit Faye!" He cursed, eyes tight with pain. "Huh?" His eyes opened and focused on Astryd, standing there with her hand on her forehead, eyes returning his gaze with a sense of disappointment. "Sorry Astryd. Just a…dream."

"You sure do have a hard head Spike." She ignored his comment with a grin. This man was more hung up than she was. At least she didn't talk about him in her sleep. Or did she? "Where's Jet?"

Moving their hands aside, they laughed at their matching red spots. Spike leaned back on the couch, chuckling as he lit a cigarette. Then answered her with a shrug. "Probably went to get a barge to haul our sorry asses to shore. Hammerhead is the only ship with any fuel in it."

"Shore? Where are we?"

"Earth." Was Spike's short reply. When he looked back to speak again, she was gone, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. "That was weird." Sitting in boredom only lasted a moment before curiosity got to him and he rose to follow her.

Out on the deck he tossed his spent cigarette aside, watching Astryd with vague interest. Stepping closer, hand stuffed in his pockets. Standing beside her, they watched the sunset, orange and yellow glistening on the water. Thick dark clouds moved in from the West and Spike sighed.

"Hope Jet gets back before that hits or we're in trouble."

Astryd grinned at his laziness. "Spike, you are one of a kind, ya know that?" Laughing to herself she turned her eyes to the clouds above. Europa didn't have terrible weather. Everything was controlled by the weather department. Rain came when it was needed but since lightning was so volatile, it couldn't be simulated and controlled in that type of environment. Not even heavy winds were known to Astyrd, so she had no idea what kind of trouble he was talking about. "A little rain never hurt anyone."

"A little rain? Are you even looking at the same clouds?" Brow arched in bored questioning. "Those clouds are going to bring a storm that'll toss this ship around like a rag doll.

At that, Astryd's face changed from amusement to confusion. Spike simply sighed as the first drops of rain began to fall. "C'mon. We have to get inside. It'll be too dangerous out here. Looks like we'll have to wait it out. No way a barge will come for us in this weather."

In a few hours Astryd came into full realization the ferocity of earth storms. Spike was right about tossing around. The Bebop has successfully been turned into a bobber, tossing about on the waves like it weighted nothing at all. Thunder, booming loudly, told Spike the storm was dangerously close. He silently hoped the ship wouldn't get struck by lightning.

They sat in silence behind the couch, backs to the bright yellow surface, feet braced against the wall. The smartest thing Jet had done to the ship was bolt the furniture down. The couch wasn't about to budge so they had hunkered down here.

At first Astryd had been afraid but Spike assured her that the ship wouldn't sink, nor would the storm be able to turn it over. That was hardly believable, but Astryd accepted it anyway and just relaxed. If it hadn't been so rough, it might have been soothing. She was sleepy anyway. With a yawn she leaned over, laying her head against the side of Spike's shoulder, hoping he wouldn't push her off. Normally she wouldn't have touched him, but right now, she needed it. Needed to breath in his scent, needed to feel his warmth.

He looked down at her in shock, an unlit cigarette dangling from his parted lips. A flame from his lighter was looming before his face, trembling in the tossing of the waves. Lighting his cigarette he contemplated what to do. By letting her lean against him, he was hurting her. Letting her get too close, too attached. This was only spurring her feelings onward and he didn't return them. He felt something for her but…it was undetermined at this point. He hardly knew her. Yeah, she was beautiful and sweet, with captivating eyes and the voice of an angel. Then, there was that one side of her that fed his wild side. That deadly look in her eyes when taking another life. That was something that did attract him. He was a cowboy, longing for danger. She was…a syndicate bred killer with an innocent face.

Maybe that's why he let her rest against him. He knew some of the loneliness that went along with syndicate life. The need to feel another body to you were still alive. It drew you toward people you probably couldn't have. Just like how he was drawn to Julia. There was no one else he could be with, no one else he could touch.

Astryd was that way, but worse. From what he had gathered in the passing weeks, she had never left Europa. Hell, she had been confined for her whole life. That's what made it worse. At least he was allowed out into the world. It was bound to happen that she would fall for him, like he fell for Julia. Julia was the first woman he had contact with in the years following his joining of the Red Dragons. Likewise, he was the first man Astryd had ever been able to touch.

When he didn't push her away, she relaxed completely, her face pressing into the firmness of his arm. Deeply inhaling his scent, she fell into a deep sleep.

Part Two

Sleepwalker

"Astryd. Haha. You thought we couldn't find you." A voice echoed, calm and cynical, amused even. Her eyes fluttered open. She was on the floor behind the couch. Everything looked still, like the storm had passed, but she felt as though the floor was still unstable under her. Spike wasn't there. Sitting up in panic, she caught sight of a tall man standing in the doorway at the opposite side of the room. A few more men stood behind him, filling the space, but she couldn't see their faces in the shadows. Just eyes. Blood red eyes glowing from the darkness.

"Spike!" She called loudly, needing him to help her. Scrambling back away from the men she found it hard to catch her balance, falling sideways into a wall.

"Spike? Ha!" The dark man laughed, then Spike stepped around him into the light, his brown, two toned eyes unfeeling. "Spike's the one who turned you in my dear." Spike held out a hand and the other man slapped a huge stack of cash into Spike's palm. Then Spike smiled and walked away.

"Wait, Spike!" She reached for him and the men advanced. Tears brimmed in her eyes, a lump in her throat catching her breath. "Spike…please, don't do this." His name a whisper, she realized he had betrayed her. The realization was heartbreaking. The pain probably would have been less if he would have just ripped her heart out with his bare hands.

