Spike was racing through space for the fifth time that day to the next casino on his list.

This had been tougher than he had imagined. When he first had the whole 'epiphany', his thoughts were organized. First: Find Faye. Second: Bring Faye home. Third: Be in love with Faye.

What had sounded so good when he was starting the ignition was seemingly hopeless now. But he wasn't going to give up hope. Nope. One thing at a time. So, first, find Faye. This particular step wasn't going too well so far. That was due to the fact that there was a whole galaxy, with millions of miles, nine planets, with thousands of miles on each, and hundreds of towns and cities on each planet. And within those cities and towns were a plethora of casinos and places you could bet at. Not to mention bars. So, obviously, he had his work cut out for him.

He had mentally made a list of all the biggest, baddest, and most famous casinos in the galaxy before setting out, so he had some idea of where he was going. The problem lay in getting to the right one, at the right time.

He sighed and lay back in his seat for about the tenth time since he had left. Where the hell is she? His hand formed a tight fist. Why did she have to leave AFTER he found everything out?

"Damnit Faye!"

He rubbed his eyes; exhausted from the effort he was putting into his search.

She always had that power, he thought. No matter what, she could always get him riled up. Even now when she could be between a ten and a ten million-mile range, she could still get his goat.

He grinned. That's Faye. Always gotta be difficult. Always gotta be the one that plants her feet firmly and goes against the current. And why? Just for the hell of it! Just 'cause she damn well felt like it.

He smiled again, grimly this time. There's a fine line between love and hate. Wish it were a bit clearer. That would make my job a hell of a lot easier.

Spike yawned. This love business sure was strenuous.

He landed down on a meteor near mars, the flashy sign showing the way to the establishment. The sign assaulted his sleep-deprived eyes and he had to squint as he neared it.

He stepped inside the casino, yawning still. The lights inside were brighter than the tacky sign, and Spike considered getting out his sunglasses.

He walked around a bit, his tactic for the last seven casinos, searching for a purple-haired woman in a yellow outfit.

Please let me find her, he thought. This is getting pathetic.

He walked around a bit more, now fully aware of what a night with out sleep of coffee could to you. He finally scratched his head in defeat, turning to find the exit.

Suddenly a flash of yellow caught his eye. He spun around to find to find its source, his heart jumping all over the place inside his chest.

False alarm. He was greeted by a huge man in a banana-yellow suit, waddling to the poker tables. Spike grimaced and headed to the door shaking his head and rubbing his temples. This had been a long day.

He headed back to his ship, cursing and trying to stay awake.

That's it, he thought. I'm going home and having Ed do this for me. Should have done that in the first place. I wonder if anybody missed me?



Gabby clipped Ein's leash onto his collar and turned to wave to Ed and Jet. Ed had recruited Jet in her search for the perfect seashell. Gabby had been feeling very guilty lately for ever sending Ed off to find one because now Edward was dead set on finding it. Jet turned to wave back but was abruptly jerked back by a determined thirteen year old.

As Gabby turned back around to walk down the street she could faintly hear Edward harassing Jet.

"Jet-person can wave to Gabby-wabby later! Edward must find her perfect seashell-bell!"

Gabby laughed and trotted to catch up to Ein, who was tugging on the leash. They only had two days left before they went home, and Gabby desperately hoped that by some miracle Edward would find a shell, ANY shell. She knew Ed would be ecstatic if she found a clam.

They hadn't done a lot of sight seeing, sue to the fact that every time they went out, Jet would get stopped every five seconds to be greeted by some old friend. At first it was nice, knowing that Jet was liked by so many, but by the third day, she was getting annoyed. They had come on a vacation to have fun and relax! Not to be assaulted by 'old friends'.

She sighed as she waved to a person who she had met the other day. She couldn't remember his name; there had been seventeen people before and after him. It wasn't that she didn't like meeting people, or that she didn't want Jet to see old friends. It was just that too much was too much. She let Ein lead the way, and where they went she couldn't particularly care.

Suddenly, Ein jerked his leash out of Gabby's hand and ran down the street, pivoting down an alley way about ten yards away.

She sighed as she jogged down the street after him in her sandals.

