Hey there peoples. Once again Domo arigato gozaimasu for the reviews. I only have 6 days of real classes left. Yippy! But then I have finals. But that should give me more time to write. OOOoooo we hopes so we have such lovely plans. *evil laugh*. Oh and sorry for the overly cliché moment that I'm gonna have with Faye in this chapter. I always hated it when people had their characters listen to music. Or something clichéy like that oh well. It's just too perfect.

            Oh yeah and I always for get. I don't own CB or the songs Rest in pieces and Epiphany. I just want to use them. And I want to use Spike but that's for something different. Reow. Oh my did I just say that?!  tehehe. ^_^

            Any who, here's the next chapter. Originally it was part of chapter 6 but I decided chapter 6 was taking and getting too long.

Chapter 7: Decisions

            Jet had been right a shower was what she needed. She needed time alone to think and to get away from thinking. The sound of the shower and the radio turned up helped. She wasn't listening to the music, it was just there. Something to drown out her mind. Her head was tender still and it hurt as she scrubbed the blood out of her scalp. She watched it run along the bottom of the shower her blood mixing with his from her arm. She still couldn't believe what she had almost done; and she could still taste him in her mouth.

Look at me,

My depth perception must be off again
Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did
It has not healed with time
It just shot down my spine.

Why was she acting so strangely? She had forgotten about all this. She had moved on. Why was it still there ripping at her mind? It was because of him. Not just because he had come back, no she could handle that. It was… it was because he had come back a second time come back for her. He had come for her. The night was still hazy to her but she had seen his eyes. The pain and caring that they held. It was so strange to see. It opened up the old scars of her heart.

You look so beautiful tonight
Reminds me how you laid us down
And gently smiled before you destroyed my life.

Would you find it in your heart?
To make this go away
And let me rest in pieces

            How dare he. How dare her show the least bit of compassion towards her. She didn't want him she wanted Landis. And her other life back. He was playing with her mind. Playing with her hopes and her heart.

 Would you find it in your heart?
To make this go away
And let me rest in pieces
Would you find it in your heart?
To make it go away
And let me rest in pieces

            But no he had to come he had to poke around in her life! He couldn't just let things be.

Look at me, my depth perception must be off again
You got much closer than I thought you did
I'm in your reach
You held me in your hands

            She didn't know how she had gotten back on the ship. But she was not surprised to be here. She had vague memories of calling. And of seeing him. She knew she had been talking but she didn't know what about. Probably things she would regret knowing Spike. And herself. Her stupid baka dumbass self. She had told him that she wasn't as weak as she used to be, but that was a lie. She was weaker. At least when it came to him.

But could you find it in your heart?
To make this go away
And let me rest in pieces

            She used to know what he was to her. Annoying. A stupid dumbass lunkhead. But being around him was bringing up old new feelings. What was he now? Older, more mature, an old partner, someone she had slept with, the father of her son, the love of her life? He may have been these things but there was still one thing that he always was and always will be. Spike the untouchable.

Would you find it in your heart?
To make it go away
And let me rest in pieces

            She blinked; the song had ended, and it had been over for a while. She couldn't remember how long she had been standing in there; but the water was starting to feel cooler. Turning off the cold she let the last of the hot water scold along her body burning the flesh and memories off her.

*           *           *

            That crazy bitch! Spike let the cigarette hang from the edge of his mouth. He was feeling much better now that it was over and he was incased in his cloud of smoke. He rubbed at the piece of gauze that Jet had taped to his neck. I can't believe she stabbed me. What the hell was wrong with her? And speaking of messed up people what the hell was wrong with me. What could ever posses him to kiss Faye? Other then large amounts of alcohol, but he already knew what happened when that was involved. The two of them and alcohol did not make very good bedfellows. Or maybe too good of bedfellows.

            It was so strange he hadn't though about this in so long. No that wasn't true. He did think about it just not like this.

Your words to me just a whisper

Your face is so unclear

I try to pay attention

Your words just disappear

            Sometimes he could forget everything she had ever said to him. He could almost forget her. Almost. He remembered the smoothness of her skin, the way she had tasted, and what an asshole he had been the next morning.

'Cause it's always raining in my head

Forget all the things I should have said

            It was something he had always regretted. Not the act, Faye may regret that but he liked the memory just fine. It was just the end that he always hated.

So I speak to you in riddles

Because my words get in my way

I smoke the whole thing to my head

And feel it wash away

            He knew she had locked herself in her room and cried all day he was just to much of a jerk to do something about it. Well it wasn't like there was anything he really could have done. He was never good at talking to people and what the hell could he have said. He took a long drag on his cigarette.

'Cause I can't take anymore of this

I wanna come apart

Or dig myself a little hole

Inside your precious heart

            He ran his fingers through his hair. All these conflicting thoughts were giving him a headache.

'Cause it's always raining in my head

Forget all the tings I should of said

            He rubbed his temples. Maybe he was just cursed with being an asshole.

