Well, I was going to wait until I got more reviews until I posted the next chapter, but the two that I got made me so happy I decided to post it now – Shrew loves getting reviews. When she doesn't get any, she gets sad and stops writing for a while. So if you like the story, please review.

Oh!! And I don't own Cowboy Bebop or any of its characters. Sigh, but I wish I did – then I wouldn't have to starve at college because I have no money.

-Shrew

Chapter Two: Party Drama

"I would so rather be playing Soul Caliber II right now. Why am I here again?"

Faye rolled her eyes as Verena continued to complain about being forced to leave the sanction of her room. "Because I promised to buy you Kingdom Hearts for your birthday if you did. Now stop bitching and start smiling at the nice people around you."

Verena snorted in disbelief and tossed a glare at the person trying to take her coat. "Do you mind? Keep your fucking hands off me!"

"Ed is sorry – she was told to take people's coats at the door. So that is what she is doing."

Both Verena and Faye stared at the woman before them unblinking. She had long unruly orange hair, amber colored eyes, and a dark tan. But what had really caught their attention was the way she had referred to herself in the third person. Faye looked horrified and Verena looked as if she had found a long lost relative.

"Where the hell have you been all year dude?" Verena finally burst out as she wrapped her arms her new instent friend.

"The Computer Lab! Ed works there and spends most of her time there. She tends to frighten people – at least that is what her step brother tells her. Spike says I talk too much and am too smart for my own good..."

Though Ed had continued talking, both Faye and Verena had stopped paying attention at the name Spike. They looked at each other, shook their heads in denial, and prayed to god that for once, there gut feeling was wrong.

"Hey, um Ed, you wouldn't be talking about a Spike with green puffy hair and evil red brown eyes would you?" Verena asked, doing her best not to let any emotion into her voice. At the other girl's node, she turned to Faye and swallowed hard. "Is he here by any chance?"

"Yep. He wouldn't let Ed to a party like this without being there. He can be a very over protective brother sometimes. But Ed loved him anyway."

"Hey Faye, you ah, don't think he found that little...gift we left him yet, do you?" Verena whispered as she looked around for the person in question. It was then they both felt a hand rest on their shoulders.

"Why yes, he did. And if you will both come this way, he will repay you both for it."

Both women jumped at the smooth masculine voice that sounded in their ears. Looking over at Verena, Faye tilted her head to the side slightly and flexed her shoulders. Verena's dark brown eyes narrowed into slits as she shook her head no. They had gone through this many-a-time before, but never had Faye had this look in her eye. It didn't body well for either of them. "Faye no. I have a bad feeling about this."

"You want to get pumbled?"

"No..."

"Then you know what to do."

"I still don't like it."

"It's our only option. You ready?"

Verena bit her bottom lip gently and nodded. Taking a deep breath, she kicked her leg back as hard as she could – and ended up kicking air and almost fell on her face. If not for Spike's steadying hand, she probably would have ended up face down on the ground.

"You know girls, if you don't want your opponent to know what you are up to, you shouldn't talk about your planes in frount of him. You two are so fucking pathetic you're almost not worth my time."

Faye twisted out of his grasp and punched him hard in the ribs. When he gasped out in pain, she smiled bitter sweetly. Seeing that Verena was still just standing there, she gave her a hard shove toward the door and got into her fighting stance. "You were saying something Spike?"

Spike grunted and straitened his posture slightly. Rolling his head back until his neck cracked, he smiled crookedly and bowed. "Congratulations. You were successful in sucker punching me. Very grown up Faye. But what would I expect from someone who leaves a dead lizard in someone else's bed?"

"What do you mean dead? The lizard wasn't dead."

"Yes it was."

"It most certainly was not. That thing is Verena's baby. The only reason she even agreed to let me use it was because we made the room warm enough for it and no one other then you could get in. The lizard can't be dead."

"I don't have time for this fucking shit. I'm out of here."

Faye grabbed the sleeve to his dark blue shirt and tugged on it hard. "Where's the lizard Spike?"

"In the trash where you and your friend belong. Why? Is the rabid little bitch going to get upset if her little pet isn't returned?" At the baby tone Spike used, Faye saw red. Verena had spent three years trying to convince her mother to let her buy that lizard, and then another two months convincing the school it would be find to keep at college with her.

"Where's the fucking lizard Spike?"

"I told you! In the god damned trash! Now get the fuck out of my way."

"That lizard was alive and well when we left it in your room. What did you do to it?!"

"It was dead when I got there you stupid bimbo! How many times do I have to tell you that?!"

"Until you tell me the truth!"

"You want the truth? Fine! I jumped on the bed without looking and smothered the fucking thing! And you know what? I'm fucking glad I did. That thing was ugly just like you and that bitch and it disserved to die!"

Neither one of them saw the person leaning ageist the wall until they heard a loud gasp. Both Faye and Spike turned just in time to see tears streaming Verena's face, her hand raised to her mouth as if she was going to be sick.

Swallowing hard, she lifted her chin and looked Spike right in the eye, tears still falling from here own. "No living thing deserves to die. Especially not like that. Gin was the best pet anyone could ask for and...and..."

Shaking her head, she turned and ran from the building. As Faye started after her, she bumped into the last person she expected to. "What the fuck do you think your doing Spike? Don't you think you've fucked with my friend enough tonight? Stay the hell away from us both or I'll pound your head into the fucking pavement, got it?"

And with that, she ran after her friend, knowing that getting her to talk would be almost impossible. As much as Verena pretended to let nothing get to her, lots of things did. She was one of the most sensitive people Faye had ever met. And as soon as her friend was better, she was going to beat Spike into a bloody pulp for making her best friend cry.

"Spike, you had better be ready for me next time we meet. Because I'm going to beat you within an inch of your good for nothing life..."