Disclaimer: I don't own Cowboy Bebop.

A/N: Well, seeing how up to the last chapter is as far as I though, this should be interesting. I wonder where it'll go.

Oh yeah, I've always been a bit confused about the color of Spike's hair. Some TVs I watch it on, it's green. Other's, it's black. But, just because I like it better, whatever the real color is, in this story his hair is green.

Interlude 1:

Homecoming

"Oooooooh, Jet-person brought home a Spike-person! Hai!!"

Spike walked past the hacker casually and sat in his usual spot on the couch, happy to see Jet hadn't picked up anyone to take his seat yet. "You should be ashamed, Jet. A little hair dye and a change of clothes had you thinking I was a bounty, but the munchkin noticed right away."

"Shut up." Jet continued on undeterred to the kitchen. He was hungry. Poking his head back out into the room, he replied, "You're not allowed to make jokes until my leg heals."

Ein ran up to Spike's legs with a happy bark before thoroughly sniffing down the man's ankle. Ed was right behind, on all fours. She sniffed the same spot before jumping up on the couch. Still using her nose the way Ein had taught her, she soon made her mischievous was to the back cushion of the couch, getting an up close view of Spike's hair.

"You smell like Spike-person, but you have icky hair!"

Without a word, Spike wrapped his hands around the small girl's shoulders. With wide eyes, Ed watched on as she was lifted and placed back upon the floor. Spike needed the room she was occupying to lay down.

But, before his eyes could close to get some rest, Ed popped into view, leaning over his face. She imitated a displeased bark as she poked at Spike's hair.

"Stop it, Ed." Spike's voice held no irritation. No matter how long he had been gone, he didn't forget Ed's annoyances. And they still didn't phase him. "I dyed it so I wouldn't look like me."

Ed froze in place, finger half-way back to Spike's head for another poke. In an over dramatic heap, she fell back to the floor, crossing her legs as she knit her eyebrows in confusion. "Spike-person doesn't want to look like Spike-person?"

Spike hesitated for a minute as he placed his hand behind his head, getting comfortable. "Not when people are after me."

Ed popped back to her feet. She hung her face in front of his, goggles drawn over here eyes, examining the upside down view of his face. He remained still and silent, eyes closed, either oblivious to the intrusion, or simply not caring. Ed slid off her goggles and grabbed a piece of her own hair, pulling it down in front of her face. "Ooooooh, does that mean Edward can have green, Spike-person hair now?"

"No. Hair dye kills brain cells, and you need everyone you can get." He smiled smugly to himself. God, he hated kids. But he loved calling them stupid to their face, and they're too stupid to get offended.

Ed just looked down in confusion, not quite grasping the idea of needing brain cells. Tomato had all the memory she'd ever need. Deciding not to waste her timing figuring out whatever gibberish Spike was speaking, she bent down to pick up Ein. She only held the dog for a second before dropping him onto Spike's chest.

"Hai!! Ein missed you." She continued, making whatever voice she assumed Ein would have if he could speak. "He says, 'Don't be gone, long, wrong, next time.' Bebop have nooo money for food when Spike's gone."

"We had no money for food when I was here, either," he mumbled to himself.

Another comment that didn't seem to touch Ed too greatly. With her message delivered, Ed took off running, arms flailing in the air, yelling whatever rhymes came to her head. "Gone, long, wrong, prong, song!!" As she began skipping up the stairs, Ein quickly jumped off Spike, barking and chasing after the girl.

He had done just as requested. He took her home. Well, the closest thing she had to a home. Gren had come to learn that Faye had been spending her time on Mars sleeping in the cockpit of her Redtail. Not the most comfortable setting, and he should know - he did spend over 24 hours in his own cockpit, free falling to Titan. But still, a setting more inviting than a prison cell.

She had looked a little down the whole time. He wasn't sure why. Well, he did have a good idea why, but didn't want to say it. So, he kept his mouth shut and just walked with her. The ship wasn't that far from his apartment. They could've taken a taxi, but Gren preferred the walk. Faye didn't seem to mind either.

Despite the sullen look on her face, he enjoyed it. He had never gotten to walk with Julia. She only sat, either on that barstool - watching, listening - or on his couch, drinking with him. Though, Castillo wasn't exactly a good walking place, he reasoned. Too cold.

By the time he was done sifting through the irrelevant thoughts silence had forced him onto, they were there. Gren let go of his thoughts as he opened his eyes again to the present world. She silently climbed into the open cockpit of her waiting Redtail. In silence, she merely smiled. Too tired to say thanks, too cautious to say anything else.

But Gren had something on his mind that he felt the need to say. "Maybe you should really go home. Places with beds and showers are much more fitting of a fairy than cramped fighter jets."

With that, he turned and made his exit. He didn't have any more to say - he didn't know enough about those she traveled with to say anything else. He was positive she wouldn't say anything back. And if she did, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear it - it might be far too truthful. Talking to him did make her feel like she was in a confessional, after all.

Hmph. Maybe he's right. I should go back to the Bebop. In my rush to get out of there, I forgot to steal all their wulongs, anyway. Can't have that. A girl's got a reputation to keep.

She didn't know why, but the thought brightened her mood. The thought of heading back to the Bebop. She would never admit it.

Heading back to the Bebop - heading back to Faye Valentine/Poker Alice, the infamous gambler/bounty hunter. Heading away from Gren - away from the far too honest, beautiful fairy she didn't want to be, but couldn't help but slip into whenever he was around.

"What's there to eat around here?" Faye tossed her red jacket to the stairs banister as she walked into the main room of the Bebop, already smelling the aroma of cooking bell peppers coming from the kitchen.

"Nothing for women who smoke all my cigarettes."

Faye stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes darted to the couch - the spot he always planted himself whenever he was around. And there he was - Spike. Sitting there, feet up on the table, hands behind his head, eyes closed - the epitome of nonchalance. And there she was - eyes wide, mouth agape, legs shaking - the polar opposite.

A/N: I know this is a really odd place to stop this, and it's really short, but the rest of it has a completely different attitude/feeling to it. Very different. Seems only right to spilt it up.

And, since this is a short little POS that doesn't even count as a chapter *points to title* - my little messages will go on the next part...