I do not own Cowboy Bebop, or it's characters. Please read and review. Please, it only takes a second to write a comment about this chapter. Much obliged, hope you like. This is the beginning of Cowboy Bebop's finish. And I wont leave you with freaky loose ends to wrack your brain! Only a few Cliffhangers now and again! ^^

Prologue: Prelude to Rip Tide's tale Rip Tide's convertible squealed to a halt. Gun fire was going off in the building. "Damn it Vicious, you had to go and usurp the Red Dragon elders." The honey blonde leapt from her strawberry red car. She pulled out her guns from their holsters. Two semi-automatics. She rushed the building. It was a mess. "I can tell your handiwork, Spike-o. This place looks like hell." Rip bolted forward, weapons ready. She was fast, she had to be in her work. She was a Red Dragon assassin. Rip ran to the stair well, bodies were everywhere. She saw people standing, staring at the steps. Spike Spiegel's body lay lifeless on the staircase. "Spike!" Rip rushed to his bleeding figure on the steps. "Spike, hang on, I'm here." She rolled him on his back, assessing the wounds. "Rip! What the." Angel rushed up, platinum hair billowing. "Scythe! Get Dev here now!" The other Syndicate member ran for help. Angel, named for her albino qualities, right down to her watery blue eyes, tore Spike's shirt from him. Rip began to clog the bleeding. "He needs massive surgery."

Rip was holding his intestines in with her hands. "Hang on, Spike-o. Rip's got you now." She looked up at Angel, "Jules?" The pale one shook her head, "Julia has passed." Rip's eyes filled. Her cousin's death had caused this whole massacre. "Damn her." Rip monitored Spike's heart rate. "He's thready.fading.Damn it Spiegel, hold on!" An auburn haired man rushed up the steps. He knelt down and surveyed the damage. "I can save him, I have my medic van outside. Let's get him to my place." The women nodded and Scythe came up behind Angel. He lifted Spike into his arms while Angel moved to hold his gut together. Rip, covered in blood, went after Vicious.

Rip found him dead, with Race giving CPR. The brunette was fighting wildly to save the usurper. "Let him die, Race." "No." Rip's eyes burned. This man made her life hell, made Julia and Spike's life hell. He should die here. Another team, with demon insignias on their tops, came in. They grabbed up Vicious and rushed him from the room. A bloodied Race looked to an also bloodied Rip, "You missed the action." She shrugged, "They didn't call me until the last minute. Old fools, I could have protected them. We all could have." Race nodded, "Yeah, but they didn't think he'd do it. The guy is nuts, I don't know why they let themselves underestimate him. They didn't call us in until last." Rip sighed and looked down at herself. Her black, skin tight pants were soaked with Spike Spiegel's blood. Her black, low cut top was in a similar condition. Her long trench coat was splattered here and there. "Shin's dead." "Yeah, I saw him." "Lots of others are gone too." "I noticed." "You seen Scythe and Angel?" "You, they're fine." "Marcus?" "Huh uh, I'm sure he's around." "Yeah. Hawk? Corra?" "Nope." "Yeah." Rip nodded, understanding their conversation was over. She turned, her boots clunking heavily on the floor as she walked away. "We'll call." "Fine." She strode down the steps, her eyes stinging at Spike's blood pooled there. She prayed that bastard Vicious died. At least now she could break away and support Allora. Rip's honey hair flowed around her. She hopped back into her car, leaving the destruction to the others. She needed to head to Devil Doc's place and check on Spike. *** Rip sighed and watched Spike. He lay, bandaged and unconscious with several I.V.'s poking from his arms. She brushed his wild hair back from his face, "Oh, Spike." His eyes fluttered open and his voice came out gravelly, "Julia?" "Shh, don't talk now, Spike." He moaned and slipped back out of consciousness. Dev(Devil Doc) walked into the room. He checked Spike's pulse. "He surfaced?" "For a second." "Well, he's comatose now." "I saw the men from your team go to grab Vicious." "I was hoping to save him." "Did you?" "I'm not prepared to discuss it yet." "Mmm." "Go home, Rip. I'll call you if there are any changes." She stood and walked out of the room. She returned to her car, her heart squeezed dry. He still called for Julia. It pained her. She knew they could be confused by blurry eyes, but he hadn't known her voice.

As youngsters Julia and Rip seemed identical. As they grew, their features changed a bit. Julia's eyes were more narrow than Rip's, although her own were more cynical. The color was different. Julia's were darker, Rip's were like ice. Rip was taller, a bit curvier in the hips, although in the bust they were generally the same. Rip had kept her hair short, Julia's long. That was, until Spike remarked he'd like Rip's hair longer. She hadn't seriously cut it since. Rip's lashes were longer, her face softer, lips fuller. Rip was shades paler, and her hair a darker honey color, just shy of brown. Such subtle differences made them look so much less alike. Rip had been Spike's lover before Julia. That had begun 10 years ago, when they were 17. Rip had been part of the Titan wars as a young one. That was how she became the assassin she was. That was how Vicious came to love her. Before Julia. That changed when he met Julia. Just as it had with Spike. And the whole mess began from there.

Rip sighed, her mind unfocused. Spike had loved to hear her sing. He would lay against her breast and listen to her, feel the vibrations. He had loved it. That was before the world got in the way. Before Julia stole his heart. Before Spike ripped hers out. Rip walked into her apartment. She should find Spike's contacts and tell them where to find him. She would have Dev drop him in a hospital nearby and let his bounty hunters come for him. Rip stripped down, walked to the bathroom (leaving the clothes on the floor), and started the shower up. She sat in the tub and let the water wash all the blood away.
* * *

Faye sighed and looked at the lunk head in the hospital bed. He smiled wryly and waved. She rolled her eyes and turned to the nurse, whom he had flirted with crazily since he awoke. He pinched her bottom more than once, according to the cute little thing. She was in her early 30's and obviously as innocent as they came. "He was dropped here by a man. We were given a name, and then he left. The hospital bill was paid for and they disappeared. He woke from the coma and is ready to leave whenever you want to take him." Faye smiled softly and murmured a thanks. The petite, dark haired nurse smiled in return, "It was amazing. He has virtually no scars, thanks to a laser technique used. It knits the skin back together. They paid for it explicitly." Faye nodded her thanks, her dark hair bobbing. She walked in with his suit in a bag. "Get dressed lunk head, you're coming home. And now you're living a peaceful life, you hear me?" She decided to cool their barbs and remarks a bit. She cared for him so much. She loved him, you could say, as much as she could love. It was more like.family. She was the sister he didn't have. He was the brother she didn't want. Funny how things work out.

He threw the cover off, exposing himself to her, completely naked. Faye nearly choked. He was truly a fine specimen. He chuckled and winked at her. Faye threw his clothes in his face and waited for him to dress. He stretched languidly once he was clothed and walked behind her out of the hospital. He didn't look back this time. It was all over: his past was finished, his loose ends tied up. Or was it?? To be Continued.