Lost in the Woods

Somewhere Down the Crazy River, part 5

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:41:05 GMT

Title: Somewhere Down the Crazy River, part 5 (of 10)
Author: Charlie_bz
Rating: pg, but there is a gruesome part
Spoilers: bdm
Pairing: canon, if any
Description: crew fic. In this part, Mal wakes up in jail and, boy, is he not happy. Kaylee deals with a fretful River. Simon's bad day just got worse.

A/N: Thanks to Browncoat 2x2 and Gilliebeans. This was hard getting through and you both helped me so much! Also, thanks to jackwabbit for her expertise with...um...the gruesome part.

When Kaylee first saw the newest issue of Mechanics for Mechanics, her heart stilled in quiet joy as her eyes hungrily feasted on the cover. After all, every able minded engine enthusiast with a love for the Firefly had been rabidly discussing the unveiling of the Jazdon Astro Olomotre for the last six months. She was, however, wholly unprepared for the sheer beauty of the JAO. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to slide herself under that shiny splendor.

Sitting in her favorite lawn chair just outside Serenity, Kaylee studied the black, moonless darkness. Her fingers absently but reverently caressed the magazine on her lap. Even though she couldn’t see the glossy cover in the darkness, she could easily visualize the splendor of the JAO. She had spent a good part of the evening pondering the JAO, trying to figure out if there was any way she could incorporate the newest advances into Serenity’s well worn engine but as the night wore on and the air grew colder, her mind wouldn’t oblige.

Hoping to see the lights of the shuttle approaching, her eyes again searched the horizon. All she saw was more black.

“They are now officially alarmingly late.” River stated. Her tone was rude but Kaylee knew the fear was there. “What are you going to do about it?”

Clinging to the hope that everything was alright and the delay was a harmless one, Kaylee had put off waving Simon and Inara. She almost succeeded in convincing herself that it was probably a good sign that they hadn’t waved. She glanced down at the magazine in her lap, her hand trembled as her fingers again touched the cover. The night was full black and there was no way Simon and Inara would not check in.

Kaylee summoned the energy to rise out of her chair. “Let’s wave them. See what’s up.” Deliberately, she kept her tone light even though it was an utterly useless ploy considering the psychic nature of River.

With a quick smile that was not returned, Kaylee walked back into Serenity, clutching her magazine to her chest. River followed too close behind her but she didn’t quicken her pace. As she ascended the stairs, Kaylee tried conjuring a little positivity. Maybe the business people were nice and friendly and offered them dinner. Maybe they struck up a friendly conversation and decided to have a friendly drink. Maybe…But by the time she reached the bridge, Kaylee could no longer quell her worry with thoughts of fancy new engines or fantasies of friendly illicit business associates.

Sinking heavily in the pilot’s chair, Kaylee hailed the shuttle. The silence was tense as she and River waited for a response that didn’t come. She hailed again but this time she didn’t bother to keep the desperation from her voice. “Simon. Inara. Please answer me!” After what felt like forever, she heard the familiar crackle indicating a received transmission.

“Hello!” The deep voice sounded menacing and not a little drunk. “Excuse the rudeness but I couldn’t figure how to work this thing here.”

“Who is this?” Kaylee’s sudden burst of anger chased away her fear. “That ain’t your ship!”

“It is now, honey!”

Kaylee heard the laughter of his cohorts in the background. “Where’s Simon? Where’s Inara?”

“Haven’t the foggiest who yer talkin’ ‘bout. But if you mean the Fancy Nancys that came in this thing…Well, let’s just say I don’t think they’re with us any longer.”

Unable to bear the man’s heartless cackling, Kaylee abruptly ended the transmission. She stared in front of her, hardly registering River’s fretful whimper. Wearily, she leaned forward, her elbows plopping to the console, her head falling into her hands. Inexplicably, her mind summoned the JAO and she was sad to realize that she would never recapture her pleasure for it.

Tiredness settled over her. She felt like she was a hundred and fifty years old. Her eye focused on the brontosaurus that looked so mockingly happy perched on the console. No. She refused to believe it. No. She couldn’t even entertain the notion that something awful had happened. Again.

The bridge was silent.

“River?” She turned to find River gone but her ears soon picked up the unmistakable sound of agitation in the dining room. Kaylee slowly approached the hatch. Standing just inside the outer bridge door, she watched with increasing dread as River jerkily rushed around the dining room table, her left hand pulling on her hair, her right hand upending whatever was in sight.

Helplessly, she watched as River’s anxiety escalated. She paced in circles, pulling at her hair, gesticulating wildly, mumbling words Kaylee couldn’t begin to make out. With a last violent swipe that cleared the table, River finally stilled before crumbling to the floor.

Kaylee rushed forward to comfort her but before she could enter the dining room, River’s head snapped up. The sneer that River sent her was both vacant and scary.

“All your fault!” River screamed. “Why didn’t you stop him?”

Kaylee took a cautious step backward. She was clearly aware that it was just her and River and no one else for hundreds of miles.

* * * * * * * *

Mal awoke to the sound of a pained groan. As he wandered up to consciousness, he became unhappily aware of a persistent feeling of sickness. Stinging, sapping, and extremely unpleasant queasiness that made him realize the sickly groan he kept hearing was coming from him.

“Zoe?” His eyes were still closed and he weakly called out to her solely out of habit. His mind was a fog, his gut wrenching. It took all his strength to resist letting loose with another pitiful moan. Gripping the edge of the cot, he breathed deeply as he waited for the nausea to subside.

“Zoe?” When he didn’t receive a response, he opened his eyes. After the blurriness and another wave of queasiness passed, his eyes focused on an unfamiliar ceiling. Slowly, he sat up, grimacing at the general achiness that plagued his body. It’d been a long time since he’d been taken down by a stunner.

With that thought, he instantly became more alert. Ignoring the pain and refusing to throw up, Mal stood, wobbling with the effort.

“Zoe?” He called again but this time his voice was slightly panicked. The knowledge that he was in a jail cell was bad enough but when his eyes looked beyond the stout, black gleaming bars across a small window and saw that it was full night, he could do nothing but stare in horror. The job was lost. The gorramn job they so very desperately needed so Mal would not have to drag his crew further down into the treacherous world of crime that he steadfastly avoided. Illicit narcotics, gun running, bounty work…the list got progressively worse as it played through his head.

For Mal, if the choice was anger or despair, he almost always chose the latter but the anger that threatened to take hold of him today was the black, fathomless fury that was so achingly familiar. Familiar in its seductiveness. The foul rage beckoned him. It would be so easy to just lose it. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to not go down that path. Best to stay with anger and avoid the rage.

Shaking his head in disgust, Mal began muttering all the vile and slanderous curses that were his time honored ritual in times like these, not stopping for breath when his eyes finally touched on the sorriest looking tough guy in the ‘verse. Gorramn Jayne! Knew he’d start a…

“Zoe!” Mal bellowed, forgetting about Jayne who for once in his life displayed enough sense to keep quiet.

Again, no answer. Grasping the bars of the cell for support he looked around finally seeing her in the adjoining cell. She sat unmoving, staring at the opposite wall. No way she couldn’t not hear him.

Another surge of hot anger rushed over him. He hadn’t felt anger like this toward her in a long, long time. In fact, he couldn’t conjure the last time he was so gorramn mad at her but here it was. Anger. Hot, raw anger at Zoe. Grieving Zoe. Zoe of the no longer married to the jaunty fellow who brightened her life in the most unexpected ways. Zoe who hadn’t spoke one harsh word to him since her husband was killed following him.

It was the right thing to do, Mal reminded himself for the thousandth time. Despair loomed again but he would have none of that.

“Zoe!” Mal couldn’t keep the fury from his tone. “You got something to say to me?”

“No.” She didn’t look up which made him madder.

“What the huǒkēng happened?” He walked to the bars that separated their cells. “It’s gorramn night and I’m thinking we just missed our gorramn meet.”

“We did,” she said, still not turning around.

He glanced back at Jayne who looked absolutely miserable. Mal took a deep breath again fighting to stave off the impotent rage that threatened to overwhelm him. “Zoe! Best you look at me so we can have this out proper.”

She still didn’t face him but he could see her tense. “I rutted up the job. What more is there to talk about?”” Her tone was one he hadn’t heard in a long time: defeated.

“What more---?” He sputtered, at a loss for words.

He ran his hands over his face. The nausea was fading but one hell of a headache was threatening to take hold. He couldn’t talk to her anymore, couldn’t even look at her. He looked at Jayne who was staring at the floor. Why couldn’t it have been Jayne? He wanted to pound someone, wanted to holler, wanted to let loose the worst of his tempers and Jayne could certainly take it. Mean, cruel things sprang to mind. Words specifically designed to cut to the quick. Mal was good at those, too, but Jayne looked so damned miserable it hit Mal anew how sunk they were. At the bottom and dropping fast.

A door opened. An older woman with a sheriff’s badge on her vest walked in.

“Hello there, Captain Reynolds. I’m Sheriff Dody Alavega. Nice to see you awake. How do you feel?”

Mal glared at her. “When we getting out?”

She smiled, apparently unfazed by his rudeness. “Our magistrate is away so we can’t go that route.”

“And that means what?”

She took a step forward staring calmly at him, letting him know she was used to dealing with people like him. “Means since we can’t get the Mag ya’ll just have to serve out your time.”

“How long is that?”

“Release is Saturday morning.”

“Saturday?!” Mal’s voice rose.

Alavega gave him a sympathetic look. “It is too bad you chose today. If you’d started the fracas on Friday, you’d have a much shorter stay. Things turn hot around here Saturday nights. Miners come in and it ain’t rare for hell to break loose when they get here. We end up with a full house.”

“What’s today?” Jayne asked, shuffling up beside Mal. Not too close - man wasn't that dim - but somehow getting close enough that his very existence poured some more mad on the heap of mad inside Mal's gut. Mal clenched the bars tighter. God, he wanted to hit someone. If the sheriff weren’t standing two feet away…

“Tuesday…almost Wednesday.”

“Seems awful long stint, don’t ya think?” Jayne asked.

Alavega met Mal’s gaze. “We don’t appreciate strangers comin’ to town and beatin’ up idiot children.”

Mal frowned. “Don’t remember no kids in that bar.”

“Children not in the age sense but in the sense sense. The boy that was at the receiving end of your friend’s wrath is a right jerkful young man. That’s a fact…but he is harmless. He didn’t deserve that beatin’ she dished out.” She nodded her head toward Zoe. “And there was property damage. You got money?”

Money was needed for fuel, ammo, and food. Not for frittering on getting out of jail. No, they needed what little money they had if he was going to attempt to salvage this job. Despair creeped in again. He knew the job was lost.

“No.” Feeling sick, Mal sat down on the cot Jayne had vacated.

“Can’t you put me somewheres away from them two?” Jayne begged. “Please?”

“We got the only two cells right here.”

“Tie me to a gorramn tree. I don’t care. Just can’t spend the next three days with only them.” Jayne glanced back at Mal before lowering his voice to address the sheriff. “There’s been trouble and I ain’t up for having to witness the thing that is surely to come between them.”

“They married or somethin’?” She looked curiously between Mal and Zoe.

“Worse…buddies from the war and all that entails.”

Alavega looked at Mal and Zoe both seated on opposite ends of their respective cells. “Jail sometimes can be good for gettin’ your thoughts together.”

Jayne looked confused. “But where does that leave me?”

Alavega grinned before looking at Mal again. “Manny’ll bring your dinner soon. He’s a fine cook. He’s making you something that will help with the sickly feeling.”

She opened the door to leave but paused looking back at her three miserable prisoners. “Call out if you need anything.”

Mal dropped his head in his hands. Why couldn’t it have been Jayne?

*******

In the infirmary, River jerked opened the drawers looking for something that if she’d been thinking straight, she would remember Simon had locked away. Nothing sharp was ever left out in the open in this medbay. But River didn’t remember that detail as she angrily rifled through the medical supplies.

“Killed Simon.” River glanced around the room, so eerily familiar to her. Where were they? Where were those instruments they used to cut into her brain? They were here somewhere. She didn’t want to be here but they killed Simon. Killed Simon and took her back. Big mistake on their part. She rubbed her forehead expecting to find something there.

A door slammed. Whirling around, she realized she was locked in. She ran to the door, pounding and kicking it with all her strength. Her fists hurt. “No! No! No!”

Through the window, she saw Dr. Mathias. She backed against the counter in fear. A jar of cotton balls was closest to her hand and she hurled it at him.

“You killed him!” She screamed before sinking down to the floor.

“River.” A disembodied voice echoed in the room. “Sweetie, please, I need you to calm down.”

“Dead!” River shrieked. “Dead like a dog in a highway.”

“River.”

The voice wasn’t Dr. Mathias but it was familiar. Comforting. River’s guard went up. It was a trick. They knew everything about her. Knew her weaknesses, knew everything that was in her brain.

“River, it’s me. Kaylee.”

She clasped her hands over her ears. She refused to be tricked. That wasn’t Kaylee.

“River!” The voice was insistent. “Sweetie, come on, look at me.”

Shaking her head, she squeezed her eyes shut.

“River. You need to take your meds.”

Ah, so that’s what they wanted her to do. She wouldn’t take anything they wanted her to. She would fight them like she hadn’t fought before. She could, too. She knew exactly how to kill a person.

“Riv—“

“Stop! You’re not her. Just stop with the tricks. Please.”

She heard a deep, exasperated and very annoyed sigh.

“It’s me, mei mei. Just look up and out the window. I’m standin’ right here.”

“It’s not you.” River kept her eyes shut. She didn’t want to see Dr. Mathias again.

“It is.”

“Prove it.”

“Why don’t you just look up and see me. How’s that for proof?” The annoyance was deepening but the anger in the voice confused her.

“Kaylee doesn’t get mad. So you can’t trick me.”

“I do get mad and I’m gettin’ madder! We have a situation here and instead of me figurin’ out what to do about Simon and Inara I’m having to chase you all over the ship and convince you that I’m me and I’m getting even madder thinkin’ about all this. So you better open your eyes, look at me, then walk over to where Simon keeps your meds and dose yourself. Now.”

That sounded like Kaylee. Mad Kaylee but Kaylee.

She looked up finally seeing Serenity’s medbay. Rising from the floor her gaze took in the room stopping at the window. Kaylee stood on the outside holding a com pointing to where Simon kept her medication. Maybe she really was here.

“That’s it. Just get to your meds and don’t go anywhere else.”

River opened the cabinet but her glance fell to another open drawer. A drawer which should contain scalpels and other sharp objects, but she hadn’t found any. Who took them? Panicked, she looked back at Kaylee who was watching her carefully outside the window.

“River, just focus. Get your meds.”

“Will you let me out?”

“Not till I’m sure you’re you. At least the you that don’t look like she aims to kick me in the face.”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

Kaylee didn’t answer.

“Close it. Now.”

River obeyed. After all there was nothing in the drawer but Simon stuff. “What will I do? He’s the only one who loves me.”

“That ain’t true, sweetie.”

River knew Kaylee meant it, too but it wasn’t the same. Her brother took care of her. She opened the cabinet that contained her medication. “I’m scared.”

“Me, too. But we don’t know nothing so let’s not think the worse, okay?” Kaylee tapped the glass window, drawing River’s gaze to her. “I need you, River. We have to figure this thing out.”

Still not convinced that this wasn’t a trick, River, nevertheless, took her medication. Anything was better than feeling like this. Besides, if she was back at the academy, she didn’t want to be too coherent anyway. Flashes of her time spent in the lab ran through her mind. Shuddering, she injected herself. The warm fuzzy feeling that accompanied the shot soon followed, dulling her emotions.

Simon. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She heard the door open and soon felt Kaylee’s hand on hers. It smelled like Kaylee. Mechanical smell. Oil, engine grime, whatever… River never realized how much she loved Kaylee’s scent.

“I don’t…” Her voice faltered. “I can’t…”

“It’ll be alright, sweetie.” Kaylee hugged her close.

********

Kaylee would be so proud of the string of expletives that flew about Simon’s brain as he fell. Once over the ledge, he fell away from Inara and the horse, crashing through bendy tree branches. The fall into the ravine felt endless, giving his brain ample time to shout colorful words that only could have been learned from Jayne.

He heard a booming splash before his back stung with the impact of hitting water hard. His hands instinctively reached upward intending to swim to the surface, but found air instead. Simon’s head quickly followed, breaking the surface. He gulped air, retching and coughing out the horrible remnants of the rank water.

“Inara!” Frantically, he looked around. “Inara!”

“I’m over here!” Inara called out, still gasping and coughing.

The trees were dense and tall, obliterating the fading daylight. Simon stood in the thigh deep water and waded towards the sound of her coughing, his eyes slowly becoming accustomed to the darkness. Finally reaching her, he grasped her arm pulling her to her feet. “Lucky for the water.”

“Yes,” she murmured, pushing her wet hair away from her face.

“Are you alright?” He looked closely trying to discern any visible injuries. In the dim light, he could see an assortment of scratches from their descent through the trees.

“I’m soaked and I’m slimy but once my heartbeat returns to normal I’ll be fine.”

“Lulu!” A voice hollered from above. “Lulu! You okay, girl?”

Simon and Inara exchanged a puzzled look.

“Hey, down there! Where’s my gorramn horse, you gorramn horse thieves?” The voice yelled down before shots rang out.

