A/N: ::stumbles up:: ugh… Wow. I had a horrible week. Rehearsals for both the play (Opening Night is Tuesday) and dance (we had a performance on Saturday), absolutely ran me ragged. On Saturday, after our performance, I collapsed. The doctor said I'm suffering from a combination of dehydration, overwork, stress, insomnia, and low blood sugar. I'm not allowed to go to school until next week. I would have been able to go back on Wednesday, but I would not have been allowed to be in the play, so I'm missing this week but still performing. As you can tell, I'm not doing too well.
I promise I will get thank yous out to all of you (I'm going to have a LOT of spare time this week), so don't be TOO angry…I know I've been promising it for weeks… I'm really sorry…
THIS CHAPTER IS LOOOOOOONG!!!!!! I'm so proud of myself! This is why I didn't post it sooner… It's really really long (at least in my opinion)
Oh yeah! I finally watched the CB movie, 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'!!! IT'S SO FRIGGIN' GOOD!!!!!! ::glomps Spike:: WONDERFUL!! WONDERFUL!!
AAAAAAAAH!!! ::continues to spaz, until someone knocks her over the head with a convenient nearby rock::
Also, I just bought the first 9 episodes of 'Outlaw Star'. Anyone seen it before? I don't know if it's good or not…
::coughs:: anyways, I'm being yelled at for staying up late (not like I could sleep anyways- Insomnia: noun, the inability to sleep) so I've got to go. Enjoy!!
With a groan, Spike collapsed on his bed, thankful that they had come to a truce, and it no longer tried to eat him.
He pulled off all his clothes except for his boxers (which featured cowboy hats, ropes, and pistols).
Lying back, he could hear the soft sounds of Faye moving around in her room, getting ready for bed also.
Faye. You've known her for years and years, and the only thing she's good for is to argue with, cheat old coots out of their money, and get a nice view of a woman's rack. A voice in his head muttered.
But then, another voice mused, why do you care so much about her? Is it because she has a lot of money, or is it something more?
Shut up! The first voice growled. She doesn't mean anything to you! We could walk away right now, and never think twice!
But you don't. The second voice stated serenely. You stay around, letting her drag you to huffy parties, and make you eat snails, and then at the simplest hint that she might get hurt, you go charging out like some demented knight in shining armor! Why?
The voices were suddenly silent, leaving Spike lying alone in his bed, feeling more than a little puzzled.
There was a soft knocking at his door, and Faye poked her head in. "I can't sleep. Can I come in?"
He nodded, and sat up as she closed the door behind her. Tonight, she wore a black silk camisole embroidered with a silver Chinese-style dragon, and matching black silk panties. She carried two bottles of Jack Daniels in one hand, and a large bag of potato chips and a jar of cocktail sauce in the other.
"I hope I'm not waking you up or anything…" she said, settling in on the end of his bed. "But if I am, deal with it." She pried the top off one of the bottles, and took a sip. "Do you think the poisoning was meant for us, or for everybody?"
Spike shrugged, and grabbed the other Jack Daniels. "No way to know until Madame Breilloule gets those dishes inspected. Can we talk about something else besides how someone is repeatedly trying to kill us?"
Faye laughed, and dipped a chip into the cocktail sauce, and popped it into her mouth, crunching contentedly. "Well then, how about we talk about 'Ye olde Bebop'? Oh! Guess what I found, buried at the bottom of my suitcase?!" She leaned over, and began to fish around under Spike's bed, giving him a nice view of her panties, legs, and back.
Calm down Spike. This is Faye remember? You love Julia! JULIA! Not Faye!
But when Spike tried to picture Julia, she had straight, dark hair. Her icy blue eyes swirled into pools of emeralds, and her rose petal lips became shining rubies. Spike shook his head, frantically trying to banish the image from his mind. Fortunately, at that moment, Faye found what she was looking for, and sat up, distracting him from his uncomfortable thoughts.
"Look at this!" she held an old vid tape in one hand, brushing a thin layer of dust off it with her other. She popped it in the v-player, and dragged the screen over to where they could both lay on the bed and watch it.
Spike dragged his thoughts away from the woman lounging next to him on his bed, and tried to focus on the screen.
A bit of static crackled before several blurred shapes came into view. A large hand reached across the screen and fiddled with something on the camera until the view sharpened.
A yellow plastic couch and matching armchair came into view, with a mini-fridge, safe, and coffee table arrayed around them. A slender woman was sprawled on the couch, wearing a pair of too-large sweatpants, and a rumpled undershirt that had bunched up, showing a swathe of creamy stomach. Violet hair spilled from a loose ponytail, floating around a serene face.
