A/N: YAY!!!! Even MORE reviews!!!!! ::throws confetti:: YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!
BLOOKNABURG (love ur name!): Jonathan? Yeah, he's a creep. But it gets worse… eh-heh-heh… (Spike sweatdrops) Thanks for the great review!
LUNAR: Nice to hear from you again! Thanks for the compliment!! Yes, Spike is definitely out of place (to say the least…) but he'll improve with practice (we hope) ^.^ Arigato!
COWGIRL 13: YAY! You're back!!!!! ::cheers:: ^.^ I wanna be rich too! Like Faye!!! ::enthusiastic, then realizes she has no money:: Yeah… And just for you, I made this chappie extra long, and stuck some romance on the end!! Just for you! Aren't I nice! ::crickets can be heard chirping in Japan:: Quiet you… :grumbles:: And soon (who knows when) I will have a very happy romance chapter!!! ::hope hope:: I think… A stockpile of tissues, eh? You're lucky! My parents give me underwear in my stocking… Makes for a real 'Christmas Surprise', ne? And no, I don't mind babbling! It's nice to hear from you!!! These long reviews are so cool! On all my other stories (which I will never finish cuz I have writer's block), I got maybe 1 review per chapter, if I was lucky… ::sniffs:: But this is so cool!! I got a lot of reviews!!! YAY!! Ozzy peed on the Alamo? That's so funny!!! I wanna pee on the Alamo too!!! ::coughs:: No don't worry, I don't live anywhere near Texas… I looked up 'Alamo', and there's one in Cali, and Indiana, and Georgia, and North Dakota too! So I guess it's a good thing he was banned from Texas… although, I've never heard of these places before, so it probably doesn't matter, 'cause they don't sound too important ::is chased by a mob of people from 'Alamo's across the US:: GAAAAAH!!! I TAKE IT BACK!!!! ALAMO IS IMPORTAAAAAAAANT!!!!!!
Wow. I'm really off topic…. Anyways, thanks for the review!!! Enjoy this chappie!!
POKERALICE (like ur name!! It's so cool! I'm sure Faye likes it too…): THANKS FOR THE GREAT REVIEW!!!! And I'm glad I inspired you! Always happy to help out a fellow artist with artist's block!!!! Just as long as you send me a copy of the picture!!! I wanna see!!!! Send it here (greycub@attbi.com) Arigato!!! I look forward to seeing it!!!
VANILLA ROSE: YAY! YOU'RE BACK!!! ::looks at compy which has been duct-taped and super-glued back together:: Good as new!! ::pats it and it falls apart:: Guess not… eheh… Yes, being rich is hard. Well, I think it is, but I wouldn't know, cuz I'm not rich!! And yes, Spike is stomping all over the high-class world… KYAHAHAHAHA!!!! Thanks for the great review!!!
Well, this chappie is pretty long (at least I think it is!!). It's got action, drama, romance, and a strange look at Spike and Faye's eating habits… Everything a good Blockbuster should have!!!! ^.^ REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!! Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the film. ::tries to sit back and falls off chair:: Oopies…
An elderly gentleman walked up to the pair, smoking a pipe, toting a scantily dressed lady, who shot icy daggers at Faye.
"Mrs. Hart. What a pleasure to see you!" the gentleman boomed. "And who is this dashing lad with you?"
Faye's smile was gracious, if not entirely fake. "Lord Sullivan. This is my associate, Mr. Speigel. Spike, this is Lord Sullivan. He the chairman of the Board of System Economics. And this is his fiancée… Melody? Miriam? Myra?"
The lady looked haughtily at Spike and Faye. "I am Marissa St. Clair. My father runs owns the apartment complex on the North Side." She extended her hand regally.
Spike stared at her hand, wondering what he was supposed to do with it.
Faye coughed and put the back of her hand to her lips when he met her eyes.
He nodded, and gingerly kissed the back of Marissa's hand. She nodded to him. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Lord Sullivan looked between the two of them. "So. How did you two meet?"
Faye stepped forward. "Well, back when I owned a casino…" she gently drew Marissa off, leaving Spike with Sullivan.
The man smiled after Faye, eyeing her like a starving man would eye a 3-course meal. Spike scowled. "Mrs. Hart and I are very close. I am considering asking her to be my wife." Spike lied, not liking the way Sullivan stared after her.