Simon pulled Inara back down into the water. “The idiot can’t even see what’s he’s shooting at!”

They crouched down in the murky water for cover as the man above kept shouting and shooting. Simon heard agitated splashing to his right and looked to see the horse struggle to get up. Another shot and the horse collapsed back into the water.

“You just shot your own horse, you idiot!” Simon yelled.

The sound of the man’s roar of fury echoed. He punctuated his slew of expletives and curses with a few random shots before finally hollering: “Have fun down there, you thievin’ sons-of-bitches!”

Simon shook his head in disbelieving disgust. The utter inanity of people continued to astound him. As he waited, half anticipating another round of shooting by the chǔnhuò above, Simon became more aware of his surroundings. Without the noise of hollering and shooting, he was better able to hear the less than soothing sounds of a swamp.

The noise assaulted him, a swamp of its own hanging menacingly in the air. Sounds pulled at his attention, sounds of things he could not identify. Birds, Simon figured, but nothing like the pleasant, cheery little voices of the finches around his boyhood home. The birds in this hellhole screeched mindlessly, gratingly. And to Simon they sounded hungry. Hanging lower in the swamp of sound were other, subtler disturbances. Slithering noises, Simon realized with fresh disgust. He listened for a moment, hoping that the sound he'd latched onto was that of a slithering retreat, rather than an approach.

Then there was the smell. The water that was too close to his nose didn’t smell like water. Not the clean odorless water he knew and loved. This water had a lingering scent of death. Simon grimaced as he realized things died in here and lay rotting.

“I think they’ve gone,” he said, standing up.

Inara rose, too, her nose crinkling in distaste. Her hand again went to smooth back her now drenched hair away from her face. They didn’t speak as they took in their surroundings and their predicament.

The swamp noises were soon drowned out by the sound of the shuttle powering up.

“My shuttle!” Inara exclaimed, looking not only frightened but offended. “They’re taking my shuttle!”

The shuttle roared overhead before the sound faded in the distance. Simon stood gazing up at the small glimpse of darkening sky through the trees.

“Well,” Simon said, “here we are.”

“That went well, didn’t it?” Inara asked, sighing heavily but she managed a weak smile.

Simon thought it best not to point out to Inara that she had streaks of green muck in her hair.

“Do you think we can climb out of here?” Inara pointed to the walls of the canyon.

They made their way toward the side of the canyon. Running his fingers along the stone wall, Simon said, “I don’t think so. The cliffs are too steep and slick with that green stuff. I think we’re going ---“

Simon was interrupted by a miserable whinny. It took him a few seconds before he realized what it was. He glanced at Inara. Her horrified expression mirrored his own. The horse wasn’t dead after all. They waded toward the weakly thrashing animal. The horse had found higher ground of a sort. Lulu was lying on her side, her belly barely visible above the water. She whimpered miserably, her head rearing up only to fall listlessly back in the shallow water.

“Poor Lulu. She can’t even rest her head properly.” Inara knelt down in the knee level water, trying to comfort the wretched animal. “She doesn’t look very good.”

Simon, too, knelt down. His fingers felt along the animal. “She’s been shot. More than once. I suspect that’s why she bolted over the ledge.”

“What kind of sick person shoots a horse?” Inara asked.

Simon navigated around the horse’s weak flailing. “Her front leg looks broken, too.”

“How do we get her out of here?”

Simon stared at the horse, unable to believe he was going to do what had to be done. “We don’t.”

“We can’t just leave her…Oh.”

Oh is right, Simon thought. He spied the rifle comfortably tucked into a holster on the saddle. “We have to...”

Inara shook her head trying to deny what needed to be done.

“Inara, the poor thing needs to be put out of its misery.”

“But…” Inara looked sadly at the horse. “Yes. You’re right.”

Simon contemplated the rifle versus the gun resting heavily on his hip. Was the rifle the best for the job? How far away did he need to be to ensure a quick death? Sure, he knew all about the end result of guns but he hadn’t paid proper attention to the specifics of what weapon made what kind of injury. What was the result of the distance from the shot? Next time someone showed up with a gunshot wound, Simon would make sure to note the details of how it got there.

“Pistol or rifle?” Simon asked.

Inara cleared her throat. She looked like she was seriously considering the question. “Uh…Rifle?”

“Yes, that’s what I was thinking.”

“Shall I hold her head?”

“Well, no…That’s where I’ll be….shooting her.”

“Oh, of course.” Inara looked at him again and they stared at each other. “Tell me when you’re ready.”

He nodded. For the first time in a very long time, he was actually pleased at the seemingly endless stretches of empty time on Serenity. He had poured through the pitiful array of books. The only one that held any lingering interest for him was a book on farm animals.

“Okay” he said. His gaze on the horse was clinical, he visualized the location of the horse’s brain and the best place to ensure a quick death. “I’m ready.”

Whispering something, Inara patted the horse once more, smoothing her ears back. She avoided Simon’s gaze as she eased herself from under the horse’s head before coming to stand behind him.

Lucky for Simon, Lulu had a white patch of hair directly between her eyes giving him a visible target in the dim light. Pointing the barrel of the gun at the white patch, he lifted it a few inches higher praying his target was correct. The horse looked up at him, pain clouding her eyes. Simon imagined she was giving him her approval. Taking a deep breath, Simon pulled the trigger, watching as the horse’s head fell back into the water, her body twitching before becoming still.

Bored at work...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:30:57 GMT

Firstly, I am so unbelievably excited about seeing Inglourious Basterds (did I misspell that correctly?). Usually, husband and I would see the new Tarantino flick the first day but we're grown-ups now so we have to do responsible things like work and tend to our children.

I finally finished Stargate SG-1. All 10 seasons. Here are my initial impressions:

1. I like Col. O'Neill. A lot.

2. I like Sam.

3. I like T'ealc.

4. I very much like Dr. Daniel Jackson.

5. I was not happy when Daniel ascended. The other guy who's name I've forgotten but played Harold in The Stand was ok. But, really, who could possibly replace Daniel?

6. I was not happy to learn that O'Neill was leaving. Much bummed outness about this until...

7. Cam came along.

8. I like Cam. A lot.

9. Vala. I really liked her. Really liked her and Daniel.

10. I now have a huge hankering to watch Farscape. It looks like Netflix is getting the dvds in November. I must finish all of Stargate: Atlantis by then.

A Rainy Morning

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:08:20 GMT

Title: A Rainy Morning
Author: Charlie_bz
Description: Inara and Mal and a rainy morning
Rating: M or NC-17 but it's really not that graphic
Disclaimer: characters do not belong to me
Author's note: Thank you to Gilliebeans for helping me with certain passages!

______________________________________________________________________________________

Snuggling under the covers, Inara listened to the rainfall. Her eyes fluttered closed again, the soft putter of morning rain gently falling on the roof made her feel lonely.

The body that slept next to her stirred, Mal’s arm curled around her waist pulling her closer to him. She scooted her body back until her bottom nestled against his groin. Waiting for him to wake up, she ran her fingertips lightly along the strong arm that held her. He moved again, his other arm sliding under her head, his face burying against her neck before falling back asleep.

Needing him awake, she strategically squirmed and was rewarded with an unmistakable indication that he was, indeed, awake. Or at least parts of him were. He mumbled a sleepy pretend objection but his arm tightened around her.

Reaching back, she placed her hand on his hip, nudging him even closer. She felt him grin before he placed the tenderest of kisses at the base of her nape. She shivered before stretching her neck, giving him more room to kiss. He obliged. The morning stubble on his chin and cheeks pleasantly scraping her skin as his lips kissed their way from her ear down her neck to her collar bone.

She smiled, a contented sigh wafting from her. “Mmmmm…”

Slowly, Mal slid his hand from her hip down to her thigh. She didn’t move. Instead, she just let herself feel. Feel his calloused hand drift over her leg, feel his lips softly kiss the back of her neck, his tongue caressing the sensitive place behind her ear he knew she loved.

Mal’s arm under her head straightened. One hand grasped hers while his other hand explored. Lightly gliding along her thigh, her hip, her waist up and higher until his fingers brushed her breast. Cupping one breast, his thumb rubbed the taut nipple all the while trailing hot, wet kisses over her neck and along the line of her shoulder.

She lifted her hand behind to curl her fingers in his hair. Her toes caressed his leg, her knee bending upward, opening herself to him. Mal inhaled sharply, his caresses grew more impassioned. Refusing to relinquish his hold on her breast, his other hand let go of hers to trail down her body to touch her. His jagged breath was hot against her neck as his fingers fondled her. His other hand on her breast, cupping then squeezing giving her the pressure she needed.

His knee slid between hers. She shifted, giving his hand better access to her. Mal pressed closer to her, his weight heavy and welcome against her back. Her hand, still on his hip, slid down around the muscles behind, encouraging him.

“Mal…please,” she moaned.

She smiled with delight as Mal murmured words of love in her ear before lifting her hip to slide into her. His thrusts were deliciously slow; his hands delectably strong. One hand on her breast squeezing, the other rubbing at her with two wet, knowing fingers, carefully, a steady and insistent rhythm that charged her, all over, electric, wild.

“I love you.” Again and again, he whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

Her eyes opened to see rain splashing against the big window next to her bed. The sudden clap of thunder finally nudged her fully awake and for a split second, she almost thought he was really there. Pulling the covers tighter around her, Inara listened to the rainfall.

Meme

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:19:47 GMT

INSTRUCTIONS: Leave me a comment and I will give you a letter. Then, write 10 things that you love starting with that letter. Post the list in your journal. Give out letters to your commenters in return.

From browncoat_2x2

1. peanut butter
2. purple
3. poppies
4. pie
5. Pride & Prejudice
6. Pink Floyd
7. parents
8. pleasure
9. pizza
10. pets

Happy Bloomsday!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:44:15 GMT

I guess the man's a genius, but what a dirty mind he has, hasn't he?
--Nora Joyce

Ah, it's the day where I again regret abandoning my James Joyce reading group. Do you know why I stopped attending that bi-weekly reading group? I watched Firefly.

I'm not even embarrasssed about this.

Happy Birthday Terimaru!!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:19:58 GMT

Happy Birthday!

Hope your day is filled with...weather!

Somewhere Down the Crazy River, Part 4

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:06:15 GMT

Title: Somewhere Down the Crazy River (part 4 of 10)
Author: CharlieBZ
Rating: PG
Pairing: Canon, if any
Characters: Crew
Spoilers: BDM
Word Count: 4000ish
Disclaimer: Firefly/Serenity do not belong to me.
Description: Inara and Simon go to the job.

A/N: Many many thanks to gilliebeans for the beta and cheering me on!

Part 3
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Part 4

Inara’s eyes narrowed in concentration as she maneuvered the shuttle past another hairpin curve. The journey to the job had begun boringly enough but after an hour of the seemingly endless flatness the barren landscape had changed drastically. At first, Inara was happy for the challenge the new terrain presented - she needed a diversion to keep her mind occupied on anything other than the idiocy that she and Simon were about to undertake. But her happiness was soon replaced by fear as she realized just how tricky the route was.

Another blast of wind pushed the shuttle toward the wall of the canyon. She heard Simon’s swift intake of breath before she quickly corrected the shuttle’s course. Her hands tightened on the steering column and didn’t relax until they reached their destination.

“We’re here,” Inara said quietly as she circled around the meeting spot before finding a satisfactory place to set down the shuttle. After powering down the shuttle, she unstrapped the safety harness but couldn’t seem to rise from her seat. Neither, apparently, could Simon. In nervous silence, they gazed out the window.

They were in a deep, uneven valley. Brown and rocky still dominated the landscape but whereas the terrain surrounding Serenity had been devoid of any life, here, there were big clumps of brown, tough grass. The tufts littered the landscape, rising to over three feet tall in some places but they were dwarfed by the rise of red and beige rock formations that grew out of the ground. Inara admired the gentle lift of the rocks. The formations made her think of what a wave would look like, frozen in time, curving up on one side, falling away on the other. Her eyes continued to scan the valley until she noticed how low the sun hung in the sky. Almost time for the meet.

“Should we wait here or out there?” Inara asked.

“I think out there.” Simon unbuckled his seatbelt and got up. “That way they’ll know we’re not…”

Afraid. Inara took a deep breath pushing aside the nagging realization that this endeavor was a huge mistake.

“Why don’t you wait here?” Simon asked.

“No,” Inara said, rising out of the pilot’s seat. “We’ll do this together.”

Simon nodded, handing her one of Jayne’s guns. “Ready?”

Inara stared at the gun. What am I doing? Not wanting to dwell on the whys of her decision, she holstered the gun and gave Simon a brave smile. Following him out of the shuttle, she ran her hands over the unfamiliar clothes she wore.

Kaylee had gleefully assembled their costumes. Rushing about Serenity, darting in and out of everyone’s quarters, she managed to scrounge suitable attire for Inara and Simon.

Inara pulled on a faded pair of Kaylee's cargo pants then looked to her friend. "What do you think for a shirt?"

She looked curiously as Kaylee passed her a long-sleeved blouse with pearl buttons up the front. "This is pretty; I've never seen you wear this."

Kaylee threw an apologetic glance at Simon's back. "It's Simon's," she explained.

Inara slid on the shirt, appreciating the feel of real silk. As she tucked it in, Kaylee was behind her quickly braiding Inara’s hair in a thick plait that hung down her back.

“We have hats. Do you want a hat?” Kaylee asked before handing her a gun holster.

Inara shook her head imagining one of Jayne’s hats on her head. Buckling the holster around her waist, Inara stood back and looked in the small mirror. The end result was passable but she couldn’t pull off the aura of careless strength like Zoë. No, she felt like a desperado vixen.

Everything about the hastily assembled outfit felt strange. She didn’t feel like herself. A good thing, she supposed, because never would Inara Serra of House Madrassa ever wear a gun to barter with the less than savory citizens of the universe. She focused on the fact that these were just people. Dangerous people, possibly, but people. People wanting to do business and she had plenty experience with that.

“I think I should do the talking.” Inara said with a quick glance to Simon.

“Yes,” Simon said. “That would probably be best.”

“You just need to stand there and look menacing.”

Simon adopted what he must have considered a menacing look.

Inara laughed nervously. “You look like you’re irritated with your wine order. Just pretend like you’re Jayne.”

“I can’t even begin to do that.” But a glower appeared on his face. For Simon, it was a step toward a more dangerous look yet nothing approaching the intimidating demeanors shared by Mal, Jayne, and Zoë.

“Hopefully, the uncomfortably big guns we’re wearing will demonstrate our menacingness,” he said.

“It is uncomfortable,” Inara agreed, her hand patting the unfamiliar weight of the gun at her hip. It felt odd and she felt more ridiculous than menacing. Inara unbuttoned another button, leaving the shirt open to reveal more of something she knew men would not find ridiculous.

Simon’s eyebrow rose.

“Distraction,” Inara informed him. “It’s a tactic.”

He didn’t look convinced. “What if they decide they want to keep our money and their…product?”

“We’ll talk them out of that.” Inara hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. “Don’t worry, Simon. I think everything will be just fine. Just remember to look menacing.”

“And you’ll look…” He glanced meaningfully but bashfully in the direction of her chest.

“Distractive.” One thing Inara was confident of was her ability to distract men which hopefully was the main gender of the opposing crew. Glancing at Simon, Inara cheered to realize that if there were any women in the other gang they would be suitably distracted by him. Well acquainted with the male species as she was, Inara couldn’t fail to notice how improbably attractive-looking Simon was and she offered up a brief prayer that if anyone else noticed, they would just think that it's their lucky day.

Simon wore his least fancy black trousers tucked into a pair of black boots left over from some job Kaylee couldn’t remember the details of. Kaylee had tried to find a dashing but dangerous looking black shirt to complete the outfit but all she could find was an old, faded yellow shirt of Mal’s. Inara’s eyes fell on the newly mended shirt and once again she was struck by the sense of the wrongness in what they were doing. The hastily sewn rend mocked her and she resolutely turned her mind away from dwelling on how that shirt had sustained such an injury.

“This place looks like it used to be a lake,” Simon said. He stood with his hands on his hips, studying the landscape. “And over there…a dam?”

He pointed to a huge opening in the wall of solid rock that surrounded the deep basin. The gap fed into an even larger opening that ran along the middle of the valley. The chasm must have been over a hundred meters across. Inara walked toward the chasm. Stopping at the edge, she gasped in surprise.

“Oh, Simon!“ Inara exclaimed. “You’ve got to see this!”

“What?” He sounded worried until he saw what she was looking at. “Wow.”

The chasm was neither empty nor barren as one might expect. Instead, a thick, lush assembly of green leaves rose out of the hole. The top of a dense forest peeked over the edge of the chasm presenting quite a contrast with the rocky ground.

“It’s like a huge green carpet,” Simon observed. He sounded as awed as she was by the incongruous sight in front of them.

“Yes. It’s so thick, it looks like we could walk across it,” Inara mused.

Simon jumped down to the lower ledge. Walking closer to the edge, he lightly kicked one thick group of leaves. “Amazing. The terraforming oddities that crop---“

“What the hell are you doin’?”

* * * * * * * * *

Jayne kept his gaze on the floor, watching the progress of the shadows of the bars on the window as they moved with the sun. The bar shadows had traveled quite a bit since he first started watching. The cell was silent. Mal was still passed out and Zoë… He was very aware of Zoë in the adjoining cell. She sat unmoving and utterly silent. Every time he looked up to make sure she was still there, he would find her sitting exactly as she had been when he last checked on her.

