It Was Late. Time On The Bebop Was Not Something Regulated With Any Strict Attention To Accuracy, Not

It was late. Time on the Bebop was not something regulated with any strict attention to accuracy, not when so many of their days varied to correspond with whatever planet or moon they were near. But regardless, it was late.

Ed had zonked out hours ago using Ein as a pillow. They were on the bridge, wedged up against the star chart console. They'd been playing a game of connect the dots with various stars to create constellation pictures when Spike had first checked on the duo. When the noises from the bridge had grown suspiciously quiet he'd taken another peek and had discovered their unconscious state.

Usually Spike would scoop up the hacker to deposit her on the couch, often prompting her to half awaken and spout some nonsense, but she and Ein seemed exceedingly comfortable in their repose. At least he knew they'd be plenty warm since the heat was malfunctioning.

For once it was due to a genuine mechanical error and not Faye siphoning coolant from the ship. Well, since she was sprawled atop Spike's torso he assumed she was innocent this time anyway. Then again making assumptions about Faye was a quick way to get oneself into trouble. Still, she seemed unlikely to bail at the moment.

Her breathing was slow and steady, comforting in its regularity. It would probably lull him to sleep soon but in the meantime he was busy trying to commit everything about this moment to memory.

The familiarity of the couch cushions against his body, a place that felt like home to him in a way nowhere ever had. Though perhaps that was mostly due to the woman sprawled upon him. Peacefully, lazily, he began to catalog all the wonderful details of Faye Right Now.

The way her tank top had ridden up so her lower back was bare. How her right hip and ass cheek felt under his left palm. The reassuring weight of her slumbering form stretched out from his chin to nearly his ankles. The tickle of her hair against his jawline and his bare chest. Even the soft snores she was emitting periodically.

Part of him wanted to wrap his other arm around her as well, to draw her tightly against his own form and bury his face in her neck. If he moved though she'd wake up and be crabby. A Faye without adequate sleep was not a pleasant Faye to deal with. But on the other hand, maybe she was still drunk enough that she'd be inclined to pursue the goal she'd had earlier.

With nothing to do on board the ship while they waited for Jet to return with parts to fix the propulsion - since that had been the only wonky system when the older man had left - they'd decided to sit around and get tipsy. Faye, eager to explore her own newfound memories, had challenged him to a game of two truths and a lie. It had started innocently enough but after half a bottle of bourbon it had devolved into a confessional which Spike had only been half expecting.

Faye wasn't exactly a master of disguising her feelings, after all. Her affection had been fairly obvious when he'd left to confront his past. He'd returned to the Bebop more than half dead and genuinely interested in finding out just how deep her emotions ran, but Faye had been fickle for weeks on end. The entire time he spent convalescing on the couch she'd spent feigning disinterest and ignoring any overture he made.

It had been confusing at first and then irritating once he realized she was determined to keep up the act for the foreseeable future. When Ed had messaged them out of the blue and said she was ready to come back Faye had been over the moon with joy and Spike found himself surprisingly hurt by how welcoming she was to the teen while she kept herself carefully restrained around Spike himself.

At long last she'd opened up to him and while he could have lorded that over her, he'd gone the more mature route and given her a steamy look before leaning over to whisper in her ear... "It's about damn time." And then he'd pulled her into his lap for a make out session that resulted in his shirt being tossed aside and things heading in a very good direction until she'd literally passed out mid kiss.

Never one to take advantage of a woman in a compromised state of mind, he'd simply reclined backwards until they wound up in the position they were currently occupying. It was enough for now. It was more than enough, really. It was beyond his wildest dreams, especially considering how hot and cold she'd been running with him lately, which had been enough to have him second guessing her reaction to his departure nearly a year ago.

But this... Whether it was the liquid courage or just her own exhaustion with keeping her heart locked away... It was enough to rekindle his interest. To give him hope in what lay ahead between them. There was no rush, no pressure, nothing but all the time in the world to figure out the next step together.

Excitement at the prospect was building inside of him, but the alcohol and Faye's weight on his chest were starting to knock him out. It was a potent combination, especially when mixed with the relief he felt at being here on the Bebop with Faye - who'd admitted her infatuation! - tucked against him like she belonged there. Feeling tranquil and secure for the first time in ages, Spike let himself drift off to sleep.

