Okay, I think that a couple of you misunderstood. I'm not purposefully rushing this story, in fact I'm trying to slow it down and put as much as I can into it! It's just hard is all I'm saying. But this story is NOT rushed. I'm spending a lot of time on it. I do NOT rush stories. I have written many stories and fan fictions and I have not rushed one of them. Just to clear that up! ^_^ Anyways, thanks for the reviews you all! I really appreciate it! Now, on with the story. I don't think that this chapter is all that great, um…so I wont be too surprised if you don't like it much. But I promise it gets better again in Chapter 5! So please forgive me if the characters are a little off again! Oh yeah, and I made the spacing a little smaller for you! Now then, on with the story. ^_~
Chapter 4
Faye stood and let the hot water run down her body. It felt so nice, the water pounding down on her and seeping into her skin. It sounded so peaceful, the water slapping against the tile and spewing out of the showerhead. It was like rain. Warm, soft, comforting rain that didn't end. She sighed lightly and opened her eyes. She looked down at the drain, watching the water swirl around the hole, falling so easily into the dark pit. Much like all her hopes…Swirling around in her mind like some dream. And then it would slip from her fingertips, just like that. So easily, like the water.
She closed her eyes again, keeping her head bent down. Her soft, warm violet hair slowly slipped and hung around her face; streams of water dripping down from every cluster of strands. The hot water flowed from her bangs down her face in one fluid motion. The little streams gently searing trails across her face, warming her cheeks.
She opened her eyes again to watch the water. It rippled as each droplet collided with its surface. It all danced around her feet, being pulled into so simply into the drain. Just like all her hopes…She grimaced a little and covered the drain with her foot. The water was still now, slowly gathering by her feet, rippling and rising. Then she abruptly removed her foot. The drain made a gurgling sound as all the water cascaded into it. Just like that…it was gone. After all the time it took to build it up, it was gone in an instant. Just like that.
With a sigh she raised her head and turned off the water. She put a towel over her head and moved it around ferociously, trying to dry her hair. She pulled it off and let it drop to the ground. She carelessly ran a comb through her hair a few times before throwing on her robe. She was tired and wanted to sleep. That hang over was still clinging to her, not that it was a real surprise or anything. But it was still making her sleepy, and she wanted just that; sleep.
Opening the door, she stepped out into the hallway and quietly walked up the stairs. She stopped suddenly and crouched down, peering through the open spaces of the handrail.
There was Spike and Julia, snuggled and relaxed on the couch. Spike had his head back against the couch's backing, as usual. He was slumped on the couch, his legs stretched out in a lazy form. One arm was stretched out along the top of the back of the couch, while the other held Julia close. Julia had her head resting in the crook of his neck with one arm across his stomach and the other hidden somewhere.
Faye studied them; how they were both so relaxed, how they seemed to fit together…they looked good together, as much as she hated it, they did. Her long wavy blonde hair, his curly green hair. The way they both seemed to glow…they both had that thing about that, were you just couldn't leave them alone.
Spike moved his hand from her waist to her hair. "You're cold." He murmured.
"I took a cold shower." Julia mumbled back.
His eyes kept closed, but his eyebrows slanted a bit. "Why did you do that?"
"I thought Faye would need the hot water." She answered quietly. "For her hangover."
Spike's lips twitched into that charming smile of his. "Julia…" His voice disappeared like a warm breeze comes and goes.
Faye turned away and slumped down on the stairs. She put her head in her hands and shut her eyes. She would not sleep tonight. Not with this image now carved into her mind. She bit her lip, why did they have to look so good together? Why Julia? Why did he have to lover her and only her? Why was she his everything, his breath of life?
Why couldn't she be his everything?
* * * * *
"Jet, where are we?" Faye asked with a yawn. She had noticed when she looked out the window that it was stars instead of the red landscape of Mars.
"Orbiting Mars." Jet answered without looking up from his computer.
"Orbiting Mars?" She plopped down on the couch. "Why are we doing that?"
"Because…" He paused. "We're just not ready to go yet."
Faye raised her eyebrows. "Not ready? I thought you fixed the Bebop."
"I did."
"Then why-"
"Just because." He interrupted harshly.