The second hallway became her escape. Out the door behind the stair railing and down the hall, she couldn't keep herself righted. Running wasn't working, her legs felt like bricks. Walking a quickly as she could manage, she kept slamming into walls, stumbling around in the dark.

The door to the hanger deck was right before her. She hit the control panel hard with her fist and fell out into a dark calm night. The ocean was still and silent, the broken moon high overhead cast a beautiful but eerie reflection on the water. Racing to the edge of the ship, she was still having a hard time with her footing. They must have drugged her. The ship wasn't moving anymore, so drugs were the only explanation. The door opened again behind her, the men were gone but Spike was there, staring at her with a careless expression.

Grinning almost evilly, Spike raced for her and as quickly as she could, she dropped to her knees, trying to climb over the side of the ship and lower herself down to the water. As soon as her foot touched a little ledge, her whole body was flung up in the air. Screaming, she reached for Spike, confused and hurt but hoping he would find it in his heart to help her.

It was too late now anyway. The violent force that had thrown her, had tossed her too far from the ship and she hit the ocean with force. Suddenly waves were crushing her, one after another, forcing her further down. Bubbled all around her body as it rolled in the torrent, she simply couldn't right herself. She had been dreaming but now, she was in the ocean, fully awake and drowning. Fingers moving through the crushing liquid, trying in vain to grab anything that might save her. Nothing. Astryd fought her body as long as she could before it forced her to take a breath. Water flooded into her lungs and everything went black.

Part Three

Three Little Words

Spike felt a movement beside him. Waking, he felt the ship still rocking at full force. His torso had fallen onto the floor, Astryd leaning onto his legs as a pillow. She was moving. Fidgeting in her sleep.

As he sat up, her head rolled into his lap. Normally someone should look peaceful when they slept, but her face was drawn with fear and sadness. A slender hand moved a strand of hair from her face. He almost jumped out of his skin when her eyes opened, staring right through him. Was she still asleep?

Staying completely still he watched her with interest. She peered over the back of the couch, silent for a moment, then her breathing grew fasted, horror plastered to her face but her eyes were dead. She was sleeping.

Balancing himself the best he could, he drew himself up in a kneeling position and looked at the door way. Empty. His eyes went back to her as she scrambled away, still staring into the empty hall. Reaching for her a bit too late she slammed into the wall as a wave hit the outside of the Bebop.

"Spike!" She called his name, loud and desperate. Something about it sent a chill down his spine. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he stumbled to grab her. Sure, it was stupid to wake a sleep walker but he had to do his best. Anything was better than letting her stay in the hell she was in.

"Wait Spike!" Her hand reached out to darkness. What was he doing to her in her dream? "Spike… please, don't do this!" A tear ran down her cheek and he felt like he had been stabbed in the chest. What was this feeling? His hand withdraw from her, shocked at what he was hearing, seeing, feeling.

Then she was gone. Stumbling down the hallway. He had to follow her. Damn storm.

Out in the hallway she kept slamming into walls until she reached the door. She had to be stopped. It was too dangerous out there! "Astryd, wake up!" Pushing himself faster only hurt him in the end. As she threw herself into the door he fell and tumbled back several feet. When he regained his footing he rushed the door with as much haste as he could manage. What was happening to him?

When he finally opened the door a flash of lightning lit the sky, and to his horror, Astryd was at the edge of the platform. Blood ran cold in his veins. Oh shit. He raced toward her, calling her back from the edge. Catching hold of a docking cable he quickly wrapped it under his arms and latched it securely behind his back. Almost there!

A massive wave hit that side of the ship, sending Astryd flying through the air. "Astryd!" His voice was lost in a boom of thunder, but her scream hit him loud and clear after the rumble faded away. Pale white hand reached for him, but she was too far away.

Into the ocean she went, disappearing under the black surface. In an instant he was in after her, feeling the cable tighten roughly around his chest. It was an act of God that he felt her, barely grasping her wrist in the torrent that threatened to kill them both.

The docking cable began to retract and Spike was glad it was doing its job. He pulled Astryd close, feeling her weight, heavy in his arms. His lungs burned with the need for a breath of air. Not a moment too soon, his head broke the water's surface. It was a quick ride to the top of the platform. With no time to spare, he lifted Astryd's motionless body and released himself from the cable, racing to the door and ultimately tumbling back through it. The hallway was dark, only the pale blue security lights that lit the floor cast any light on the pair.

Spike righted himself, lowering his ear to her mouth. She wasn't breathing. Clamping her nose shut he drew a deep breath and pressed his mouth harshly to hers, trying to breath life back into her. Don't die on me, please don't die on me. Thoughts racing, he pumped her chest hard, then lowering his mouth to hers again.

Panic was setting in. Once, twice, three times he had breathed into her with no sign of life. Four times, five times, six…he couldn't stop. "Breath dammit!" One more breath and a hard pump to her chest forced liquid from her lungs.

Sputtering and choking she rolled away from him, her breathing ragged, her whole body shaking. His hands pulled her shoulders back, embracing her to his chest where she could hear his heart beating furiously in his chest. This girl, who only hours ago he told himself he didn't care for, had just scared the shit out of him.

"Oh god Spike….I…." She buried her face and sobbed gripping the front of his leisure suit for dear life.

"Shhh. You're okay." His eyes shut tight, he spoke three little words she was glad to hear. "I've got you."