Finally coming to the alley, she stuck her head around the corner, looking her Ein.

"Ein…? Ein, where are you?"

She heard a trashcan rumble against the pavement in the dark place at the end of the alley.

"Ah hah. Got you now...."

She walked down the alley and found Ein snuffling in some garbage.

"Yuck, Ein. I thought you were supposed to be super-smart doggy. Oh well. Come along, let's continue."

She bent down to pick up the leash, brushing some old papers out of Ein's coat as she did do. Turning around she walked back down the alley, only to be hit in the face by an outwardly swinging door.

"Ow-oof!"

She fell backwards sharply, crashing into some conveniently placed trashcans. She landed on her butt, jerking Ein's leash with her, which was now tightly wound around her fingers. She could hear him yelp as he landed next to her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

The soft voice froze her as her brain clicked into recognition. Oh no, Gabby thought. Of all the alleyways and all the trashcans Ein had to eat out of, it had to be hers.

She stood up stiffly, brushing herself off and picking bits of rubbish out of her hair. She was careful not to look up into Alisa's face, her own turning a bright tomato red.

"Um, I'm fine, really. I should be more careful. I'm sorry, I think I've knocked your trash cans over."

Alisa laughed as Gabby nearly fell again in trying to right the cans.

"Don't worry about it! I'll fix them later."

Gabby straightened, still careful not to raise her head to an angle that would allow her to see Alisa's face.

"Eh hem. Well, I must be going. My apologies again."

She spun around and walked quickly towards the mouth of the alley. The voice stopped her as she grimaced.

"Excuse me! Aren't you the woman that Jet was with?"

I almost made it! Gabby opened her eyes and forced a smile, turning around to meet Alisa strolling towards her.

"Um, yes. Alisa, right?"

Alisa smiled upon reaching Gabby.

"Uh huh! I'm sorry, we didn't really get acquainted the other day, Gabby was it?"

"Yes."

There was an awkward silence between the two.

How old is this girl? Alisa thought. Are she and Jet...? Well, obviously. Poor girl, she must be embarrassed.

Please, dear lord, let me go, now, Gabby was praying miserably. This is very humiliating, and-

Her thoughts were cut off my Alisa clearing her throat.

"You're traveling with Jet, right? You two are...um..."

Gabby's face went redder than she had ever thought possible. Her body was constantly finding new ways to exceed their known limitations.

"Y-yes."

Alisa smiled.

"So, I guess Jet told you about me then. Before or after you came to La Fin?"

Gabby looked up into Alisa's face, wishing she could grow a quarter of foot. She wanted to meet this woman face to face.

"Oh, h-he told me a, a while ago. A-around when hen we first m-met."

Alisa's eyebrows went up.

"Really... Well, then I guess you know everything then...."

Gabby rubbed the back of her neck, looking down at Ein.

"Yep."

There was another awkward silence.

"Jet's a good guy."

Gabby looked at Alisa again. Alisa was staring down at Gabby, waiting for her to say something.

"Why..." she paused, debating whether or not to go with her next thought. I have to know, she thought.

"Why did you leave Jet?"

Alisa sighed tiredly and sat lightly on a trash can, sighing.

"It's complicated..."

She trailed off, lost in thought. Gabby politely coughed to bring her back down to Ganymede.

Alisa sighed again. Oh, just spit it out, Gabby thought, suddenly cross. She was getting tired of standing around, and this whole encounter was fraying her nerves.

"Well, hm, I'll try to make this short. When I was with Jet, he, he, did everything for me. A real take charge guy. A perfect example of chivalry and a gentleman."

Gabby shifted her weight. And…?

"But the problem was that I needed to go and do my own thing, you know? Be an independent woman!"

Gabby raised an eyebrow. This woman is crazy. Was I ever jealous of her? She had everything! What the heck is she complaining about?

Alisa looked at Gabby for an absent understanding.

"So, the only way to achieve complete self-dependence was to...leave Jet."

Gabby tried to speed things up.

"So, you left him to be independent and you opened a bar and lived happily ever after."

Alisa gave Gabby a questioning look as Gabby felt her face go red.