A hand from behind the camera came down and shook the woman's shoulder. "Wake up, Sleeping Ugly!"
The woman blinked sleepily and stretched. Then she noticed that she was being filmed. "SPIKE!" she shrieked, shooting out of bed. Spike could be heard chuckling form behind the camera.
Faye reached forward and grabbed the camera, and the screen shook. A few seconds later, it refocused, and it seemed to be several inches down. Faye's face appeared in front of the camera. "Alright. Spike, you're asking for it…"
The screen blacked out, then came back into focus in the hallway. Faye's face once again appeared in front of the camera; this time she was wearing her favorite yellow outfit, complete with matching headband. "They always say revenge is best served cold…" Her face disappeared, and the camera began to bob slightly as if she was walking.
She walked out of the hallway, and opened a door on the right. The screen immediately fogged up, and the sound of water running could be heard.
Faye's hand reached up and wiped off the lens, and the back of a man wrapped in a towel could be seen. He was tall, with unruly green hair, and a lanky form.
He had apparently just gotten out of the shower, and was attempting comb his wild hair. He looked up, and caught sight of Faye behind the camera in the mirror.
"FAYE!" he yelled, and started forward. She turned and the screen began to shake furiously as she ran away, accompanied by her shrieks of laughter.
When screen flickered on again, the view was a foot or so lower. Ed's huge grin covered the screen for a moment. "Ed is going to play a joke of Spike-person and Faye-Faye!"
The camera shook as Ed bounced towards the yellow couch and chair. Spike was sprawled across the couch, sleeping peacefully. Faye was also asleep draped across the chair, her feet resting on Spike's shins, and one hand curled protectively over the safe.
Ed's hand appeared in front of the screen, holding a black marker. She pulled off the cap with her teeth, and leapt into a one-handed handstand, gripping the marker between her toes.
She bent backwards, and her dexterous feet sketched scrawling pictures across Faye and Spike's faces.
Ed snuck quietly out of the room, turning off the view, but keeping the sound on.
There was a moment of silence, then two yawns. At exactly the same time, two shouts of laughter exploded from the room. "What?!" they said at the same time. "You should see your face!" said Faye.
"You should see YOUR face!" said Spike.
"What?!" they both exclaimed.
Then a collective shout. "EDWARD!"
Ed's giggling faded off.
The next clip was of the Bebop's galley. Jet's cybernetic arm could be seen busily frying a pan of peppers.
Faye and Spike could be heard shouting in the background, accompanied by several loud crashes and bangs. Ed was sitting on the broken fan, her legs wrapped around the chain, the Tomato resting on one of the blades.
There was a loud creak, and with a strangled exclamation sounding something like a cross between "GAAAAAACK!" and "AUUUUGH!", Ed tumbled from her perch- fan, Tomato, and all.
Ein cowered under the table, his tail between his legs, whimpering slightly.
Jet could be heard mumbling things to himself about 'Fried Faye', 'Sautéed Spike', and 'Edward Entrées'. His hand reached up and began rifling through his spice cabinet. He drew out a bottle of Tabasco sauce, and a jar of Habanero and Jalapeno pepper flakes.
He chuckled sadistically, and poured the Tabasco sauce into a bowl, stirring in every last pepper flake. After mixing the two ingredients together, he tossed in the bell peppers he was cooking, coating each pepper in the mixture.
He dumped his concoction on three plates, and set them on the table. "FOOD!" he bellowed.
Immediately, all three of his companions were there, forks and knives in either hand. They shoveled the mess into their mouths, munching contentedly.
Suddenly, all three paused mid-chew. Their faces paled, then turned red, like dipping an icy thermometer in boiling water.
"HOT!" they all screamed, diving for the water pitcher. In their haste, they knocked it off the table, where all the precious water sloshed over the cold metal floor.
Ed sprang across the room, fastening her mouth around the spicket of the kitchen sink. She turned on the water, and her cheeks filled up until she looked like a balloon.
Spike charged for the bathroom, while Faye went for Jet's spice cabinet. She grabbed a few bottles, poured the contents into her mouth, swilled it around, and swallowed quickly.
Her face puckered from the horrible taste, but she was breathing in great gasps, her normal color slowly returning.
Spike returned shortly, looking like he had stuck his head in the bathtub (which he probably had). Ed tottered over, unbalanced by the large amount of water held in her balloon-like cheeks.
The all slowly surrounded Jet, who didn't notice them advancing because he was laughing so hard.
Spike and Faye grabbed his shoulders and Ed crossed her arms over her chest.