She's the stain of ashes fallen on the bed spread, smeared. She's the stain of lipstick pressed to his cheeks, his lips, his chin - smeared. Stains and smears, a messy personality and a messy life. But he relishes all of it. Once upon a time he knew a woman so refined - who wore aprons in the kitchen and leather on the streets - whose hair fell in loose tumbles exactly as she styled it, who seemed perfection poured into a womanly mould. What a crock. It hadn't been an illusion, not exactly, but a mask so well fitted that he hadn't seen the truth when it stared him in the face. Perhaps the grittiest, truest part of Julia had been her admittance to women being liars - yet he'd thought her words a jest, a flirt. She'd been so immaculate, so above reproach. The purest thing in a world of blood and pain.

Fuck all that.

Give him a woman with flaws, with faults. Give him a woman unafraid to speak her mind, to stand her ground, to chase after her hopes and dreams. Give him a woman raw and rough, with jagged edges, with full range of the entire spectrum of emotion, with a vigor and a vitality that none could match.

Give him a woman who sings offkey, who swears and smokes and snores. Give him a woman who gambles with her money, her life, and her heart. Give him a woman who can kick his ass, who fires right back when fired upon. Foul-mouthed, flighty, fortune-seeking Faye. Good god, what a woman!

***

The analysis pieces by @plutomango have left all sorts of interesting ideas and concepts floating around in my subconscious! If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and check out those works because they are thoughtful and thought provoking!

"Are you even listening to me?" Jet grumbled.

"Huh? What's that now?"

Jet stared daggers at his partner as he stirred his chopsticks in his cup o' noodles. "I've been trying to tell you about a bounty in this area we should go after. But I can see you're too distracted to be of any use on this mission so I think I'll just handle it myself."

Sighing distractedly, Spike looked away from the playpen and over at his partner. "I can't help it, Jet! He's got her eyes and you know I'm a sucker for those,"

The ex-cop refused to glance in the direction of the baby in the pen. He knew all too well just how adorable baby Lupin was and dammit someone needed to stay focused!

"Why'd Faye leave him out here anyway? What's she up to?" Jet asked suspiciously.

"Uhhh... I mean... I think she said something before she left but she kissed me hard enough to lay me out on the couch," Spike admitted, rubbing the back of his head and trying hard not to blush.

"She's not even on board?! What the hell! What if he gets hungry? What are we supposed to feed him at this age?!" Jet was aghast and suddenly incredibly nervous. Little Lupin was only a few months old and to the best of Jet's knowledge Faye hadn't left the tyke once in all that time. And suddenly she was gone? Who in their right mind would leave Spike in charge?! Unless... She assumed Jet would take command? He gulped. Babies made him uncomfortable. He'd yet to even hold Lupin, truthfully. He was so tiny, so delicate! And Jet's own metal arm made him wary of touching anything so young and fragile.

Spike had turned back to the playpen and the baby stuck on his tummy. He was too young to be able to so much as sit up - in fact he was still learning how to hold his head up - which meant he wasn't able to get up to much trouble at least.

Lupin seemed determined to figure out how to use his arms to keep his face off the mat of the playpen but he wasn't doing a very good job of pushups. It seemed to be occupying all of his attention, except when he'd try to look at Spike and would faceplant, but so far that hadn't upset him to the point of tears.

"Hey, Jet... I gotta use the shitter. You mind keeping an eye on him for a minute? He's not gonna go anywhere..." Without waiting for a reply, Spike vaulted to his feet and disappeared down the hallway.

Jet gaped. Oh no. This was not good. Where was Faye? Where was Ein? Hell, where was Ed even? Being responsible for such a new life was sheer torture! Anxiety stole over him, making a cold sweat break out on his brow. Dammit he knew those two having a baby would lead to more stress than he wanted to deal with!

Lupin had not noticed his father bail on him, but to be fair Jet wasn't even sure if he had been able to see Spike in the first place. Faye had said something about babies not having much ability to see things farther away. It was something that improved quickly but Jet couldn't remember any of the details.

Still, Jet regarded the infant like a ticking time bomb. There was no way to know if or when he might be set off and start squalling for food or companionship or, ugh, a diaper change. Jet enjoyed domestic chores like cooking for the crew and didn't mind making changes due to Faye's dietary needs while pregnant, but he absolutely had not signed up for any diaper duty!

