When Spike Met Jade.

Disclaimer: Spike Spiegel and Cowboy Bebop is not owned in any way whatsoever (until I come up with enough money to buy stocks in the Japanese stock market) by me. Further more, the Character Jade Hajime is the intellectual property of Jenny (Doe). Full name not given for a reason, but stealing is still off limits. She will sue your pansy ass...

((A/N: Before reading this story let it be known that this is not completely written by me. The character background and history of Jade Hajime is Jenny's. She also provided most of what Jade says, unless I need to improvise due to my poor memory. Either way, I'm not good at writing romance. Hang on, and be brutally honest when you finish. Thanks a lot!))

A girl is sitting on the floor of her home, watching her step-father pace back and forth.

"Your damn mother is always giving me problems..."

"Look! I got my wings today!" voiced the young girl.

"That's just dandy, you twisted brat..." The man looks at the little child in disgust. "You won't be any good to anyone, you know that? I should just kill you right now..."

"That wouldn't be nice. I'd tell mommy about you!" The girl glared at the man. He snarled, and hoisted the girl into the air.

"The hell you will!" The man proceeds to rip off one of the girl's new wings. The girl screams in agony, and is dropped to the floor. She is bleeding badly. The pain through out her body throbs. Just as the man is about to thrust his foot into her face, a young black haired woman jolts awake, and looks around her not so clean Martian apartment. She breathes heavily and is in a cold sweat. She hears a knocking at her door.

"Jade Hajime! Come out! We know you are in there!" shouts a man from outside. Jade jumps out of bed, and places a jacket over her to hide her single wing, and places a hood over her neko ears. She runs toward a window, grabs her trusty radio to contact her only trusted friend Jeo, and leaps from the building. She stumbles as she hits the ground. Her running speed increases as she dodges pedestrians and bikes alike. She speaks into her radio.

"Jeo! This is Jade! Come in!"

"I'm right here, Ms. Hajime! Whatcha' need?"

"They've found me. I need a way to escape. I -

Then, she comes to a sudden stop. She falls backward to the ground. Jade looks up and sees a tall man with a slightly green afro.

"Yo." says the tall man. "Sorry 'bout that."

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I ran into you."

"I shouldn't of been standing here," he smirks. "Need help?" He extends an arm. She takes it and he lifts her up.

"Thanks." She looks up at him, who still towers over her.

"No problem. The name's Spikaru Spiegel. Just call me Spike, though. What are you running from?"

"I'm Jade Hajime. I'm running from damn near everyone. Cops, Cowboys, and the Red Dragons. I have to go and..."

"Did you say Red Dragons?" Spike interjected. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Vicious coming from the right. He shoves her left into a abandoned shop. "Stay low. Don't come out unless I say so." She nods slowly. Spike jumps from the shop, and aims his gun at the approaching Vicious.

"So, still taking care of the weak Spike?" Vicious grins devilishly.

"Still hunting the weak?" Spike glares at Vicious.

"She owes us a large sum of money for the damage she did. That can be easily paid off in full with her life. Hand her over."

"Over my cold dead body."

"So be it!" The two old comrades thrust at each other. Vicious with his katana, and Spike with his Israeli Jericho. Shot are fired (causing almost the instant clearing of the area), blades are swung, but it comes down to this: Spike with a sharp pain in his left shoulder caused by a horrible wound of a large Japanese knife. Vicious takes a gander at Spike in his vulnerable situation, and walks toward where Jade is. She runs out from her hiding place, a cutlasseer in hand, and uses some skill to bypass Vicious. She kneels at Spike's side.

"Spike!" she shouts.

"Don't worry. I've been hurt worse than this... Jade!" Spike lifts his gun, and fires a bullet into the chest of Vicious. Vicious falls to the ground, spilling a pool of blood. Spike stand slowly, with the aid of Jade, and stumbles to a wall to lean against. "I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you. Will you go with me back to The Bebop?"

"The Bebop!? THE Bebop?" shouts Jeo, who's been listening all this time. "Good thing he doesn't know about that several million bounty!" Spike's ears seem to perk at the news, but then he realizes he can't turn in Jade. Jade looks at Spike.

"I guess I could go. But I don't want you to hurt yourself..."

"I'll be fine" Spike says as he is aided in walking to where the Swordfish II is parked.

((A/N: DUN DUN DUN! What will happen? I don't know for sure yet! We'll all find out together! And I'm actually gonna finish this one!))