Hey guys! Here's chapter two! Thanks for all the reviews, it really speeds up the writing process knowing that people enjoy reading this. Thanks to all who reviewed! Also, to that select one who said they can't help but compare my story to others, I'm not offended lol, no need for the sorry, I too have my favorite stories on . Thanks to those who pointed out my typos and grammar misfires, tell me if you spot more! I'll fix it right away. I just can't stand reading over what I already wrote lol, things end up changing too much to the point where I have no idea where I'm going with it. Keep up the reviewing guys =)

Spike

All was quiet, it seemed as if the world had stopped just for this moment. Only the moonlight lit the alley, as if it was a stage for the stalled world to watch. It seemed as even the slightest of breaths would ruin the moment. Her eyes bore into mine with such intensity, I hadn't moved an inch while she refilled the clip, I just stared, there was a ghost of a smile playing on my lips. This felt so familiar; oh that day so long ago. I saw her trigger finger twitch, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. What was I going to do if she really fired? Absolutely nothing, but I wasn't about to stop after coming so far.

"Do you really think you can shoot me?" Her eyes widened in shock, they were the first words I spoke since she attacked me. In response, her grip on the gun became tighter, her aim steadier, she sure as hell looked ready to shoot me; I could read it in her eyes, 'arrogant asshole' they said. For a second time the Glock was shot out of her hands; I smirked, I looked up to see Touya give me a nod. I saw her eyes narrow as she scanned the buildings surrounding us, there! She spotted the tell-tale glint of a scope on the sixth story window on the building to my right. I knew the mirth in my eyes was heavy, she couldn't do it then and she wouldn't do it now, "You wouldn't have been able to anyway."

That was when saw her swing her right fist towards my face. I already knew it was coming though. She didn't stop, alternating between high kicks and low blows I managed to avoid them all, never once taking the offensive. I could tell she was tired, cold, a tad drunk. She screamed in frustration as her own kick threw her off balance when I moved away at the last second, sending her hurtling towards the ground, she picked herself up into a sitting position slowly. By reaction I bent down to help her up, she shrugged away from my approaching hand and I took it back.

"You're…you're not real if I can't hit you." She said, holding herself up off the ground with her fists; I could see the dirt caking into the cuts already there from the fall. What? That's all this was? I was genuinely surprised, I knew she saw it too. I understood though, how could I have thought that our kind of reunion would be anything but tragic? She thinks I'm dead, in her mind I have been for a long time, I wouldn't know about her heart though. I rubbed the bottom of my jaw, already thinking how sore it was going to be when she got through with me. I sighed and prepared myself, I wasn't leaving here until she believed me. I wasn't leaving here without her. I knew what I had to do.

I sighed again, "I see," I said as I widened my stance, I saw a glint of surprise in her eyes, I turned my cheek to her. She stared at me long and hard, I stood unmoving, but braced. I watched as she stood on shaky legs, hands still fisted. I stood statue-like, waiting for her to hit me. It appeared that she wasn't about to disappoint. She threw her whole body into the force of that one punch, already bracing herself for the fall she had my other arm out to catch herself. Then just like that, her first connected with flesh, her body with my chest.

My face flew in the direction of her punch, but my stance was strong, I hadn't moved at all, even as the weight of her body crashed against mine. She still had it, I thought flexing my jaw. Her fists didn't stop though, she needed more proof. She needed to know for sure, and I let her. I could see what feel what she was thinking with every hit I took, 'this can't be real.' Her fists felt tiny against my chest, my body did not budge once despite her efforts. I let her hit me again and again, my arms just stretched out wide, letting her do what she wished.

I could feel her slowly running out, her eyes were getting drowsy, probably left over from all the alcohol. Her fists slowed to a stop and I felt her rest against me. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her there. Before I could act on that thought, she moved away. She turned her back to me, I reached forward to entrap her in my arms, but she ducked down and came back up with her Glock. I rolled me eyes a bit, not this again. This time however, she didn't turn to face me. She didn't press the barrel against my forehead.

"They say you can't die in your dreams; that you always wake up right before you fall off that cliff." She let out a mirthless laugh. They way her hollow laugh bounced off the walls, how the ends of her hair shook with her body, the way her hand changed grip on the gun, it all clenched at my gut, I started to get nervous. What kind of crap was she spouting out now. Shooting a look to Touya, I made sure he was on the look out.