*

"What's he doing?" Faye asked curiously. She was sitting on the edge of the deck, leisurely smoking a joint while petting Ein with her other hand. Spike was nearby peering over Ed's shoulder at the camera feed from the living room being displayed on her computer.

"Staring at Lupin with horror in his eyes," Spike snickered. "Or were you asking about Lupin? He's still trying to keep his face off the ground."

Faye snorted. "You say that as if I haven't seen you tip onto your face with no attempt made at catching yourself. How many times have you busted your nose doing that anyway?"

"Babe, using your arms after you lose consciousness is a skill I'd love to have but it just isn't in the cards." Spike touched his nose absently. "Anyway I don't keep tabs on injuries I've sustained."

"Too many boo-boos, Spike-person wouldn't be able to count that high," Ed teased, grinning wickedly up at the lanky cowboy.

Faye laughed and choked briefly on smoke. "I - *cough cough* - I don't wanna leave him on his own too long. I was just hoping he'd get over his fear or whatever. What grown ass man is so terrified of a baby?!"

"Papa Jet worries about his strength! Big strong man! Doesn't wanna break the baby," Ed informed them with a shrug. "Oooh look! Lupin is making a cranky face. Jet's gonna have to do something soon..."

Faye jumped up and moved to stand by Spike, gripping his right arm with both hands nervously. She shared a thoughtful look with him. "I hope he isn't gonna get mad at us for this. It's for his own good!"

Spike used his left hand to pat her hands on his other arm. "He's certainly thrown those words around at us enough. It'll be fine."

Ein had joined them in their voyeuristic pursuit and all four held their breath as they watched the scene unfold before them on the screen.

Lupin had obviously grown exhausted by his efforts and was gearing up for a breakdown of some sort. His little face was back on the mat and his plump little arms twitched irritably at his side. Jet had gotten to his feet and was standing over the playpen now, glaring in every direction as if that would make anyone else appear to save him.

They could all see when Lupin's little body drew in a deep breath in preparation of unleashing some unholy sound of frustration. Jet noticeably flinched, heaved a huge sigh, and then bent over to reach gingerly into the playpen to retrieve Lupin.

Jet's touch was tentative - just a brush of his metal and real fingers to either side of little Lupin - which made the baby jolt in surprise at the unseen presence at his back. But then he kicked his little legs in what the others all knew was a sign of delight. They couldn't hear anything but no doubt Lupin was gurgling in bliss at human contact.

Closing his eyes momentarily to steel himself for what he was about to do, Jet finally got a secure hold on the baby and carefully extracted him from the infant prison. He held Lupin awkwardly at first with the baby facing away, but then stepped over to the couch to sit down so he could sit the baby on his lap. Little Lupin, for his part, was bouncing now with renewed energy and trying to turn his head to see who was holding him.

Everyone let out a collective breath as Jet managed to adjust the baby so they were soon facing one another. Jet looked thunderstruck. Lupin looked amused. Faye melted against Spike with relief, grateful for his sturdy presence as he rearranged his own limbs to slip behind her and get his arms wrapped around her midriff.

"See, babe? Didn't even take any tears." Spike noted, lowering his face to nuzzle against the silky soft side of her head.

"It was my damn idea in the first place, you lunkhead!" Faye muttered. She put her hands on top of his in front of her stomach. "Well. How long should we let them bond?"

Ed started to cackle. She pointed at the screen. "Judging by the look on both their faces... Someone is stinky and needs a change!"

Faye and Spike both tensed. "Yup, okay, let's not push it any further this time. This was a big enough step for our boys," Faye said. She pried Spike's hands apart. "All you, cowboy."

"What! But you just had a smoke break! I didn't even get to light one yet!"

Faye shrugged. "Not my fault you didn't make the most of your time on deck! Now shoo! Come find me when it's feeding time - I'm gonna hang out here with Ed for a while longer. It's long past time we worked on your aim, young lady!"

"Ooh! Bang bang! Edward is ready! Calm and cool and collected, promise!" Ed was on her feet in a heartbeat. "Guns are in the workroom safe?" Not waiting for an answer, knowing she was right even as she spoke, Ed tore off into the ship with Ein at her heels. The data dog was never interested in being around when the guns started going off.

Spike made a face at Faye and she grabbed his tie to yank him close for a kiss and then grabbed both his shoulders to spin him around before he could start teasing his own hands up her side.

