Faye slumped to the floor, her back against the wall of the hotel room. Her hair clung to the wallpaper with static as she brought her knees to her forehead. I will NOT cry I will NOT cry I will NOT cry, she thought. Wet tears matted her eyelashes together as she took deep breaths. Slowly, she raised her eyes slighty so as to look at her tormentor with a mix of fury and terror. She shivered as Miles smirked at her figure.

"Pathetic..." he mumbled, shaking his head. A stray coal black strand of hair flew into his equally intense eyes. "Maybe this will teach you not to do things without my consent now, eh?"

Faye's eye narrowed at her fury rose. Who the hell did he think he was? She thought. Give me my gun and redtail and I'll show HIM who's pathetic. She stood up, trembling and looked him straight in the eye; not flinching once as the twin onyx orbs returned her gaze in infuriating amusement.

"I can do whatever the hell I want, and I don't need your permission to do so either, you-"

SMACK

Faye turned her head away from Miles, biting her lip. The stinging of the slap lingered on her cheek as she felt Miles' fingertips stroked her face.

"Now see what you made me do? Aww," he grinned nastily, "that will leave a mark."

Faye's fury bubble burst. She ripped her head out of his grasp and took a step towards him. She leaned hear head up towards his and narrowed her eyes.

"That's IT."

She raised her fist, and let it fly in a straight path to Mile's face when he caught her by her wrist.

"Careful now, Miss Valentine," he murmured dangerously, his eyes flashing. "You wouldn't want to get that pretty face of yours marred now would you?"

Faye twisted out of Miles' grip as she seethed with anger.

"Ahhrg!" She exclaimed, stomping off into the bathroom. She splashed her face with water and closed her eyes, taking more deep breaths. She needed to calm down. Getting angry was only making things go Mile's way. She leaned her forehead against the mirror, letting a pale arm rest over it.

Faye looked deep into the eyes of her reflection. What happened, gorgeous? She asked herself. There were dark circles under her eyes and bruises on her cheeks and chin. There was a large hand-shaped red print on her cheek. She stroked her other bruises gingerly, wincing as they stung. Faye stared into her eyes again. Their usual verdant glow was dimmed and bloodshot. Where did the dangerously beautiful femme fatale of the Bebop crew go? Faye cringed inwardly. All of this just to prove a point? Why did I ever leave them? Suddenly her original vengeance hit her like a piano and she stood up straight, looking down her nose at her reflection. They don't need me, she thought. And I WILL stand all of this. I am strong and I will prove it.

She snorted at her haughty mirror image. And Miles is just a guy. No different from the rest. She frowned deeply. Miles... No matter how strong she was; staying with Miles wasn't going to prove anything. Faye shook her head. No, Miles was just another man who she had used to get something for herself. Yes. That was it. That was exactly the case. She would not let herself thing anything otherwise. Faye reached for her make up bag, conviently placed on the counter and started to cover up the bruises and marks, and her eyes looked halfway decent with enough eye liner. She smiled. Mascara really IS a girl's best friend.

Now... to get out of this hell hole, Faye thought. That was the first step. After that she would figure out what exactly she was going to do. She gathered her bag of cosmetics and walked calmly out of the bathroom. Miles lay on the bed, staring boredly out the window. He let his gaze sweep to Faye as she bounced down on the bed in front of the wardrobe, her open suit case beside her. Filled with anger, Faye jerked open the drawers and started flinging her clothes into her luggage.

Miles let out a small amused smile as he saw her trying her hardest not to look over to him. He ran his fingers though his hair and cocked his head.

"Now where do you think YOU'RE going, Miss Valentine? Not being very fastidious with the getaway are we?"

Faye tore her intent gaze from her determined chore and looked at him.

Miles raised a cocky eyebrow.

"Well?"

Faye popped up and slammed her suit case shut with a loud bang, not taking her eyes off Miles. She stared at him for an eternity, just for effect, and finally opened her mouth.

"I'm leaving. Have fun without me."

Miles smirked.

"No you're not," he scoffed.

Faye raised an eye brow smugly and smiled.

"Watch me," she challenged.

Miles sat up.

"You wouldn't! You would NEVER make it out there. Not without me anyways... You'll be back! I just know it!"

Faye walked calmly to the door, careful not to look back. Suddenly she turned on her heel and held her palm out to Miles.

"Back so soon?" He jeered.

