Faye sat in the bar- a customer, this time.  She slapped her empty glass back down on the wood.  Go back, don't go back.  Go back eventually.  Leave them all behind for good.  Nothing sounded appealing. 

            Why do I keep hanging around?  It's not like anything good has ever come of sticking around those idiots.  Half the time there's not even anything to eat.  She looked down.  Or drink.  Never any money, either…  there's nothing tying me to that place. 

            So why do I keep running back, every time? 

            It's easy living.  she told herself.   Those suckers are such easy marks they deserve to be mooched off of.  That's all it is.  I could leave them behind any time.

            Since when did you start lying to yourself, Faye?sneered an annoying little voice in her head.  It might have been her conscience, but she'd perfected ignoring that years ago.  Or smothering it.  Whichever you preferred.

            Faye rose and went to the Redtail.  She'd obviously had enough for one night.  But something about the question nagged at her, wouldn't leave her alone. 

*

            Spike jerked awake.  Julia's face, vivid from the dream he had just abandoned, ghosted away from him.  Spike trailed his fingers through where it had been. 

            Julia.

            Julia who he'd loved.  Julia who had made him, for the first time, afraid to die.  Julia who had loved him in return.  Julia who had been so alive.  Who had chosen to stay with him, until the end. 

            And now she was dead.  She, Annie, Vicious, Mao, the Elders, Shin, Len… all the links to his past, now dead.  All the players in his dream, gone.  The Bebop was all he had left. 

            It made him think of Faye. 

            {"My memories came back."

            He paused.

            "But… nothing good came of it.  I had no place to return to.  There was no place left.  This was the only place I could go.

            "And now you're leaving, just like that!"

            "I have to do it, Faye." he'd tried to make her understand. 

            And apparently she did, on some level.  None of her shots hit him, and Spike couldn't help but think it wasn't entirely out of agitation.  If a marksman like Faye had really wanted to hit him, then, she would have.  (A/N:  I know Faye's a woman, but I thought 'marksman' sounded better.)}

            Her face stayed with him as he faded back to sleep, and Spike's dreams thereafter were devoid of any specters from his past.

*

            "Urgh." Faye muttered into her pillow.  She'd outgrown her affection for morning long ago.  She sat up, stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  What to do, what to do… 

            Maybe staying away for a few days would make the lunkheads appreciate her more.  And time away from Edward was always good.  All the time it was "Faye- Faye Faye- Faye Faye- Faye!" 

            Not to mention that she was having feelings for a certain fluffy- haired screwball that she wasn't entirely comfortable with…

            No.  Better to put some distance between them before she wound up getting too soft.  Faye knew she'd go back, but she also needed this time alone. 

            Well.  Time to get more money, then.  She didn't feel like bounty hunting; it was too much work, and another kind of hunting was really her specialty anyway.  Faye got up and dressed herself, not in her favorite revealing yellow outfit, but a tasteful blue dress that showed off her eyes and hair and just enough skin to attract attention.  

            She took the last of her money and left for the resorts and clubs frequented by the rich.  There were plenty of old men perfectly willing to give a sweet young thing like her gifts and money for the privilege of having her on their arm, and it was easy to "borrow" much more and then disappear.  Easy money that she could then take to the casino and have some fun with, besides making a profit. 

*

            Damn that woman. Jet cursed silently, changing Spike's bandages.  Both men's injuries had gotten considerably better in the weeks since they were received, but Faye wasn't hurt at all, so things were easier for her than either of them.  She'd actually been a help when Spike got back to the Bebop.

            And now she'd taken off again.

            Why was he even bothering to get irritated?  It wasn't like this was anything but typical behavior.  Jet finished his work and gave it a pat.  "There you go."

            Spike didn't bother to acknowledge his friend. 

            Jet got up and went into the common room, where Edward was on her Tomato.  "Edward?"

            "Nyeh?"

            "Why did you want to come back here and leave your father?"

            The bright images on the screen stopped and floated, and Edward's back stiffened.  "Edward did not belong with Father- person." she admitted quietly.  "It did not matter whether Edward was there or not." 

            "Edward, are you sure about that?  Your father might be worried about you." Jet said gently.

            The girl's body swayed from side to side with her head when she shook it.  "No.  Father- person left Edward behind many, many times and was always surprised to see Edward when she came back.  Edward did not belong there."

            Jet stared at her for a minute, then clapped a sympathetic hand to her shoulder and went on his way.  As he departed, Ein crooned and snuggled up against her leg. 

No ideas for the next chapter, so it might be longer in coming out than usual.  Or is desirable.  Looks like this is going to be Spike/Faye, but I'm not sure to what extent.  Cookies for PimpinSatan, Cowgirl 13, and anyone who reviews!