Faye studied him for a minute. "Is it because of Spike and Julia?"
Jet let out a slow sigh, his shoulders slowly slumping. He ran a hand over his head. "Yeah."
She leaned her head back against the couch. "Where are they anyway?"
"Down on Mars." Jet replied.
"On Mars?" Faye asked with a little surprise, pulling her head back up.
"Yeah. They wanted to go on a walk or something rather." He explained to her.
Faye looked down for a while. Then she let her head fall back again. She stared at the fan. "A walk on Mars…"
Jet looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "What?"
She sighed as she stood up. "Oh nothing."
He stared after her with curiosity as she walked to her room.
* * * * *
As they stepped out of the liquor store, Spike tore open his new pack of cigarettes. He pulled out and lazily stuck it in his mouth. He held the pack out to Julia, who gladly accepted. He shoved the small pack into his pocket and pulled out his lighter. He lit Julia's cigarette before lighting his own.
She blew out a small puff of smoke. "Is this why we came down here? To get cigarettes?"
Spike tilted his head back a little and watched the smoke shoot out from his mouth. "Yeah. I was all out."
"Spike," Julia looked up at him. "We took a big risk coming down here."
"I know." He replied. He stood up straight and started to walk.
Julia followed him, walking at his side. "We have to come to a decision, and soon."
He sighed. "We can't run, we can't stay, and we can't go after Vicious ourselves. But the truth is Julia; we just don't want to do any of those things. It's gotta be one of them though."
They walked in silence. She looked up and studied him. His eyes were half closed yet fully alert and aware of everything. His mouth was casual and relaxed with the burning cigarette barely hanging from his lips.
Finally, she spoke. "What do you want to do, Spike?"
He stopped, staring straight ahead at absolutely nothing. His face didn't change at all, and neither did his eyes. He just stared off into nothing, not moving a muscle. Then he pulled out his half burnt cigarette and dropped it, his hand and fingers moving in a smooth and limp fashion. He was still staring at the nothing ahead of him.
"It doesn't matter what I want." He mumbled.
"Then…what does matter?" She asked softly.
He turned his head to look at her, gazing into her eyes. They bore deep inside her, straight down to her heart and soul. "What you want." He answered quietly. "What do you want Julia?"
Julia looked away from him. "I don't know Spike. I just don't know." She closed her eyes. "I want to run more than anything. Just run away and leave it all behind." She sighed softly. "But we can't do that."
"Yes we can."
"She opened her eyes and looked at him, meeting his gaze. "How?"
"We can run, just not the two of us, not yet anyway. We could wait on the Bebop, drift in space, anything until things with the Syndicate calm down. Then we could run."
Julia shook her head. "Spike that could be weeks, months, maybe never." She looked down at the ground. "I couldn't do that."
"Then we'll just run." Spike said. "Vicious isn't going to chase after us on a wild goose hunt. And most of the Syndicate's men are on Mars. There are only a few elsewhere. And we can handle them."
"Are you sure that will work?" Julia asked.
"Yes." He answered firmly and confidently.
"When?" She asked him. "When will we leave?"
"Tomorrow."
"And will you tell Jet and Faye?"
Spike squinted a little as he looked back ahead, back at nothing. "No."
Julia looked at him. "Are you sure?"
"They'll only hold us down Julia." Spike reasoned. "I'll leave a note."
"And just walk away…walk away into a dream…" She whispered softly, slowly smiling at the thought.
"He smiled faintly and closed his eyes. "Yeah…walk away into a dream."
* * * * *
Faye leaned back, slumping into the couch. She was so incredibly bored it wasn't even funny. It seemed like it's been ages since they went after a bounty. She wanted to go back to that, go back to how things use to be. With the calm and laid back atmosphere, with Ed typing on her computer and talking and singing to herself. Ein always popping up out of nowhere and barking obnoxiously. And Jet and Spike giving her a hard time. She wanted that back. But she knew that it would never happen.
She heard footsteps. She opened her eyes and looked to find Julia standing at the foot of the stairs, staring at her. Faye blinked. "Julia…I didn't know you were back. Where's Spike?"
"In the shower." Julia replied flatly. "Can I ask you something Faye?"