His sharp eyes detected a slight slump to her spine. Ramrod straight was the way she always held herself and the slouch bothered him more than her beating up that kid. He wanted to say something to her. Let her know that he wasn’t mad at her for wrecking their job. The way he figured it, the fault rested squarely on the man that snoozed so peacefully.

Jayne’s gaze lifted again, briefly resting on the still out-cold form of the Captain. When he wakes up there will be much in the way of hell to pay. Jayne actually wished he was the cause of this mess. Mal could yell at him and he could yell back. But Jayne wouldn’t cause a fight with him. Not until Zoë decided she had enough of her war buddy muddling her life. “Punch him for me, Jayne” she’d say. And he would. Gladly. Knock the Captain back into passed outedness and then they’d leave him behind on this gorramn rock. Zoë would become Captain of Serenity. Of course, they would leave Simon and River with Mal. Kaylee might be sad at first but not for long since Inara would stay on the ship. Inara. She and him would….

“How is everyone doing?” A cheery voice called out.

Irritated because his fantasy was getting to the good part, Jayne refused to answer.

Sheriff Alavega walked in holding a tray with several glasses. She looked expectantly at her prisoners, waiting vainly for a reply. “Now, now. Just cause you’re incarcerated doesn’t mean you have to be rude,” she chided, placing the tray on a small table against the far wall.

Jayne walked to the edge of the cell. Folding his arms, he glared silently at her.

“Thought you might be thirsty.” She handed him a big plastic glass.

His thirst outweighed his need to be obstinate. Jayne watched her as she watched him glug down the water. When finished, he handed the sheriff the glass infusing as much insolence as he could in the simple movement.

She just gazed at him, her amusement apparent. For an older woman, she had an attractiveness to her but she looked tough and Jayne liked his ladies sweet and soft.

“Think you need to send someone to check on Mal there.” Jayne nodded his head toward the cot that adjoined Zoë’s cell. “He don’t look like he’s stirring anytime soon.”

“Guess the boys forgot to adjust the stunner from Big Bear of a Man setting.” She grinned at her own joke. “He’ll come to. If not tonight, then tomorrow. He ain’t the first that had to sleep off a stun.”

“Tomorrow?” Jayne frowned. “Think we got to get out today.”

“Not today.” Alavega walked to Zoë’s cell, placing another big plastic glass of water on the floor. “You alright?” She looked at Zoë who remained staring at the opposite wall.

“She’s fine,” Jayne answered.

“You her man?”

Jayne glanced at Zoë, alarmed that even that question didn’t get a response from her. He debated saying “yes” just to get a rise out of her. “No. When we gettin’ out?”

“Not soon.” The sheriff continued looking at Zoë, concern growing in her eyes. “You can’t just waltz into a town and beat up our most annoying citizens. This here is what we call consequences.”

Consequences. As of late that was all Jayne seemed to be acquainted with.

“He okay?” Zoë finally spoke. She continued looking at the far wall.

“He’ll live,” Alavega said. “I’ll be by later to check on ya’ll.”

With a quick inquisitive look at Jayne, she walked out, shutting the door firmly behind her.

“Zoë?” Jayne called out softly. The fact that she hadn’t balked at someone confusing him for her man worried him. Plus, she hadn’t even checked on Mal. Maybe she was well and truly sore at him. Despite his earlier fantasy about her turning on the Captain, Jayne didn’t like thinking that these two were divided. “You alright?”

“Just shut up, Jayne.”

Jayne sat back on the small cot and resumed watching the shadows on the floor.

* * * * * * * * *

“What the hell are you doin’?” An astonished voice exclaimed.

Simon and Inara spun around to see a dirty, wizened man of about fifty years. He was flanked by four other unkempt but large men. Simon hurried to stand beside an equally discombobulated Inara.

Everyone stared at each other for a moment before the older man spoke again. “Ya’ll sightseein’?” His bad teeth were visible because of the astonished gape he was sending their way.

“It’s an unusual sight,” Inara said, gazing at the man without the slightest hint of fear.

Simon tried channeling Jayne but he couldn’t. His brain registered that he and Inara were outnumbered, outgunned, and, boy, was this a bad idea.

“I’ll say so.” The man rocked back on his heels. His hands were curled into his belt, his fingers lightly touching his two holstered guns. He shared an amused glance with one of his cohorts before a quick flick of his head had the rest of his crew fanning out to take positions around Simon and Inara. “What kind of outfit is this? We ain’t here for a tea party.” His shrewd gaze slid over Inara before resting on Simon. “You ain’t Reynolds, are you?”

“No,” Simon said. “The Captain is…around.”

He stared at Simon before nodding in approval. “Good plan.” The man looked up over the cliffs.

Simon and Inara exchanged a quick glance pleased with the man’s assumption. With a smile, Inara stretched out her hand. “My name is Monica and this is…John.”

“Well, John and Monica, I’m Levon. That there’s Bo, Freddy, Ali, and Dickie. Now that we got that out of the way let me ask ya’ll something.” He folded his arms, looking at them sternly. “Don’t ya’ll know how this works? Didn’t your gorramn Captain tell ya’ll anything other than to stand around actin’ stupid and lookin’ pretty?”

Inara grinned. “Actually, those were his precise instructions.”

Levon laughed, his tense stance relaxing. Taking a cue from their leader, the other men started chuckling. Soon, Simon and Inara joined in. With a look at Simon and Inara, Levon stopped laughing. Again, taking a cue from their boss, his men also stopped leaving only the sound of Simon and Inara’s nervous giggling.

Clearing her throat, Inara said, “The Captain thought it best for us to meet with you while he and the others kept watch.”

“That’s right smart thinking. We didn’t even see them on our way in.” He looked up again vainly looking for something that wasn’t there. “He really should’ve given you some pointers, though, ‘cause you two look like babes in the woods.”

Walking to the edge of the chasm that had transfixed Simon and Inara, he gestured for them to come closer. “Like when you’re meetin’ folk you don’t know, don’t never give your attention to nothing but the meet. I don’t care if the Egyptian’s Pyramids suddenly appear, your eyes gotta be set on business.”

“We’ll remember that for next time,” Simon said. Now that the danger had seemed to pass, Simon grew impatient with the lecture Levon felt compelled to deliver. “So, where is the…stuff we’re buying?”

“On its way. See, best not to bring your ‘stuff’ right away. Gotta get a sense for the meet else you’ll get robbed and murdered right quick.” He nodded to the satchel slung over Simon’s shoulder. “That includes not affixin’ the money on your person.”

Levon smiled again, shaking his head. “Ya’ll really are lucky you didn’t meet me in my wild days. Bullets would be in your brain and I’d be off with the booty. And your little ship there. But, I’m in what you’d call a transitional phase. Workin’ on my karma, ya know?”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Inara glanced up toward where their imaginary backup might be before gazing steadily at Levon. “That makes things far more pleasant.”

She smiled at him again. It was the kind of smile she would bestow on the Crown Prince of Londinium. Simon couldn’t believe she could maintain such a serene demeanor at a time like this. Even though he strongly suspected these men didn’t intend to kill them, he couldn’t possibly relax until they were back on Serenity.

Levon responded with a gap-toothy grin of his own. “You’re something else, woman. I can see why your Captain sends you to do the talking.” He lightly punched Simon’s arm before looking out over the mass of trees peeking over the cliff. “It is a sight, ain’t it. Can’t begrudge you too much for your interest in the Crazy River.”

Simon inhaled in shock. “The wha--?”

Levon pointed to the trees. “That there’s the Crazy River.”

“The what?” Simon repeated.

“The Crazy River.” Levon looked confused at Simon’s astonishment. “Used to be called something else but over time the river just turned crazy.”

A whistle sounded. “Looks like the stuff is here,” Levon informed them, pointing toward a small hovercraft pulling a hover-trailer. He gestured for the mule to head toward the shuttle.

“So, the river turned crazy?” Simon asked. “What does that mean?”

“Means that once upon a time that there was a bona fide regular river. Now, I hear it’s just a swampy mess down there. Nobody goes down there on account that it’s haunted.”

“Haunted?” Inara asked.

“Natives. Them that were here before the planet was terraformed.”

“That’s not possible,” Simon insisted, peering over the edge of the canyon, trying to see through the thick foliage. “The terraforming process---“

“Do I look like I care about that?” Levon frowned at Simon. “Son, go make yourself useful. Whyn’t you oversee them stowing?”

Simon darted a glance at Inara. She smiled and nodded. As he walked away, he heard a loud exasperated sigh from Levon.

“Leave the cash.”

Handing the man the satchel, Simon gave Inara a last look before walking back to the shuttle. The rest of the Levon’s crew were standing around the hover-mule waiting for him to unlock the shuttle. The shuttle hadn’t been locked but Simon made a show of complicated hand movements he hoped would persuade them that the shuttle had indeed been secured. He didn’t feel like getting lectured again.

“Can I help?” Simon asked after opening the shuttle’s door.

“Thanks, but we got it.” With a meaningful look down at Simon, the burly man grinned in a manner very similar to Jayne. “Come on, Dickie, hop to it.”

Dickie cast a nervous glance behind him before helping the others unload the barrels. As the last barrel was loaded into the shuttle, Simon noticed Dickie, again, look around. For an instant, the man’s nervous gaze met Simon’s. Simon tensed. He knew that look; had seen it before on Jayne’s face. The look of guilt.

“Hey!“ Simon called out as Dickie walked behind the shuttle.

Simon glanced around realizing no one else seemed to notice Dickie’s defection. Wanting to get Inara out now, Simon started toward her. She stood talking with Levon, laughing at something the older man was saying until Levon’s head exploded showering her face and Simon’s last nice shirt with brains and blood.

“Inara!” He called out before the gunfight began in earnest. Simon dropped to the ground as chaos erupted. The thunder of horses and gunshots echoed through the valley. The burly man crouched behind a rock shooting and wildly calling out orders to the rest of Levon’s crew.

Simon crawled toward where Inara lay on the ground struggling to push Levon's almost headless body of of her.

“Lay still. Pretend we’re dead,” Simon whispered, trying to look around without moving. Satified that no one noticed them, Simon took a moment trying to get calm and figure out what he needed to do. The Captain, Zoe and Jayne would shoot their way out of this but Simon strongly suspected that if he started to do that, they wouldn’t survive this fiasco.

The shots soon died down. Levon’s men were all dead. Except for Dickie.

“They got others surrounding the place, Larry,“ he told his new boss, pointing up to the cliffs that surrounded the valley.

“What the hell are they waiting for?” Larry looked up trying to see who was out there.

The plan to play dead was a good one until Simon heard Larry call out: “Check the bodies, boys. Might find something of value.”

“Ok, now we run for it.” Simon furtively looked around. There were about half a dozen men milling about. Some stayed on their horses laughing at the carnage.

“Where?” Inara asked, her voice sounded small and afraid. Simon took her shaking hand in his. Anger swelled in him as he looked from her bloodied face to the body of Levon.

Simon lifted his head studying what the others were doing. One guy was taking Levon’s hover-mule, two others were getting into the shuttle, the rest began checking bodies and congratulating themselves on a job well done. One of the other men stopped his horse not too far from where Simon and Inara lay. After sliding off the horse, he walked over to the body of the burly man, checking his pockets. Less than six feet away, his horse stood calmly.

“The horse!” Simon whispered urgently. “Now!”

They crept to the horse as fast and as quietly as they could keeping low to the ground. Simon risked a look behind relieved to see that no one had noticed them. Placing his foot on the stirrup, he swung onto the horse pulling Inara up behind him.

“Hey!” the other man called out. “That’s my horse!”

Not knowing which way to go, Simon kicked the horse just wanting to escape. More shots rang out. Frightened, the horse bolted into a fast run. It had been a good fifteen years since Simon had ridden a horse and it seemed as though the horse sensed Simon’s inexperience.

“Hang on!” Simon yelled. Inara buried her face in his back squeezing him tightly. He clung to the reins hoping the horse could outrun the bullets. Or that the others were bad shots. The horse ran along the edge of the Crazy River. Simon tried to gain control to steer the horse away from the cliff. Another shot rang out causing the horse to buckle. Screaming in pain, the horse staggered toward the edge of the ravine. Simon frantically pulled the reins but there was another shot. Finally losing its footing, the horse, Simon and Inara fell over the cliff plunging into the Crazy River.

Advice of the canine kind

Sun, 24 May 2009 23:49:05 GMT

My seven year old daughter is begging for a dog. She wants a little white dog. She's been asking for over a year. Last year, we bought her two rats which she loves and takes good care of. So now we are seriously considering a dog.

We also have an almost ten year old, a very, very small yard. Both my husband and I work during the day so there won't be anyone here. There is the option of taking the dog to my parents during the day.

Someone suggested a maltese and I've done a little research but I would appreciate any thoughts you might have.

Thanks!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!

Mon, 18 May 2009 21:46:44 GMT

And a big Muchas Gracias to caffeinified for the shiny birthday cupcake!

The birthday before the big 4-0 was nice. Family from Kansas and northern New Mexico visited. There was even Family Drama! Or nearly physical altercation family drama! Thankfully, a fight was averted. In case you are wondering, no, my family is not the fightin' and drinkin' kind. But there is the father of one of my family member's children who is a serious asshole. (Not the child!) I emphasize father. Not boyfriend. Actually, sperm donor would be a better description of this individual. I could go on but that is a rant for another day.

In happier news, I have seen Star Trek twice. I want to see it again.

In search of...Firefly theories/stories.

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:11:33 GMT

I'm stranded at the office. My intrepid employer, previously and currently referred to as Mr. Krueger, borrowed my mini-van. Borrowed it several hours ago. I call to track him down, make sure he's still alive, and where is he? At his house watching a movie. A movie. He won't be back for another half hour at least.

I plan to use that time wisely by posting something on LJ.

And by posting, I'm really fishing for theories and I'm actually interested in responses which I will respond to (I'm trying to shake my recent foray into lurkdom).

Mal's tattoo. Give me the who, what, when, where, and why of it.

Somewhere Down the Crazy River, Part 3

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 04:03:47 GMT

Title: Somewhere Down the Crazy River (part 3 of 10)
Author: CharlieBZ
Rating: PG
Pairing: Canon, if any
Characters: Crew
Spoilers: BDM
Word Count: 4800ish
Disclaimer: Firefly/Serenity do not belong to me.
Description: Inara visits the Sheriff's office to get Mal, Zoe, and Jayne released. Simon comes up with a plan.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I really tried to keep on a schedule with this story but life intervened. Big thanks to Gilliebeans for all her help.

Part 2

__________________________________________________________________________________

Part 3

Such was her ire with certain members of the crew that if that lousy bar with the deceiving name of Nick’s Café had had a decent door, Kaylee would have slammed it shut on her way out. Nobody treats my boyfriend like he’s a gorramn leech. Kicking a stone, she tromped over to the mule where Simon sat in the front passenger seat glaring at the “medical” building that so offended him.

“They better get happier after this job or I swear…” Everyone thought she was little Miss Perky Lou all the time but if they kept acting like jackasses, they’d see a whole other side of Kaylee; the side that had inspired genuine fear in her little brothers.

“Just who do they think they are?” Crossing her arms, she glared at Simon, so angry on his behalf. “It’d serve them right, one of them gettin’ hurt…” Appalled, her fingers flew to her mouth, trying to take back her careless words.

Simon grinned. “That’s okay. Just awhile ago I was wishing a broken leg on Jayne.” Taking her hands, he pulled her to him. “But then I realized his mouth would still be working.”

Delighted at his uncharitable thoughts, Kaylee wound her arms around his neck. “Can’t you, Dr. Three Percent, do somethin’ ‘bout that?” She smiled coyly, beckoning him to kiss her. When he did, she settled between his knees for a long kiss, humming as they partook of a little steetside necking. She was impressed that Simon was game for such a public display. She, herself, greatly enjoyed public kissing. Liked it even more as it turned to public tonguey kissing.

Until…Simon pulled away. Kaylee was about to playfully thump him on the head when she saw his alarmed expression. Turning, she watched, her dread rising, as three men ran from the Sheriff’s office toward Nick’s Café.

“You don’t think?” Simon asked.

“Course not.” But Kaylee wasn’t confident. The way their luck had been as of late…

The barroom door banged open again, people spilled out onto the street, talking and gesturing angrily to each other. The crowd parted, allowing four men carrying an unconscious man to get through. Kaylee tensed. She knew that great big hulking man that required the combined effort of all four men. Her heart sunk and her anger flared. “That gorramn Jayne! Knew he was stupid as a tick but this? He’s bent on messin’ up everything for us!”

Kaylee started to go find the Captain and Zoë but stopped as she saw another man being carried out. This man required only two but the brown coat that dragged on the dusty road screamed Captain! Shaking her head, she looked helplessly at Simon.

Sliding out of the mule, he stood behind her. “Oh, no. Oh, no, no no.”

“Stay here, Simon!” Kaylee rushed toward the bar just as Zoë emerged. Blood oozed from her nose and mouth. Her hair was disheveled, her hands shackled behind her back.

“Zoë!” Kaylee called out jogging alongside the men who roughly led Zoë to the jail. “Zoë! What happened?” Zoë didn’t look at her but kept her gaze straight in front of her. Needing Zoë’s attention, Kaylee tried to get closer but the lawman she had run into earlier pushed her aside.

