Yep....so it's snowing outside and and world war three is going down in the other room. So, you're stuck with another chapter....i feel the love...really I do.... Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop nor do I own "May I Whisper In Your Ear"

Wanted: Dead Or Alive- May I Whisper In Your Ear

A loud crunch from a garage door closing woke Ed up from a peaceful dream. She had dreamt that a handsome man had taken her away; away from the bounty hunting, away from her life. So why did some idiot have to go and ruin her escape from reality? The passenger door opened beside her and a strong hand caught the small of her back as she fell from the ivory leather seat. Ed yawned and stared up at the the beautiful smile. Her eyes then continued to wander upwards to focus on each and every feature of his face. Her stomach began to turn upsidedown in her body and she moaned in warning.
"You don't handle vodka real well do you?" Ed's amber eyes glazed over with her hangover.
"Yes..well...Jaxx was it?" He nodded. "Well...JAXX...I don't find kidnapping a possible solution to that problem." His silver eyes turned into thin slits as he furrowed his brow.
"I had no choice. It's for your own protection." Ed's amber eyes became ablazen with anger.
"You don't even kn-" A thin hand shot up to her mouth as she ran to the nearest trashcan.

A flush from a toilet set the mood for the evening. Ed found herself regretting the first drink she accepted from Jaxx, and almost regretting her first drink ever. How she managed to get the toilet from the garage was still a blur to her. The most she could remember about the night before was what happened before the gunshots and after the slamming of a car door as she skidded next to a metal trashcan. The rest of the day she spent in the bathroom, paying homage to the porcelain god. It was colder in the small apartment than the bathroom and Ed felt herself shivering.
The apartment wasn't bad at all but rather comfortable. Ed made her way across the plush white carpet to an overstuffed balck leather couch. The cool material made her skin jump, causing another flood of nausea to swarm her body. The feeling quickly vanished as she settled herself on the couch. It was then that Ed took a better look at the accomodation that her kidnapper liked to call his humble abode.
There was no color, besides the white carpet and a single red rose laying on the bar of the kitchen. Even the bright carpeting ended at the hall entrance to the bedroom and at the edge of the kitchen. The rest was a dreary wood flooring. The rest of the tenement was drowing in black; the curtains, furniture, electronics of every sort, and even the kitchen, was covered in the depressed color. Ed quirked an eyebrow at the man's strange color tastes. *Like I have much room to talk...* Her eyes then wandered back to the petite rose. It was so....strange, just to leave a helpless flower sitting on the counter; left to die.
Ed kept the banging of cabinet doors to a minimum as she searched for a glass or vase to keep the rose fresh and alive. She sighed in defeat and settled for an expensive looking champagne glass. She immediately filled the glass with water and laid the chalice on the ledge of the nearest window. With a smile, she opened the curtains a bit before throwing them fully open. Sunlight poured in through the window and washed over the bounty hunter. *I feel better already.*