"Look, I'm sorry, you've just got to understand this is just a little stressful for me."

"Oh! Of course! But, you wanted to know..."

"Yes, I know. And I found out what I wanted to know."

Alisa smiled.

"I hope we can be friends. We both care very much for Jet, you see..."

Gabby eyed her suspiciously as Alisa hastily explained herself.

"I mean, in two totally different ways, of course."

Gabby bit her lip, smiling. Alisa didn't seem as intimidating.

"I'd like that."

Alisa stood up, letting a small grin play across her face.

"I bet there's a lot of things you don't know about Jet."

"Like what?"

"Do you know his middle name?"

"No. What is it?"

"Leslie."

"Leslie?"


a/n: Hiya peoples! Thanks for all the reviews! RySenkari, you are so nice! And I can't wait for you to get those other stories out! And though I HIGHLY doubt I'll ever get as many reviews as you (unless you are single handedly willing to contribute 70 reviews) thanks for the compliment. Yah! I can't wait until Christmas! Only 60 days! And 66 days till my birthday! Ahhh! I can't wait! I am now (in addition to my quest for the perfect font, Ashley) on a quest for stickers to put on it! So far I have some pretty sparkly fairy ones and some coolio starry ones. Can't wait!! And yah, FF.net should have some kind of message board thingy. I guess they had an IM, but I had never heard of it until Anywho, thankies sooo much, you are very cool! You are cooler than a penguin on Christmas in Alaska! Muuaah! You get a big kiss and a hug cause I love you so much. By the by, what does 'huggles' mean? It sounds like a mix between a hug and a snuggle. I like it!

Cambridge-happy now? See, I DO listen to you, and I was thinking about what you said about Spike fighting the stuff for Faye with everything he has, and I know you're right, but it's too late to change it now! So, thank you for the constructive criticism, I really do appreciate it, but can you lighten up? You sound like you need a hug. And of I think you need to realize that I'm not perfect! I'm_a_13_year_old_girl. (I'm not making fun of you, I like how you did the underscore thingys to make your words stand out) If I was a perfect writer, I would NOT be at home, writing fanfiction, and the highlight of my day would not be, "Okay, what is this, what pet made it, and what cleaning product do I have to break out?" No. (say it like this: Nno. Real quick, and only 2 n's!) I would have won my Newberry, published my autobiography, and the biggest decision in my day would be, "What shade of chocolate would I like my strawberries dipped in?" And OF COURSE I am going to be embarrased. I knew that! But I do want you so keep reviewing, I DO listen to them and I really do try to do better! But, seriously now, you be nice, 'criticize' me like you would your best buddy, and I'll do my best to make you proud, okies??

Mr Butterfly, why don't you want to be called that? It's a pretty name? What would you rather have me call you? Mr Rainbow? How about Mr Rainbow Trout? That would be cool. Hmm, you probably don't like that much better huh? How about, Mr McGregor, like Farmer McGregor in peter rabbit! (I think that was his name...) Hm, I have the feeling you don't like that either. How about Number Two, like in Austin Powers? ALEX DON'T LOOK Well, whatever, you better get Cowgirl something nice! How about a coupon for a week free of concussions? I bet she'd like that! You're cooking!? Cool! You shouldn't get drunk and get in fights, she was probably crying because she was worried. You should think about her more often! *sigh* It's okay, we still love you. And you think women are hard to understand?? I think men are confusing! And what's with cars?? Every single guy I know is obsessed with cars. So explain THAT! Actually, I don't know why she didn't tell you why she was crying. That puzzles me. ALEX YOU CAN LOOK NOW I really want to talk to you guys! Sorry I wasn't on the other night when I said I would, but I waited until midnight and I fell asleep at the keyboard and my dad made me go to bed. So sorry! I love you guys!!!!

Okies, I'll go post this and EMAIL NAMI! Nami! Sorry I didn't mention it in the last chapter, but your story-majorly cool! I can't wait for it! Big smooches for all of you (and big fat one for Cambridge who needs some love) ^.^

ps: Cambridge honey buns, hm I'm guessing you're not the Cambridge who posted anonymously on chapter 3 that said my story was cute? Hmm?