Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop, its characters, or any related paraphernalia. Wikipedia provides an ample list of who took part in the creation of Cowboy Bebop. Do the names Shinichiro Watanabe and Hajime Yatate (the Sunrise animation staff) sound familiar? The song used here is by Patsy Cline and is called Crazy Dreams.

Look, a quick, but really short update—on with the story!

MMN—CRAZY—NMM

He closed the door behind him. Wondered if it was okay to leave her so drunk. Decided it was fine. She could drink plenty. At least she used to. But he figured that she still did. Or at least he hoped. Wanted something to be the same as in the past. He turned away from the door. Tried to forget Faye for a little.

He liked this place. Luxurious enough. Plenty of everything around. He stretched and yawned. Ed came running to Faye's room. She stared wide-eyed at Spike. "Faye-Faye called?"

"Yeah, she's fine now…Hey, you hungry?" Spike said. Ed stared at him again.

Ed looked at her stomach. Thought about it for a second. "Yes!" Stared back at Spike. "Faye-Faye?"

"She's just drunk," then reading the girls curious eyes continued, "Didn't even notice it was me." Wondered if he regretted it.

She sighed, obviously disapproving. But hunger beat her. "Let's eat. I'll order pizza!" She called someplace and ordered a double-cheese-all-topping pizza. Sat down on the floor and stared at Spike who was sitting down on the couch. Was she trying to read him? Spike held his cigarette, ready to light. Looked around for an ash tray. "Faye doesn't smoke. For now anyway," The not-so-much-a-girl-anymore said.

Spike's eyebrow rose a little. "Why is that?"

"I made a bet with Faye-Faye," and as she smiled Spike could see the difference that five years had made on her. What had happened in that time? He smiled back at her.

"Is that so?" He looked at his cigarette and put it up, placed it behind his ear. He'd have it on the way back home. Then, he propped his elbow on the arm of the couch and rested his head on the palm of his hand. "Hey, Ed." He was curious. Wanted to know more. "What else's been going on?"

"Well," Ed said. "Where can I start…"

II-II II-II II-II

Jet hadn't visited Faye and Ed in weeks. Or at least not that Spike knew. But the only reason Jet gave was that there were too many bounties to be caught at the time. And Spike couldn't argue. Especially when he was slowly making his way around a warehouse trying to catch the head of yet another gang. Slowly. Quietly. He caught sight of beach-blond hair. That must be him. Gun ready to fire, slowly around the corner. Quickly. Out. Gun pointed to head—dead? The guy was dead already. Damn it. Spike called Jet and told him everything about it. As he spoke, he looked around the room—Bomb, counting down. Oh. Damn. He dashed, running as fast as he could. There was no way he could stop that. Reached the closest door. Stupid thing was locked. He shot the thing down and ran again. He heard it. Felt his heart stop. Felt the ground tremble. The heat on his back. Fell to the ground. Covered his head. Heard the warehouse fall to pieces. Breathed shallowly. Fragments fell behind him. On him. Small pieces. Then it stopped. Deadly silent.

He got up. A bolt ran down his left leg ankle. He looked at his leg and saw his skin charred, the edges brown and the pink, magenta, and red being exposed. He shook the dust away from his shoulders and hair. Pulled out his cigarette and lit it. He called Jet again. Took a drag.

"What the hell happened?" Jet asked a bit angered.

"There was a bomb in the building. The stupid blast almost killed me." He took another drag. "Hey, come pick me up."

"Yeah, I'm already on my way. You okay?"

"Fine…my leg got hit but that's all." Spike breathed out, the smoke slowly exiting his mouth. "This was a trap for those two we caught earlier. Wasn't it?"

"Had to be. That's were they were going to—that was one hell of a bomb. I see the warehouse now. Okay, Spike I'll be there in a second." He hung up. Spike waited for Jet to get there. Finished his cigarette and lit another.

II-II II-II II-II

After his leg had been wrapped, Spike was trying to take a nap on the big yellow couch. Kept one eye open, looking at the empty spots in the living room. Yawned. He laid his arm over his eyes, shut both of them tightly. But he couldn't sleep. He felt as if flies walked through the damaged flesh of his leg. He lay with his eyes closed. Hearing the slow rumble of the engine and all the mechanical sounds of the bebop. Jet's steps slowly making his way nearer to him.

"A little burn got you so down?" he asked sitting across from Spike.

"Nah," Spike said. "It's just a small scratch…" He took his arm away from his eyes and looked at Jet. "We're you going?" he asked sitting up.

"I haven't been to Faye's in a while. She's singing tonight. So Ed and I are gonna go watch. Maybe after Faye's finished we'll go out for a late dinner or something…" Jet started walking out then turned around. "Wanna come?"

There was a second of hesitation. What the hell, it was bound to happen. Spike got up from the couch. Hated the stinging in his leg. Tried to convince himself it was all for a good dinner. He picked up his coat and walked past Jet. "Aren't you coming?"

Jet nodded. Half unbelieving.

II-II II-II II-II

He did not see Faye until she came into the stage. She looked just like her old self, fit in a gown that probably cost a week's income. Glitter on her shoulders, neck, and chest. A bit on the cheeks. Not too much. The lights gave her an awkward shine. But it was the glitter. Had to be. He sat between Jet and Ed, halfway in a shadow. He talked to them, mostly questions. He needed to fill in the gaps. But they didn't seem to bother that he'd missed so much. Instead, they focused on the fact that he was there. And it finally rubbed on him, dug under his skin. And now he was sharing the moment with them, not just being part of the backdrop.

