Authors Note: Wwhhooaa, sorry bout the bunches of typos on the last chapter. I was really trying to get it out there. My apologies. I'll try to keep typos to a minimum in this chapter. Hehe. Enjoy. Adios Space Cowboys...

The Swordfish raced through the air at top speed. The Martian landscape was just a blur of colors as the small ship weaved in between buildings effortlessly but recklessly. A decision made half a second to late would mean death to Spike and whoever inhabited the large structures. It also would have meant death to his cargo. This thought made Spike push the ship harder, faster. It wouldn't be a total waste of his ship.

Himdium wasn't an easy one to catch. He was well protected and a fierce fighter. But Spike had pure will on his side.

Spike spent weeks on Jupiter tracking him down. He talked to everyone who had the slightest connection to him. From his parents to the man who made Himdium's pizza one day. Thousands of tiny clue's were gathered and when they were put together they lead Spike right to him. But Himdium wasn't going to go down so easily. Spike winced as he touched the bullet holes in his chest. This was one of the three Himdium lodged in Spike's flesh. He didn't have the chance to visit a hospital. He had to make due with some left over bandages he found in his ship. The blood from his chest and stomach was starting to soak through his yellow shirt. The pain was excruciating. But Spike was ignoring it. He had more important things to keep his mind on.

Spike turned slightly and eyed the large bundle behind his seat. No one looking at it would have guessed it was a human. And especially not the all-powerful and feared Himdium Wushuu. Spike had 30 million Woolongs sitting right behind his seat. But he soared right past the police station without slowing. Himdium had another purpose to serve.

Spike pushed his ship up, out of the Martian city and into Space. He was heading back to the Bebop. He hadn't spoken to anyone since he left. Not even Jet. Spike really could have used his help on this bounty. But he knew Jet knew what happened. Faye's word rang in his ears.

'Don't bother coming back. I hope you die out there.' God, why did those words hurt him so much? This wasn't the first time someone has hated him and wanted him dead. Why did he actually care this time? Maybe it was the fact that he hated himself so much for what he did. Taking his frustrations out on Ed like that. A child. And maybe it was because it was Faye. He had already admitted that he cared about her. And to hear such loathing in her voice, he couldn't even explain the feelings he felt. He almost didn't want to go back. Seeing her hatred for him might be more then he could bear. But he told himself he would return. And he had said he would return but not alone. And it looked like this was one promise he was going to keep.

Spike lucked out. He saw the old fishing ship looming in the distance. It was in the same spot as it was when he left it a good four weeks ago. Spike couldn't help wonder if it was waiting for him. He doubted it though.

"Piece of junk probably ran out of gas." He muttered.

He was getting closer and closer. He could almost read the dull print on the side that he knew said "The Bebop". A cold sweat was starting to break out on his brow. He needed medical help badly. He needed to get on that ship badly. He took a deep breath and pulled out his communicator. He dialed the Bebop. His heart jumped every time the communicator beeped. Who would answer? Would they want to speak to him? The beeping stopped and so did Spikes heart. The picture was fuzzy. It slowly cleared. It was Jet. Spike realized he wasn't breathing and let out a long sigh.

"I'm back." Spike said forcing a smirk. Jet didn't smile back. Spike wasn't surprise, staring at Jet's hard face. It only confirmed that the news had gotten around in his absence.

"Don't leave the hanger." Jet said simply, before the screen went black. Spike looked up to see The Bebop's hanger door slowly sliding open. He flew in and landed softly inside. He began climbing out of his ship; his feet barely reached the ground when Jet rushed up behind him.

"You can't stay here." His low voice boomed. Spike faced him. Jet stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His stern eyes fixed on Spike.

"Where do you want me to go?" Spike asked innocently.

"I don't know." Jet looked at his feet. "But you can't stay here." He looked back into Spike eyes.

"Not after what happened."

Spike ran his hands through his green hair. He wanted to rip it out in frustration.

"I didn't mean it Jet." He said quietly. They stood in silence.

"I know." Jet said finally. He sighed deeply, kicking the floor with his boot. "But I'm sorry. Faye won't hear of it. And Ed.." He trailed off....

'Wow, I royally fucked things up this time.' Spike thought to himself. He was being banned from the one place he calls home. As much as he complained about The Bebop being a piece of junk, he loved it more then any place. The idea that it's other inhabitants were saying he could never see its hull again. It was too much for him. He felt his face getting hot. A lump was forming in this throat.

'Shake it off.' He told himself 'This isn't my style.'

Spike took a slow shaky breath.

"I don't have anywhere else to go." His voice cracking. He fixed his mournful mismatched eyes on Jet who reluctantly looked into them. But he sighed, and looked away again.

"It's out of my hands." He said. "You can come get your things. But after that you have to leave." Jet began to walk away. Spike didn't want him to go yet. He had to change Jet's mind.

"I got Himdium." Spike said suddenly. It didn't have the effect he hoped for. Jet kept walking.

"You keep the bounty." He said, without turning around.

"I mean, I have Himdium."

Jet stopped. He turned slowly and eyed Spike curiously. Spike took that as a cue to continue.

"He's in my ship."

Jet walked quickly towards spike.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.

"He's behind the Chair." Spike grabbed his stomach suddenly. He could feel blood draining out of his face as it drained out the holes in his chest. But Jet didn't seem to have noticed. He had climbed up into Spike's ship, and was peering behind the pilot's chair.

"God lord." Jet said as he examined the crumpled man. "Is he alive?"

"I made sure not to kill him." Spike responded. His head was starting to pound.

"Well, you really did a job on him."

Spike chuckled.