"Guys…eheheh…it was just a joke…eheheh…guys…"
"Get him!" yelled Faye, and the camera screen was covered with static.
The next scene was a beach on Misu Misu. The Bebop had visited the resort once, after capturing a small bounty head. Ed had managed to find the password to the bounty files for the ISSP while they were paying Spike and Faye for rounding up the bounty.
She had then transferred a large amount of cash to their money cards, which they had used for both repairs and a short vacation.
This scene took place when they had just arrived. Faye, Spike, and Ed climbed out of the taxi, and waved at Jet, who was behind the camera. Faye wore a strapless tank- navy blue with tiny white stripes, a pair of tight jeans, and white flip-flops. Spike was wearing worn jeans, and a faded tee-shirt advertising 'Ruby's Roller Rink'. Ed had on a white bathing suit decorated with strawberries, and a pair of jean shorts, with white saltwater sandals. She had a picnic basket in one hand, and a large straw sun hat in the other.
Faye let out a whoop when she saw the beach. "Last one in the water is a bounty head!" she yelled, slipping off her flip-flops, and sprinting to the water.
"No fair! You cheat!" yelled Spike, charging after her, with Ed hot on his heels.
Faye laughed, leaping over a piece of driftwood. "I'm Poker Alice! I ALWAYS cheat!"
Spike smirked. "This is true!" he yelled, as they neared the water. "But so do I!" he leapt forward, and tackled Faye around the waist, throwing them both into the water with a splash.
Ed shrieked and dived in after them. "Wait for Edward! Edward wants to play too!"
The screen showed the crew of the Bebop on the beach. Faye wore a pink and purple striped string bikini with extra long ties, which came down to wrap around her flat stomach. She was wearing her favorite sunglasses, and lying on a zebra-striped towel, tanning happily.
Jet was wearing orange Hawaiian-print swim trunks and sunglasses, relaxing in the sand and reading a book, underneath a large blue and white striped umbrella.
Spike had made slingshots out of sticks of driftwood and rubber bands, and was teaching Ed how to shoot seagulls with small stones. Ed's shot went wide, but then another stone flew past them, and nailed a seagull right between the eyes. Spike and Ed turned to see Faye smirking at them, and holding her own slingshot.
The scene changed to Spike, Faye, and Ed playing in the water. Faye splashed Spike, who turned around and splashed Faye, then Ed came up like a beaching whale and knocked them both over with a tidal wave.
The camera caught Ed on Jet's shoulders trying to beat Faye-on Spike's shoulders- in a chicken fight.
It caught Faye freaking out when she saw fins in the water, and jumping into Spike's arms. Spike winked at the camera and smirked at Faye, pointing out that it wasn't sharks, but playful dolphins.
It showed Faye, Spike, and Ed hanging onto the dolphin's fins, and the dolphins towed them around.
It showed Faye and Spike throwing Ed around, dipping her in the water, and launching her into the air, as the carefree hacker laughed happily.
It showed Ed burying Jet in the sand, while Faye went back to tanning, and Spike took a nap.
Then the camera caught all of them standing proudly beside a sand sculpture of the Bebop. It caught the first drop of rain, then the frantic scurrying to get everything under cover. Jet grinned at the camera and turned it off.
When the screen flickered back on, it showed a bright boardwalk market. Faye was leaning into a stall, inspecting a pucca shell necklace. She wore a tiered jean skirt that fell to just above her knees, and a pastel pink strapless shirt with banana yellow flowers. Spike strolled between shops, a toothpick sticking out of the corner of his mouth. He wore baggy khaki shorts, a white undershirt, and white shell-toed tennis shoes.
Ed was bouncing around in a black halter top with a cat face on it, white jean shorts, her straw hat, and white saltwater sandals.
They strolled around, Jet filming Spike and Faye's good-natured bickering, Ed with ice cream all over herself, Spike and Faye sipping pina coladas from coconut shells, and other such happy moments.
The next scene was apparently later that day. Now the screen showed a magnificent red sun, setting slowly over a pristine ocean.
Faye was sitting in the sand, her back up against a large piece of driftwood. Spike lounged next to her, not smoking for once. Ed was putting the finishing touches on a small sandcastle, and Jet was sitting nearby in a lounge chair, hands behind his head.
They all sat together, watching the sun slowly setting.
Spike and Faye lay in silence on his bed, each thinking separate thoughts.
After what seemed like an eternity, they sat up. Faye had tears in her eyes, and Spike's smile was sad.
Without out a word, Spike opened his arms, and Faye crumbled into them. She cried silently into his chest, while he stroked her neck, and buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of fading roses.