A click of a lock and the creaking of an opening door never made it to Ed's ears. Jaxx entered the apartment with full arms and even had to make a second trip to the hallway to recieve the rest of his packages. He smiled to himself as he watched the sleeping Ed turn to the origin of the noise, her eyes still closed. He carefully set the bags down on a kitchen counter as he noticed the open curtains. He paused and stared at the rose he had plucked yesterday. He had completely forgotten about the frail plant but was even more touched by the fact that Ed has attempted to save it.
"I love roses. I couldn't stand around and let it die." Jaxx turned to face the girl. She was sitting up, which was a start, with her knees pulled up to her chest. Jaxx's gaze fell to the floor. Ed's cheeks reddened. "Unless you had other plans for it...."
"No it's quite okay." He pulled the curtains shut, drawing in more darkness and shutting out the light. "Um...there are clothes on the counter..."
"Aw, honey...you went shopping!!" Ed grinned at her own attempt to brighten up the man. No such luck. Jaxx continued his nervous walk to the kitchen and unpacked the clothes and groceries.
"And judging by the smell of shampoo in the air, I take it you found the bathroom."
"Well hell, Jaxx, I spent a good portion of the day in there..." Jaxx didn't even break a smile. Ed was growing more frustrated by the second. "Don't you ever laugh?" He stopped unloading the items, his back tensing up.
"I have no reason to anymore." Ed bounced off the couch and headed straight for the kitchen. She paused beside her abductor, reaching over him to snatch a cup from the drain- tray. He tensed up once more.
"I'm just getting some water. My mouth is kinda dry." Jaxx didn't speak, or even move, for that matter. He just remained silent and still....and tense. Ed gulped down the ice cold water and dumped the cup into the sink. She then proceeded to walk out of the kitchen and halted in the entrance.
"You know, you need to learn to laugh again. Laughter is the key to true love." She gave a seductive smile, then surprised herself bu burping out loud. "Excuse me,"she replied in a tone quieter than a mouse.
Jaxx contemplated what Ed had just said. And yes, she was right. But he couldn't bring himself to search out happiness once again. That's why he had entered the Syndicate, to escape the bitterness that was left when his happiness was taken...
He peered into the living room, expecting to see Ed draped across the cushions but saw an empty couch. He knocked on the bathroom door, causing the door to open to a dark room with no Ed. He walked hastily to his bedroom, hoping that she was on the porch instead. It had been a long time since a woman was in his bedroom and he would be damned if Ed would be the first since. However, there she was, illuminated by the dull light of his closet lightbulb, staring at his wardrobe with wide golden eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"Is black the only thing you wear?" Jaxx leaned against the wall, a little insulted by her question.
"People don't seem to notice the color. It let's me sneak by a little faster than someone wearing....neon pink, persay."
"Understandable. But are you ALWAYS trying to hide?" Jaxx angrily crossed the room, shoving Ed backwards and slamming the closet shut only to turn around to a loaded gun pointed at his chest.
Ed could barely breath for the fact that she had managed to find a loaded weapon in his closet. It was pure luck. She slowed her breathing so her nervousness wouldn't show and glared at her capturer.
"I want answers. Now." Jaxx reclined back in a corner and crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.
"You'd have to ask questions first."
"Don't play with me."
"That wasn't a question, was it?" Ed's eyebrow seemed to twitch. Since when did this guy gain a sense of humor.
"Why did you kidnap me?"
"To protect you."
"From what?!"
"You don't seem to understand, do you?"
"What?!" Jaxx quickly popped his elbow in Ed's abdomen, knocking her on the bed. He was on top of her at once, his hand crushing her wrist, causing the gun to fall from her fingers.
"You've been in danger since day one!" He sighed as Ed remained expressionless.
"Spike has been out of the Syndicate for years!" Jaxx was so close to Ed now that she could feel his warmth breath on his neck. Ed twisted underneath him but couldn't prevail. Jaxx was stronger than he looked.
"I'm not talking about Spike...Miggs..." His grip loosened as shock took over Ed's body. He sat on the edge of the ebony matress. Ed leaned on her knees and closed her eyes to block out the tears. There was no way that Miggs could betray her. Her one and only friend. Her fist balled up and she began to pound against his toned back.
"Liar! Miggs would never hurt me!! She saved my life!!" Jaxx grabbed her fists to stop the punching. Why couldn't she see past the barrier that Miggs had put up?
"What hurts you more - the fact that you've been betrayed or that it was Miggs who betrayed you?!" Ed could feel her body give from the pain she was carrying. She collapsed his Jaxx's arms like a small ragdoll. He enclosed his arms around Ed, giving her a bit of comfort for the moment. Before he knew it, he could feel her heartbeat go back to normal and tiny snore that was barely audible to the human ear escape her lips. He rested his chin upon her head, letting his auburn strands of hair mix with her bright crimson.
"I have a feeling you're going to be more trouble than you're worth."

"And I have a feeling you won't mind getting into trouble for me." Jaxx pulled the esteemed bounty hunter away from his body.
"I thought you were alseep.."
"I'm a light sleeper."
"And what makes you think i'd be willing to get into trouble for you?" Ed snaked her nimble arms around his neck and pulled herself up to ear-level.
"Cause you promised..."
"Protection and getting into binds are two different things." Ed sighed and curled up in his lap, covering herself up with his trenchcoat.
"I don't see much of a difference..." With that said, Ed drifted off to sleep. Jaxx peered down at the woman. It had been so long since someone held on to him like this and yet this felt so right with her. *If I tell her the truth, she might now believe me. But she'll have to know sooner or later.* He carefully placed her underneath the black sheets of his bed and left the room. He would spend the night on the couch. He silently grabbed a few things from the linen closet and plopped down on the couch, his grey eyes never leaving the cerise flower by the window.

Next chapter: Spike's seduction (it was supposed to be this chapter but I thought putting a Jaxx and Ed scene would fit better) and Ed's new crush