I am nothing more than a little boy inside

Who cries out for attention

Yet I always try to hide

            Jet was right he did act like a kid. Why did this have to become so complicated. Things used to be simple. He liked pestering Faye; not her.

Cause I talk to you like children

Though I don't know how I feel

But I know I'll do the right thing

If the right thing is revealed

            Then there was Landis. Of all the shit that he may have done or gotten himself into this was the kicker. Holy Shit! He had a kid. He, Spike Spiegel had a kid. It… well it was scary. To think that the powers that be would let someone else with his messed up genetics run around this universe was frightening. He could only imagine how stubborn the kid had to be. He wanted to know. He got this nagging feeling that he had been deprived of years he could have known. It was like it was his duty, no his right to know.

But it's always raining in my head

Forget all the things I should have said

            He put out his cigarette. He may be really confused about a lot of things but there was one thing he knew. They were getting Landis back; Vicious was gonna pay, and then he and Faye were going to have a long talk. That's three things. Thanks Mind. But whatever. You get the point.  I was just making a statement. Shut up. Geeze touchy.

            He had two more cigarettes and started to doze on the couch. The radio was still playing in the bathroom. How long was she going to be in there? As if on cue the music turned off, but Faye did not come walking through the halls on the way to her room. Spike felt his eyelids grow heavy.

            "Are you gonna get that." Jet's voice asked from the doorway.

            "Huh?" Spike opened his eyes. He had dozed off.

            "We have a call get it will ya."

            "Oh." Lazily and still half asleep Spike hit the button accepting the call. When the face flashed up all thoughts of sleep were replaced.

            "Vicious." He whispered through gritted teeth. Jet's face popped back in the room quickly followed by the rest of him. Apparently he hadn't whispered as much as he thought.

            "Spike; nice to know you still remember me."

            Spike glared at him wishing he could just leap through the screen and strangle him right now. They just stood there staring at each other. Seconds creped by, minuets following closely on their heals.

            There was a gasp behind Spike and Vicious' eyes moved past him.

            He smiled, if something so sick and twisted that appeared on his face could ever be called a smile. "Ms. Valentine."

            Spike looked back at Faye. She glared at Vicious like a tigress waiting for the kill. But he could see something else, she was afraid. She had backed herself against the wall trying to put as much distance between herself and the screen as she could.

            She was only in her towel and Spike didn't like the way Vicious kept Staring at her. He stepped to the side blocking the view of Faye. Vicious' smile widened and then disappeared.

            "What'd you call here for Vicious?" Spike asked.

            "I Believe I have come to acquire something that belongs to the two of you."

            The view changed and they say two men standing behind a chair that held a small boy seated next to Vicious.

            "Landis!" Faye screamed. She was right behind Spike now and she almost ran past him but he put out an arm to stop her.

            The little boy looked up. "Mommy!" He reached for the screen too but was pulled back to his seat by the men behind him.

            "How touching." Vicious said as he changed the view back to its original one.

            "You bastard give me back my son." Faye screamed at him.

            "Bastard, oh no my dear my parents were happily married until I was born."

            Spike saw the pain and embarrassment flash behind Faye's eyes and he found himself stepping in front of Faye again. But this time she pushed him out of the way.

            "He's just a little boy. He's not involved in your and Spike's stupid feud."

            "But you see that's where you are wrong. He is involved. He was involved ever since he was conceived."

            "Give him back!"

            "No." Vicious' answer was short but it held the weight of a bomb.

            "What do you mean, No?" Faye couldn't believe it. He didn't want something else, a trade, he just wanted to take her son.

            "I have decided that it be best if I keep him for a while and get to know him a bit. He seems quite the intelligent boy."

            Faye bristled with anger. "If you even touch him, I promise you I will personally rip out your throat."

            "Until our next meeting." The screen went blank.

            "No!" Faye grabbed at the screen. Then she saw her knife still on the table and grabbed it up a new yet strangely familiar thought filling her mind.

            "You." She glared at Spike; pointing the knife at his throat once again. "This is all your fault."

            Spike wasn't even noticing he was busy thinking up ways of killing Vicious so that he was really really dead this time.

"Our lives were fine until you showed up." The light flashed on the edge of the knife. The glint hitting his eye and steering him back into reality. Just in time to block Faye.

He grabbed her wrist as she came at him. Squeezing it in an effort to make her drop the knife. She brought up her other hand to hit him but he stopped that too. Finally her grip on the knife loosened and it fell from her hand.

"Stop it Faye!" He shook her a bit as he spoke. She met his eyes. Piercing emerald daggers that held such a strong combination of pain and hatred. "Just stop it! You're not being rational. These emotional out spurts aren't helping anything, but shortening my life expectancy."

"Let go of me." She hissed.

"Not until you calm down."

"I am CALM!" She screeched.

Spike's face scrunched up. "Obviously not."

"Let me go!"

"No!"

"Aaaaaaahhh." Her screaming grew in intensity and pitch; and she squirmed against his hold.

"Stop fighting Faye you'll only make it worse."

She only continued to squirm. He was sure she was getting Indian burns on her wrists from his hands.

