Chapter 3: Confrontations


Spike watched Jet flip a piece of rotten fish. They needed money. Big bucks. Spike needed to go bounty hunting. He sighed. He knew where a small fry could be caught. Not that he liked the idea. He dragged on a jacket. It used to be red but was pink from use. He grimaced. It was his Red Dragons jacket. A painful memory hit his membrane. He mumbled a curse and climbed into the cockpit of his Swordfish 2. Pulling on his brown gloves he started the engine. And rose into space. Spike never liked flying in space. Too quiet. It was only when he was fighting or watching scenery he liked flying. It meant freedom. To do whatever he pleased.

Besides it made him think. Of the past.

"Faye..." It escaped before he could stop it. He mourned in anguish. Where had she gone? Why had she gone? His eyes sharpened. He knew he shouldn't care. He knew he shouldn't worry. He just couldn't forget that night. That night everything came crashing down...

He made a noise in his throat. It was hard not to forget. She must have known things would be different. He might of understood if she'd left after telling him why. He ran a hand through his mass of hair. That was a load of bullshit. He'd of made her stay. And, damn her, she knew it.

Spike knew this wasn't normal. Especially since the only woman he had "cared" for was Julia, because Faye wasn't someone he loved.

He forced himself to stop. He needed to stop.


Spike traveled through the crowded streets of Earth. He knew the city was where the bounty head would be. Although he thought if the bounty head was smart, small fries usually weren't, he'd be hiding in a nearby town. He glanced at a sign. Stonemason Road. Somewhere like Stonemason Road. Of course this bounty head wasn't smart. Of course this bounty head wasn't a top agent for a forgotten mafia...

Faye tried to move. She begged her legs to run, but she stood frozen to the spot. There he was. Walking through the streets like he owned the place. Typical of him. She hated herself for liking him more because of it. Her emerald eyes widened as he turned his head from the side. And looked straight at her. She watched his face turn from shock to hurt to anger. All of which she didn't understand. And then he was running toward her.

She swallowed in surprise. Then took off down an alleyway. She panted as she ran up a flight of stairs. This wasn't good. Her baby...

She stopped at the second flight. Maybe he wouldn't see her.

Spike dashed down the alleyway. Where had she gone? He looked toward the stairs. "Faye!"

Faye climbed the stairs again, however slowly. "Shit," she mumbled as Spike quickly followed her.

"Faye!" His voice was harsh. She stopped. He reached for her arm roughly. "Damn it Faye. Why didn't you stop? Why did you run away? What's your problem?" She didn't say anything. He made her face him. "Faye..." Then the words were gone. His chocolate brown eyes turned to cinnamon.

"Spike." Faye held up a hand. "Stop. Let's not make the same..." She couldn't say it. She couldn't say "mistake" and she didn't know why. It was, wasn't it? Damn him. Why did he always have to make things so complicated? Spike's eyes pored into hers. It made her want to flinch. She didn't though because she knew he would take it offensively and...

Her thoughts were cut off as Spike's lips captured hers.

He started slow. Taking his time. His tongue trailed her lower lip, asking for entrance. She let him in without another thought. How could she think? He let her taste devour him. His body begged to take hers there on the stairs, but he held back. He wanted this to count. For some reason this had to count. He pulled her to him in a deathly embrace. It was as if they needed each other. They didn't understand why they had this need, but they understood their physical needs. Wasn't that why she was pregnant? Pregnant...

She couldn't pull herself away. It was painful to try. She needed him. Oh how she needed him. All thoughts disappeared as his hands traveled from her waist to her face. It was somehow more arousing. He drew away quickly. His hands trembled as he held her beautiful face in his hands. For the first time he let her see how he felt, his eyes let down their barrier.

Silence.

She knew this wasn't something he let everyone see. This was something special. He was letting her see what he felt. She knew he knew how she felt. Just like him. Dazed, confused, hurt, physically attracted, and something more. Something they couldn't identify with.

She turned away. She knew it would hurt him, but this was best. For all of them. She lowered her hand to her stomach, then to her side. She needed to go. She needed to leave. Woman's intuition. She felt like dying...

"I have to go." Her tone was dead as she brushed past him. "If you knew, you would understand."

Spike's hands balled into fists. "Then tell me what's wrong. Don't just walk away expecting me to understand!"

She turned her head to face him, tears in her eyes. "I can't! You wouldn't understand anyway! You don't want what I want! Just let me live my life Spike! You lived yours and I let you! I let you go!" She hurried down the stairs holding back the sobs that threatened to spill.

Spike's fists loosened as his face turned into the unreadable laid-back expression. Behind the unreadable face, the unreadable eyes, were pain and misunderstanding.


Author's Note: I hope this one was "slower" than the last! The next one will most likely be that of a flashback, but I'm not sure when it'll be out. Maybe a week? I would like to thank the following reviewers...

DeathIsOnlyTheBeginin: I hope this one was long enough! Sorry, but I just don't know how other writers do it. They can crank out, to borrow your phrase, a whole "plate"ful. I'll try and keep them this long at least, or longer. Thanks for reviewing!

ni9htdreame12: Thanks!

skygoddess3001: Okay, okay! I'm writing! But really, thanks.

Kendra Luehr: Yeah, the dreaming thing was real. I hope this chapter was long enough to keep you interested! Thanks again for reviewing. I live off reviews!

ninalee-chan: It is going a bit fast, but hopefully the next chapter will make up for it and slow it down a tad, but just a tad. Thanks for the critique!

luda: Updated soon! At least I hope so.