"Better hurry up! You've squandered so much more time and one of them is gonna blow up anytime now if you don't get back there to take care of your fatherly duty!"

Spike went pale and spared a quick look to the computer screen where Jet was looking around helplessly with his face pulled as far from Lupin as he could get while holding the baby on his lap.

"Next time it's your turn!" He shouted as he raced back inside.

Faye smirked. "Next time maybe I can convince Jet he's capable of handling this type of situation on his own..." She mused thoughtfully. If she played her cards right maybe she'd never have to tackle the dirty work herself again!

"Hey, lady across the bar says 'heads up' whatever that's about," A bored looking bartender relayed to Spike before moseying off towards an arrogant looking couple waving a woolong card in the air.

Curious, Spike looked up from his beer and across the open area that was the bartender's domain over to the knockout sitting primly and smirking at him. Faye had pulled out all the stops tonight. She was in a sequin dress cut nearly to the navel and with a side slit to just about the top of her right thigh. It was a shade of green to match her eyes but when the sequins caught the muted light of the bar they shimmered to a blue shade that reminded him of the ocean. Fuck, she was a tall drink of water that's for sure.

Holding his gaze, she reached for the garnish in her martini and slowly slide the olive off the toothpick. Keeping her eyes on him, she held the olive between two fingers of her left hand and waggled her right hand at him before curling back her pointer finger and then flicking it forward to launch the olive across the intervening space towards him.

Bemused, Spike jerked slightly to the side to catch it in his mouth and, swallowing it, flashed her a grin while raising his hands in a 'what the fuck' gesture.

Faye took a leisurely sip of her drink before leaning forward against the bartop to stage whisper to him. "Olive you," She purred, making the word olive sound like 'I love' and then she blew him a kiss for emphasis.

Chuckling, Spike lifted his beer and tilted it towards her in a show of appreciation. "You're such a goof," He called back. "Get over here and let me see if I can eat this," A pause as he brought the olive back into play, "out of your belly button which I can see from here," He let his gaze drift down her svelte figure.

Her eyes lit up in amusement and arousal. Delicately gripping the stem of her martini glass she sashayed her way over to him with exaggerated hip movement that made his heart beat faster. That slit was teasing him with the easy access it could provide to the sensual heart of this wild woman. She set down her glass when she reached him and dipped a finger in it before using that wet digit to trail down the valley between her breasts and down down down to circle her own bellybutton.

His breath caught in his throat. What a saucy little minx!

"I thought you wanted to pick up a stranger tonight," He said, still feeling a bit hurt at her earlier announcement before they'd parted ways on the ship only to end up at the same bar hours later.

Faye leaned in close, taking her hands and running them up his lapel until she could rest them on his shoulders. She went on the tippy toe of her ridiculously tall heels, pressing her ample bosom against his chest, and spoke so close to his ear that he could feel her lips caress the shell with every word she spoke.

"I sure did, cowboy. And you're the strangest man I know,"

He dropped the olive on the floor carelessly as his hands found their way to her hips. "You made me think you were bored of me already," He accused, squeezing her hips.

"Mm really? I don't know how you got that impression... But by all means, let me show you exactly how exciting I find our life together," One of her hands had somehow weaseled its way to the zipper of his pants and was toying with it. "I bet with this dress on... If I stand riiiight here... No one would be the wiser..."

A hasty glance around the bar seemed to verify her words. The bartender was still busy with the arrogant couple and the rest of the barflies seemed immersed in their own drinks and woes or celebrations as the case may be. Faye didn't bother waiting for a response from him. She discreetly took matters into her own hands and it was all Spike could do to try and pretend nothing at all was amiss as she worked her magic and eased him inside.

Faye was something else, that's for sure, but he was damn grateful that she was his.

"Lil' Lulu, lil' Lulu, with freckles on your skin... In and out of trouble but mostly always in!" Ed sang to the baby as she wandered down the hall with Lupin in the baby carrier, Ein at her heels.

"He's got freckles?" Jet inquired, glancing up from his bonsai as the trio paused outside his door.

"Nope! Not yet anyway. Not enough fun in the sun," She replied. "Of course you'd know if you ever bothered to hold him! Hold him, hold him, Texas hold 'em, aces wild - time to fold 'em! But don't fold the baby. They've got spongy bones but they'll still break if you aren't careful," Ed told him seriously.