Faye looked at Miles as a sixteen year old girl would to a child who had made a bathroom joke.

"Where's my Redtail?"

"I don't know..."

"Yes you do! Where is it?"

Miles smiled at her, his obsidian eyes sparking in evilness.

"If you can survive without me, you'll live without your Redtail. Don't you agree?"

Faye just shook her head.

"Fine. Whatever. Good bye, Miles."

With that she spun around again and strode to the door.

"Good bye, Miss Valentine. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again."

Faye paused for a minute at the door at his words, then walked out, never looking back. She strolled down the hallway and down the elevator to the street outside. As she rode away in a cab, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over her. But no matter how immense the relief, she couldn't shake of a sense of foreboding that Mile's ominous words had given her. She snapped out of her daze as the cab driver cocked his head to her.

"Where to, little lady?" He grunted.

"Uh... the, uh, warehouse on Briarwood Ave... please."

The cabbie, keeping his eyes on the road, cocked his head again inquisitively.

"Why do you wanna go there, miss? Lots of underground shit happens there all the time."

Faye smiled. The warehouse was the first place Miles had taken her to get a job. All the powers that be had staked it out as their head quarters.

"Ooh... Let's just say I have my reasons," she said coyly, catching the cab driver's eye in the window and giving him a wink.

The cabbie grunted and continued driving.

As they arrived at the old warehouse, Faye paid the cabbie (with a generous tip, just to show off her wealth) and stood in front of the head quarters. She took a deep breath. Well, she thought. If I can't get a start here I won't make it anywhere.

With that, she stood up straight and strolled confidently into the building.



a/n: @.@ Ai yai yai! Look guys I'm sooooooooooooooooo sorry about the long time I took to update... I'm just a lazy butt is all ^.^ I'll REALLY try to get things on the ball from now on, oki? Hee, I LOVE you guys!! (Especially you, my Ry Honey!! *hugs and kisses* I love you you you!) 80 reviews... WOW!!! Scuse me for a minute whilst I go fall off my chair again, okay?............ Okay, all better now!!

Mr Butterfly, Alex Alex Bo Balex Banana Fana Fo Falex, Mee Mi Mo Malex, and Alex: I miss you guys!!! We haven't seen each other in sooo long and we haven't had the suite in FOREVER!! How's little Obi bug?? Tell him he'd better not run off! And don't forget: I LOVE YOU GUYS!! AND OBI BUG!!!

Kenta Divina: Hee, thanks for coming back! And Ed is the BEST!!

Ry Honey Honey!!!! I love you sweetie!! Yikes...so much has happened since you last reviewed so I don't even know what to put here....Uhm, is I love you enough?

dylchan: Uhm, Miles knows Faye's last name because she introduces herself as Faye Valentine...right? I'm glad you like it so much ^.^ By the by, what's dyl stand for?

Miss DemonGurl: Oooh, so you listened to Faye Faye and changed your name, eh? Heehee! I hope you're doing better with the swearing! I have some WONDERFUL alternatives for you! Use "son of a fish!", or "son of a butcher" instead of like, you know the other words.. Also, you can use fish for the bi- word, the f word AND the s word! Cool huh? Shmigoly and dganabit are wondful alternatives for the d word!

Cambride: Oki, note to self, Make Spike more Spikey. Got it! Heehee! Cambridge my honey bunny, my little OC is worming her way into your heart, ne? Hee! ^.^ That makes me so happy!!

Blooknaburg: I UPDATED! HAPPY? Can you stop cracking the ship now?? Please??? I wuv ya Ashykins!! Thanks for getting me motivated!!

Nami: u.u Yikes...I forgot to email you.. AGAIN! I'm so sorry! I'ma email you RIGHT AWAY!!

Sir Ed: YAYAYAYAYAAA!!

Thuy: Hey, what does that stand for anyways? Hee, I officially knight you my first rabid reviewer! Your name will go down in history! Heehee! I'll email you right after I EMAIL NAMI, oki?? ^.^ Glad you like it so much!!!

Miss Bitchy: Yay! You're my 80th reviewer!! Thanks!! Ah yes, 80 reviews was a big reason to write this up, but the HUGEST was my dearest bud Blooknaburg acting like Miss Dominatrix over here... Hee!!

Oki, must post this and email!! Thanks soooo much for reviewing! 80 reviews...*whistles* WOW!! ^.^ Big smooches!!!!