I don't own Cowboy Bebop and I don't own the song "All Star"



Spike looked down at the piece of paper in his hand. "1083 Monte Ave, huh?" he said looking up at the house in front of him. It was a fairly large house, located in a fairly classy rich neighborhood. Ancient trees that looked as though they had grown on the street for years, loomed overhead, occasionally dropping a leaf or two to the ground.

Spike looked down at what he was wearing self consciously, t-shirt, blue jeans, and a weathered leather jacket. "I hope they didn't expect me to get spiffed up," he said out loud to himself as he somewhat nervously pulled out a cigarette and lit it. It wasn't everyday that you ate at your boss's house. He sucked in a drag of smoke, and then dropped his cigarette and smooshed it into the ground. 'Well here goes,' he thought to himself and began making his way up to the front gate.



~Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me

I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed~



He turned around when he heard soft giggles come from behind him. It was a young girl with yellow pigtails and overalls hiding behind a tree. When she saw that he had seen him she giggled again and flipped him off. She flashed him a huge grin, knowing that she was being bad, and ran off into the trees. Spike raised an eyebrow then shrugged. Kids.



~She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb

In the shape of an 'L' on her forehead~



He pushed the intercom button next to the gate. Mao's voice came from the other end.



~Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming

Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running~



"What? No car? Don't we pay you enough, Spike?"



~Doesn't make sense not to live for fun

Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb~



Spike smirked as he listened to Mao's laughter.



~So much to do so much to see

So what's wrong with taking the back streets?~



"I'm not old enough to have a license," he said into the intercom as the gate opened.



~You'll never know if you don't go

You'll never shine if you don't glow~



Session 10: All Star



~Hey now, you're an All Star

Get your game on, go play~



"Zdracvetyah!" Spike heard before being almost squeezed to death by an enormous woman. "Wha..?" he managed to get out before the woman released him.



~Hey now, you're a Rock Star

Get the show on, get paid~



"You must be the boy Mao was talking to me about," she said, looking him over. "I'm his wife, Tatiana." Spike was a bit stunned still. "Uhh...nice to meet you Mrs. Yenrai," he stammered out. She hit him on the back causing him to choke slightly. "Don't call me that, I'm Tatia to you."

Spike looked at her a little closer. She was actually quite pretty, even though she was somewhat heavy set. He could see why Mao married her. She definitely had a personality, and often that was the most important thing.



~And all that glitters is gold~



"Well, I'm off to tend to the borsch. Make yourself comfortable," Tatia said before heading off in the direction of the kitchen, Spike assumed.



~Only shooting stars break the mold~



Spike looked around at the people gathered there. A few men in a corner were discussing politics, one man was sleeping on the couch, children were running around, some younger women were over by the book shelves, gossiping. Everyone looked relaxed and comfortable. You'd almost think that this wasn't the home of an important Red Dragon member.

"Ah, Spike. So glad you could make it," came a voice from behind him. Spike turned around and faced Mao.



~It's a cool place and they say it gets colder~



"Thank you for inviting me, Mao taijin. Seems like some party you've got going here."



~You're bundled up now but wait 'til you get older~



"Why thank you, Spike. By the way, just 'Mao' is fine."

"All right then. Mao. Thanks," Spike said.

Mao clapped him on the shoulder. "I like you, kid. Wanna meet the rest of the family? I assume you've already met the hostess."



~But the meteor men beg to differ

Judging by the hole in the satellite picture~



Spike shrugged, "Sure."

"All right, then," Mao said, and started to lead him from one person to another. "This is my brother in law, Alexei, and his sons, Petr and Dimitri," he said as he introduced Spike to some of Tatia's family. Mao then lead him into the kitchen. "This are Tatia's sisters: Olga, Marie, and Anastasia," he said referring to three of the four women cooking. Anastasia looked slightly familiar to Spike. He was sure he had seen her somewhere before.



~The ice we skate is getting pretty thin~



She didn't even look up from what she stirring. "You can call me Annie," she said as she set her pot on the stove and turned it on.

Mao leaned over and spoke into Spike's ear. "Annie works as an undercover spy for us. She runs a drug store in the South end of town, that's also a Red Dragon hideout."



~The waters getting warm so you might as well swim~



Spike looked at her a bit more closely and realization hit him. He hadn't been back to that drugstore since he was six.

Annie looked up, sensing his eyes on her. Her eyes narrowed, and Spike saw a glimpse of recognition in them.

'Please don't let her recognize me, please don't let her recognize me,' he began pleading internally, remembering her fury.

He looked back up at her, expecting the worst. To his surprise she was smiling.



~My world's on fire, how 'bout yours?~



"I remember you. You're Jack's little malchik. It's that green hair, it's unforgettable."

Spike breathed a sigh of relief; nothing was worse than a Russian woman's wrath.



~That's the way I like it and I never get bored~



"How is Jack by the way? I haven't seen him in a while," she continued.

Spike looked at her in somewhat disbelief. "You haven't heard? He was killed..."



~Hey now~



Annie looked shocked, "Killed? How? By who?"

Spike shook his head and looked down, "I don't really want..."



~You're an All star~



Mao interjected, "It was the Black Tigers, they'd been after him for a while." He nodded in the direction of the back door, "Perhaps we should discuss this outside."

When they got outside Annie nodded to Mao, "That's right, I remember him telling me once how his cover was blown. But that was over twenty years ago, why were they still after him?"



~Get your game on, go play~



Mao shrugged, "Black Tigers don't forgive and forget easily."