"I'm surprised they let you hold him. Faye's been so adamant about having Lupin in her arms constantly that I've hardly even seen Spike toting the little guy around," Jet remarked. He didn't want to outright say that he didn't think Ed was responsible enough - or, well, capable of holding still - to be trusted with the newborn. "Where are those lunkheads anyway?"

Ed shrugged carelessly. "Hopefully passed out. They were both looking rough when Ed took over. 'Member after Vincent when Spike-person got back to the ship and slept for days and days and days and Faye-Faye refused to sleep at all because she was so worried even though she kept saying she wasn't?"

That had been bad, Jet remembered. It was the most hurt he'd ever seen Spike - at least prior to his confrontation with Vicious - and Faye had not handled it well. Probably that was due to Spike having gotten back in seemingly decent shape only to collapse down the stairs into the living room before he could find his way to the couch. Then again, that was likely the worst Ed had ever seen Spike or Faye since the hacker hadn't been on board after the Tower takedown.

"That bad, huh?"

Ed nodded, pulling faces at the infant in the carrier she wore. Jet was glad to see it was the one for the baby and not the one Ed had been using constantly for Ein. "Faye-Faye was a wreck, as Spike-papa put it. Ed took Lupin from her when she kept crying and then Spike-papa came in the room looking as tired as the egg-drink mornings. Said as long as Ed wore the baby and didn't run or jump or twirl or dance or swing or cartwheel or somersault or do *anything* other than walking the halls, well, it was okay." She regarded the carrier as she spoke, patting the fabric. "It's smaller than Ein's and Lupin weighs less so it's much easier than carrying Ein around. And Ed knows how precious baby Lupin is so no acrobatics or flailing about. Using this even lets Ed have hands free to give Lulu a bottle or shake a rattle in his face. He's mostly just sleepy though - kind of boring really."

Relieved to hear about the rules and Ed's clear understanding of the responsibility of wearing the baby around, Jet focused back on the name she kept calling the baby. It was no surprise she'd found a nickname for him already and really Jet wasn't too confused to hear her call the baby boy by a girl's name. Ed had insisted months ago that names were not gender specific, after all.

She had given her attention back to the baby after calling him boring and was smiling down at him while singing again. "Lil' Lulu, we love you-lu just the same - the same! Lil' Lulu, we love you just the same!"

"What's that you're singing to him, Ed?" Jet asked then.

The hacker looked over at him, grinning. "It's from a cartoon from even before Faye-Faye's time! About a wild child with smarts and heart. Ed will play it for you on Tomato later. Ein wants to go sit on the couch with us so he can watch the baby too,"

Ein gave a quiet yip as if to confirm Ed's statement and turned his little body around to head back towards the living room.

"You can join us, Papa Jet!" Ed assured Jet then. "Spike-papa and Faye-Faye might be dozing for a bit and, well, we won't make you hold the baby but Lil' Lulu is gonna be hungry soon and Ed hasn't actually made a bottle yet..."

Rising to his feet, Jet hastened over to the door, putting his hands on Ed's shoulders as they began to follow Ein.

"You just keep that kiddo in that holder, Ed - he seems happy there and the last thing we need is for him to start bawling again. I'll handle the bottle situation - I already had to help Spike figure it out once so I know what to do. We'll just find something kid friendly to watch on TV while the others get some rest, hey?"

"Hooray!" Ed rejoiced. "A nice quiet afternoon on Bebop-Bebop!" She grinned down at the baby who was blinking at her sleepily. "You'll learn that naps are everyone's favorite hobby on this ship, Lulu. Then you won't be as much of a hassle to your folks! They both love to sleep," She confided to the infant. "I bet you'll take after them one day!"

"Normally I'd advise against that, Lupin," Jet said. "But that would be pretty helpful. Try not to take after your folks too much though - they've got a lot of habits no one needs to emulate."

Ein, trotting ahead of them, yipped in agreement again.

* this is an excerpt from chapter 9 (just posted!) of Right On Down the Line on AO3

* * *

"Everything all good?" Jet asked as Spike made his way to a seat on the bridge, slumping down into it like a man exhausted. Of course, the lanky bounty hunter had been gone til all hours wrangling a tricky - or, well, elusive at any rate - bounty for a nice chunk of dough.