“No visitors ‘til she’s bound proper.” His grip tightened on Zoë, pulling her along.

“What for?”

“Out of the way, missy. What’d I tell you ‘bout loiterin’?”

Kaylee stopped outside the jail. Several men who followed the lawman inside bumped her rudely. Undaunted, she started inside but someone grabbed her arm.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Simon looked worriedly at the jail.

“We have to do somethin’!” Shrugging him off, she walked into the building. The small office was crowded, the brawlers standing around looking pained and sheepish. She couldn’t walk further into the room and had to be content to squish up against the wall.

Her eyes immediately found Zoë and her heart nearly broke. On a wooden chair next to the desk, Zoë sat alone. Her eyes were steely but Kaylee could see something that looked suspiciously like…desperation. Wanting to get to her, Kaylee elbowed her way through the crowd. “Zoë!” But Zoë couldn’t hear, the noise in the small room had grown chaotically loud as everyone began shouting explanations.

“That woman!” “…went off on him…” “Crazy is what she is!”

“Shut up!” The lawman hollered, slamming Zoë’s Mare’s Leg on his desk.

Everyone in the room slowly shushed, except for one big man standing next to Kaylee.

“Wang, what the hell we gotta come in for? Clear as day that she started it! Look at Little Bill there.”

Kaylee looked around until saw a young man sitting on the floor, slumped against the wall. His face was hidden behind a bloody towel and Kaylee knew it would be a solid mess underneath it. Someone tending to him shouted, “Gorramn nose is broke!” This news prompted the man standing next to Kaylee to hurl himself at Zoë.

Zoë rose so quickly her chair fell over backward. Even with her hands still shackled behind her back, Zoë’s stance was menacing, the look in her eye wild and challenging. Bewildered and frightened, Kaylee shrank back against the wall.

“Settle down, the lot of you!” Wang yelled. Grabbing a hold of the man who had made to attack Zoë he shoved him against the wall. “One more peep outta ya and I’m lockin’ you up as well.”

Wang looked disgustedly around the room. “Everybody out now! If any tarry, you’ll be bound!”

“But—“ Kaylee said.

“Now!” Wang glared at her. “I’m countin’ ta 10. One…”

With a last helpless glance at Zoë, Kaylee followed the crowd out of the office. As she burst outside, she grabbed Simon’s hand pulling him into a run behind her.

“What are we going to do?” Simon asked when they reached the mule.

“We’re gettin’ Inara is what we’re doing.” She jumped into the driver’s seat, angrily reving the engine far more than she should have. Simon barely had time to sit down before she gunned it.

* * * * * * * *

Inara swept into the sheriff’s office looking as fine as she could make herself on the mad dash from Serenity. An older man looked up from his desk at her entrance. At the sight of her, his pen dropped on top of a stack of forms.

“Are ya lost, miss?” he asked, blinking in confusion.

Inara noted the star on his chest and smiled. In the seconds since she entered the room her calculating gaze took in every detail of the man. His clothes were clean and pressed, a well worn ring adorned the fourth finger on his left hand. From what Kaylee had told her, this man was a stickler for the law. Conclusion: long married man with, by the looks of the picture on his desk, grandchildren. Enchanting seductress was not the role for this man.

“No, I’m not lost but I do have a small problem I’m hoping you could help me with.” Her smile was sweet, innocent; the smile a daughter would bestow on a much loved father.

He rose, his chest puffing out in importance. “That’s what I’m here for, Miss…?”

“Rodriguez. Monica Rodriguez.” Inara smiled again, modestly lowering her eyes. “We’re travelling through your part of the world on…” She paused, meekly nibbling her lower lip as if struck by a wave of bashfulness. “…on a humanitarian mission.”

“That so?”

“Yes, we are reuniting some children with their parents that were thought to be lost in the war.” Her voice trailed off, sadness clouding her eyes.

He gave her an understanding smile. “Heard of many that got displaced. It’s good work you’re doin’.”

“Thank you.” Inara was a picture of modesty. “It is gratifying to be able to right wrongs that have afflicted the innocent.”

“What do you need from me?”

“Well, some members of our crew recently…were engaged in an altercation…”

He frowned, a spark of suspicion flaring in his eyes. “You mean the lot that rabble roused at Nick’s?”

Taking a deep breath, Inara went out on a limb relying on the fact that most Rim citizens were sympathetic to the Browncoat cause. “Unfortunately, yes. Two of them are…were…Independents and …well, you must know how challenging life can be for them.”

“Ain’t no ‘Liance folk here to egg them on.”

“Oh, no! It’s just that…it’s difficult for them. I felt it was my duty to aid these…” her voice dropped to a confidential whisper “…heroes the best I can.”

Inara didn’t miss the slight nod of approval from the man. Her eyes flitted over him again, noting the homemade cross that peeked up from below his collar.

“I believe the Lord helps those that help themselves and they just need a little nudge in the right direction.” She stepped closer and even though they were the same height, she managed to appear as if she was looking up at him. “An opportunity to get back on their feet which is why I employed them in the first place.”

“That’s rightly kindly of you Miss Rodriguez. They got the short end of the stick that’s for sure. Real sorry for them and for them kids but the law is the law.”

She nodded quickly, her eyes downcast. “I really do hate to impose and I wouldn’t dream of begging for such a kindness if it weren’t really important.” Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes, her own bright with unshed tears. “But one of the parents, I fear, doesn’t have long to live and time is of the essence.”

He patted her arm in consolation. “Honey, that’s a sad tale to be sure but I ain’t got no authority to let them go. You’ll have to take that up with the sheriff.”

Inara’s eyes cleared instantly. “You’re not the sheriff?”

“That would be me.”

Inara turned to see the speaker and her heart sank as she met the steady, amused gaze of the woman who was clearly in charge here. Tall and lithe, the formidable woman’s gray and black hair was cut very short, cropped against her head. She appeared aged but not weak. She wore no gun, but stood confidently as if she had no need for weapons to clarify her position in the community.

Inara fought the sigh welling within her as she realized the woman reminded her of Zoë. This wasn’t going to be an easy sell and she had already backed herself into a corner with a sad sack story that she strongly suspected would not work on this woman who appeared to have a low tolerance for nonsense.

“Deputy Wang was just filling out their paperwork before you interrupted him with your…touching story.”

“Oh, yes, Sheriff…?”

“Alavega. Dody Alavega.” The woman approached, taking Inara’s hand in a firm grip, shaking it vigorously. “Don’t get many ladies such as yourself in these parts.”

“I was just telling…Deputy Wang that we had to stop for repairs on our way to ---“

“Delivering orphans? Or was it picking them up?”

“We were---“

“Don’t matter what you were doing,” Alavega interrupted, dropping Inara’s hand. “What matters is that I have no lenience for strangers causing a ruckus in my town.”

Inara’s mind raced trying to find an angle to sway this woman. She was coming up with nothing. “I’m sure it was an accident,” she offered, cringing slightly at the lameness of her excuse.

Alavega’s eyes narrowed. “Your people accidentally assault others on a regular basis, do they?”

“Well, no. There must have been some sort of provocation.”

The sheriff crossed her arms, looking down at Inara. Inara refused to give in to temptation to avert her eyes from the knowing stare.

“What do they do for your…operation?” Alavega asked.

“They are my pilot and co-pilot,” Inara said. “And cook.”

“Feel a need to arm your pilots, do ya? And your cook?”

“You know how it is…strangers in a strange land. One can never be certain what to expect.” Inara shrugged, looking helplessly at the deputy who still looked completely taken in by her. The sheriff, however, did not. “It’s really very important that we get going. We have ….” The orphan story began sounding stupider and stupider. Inara shed her pretense. “Business that needs our immediate attention.”

“And what kind of business would that be?”

Inara met the sheriff’s unblinking but still amused gaze and decided she needed to keep as close to the truth as possible. “Just a cargo exchange.”

“Cargo?” The woman’s amusement vanished. “All pickups are run through Robert’s Town. And there are no deliveries scheduled until next week.”

“The exchange isn’t here. We were just passing through. Repairs—“

“Are you selling orphans?”

“No!”

Alavega’s grin was cynical. “Yeah, okay, I get it. Town’s my jurisdiction and that’s enough to keep me busy so my eye is blind to some of the other…happenings.”

And there was the opening Inara was looking for. “Maybe we could work out something.”

* * * * * * * *

Simon and River waited anxiously. Actually, Simon was far more anxious than River who looked completely unconcerned by the situation. They sat outside Serenity. Simon kept his gaze on the horizon. River looked up at the sky.

“I see a…a…” she squinted. “…I think I see a giraffe. Yes, that is a giraffe. Her name is Miss Giraffe.”

Simon glanced at her, alarmed that she was hallucinating.

“The clouds.” River gave him her patented disgusted look.

“Oh, right.” But his gaze returned to the horizon.

“You should have taken me to town.”

“Yes because you would never get in a bar fight.”

She looked at him, shocked and angry until she saw his grin.

Simon laughed. “I’m not the only easy mark,” he told her, patting her hand.

She smiled back. “Did you have a nice time?”

Simon studied her carefully, seeing her olive branch. The fact that she was offering him one pleased him. While he regretted his sharp words to her, he didn’t regret his desire to have a little…grown up time.

“We did. Until…”

“Until it all went to hell. We shouldn’t be surprised,” River said. “But I’m confident Inara will free them. She’s very talented with people, you know.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Except the Captain, of course.”

“Of course.”

They grinned at each other until River affected a pretty pout.

“I’m still mad at you.”

Simon assumed a nonchalant yet pouty look of his own. “Maybe I’m still mad at you.”

“Really?”

Simon quelled a smile at her perplexed look. His gaze returned to the empty horizon. “Maybe more like irritated.”

“Irritated?”

“Aggravated.”

“Aggravated?”

“Ok. Maybe irked.”

“But you love me even though I irritate, aggravate and irk you.”

He looked tenderly at her before responding. “I always have, River.”

“A wave!” She jumped up, running inside Serenity.

“Wait! Don’t…” He called after her. Rushing up the stairs, he reached the bridge in time to find her answering the hail. Pushing her out of the way, Simon greeted the caller.

“This is Ser---“ he stopped, unsure of the proper protocol for answering Serenity’s waves. “May I ask who is calling?”

The face that appeared on the screen looked at Simon in surprise. A sneer soon appeared over his features. “May I ask who the hell are you?”

“I’m…uh...on Captain Reynolds crew.”

“Where’s Reynolds?”

“He’s away for the moment.”

“Away? He’s expectin’ my gorramn wave!”

“Yes, well, he’s busy preparing for the job.”

That explanation seemed to pacify the man. “Yeah, okay. I got the coordinates for the meet. Transmitting now.”

A brief flurry of numbers appeared on the bottom of the screen soon replaced by a map with a flashing dot. “Okay. We’ve got it.”

“Meet’s at dusk. Prefer the light of day for this job so don’t be late.”

“Uh…” While Simon preferred to be confident that Inara would succeed in springing them, he was always the realist. “Is it possible to reschedule our appointment?”

“Reschedule?” The man looked thunderstruck at the very idea. “Things are in motion, greenhorn. In motion. You know the effort we went to set this up? Reschedule! You better be jokin’.”

Simon looked at the man steadily. “I just meant what time is dusk around here?”

“Oh. Sevenish local time. Take you ‘bout an hour to get there from where you are.”

Nodding, Simon said, “He’ll be there.”

“He better or there’ll be trouble.” With a last sneer to Simon, the man signed off.

“Isn’t there always?” Simon asked the now blank screen.

River put her hand on Simon’s shoulder. “I’m hungry.”

* * * * * * * *

“Tell me something you need and I’m sure we can fulfill that for you,” Inara said smiling confidently at the Sheriff.

Alavega stared at Inara for a moment before bursting out laughing. “Oh, honey, I’m sure you are used to getting what you want but not today.” Her laughter faded. “Not with me.”

Inara’s smile vanished. “There must be something we can do to work this out.”

“There is. Your…employees…will just have to stay put until the magistrate can see them.”

“When will that be?”

Alavega shrugged. “He’s on a hunting trip. When he returns depends on what he bags.”

The door banged open. A well-dressed gentleman sauntered inside, glaring at Sheriff Alavega.

“Alavega, what the hell are you gonna do about ----“ He stopped abruptly when his eyes discovered Inara. His confrontational demeanor instantly changed to one of masculine interest. “Well, hello! What have we here?”

“She’s just leaving,” Alavega said.

Ignoring her, the man studied Inara. His eyes were warm, curious, and predatory. Inara smiled at him. Maybe there still was a chance. The man reeked local power. Enchanting Seductress would work quite well with this man. “Hello, there.”

“I am Young Faron. And who might you be?”

“Friend to the woman that smashed your kid’s face.”

Instead of responding to the Sheriff the man approached Inara. “Oh, I have a hard time believing that…”

“Unfortunately, it’s true. My name is…Monica.”

“Well, Monica, I wouldn’t worry too much about my boy.” Faron took her hand, placing a lingering kiss on her soft skin. “Between you and me he could use a good thunk now and then. Makes him more of a…man.”

“More’n just a thunk, Young,” Alavega said.

Still holding her hand, he took a step closer to Inara. “I’m sure this is all a dreadful misunderstanding. Perhaps you would care to discuss this situation further? Dine with me this evening? Not in this town, of course.” He looked dismissively at the Sheriff. “I have a hacienda not too far from here. With a cook who makes the best Strogonoff this side of Verbena.”

Inara met his smile with a seductive one of her own. From the corner of her eye she could see the confusion on the deputy’s face. Ignoring the twinge of guilt, she squeezed Young’s hand. “That sounds delightful but I’m afraid with my employees incarcerated I won’t be able to attend.”

He put his hand over his heart as if her words pained his him greatly. “Nonsense! This matter can be cleared up---“

“No, Young, it can’t.” Alavega removed Inara’s hand from his grasp. Standing between him and Inara she looked him in the eye. “You might be the richest man in these parts but that don’t give you leave to circumvent the law.”

He glared at her. “My son will not press charges.”

“Ain’t up to him. Nor you.” Alavega smiled triumphantly. “And, by and by, have you seen him? Like I said, boy wasn’t just thunked. He’s been pounded and I mean for the perpetrator to fill her sentence.”

“Which is what exactly?” Inara asked.

Alavega shrugged, still staring at Young. “Depends on what the magistrate says.”

“What about bail?”

“Allow me to take care of that for you.” Young moved to grasp her hand again but Inara moved away from him.

“Bail’ll be up to the magistrate.” Alavega continued glaring at Faron.

“Who is unavailable,” Inara stated.

“That’s the way it is, sweetie.”

Faron smiled, trying to get Inara’s attention again. “Since you’ll be here awhile, how about that dinner?”

Giving him a dismissive look, Inara craned her neck as delicately as possible hoping for a glimpse of Mal, Jayne or Zoë but she couldn’t see beyond the door to the jail cells she suspected were in the back.

“May I see them?”

“No. Visiting hours are over.”

“Do they need medical assistance?”

“They’ll heal.”

“I don’t understand why they are the only ones still in jail.”

“When the magistrate comes, the whole lot’ll come in. Reason the others aren’t our guests is that I know ever last one of those little pr---“ she glanced at Young. “those young men. And I know they won’t skip town.” She turned to Inara. “But I don’t know her and them. Got it?”

She gently pushed Inara toward the door. “No need to stop by, they’ll be along when they can.” With a distracted smile, Sheriff Alavega closed the door in Inara’s face.

* * * * * * * *

Simon and River looked through the woefully bare pantry. The main offering consisted of many cans of beets. River bit her lip, fear rising in her. This wasn’t how she wanted her family to be. Desperate and living on beets. She hated beets, purple juice and squishy food.

“No beets,” she said.

Simon held up his hand. “I know. I know.”

He opened a few more bins finally locating a snack bar. Looking at the packaging, he handed it to her with an apologetic shrug. A Fruity-Oaty bar.

“The octopus is not mandatory,” River said tearing open the wrapper.

Simon leaned against the counter watching her eat. “What does that mean exactly?”

River thought about the question as she ate. Was she the octopus? As she fought the Reavers, she was very much like an octopus. Her two arms had turned to eight. Or was it six plus her legs? But if she was the octopus why wasn’t she mandatory?

Swallowing the last of the bar, River glanced down at her chest. “I’m not bursting out of my blouse.” Wadding up the wrapper, she defiantly tossed it into the empty food bin.

Frowning at her, Simon retrieved the trash. “We don’t do that. Ever.” He opened the trash compartment dropping the wrapper in. “That’s Jayne’s job.”

As he slammed the door shut, they heard the sound of the mule entering the cargo bay. Rushing down to the hold, they were disappointed to see only Kaylee and Inara.

“No luck.” Kaylee said, hopping out of the mule.

River wandered over the open cargo doors. Looking up at the sky, she said, “Miss Giraffe’s neck floated away.”

“Gāi sǐ!” Simon said. “What about bail?”

“Can’t!” Kaylee shook her head. “Cap’n don’t believe in bail. Get popped either break out or do your time. Don’t pay ‘em nothin’.”

“In this instance, he may just have to forgo that---“

“No, really, Simon. We got money for the job is all. Spend money on bail and we’re short. Short ain’t good in these situations.”

