Wearing a white tank top and black sweatpants, Spike Spiegel was sweating like crazy as he continued to perfect the art of Jeet Kune Do in his personal quarters. Staying loose like a boxer and trying to keep his breathing steady, Spike was shadow-fighting for nearly 3 hours nonstop. Every punch and every kick thrown was never enough for Spike. He knew that no matter how powerful or how quick his strike was, he has to always stay hungry. At first, Spike was fighting one imaginary opponent. Now he was picturing six fighters surrounding him.

//I'm the only one who can keep you alive... and I'm the only one who can kill you...//

Through his left eye, he saw the gray image of the very man who told him those words, the man who licked Spike's blood off his great blade.

Growling to himself and shaking the memory away, Spike grabbed a pair of garotte fighting sticks out of the slots on his sweatpants and began to twirl away. One stick blocked while the other stick did the attack, and sometimes Spike had his sticks switch roles. Spike twirled his sticks faster, imagining eight men surrounding him and beating them to a bloody pulp.

Spike's world turned gray before his very eyes again. He saw himself at the top floor of the Red Dragons stronghold, listening to the Ballad of Fallen Angels while going one-on-one with Vicious. Spike shut his eyes from the dark moment when Vicious sparked up the floor with his incredible blade and sliced Spike's stomach wide open.

//I'm the only one who can kill you and set you free...//

"Damn you, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Spike shouted. When Spike tossed his fighting sticks away, he marched to his wooden dummy standing near a corner. Huffing heavily, the black-haired bounty hunter pounded away at the dummy, practicing in blocking its arms and simultaneously striking it. Spike struck the dummy harder and faster, hoping the past won't strangle him by the throat again. Spike concentrated not only on the pain in his knuckles, but also on the sound of his fists banging loudly into all that wood.

Spike was taken away from reality once more. All in gray, as the rain poured heavily onto his clothes and through his hair, he held Julia in his arms. He felt her silky, blonde hair brush through his fingers as he tried his best to comfort her. He listened to her last words as her star was ready to fade away from the universe.

//It's all a... a dream...//

"That's not true... IT'S NOT!!" Spike shouted. Shutting his eyes and letting out a battle-cry, Spike smashed the wooden dummy in the head with a vicious side-kick and toppled the tall log over. Spike fell to his knees and rubbed his sore knuckles, breathing heavily from the hours of intense training he put himself through. Slowly, Spike opened his eyes, hoping he was back in the present.

To his relief, he was back where he was suppose to be: in his personal quarters. Not side by side with Vicious when they were buddies, not at the Cathedral where he gunned down the Red Dragons and faked his death, not falling to the ground in front of the shocked Julia when bloodied up. Just right in the Bebop, where no painful moments could take shape.

"Son of a bitch. No matter what I do, it never leaves me alone. Why? Why can't I put the past behind?" Spike asked himself. When Spike sat down on his bed, he grabbed a white towel on it and wiped away the sweat. He spotted a pack of cigarettes on his bed, ready to be finished in less than a day. With a blank look on his face, Spike picked it up and threw it into the trash.

"Gotta quit those damn things. Not only is it a waste of woolongs, but it's also making me fight sluggishly. Can't afford to be careless like the last time," Spike told himself.

Suddenly, Spike heard a knock on his door.

"Who is it? I'm kinda busy," Spike called out loud.

"Open up, ya fuzzyhead! It's me, Faye," she said. When Spike slid the door open, right in front of him was the lovely, lavinder-haired woman carrying a couple of shopping bags. Rather than look into her lovely green eyes, he saw her wearing a pair of Thermo sunglasses. Resting one hand on his hip, Spike raised a brow at her.

"Look, Faye, I don't have any woolongs to lend to ya, okay? We split the 50 million woolong reward evenly between the three of us. What happened? Didn't wanna miss that President's Day Sale?" Spike asked.

"No, silly. I bought these for you," Faye said, smiling lightly. Spike was lost of words from what Faye just told him. After a slight moment of silence, Spike cleared his throat.

"That... that's very nice of you, Faye," Spike finally uttered. Having no need for Spike's permission, Faye walked right into his quarters and laid the bags on the floor. With that dumbfounded look on his face, Spike sat on the edge of his bed and scratched his head while he watched Faye look through the bags.

"Faye, what's this all about? What's with the act?" Spike asked. Smiling to herself, Faye bent over to look through one of the bags to make sure she has everything for him.

"This is for saving me from getting raped by that bastard, Jagged Edge. That caught me off-guard as it did for my would-be rapist. Think of this as a reward for your chivalry. Trust me when I say this: you're gonna like what I'm about to show you," Faye said, eager to show him Bruce Lee's journal, 'The Tao of Jeet Kune Do.'

(I like what you're showing me already....) Spike thought to himself, wearing a crooked grin.