But Jet had also heard the thread of anxiety in Spike's voice when the other man had been on a comm call in the corner of the room, clearly trying to get as far from hearing range of the living room as possible. It made Jet decidedly uneasy to hear Spike sound nervous or troubled.

Spike dropped his face into his hands for a moment, sighed heavily, and then rubbed his eyes before regarding Jet where he sat at the navigation station of the ship.

"Currently? Yeah, I think so. In general? Fuck if I know." The younger man dropped his head back to stare up at the ceiling. "Faye threw up in her sleep last night. She was sprawled on her back at the time."

Jet winced. He'd seen some pretty ugly outcomes to that situation during his time on the force. Usually related to drugs or alcohol though.

"I thought her morning sickness was going away," He said when it seemed like Spike wasn't going to go on.

The other man sighed again, sounding even more distressed than before. "No, I mean, yeah that does seem to be getting better, but this was... Because she had a dream, about me dying on her after the Tower."

"Oh." Jet's own mind conjured the imagery before he could stop himself and his blood ran cold at the thought - not just of Spike dying, but dying in front of Faye. It was never easy having someone pass on in front of you, particularly not when there were strong feelings involved. "Shit. That's... Heavy."

Spike shrugged. "I think it's because I wasn't here last night. I... Uh... I'm gonna try to make it back sooner next time. There's always more scumbags after all. If I gotta give up on one I'll get the next."

Rubbing the back of his head, Jet nodded absently. "Sure, Spike. And you know I can always take over on a lead if you need. I wasn't doing shit here but trimming my bonsai."

Here Spike seemed hesitant. "Yeah but..."

"What could I have done for Faye? Ed was here too, you know, and Ein as well for that matter. It's not like we'd be leaving her all alone and you'd have been back sooner if we switched off. We're a team, Spike. We work together, that's the whole point."

Spike smiled at him ruefully. "All right, Black Dog, I'll take your advice to heart. Next time shit runs late I'm hauling your ass outta bed to finish the job."

Jet nodded firmly but kept silent, sensing that there was more Spike wanted to say. Naturally the other man fretted wordlessly until Jet rolled his eyes skyward and spoke up again. "Was there something else? I assume you were on the line with DB."

Wincing, Spike nodded. He sighed again before speaking. "She thinks it might be a good idea to... Well... Bring Faye back to Tharsis. Fuck, maybe Alba City too. It's her opinion that if we pile a bunch of good memories onto those places...well, it'll mask the bad shit. Or something like that."

"Hmm," Jet leaned forward, using his good hand to rub thoughtfully at his chin. "Not a bad plan, really. Those places probably loom larger than life in her subconscious because of the terrors associated with them. Add more to 'em, especially if it's good shit, and then it all breaks down into just another place in the Galaxy that's a mix of highs and lows." He nodded again as he considered it further. "Ganymede gives me some troubled dreams. More since... But, before, it was sad dreams more often. The kind made of regrets and misunderstandings. There was... A lot of happiness once upon a time that got all tangled up in tears. But, it was a mix of good and bad that dreams brought me. Hell, after that stint with Rhint I don't even remember having any dreams of Ganymede, not til... Anyway, I think DB's idea has merit."

Spike sat up straighter, looking over to Jet with a mix of relief and apprehension in his mismatched eyes. "You don't mind us making a useless side trip? I know you've probably got some deliveries lined up or a few bounties nearby you were hoping to bag."

Jet laughed shortly. "Haven't you figured out the beauty of the delivery shit yet, Spike-o? There's folks everywhere who need something taken away or brought to them. Hell, Mars is probably better for jobs than most other planets. And as for bounties - who was it that just said there's always more out there? Besides, I don't think this will be useless. It could do a lot of good." He watched as the relief and apprehension both grew and made a guess at what was behind the fear. "You don't wanna tell Faye what the doctor ordered do you?"

With a guilty grin, Spike looked away, ruffling his own hair with a hand.

"Shit, Jet - she's gonna bitch and moan the whole trip. I'd rather just get there and surprise her with a night on the town or something."

Shaking his head at his partner, Jet slapped his thighs and stood up.

"Well, don't worry, kid. I bet I can keep her busy for most of the day. Lemme go see if I can convince her to help me in the kitchen. I know she's been worrying about her lack of skill there so she'll probably appreciate a challenge. You set us a course and then, well, we'll just cross the bridges we gotta cross when we get to 'em."