Spike half smiled at Marie, his eyes trying to stay focused on her face, and whatever she was talking about. -Where in the hell is Ed?- he thought to himself, glancing up at the gold plated clock on the wall. It read 11:30. Ein yawned at Spike's feet, then got up and left the room, obviously sick of hearing what ever Marie had to say. The raven haired woman smiled at Spike, "So," she said in a low voice, "what should we do now?"

-Maybe I should go looking for her-

"Spike?"

-I was sort of an asshole..-

"Sppiikkkee.."

-What is she got mugged?-

"SPIKE!"

"Yeah?!" The ex gangster looked at Marie. She put her hands on her hips, her huge breasts moving with each exaggerated breath.

"You wasn't listening,"

"Yes I was. Listen Marie, babe," Spike said standing up, "this has been swell and all, but I think its time to-" Marie suddenly "tripped" and fell into Spike's chest. His arms automatically flew out to help her out. Marie blushed and bit her bottom lip, pressing her body slightly against him.

"I'm soo sorry Spike," she said drawing circles on his chest through the thin material of his shirt. "I guess I had a bit to much to drink," she cooed. Spike looked down at the woman. She closed her eyes and puckered her lips up to him slowly. Spike raised an eyebrow and moved his head back, avoiding the kiss. Suddenly, the double doors swung open, clattering against the walls. His hand automatically flew to the back of his pants, where a small gun was hidden underneath the baggy material. But he lowered his hand and let out a long, thankful and relieved sigh. It was Edward, standing in all her insane glory. Her wild hair was slicked down, like ladies wore in the roaring 20's. Her lips shone with pink gloss. The outfit she wore earlier was replaced with a pair of tight black, white pinstriped designer pants and a tucked in white button down shirt with he first few buttons undone. She peaked at the two over her dark sunglasses, then adverted her amber gaze to the floor. Edward knocked an empty bottle of wine to the side with her boots and stepped over a pile of towels that lay in the middle of the floor. Shopping bags rattled on her arms and in her hands as she walked to her room, leaving Marie and Spike in an awkward silence.

"Wow," Spike muttered, absent-mindedly stepping away from blue eyed woman and almost caused her to fall face down onto the carpet.

"Hey!" she screeched, balancing herself. Spike pretended not to notice her anger and walked in the direction of Ed's bedroom. He found her sitting on the canopy bed, one leg tucked under her, the other one dangled from the edge of the king sized bed. She glanced at Spike for a moment, and went back to talking on a cell phone while scratching Ein's belly. Spike huffed and raised an eyebrow, waltzing right next to her bed and picking up a bag from the floor. "Did you get me anything?" he joked, not expecting her to laugh.

"Macy's? Gucci? Prada? When did you become so interested in the latest fashions? And most importantly, where'd you get the money?" he said in his normal nonchalant tone. Edward laughed to the person on the other end, completely ignoring Spike. "Who are you talking on the phone?" he asked. Ed didn't reply. Spike finally had enough of her little "attitude" and took her phone.

"Hey!" She protested a little. He gave her a smirk.

"Now answer my quest..." Ed pulled out another cellphone from her back pocket and placed it up to her ear, "tion." Spike finished. He quickly took that one too and throw them into the other room. "If you pull out another one, I'll throw that too," he said quickly. Ed slumped down on her bed.

"Where have you been? It's been damn near 8 hours," Spike questioned.

"Out."

"Out?"

"Out."

"Out...with who? And where did you get these things?"

"You didn't want to be bothered with Ed," she said with no emotion in her voice, "so ED found someone who did," the young hacker pulled off her boots and placed them beside her dresser. Spike stepped back. Who ever this "someone" was, they had a pretty strong effect on his little Edward. But he did have to admit, she wasn't the same when he found her in the hotel. Edward had changed over the course of time she was away from the Bebop. And for some reason, he had a weird feeling of guilt run through his body. If he hadn't have went off like he did, to spend time with a woman who's only interest was herself... Marie. Marie was still in the other room by herself. The man turned around and walked back into the living room, she was sitting on the creme colored couch. Her legs crossed seductively, her arms resting on the back of the sofa. The pose reminded him of Faye..expect when Faye was sitting like that, she was never trying to be sexy. She was usually bored to death or looking extremely bitchy.

Spike couldn't help but smile at the old memory, but he made it fade quickly. "Marie you have to go, sorry." He said bluntly. He picked up his jacket off the coat-rack and handed it to her. Since she was only clad in he ice-blue bikini from earlier. Spike placed it on her shoulders and began to push her out of the door gently.

"But-but Spike why?" Marie asked, trying to look him in the face, but her back was too him. Should he go on and tell her he was tired of hearing her ramble on and on about absolutely nothing. That he was going on a guilt trip because Ed went out and got a someone new to spend time with? And lets not forget the fact that she had smoked up all his cigarette and drunk half of his liquor from the bar (the woman drank like a fish). Should he tell he all that? Nah..

"I'm sleepy. Need my beauty rest." He said giving her one last firm push that sent her flying through the doorway. He saw her start to turn around and say something, but he closed the heavy double doors.

Spike turned around and rolled his head on his shoulders, hearing the bones pop and crack. He bent down and started to pick up the bottles and cups from the carpet. That's when the phone suddenly rang. He hesitated, wondering if he should answer it. It rung once...then twice...and in the middle of the third ring it stopped. Spike eyed the phone and heard Ed's voice mumbling something. "Curiosity killed the cat," he told himself, looking at the phone and placing an unlit cigarette in his lips. "But I'm not a cat am I?" he told himself, picking up the phone.

"I enjoyed our time together," a smooth voice leaked from the phone. Spike looked at the receiver as if a head had popped through, and continued to listen. "So we can do that again if you want, or if your tired of shopping, I know a nice little place not far from here. I know you'll love it." The voice continued to pour out.

"Okay. 'Nothing better to do." Edward said, sounding so out of character, Spike might have thought it was someone else.

"All right 10 o'clock. In front of the plaza, don't be late," -click-.

"Don't worry," Spike said lighting up a cigarette, "I won't. Spike Speigal is always on time."