DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Bebop 'verse. I own Tilly. She's mine. I have nothing more to say. Only on the second cup of coffee. Woke up late.


Jet and Faye landed in the Hammerhead next to Faye's Redtail. Jet was worried they would have to pay the parking fee again, but the diminutive dock master waved them along.

"Where's your other friend?" he asked. "I saw her buying lunch a while back."

"Working," Jet replied as he and Faye continued along. The small man waved a farewell and Faye looked over to Jet, eyebrow raised. "It's really a funny story there, but not 'til later."

The pair walked in silence, taking in their surroundings as they approached the main hub of the Spaceport market square. Faye scanned the faces for O'Mara, her eyes narrowed and determined. Jet looked around casually to see if he could spot Tilly in the crowd.

"So," Jet began as casually as he could. "You gonna tell me what's up with this guy?"

Faye snorted in response.

"Well, then," he continued. "You gonna tell me why you feel this sudden camaraderie toward Tilly?"

Faye continued gazing around her, looking for any sign of O'Mara. Inwardly she groaned, realizing that Jet wasn't about to le this go. "Let's just say," she finally answered in a distracted voice, "Tilly and I have an understanding."

"What kind of understanding?" Jet asked, smiling. He thought he saw- no. Not Tilly, just a slim brunette. Tilly was probably hot on O'Mara's trail by now.

"Basically," Faye replied, "I leave her alone and she won't bring Julia back."

Jet spun to look at Faye, his eyes wide. She looked over at him and nearly burst out laughing at his expression.

"It's a metaphor," she explained. "Tilly would never dream of really bringing Julia here. What I meant is she plans to give Spike plenty of room so he won't go all moody on us. Well," she tilted her head, thinking. "No moodier than usual at least."

Jet sighed and turned away to scan the sea of faces once more. "I don't think she'll really have much choice in the – There! There she is!" Jet exclaimed and pointed. Faye turned to look.

"Let's go," she called and took off in the direction Jet had indicated. "I'm gonna wring her neck."

Jet followed close behind Faye, smiling at her protective urges.


Tilly moved through the crowd. She had no idea where this throng had come from, but it was beginning to feel as though O'Mara had summoned them to hold her back. Gritting her teeth as another shoulder bumped her, Tilly shook her head at the idea of Eamon being responsible for this crush of humanity.

He was toying with her, that was certain, and she knew it. She had spent the last hour and a half wandering the station and she was nowhere close to finding him. Tilly muttered a string of curses and then smiled apologetically at the tiny old woman who looked up at her with disapproval.

"'Scuse me, ma'am." Tilly smiled, trying to look as cute as possible. "My, erm… You haven't seen by any chance a man, have you? He's a- well, not a friend really, but he's about yay tall," Tilly held her hand about a foot above her head. "And he has bright red hair, sorta cute. We got separated."

The little woman stared up at Tilly. She then raised a gray eyebrow and clutched her little black handbag tighter to her chest. With a small sniff of disdain, she brushed past Tilly who simply stood and stared after her, mouth agape in shock.

Shaking her head and smiling a little at the brass of the old woman, Tilly turned away. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Jet and Faye working their way toward her. Knowing Faye's dislike of O'Mara, Tilly was fairly certain the only thing that had brought her here was Spike opening his mouth.

"Damn it." Tilly ducked into the crush of bodies and worked her way to the spot she had last seen Eamon. "First I'm going to bag the hot leprechaun. Then I'm going to slap Spike so hard his teeth will bruise."

When Tilly emerged form the stream of people, she took stock of her surroundings. This was the spot she had seen him, but there was no evidence O'Mara had been here. Growling in frustration, Tilly pulled out her com.

"Ed!"

"Tilly-Whirl!" Ed's image swum back and forth across the screen, Ein jumping into the picture as Ed went out of frame. "No-where man!" Ed called. "Can't find records!"

"Ed, forget that." Tilly snapped. Ed stopped swerving and stared at Tilly, eyes wide. "Ed, I need you to break into the station's vid system. See if you can get me a visual on O'Mara. I'll never find him just running around."

Ed squealed in excitement. "Ed will find him!"

"Call me back if you do." Tilly signed off. Behind her came the sound of laughter. Spinning around, Tilly was disappointed to see an old gypsy woman with a cigar between her teeth.

"So," she spoke lowly in a voice of gravel and age. "You're the girl trying to catch Mr. O'Mara." Tilly narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to the old woman.

"He's a bounty. Have you seen him?"

"You'd do better with him in your bed." She grinned and revealed surprisingly good teeth.

"Sorry," Tilly smirked. "I've got enough men-problems. No call for adding more. Where can I find O'Mara?" Tilly flipped the woman a $1,000 woolong credit. The gypsy caught it mid-air and examined it for a moment.

"He's watching from behind the blue pillar behind you."

Tilly spun around in time to see Eamon pull himself behind the pillar.

"O'Mara!" she shouted and took off across the crowded walkway. Eamon cursed and took off, desparate to evade Tilly and wondering how much she had paid to top his own $500 woolong. Smirking to himself he realized she must be desperate. Eamon only had to stay free for another half hour.

At the end of the walkway Faye and Jet heard Tilly's shout. Looking toward her voice they saw a redheaded man running away from and small brunette. With a quick look to each other Faye and Jet took off in hot pursuit. The chase was on.