She raised her eyebrows a little. "Sure, go ahead."
Julia just stared, her blue eyes hidden by her black sunglasses. She had that blank look on her face again, the one that got on Faye's nerves. "Why did you save me, back on Mars?"
Faye's lips parted slightly with surprise. Then she closed her eyes and cocked her head to the side. "You looked like you could have used the help."
"Why did you give my message to Spike?"
She froze, her eyes widening just a little. She quickly regained her composure. She looked up at Julia. "Why are you asking me this?"
Julia didn't answer. She slowly pulled out the new pack of cigarettes that Spike had bought. She carefully pulled out a single stick and placed it between her lips. Her head hadn't moved at all, she just watched the violet headed woman through her sunglasses as the small flame of the lighter started up her cigarette. She flipped the lighter closed with a click. She stood still with her hands in her pockets and smoke slowly drifting around her.
Faye hated this. Julia and Spike were far too alike for her comfort. They both did this, were they would lapse into silence and act like they noticed nothing around them. Like falling into their own little world.
Just when Faye opened her mouth to remind Julia that they were in the middle of a conversation, Spike came up from the lower level stairs, running a towel over his wet hair. He stopped suddenly, looking at the two woman who were staring at each other.
He blinked a few times. "What's going on?"
Julia turned to look at him for a second before walking off down the hall. Spike's eyes followed her until she disappeared in his room.
"Faye?" He asked, looking back to her.
"What?" She responded with irritation.
Spiked pulled the damp towel away from his head. "What just happened?"
Faye looked away and stared at some random spot in the room. "Nothing happened. She just asked me a couple questions, that's all."
He stared at her for only a second before following Julia to his room.
* * * * *
Spike shut the door gently. His room was dark, as usual. The shadows of the room spilled over everything, over Julia. Like the apartment they had back then. Julia sat on his bed, her sunglasses now removed. And her cigarette sat abandoned in the ashtray, still burning.
"Julia?" He spoke softly.
She looked up at him and blinked slowly. She stood and walked over to him. That small, faint smile appeared on her lips as she gazed at him. She reached up and put her hand around his neck and leaned forward to kiss him. Spike dropped the towel, leaving it in a damp pile on the floor. He put his hands on her hips as he kissed her back.
"Julia…" He mumbled and pulled away. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" She asked in a soft voice.
"Back there with Faye-"
He was cut off by Julia pressing a finger to his lips. She stared straight into his eyes. "It doesn't matter." She whispered.
Spike closed his eyes as he smiled. "Yeah…" He opened his eyes to look at her. "Tomorrow…" He reminded.
"Tomorrow morning." Julia finished. "Early."
He kept his smile. "Early tomorrow morning. We'll be free."
She leaned into him. "It's so close…yet is seems so far away."
Spike put his hands on her shoulders and gently pulled her away. He stared down at her. "That can be fixed." And he leaned down to kiss her."
* * * * *
Spike slowly opened his eyes, looking at the dark ceiling of his room. He could hear the soft breathing of Julia laying next to him. He turned his head to look at her, studying her in the dark and silence. Her breath gently brushed across his face and he smiled slightly. Then is disappeared quickly and he sat up. He glanced back at her before slipping from the bed.
He very quietly pulled on his cloths. Opening the closet, he grabbed his trench coat. Very slowly and carefully, he pulled open a drawer of his dresser, and reaching in, he took hold of his two guns and hid them under his coat. Closing the drawer with ease, he looked back to Julia, who was sound asleep.
He wasn't sure how she would react to this. She was never one to get angry about something. At least not that he knew of. Coiling his fingers around the door knob, he slowly turned it and pulled the door open. He stood in the doorway, staring back at the sleeping angel in his bed. After a minute, he stepped out of his room into the hallways, softly closing the door behind him.
Just what is Spike up to????? ^_^Okay, so, what'd you think? I know that it wasn't as long or as good as my previous chapters, but it's something. Anyway, things REALLY pick up in the next chapter! It gets exciting and action packed! Bebop style! ^_^ So it may take me a little longer than usual. Just be patient, I'll have it done as quickly as possible! Let me know what you thought of this chapter!