Lord Sullivan nodded understandingly and gestured towards the bar. "Let me buy you a drink, and you can tell me about it."
Lord Sullivan looked slightly scandalized when Spike ordered a Jack Daniels, but kept his mouth closed. "You were saying?"
Spike smiled, his eyes glinting. "We've been close friends, very close friends, if you know what I mean…" he winked at Lord Sullivan. "Anyways, F-Mrs. Hart asked me to join her here, but I was tied up with business, and couldn't get away until now."
The Lord nodded. "I see. Yes. Marissa and I will be married in June. She's got the whole wedding planned…" he went off on this tangent for a while, blathering constantly about his wife-to-be.
Spike sipped his drink, nodding every now and then, and making small non-committal noises, but not really listening. His eyes scanned the crowd for Faye, finally locating her near the stairs, where she was talking to two large men.
He did a double take, as she was not talking to them she was being threatened by them. Faye pulled away from them, but one caught her by the waist and pulled her back, whispering something to her.
"Excuse me, Lord Sullivan." Spike hurried away, ignoring the old gentleman's huffing and puffing. As Spike shoved through the crowd, waltz music began to hum over the loudspeakers, and he had to dodge several dancing couples.
Spike ducked under two men talking to each other, and jumped over a chair, drawing closer to Faye.
He caught the last bit of what one of the men was saying. "… killed him. You'll get what's coming to you!"
Spike strode up, cutting between the men and Faye. "Ruby!" he said, overly loud. "I've been looking everywhere for you! May I have the pleasure of this dance?"
Faye smiled gratefully at him, and took his hand. "Of course Spike. I was just having a discussion with these two charming gentleman…"
Spike glared haughtily at them. "I hope you were not trying to take Mrs. Hart from me…" He said warningly, allowing part of his jacket to flap open, displaying his Jericho 941.
The men shook their heads. "No. We just had some unfinished business with Mrs. Hart. That's all."
Faye looked coolly at them. "Well, are you quite finished? I have other pressing business. Like a dance with Mr. Spiegel."
The men shook their heads again, and Spike escorted Faye onto the dance floor.
"Are you alright?" asked Spike, as they waltzed slowly.
Faye nodded and looked down. "I was getting punch, and they jumped on me, all but dragging me over there, prattling about how I killed Sedgwick. Apparently, they're related to him somehow… And I couldn't fit my Glock in my purse, or in this dress, because it's so tight that it would show the outline of the gun…"
Spike smiled as she colored slightly. "No sweat. This is what you pay me for anyways…"
She smiled back. "I guess so." She was silent for a second. "I didn't know you could dance, Spike!"
He grinned at her. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Mrs. Hart…"
The music slowed down, and Faye leaned against him, as they spun slowly. He rested his chin on her head. I'm just acting here, he assured himself. We're supposed to be a couple, after all. It would be funny if we didn't dance…But still, the smell of her hair, like crushed roses, made him smile.
He closed his eyes, gently twirling around, as he relaxed for the first time since he had arrived. Acting…
When the dance was over, they parted. Faye, to go talk to some important people, and Spike, to go get another Jack Daniel's.
He was sipping his drink, when he saw those men who had been threatening Faye earlier. One of them held a 12-gauge, the other, a semi-automatic. Knowing they had their sights set on Faye, he leapt from his chair, sprang onto a table, and ran down the length, dodging dishes and silverware, as gunshots rang through the room.
The gunmen were aiming at Faye, who was struggling to get away from a sobbing old woman, who clung to Faye because she was terrified of the guns.
Spike took a flying leap off the table, tackling Faye, and throwing them both behind a marble pillar. He shoved her down, and pulled out his faithful Jericho, and got off a few shots, using the pillar as cover.
Faye found another small handgun in Spike's other pocket, and joined him in holding off the attackers.
The ISSP showed up quickly, toting the attackers off to jail. Faye and Spike quietly snuck back to their flat, trying to avoid notice.
Faye shut the door quickly, bolting every single lock. She returned Spike's handgun, and turned in, confessing that she felt like she needed to lie down before she collapsed.
Spike retired to his own room, changing into an undershirt and sweatpants, before climbing into the soft bed.
But Spike could not fall asleep. He tossed and turned, always feeling like he was slowly being swallowed, and the minute he closed his eyes, he would be eaten alive.