Spike's wide eyes got a good look at her body while she still bent over and looked through the bags. Spike never really noticed until now how nicely curved Faye really was. To Spike, if Faye decided to pose nude for Playboy, she'd definitely be crowned Playmate Of The Year. When Faye stood up, Spike immediately turned to the side and let out a light blush.

"Here ya go, Spike," Faye said. Spike saw the book, 'The Tao of Jeet Kune Do,' and never did he feel so happy in all his life.

"AWRIGHT! I've been searching for this book for ages! His experiences, his teaching; it's all here!! I... I don't know what to say," Spike said, finding it hard to get his eyes off the cover of the book.

"Uh, Spike?" Faye asked. When he heard Faye, Spike quickly set his attention to Faye's shaded eyes. When she sat next to Spike, she had a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong, Faye?" Spike asked, placing his book down. Faye's eyes turned away from Spike's.

"I heard you training in your personal quarters when I was walking down the halls. I can tell there's something upsetting you. Is it still coming back?" Faye asked. The meanest bounty hunter in the universe knew what she was asking about. Spike's eyes turned away from Faye's and lowered to the floor. Feeling a deep anguish, Spike rubbed his temples and let out a sigh.

"It just never ends, Faye. I really envy you, you know that? You can look back to the past and return to the present any time you want. Not in my case, however. Ever since I lost right eye in an accident, the past comes and goes whenever it pleases.

"But now, ever since my last encounter with Vicious and the Red Dragons, it's gotten worse. I use to see the past and the present as though they were one, thinking my very existence is just a fantasy. But when I lost Julia and had a brush with Death, I can't see the past the same way anymore. Now the past is a constant reminder of my past sins, a demon that constantly haunts me," Spike said. Faye shook her head, feeling Spike's pain.

"I... I don't know what to say, Spike. I'm not like a psychiatrist and stuff. If you can't forget the past, then why not burn it away? Destroy it?"

That made Spike raise a brow at Faye.

"Burn it away?" Spike asked. Faye let out a chuckle.

"Oh, never mind, Spike. I don't know what I'm saying. Just forget it."

Suddenly, something came up to Faye's mind.

"Oh, I almost forgot. You see, Jet told me to test this new level he just installed into this pair of Thermo sunglasses I'm wearing. Hey, uh, why don't you stand upright? I want to see what'll happen when I take a good look at you," Faye said.

"Uh... sure," Spike said. Spike stood upright, feeling kinda silly. Standing six feet away from Spike, she set her focus on him and activated her Thermo sunglasses to Level 4.

"Well, what do you notice, Faye? I mean, all it detects is bodyheat, right?" Spike asked, folding his arms. However, Spike didn't get any answer at all. All Faye did was stand there and stare at him, rubbing her left arm and feeling her face flush. A crooked smile began to form from her very lips.

"... wow. So this is what you're like in your birthday suit. Me like. Me like a lot..." Faye said, flushing even harder.

Spike finally realized what Level 4 does: X-Ray vision! Blushing like crazy, Spike covered his groin with his hands.

"HEY, QUIT LOOKIN'!!" Spike shouted, blushing out of embarrassment. Flushing even harder, Faye covered her mouth and started to giggle.

"Heeheehee... there's no way it could be naturally that big. What did you do? Take a serious dosage of Longitude?" Faye asked. Spike gasped, knowing that Longitude helps increase size of his... well, you know.

"FOR YOUR INFORMATION, FAYE VALENTINE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS BIG! NOW QUIT LOOKIN' AT IT!!" Spike turned his back on Faye, hoping she couldn't see his manhood.

"WHOO-HOOOO!! Nice ass, you sexy thing..." Faye said, licking her lips.

"HEY!" Spike shouted, pulling the bottom of his tank top over his butt. Out of frustration, Spike faced Faye and started stomping towards her.

"Give me those glasses," Spike demanded quietly.

"No," Faye said, giggling a little harder. Spike took 3 steps towards her. Faye took 3 steps back.

"I'm not gonna ask again, Faye..." Spike said slowly.

".... no...." Faye responded teasingly. Quickly, Faye took her white, high-heel shoes off. Faye couldn't help stop giggling to herself, feeling like a high-school girl again. Faye walked backwards out of Spike's quarters, keeping her hungry eyes on him. Spike didn't leave any space for her to breathe.

"OKAY, YOU ASK FOR IT!" Spike shouted. Faye let out a yelp and started running down the hallway, with Spike in hot pursuit.

"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU BEG FOR MERCY ABOUT THAT LONGITUDE REMARK!" Spike shouted. That only made Faye laugh the whole way down.

"OOOOHHH! SOMEBODY SAVE ME! THERE'S A NAKED GUY COMIN' AFTER ME! AND HIS HORMONES ARE OUT OF CONTROL!" Faye said with tease.

"FAAAAAAAAAYYE!" Spike roared.


----------


Enjoying the peace and quiet, Jet Black was almost done with his bonsai tree in the main lounge. Jet rubbed his chin, wondering if it still needs a few snips here and there.