I said nothing as she shook, I think she was crying. My eyes were trained on her gun, this was Faye, one thing that even time won't be able to change was her tendency to be reckless, but who was I to talk; that's how I am and that's how I like 'em. I wish she would turn around, not being able to read her facial expressions disconcerted me. Then she did the unthinkable, she raised the gun –to her head. I understood then, the shit about dreams and dying. My heart clenched painfully, "God dammit Faye!" I shouted, I took a step towards her, she must've heard it, "Don't come any closer!"

"You're not him! Stop pretending to be him!" She screamed, with the gun pointed at her head halted my movements. This felling, this…fear, this type of fear was something I've never felt. I felt the slightest wrong move would send her in motion. I could feel my heart pounding against my ribcage. 'Oh God, she's such an idiot' I thought with such angry anxiety. Her finger kept on twitching on the trigger. She whipped around to face me. I could feel her eyes accusing me, daring me to move. Her eyes relaxed, she seemed like she was watching a hazy dream.

I heard the slight sound of a projectile whizzing through the air, one accompanied without the accompanied sound of a shot- a sign of a silencer, Faye hadn't seemed to notice it in her stupor. It only took a glance in Touya's direction to realize it wasn't him. My mind went into overdrive, eyes widening as I saw everything in slow motion. Time seemed move frame by frame, pausing on each individual moment:

Faye's angry eyes pointing the gun on herself,

Eyes widening in shock as her body felt the impact of something tiny,

Realization when she noticed she hadn't done it herself,

Body falling, strands of purple hair flying behind her,

Her crumpled doll-like form hitting pavement,

My feet being unable to make it to her,

Mind unwilling to believe what happened,

My throat clenched shut, I wasn't even able to shout her name as she lay there. Time finally resumed, I made it to Faye. She was gathered in my arms, what in the world. Anger coursed through my veins, my body shook with it, I couldn't see straight, I could barely see her face in my rage. She looked like she was sleeping. Unable to make words a guttural moan ripped from my throat, I felt my shoulders shake. I heard the rustle of movement on either side of me. Touya and Haji flanked either side of me, both kneeling to my position. I gently cradled Faye's head against my shoulder, her forgotten gun sliding out of her hand.

"Spike-sama!" Touya was the first to speak, I ignored him. Focusing only on how soft her hair felt beneath my fingers, everything else was lost to me.

"Spike-sama!" Touya came again, unfortunately for him right in the middle of caressing her hair, my hand shot out and I felt the flesh of his neck tense under my vise-like grip, I only saw red. Haji flinched, but nonetheless held his tongue.

"S-sh-e br-" he gasps between his strangled words, "eathes s-sir." My grip automatically slackened, then finally let go as I scanned Faye over once more. Her cheeks warm and red from the earlier activity, the almost unnoticeable rise and fall of her chest, both indeed pointed to life. The haze of red in my sight had lessened, everything in their natural color once more. I felt a flutter of hope, small, but growing every second I looked at her. I looked her over completely, I was sure she had been shot, no, there was no doubt in my mind that she had been. Then I saw it, there was no over pouring blood, there was no puddle of it on the dirty ground, I found it. A thin, silver blue dart, embedded into the junction between her neck and shoulder. It wasn't ours. My men had not done this, I felt the same initial anger coursing through my veins.

I pulled out the dart, carefully, her face subconsciously scrunched up in discomfort. I smoothed the spot over once I finished, Touya, ever loyal, put out his hand and I dropped the dart into it, "Find out who did this." I ground out between my teeth.

Touya nodded and tucked it safely in his pocket, with a nod both Haji and Touya were dismissed.

I moved the hair out of her eyes as I held her close to me; oh, there would be hell to pay.

Faye

I woke to the sound of a whining mutt. Grabbing the sides of my head I blocked out the incessant noise. Ein inched closer and licked at my face, ugh, wiping away the dog spit on my face I groggily got up. My head pounded with the sudden sensation of sitting up, I felt like all the contents of my head shifted side to side, banging at the insides of my skull. Ein quickly backed off as my uncoordinated feet touched the ground, where the hell was I? This question should have been obvious since Ein was with me, but my mind refused to piece it together. I took in my surroundings, the somewhat rusting metals walls, the mustard colored couches, and the distinct smell of Jet's cooking were all tell-tale signs.

"Oh Faye, you're up. I've got Bell Peppers and Beef coming up." Deja-vu washed over me, but then again, when don't we have Bell Peppers and Beef?