He flopped onto his back, grumbling to himself about rich people and their carnivorous beds.
There was a soft knock at the door, and Faye stuck her head in. "Can't sleep?"
Spike nodded, and gestured for her to come in.
She entered, closing the door behind her. She wore a black see-thru tank top with a black lacy bra underneath, and matching black lacy panties. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and she smelled like fresh flowers.
Spike scooted back on the bed, sitting up. Faye settled on the end, pulling her knees up.
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, each thinking different things. "You know," said Faye. "My first night at the vacation house, I didn't sleep a wink."
Spike looked up at her. "Honestly?"
She nodded. "Not once. I counted 512 sheep, drank so much water I ran like a faucet, and sang lullabies until I lost my voice. So I stayed up, and just watched the ocean until the sun came up. The next night, I still couldn't sleep, so I took my blanket and pillow, and slept on the floor."
Spike chuckled, and Faye grinned. "I honestly did! The maids were worried, but they figured I was crazy with the death of my husband…"
Spike coughed, and Faye whacked him lightly. "Anyways, after a week, I got tired of waking up with bruises on my back and sand in my bra, so I moved back to the bed. Slept fine after that…"
Spike grinned. "You really are crazy Faye…"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry Spike. I've called the nice men in the nice white coats, who will put you in a nice white padded van, that will take you to a nice white padded room…"
He rolled his eyes. "So. What did you use on Sedgwick?"
She looked at him, face blank, though her eyes glinted. "Use on him?"
Spike shook his head. "Don't play coy with me, Faye. I know you better than that."
She blinked at him. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about."
"Sure…" muttered Spike.
She shook her head, laughing.
Spike's stomach growled suddenly, and Faye smiled. "I forgot! We never ate dinner! At least, I didn't…"
Spike shook his head. "I didn't either. I had a few drinks with 'Lord Fartface', but other than that…"
Faye grinned. "He definitely is. But be careful. He's not as doddery as he looks, and I have a feeling that neither him nor Marissa likes either one of us one bit." She stood up. "I think we have some food in the mini-fridge. I'll be right back!"
Spike nodded. "Hmmm… I suddenly miss the simplicity of being broke…"
Faye returned shortly, bearing an assortment of foods. Potato chips, Pocky, sodas, popcorn, pizza, crackers, cookies, ice cream, salsa, and other such expensive and gourmet dishes.
"Mmmm…" murmured Spike, chewing a bite of pizza with salsa, whipped cream, a chocolate chip cookie, ice cream, and a tortilla chip piled on top. "Dis iv weal food!"
Faye poured chocolate sauce into her mouth. "Although, you have to admit, this would taste pretty good on a plate of escargot…"
Spike blinked at her. "His car goes? What?"
She laughed. "Escargot. It's a French delicacy. We'll have some for lunch tomorrow."
Spike nodded happily. "No more bell peppers!"
Faye laughed. "Whatever you say, Spike. Whatever you say…"
After polishing off every last crumb, Spike and Faye lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
They talked about a lot of things, especially their experiences after leaving the Bebop. After an hour or so, Faye yawned and stood with a groan. "I should go back to my own bed, before I fall asleep in yours…"
Spike grinned. "You sure you don't want to? I told Lord Fartface that we were sleeping together…"
Faye whacked him with a pillow and laughed. "Keep dreaming, Cowboy."
He laughed. "Sweet dreams, darling."
She grinned. "Don't let the bedbugs bit, lovey."
"Sweetcheeks."
"Lover boy."
"Baby doll."
"Honey-bun."
Spike held up his hands in defeat. "Fine. You get out of here wench, before I take you to bed!"
To his surprise, she kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Spike. You saved my life again."
He blinked at her, aware that her breasts were right below his chin, and her fingers were playing with the neck of his undershirt. "N-No problem."
She smiled at him. "Still. Thanks." She walked towards the door. As she stepped out into the hall, she stopped and turned back to him. "Strychnine."
"What?"
Faye grinned sinisterly. "Strychnine. I put it in Sedgwick's martini."
Spike's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.
She laughed. "Good night, Spike. Sweet dreams…" She closed the door behind her, leaving Spike wondering what the hell he had gotten into…
A/N: Well? Like it? Hate it? TELL ME!!!! =^.^=