“Bail isn’t even an option at this juncture” Inara said.

River watched the body of the giraffe stretch before completely disintegrating. Turning back, she looked at the worried faces of Simon, Inara and Kaylee. They stood silently in the hold looking at each other helplessly.

“Are we contemplating breaking them out?” Simon finally asked.

“No, we’re not,” Inara said.

“This is bad,” Simon stated.

“Could be worse,” Kaylee said trying for a hopeful smile.

“You’re right,” River agreed excitedly. “We could be chained in a hole with tentacles connected to our veins to keep us alive. Our enemies could keep us bound, our ears plugged up with chewing gum, our eyes covered by beets. We wouldn’t be able to see or hear anything just feel ----“

“Thank you, River.” Simon walked away from them, his head down as if deep in thought.

“We could be dead,” River said.

“River!” Inara and Kaylee both exclaimed.

“It’s true. That’s the worst---“

“I can get money,” Inara said. “Maybe we could sneak it in Mal’s bunk and make it seem like he forgot it.”

“Who forgets money?” Kaylee looked doubtfully at Inara.

River watched Simon walk slowly around the hold, his hand massaging his forehead. She knew that look, Simon was doing serious thinking. After a few minutes, he looked up at River, smiling at her before approaching Kaylee and Inara. “Excuse me,” Simon said.

Kaylee and Inara continued to debate how to make money mysteriously appear.

“Excuse me,” Simon repeated a little louder. When they finally stopped talking, he said, “We have two options. Break them out or go on the job.”

“We can’t break them out,” Inara said. “That’s just…not possible.”

“I agree.” He looked at each of them before speaking again. “So, that leaves the job.”

Kaylee and Inara stared at him blankly, not comprehending what he was suggesting.

“I’ll go to the meet.” Simon said quietly.

His offer was met with stunned silence before Inara and Kaylee began speaking at once. “No!” “Simon, have you lost your mind?” “That’s jīng shén cuò luàn!”

“We might have the money but there are no jobs on the horizon,” he said. “That money can only last so long and the way I understand the situation to be is if we can’t get this job, the Captain will resort to desperate measures. I’ve seen what desperation can do to the Captain and it’s not something I care to revisit.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Kaylee said.

Simon exhaled loudly. “I’ll suppose I’ll need a gun.”

“Simon, this is insanity,” Inara said. “You can’t do this.”

“I have to do this.”

River understood perfectly. Simon’s honor would not allow him to sit idly by if there was anything in his power he could do to help. Risking his life and his precious freedom to help her, shelter her, keep her safe, the Captain had done far more for them than anyone else. She looked at Simon, her heart swelling with love and admiration at his commitment to attempting to repay the Captain for everything he’s done for them.

“I’ll go with you,” River said.

“No!” Simon vehemently shook his head.

“She is the best qualified of all of us for this kind of work,” Kaylee said.

Simon gave her a hard look. “Absolutely not. We’ll speak no more about this.”

“Then, I’ll go with you,” Kaylee smiled her bravest smile.

“Kaylee…I---“

“No. I’ll go.” Inara stepped forward. “You’re right, Simon, this job is important. This is the one they need to get back on their feet.”

“You just want to leave,” River said snidely.

Inara gave River a look before speaking to Simon and Kaylee. “It’s a business transaction, right? People have something to sell and we want to buy. How hard could it be?"

Part 4

Somewhere Down the Crazy River, Part Two

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:55:38 GMT

Title: Somewhere Down the Crazy River (part 2 of 10)
Author: Charlie_bz
Pairing: Canon, if any
Rating: PG
Timeframe: Post BDM, this story follows Black Days
Disclaimer: Firefly et al are not mine.
Description: Inara and River stay with Serenity as Mal and the rest of the crew go to town.

Author's Note: Thank you, Gilliebeans! The Sheydra scene would have been sorely lacking if not for your input. Other sections as well!

Part 1

________________________________________________________________________

Part 2

"I can see why this place is called Deadwood,” Simon commented loudly trying to be heard over the noise of the wind. The journey to Barren Break had been even more boring than expected; the ride was utterly devoid of interesting views and conversation was sparse. In the front seats, Mal and Zoë sporadically exchanged a few words that no one in the back seat could hear. Simon could, however, clearly hear the various noises emanating from Jayne’s direction in the back seat. Lots of huffing and exasperated puffing – all for his benefit he supposed.

“Ain't named for dead trees or anything like that.” Kaylee yelled, her hair blowing wildly about her face. “Named for some Wild West place on Earth-That-Was." She glanced at him, sweeping her hair out of her eyes. "You know the Wild West, don't ya?”

“Not really,” he responded absently, his attention briefly diverted by something in the distance that turned out to be more of nothing.

Holding her hands over her head to calm her hair, Kaylee peered closely at him. “Ain’t you never seen a Cowboy Roy viddie?”

“Uh…no.”

"How in the name of holy cowboys can you be a person and not see at least one?” Jayne’s face was almost comical in its contorted disbelief. “Classics is what they are!"

“They are at that!” Kaylee agreed, nodding at Jayne. “My daddy and I never got enough of Roy’s adventures. Outlaws, gladiators, samurai…he fought everybody!” She sighed wistfully. “All for the love of Navajo Rose…”

Simon grinned at her enthusiasm. “Sounds interesting.”

“Better than interestin’!” She leaned back into him, her face a picture of sincere concern at his lack of proper Western knowledge. “But you’ve never seen nothin’ on the Wild West?”

Simon was silent as he thought. The American West was a genre that had never particularly appealed to him. He reached for something, however remote, to satisfy Kaylee’s concern. "I did see Kubayashi's Ode to Montana."

Three more pairs of eyes turned to Simon.

“Sounds fancy and boring,” Jayne mumbled, turning away as if offended.

"Ode to Montana?” Kaylee asked, her tone doubtful of the Western merits of that title. “Who was in that?”

“Madame Balasubramanium.”

“Who?”

Simon paused before speaking. He was almost embarrassed to clarify; he knew what to expect. “Madame Karina Balasubramanium was the premier soprano at the Grande Operahouse on Osiris.”

“Told ya!” Jayne snorted loudly.

“That a viddie?” Kaylee asked.

“No. An opera.” Simon responded, refusing to feel embarrassed. He didn’t miss the glance between the Captain and Zoë, their amused disdain all too apparent to him.

Jayne and Kaylee fell into a spirited discussion about their favorite Cowboy Roy moments. As they debated who the worst villain was the discussion turned heated.

At last, the blurry vision in the far distance cleared revealing a cluster of buildings. Simon leaned forward eager to get a glimpse of the town but he was vastly disappointed as the mule drew closer. To say the town wasn’t much would be a compliment. Little if no color could be found save for the odd assortment of flowering cacti that someone had planted in an attempt to break the brownness of the town. Slowing down, Mal drove through the center of Barren Break, parking the mule away from the busy section of town; the busy section being about half a dozen locals going about their daily business.

Climbing out of the mule, Simon looked down the wide street at the roughly twenty buildings – all the same shade of tan stucco. It had the look of a dozen other Rim towns that Simon had visited: windswept and weary. Vainly, his eyes searched the buildings, trying to find something that looked remotely appealing.

“We all trudging to this meet?” Jayne asked, hopping down from the mule.

“Nope. Ya’ll free to take in the sights.” Mal glanced around before grinning at Kaylee. “Or whatever passes for sights in this town.”

“Look, Jayne!” Zoë exclaimed, pointing at a sign near where the mule was parked. “Town’s got a bathhouse!”

Jayne frowned at her, his brow furrowing in irritated confusion. His frown deepened and his look of confusion gave way to alarm as he glared at a building across the street. “Jail’s awful prominent, ain’t it?”

Instinctively, Simon turned away, trying to look as normal and invisible as possible.

“Sends a message to people like us which we will heed. No trouble will be made in this town,” Mal said with a stern look at Jayne. “Now, out of the town…” He grinned at Kaylee, before turning to Simon. “And, Doctor, still ain’t seein’ any notices with your face as of late.”

Simon nodded not pacified. Even though it felt like years, it had only been three months since the Alliance had unleashed the monster known as the Operative. Simon found it difficult to believe that such an effort to find his sister had been abandoned. The silence on the official front was…unsettling. Was he free?

“Zoë,” Mal said. “Ain’t necessary to draw attention by us all traipsing in. Might be a good idea for you to go along with them. Keep Kaylee out of trouble.”

“Can we wait in there?” Jayne nodded his head toward the far end of the street. Near the corner building, a red neon sign blinked with dismal regularity: “Nick’s Café.”

“Yeah.” Mal started off, turning briefly to address Jayne. “But don’t want no ruckus of any kind, you hear me, Jayne?”

“I’ll keep the doc from brawlin’,” Jayne drawled with an insulting grin. Sidling up next to Simon, he put his arm around his shoulders as if they were best buddies. “How ‘bout it doc? Buy us a drink?”

“We’ll find something of our own to do.” Kaylee wound her arm in Simon’s, pulling him away from Jayne. “Have to buy your own drinks.”

* * * * * * *

“Run, Dorothy!” River shrieked, grabbing Inara’s hand. They had been having a nice walk - as nice as could be had in the middle of nowhere - until River spotted what looked like a small twister moving swiftly toward them. Pretending that they were dodging a deadly tornado, River pulled Inara, making her run as fast as she could back to the ship.

“We made it!” River exclaimed triumphantly once they reached the safety of Serenity.

“That was close.” Inara grinned at River’s flushed, happy face. After closing the cargo door, they stood inside the bay listening to the dust storm that swirled outside Serenity. “So much for our walk.”

“This place is not as exciting as it looks.”

“It looks exciting?” Inara teased.

“There was a dust devil.” River reminded her. “That was briefly exciting.”

“Briefly,” Inara agreed. But it had been; getting caught up in River’s play, running furiously for no reason.

“Now what do we do?” River asked.

Inara ran her fingers through her hair shaking out stray bits of dirt. “I need to wave Sheydra.”

“Aw! That’s not what I meant.”

“I know but I’ve been putting her off.” Like a coward, she had delayed having an actual conversation with her friend. Instead she had sent messages assuring Sheydra of her well-being, avoiding discussions and difficult questions. It's getting to be a habit, Inara chided herself. “Now that we’ve…you…the crew has secured a job, I need to get back to mine.” Inara started up the stairs.

“You can’t go,” River whined. “You’re the only I find remotely tolerable.” She followed Inara up toward Shuttle One. “I’m sick of everybody. Especially my brother and his… xiǎo lǎo pó.”

Reaching the catwalk, Inara turned, waiting for River. Her gaze was loving as she affectionately cupped River’s chin, shaking her jaw slightly. “You! Why so grouchy?”

River made a face, rolled her eyes, did everything she could short of stamping her feet to express her vexation. “She’s making him silly!”

Shaking her head, Inara turned away.

“Kissing. Whispering. Endlessly groping. Feeding each other crotch smelling protein.”

Inara glanced back, a reproving look on her face, before continuing toward Shuttle One. “But it’s good for him, don’t you think?”

“Eating crotch smelling protein?”

Pausing outside the shuttle’s door, Inara gave her a look.

River swept past her into the shuttle. “My parents would never approve.”

Once inside the shuttle, Inara stopped. River mentioned her parents only very rarely, and the few times she did Inara detected a definite touch of wistfulness. River usually acted as if she had none; her parents’ very existence steadily ignored by both Simon and her. Inara couldn’t help but wonder about them, the people who sent their daughter off to an exclusive school then, apparently, forgot about her...

She watched River closely before asking, “Does that matter?”

River shrugged, walking around the empty room. “I guess not.” She wandered around the bare shuttle, touching whatever caught her attention before heading into the cockpit. “The briefly exciting wind activity has passed.”

Dragging a crate over to the Cortex station, Inara sat down. She pressed a button near the screen, waiting for it to activate.

“I can kill a room full of Reavers but I can’t stay on the ship by myself. Does that seem right to you?” River had silently approached, standing directly behind Inara.

The question was asked idly, River hadn’t the slightest interest in an answer which was good because Inara had none. Who had answers for the reasons why someone had seen fit to gift River with the scarcely imaginable abilities to be such an effective killer? She had no answers for River and only questions that they had all learned were dangerous to ask. Inara stared at the wall of the bare shuttle. River’s words took her back to that room. The room where she had been so certain they were all going to die a horrific death.

The Cortex beeped indicating an open transmission. Inara smoothed back her hair, her hand slightly trembling. She entered the code for the Training House, taking the opportunity to clear her mind while she waited for a connection.

“Maybe I could go with you.” River sat on the crate next to Inara, her hip scooting Inara over to make room. “To the Training House.”

Inara turned away from the screen, looking tenderly at River. Spending her days dancing, painting, enjoying beautiful music and all the arts, River would blossom at the Training House. Inara had seen these things touch River's soul despite all the painstaking, meticulous work the fine Academy scientists had undertaken in their attempt to cure her of her every quality that made her human; robbing her of the woman she had once dreamed she’d become.

Tucking a stray tendril behind her ear, she softly said, “I can’t do that, mei mei.” Her smile was apologetic, helpless. “I wish I could.”

“Can’t endanger all the lovely, young Companions with bright shiny futures, can we?”

“River…” Even if Inara were able to make the offer, she knew River would not want to leave Serenity. Why would anyone want to leave Serenity?

The screen beeped again indicating an incoming transmission.

“Ní hǎo!” Inara wished her greeting didn’t sound so forced.

“Well, ní hǎo, yourself!”

Cursing herself for not checking the incoming id tag, she nudged River further away, anxious for her face not to be seen. “Ms. Dae.”

Sunny Dae smiled. Her black hair, much longer than it had been two months ago, was elaborately piled on her head in an intricate and expensive looking design. “Surprised? I’m not detecting a lot of missing me in your lovely face.”

Inara gazed disinterestedly at the screen. “Captain Reynolds isn’t here.”

“Off earning my money, I hope.” Sunny’s eyes tried to discern where Inara was, attempting to gather as much information as the limited view would allow.

Inara shifted again, making sure her body blocked Sunny’s view of River. “Would you like me to pass along a message?”

“He’ll know the message just knowing I waved.” Sunny’s eyes returned to Inara. “But do let him know that my patience and his time are running out.”

“He is well aware –“

Sunny’s friendly expression vanished. “It’s been almost two months and I haven’t received as much as a ní hǎo from him. He’s about to forfeit his collateral.”

“Collateral?” The word slipped out before she could stop it. Her mind raced, quickly inventorying the precious few valuable items Mal owned. Other than guns and Serenity, she couldn’t imagine what he could have possibly pledged as collateral.

“Collateral is customary in the lending business, sweetie.” Sunny’s hand went to her head, drawing attention to her new hairstyle. The woman fairly preened before Inara, wanting to show off. “Just so he’s aware that this here is a courtesy call.” She smiled again, but this smile didn’t even attempt to convey warmth. “If I don’t hear from him within the week, the next call will most definitely lack courtesy.”

Inara nodded, her dread about what Mal was in for with this woman rising. “I’ll let him know.”

“You know, honey, I thought you would be long gone by now.” Sunny favored Inara with a long, speculative look. “Is something interesting happening over there?”

“Excuse me but I have another wave coming in.” Inara abruptly ended the transmission, taking a moment to compose herself before talking to Sheydra.

“I don’t think you should have done that,” River said in a sing song voice. “She has flying monkeys, you know.”

Inara glanced curiously at River before touching the screen, opening the next wave.

* * * * * * * *

With an apologetic shrug, Simon draped his arm over Kaylee’s shoulder. “Here I am, showing you yet another good time.”

“I don’t mind. It’s good to be off Serenity for a bit.” Her voice held a touch of guilt as if she was betraying her girl at the thought. “So…how did you show the ladies at home a good time?”

Pushing his discomfort with the question away, he looked down at the cracked, concrete sidewalk. “There weren’t very many.”

Kaylee grinned, elbowing him softly in the side. “No social life for Doctor Tam?”

“Some, I suppose.” He tried to think back to his leisure life on Osiris, but thoughts of his work kept intruding. “I was busy with the hospital.”

Kaylee nodded absently. “Wish we had time for the bathhouse.”

She pointed toward a jaunty sign. Naked, sudsy people advertised, “Tubs by the Hour!” Simon repressed a shudder as he read the small print under the advertisement, “New Water Extra.” Not wanting to dwell on what exactly that meant, he tugged at Kaylee to keep moving.

They strolled further until they passed a decrepit looking adobe shack. Simon glared at it as he caught a whiff of the unmistakable odor of vomit and urine.

“I see they have a doctor slash veterinarian,” he observed, utterly appalled when he read the sign that barely hung over the door.

Kaylee giggled. “And, look! He does dental work, too! Fancy having your teeth cleaned?”

The squat building looked like the last one fit for proper medical treatment. “I can’t even think of an appropriate response to…this.” He shook his head, finding it difficult to shake the shock at the medical conditions of the so-called doctor’s office.

“You needin’ the doc?” A voice behind them drawled lazily.

They turned around to see a man studying them. Standing authoritatively with his arms folded, the man exuded an air of self importance. He was older, bordering on seventy. Several days worth of gray stubble littered his jaw giving him a grizzled appearance. He gazed at them as if he had the right to know all their business.

“No, sir. We’re just lookin’.” Kaylee squeezed Simon’s hand.

The man continued to stare at them, waiting for some explanation on their part.