"Wait a second...how was Jack involved in the Black Tigers?" Spike asked, stepping inbetween Annie and Mao.



~Hey now~



"He used to be a spy for the Red Dragons, just like you were Spike. He managed to infiltrate into the Black Tigers, and became a member. He rose quickly within their ranks, all the time sending us information. They never even suspected him," Mao said, looking up at Spike. "That is, until the person he trusted the most played the same trick on him. Her name was Delia, and Jack fell in love with her. She got him to tell her all of his secrets, and just like Delilah with Samson, she waited until he fell asleep, and then went to the Black Tigers with her information."

Annie looked over at Mao and then at Spike. "He never told you?"



~You're a rock star~



Spike shook his head, "I never knew what his life was like before he met me. It seems I'm following in his footsteps, huh?"



~Get the show on, get paid~



Mao smiled, "Like father, like son. Or adopted son in your case."

Spike stared at Mao intently. Was it just him, or was there some other kind of significance in Mao's words?



~And all that glitters is gold~



Mao nodded at Spike, "Let's meet the rest of the family."

When they went back inside, Mao introduced Spike to Mao's side of the family.

"This is my brother, Gan, and his sons Lin and Shin," Mao said, referring to a man who looked a bit like him, except with more hair, and two teenagers of about thirteen. They were identical twins and Spike could sense that they resented this. But they way they moved and watched him showed just how similar they really were.



~Only shooting stars break the mold~



"Spike..." Mao tapped Spike on the shoulder. "I have something to tell you."

Spike turned around, and Mao smiled. "I have good news for you. You've been promoted. You're now partnered up with Vicious, you have an assignment with him tonight, he will fill you in on the way."

Spike looked at Mao, surprised. "But...I don'...um..thanks...but what about dinner?" he asked when his stomach began growling.

Mao chuckled, "We'll get you something to take on the way. Make sure you show up for the syndicate party tomorrow night."



~Hey now, you're an All Star

Get the game on, go play

Hey now, you're a Rock Star

Get the show on, get paid

And all that glitters is gold

Only shooting stars break the mold~

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

"I can't believe I got talked into this," Spike said as he struggled with his bow tie.

Vicious walked into the room, with his bow tie fixed correctly, and laughed at Spike who was now unsuccessfully trying to get his bow tie from around his neck.

"You really are hopeless, aren't you?"



~Somebody once asked, could you spare some change for gas~



Spike put his hands on his hips and glared up a Vicious, "Well, I obviously don't have as much experience with this as you do." With these words Spike frustratedly tore the bow tie from his neck and threw it across the room. "The thing was choking me anyway."

Vicious smirked, "Maybe the women won't care that you're a slob."



~I need to get myself away from this place~



Spike stood up and shook out his hair, brushing his fingers through it, trying to get out some of the knots. "Why are you so fixated on getting me laid?"

Vicious took his katana from where it was sitting on a chair and attached it to his hip. "Perhaps then you won't be so ancy all the time. They say sex is a great stress reliever." He watched Spike forcefully pull his fingers through his hair. "Why don't you just use a comb?"



~I said yep, what a concept~

"Combs are for women," Spike said. "And men with long hair, like you." He gave up, and put his hands into his pockets. "Why are you bringing that thing anyway?" he said, referring to Vicious's katana.

"You never know."

"You're so paranoid."



~I could use a little fuel myself~



Later at the party...

"Why am I here again?" Spike asked.

"Because you need a girlfriend," Vicious answered.



~And we all could use a little change~



"Hey, I can get a girl on my own, you know," Spike said, getting defensive. "Besides, these society chicks kinda scare me."

"They're syndicate women, and they're just as good as other women."

"Nah, they probably don't even moan in bed. I bet all they do is whimper a bit."



~Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming~



"Whatever, do what you like," Vicious said and headed off to the refreshment table.

Spike shrugged and headed outside to get a breath of fresh air. When he got outside he leaned again the balcony and breathed in the cool night air. The stars above him twinkled a bit and he remembered something that Jack had told him once...

'In the old days, sailors used to use the stars to navigate through the oceans. Back then, traveling in space was just a dream...'



~Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running~



"Damn I miss you, Jack..." he whispered under his breath. He looked to the side as he heard the sound of cloth rustling. In the dark, all he got was an impression of long light colored hair and a gentle yet strong voice.

"Who was Jack?"

Spike studied her for a bit. She was watching the stars too. "My Dad."



~Didn't make sense not to live for fun~



Still looking up at the sky she asked him, "Why'd you call him, 'Jack'?"

Spike shrugged, "He wasn't actually my Dad. He took care of me."



~Your mind gets smart but your head gets dumb~



"Oh..." She glanced at him. "How was Earth?"

Spike looked at her, "How'd you know I was on Earth?"



~So much to do so much to see~



She turned to face him. "Things get around."



~So what's wrong with taking the back streets?~



Spike took in a sharp gasp of air. It was her. The girl who had been haunting him for almost two years. In his thoughts, his memories, his dreams.

"I know you..."



~You'll never know if you don't go

You'll never shine if you don't glow~



She smiled, "Yeah, I know. We met in the hospital during your operation. My name is Julia."



~Hey now, you're an All Star

Get the game on, go play

Hey now, you're a Rock Star

Get the show on, get paid

And all that glitters is gold

Only shooting stars break the mold~



_____________________________________________________

Oh, by the way. If you liked this story, go check out Blessings of a Beast (affectionately called BOB) by ScarletStarlet. It's a sister story to this one told from Vicious's point of view. Enjoy!