Memories Too Painful

(A/N: This story is set 15 years after the \"death\" of Spike. Ed is 28 and has a child. The child\'s name is Julia, and Ed\'s reasons for naming her that come out later in the story. If you wish to flame, then take your nose elsewhere, Flames are NOT welcome!)

Ed watched the stars go by as she silently brushed her hair. She sighed and turned to the tall child behind her. The girl was a mirror image of her when she was younger. Tall, thin, and catlike in movements. She was currently sitting upside down on the couch and undoing the clamps on Jet’s boots.

“Julia, enough of that!” Ed shouted, her voice laced with amusement and exasperation.

Julia ignored her and hummed to herself as she undid the last clamp. She sat up and stood. She flung herself into the air aiming for the sleeping Jet’s lap. His eyes opened in time and he braced for the impact. The sound of laughter echoed through the ship. Jet smiled at Julia and put his finger to his lips.

“Shhh..lia,lia, you do not want to wake Faye.” He smiled at the girl and helped her stand up. Pointing to his boots he said. “Hey, you wanna help me re-buckle these?”

Julia smiled and nodded. She bend down and began to refasten the clamps she’d just un-done.

“Jet please tell me I was not this much of a terror when I was younger.” Ed walked over to the couch and sat down, looking at her daughter with a smile.

“There was no word for you when you were younger. Brilliant and mad all in the same body, though you did bring a bit of life to us. We were sad to see you go.”

“Why did you never stop me, or even come to look for me?”

“I felt you needed to find your dad, and yourself. I think Spike was glad. He had no patience for kids.”

“Oh, I remember that too well. He only liked me when I was useful to him, and even then I think he only barely tolerated me. I’d hate to see how he’d react to Julia.”

“What ever possessed you to name her Julia? Spike would have been unhappy with that.” Jet turned away from Ed and sighed. “But then again I can’t blame you. That name is the only reminder you have of him. He’s been gone for 15 years now.”

Jet turned back to Ed and gave her a thoughtful look. She’d changed in her years away from the Bebop. Jet had rescued her from a scary situation nearly eight years ago. Her daughter, Julia, had never been on a planet before. Jet smiled at the memory of him and Faye helping her deliver Julia.

“I know, I chose the name because I thought it was a lovely name. Better than mine now that I think of it, a girl named Edward. I must have been some freak.” She sighed. “I cringe at the stories you and Faye tell Julia about me.”

“Then maybe we’ll tell her how she was born. And with two midwives who’d never even been around women having babies.”

Ed chuckled. Jet had been in pure panic mode when she’d gone into labor. He desperately tried to find some medical transport or something to help. In the end, Ed herself hacked into a hospital’s database and found the procedure on delivering a baby. Jet and Faye marely read it and went by the screen.

“Be sure to tell her that it was ME who had to coach you both through it. No brave Jet to save the day.”

It was Jet’s turn to chuckle.

“We made it though, Kid, that we did. I’m proud to be her God-Father. Hell I’m the only father figure she knows.”

Jet looked down at Julia who was curled up on the couch with her head in Jet’s lap. He laid his good hand on her head and gently swept the red hair back. The child stirred in her sleep, but didn’t awaken. Jet carefully moved her head and stood. He scooped her up and carried out of the lounge.

Ed turned her attention to her monitor and keyed in a code. Her eyes narrowed at the thought of her childhood. A flicker caught her attention. A mysterious bounty! Sead ead further into the detail and didn’t hear Jet return until he spoke.

“What are you reading?” Ed shrieked and jumped, bumping into Jet’s chin. “UMPH!!”

“Don’t do that to me!!” Ed glared at Jet.

“Sorry kid, I was just asking you what you are doing.” Jet rubbed his chin. “Whoa.. That’s a LOT of money!”

Ed looked back at the screen. The mysterious bounty carried nearly 80 million woolongs. The stipulations on it were steep, though.

“That will have them lining up throughout the galaxy.” Jet mused.

“I highly doubt that,” Ed said. “The stipulations of getting the bounty are very steep. Listen to this: Half the bounty will be paid upon pick up of portable cryogenic unit, rest to be paid once it has left the star system. We are well outside those boundaries. I could take the Swordfish there and back within a few days, and we’ll have all the money we’d need for a long time.”

“You do remember that we have to split the money three ways. Evenly, too. Though we should set aside money for hard times.”

“That would give us enough to do so, and have lots of money to spare.”

Ed began to type furiously. Within seconds she’d sent and received a message.

“Wow, that bounty has gone up. Seems the person who’s holding that unit is under pressure from some crime syndicate. They’ve upped the ante to well over 100 million.” Ed turned to Jet. “There is only one person to bring that kind of bounty to ensure their safety. Or even the safety of the person holding them.”

Jet and Ed exchanged looks as Faye entered the room. She gave them a quizzical look. They didn’t notice her and went back to the screen.

“So what’s all the hushed conversation about?” Faye asked, irritably. “Finding a way to boot me off the ship? Make sure you boot the kid off to.”

Ed glared at her over the screen. Faye totally adored Julia, there was no doubt about that. Most of the time, she joking referred to her as “the kid”.

“You and Julia are going no where except maybe grocery shopping.”

Faye’s green eyes widened in surprise. “Why?”

Ed didn’t answer but ran to her ship, a copy of the Swordfish II that was sitting next to it. She opened the cockpit and lept inside.

“I’m going to rescue an old friend.”

With that, the cockpit closed. She opened the bay doors and flew off into the vast expanse of space around the Bebop. Her ship disappeared among the stars, leaving Faye confused.

“Where is she going Jet?” Fay lit a cigarette as she watched the stars.

\"She\'s going after...\"

Just then, Julia ran into the room carrying a old photo of Spike. She yelled happily and ran toward Jet. The photo was not old, but new?

\"Could it be? Is he really alive?\"