Okie dokie! Newest chapter! The title of this chapter comes from Korn. While the title of the song may not really have anything to do with the chapter, it's the lyrics of the song that kinda support Miggs' feelings. Just an FYI for ya! Enjoy and don't forget to review! Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop or "Freak on a Leash".

Wanted: Dead Or Alive : Freak On A Leash

Miggs stared on in helplessness as Spike lay Ed on her bed. She was amazed at his strength for such a lanky fellow. She had heard from many that his skills didn't lay in his muscles but in his speed. He had studied the art that made Bruce Lee famous. *How will I ever defeat this guy if he lives up to the rumors that i've heard?*
Faye pulled the black comforter over Ed's pale body and pushed a crimson lock away from her eyes. It had been so long since she had seen the girl and Faye had had forgotten that Ed had become a woman since their last meeting. Spike silently entered the dark room and leaned against the large window. Faye shook her head.
"Amazing isn't it?"
"What is?"
"You come back from ten years of non existing to find a woman instead of the child you left behind." Spike gazed down at the child he had left behind. Far from child....
Faye stood unexpectedly and straightened out her gown. The end was wrinkled but besides that, the smoothing of her hands had made the dress look like new. She then went on to fix her hair and check out her makeup in the bathroom mirror. Spike was behind her in a second.
"Leaving so soon?" Faye turned around and smiled one of her rare grins. She didn't say whether she was leaving or not but handed the former bounty hunter her gun and headed for the door, sending Miggs a goodbye nod. "She still surprises me after all this time." He sent Miggs a friendly smile which sent Miggs to the middle room leaving the wondering Spike to follow.

Loud beats swamped the room and sent faint pulse through the door. Spike knocked lightly but didn't (or couldn't) hear any sign of a welcome. He opened the door to reveal an entirely different room. Miggs stood in the middle of the hardwood room, her fists and feet pounding on a large white bag to the beat of the music. A white muscle shirt clung to the upper half of her body while ripped lounging pants hung fom her hips, bearing a toned abdomen. He calmly walked across the floor, minding the other exercise equiptment. Miggs continued to beat the sand bag senseless. He stood behind the piece of equiptment, holding it like he had seen so many times on t.v..

"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like?"
"You tell me..."
"Repenting." He quirked an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak before a left jab sent him to the floor.
"Do you always work out this vigorously?" Miggs blew a colbalt curl out of her face and glared at Spike.
"No, most of this is Ed's. I prefer meditating."
"Oh. One of those hippy types, huh?"
"No. It just prepares me for the real thing." She smiled at Spike; a challenge. He unbuttoned his jacket and folded it across the treadmill, then returning to the shirt to roll up his sleeves. Miggs circled him, her eyes never leaving his. Spike finally stopped his preperation and faced Miggs, his arms dangling by his side. Miggs pierced Spike with a look that would have sent Lucifer six feet under. One arm shot out - Spike dodged it. Another arm - again it was dodged. Miggs flipped her hair over her shoulder and paused to get a better look at her competitor. She ran towards him, her fist balled and ready to strike. Spike smoothly caught her fist.
"My turn." Miggs gasped as Spike slammed an arm into her stomach but was even more surprised at the foot that caught the back of her knee, causing her to fall to the floor. Spike met her wrists with his hands and hovered over the girl, a smile painted on his face. Miggs twisted underneath the bounty hunter, her shirt crawling up inch by inch. "You know, you're pretty tough for a mechanic."
"How did you know I was a mechanic?"
"Nothing this pretty would be interested in makeup and clothes."
"You'd be surprised.."
"Nothing surprises me anymore." Miggs gathered up her own strength and flipped the couple over, leaving her in the position that Spike had just been in. She then proceeded to flip backwards, landing beside the punching bag. Spike sat up his elbows and gawked at the mechanic. "I guess there's a first time for everything." Miggs walked over to Spike and wrapped her fingers around his chin.
"I happen to like my makeup, thank you very much." With that said, Miggs left the exercise room, leaving a former bounty hunter in complete and utter awe.
Miggs left the room with a smile curling her lips. Little did she know how long that smile wouldn't last...

Ed swallowed the aspirin with much effort. Bags had formed underneath her eyes and the pain throbbing throughout her body had become quite unbearable. She ran her hands through her hair. It was messed up from tossing and turning all night but it wasn't the pain that had awaken her. It was a dream. A nightmare to exact... ~Flashback to dream~
Ed stood in the doorway of a cathedral bruised and bloodied from an unknown battle. A white lace dress covered her body, torn in some places. A leather jacket cloaked her shoulders and gun was aimed at a young man dressed in all black. His eyes seemed so sad as he glanced back at Ed before kneeling in front of a slain Spike. ~END~
Ed splashed a palm full of water upon her face. She blinked a couple of times to get the full affect of the cold liquid. Miggs watched the bounty hunter intently. Hopefully, she wouldn't leave Miggs with Spike. That would at least give him a better chance to survive with Miggs around. Ed lifted her leather jacket off the floor and headed for the front door.
"I'm going to leave for awhile. If i'm not back in 2 days, call Jet." Miggs nodded. So much for her plan of Ed becoming Spike's protector. Miggs' gaze followed Ed's swift form through the kitchen and out the door. A small laugh shocked Miggs and she turned abruptly only to find her face smashed in Spike's chest.
"Getting a little friendly tonight aren't we?"
"Don't get your hopes up cowboy."