"Hmmm... I think it looks as nice as the one from 'The Karate Kid.' Man, I wish I was as good as Mr. Miyagi. Maybe I'll trim that side just a little more," Jet said.

When Jet was about to snip a small branch off, he heard a commotion coming down the hallway. The sound of running feet was getting louder, and louder.

Out of nowhere, Faye leaped from the hallway entrance down a few steps to the main lounge. Spike, not far behind, leaped right down after her.

"Hey, watch it, you two! You might break something!" Jet said, holding his bonsai tree like a baby. Faye and Spike were on opposite sides of the large table Jet was using. Smiling to herself, Faye used the table to keep herself and Spike separate.

"What do you plan on doing to me, Spike?" Faye asked, wearing a sly grin.

"....ooooooo, wouldn't you like to find out," Spike responded, wearing a grin of his own and wiggling his fingers as though he was about to draw guns. With his great agility, Spike leaped over the table and landed right behind Faye. Faye let out a huge screech and ran back to the hallway. Chuckling to himself, Spike was once again in hot pursuit.

Jet was alone once more, just him and his bonsai tree. After seeing what happened, Jet folded his arms and let out a sigh of accomplishment.

"Hmph. Just the way I planned it. That oughta get those two out of the dark clouds, especially in Spike's case. It's good to make them feel like kids again and get them out of this dark world for awhile. Right, Mr. Bonsai?" Jet asked his little tree.


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


Faye ran right back into Spike's personal quarters. Panting real hard, Faye tried her best to shut Spike's steel door in a blink of an eye. Right before she completely shut the door, Spike's hands grabbed onto the door and forced them open. No matter how hard Faye tried to shut the door, there was no way her strength could rival his.

Feeling a flush in her face, she let go of the door and let Spike slide it wide open.

"LUCY, I'M HOOOOOME!" Spike said sadistically. Faye playfully tried to run past Spike and out the door, but Spike caught her by the waist, hoisted her onto his left shoulder and carried her to his bed. By the time Spike bounced Faye onto the bed, Spike straddled on top of her and placed his hands on her waist.

"... you wouldn't dare..." Faye said.

Spike brushed his fingers into her waist and started to tickle her. Faye began to laugh out of control, squirming wildly underneath Spike.

"Take it back, Faye! Take back what you said about my you-know-what!" Spike demanded, starting to laugh as well.

"NEVER!" Faye shouted hysterically. Faye had no control over her laughing, since Spike found her most ticklish area. She laughed so hard, she almost felt she was gonna pee in her pants. Faye brought her hands up to Spike's armpits and started to tickle him back. Spike removed his hands and started laughing uncontrollably.

Spike gently grabbed onto Faye's wrists and lightly pinned them over her head. As he lied down on her body, Spike and Faye panted heavily as they were nose-to-nose. Faye's smile faded away when she looked into Spike's eyes. Slowly, Faye felt her eyes begin to water.

Spike saw a tear fall down Faye's eye as he felt her breath brush against his face. Realizing the position he was in and remembering that Edge pinned her the same way, he immediately took his hands off her wrists and sat up.

"Faye, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pin you like that. I- "

Spike's words were cut short by Faye's moist lips pressing into his. Feeling another tear streaming down her face, she removed her sunglasses, clutched onto Spike and continued to give him that soft kiss. Faye kissed him as though she was out in the desert for days, and Spike's very lips was the only oasis on Earth. Spike's heart leapt as he felt her lips and her incredible body press into his. Spike kissed her back, wrapping his rock-solid arms around Faye's delicate body. Faye reluctantly broke away from the kiss and embraced him, resting her chin on his broad shoulder.

"Oh, Spike. I never had the courage to say how I feel about you! I thought I forever lost that chance when you went off and took on Vicious all by yourself. But now..."

Spike's heart was pounding like never before as he felt Faye's breasts press into his broad chest. Never has Spike seen this side of Faye before. Spike felt something wonderful that he hasn't felt in a long time.

Spike felt alive. Truly alive. And this time, the past won't take him by the throat.

Spike and Faye kneeled on his bed and kissed on. Wanting more of Spike, she pried Spike's mouth open and let her tongue intertwine with his. Breathing heavily through her nostrils, Faye traced her hand down his rock-solid abs and began to untie the laces of Spike's jogging pants...



.... to be continued.




Hello, ladies and gents. I hope you're enjoying this fanfic so far. It was the "Spike X Faye Event" in chapter 6 that earned this fic the "NC-17" rating (a very beautiful work, in my opinion). You'll notice that the upcoming chapter will be quite cleaner; no heavily explicit stuff this time, I promise. I'll replace the explicit stuff with new content that will foreshadow perhaps the most action-packed, knock-your-teeth-out story like never before on fanfiction.net.

Well, gotta go! Time to do some major editing. I'll seeya soon!