"He did a pretty good job on me too." He started to sway a bit.

Jet turned and examined Spikes face.

"You don't have a scratch on you."

Spike wanted to laugh but didn't have the energy. Jet didn't know how wrong he was. Spike reached into his blue jacket, then slowly retracted his hand. Jet gasped. It was covered in blood. Spike felt his knee's buckling underneath him. The floor started to come at him quickly, but two powerful arms stopped him.

"Shit, Spike." He heard Jet curse. "You're so damn stupid. So stupid..."

Jet helped Spike back to his feet, supporting all his weight. He led him out of the hanger and into the ships hull. Even though he felt half dead, Spike still couldn't help smiling looking at the ships rusty walls. They entered the living area and the all to familiar yellow couch. Jet laid Spike carefully on top of it. He took off Spikes blue jacket and then removed his now red shirt.

"Shit..." Jet said, when he saw the bullet hole. "Why didn't you say something? It's a surprise you're alive."

Spike laughed a bit.

"Didn't you know Jet," Spike winced as Jet began cleaning his wounds. "I'm full of surprises."

"No you're just very lucky. At least this time. These aren't very deep. But you've lost a lot of blood. You may need to visit a hospital."

"And spend my reward on hospital bills?" Spike choked out. "I'd rather die lying here." Jet sighed. He pushed the issue no further.

"What happened?" Jet asked. Spike laid there, his eyes fixed on ceiling.

"Himdium doesn't seem to like me very much."

Jet laughed.

"The feeling seems to be mutual."

The room fell silent. Spike grinded his teeth as he felt Jet removing the bullets from his body. He watched the ceiling fan going round in circles. It felt almost as if things were back to normal. Even though things were as far from normal as they could get.

"I'm sorry." Spike said suddenly. He seemed to be talking to the ceiling then to anyone else.

"I know." Jet said simply.

Spike imediently felt as if a thirty-pound weight had been lifted off chest. He never knew two little words could make him feel so much better.

"But I'm not the one you need to tell." Spike was silent for a moment.

"I know."

He closed his eyes. He was so tired. He couldn't even remember the last time he slept. His days had been so consumed with that one goal. It became an obsession. It consumed his days, its consumed his thoughts, and it eventually started to consume him. He felt it eating away at the pit of his stomach.

"When was the last time you've eaten?" Jet's voice broke into his thoughts.

'When was the last time I ate?'

"I have no idea." He answered finally.

"I'll go fix you something to eat." Jet said, standing up. He began to walk away but he was stopped as Spike grabbed his wrist.

"Are you going to make me leave?" Spike asked. His face looked like a lost puppy. This was a look very unknown to him.

"You're too weak to go anywhere."

"What about Faye?"

Jet grunted and turned his face away.

"I have no idea."

Jet turned back to Spike. He gave him a reassuring smile and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. You just rest. You're not going anywhere tonight."

Jet walked into the kitchen. Spike heard dishes clattering, and the fridgerator opening. Jet started humming a low bluesy tune. Spike smirked

'At least Jet is glad to have me back.' He thought. Thinking about what Faye would do when she saw him made him nervous. How would she react? Maybe she'd cooled down since he's been gone. He pushed that thought out of his head. If anything, his absence only made her anger fester. He didn't want to think about it now. His lack of sleep was catching up with him, now his job was done. A smell invaded his nose. It was an awful smell. Jet emerged from the kitchen, carrying two plates and a smirk. He placed one on the table in front of Spike and seated himself in the yellow chair opposite of him. Spike eyed the contents of the plate. He twisted up his face.

"Jet..." He said cautiously. "What IS this?"

"You don't want to know." Jet replied, hastily shoving food in his mouth and swallowing it quickly. Spike decided to take his lead. He shoved a large portion of food in his mouth but wasn't able to swallow it before he tasted it. It was the worst thing he'd ever eaten.

They ate in silence. But every once in a while Spike would see Jet look up at him from his plate, grin a bit, then continue eating. Spike finished his food rather quickly. Now those days of missed sleep were catching up on him. He felt himself drifting off. Jet noticed this. He gathered up the dishes, and left Spike in silence without a word. Spike laid back down on the couch. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

A loud scream pierced the silence. Spike tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't see. He couldn't breathe. Something was on top of him. He tried to push the unknown object off his face but it pushed back with great strength. He was suffocating. His lungs were beating in his chest demanding the air that he couldn't give them. He gasped and clawed. Neither was doing any good. Shit, was he dying? He had been through too much to die like this. He'd been shot countless amount of times, stabbed, beaten. And to die like this? This wasn't his style. He was supposed to go in the blaze of glory. With a bang. Not with a whimper. But he felt his heart slowing. He was losing the energy to fight. He took one last gasp. Air? Was that air filling his lungs? He had never tasted anything sweeter. He sucked in as much as he good, choking on it a bit. His ears were pounding. He could hear muffled voices. He opened his eyes. There was Faye. Jet's powerful arms had firm grasp over her waist. There was a pillow in her hands. She was struggling violently, kicking and screaming. But her eyes were fixed on Spike. They were wide with madness.

"He didn't die out there!" He heard her scream. "So I guess he'll have to die here!"

'Oh my god.' Everything was registering in his brain.

'She tried to kill me.'

More note: oohhhhhhh, cliff hanger. hehe. I know you guys hate me for that but if I kept going I'd have to write like 2 more pages and I don't have the time. It's 2am and I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm not even packed! I promise I'll get the next chap up ASAP!!!! I'll probably write it down while I'm relaxing on the beach. hehe. Love you guys! Keep those reviews coming! Bye bye ^_~