"Damn it Faye!" Spike let go, but before she could turn away from him he grabbed her again and pulled her into him. In the tightest embrace she had ever been in.

She stopped for a moment surprised; but then continued her useless battle. She couldn't move her arms any more so she just tightened all her muscles and pushed against him. Till finally the frustration got to her and she screamed into his chest, he could feel her hot wet breath seeping its way threw his shirt. Her muscles went lax and if he hadn't been holding her so tightly he might have dropped her. His shirt was getting wetter. He knew she was crying even though he couldn't hear anything.

Jet had been watching everything, first the call and now this. He wasn't sure which was more bizarre Vicious' call or Spike and Faye's behavior afterwards. Well it had started off closer to normal; them fighting; it wasn't anything new but the fact that instead of maiming each other or storming off in different directions they stood, together, Spike holding her to him. Maybe he was wrong when he had thought that they hadn't changed in eight years. They had. They just didn't know it yet. Still as 'sweet' or whatever the moment was it was still weird and slightly freaking him out. He decided that it was tiem to break up the party.

"Hey you guys. Hey!"

"Shhhh." Spike scolded him looking over his shoulder at him. "She fell asleep." He shifted his arms to pick her up.

"Oh." Jet said slightly confused.

"I swear to God she's got to be bi-polar or something." Jet laughed.

"Yeah and tired." Jet added as he started walking out of the room towards the hall with the rooms.

"Wow. I don't remember her ever being like this before." Spike said following Jet out.

"I told you she was different." Jet told him as he went into the kitchen for his final nightly check of the ship.

"Yeah." Spike answered the still air.

Placing her on her old bed he pulled the sheet up over her. He was going to leave but he found himself unable to move. He just stared at her watching her sleep. For some reason he had the urge to kiss her again, but the hole in his neck made him decide otherwise. She was crazy, and she was beginning to make him crazy.

You can't decide if you love someone in a day. He told himself. Besides he'd been in love before and this was different. With Julia he had wanted to be with her all the time, he missed her when they were apart. He felt his whole body die when she had died. That. That was love. This was different. He didn't want anything to happen to Faye, he knew that. But, he and Julia could have been together forever. He could see that. But Faye she was…Faye. Rude, obnoxious, a lying stealing poker playing bitch; she was the opposite of everything that Julia was. No, that was the old Faye. The new Faye, well from what he could see the new Faye was cleaned up; almost too much. She didn't smoke, didn't drink, she dressed appropriately. And it seemed she was an emotional wreck.

Yet, or perhaps that was why he found himself drawn to this new Faye. This weaker yet so much stronger Faye. It seems that she finally got in touch with her true feminine side. And her maternal side.

Spike smiled and leaned over her. "It suits you." He kissed her forehead and left the room. Knowing in the back of his mind the truth that he didn't want to face yet.

He loved her.

*           *           *

            The phone was ringing.

            She reached out to grab the one of her nightstand only to find that there was no nightstand. She opened her eyes. She was in her room, but wasn't. She was in her room on the ship, how had she. Oh. The memories came back to her.

            The phone rang again. That's strange they don't have phones on the ship. She got up trying to track the sound of the phone. It lead her to a small duffle bag on the floor at the end of the bed. She didn't recognize it.

            The phone rang again. She shuffled through the bag until her hand found the small silver cellular phone.

            "Hello?" She asked not even sure whose phone this was.

            "Ms. Valentine." Her back stiffened at his voice.

            "Vicious."

            "Very good Ms. Valentine; I have a proposition for you. Now are you going to start screaming again or shall we discuss like civilized people."

            "Civilized. Isn't that a contradiction in terms for you."

            There was no response, till finally. "Are you alone Ms. Valentine?"

            "Maybe."

            "Yes then. I have a deal to make with you. A simple trade. You for your son."

            "Why me?" She wasn't ready for a second to trust him but if this was gonna be the only option he gave her. "I thought you wanted Spike."

            "That is such old news. I don't see why you continue to bring it up. And besides you are much more attractive then that lanky fool." He waited a moment making sure he had her full attention. "You will meet one of my men at the Metropolitan Opera on Mars. In the bag that you found this phone I have provided you with everything you will need. Box ten. Oh and you should hurry the Opera starts in a few hours." The quiet click of him hanging up sounded deafening.

            In the bag she found a long black evening gown and some Chinese hair sticks to put her hair up with. Also there was a ticket to tonight's opera. She changed quickly and slid out of her room. It was around noon but after the previous nights activities everyone else was still sleeping. She slipped into the hanger and found it hidden in the back. She ran her hand over her Redtail. It's been too long. She thought.

            She glanced at Spike's precious Swordfish before taking off.

            "I'm sorry Spike."

Well There you have it that's the end of that chapter, finally. Man am I glad I turned it into two Chapters. I might not have an update for a while as I have finales the next two weeks. But till then. This is Tiffo signing off. ~_^

Curiosity killed the Hobbit

P.S. I don't own Hobbits either. *tear