“We’re just passing through on our way to…Robert’s Town.” Kaylee explained.

“Came up through the badlands, didja?”

“That we did. Awful lonesome out there.”

“Ain’t it, though?” He spat on the ground, the amber liquid landing near Simon’s foot. “What takes you to Robert’s?” He studied Simon. “Lookin’ fer work in the mines?”

“Maybe.” Kaylee smiled.

Simon glanced at her, admiring her coolness, her easy charm. Too bad Simon was thwarting her charm with this guy, though. The man glared at Simon, suspicion clouding his eyes. “Well, I figgered ya’ll was out-of-towners. Know all the locals around here.”

Simon glanced around taking in the empty street, thinking of the barren wasteland that surrounded the town. This place has locals? Local what?

As if he guessed Simon’s thoughts, the man explained, “Town’s the only one for about a thousand square miles. Mines ain’t far off and when the miners come in, things pick up a bit.” He gave them a long look as if he expected them to do something wrong. “Pick up in not always the best way.” He stood a little straighter puffing out his chest, his hands slid over his belt, his coat opening to reveal a shiny star. “We don’t like loiterers here.”

Simon’s manner instantly became more respectful. “We’re just walking around.”

“Got a destination, have you?”

“Not really.”

“Best settle on one. Like I said, loitering ain’t tolerated.” He walked away, calling out, “Nor jaywalking!” Cackling at his own joke the man walked into the Sheriff’s office across the street.

“Well, that’s not very friendly,” Kaylee said.

* * * * * * * *

River lay on the cot listening to Inara’s conversation with Sheydra. Or, rather, watching. Words were being said, pleasantries exchanged but there was far more to their communication than met the ear. Changing positions on the cot to better see, River gazed at the beautiful woman on the screen. She looked like a wise fairy princess; her petal pink dress draped elegantly across her shoulders, emphasizing Sheydra's perfect posture.

“I told you not to worry.”

River detected the slightest note of impatience in Inara’s voice. Apparently, this was not the first time she’d said these same words to the enchanting woman on the screen.

“I know.” Sheydra sighed, tilting her head looking intently at Inara. “It’s just…you’ve been gone a long time. You can’t just disappear for months on end and expect people not to notice.”

“I promised myself to stay until they are back on their feet. It’s taking longer than I anticipated for things to get sorted out here. But…things…are being attended to and I feel more comfortable…leaving.”

“What sort of things?” Sheydra asked with a deceptively casual look.

“Just business things,” Inara replied.

“Your business?”

Inara glanced quickly back at River. “I haven’t---“

“Oh, I know you haven’t.” The casual look became even more studiously casual. “Which is why I wanted to inquire about your…” Sheydra’s face took on a subtle but unmistakably insinuating expression.

At that, River rose from the cot, no longer content to sit back and watch the exchange one sided. Creeping closer, she positioned herself so she could see both women.

“He’s not my…” Inara’s face assumed the same expression.

Sheydra’s eyebrow raised in disbelief. “Please don't be offended, but I can't help but worry that your circumstance is perhaps preventing you from thinking clearly. That you are under some kind of, well..." Sheydra hesitated, then went on, love and determination in her expression "thrall."

Inara laughed unexpectedly. "Are you suggesting Malcolm Reynolds is using his wiles to compromise my better judgment and keep me here?"

“It’s the general consensus. Not that we've been gossiping, dear, but we can't stay disinterested observers when someone we love may be in danger."

“I’m not in any danger.”

“Not even the interesting kind?”

“No.”

“No…” Sheydra paused, her eyes flitting over River who had moved into view. “…torridness?”

“None whatsoever.” Inara answered in her firmest voice.

“Then what are you doing there, Inara?” Sheydra’s attempt at coy interrogation ceased. “I’m concerned. We’re all concerned.”

"Sheydra - you were worried that I was having...torridness with him, and now you're worried that I'm not?"

"I can discern what you mean by torridness,” River piped in. “Also, it's not even a word."

Sheydra didn’t appear to have noticed River’s interjection. “Need I remind you of the manner in which you left?”

“That wasn’t his fault.”

"Dearest, it's only natural to look for the best in the man once you've..."

“Believe me, there are plenty of things that I will blame him for but not that.”

“If you say so.”

“And there is no once I’ve…” Inara reminded her.

“Inara, you are, Buddha knows where, on a ship that very recently incurred the wrath of an Operative.” Sheydra’s eyes widened imperceptibly, revealing her distress. “An Operative, Inara!”

“That…situation is taken care of.”

Sheydra’s look was disbelieving.

“Sheydra, I’m fine,” Inara insisted.

“You need to make a decision, Inara. Either stay or go.” Sheydra gazed serenely at Inara, giving her friend time to think before continuing. “We just wonder what’s keeping you on that ship?”

River moved closer to Inara, wanting to remind her of her presence. Inara smiled at her before addressing Sheydra. "They need me."

Sheydra was quiet for a moment. Her eyes searched the empty shuttle before finally resting on River. She, too, gave River a small smile before turning her attention back to Inara. Her smile, River noted, held a touch of sadness. "But what do you need, my dear? What about your life?"

River’s attention transferred from the Fairy Princess to the lost girl trying to make her way home. Again, Inara met River’s concerned gaze, a flash of regret appearing in her eyes.

“Sheydra, despite what the gossips may say, I am perfectly aware of what I need. As I said before, Captain Reynolds and his crew are getting back on their feet. I should be back at the Training House within a week.”

Instead of looking satisfied, Sheydra looked guilty.

“What is it?” Inara’s voice was deceptively calm.

“I didn’t want to say anything until you were back but I feel treacherous not speaking more frankly.”

“What?”

“Oh, Inara, I wanted to keep it open for you but… I had to fill your position last month.” Sheydra gazed steadily at Inara, sorrow shining in her eyes.

River surmised that this new woman wouldn’t have the Training House disrupted by military intervention. Flash bombs, Operatives, shooting… Inara plucked out of danger by the Captain. Saved from death, River was certain. Clenching her fists, a wave of impotent anger swept over her as she thought about how many more ways people she loved would suffer for her.

“Oh.” Inara didn’t look surprised. Disappointed but not surprised. River took that to be the bestest sign.

“The Guild sent a lovely woman from House Okuni on Ariel,” Sheydra fretfully explained. “She’s recently retired and the novices love her.”

“It’s alright, Sheydra. Really.”

"Inara, kàn guān, I'm afraid there is another matter you need to know about." Sheydra straightened, seeming more confident in her next news. “Minami has been waving me on a weekly basis. I think she’s feeling some pressure to locate you and persuade you to return home.”

“Pressure?”

River cringed at the worry in Inara’s tone, knowing that she was the cause of it.

Sheydra shook her head, allaying Inara’s fears. “Pressure in the sense of the responsibility that every House Priestess feels for her daughters.” Sheydra’s voice held a note of chastisement. She looked steadily at Inara before adding, “And pressure from your aunt.”

Taking a moment to digest that bit of information, Inara remained silent. River pried a little, curious about Inara’s aunt. Family. Deciding she didn’t like this news of other family, River focused, trying with all her power to lift the curtain of Inara’s mind but she only succeeded in gleaning an image of an older, lovely woman who looked remarkably like Inara before the image was swept away.

“Sihnon is too far to get a good signal from here.” Inara’s tone was all cordial business but River strongly suspected there was much more to this news about an aunt. “Would you wave Minami and let her know I’m fine? That I’ll contact her as soon as I am able?”

“Of course.” Sheydra looked closely at Inara, also seeming to notice that Inara didn’t mention the mysterious aunt.

“I must go now, Sheydra. Please don’t worry about me.”

“Inara, your room is still yours. You may stay as long as you wish. Please don’t take this as a…reason not to come back.”

“I’ll wave you soon.” Inara smiled at Sheydra, showing she wasn’t angry. “Cí xíng, Sheydra.”

Switching off the Cortex, Inara stared at the blank screen.

“I’m sorry you lost your job.” It didn’t occur to River to attempt to sound sincere.

“It’s not wholly unexpected.” Inara sighed, turning to face River.

“That wasn’t very nice of her. Giving your job away.” River sat next to Inara unable to contain her glee.

“She does have a Training House to manage.”

“Still…” But River couldn’t think of anything of comfort to say because this was the best news for her. Taking Inara’s hand, River rested her head on her shoulder feeling very content. “So, now you’re staying. Home. You don’t even need to click your heels.”

When Inara didn’t answer, River looked up into Inara’s eyes and pretended to see happiness.

* * * * * * * *

Zoë paused outside Nick’s Café eyeing a litter of dead insects. The red sign, the only real color she had seen in the town, acted as an advertisement but also as a bug killer. Jayne, uninterested in the ground, stepped on the dead bugs, opening the door for her.

“Buy you a drink, Zo?” Jayne asked.

Zoë nodded, stepping into the dark bar. After her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she scanned the crowd finding that they looked exactly like every other group of bar patrons that frequented a tavern on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Shiftless and lazy.

Finding them a table near the back of the room, she walked over to it avoiding the curious glances that followed her progress. As soon as she sat down, she saw that one of the older fellows at another table looked like he was angling to approach her. She threw him a stony stare which had him hurriedly sitting back in his chair.

“And you thought this was a falutin’ coffee place.” Jayne slid a beer in front of her.

“Never again will I underestimate your ability to suss out a tavern,” she said, taking a sip of the cold beer.

“It’s a gift,” Jayne confided. Tilting his chair back, Jayne sighed a contented sigh. “Good to be back in business, ain’t it?”

“That it is.”

Settling in, she observed the crowd of young rowdies who were gathered around the bar. Feeling their eyes on her, she turned her attention to walls pitifully barren of any adornment. But her mood was far less morose and even the raucous jokes she knew were being told about her failed to crush her good spirits.

“Hope we get a fight outta this,” Jayne said. “Not a serious fight, mind you, but I ain’t averse to exchanging fisticuffs with a fellow.”

She half-heartedly listened as Jayne babbled. His voice low as he made fun of the locals. Zoë smiled very pleased that with everything that had happened Jayne was still Jayne.

A shaft of sunlight filtered in followed by Simon and Kaylee. Blinking at the darkness of the bar, they looked about the room until they found Jayne and Zoë.

“Ain’t we lucky, Zoë?” Jayne exclaimed as they sat down. “They decided to join us after all.”

“Stow it, Jayne,” Zoë’s tone was gruff, her good humor had dimmed a little.

“Town ain’t big on loiterin’,” Kaylee explained. “Figured it best we wait here with you.”

Everyone at the table was silent and the feeling was uncomfortable until Mal came in. Sitting at the last empty seat, he looked happier than Zoë had seen him in a long while.

“We’re all set. Meet’s just after sundown.”

“Sweet Moses Supposes! That’s good news!”

Zoë grinned at Jayne’s exuberance. It had been a disturbingly long time since they had a good opportunity for coin. Forgetting about her antipathy, she leaned in to get the details, her relief at finding work palpable.

“Need to head back to Serenity to get prepped,” Mal explained. “Meet’s tricky to get to but Levon, our guy, will wave us with specifics on the gettin’ there. He reckons it’ll take about an hour in the shuttle.”

Zoë felt Mal’s excitement, but she quickly noticed that he avoided her gaze.

“Kaylee, make sure Shuttle One’s set to go and ready for cargo. The cargo may be on the heavy side so make any adjustments that are necessary.”

“How heavy Cap’n?”

Mal shrugged. “Dunno. Pieces of heavy is what it is.”

“If it’s so heavy, why don’t we take Serenity?” Simon asked.

It was something Zoë had been pondering but the fact that Simon uttered something she was thinking irritated her. She sat back in her chair and glared at him.

“When we got a question on how to spend our days doin’ nothin’, we’ll ask you,” Jayne said. “Ain’t none of your concern no how.”

Kaylee looked angrily between the three of them but neither Mal nor Zoë admonished Jayne.

“I think I’ll just go…check on the mule.” Simon avoided everyone’s eyes as he quickly rose from the table and left the bar.

“Ain’t a need for you all to be so gorramn mean!” Kaylee glared at each of them before rising in a huff, following Simon outside.

“Touchy, ain’t they?” Jayne laughed as if he’d made a fine joke.

“Give it a rest, Jayne,” Mal said.

“Aggravates me, is all.”

“Channel that sentiment elsewhere. Job comin’ up ain’t gonna be all ease.”

“Test of brawn is in order?”

Mal nodded. “Let’s just say we ain’t the first crew been hired to get this stuff off. Not the fourth neither.”

“A challenge!” Jayne exclaimed, banging his fist on the table in excitement.

“Our contact’s got a touch of trouble hence the extra out-of-the-wayness.”

“What kind of trouble?” Zoë asked.

“Rival outfit been angling to make a play. Levon’s covering his end best he can but…,” he glanced at Jayne. “Our brawn is the reason we’ve been hired. Dong ma?”

They looked at each other, grinning with relief at having a paying job.

Jayne downed the last of his beer. “So, uh, Mal, why ain’t we takin’ the ship?” He asked the question sheepishly. “We take the shuttle then have to unload it our own selves onto Serenity. Wouldn’t—“

“Got no option to take Serenity herself so do what you can.” He pointedly kept his eye on Jayne.

Zoë’s good humor vanished just as abruptly as it had surfaced. Staring at her full beer; her eyes focused on the few remaining bubbles. Again with the pilot problem…or lack thereof. The sound of Mal and Jayne’s chatter seemed far away. Transfixed, she watched until the last of the suds popped out of existence. A fresh wave of realization struck her. He ain’t coming back.

Needing to get away, Zoë mumbled something, hardly aware that a sound was coming from her mouth. She walked to the bar, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on her destination. She felt like she was walking through a tunnel, like she was in a dream and she was outside herself watching. Her eyes flickered over to the kid who kept eyeing her. He had the look of spoiled privilege with a generous helping of the arrogance of new manhood.

She waited at the bar, not only for the bartender. As she expected, the young man approached. Unjustifiably confident with his too fancy but tacky clothes, he sidled up to her, showing off for his buddies.

“Don’t get many fine ladies such as yourself in these parts.”

Zoë didn’t look at him.

“My daddy is Young Faron. Mean anything to you?”

“Not a thing.” Her fingers gripped the bar. “Best you run along, little Young Faron,” she said softly. If the green kid had any sense, which she knew he did not, he would have heard the warning.

“Hey!” He leaned closer, utterly assured of his status as local heartthrob. “Just trying to make your acquaintance, lambytoes.”

She stood frozen for a few seconds unable to believe the words that fell from this shǎ dàn‘s mouth. What did he just say to me? Zoë’s simmering rage boiled. The kid had said exactly the wrong thing for him but the right thing for her. What did he just gorramn say to me? Fury pulsing through her, she stared fixedly in the mirror behind the bar seeing Jayne and Mal talked amongst themselves, oblivious of the storm brewing.

Grabbing his shirt, she roughly shoved the dandy’s back hard against the metal pole that lined the bar. His blue eyes widened in pain before reflexively closing as her fist smashed square into his nose. The feel of bone and blood was a welcome one but Zoë was not satisfied. Knowing she had little time before his friends joined in, Zoë rapidly delivered another blow to his pretty face.

Futilely, the kid raised his hands to protect his face, but two more hard-hitting punches and his hands sagged down to his side. He slumped to the ground. Still holding his shirt, she lifted his body only to slam it hard against the concrete floor.

“Sorry…” he gurgled, weakly holding up a hand. Blood dribbled from his mouth and nose, tears from his eyes. Zoë paid him no mind, couldn’t hardly see him through the gray haze that encompassed her.

She hit him once more before someone grabbed her from behind. Roughly hauling her up, the man held her while another hit her in the abdomen. She lost her breath for a moment before glaring up at one of the kid’s cronies. The man came closer to hit her again, Zoë kicked his kneecap. He fell down, howling in pain. She grabbed the other’s man hair and pulled hard. His grunt of surprised pain echoed in her ear. She elbowed him in the stomach until he let go.

“Get the gorramn law!” The bartender yelled out. “Get the gorramn law!”

Backing up against the bar, she realized that she was surrounded by the kid’s friends.

“Zoë!” Mal anxiously called to her. He was trying to get to her but she didn’t want him to.

Squaring her shoulders, she struck out at anyone who dared get close to her. Furious adrenaline powered her, giving her the strength to deliver and receive pain. Pain. The skin on her cheekbone split, she tasted blood in her mouth. She spat blood and saliva at whoever had delivered the blows. Her only connection with reality was the physical sensations. Pain.

She heard another grunt, familiar this time. Jayne was getting through, coming closer to her.

“Break it up!” Someone cried out. “This is your only warning!”

The words were followed by a loud pop. Zoë heard the sound of a heavy body falling to the floor. Jayne.

“Break it up, gorrammit!” Another pop sounded, close enough to get her attention. She looked up in time to see Mal fall.

Finally snapping her out of her stupor, she raised her hands in surrender. An old man with a star on his chest stalked angrily to her. Turning her around, he cuffed her hands behind her back. The weight of the metal against her wrists signaled a return to reality and Zoë bitterly realized what had just happened. What she had just done.

“Woman, you are hereby bound by law…”

Part 3

Somewhere Down the Crazy River, part 1

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:23:56 GMT

Title: Somewhere Down the Crazy River, part 1
Author: Charlie_BZ
Rating: pg
Pairing: canon, if any
Disclaimer: Firefly does not belong to me
Description: Three months after Miranda, Mal and crew prepare for a much needed job.

