Disclaimer: You all know I don't own Bebop. None of us do. But we would like to though. Now sit back for another somewhat, sorta fun, not as nearly exciting chpt of Shades of the Past.

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Spike awoke to fine Mariya snuggled up against him. He carefully sat up, so as not to wake her, and looked down at her sleeping form. She looked so gentle. Nothing like a trained killer. Nothing like someone who had lost everything that was dear to them. Almost like an angel. He gently brushed some hair from her face. A wave a guilt washed over him.

{This is all my fault. If I had only said something to him. None of this would have happened. Now Vicious is dead and she's all alone. It's my fault and I can never change that. I can never mend the wound in her heart}

He stared out of the window. It was raining.

{Seems like it's always raining nowadays}

Mariya stirred slightly but didn't wake. He knew he had to return home soon. He didn't want to leave her, but he so badly wanted to see Faye. See her smiling face, hold her in his arms, tell her how much her wanted her, needed her, loved her, and he did. So much that it hurt.

{Faye}

Mariya never knew of the secret he kept. There was only one other person who knew. The person who killed her in the first place. But she was dead. He had watched her die. He couldn't let Mariya know what he knew. He was going to go the the grave with this secret. No matter what. He closed his eyes. Images swam through his head. Images of Vicious covered in dirt and blood, him in tears crying for his sister, drinking to forget, and how he slowly changed from the man he used to be into the man he was now. A heartless killer. His passion had died with her, and so had he. Without her, what else did he have?

He got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked different. He didn't know how, but he looked different. Nothing of the man he once was. Something had happened to him, but what? He got into the shower and let the hot water run off his body. He didn't move, he hust let his muscles relax. When he got out he noticed a pair of cloths sitting on the towl rack for him. He got dressed and headed into the bedroom. Mariya was awake, sitting in the middle of the bed. Her head a bowed. She didn't look up when he entered the room.

"You have to leave soon. They're waiting for you. She's waiting for you."

"I know. But I don't want to leave."

"Why? They're your family. Your life. Why don't you want to go back to them?"

"I don't want to leave you alone."

She looked up at him and smiled.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"But I still have to help you."

"Forget about it. It's not important anymore."

"But what you said last night. You wanted-"

"I was drunk, Spike. Very drunk. And you knew that."

"But-"

"I don't need to know. I think it would hurt to much if I found out. I believe that ignorance is bliss. So, I'll let it be."

He stared at her. He was glad she had said that. It would have be to hard for him to tell her the truth. He would have lied to her anyway. Mariya handed him a piece of paper.

"Go here when you want to return home. Don't say goodbye."

She got up and headed for the door. As she walked past him she whispered something in his ear. He looked at her stunned as she exited the room.

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Jet stood by the river with a message in his hand.

-Go to the river. That's where you'll find him.

He'd been waiting for awhile now, but there was no sign of Spike.

{Is she doing this just to spite me?}

"Hey Jet."

Jet's froze at the sound of Spike's voice. He slowly turned around to see the lone bounty hunter lening against a tree smiling.

"How ya been?"

"Holy shit."

"Not the reaction I was expecting. But good enough."

"It's been almost a month. I thought you where dead."

"Well, that's all over with. I really want to go home. Where's Faye?"

"Dunno."

"?"

"She went looking for you a while ago and I haven't heard from her in almost a week."

"She'll be back. She always comes back."

"Yeah........yeah."

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Mariya sat alone in her apartment and stared at her photo. Many emotions raced through her at one time. She stood up and ran her hand through her hair.

"Fuuuck!"

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When Spike and Jet returned to the Bebop, they found Ed staring at her computer.

"Ed what's wrong?"

"Message for Spike."

-Meet me at the warehouse at the edge of Tharcis City. She'll be waiting.

"Who sent this?"

"Ed doesn't know."

"I have to go. I have to save her."

"And do you know what you'll be facing when you get there. Mr. Spiegel."

Spike and Jet whriled around. Mariya was standing in the doorway.

"Mariya?"

"Yup."

"I don't care what I'm facing. I just want to get her back."

"Let's think about this for a minute."

"I don't want to think about!"

"Please, Spike, sit down and let figure this out."

"NO!"

"SPIKE! Listent to me! She's in danger!"

"How do you know!?"

"......"

"Tell me. How do you know?"

"I just do okay?"

Spike punched the wall, he forced back tears.

"Spike, why would someone take Faye?"

"I don't know."

"Who ever it was knows you're alive. That message was ment for you. And you know it. If you were dead, this person wouldn't have bothered with Faye."

"I can't loose her. I just can't.

And you won't. As long as you don't go rushing into this. Understand?"

Spike sighed and sat down on the yellow couch. Thousands of emotion expressed themselves at one time on his face. Mariya bit her lip.

"Jet, where was Faye when you last heard from her?"

"The Red Dragon Building."

"What the fuck was she doing there?"

"Looking for you. She ended up there when Ed mentioned her name."

"Did you see me there Ed?"

"....."

"Don't worry. You won't get in trouble."

"Yes, Ed saw you."

"When Faye found out Spike was still alive, she took off for Mars. Not caring about the danger. If I didn't have her wait, she would have looked all over that planet for him. She loves him."

"Of course."

"For awhile, we found nothing. Until Ed remembered seeing you in the Building."

Spike looked over at Ed. Who's eyes were locked to the floor. She was too scared to look at Spike. Afraid of how angry he might be with her. He got off the couch and knelt infront of her. She squeezed her eyes shut, but just as soon shot open when she felt Spike put his arms around her in a loving hug.

"Thank you," he whispered.

She hugged him back.

"Why are you thanking me? Faye's in trouble."

"Because without you, I know how much I'm needed."

Ed didn't understand. Niether did Mariya or Jet, but they decided not to press the case any further.

"We have to figure out how to get Faye back."

Spike let go of Ed and stood up, then turned to face Mariya.

"You're not going."

"What? Why?"

"Because. You're staying here until I get back."

"No. I'm coming with you. You not going to die. Again."

"I want you to stay here."

"You need me there."

"I don't want anything to happened to you."

{I already did it once. I won't do it again again.}

"But Spike-"

"NO! (pause) Please Mariya. Just stay here. I'm going alone and that's it."

"We have to figure out what kind of person took Faye."

"There's no time for that. I'm going. You guys stay here until I return."

He headed for the door.

"You better."

He left. About a minute later Jet followed him.

"Spike! Spike!"

"What do you want Jet?"

"It's about Mariya."

"I already know. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I never knew who she was. She never told me. After she left the hospital I never saw her again. Until today."

"Well, she's has nothing left, and it's my fault."

"What are you talking about?"

"If my fault that she "died". I should have died with Vicious, but I guess fate is being cruel to me."

"How is it your fault? What happened to her that night? Does she know?"

"If she knew I wouldn't be standing here right now."

Spike turned around to leave.

"Keep her safe, Jet. Please."

He left. Mariya was listening from the doorway of the living quarters. She couldn't believe what she just heard.

{What does he mean, 'his fault'?}

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There. Short and Crappy. I'm going to finish this in one or two more chpts. Hope you like.