"Ugh, I don't think I can stomach it a second time Jet." I managed to spout out. I knew my stomach, before I came to the Bebop, it and I were the best of friends. I knew that whatever was shoved down in the next couple minutes was quickly going to be up-chucked the next.

"What do you mean again?" Jet poked his head out of the kitchen, "I'll have you remember we had miso stew last night, if I remember, Ed quite liked it,, or at least she didn't complain about it." He said thoughtfully.

I wasn't able to comprehend his words right at this moment. My entire mind was completely muddled. I didn't have miso stew? I had vodka, lots of vodka. Right…I was at a bar. I didn't even have to think of it long because Jet finished it for me, "Oh that's right, you went out and drank yourself under the table." He muttered, a little bitter. I had? I don't remember that. Jet only had to glance at me to know I had no recollection of whatever nonsense he was talking about.

"No, you wouldn't remember, would you?" Rhetorical question, of course, I ignored him, "I got a call from a bartender to haul your ass home." He grunted, I knew he was glaring at me, I didn't have to look to know it.

"Oh, is that so?" I said, lazily massaging my temples. Then the worst thing that could happen when you had a hangover happened; Ed came in the room. She was singing nonsense as usual. Why the hell was I at a bar? I only go there for info on bounties–

"Swimming Birdy, flying fish, are yummy yummy in Edwards tummy!"– Swimming Bird! Fuck swimming bird! No…Spike! I instantly shot forward and immediately regretted it. My body felt sore, but I knew hangovers ached. Shakily I got to my feet, completely ignoring her I burst into the kitchen and grabbed Jet's arm.

My eyes watered, it couldn't have been a dream. It was ironic. Was a dream or not? I had believed one thing last night and now fiercely refused to believe it now. It couldn't have been a dream. I felt the dirt grind into my wounds. I touched him; I felt the flesh of his face. I felt the cold metal of my gun pressed into my own head. It couldn't have been my imagination; I didn't have a great one to begin with. Spike was there. I saw Spike. Spike is alive. I felt it in my heart, my body, my soul. It can't be a dream, I refused for it to be a dream. I had to know.

Jet

She clung to my arm as if she were Ed herself. I ignored the hopeful shine in her eyes and kept on moving the pan over the stove-top. Her grip on my arm was tight, refusing to be ignored. She hope in her eyes, it sparkled and shone so bright through her verdant eyes. Talking to her would be harder to do if I had to see those eyes, "Jet! I…was, you…you really picked me up from the bar?" Her voice cracked twice in that one sentence.

Through gritted teeth I recited the script, "Yeah, sleeping right on the bar, hugging a bottle of vodka; an empty one, mind you." Her face fell at my words, I had to control the grip of my artificial hand as to not destroy the handle of the frying pan. Her hold tightened for just a second longer, willing herself to still believe, then slowly, ever so slowly, her hold on me fell away as she leaned herself against the frame of the door. Her body became lax against it and her eyes became glazed, as if looking into a far off place that surely was not our mere kitchen.

"Are you okay Faye?" I didn't even understand myself how I had the gall to ask that, I felt a wave of shame wash over me. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to hold herself together. I should have never let her gone. I could see her collapsing inside herself, self-doubt rolling off her in thunderous waves.

"Have you ever had a dream, so real, that you could really feel the cold metal of a gun between your fingers? Smell the air you breathed? Taste the sting of the alcohol you drank?" She asked softly. I had, it came in the form of a woman. A woman so long ago, that it wasn't even worth mentioning anymore, but I felt the need to answer her, to at least acknowledge that there was once a time when I dreamed too.

"Yeah, it was just dream though." I said roughly, taking the pan off of the stove-top, carefully forking the contents out onto individual plates. Faye gazed at me with those eyes again. I knew she wasn't done with the subject.

"What happened?" I heard her speak again, even softer than before.

I sighed, walking towards the threshold to the common room, plates of bell peppers and beef in hand, I paused when I past her. She leaned against the wall; it seemed to be the only thing holding her up at the moment. Her head slightly slumped over her right shoulder as she still held herself with her arms. Carefully looking at her defeated expression, I gave her my answer. Then I left her with my words, leaving her collapsing into herself on the kitchen floor, pretending I didn't know that I was crushing her spirit, her very soul, oh…Faye.

"I woke up."