DISCLAIMER: I have come to the conclusion that Canderous is far more worthy of my time than Carth. Oh, yeah... and I don't own Cowboy Bebop or any characters belonging to the original creation. I do own Tilly and Eamon, and personally speaking I think Tilly is far more interesting than Elektra ever was. So there.
Spike looked over to the door at the sound of the bell, hoping against hope it was the attendant. Not seeing her Spike was disappointed for a moment, his face comically crestfallen.
"Glad to see you too, Spike," Tilly laughed and sat beside him. Spike's nose rose and he sniffed the air.
"That for me?" He asked, eying the food in Tilly's arms.
"Some of it, yeah," She handed two of the buns to Spike, and a beverage, opening a third roll and a soda for herself. "Be glad I didn't drop those," she pointed her chin to his food."
Spike rose an eyebrow and simply dug into his food. The two of them ate in silence for a moment, Spike inhaling the sausages and buns, Tilly actually taking time to chew and swallow.
"So, what are you here for?" Tilly asked after a couple of minutes.
"Paying a ticket and a fine," Spike seethed. Tilly raised her eyebrows in curiosity, tying not to laugh at his reaction.
"What happened?"
Spike took a deep breath. "THEY IMPOUNDED MY SHIP!" He shouted, squishing the last of his second bun between his fingers, causing the sausage to shoot across the room. They watched it bounce and roll under a chair. Spike hung his head low. "This is not my day.
Tilly burst out laughing, trying too late to hide her smile behind her bun. Spike gave her a sardonic look, and that only caused her to laugh harder.
"I said that guy was bad luck!" she laughed. Spike eyed her like he was looking at a lunatic. "I'll tell you later. You should have just paid the fee!"
"Bite it, Tilly." Spike drank his beverage in one long pull and Tilly laughed quietly to herself before they both returned to silence. After a few moments, Spike stole a glance at Tilly and saw that her eyes had glazed over.
"How's the bounty going?"
Tilly took a deep breath and handed the rest of her bun to Spike. "I should get to it. Putting off those two hours won't keep 'em from happening."
Spike grunted a 'huh?' and rose an eyebrow over the bun.
"I'm an idiot, Spiegel. I really am." When Spike's brows knotted from confusion, Tilly just shook her head. "I made a bet. A really stupid bet." She stood and started pacing in front of Spike. "He gave me two hours to catch him. If I can get O'Mara before the two hours are up, he'll go quietly. But if I can't…" Tilly sighed and resumed her seat by Spike, sunk low in the chair, her legs stretched out and crossed in front of her.
"If you can't?" Spike encouraged. Tilly growled in frustration.
"Then I have to let him go, and I have to meet him tonight for a DATE!"
Spike froze, bun halfway into his mouth and eyes wide. Deep in his chest, something clenched, twisting his gut. Beside him, Tilly sighed and stood.
"Well, I should get going." She walked to the exit and turned back as she opened the door. "Wish me luck!" She called to him before turning and walking out into the street. Across the way, hidden from view, Eamon smiled, admiring the way Tilly walked, the way her curves knew exactly how to respond to her demands.
"Good luck," Eamon whispered.
Inside the DPSS, Spike's appetite was gone.
"Good luck, Tilly."
Faye sat cleaning her gun, her room dark except for the one lamp over her bed, lighting her work. In front of her, on the bed, sat a picture she had printed off the bounty sheet. Eamon O'Mara, the one guy she had truly cared for until Spike. Spike? Faye shook her head to get his eyes from her mind. Right now, she wanted to focus on O'Mara.
"You're a bastard, you know that?" she smiled at the picture. "I wasn't good enough for you, was I? Damaged goods. Too shifty, too hard, not soft enough for you." Faye slammed a magazine home and pulled a round into the chamber. "I'll bet she's caught your eye, though. She's caught everyone's damned eye, but I'll tell you something, you son of a bitch. If you lay one hand on her," Faye shook her gun at he picture. "I'll castrate you myself. We all need Tilly here. She's too important to us, and she's way to good for you." Faye clicked the safety off, tossed the photo away from her, and fired two rounds into it as it fluttered to the ground.
"Sounds like a lot of repressed anger, there."
Faye jumped and let out a yell of shock, swinging the gun to aim at the voice. Jet ducked just in time as a bullet whizzed out into the hallway.
"Damn it, Faye!" he growled, picking himself up from the floor.
"Sorry Jet," Faye frowned. "What were you doing there anyway? How long –"
"Long enough," he replied. "I came to ask exactly how you know so much about O'Mara, but I think I got my answer already."
Faye opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when Jet's com beeped.
"Yeah?" Jet flipped open the com, but never looked down.
"Jet!" Spike called out. "Are you with Tilly?" Jet looked down and frowned at Spike's slightly panicked expression.
"No, I'm with Faye. What's up?"
Faye moved over to Jet's side as Spike explained about the bet. Jet's smile deepened and broadened until he was roaring with laughter. Spike's frustration got the better of him.
"It's not funny, Jet!"
"No, it's not," Faye agreed. "Come on Jet, we have work to do." Faye signed off the com as Spike was distracted by a bell ringing in the background. Jet watched Faye storm off with a smile on his lips, and a cold look in his eyes. Faye had been right. Tilly was too necessary to the crew to be taken down by this O'Mara guy. With a wry chuckle, he followed Faye to the hangar.
A/N: Sorry this is so short, but you'll be pleased to know that this particular side story is finished. I'm just posting it here in pieces the way I saved them originally when I planned this for quizilla. If you want more, I'm gonna be cruel and make you ask for it, but don't feel you have to beg. After all, this is only fanfiction, and I'm by and far NOT the best author on this site. I just like a little feedback. ;-D Ciao!