Ed sat pulling at the tight seams of her dress. Surprising she'd wear one—it didn't quite seem like her. Someone came over asked her to dance. She smiled. Told the guy to ask her Dad. Jet shook his head. The guy left, wavering a little, possibly from drinking. Ed sat quietly until the guy was away. She looked at Jet. "That's 56. Faye-Faye better watch out." Threw her fist in the air from excitement.

Spike looked at Ed and Jet with a look that made them both laugh at him. "Ed made a bet with Faye-Faye," was all that Ed would say. Spike shrugged his shoulders, figured that he'd find it out sooner or later. He didn't have any plans to leave. He liked their company. Wanted to get Faye's company too. Wanted to be able to walk into a room with someone else smoking. Or wake up and have a drink first thing in the morning with someone else. Suddenly wondered how many cigarettes and how much alcohol he'd had in his life. Wondered how much he'd be able to take.

Faye was singing another song. He liked this one. Wondered why. Knew why.

"I had a dream last night that I held you
And you still seemed as handsome to me
But when I awoke I found you missin'
It's just another crazy dream for me."

Thought it ironical that she was singing it. Hated the fact that they were too much alike. That she could feel the same things he could. And not know it.

"Crazy dreams linger on as I face an empty dawn
With no end to it all can I see
For I've surely reached the end
Lost your love to a friend
Just another crazy dream for me"

Hated that she was more like him than anyone he'd met. Hated that sometimes she was him, more than he was himself.

"Once you were mine and we were so happy
I never thought that the end soon would be"

Hey Faye. That's what he'd say. Then she'd stare back and tell him some sort of smart comment. He'd tell her something back and grin. Then she'd retort something. And then everything would be fine.

"But now that you're gone, and I'm so lonesome
It's just another crazy dream for me"

She was not like Julia. She was his comrade. He didn't want her to know. But, an excellent friend.

"Crazy dreams linger on as I face an empty dawn"

And maybe that was exactly why. Exactly why she was so real. Because. She was not Julia.

"With no end to it all can I see"

Unafraid. And fearing every second of her life. Of everyone's life. But still unafraid.

"For I've surely reached the end"

Or maybe she was too courageous. No. She was flexible. Tried to adjust as things came.

"Lost your love to a friend"

But maybe he was just idolizing her. Before he left, she'd become weak.

"Just another crazy dream for me"

But so had he. They'd share a moment of weakness.

And now, he didn't quite hear what she was saying. Only saw her figure moving across the stage, followed by the lights. Saw her lips moving, but too focused on his own thoughts to a point where he couldn't even clearly hear himself. Too many thoughts. Blinked. Loud sound. Gun.

He got up from his chair. Looked everywhere around the room for the direction of the fired shot. He'd heard it for sure. Besides him, Ed and Jet were on their feet as well. Spike looked at Jet. And in realization, they turned to the stage. Faye slowly crumbling. Spike cursed and saw nothing happening. No one in the room moved. No person was heading to the exit. They were frozen. He pulled out his gun instinctively. Wanted to shoot someone. Anything. Wanted to know where the bullet came from.

"Faye!" Ed said and ran down to the stage. "Faye-Faye!" Jet tried to pull her back. But he was probably just as worried. Instead hurried with her over to the stage. Spike followed behind. They'd all grown careless. He regretted running after them. For God's sake, whoever had shot Faye could shoot all of them.

Somehow he managed to get there first. Faye's eyes closed tightly. She lay on the ground. Her hands wrapped around her sides. She panted. Heaved. Shook with pain. "Damn it." She cursed between chattering teeth. Spike got to her. Forgot he'd been gone. He took her body and sat her up. She didn't need to choke on her own blood. He looked around again. Caught sight of movement. Saw the guy. He aimed—the lights went out. Cursed that he hadn't been quick enough.

Spike carried Faye out of the stage in the darkness with Ed pulling him in the right direction. Jet called for help and lit the decorative candles for light. Behind the stage there were many lounge seats. Spike sat Faye down in one of them. He looked at his hands. Red. Wondered how much she was really bleeding under that black dress. Ed ran and came back with a handful of cloth napkins. A crowd building behind them.

"Get back!" Jet shouted. Spike tore the side of Faye's dress and found the wound. He tried to get the bullet out. But failed. He decided to try and stop the bleeding. He looked at Faye. Her eyes halfway open. Her lips dry and shaking, a ghost of a smile. Spike took the napkins and put pressure to her side, hoping the bleeding would end. Time had stopped. Seemed to stop, unlike Faye's blood.

When the ambulance came, he didn't know how many napkins he'd used. Spike carried Faye to the entrance. She was silent. Felt like a puppet in his hands. He sat her down on the carrying bed, her body melting away from him. As her hand left the back of his neck, he heard her whisper with her eyes almost closed. "Some crazy dream."

Spike saw the ambulance doors shut. Ed gone with them. Turned back and saw the building burst into life again. He walked in looking for Jet. A woman stared at him and ran away. Needed to find Jet. He walked back to the lounge. Saw the seat that he'd laid Faye down on. Her body a crimson imprint. For the first time, he felt the need to look at himself. Scarlet all over him. His hands, his torso, his sleeves, and even his neck were sticky red. Spike rubbed the tips of his fingers together, feeling a sick need to clean up.

MMN—To Be Continued—NMM

Is that an update? Well, indeed it is. If you're wondering why it took so long, remember I'm about to graduate high school so this is one very, very busy time of the year. Anyway I hope you enjoyed it. Oh, and please wish me luck for State Literary Criticism. I'm nervous.

Anyway, please review. If you have gotten this far, this chapter goes to you.

Thanks for reading! See you soon (hopefully) Cowgirls! (There doesn't seem to be any Cowboys around…shame.)