Edie's eyes fluttered open to see the desolate city that stood before her. The skyscrapers that once aimed for mid-heaven, were decayed and some even leveled. Each breath she took in was heavy with smoke and sod. The landscape that surrounded her was scorched and the cement was covered in potholes and puddles of still water.

Where am I?

"Yo Eddy!" A voice beamed behind.

She knew that voice. She could never bring herself to forget it. Edie's heart pounded with such ferocity and desperation that it meant to rip right through her chest and out her breast. She fought the desire to turn around and face him. In secret, she missed his face. Missed his eyes, most of all. His eyes were always bright with determination. He could conquer the world with those eyes and she knew that was, exactly, what he intended to do.

"Eddy." He cooed.

She couldn't deny it any further and gave into him. Edie pivoted to see Felix with a shotgun firmly rested on his shoulder. A wide grin spread across his thin face.

"You still look the same after all this time." He chuckled, seeing the color drain from her face.

Felix still looked the same too. The two years that had passed treated him nicely and aged him handsomely. He ran his hand through his long auburn hair to pull it out of his face. He was more beautiful than she remembered. Edie felt foolish for looking at him passionately. She studied his stance. So self-righteous. The defiant smile that she fell for. It was like she was looking back in time to when they first met. Edie gulped hard and redirected her gaze to the floor. A puddle laid idle beside her and she could clearly see her own reflection. What she saw frightened her. It didn't depict Edie. It depicted Eddy. Edie had short, choppy bright blue hair and liked to wear dark make-up. Eddy had luscious long black hair and never wore make-up because she never really needed to.

"Eddy's dead." She breathed. Felix laughed hard and uncontrollably at her words. He, then, regained his composure and brought down the shotgun.

He aimed the gun at Edie and whispered, "Eddy's not dead. Not yet." as he pulled the trigger.

"NO!" shrieked Edie as she shot up from her bed.

She was drenched in sweat and her heart raced at 200 mph. The clock read midnight, Mars time. After receiving the payment for Tharsis City's bounty, Joan Dilia, and splitting it three ways, the three members of the Bebop did their own thing. By which means, everyone went to sleep...early.

Edie sat at the edge of her bed and covered her face with her hands. There was no way in hell she was going back to sleep to return to that fucking nightmare. In Edie's mind, the nightmare looped itself over and over again. She could still see Felix and see him clearly. She abruptly jumped out of bed and dressed herself in a sports bra and yoga pants. Edie needed to clear her head and what better way to do so than by hitting up the rec room?

She overheard the ship's hum as she walked down the hall. Dark enclosed most of the ship, but the windows in the downstairs common area's usually gave off a good amount of light to manage in. At last, Edie made her way in the rec room, turned on the lights, and dedicated her fury to a nearby punching bag.


Spike spent most of the night contemplating on the last expression on Joan's face before she turned from him and ran. It mirrored that of Julia's. Of true concern. Of pity. Of genuine love and interest. Something he only found in Julia. It haunted him, that lasting image of that woman who resembled so much of his dead beloved. It ate him up inside until he just couldn't stand it. Spike tried drinking the feeling away, but all that accomplished was putting him to sleep. Which, he should be thankful for since he hadn't slept in days. Midnight he awoke with a nasty hangover that took a little over an hour to cure. And as the clock ticked 1:30 Mars time, Spike didn't know what to do with himself. His best bet was to sweat it all out. He loved the high that working out and training brought him. He jumped into jogger's pants and strolled over to the rec room. As he neared the rec room he heard noises, more like grunts. He noticed that the rec room's lights were on. He entered the rec room to find Edie with her eyes closed, on the floor, tangling her body into awkward positions.

"Put a shirt on. I'd like to keep my dinner down."

Edie peeked open one eye and snickered at the figure leaning on the doorway. "You're one to talk." she hissed back seeing that he, too, lacked a shirt. She closed her eye and tried focusing back on meditating and keeping her inner zen.

"What are you doing? Making yourself into a pretzel?" Spike asked in his usual uninterested tone. Spike's suddenly loud voice startled Edie and ultimately, ruined her concentration. Both her eyes burst open to see Spike inches from her face.

"It's called meditating, you should try it some time. And why the hell are you so close to me?! Heard of personal space?!" Edie exclaimed as her arms flailed in the air to push him away.

"Oh I have and I can say, without a doubt, that I do not end up twisting myself up." He pointed brashly to her posture.

Edie had an idea of where he could stick that finger. "You know, you being here gives me a grand idea." she sat herself up and rested her fists on her wide hips with a look of almightiness. Spike knew that look well and didn't want to give Edie any additional ideas by him looking up to her as she, currently, towered over him. He stood as well to regain his position as the higher and mightier.

"How 'bout a little match between the two of us? Those punching bags don't put up too much of fight." She teased Spike. Spike didn't take the bait, instead he turned his back to her.

"I won't fight a kid." His words stung Edie, however she used them as fuel.

"You won't or you can't?" She egged.

Spike made no indication that he regarded her last question and remained facing away from Edie. It annoyed her to no end and she hated to make such a sleazy move but he gave her no choice. She raised her left leg and targeted kicking his lower back. Anticipating some sort of action from her, Spike grabbed a hold of her leg, looked back at her, and chortled. Edie based her reversal on Spike's firm grip of her. She used his grab to pick herself up from the ground and aimed her right leg for his head. Her kick grazed his face as Spike let go of her left leg and quickly stepped aside. Edie landed, effortlessly, with both feet to the ground and sniggered back at Spike.

"Not bad." Spike's stance put him on the defensive and appeared stimulated by her sharpness.

Spike's legs twirled toward her and Edie ducked and weaved to avoid the force of the kicks. As she blocked one of his kicks with both her forearms, she slid her leg out to trip Spike. Spike jumped above her low kick and pushed back to regain his footing. And onward pursued blocked, reversed and attacking kicks and punches. Their footing matched evenly and their blows were anticipated and prepared against. Their movements were so fluid that they could've easily been mistaken for dancing. The flips, twirls, and high jumps put on a breathtaking show. Spike hated to say it, but Edie was surely a worthy opponent. She wasn't to be mistaken. Though Edie appeared tiny and delicate, she used her height and small frame to her advantage in fighting. Though her power could not compare to Spike's, her agility surpassed his. Spike admired that Edie didn't fight alone with her limbs, but fought with her body. While defending herself from Spike's last punch, Edie skidded back.

Damn, he's strong. Edie assessed the current space between her and Spike and gained speed. Her hands and her strength were reinforced by the floor as she flipped herself, intending for Spike's shoulders.

"Oh no you don't." Guessing her move, Spike held out his arms apart and stepped back. Instead of landing onto Spike's shoulders, Edie landed between Spike's arms.

"Dammnit!" Edie squealed in frustration as she grasped Spike's upper arms to keep her from falling. Spike supported Edie's thighs and grinned in triumph.


"How did you know about Julia?" blurted Spike as the two smoked silently in the downstairs common area. Edie studied space's trillions of stars from the common area's many windows while blowing cigarette smoke up in the air.

"Did Jet tell you about her?" Spike reclined himself in one of the couches and stared at the ceiling.

"He didn't." She huffed.

"Then how did y.."

"Because everyone has a Julia." Spike said nothing.