A/N: Despite the title, this is not porn related to our favorite psychic! Also, many, many thanks to gilliebeans for all her help, reading, and encouragement .

Somewhere Down the Crazy River, Part One

Serenity’s ramp set down with a loud, hard thud. Once his feet touched the hard, rocky ground, Simon’s eyes fluttered shut as he paused to breathe deep. He never tired of this moment, the first few seconds off Serenity, when he could enjoy the simple act of breathing clean, fresh air. At least he hoped it was clean… His eyes snapped open, his enjoyment of the simple pleasure dimmed considerably.

Pushing aside his paranoid thoughts, Simon studied the barren landscape. Since his arrival on Serenity, he had visited more than his fair share of middle-of-nowhere places but never had he felt further from Osiris than he did at this moment. Still, there was a harsh beauty to the desolation. On the horizon, the seemingly endless flat land met the clear, cloudless blue sky. Blue and brown touched and that was all he could see for miles around. Quelling his homesickness, he shook his head in wonder at the absolute nothingness that greeted him.

“Wow,” Simon commented as Kaylee wrapped her arms around him. “There’s just nothing here at all. Is the whole planet like this?”

“Nah,” Kaylee replied, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “It’s got all the usual planet parts – oceans, forests, stuff like that. But I confess, ain’t never seen badlands as bad as this.”

He tilted his head to rest on hers. “It’s hard to imagine anyone living here.”

“Yeah, well, yonder coupla miles is a real town. Smallish, I expect, being near here. That’s where the Cap’n’s heading today.”

“Then why park here?”

“Ship like ours landin’ encourages speculation!” Jayne grumbled, coming up behind them. “Ain’t you learned nothin’ by now?”

“I’ve heard you ask the Captain the very same thing, Jayne,” Simon said, not bothering to meet the glare he was certain Jayne was throwing his way.

“And,” Kaylee chimed in, “he said the same thing he always says to you when you ask that question.”

“For ya’lls information, I’m askin’ in the capacity of a professional,” Jayne replied, fixing his glare on Kaylee. “Might be other reasons I need to know, Miss Smarty Pants.”

“Hey!” Kaylee exclaimed, turning to Simon. “Maybe Cap’n will let us tag along.”

“To the job?” Simon frowned. Even though he had not felt exactly needed over the last several weeks, he was not yet prepared to embark on an active life of crime. He felt entirely comfortable leaving that aspect of his existence to the Captain.

“Ain’t no way—“ Jayne began before being interrupted by Kaylee.

“Don’t think this is the job job.” Kaylee told Simon. “Just the meet to set up details.” She smiled hopefully up at him. “Might be nice to see what the town’s got to offer.”

“Reckon you’re ready for a vacation all the work you been doin’?” Jayne snorted.

Kaylee tensed and Simon rolled his eyes. “Ignore him,” she whispered. “Just thrills him to niggle you so.”

“I got me a job here. Fixin’ to do it, too.” Jayne found a stone on the ground and hurled it as far as he could. “Bump on a log mean anythin’ to ya?”

“You really want me busy, Jayne?” Simon snapped. Never in his life had he ever met a man so obstinately stupid yet so genius in his uncanny ability of detecting insecurities.

Simon allowed himself a brief fantasy wherein Jayne suffered a painful wound. Nothing serious, he decided, just something big enough to cause the beast a moderate amount of pain. Maybe a shade over moderate. Not a gunshot wound, though. Those had a potential of getting nasty and Simon couldn’t enjoy his fantasy properly with thoughts of complications intruding. A nice, simple broken leg should be painful enough. Except Jayne’s mouth would still be running and he’d be laid up in the infirmary. No. Simon contemplated possible ailments that could befall Jayne’s foul mouth rendering the man incapable of speech.

“Simon?” Kaylee grasped his arm shaking gently. “So, you wanna go?”

Turning his thoughts away from lockjaw, he smiled at Kaylee. He doubted the town would have much in the way of interesting sites but, at this juncture, he would take what he could get. Time away from Serenity did have a certain appeal and since Jayne didn’t want them to go, the trip enticed him even more. “I’ll see if River wants to go.”

He started to walk back into Serenity but the sound of Jayne sniggering stopped him. Kaylee’s hopeful, eager expression had disappeared. Uh oh. Simon’s mind raced as he tried to understand why River accompanying them would dampen Kaylee’s spirit. They were friends and he couldn’t think of anything that had happened between them to threaten that friendship. Granted she and River hadn’t spent all that much time together in the past weeks...

“Jayne!” The Captain’s voice rang out. “Get over here, got work to do!”

“See! Some got jobs ‘round here.” He spat on the ground and walked up the ramp into Serenity.

Simon fought the sigh that welled in him. “I’m not quite sure what I’ve done wrong here.”

“Thought we’d go to town. Just the two of us. Date like.”

He thought it best not to mention that three other people would also be accompanying them. “I’ll see if Inara wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on River.”

Kaylee frowned slightly. “Now I feel guilty! Don’t want to exclude her or nothin’. It’s just…”

“It’s okay, Kaylee,” Simon said, taking her hand and smiling at her. He wanted her to see that he understood. He was in unchartered territory not only with Kaylee but with relationships in general. “A little time away will be good.”

She smiled back at him and moved closer.

“Kaylee” Mal bellowed. “Get in here now.”

“Duty calls!” She said pertly before flashing him an apologetic smile. “And don’t pay Jayne any mind.” Kaylee kissed him lightly and rushed inside.

He didn’t, really. Jayne had not said anything that he had not already considered himself. Since he didn’t have anything else to do, Simon turned back around and looked out at nothing.

********

“Jayne!” Mal called out. “Get in here we have work to do!” As he waited, Mal checked his weapon. While he didn’t anticipate any problems with the brief prelim meeting he was always aware that little, if anything, ever turned out the way he planned.

“Can’t you do somethin’ about their constant coupling?” Jayne asked, nodding his head in the direction of Serenity’s open ramp. “Their lip-lockedness is making me feel like an old man.”

“Young love, Jayne.” Mal said, holstering his gun.

“Yeah, but, you ever feel the need to carry on so?”

The question was asked idly but Mal had anything but an idle response. He wasn’t so far gone he couldn’t remember the rush of being young and in love. Wanting to be with that someone every possible opportunity. Feeling like your heart was on hold until you saw her again.

“Just cut her some slack, would you?” he said quietly. Shaking off his memories, he found his gruffness again. “Get the mule down and get ‘er prepped. Places and people require our attention.”

Jayne grumbled something but did as Mal ordered. Soon, the mule began its descent. Halfway down, a loud grinding noise ripped through the hold. Mal looked up to see three parts of the mule lowered while one stayed stationary.

“Kaylee!” he bellowed. “Get in here now!” He turned to Jayne. “Quit that!”

Instead of turning off the lowering mechanism, Jayne persisted in repeatedly pushing the button.

“Your take will be lightened considerably if you break that mule,” Mal warned. “Where is that girl?”

“Like I told you, lip locked,” Jayne said, pushing the button once more. The mule wobbled precariously. He looked up at Mal and shrugged an apology.

“What is it Cap’n?” Kaylee asked.

“Jayne broke the mule doohickey,” he said, pointing up.

“Did not! Kaylee’s just not doin’ her job proper.”

“What’d you do, Jayne?” Her brow furrowed as she looked up at the oddly hanging mule. “Cap’n, I told you not to let him near anything mechanical.”

“Ain’t my fault. Pushed the button is all. Like this.” Jayne started to demonstrate how he had pushed the button but Kaylee rushed over and snatched the console out of his hand.

“You’re pushin’ it wrong!” she exclaimed, glaring at him.

“How could I push it wrong?” Jayne’s look was baffled innocence. “It’s just a button.”

“Why don’t matter, Kaylee. Got somewhere to be in an hour and my aggravation will not be contained if I miss it.” Taking the shuttle was not an option. Oklahoma Burnside, their intermediary in this deal, had made it abundantly clear that no one should suspect that a spaceship was nearby. Spaceships drew attention they needed to avoid and since shuttles indicated attachment to a ship, the mule was their only option.

“Is everything alright?” Simon asked looking up to where the mule hung lopsidedly.

“Will be once Kaylee sets her right.” Mal watched Kaylee scramble up a chain ladder to investigate the malfunctioning mechanism. “Affix yourself to something, Kaylee! You fall, I ain’t pausin’ to check your vitals.” He looked at Simon and smirked. “Guess that’s your job now.”

Mal had meant the comment humorously but since the doctor hadn’t received much in the way of good natured teasing as of late he hadn’t seen the hilarity in the remark.

Simon nodded stiffly without cracking a smile. “Excuse me, Captain.” He walked away.

Since watching Kaylee work up so high tweaked his nerves, Mal turned his attention to Zoë and Inara talking on the lower catwalk. He couldn’t determine a whit of what Inara was thinking but Zoë’s little tells led him to believe they were discussing her leaving. Nodding gravely, Zoë’s eyes flickered about the cargo bay pointedly avoiding him.

Mal sat on an empty crate his good mood about the day gone. That was the one, big negative about this job. It was inevitable, he knew, she couldn’t stay on. There wasn’t one thing on this ship that she needed or wanted. She’d left for a reason - one that he chose not to dwell on overly much. Not unless you counted every morning, night and mealtimes not overly much.

Inara looked at him and their eyes held for a moment before he looked back up to check on Kaylee’s progress. Anger at Inara flared. She and Zoë had become good friends over the last weeks and she was just going to leave her bereft and all? He should have made her leave as soon as they touched down on Persephone for repairs before she had time to make his crew get all attached.

“Try it now,” Kaylee called down. “But don’t let Jayne touch it!”

He pushed the button and was rewarded by the mule lowering to the floor with no additional difficulties. “Think you can prep ‘er without breaking something else?” Mal asked Jayne. He forced all thoughts not job related firmly out of his mind. This job was a good one; one that could open up a continuing business relationship with Oklahoma. All they had to do was complete the job and prove Oklahoma could depend on them. Never worked with Oklahoma before but the man was connected. A connected man, on their side, was exactly what they needed at this juncture.

“All set for us to go!” Kaylee said, coming down the stairs.

“Us?” Mal asked.

“Yeah,” she said, flashing him her sweetest, most guileless smile. “Was hopin’ you might not be averse to two more. Simon and me ain’t had no proper time away from Serenity.” She darted a glance in the direction of the common area. “Just be nice to take a drink or somethin’.”

“Drink? It’s not even noon.”

“But it’s almost eighteen hundred for us…” She looked at him hopefully.

“This is business, Mal,” Jayne called out from over by the mule. “Why we gotta cart them about?”

Jayne had a point but that was never a factor in swaying Mal’s opinion. “What about her?” He nodded his head in the direction of the common area.

“Inara’ll watch her,” Kaylee said.

“Ain’t gonna have your babysitter much longer, you know.” Jayne growled. “She’s ready to git. Had enough abuse, I ‘spect.”

Mal glared briefly at Jayne before returning his attention to Kaylee. “You and the doc are welcome to tag along.” He smiled an insincere smile before returning his glare to Jayne.

“Ever contemplate the benefits of shutting up, Jayne?” Mal asked. “Might do you a world of good.”

********

“After this job, I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief.” Zoë stretched out her arms and rolled her head. She had pushed herself harder during her morning regimen in anticipation of the upcoming job. “This works out, I expect Oklahoma’ll toss more our way.”

“That’s good,” Inara said.

“That it is.” Zoë responded absently. The job would be good in more ways than that. She needed something to shake her awake. A little excitement and death defying actions would not be unwelcome. She stood a little straighter. Defying death was something she was keen on. Sometimes, she caught a look from Jayne as if he thought she might take an opportunity to accidentally become bullet fodder. Never that. Zoë Washburne was a survivor.

A horrible sound tore through the hold startling her. Jayne was messing with the controls that lowered the mule. She frowned, remembering that was usually her duty. She should be over there with them preparing for the job, investigating the mechanical malfunction but she couldn’t move.

Feeling outside herself, she watched as Mal and Jayne tried to deal with the faulty mechanism. A feeling of panic flared inside her. Just get through the next ten minutes, she told herself, and then we’ll see about then. Ten minute increments. That was how she existed these days.

She felt a touch on her arm. “Then, you’ll…”

Zoë had forgotten Inara was there.

“Pay down his debt?” Inara finished quietly.

It took Zoë a few moments to fully grasp Inara’s meaning. Oh, yes, she thought, Mal’s stupid debt to the lovely Sunny Dae. She really needed to shake this. This fog that swirled about her. Kept her mind from focusing on the task of living. No way would she have allowed Mal to appeal to the likes of Sunny. Captain just had to go and court the attention of another homicidal criminal overlord. Guess life wasn’t interesting enough for him.

“Have you mentioned that you know about…that?”

Zoë shook her head. Mentioning implied communication. In the time since Miranda, Zoë had relied on the tried and true fact that she and Mal didn’t need to speak to make themselves understood. Inara, like Wash, didn’t appreciate that three years deep in the trenches with someone forged a powerful bond. Wash had always figured that Mal purposefully pulled some sort of soldier rank thing on her by not verbally communicating his every thought. It never penetrated his thick skull that Mal didn’t tell her things because he knew she already knew. Hell, she could read the Captain far better than even River could.

Simon walked up to them and gave Zoë a tentative smile. Zoë stared blankly at him. Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t find a smile, no matter how insincere, to come forth.

“Would you mind keeping an eye on River?” Simon asked Inara.

Zoë’s irritation with Simon escalated. He kept parceling out River duty to Inara. Unable to muster the effort needed to censure him for that, she folded her arms and gazed at him steadily. He shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

Inara glanced at Zoë, frowning slightly. “Sure, Simon,”

“Thank you. If the Captain says it’s alright, we would like to go to town.” He glanced back at Zoë who fixed her gaze on Kaylee up in Serenity’s rafters fixing the mule crank.

Silence fell. Were they waiting for her? Zoë refused to respond. Had ten minutes passed already?

“A little time away from Serenity will be nice for you two,” Inara finally said.

“I’ll let River know.” Zoë could feel his relief as he walked away from them toward the common area.

“Do you think you’ll ever speak to him again?” Inara asked.

“It’s doubtful.” Zoë said but there was a sudden teasing glint in her eye.

“Sooner would be better than later.”

Zoë sighed; the teasing glint had faded from her eyes. She didn’t know how this not speaking thing had taken a hold of her but she couldn’t find a way out of it. “Don’t know what to say to him. Them.”

Inara grinned. “How about this: How are you? Please pass the salt? Lovely weather we’re having. Those are all pleasant ways of speaking to people without really saying anything.”

Zoë looked over the cargo bay. Mal leaned nonchalantly on a crate pretending not to notice them talking. “And you would be an expert on that.” For a moment, she wasn’t sure she had uttered the words that popped into her brain. Her brow furrowed; she hadn’t meant to say that. Her blossoming friendship with Inara was something she valued and her intention was not bent on insulting her friend.

Inara’s open, easy grin faded instantly replaced by the calm, serene look that signaled to Zoë that she was angry. “Am I?”

“You set on leavin’ after this?” Zoë asked abruptly. Might as well plunge ahead with this mess she just created.

“I’m having a difficult time explaining my extended leave of absence.” Inara replied coolly but kept her gaze steadily on Zoë.

Zoë didn’t hear a yes or no in her answer but her interest in pursuing a straight answer from Inara waned. She didn’t have the strength to spar with her now. Zoë’s eyes met Mal’s and she nodded slightly. “Used up all your vacation time, have you?”

“Something like that.”

Zoë detected a note in Inara’s tone and looked up. “Are you in trouble? Are we causing you even more trouble?”

“No! I can handle the Guild.”

Zoë leaned against the railing and studied Inara. She really did appreciate her presence on Serenity the last several weeks. Inara and Kaylee kept things…close to normal. At least they tried to. Tried to bridge the ever widening gap that was threatening the crew. But that should all change with the job. They just needed to get back on their feet and get back to business.

“I’ll just feel better about leaving once this job is completed.” Inara glanced around the cargo hold.

“Everybody’s got to move on. Captain included.” A muffled crash emanated from the common area. Zoë rolled her eyes. “Sounds like she’s at it again.”

“Maybe I better…” She and Zoë exchanged a look. Neither liking the direction their conversation had turned.

She watched Inara gracefully descend the stairs and followed her progress until her eyes met Mal’s again. She wasn’t mired so much in her own grief that she wasn’t aware of what he was thinking and not thinking. But, even as she was, she always had his back. At least she thought so. Maybe she really did need to rethink her stubborn insistence that she could understand his very thought. Like Sunny. She really did need to talk to him about that. Her reading of Mal hadn’t included details on the pay schedule. There were other things that needed to be said. Recriminations, apologies, rages… all due to be exchanged but she hadn’t the inclination to go down that road with the captain. Not yet, anyway

“All set Zoë?” Jayne called out to her. “Mal’s makin’ us take squishy and squashy.”

“That right?” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She decided that with the upcoming activity she could stretch her goal to fifteen minutes. That would give her enough time to get situated on the mule and they would be on their way. She could regroup during the ride to town.

Walking over to the mule, she absently surveyed Jayne’s prep job.

“Don’t see why we have to cart the doc’s useless ass around when we got bona fide business.” Jayne said, leaning on the mule pulling at one of his fingernails.

