Faye: You had to make me so sappy in that first chapter didn't you (Cocks Gun)

Sakura Angel: (Gulps) Aw common Faye there's more to you than skimpy clothes and cigarettes.

Faye: Frowns If you turn this into a soap opera you are going to be tortured eternally by Boo-Bahs!

Sakura Angel: NOOOOO! —My Luke moment. I promise no soap opera!

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop or its characters. They belong to Studio Bones and their respective owners. I apologize for such a long, long delay in updates. I will try to be more vigilant and upload at least one new chapter every couple of months. I let school overwhelm me for a bit, and honestly graduation pushed it right out of my head. Forgive me!

Spike was busy watching the Bigshot; apparently a hacker had earned himself a big bounty by obliterating the ISSP's system with viruses. Jet had come back from watering his precious bonsai. He gave Spike and Faye a critical eye, as both were looking cozy.

"You've got explaining to do," Jet said gruffly. Faye, who had been fishing for a cigarette, then agreed and gave Spike a nasty sneer.

"Yeah, who the hell do you think you are to have us all worried? You barge off like that, we think you're dead and all of a sudden you do a Lazarus on us!" Faye growled with such ferocity that even Spike looked shocked.

"Well, I'm here," Spike said dryly. Jet and Faye looked pissed.

"That's not going to do. If you want to stay here you better explain yourself." Jet said firmly. Ed and Ein could be heard in the background playing a weird game of tag.

Faye looked livid, and Spike sighed. He wasn't sure of all the details himself.

"Look, I don't exactly remember everything myself. I'll do the best I can." Spike answered and the Jett and Faye's faces seemed to relax a bit.

"As I told you, I went off to find out if I ever was really alive. There were days my life felt like a dream. Like I wasn't really here but a copy of a former self," Spike paused to gauge the reactions of his shipmates. Faye looked a bit upset at his statement, and Jet was wearing a determinedly poker face. Spike plunged on.

"Well, I went to face Vicious. I felt the gunshot, the blood pooled around me. I closed me eyes to total blackness. I don't remember much except a caw of a raven. That was the last thing I remember. I thought that that was the end. I thought that was death." Spike said in a bitter tone.

Faye stopped him. "So, you thought you were dead?"

Spike smirked. "Wouldn't you if you'd been shot by one of the world's best assassins?" Spike said with a touch of sarcasm. Faye blanched a bit.

"Anyway," Spike continued. "I woke up in a hospital bandaged all to hell. To put it mildly I looked like s." Spike laughed a bit, although the others did not.

"A hospital?" Jet questioned. His robotic arm as behind his back.

"Yeah, and I have no clue how I got there. I couldn't even believe I was really alive for the longest time. According to the staff there, I just was in a daze bitching about Vicious and how much I hated the syndicate." Spike announced.

"Well, eventually I had to accept I wasn't dead. I took a long time to heal, I suppose for a while my heart wasn't in it. I didn't really know what to think. Then, I remembered saying I'd be back." Spike nodded to Faye who leaned forward. "I knew I had to keep my promise and get back somehow. I knew this wasn't going to be easy. I had to get, well more like steal a ship and try to locate you guys. I couldn't use the old e-mail method because Ed wasn't with you anymore."

Ed has just raced into the room and her eyes were a glow.

"Spi-Spi has an e-mail!" She did a cartwheel and Spike looked baffled.

E-mail? Why, am I getting e-mail if people think I'm dead?" Spike mused.

"Edward doesn't know. The sender is named Julia!" Edward proclaimed innocently. Spike seemed to become clammy and Faye's face began to drain in fear. This was it, the moment she'd been dreading. Spike would take off and she'd never see him again. He'd go off after Julia.

Spike glanced around the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt the story, but I need to go check that mail. Show me Ed." Spike said calmly and Faye followed concern etched in her pretty features.