Ed swallowed hard as she entered the rough bar. It wasn't one she was used to. She was used to the gothic clubs of downtown; big beats and bright lights. Nothing like this tiny bar on the other side of the city. A red neon sign flashed an advertisement for an unknown beer and loud male grunts could be heard inside. Ed wrapped herself up tighter in her leather jacket and headed inside.
It wasn't much different for the old saloons that Ed had seen in movies, just updated to fit the present. An older bartender wiped down the bar as a younger man served drinks to barflies. Ed swiped a seat in the middle of the small crowd and sat herself down. The younger man met her with a smile.
"What can I get you tonight lil lady?"
"Bourbon on the rocks." The bartender served up a glass of the requested drink. An hour later, Ed was laying her head against the cool wood of the table. Five empty glasses surrounded her but she wasn't even buzzed. Another glass slid towards her. Ed grabbed for it and sipped it nonchalantly, then immediately spitting it out when her tastebuds didn't recognize the bitter drink. The young bartender smiled again.
"Courtesy of the gentleman in the black coat." Ed followed his finger and furrowed her brow at the mysterious man clad in black. His hair shaded his eyes in a chestnut shadow but Ed could read from the rest of his body that wasn't much older than her by a couple of years. She swirled the drink around in her glass and gave a "cheers" gesture to the stranger. She gulped the drink down and almost instantly felt her senses drown out and her world turn dizzy. The stranger rose as the door to the bar swung open. Two men dressed in grey suits entered the rathskeller and sat themselves across the room. The stranger walked towards the exit but paused behind Ed and leaned in beside her.
"Follow me if you want to live.", he slowly whispered in her ear. Ed swirved around to f ace the stranger and was quite taken back by his good looks. Tawny colored locks framed his face and ended just above his cheekbone. His eyes were of a soft grey that looked as if innocence had been stolen from them a long time ago. He was tall but not much taller than Spike. She gasped at his features and then chuckled.
"That's a good pick up line. And an ingenius plan too....get me drunk then take me home." A curled his hand around her elbow, accidently grazing the fresh wound on her arm. She yelped in pain. The two men across the room stood at the small scream and reached for the weapons behind their jackets. The abstruse man glared at the other two men but remained still, his hand wrapped protectively around Ed.
"Get down." Ed opened her mouth to protest but moaned in defeat as the dark man pushed her down behind him. The other two men opened fire as the younger guy ducked down over Ed, pushing them both out the exit. She winced as her thigh scraped across the floor and damaged her bandage. The stranger noticed her pain and worry spread over his face.
"All you alright?"
"I'm fine." He nodded in agreement and heaved the fragile girl over his shoulder, delivering a blush to Ed's cheeks. He ran faster than Ed had expected, which caused her head bounce against his toned back. It wouldn't have been so bad if he had chosen to wear a different coat instead of the long trenchcoat that swamped her vision. She felt herself being lifted up and then dropped onto something soft. She looked around her at her surroundings and found herself in a cherry red 1965 convertible. She smiled at his good taste. Another bounce followed her own and before she knew it, they were driving off; tires squealing in defiance. Ed pulled back her hair as the wind raced through it. The man seemed indifferent to the wind.
"You have no reason to fear me." He kept his silver eyes on the road but Ed knew his attention was on her alone. She felt the night's rendezvous with alcohol seep away into reality.
"Yea right. You abduct me and expect me to believe that." He grinned at her, causing her cheeks to crimson and anger to bolt through her. "Who were those guys anyway?"
"Members of the Syndicate. They're after me, but would kill you the moment they found out you are hiding Spike." Ed quieted down and lowered herself in the seat. "You know, I wouldn't call this an abduction. I've seen you fight before and you could've easily thrown a couple of punches to escape. Yet you didn't..."
"I'm unarmed....and wounded from a previous fight..." Her amber eyes were shaded over by her rouge bangs.
"You won't get hurt again. You're safe with me." Call it odd, but Ed believed him. His smile would tell you otherwise, but his eyes seemed to mean it. She curled up in the ivory seats.
"So who are you anyway?"
"Jaxx." Ed drifted off to sleep as the name echoed in her mind.

Next chapter: Spike's seduction and Ed's realization.