“I ain’t complainin’ ‘bout the doctor’s idleness. Way I figure, bored doc is good for us.”

“Guess so. Never could abide laziness.”

Zoë watched him throw the bit of nail on the floor. “Lazy is not a word I would assign to the doctor.”

“Seems to me there’s something he could do ‘round here.”

Folding her arms, Zoë assumed her patented steady gaze, hoping she could still muster it. “And I bet you’re thinkin’ of offerin’ up some of your chores?”

Jayne opened his mouth to reply but then thought the better of it. Whatever her current feelings about the doctor and his sister, she wouldn’t tolerate Jayne shifting his ship responsibilities to someone else.

“And,” Zoë continued, “I wouldn’t go angerin’ Kaylee over much. Might find the temperature controls in your bunk on the fritz.”

********

The sound of the mule malfunctioning sent River scurrying back to the common area. Sitting on the couch, she rolled a cylinder listlessly over the coffee table while she waited for Simon. It was time for her shot and he was nowhere around. She glared at the cylinder, deducing in all her geniusness that he was with Kaylee. Again. But it was time for her shot. She could have a psychotic episode and who knows what could happen but as long as got time with Kaylee why should he care?

“Did you forget it’s time for my shot?” she asked when he finally came in.

“Of course not!” He headed to the infirmary. “I’ll just---“

Without a sound, River appeared next to him holding out the shot. “I wasn’t sure you would have time so I prepared it myself.”

He looked down at it and back up at her. “Was this the one I had from this morning?”

“You don’t think I could figure out the proper chemical composition?” She adopted a tone of condescension and gave him her most superior look.

“I don’t like keeping the mixture for too long and wanted to make sure you used the one I prepared this morning,” he explained, adopting a superior look of his own, winning the superior look contest.

She shrugged and went back to the couch.

“Well, is it?” he called after her.

“Yes!” She slumped on the couch crossing her arms.

Bringing his med kit, he smiled as he sat on the coffee table. His touch was gentle as he administered her shot. “I’m going to town,” he told her.

“Am I invited?” she asked rudely, even though she knew the answer.

Simon sighed heavily and closed his eyes. He was well aware that she knew the answer and he also knew she wanted to make him say it. “No, you’re not.” He looked up at her, reminding her of their father in his sternness.

“That’s not very nice is it?”

“It is what it is, River.”

“I knew this would happen. Knew that once you and her became—“

Without warning, Simon threw his medkit against the wall. The instruments clattered harmlessly to the floor but created a loud clang that reverberated through the room. River’s mouth fell open in shock; she had not seen that coming. She hadn’t put up her walls or anything so how had he managed to slip that past her was a mystery.

“River, what do you want from me?” Simon ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I can’t…I just want to go to town with Kaylee. I’m not leaving you behind and it doesn’t mean I love you any less. I just want a nice afternoon with her.”

“You can’t have a nice afternoon with me?”

“Not everything has to be about you.”

“Maybe I want to go to town, too.” Her lip jutted out in a perfect pout. She didn’t have to stay with them, she didn’t even want to. She was thoroughly sick of the sight of them.

“No, you don’t,” Simon said softly as he bent down to pick up his medical instruments. “You want to hide on this ship forever.”

Her pout became a frown.

“Is everything alright?” Inara asked before almost tripping over Simon still stooped on the floor.

“Simon doesn’t like me anymore,” River said.

Inara raised her eyebrow but addressed Simon. “Why don’t you get ready? I think they’ll be leaving soon.” Inara squeezed his arm encouragingly before he went to his bunk.

“Why does he even keep his things there?”

“Such drama, River!” Inara chided but she smiled.

“Why are you smiling?” River asked, suspiciously.

“Because this is the most normal I’ve ever seen you.” She held out a hand to pull River off the couch. “Let’s go outside.”

As they entered the hold, the Captain fired up the mule. “You two be alright?”

“I’m sure we’ll survive being parked in the middle of nowhere.” Inara said before turning to River. “Maybe we’ll go for a walk?”

“Try not to get lost,” Mal said with a smirk.

River looked outside and saw the vast nothingness that she knew surrounded Serenity. “I think that would be impossible.” She looked back at the Captain. “You’re joking.”

Kaylee approached the mule, casting a guilty glance to River. River’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know where the goggles are.” Her tone was snippy

"Hey!” Jayne exclaimed as he jumped in the back seat. “Thought the mule won't run with five."

"Shut up, Jayne," Zoë growled, climbing in the front seat.

"Won't run with five but she'll walk just fine," Kaylee explained, oblivious to the sudden tension between Mal and Zoë. "Maybe even find a sprint if she’s a mind to."

“If we gotta get outta town quick, guess who’s gettin’ left behind?” Jayne looked at Simon who didn’t even bother ignoring him.

“No one’s getting left,” Mal said. With a lingering look at Inara and a wink to River, he drove off to Barren Break.

Part 2

Me so tagged!

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:51:59 GMT

Courtesy of browncoat_2x2, here's my answers to this thing...

1. Make a list of 5 things you can see without getting up:
     cup of tea
     vase with dead roses
     the news
     my daughter eating soup
     dustbunnies!

2. How do you style your hair?
Mostly, I'm lazy and put it up in one of those clip thingies that everyone wears nowadays. If so inclined, I'll blow dry and apply gel and hair spray.

3. What are you wearing now?
-blue jogging suit.

4. If you could spend an hour with any one person of your choice (be they dead or alive) who would it be?
     My grandmother who passed in 1983.

5. Do you nap a lot?
No.

6. Who was the last person you hugged?
my son

7. What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction?
Firefly

8. What was the last thing you ate today?
Cherry yogurt

9. What was the last text message you received?
"To Bad" (my son's friend texting him)

10. What websites do you always visit when you go online?
Gmail, LiveJournal, Facebook, fireflyfans, drudgereport, fanfiction.net

11. What was the last thing you bought?
A book (Holes by Louis Sachar) for my son.

12. What are you listening to right now?
the news and daughter's chatter

13. What do you think about before you go to bed at night?
I like to think about Mal/Inara and fics but as of late I think about work.

14. What is your favourite food ?
Huevos Rancheros

15. What is your favorite weather, and why?
Rainy days. Overcast and dark in the middle of the day. Where I live, we don't get much rain so it's always a treat!

16. If you could play any musical instrument, which one would you play?
I used to play the piano.

17. How are you?
Very good. I was quite productive at work and when I got home I did two loads of laundry.

18. If you could make a movie, what genre would it be?
Serenity part 5 because 1-4 were so awesome.

19. Say something about the person who tagged you:
Great fic writer. Love that she loves Mal/Inara!

20. What was the weirdest dream you've had recently?
Recently? Can't remember!

Don't Pay the Ferryman!

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:56:26 GMT

Don't do it!

Ok, I won't.

This Chris DeBurgh video is one of the first I saw on MTV. And did they ever play it a lot! I haven't seen this in a good twenty (!!) years and it's still totally awesome.

Don't Pay the Ferryman! Don't even fix a price!

So deliciously gothic and creepy. I loved how the videos back then had some kind of story.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet versus...ZOMBIES!!!!

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:41:29 GMT

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

Real book! (Really!!)

I can't explain why I'm so interested in this book. could be awful - probably is but it's...it's... Austen and Zombies! Mr. Collins and Zombies! Lizzie and Zombies!!

Facebook

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:25:16 GMT

Husband is trying to persuade me to join Facebook. Does anyone do this Facebook thing? It feels a little too real life social for me but there are people I know that I suppose I'm remotely interested in talking to. Ever so briefly, that is.

Ever so tenuous connection to the BDM...but I'll take it!

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:00:07 GMT

Here I am, two years into this Firefly obsession when my husband finally informs me that he knows someone in Serenity. The "lilac mom" (the woman who told her kid to fetch lawman) went to his school and lived up the street from a good friend of his. Strangely enough, I'm really excited about this!

A Close Shave

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:03:19 GMT

Title: A Close Shave
Author: CharlieBZ
Description: Mal, Inara, a razor
Rating: R at the least
Word count: 1800ish

A/N: Thanks to gilliebeansfor the beta and browncoat_2x2for the title.

Inara looked down at the razor and then back up at him, her eyebrow raised in dubious surprise. “Are you sure about this?”

“That’s all there is and I gotta look good for this thing, don’t I?” Mal pulled a chair out and sat down. “I ain’t keen to experiment my straight razor skills on my own face. Figured you, with all your fancy education, might be up the one for the job.”

“Hmmm…,I believe I was absent on shaving-a-man-with-a-deadly-weapon day,” she mused, tapping the razor on the palm of her hand, her eyes traveling the length of him beginning at the tousle of his damp hair, lingering on the white towel around his waist.

Up to now, he had been legitimately interested in her shaving him because he hadn't wanted to navigate that blade over his face. They had somewhere to be and he didn’t want to go looking like he’d just emerged from a briar patch. But she was looking at him, tapping that razor, trying to figure out if he had something else in mind which he hadn’t until she started looking at him and tapping that razor.

“Well, if you insist…,” she sighed, her tone sounding as if he was asking her to do a grievous chore. With a deliberately nonchalant shrug, she turned, leaning over to gather supplies, presenting him quite a view.

His Adam's apple bobbed, as he swallowed. Settling back in the wooden chair, Mal watched Inara as she spread out the shaving paraphernalia about the small vanity; small sponges, a bowl of warm sudsy water, a larger bowl with clean water. He breathed in the scent of the soap suds. Whatever it was it smelled like something hot. Again, she turned away, and he looked his fill, taking in every inch of the gauzy, gold slip that clung to her every curve, falling just above the top of her thighs.

And the wicked, wicked woman wasn’t wearing anything underneath. He shifted in the hard chair, trying to get more comfortable; this wasn’t going to be a quick shave. She tossed him another look over her shoulder. Seeing his grin, her eyes narrowed in coy admonishment and she tugged the slip lower denying him his fine view. He didn’t protest, however, because when she turned to face him, he immediately noticed that the top of her slip had fallen lower and now he was treated to the lovely swell of her lush breasts peeking over the lacy top.

His eyes hungrily roved over her finding only one thing that was unacceptable; the row of tiny buttons that ran up the front of her slip, challenging him with their closed-upedness. As Inara smoothed the lather over his face, he took the opportunity to unbutton the last button in the long row. One down and about thirty more to go. He scowled at the ridiculous number of buttons.

A few drops of lather fell onto the curving skin above the slip's lacy neckline. Mal wasn’t one to miss such an opportunity for misbehavior. Reaching behind her, he grasped the sponge dipping it into the soapy warm water. Raising it up, he held it just under her throat and squeezed the sponge. The water dribbled down, down, over the alluring swell of her bosom then disappeared from view. Damn. Not enough water. This time he let the sponge soak longer.

“I was planning on wearing this, you know.”

“You were?” Another squeeze of the sponge followed by more water. This time, he watched, transfixed, as the water trailed over her left breast soaking the already clingy, flimsy fabric. His attention was rewarded as he watched her dusky nipple harden.

Mal realized she was standing there, not moving. Standing completely still, not lathering his face, not shaving him just breathing in a pleasing shallow manner. His eyes lifted to see her looking at him, her own eyes dark. With a stern look, she took the sponge from his hand, pushed the bowl of water out of his reach, and picked up the razor. They gazed at each other before she flicked the razor open. Although it wasn’t the first time a razor had been wielded to him, never had he experienced such a physical response to the simple action.

“Ready?” Her earlier teasing, playful smile replaced by a provocative smile.

He nodded, unable to speak.

Inara slid the razor slowly, carefully over his cheek, the quiet rasp the only sound in the room. He sat patiently, watching her face as she concentrated on her task. Two strokes, she leaned away and rinsed the razor in a small bowl before returning to the larger bowl brimming with warm water. Each time she leaned away from him, he unbuttoned a button. Another two strokes, another rinse, more lather, another button.

“I know what you’re doing,” she said softly, affecting a censorious tone.

“Wasn’t meant to be a secret.” He unbuttoned another. Now her navel peeked through. If he hadn’t a razor so near his throat he would have taken the opportunity to taste it. But he needed to be closer to her. Moving his hands up to her hips, he shifted her slightly, sliding his knee between hers. The razor halted mid-stroke, her hand that had been resting on the back of his neck, tightened imperceptibly. She took a deep breath and resumed her task.

His hands became impatient, roaming over her, to her waist, up her back, down her back. Mindful of the razor and sensing the rules of her game, he opted not to let his hands stray under her slip, instead, he draped one arm around her waist allowing his hand to rest on her bottom, his fingers dangling just below the hem of her slip, lightly brushing against her skin.

She shivered but didn't tell him to stop. Encouraged by her silence, his other hand drifted down to the back of her knee and slowly trailed up her thigh. Despite the heat in the air, goose bumps following his progress. All the while, he watched her, watched her pause between strokes of the blade, watched as her eyelids almost fluttered closed, watched her lightly bite her bottom lip as his fingers explored higher and inward.

“Sit still!” She commanded, leaning away from him, rinsing the razor.

“Thought I was.” But he stilled, contenting himself with gazing at her still-wet front and unbuttoning yet another button. Turning back to him, she nudged his head slightly to shave his other cheek. He obliged and was rewarded by a most appealing sight, so appealing that his attention was wholly diverted by the image of her, and him, in the mirror above the vanity. She hadn’t gotten around to fixing her hair properly; it was piled haphazardly on her head, a few tendrils dangling, beckoning him to touch. He reached up, pulled out the clasp freeing her hair to tumble beguilingly about her shoulders. His gaze drifted down. Spellbound, he watched as his hand slid from her hip down to the hem of her shift. He couldn’t resist inching the slip up until he could see the top of her thighs and the curve of her backside.

Two more strokes. He’d swear he detected a slight wobbliness to her shaving technique that hadn’t been there before. She turned away, he unbuttoned another button. Could she let this thing last twelve more buttons? He’d lay odds that she could but he was quicker and not as cautious when he unbuttoned the next one. The delicate button popped off, rolling across the floor.

Her fingers touched his lips as she shaved under his nose. "Good thing I'm more careful with your things than you are with mine." Her thumb paused against his bottom lip caressing it softly, her knee bending to rest on the edge of the chair between his legs.

She pushed his head back to slide the razor over his throat. The only sound in the room was the rasp of the blade on his neck, the splash of the razor in the water, and their breathing.

Leaning back, she surveyed her work running her fingers over his cheeks and throat making sure she hadn’t missed any spots. Thinking she was finished, Mal pulled her down, one knee still on the chair, the other pressed against his hip.

“Nài xìng,” she chided, sounding a little breathless.

“Hèn bu dé!” he strangled out, sounding near asphyxiated.

Inara just smiled, pleased at herself, at him, at their game, and tilted his head away from her. He wanted to resist, concede defeat at this game of endurance, but she leaned into him and all thoughts of protest faded. His heart was racing and he damn well knew hers was, too.

He felt the edge of the blade high on his cheek. Close to his ear. That ear. Instinctively, he tensed. The razor stilled and she leaned in to him, her lips just above his ear.

“I'll never hurt you.” she whispered in Chinese.

He looked up and met her eyes. She gazed at him intently, all playfulness, all traces of the mischievous vixen gone. She leaned closer, her mouth hovering over his. They stared at each other, suddenly very serious. His hands went to her hair, pulling it back so he could see her face better, not allowing her to hide behind the dark mass. Holding her head with one hand, his other curved around her pulling her to him. She looked down at him, her eyes wide, seeking, honest. He bent her head until her lips brushed his. They gazed at each other, feeling each other’s heated breath on their lips until Inara closed the distance.

He was so very aware of her. All of her. Her lips, the taste of her tongue, the smell of her hair, the dampness of her clingy slip. His control slipped away and he pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss.

"The razor," she breathed against his lips. It was still grasped tightly in her hand, her hand that hung limply behind his back.

“You done?”

She barely had time to nod yes before he took the razor, snapping it shut with an expert twist. Tossing it carelessly on the vanity, he picked her up, falling on the bed on top of her.

"We're going to be late," she said, flinging his towel on the floor.

"Very late," he agreed, roughly tugging open her slip.

She didn’t complain at the rending sound or the pitter of buttons falling to the floor. “You’re bleeding.”

Had she nicked him? “Yeah,” he said, rolling over pulling her on top of him. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

Crime and Underpants

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:08:38 GMT

Title: Crime and Underpants
Author: CharlieBZ
Length: 1200ish words
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Out on a job, Mal finds something that sparks his interest.

A/N: This fluffy story is in response to this challenge. The awesome title was wondrously provided by gilliebeans. Also, if you see some particularly lovely descriptions that's her input as well.
_________________________________________________________________________

Cracking open the door that lead to the south alley, Mal confirmed that no one had detected them. As usual, their contact’s information had been on the nail. Over the course of the five jobs for Chow, the man had proven himself trustworthy. This job was hovering in milk run territory. The hardest part, the actual breaking into the warehouse, had gone unsurprisingly well.

Jayne and Zoë worked their way into the secret room not-so-cleverly concealed behind the manager’s office leaving Mal as lookout. Leaning against a crate, he casually surveyed the dimly lit warehouse. Most of the illumination originated from the big advertisement just outside the window. Through the reflection on the opposite window, he saw a huge mermaid with emerald hair promoting some hair care product. Her exceedingly vibrant tresses cast a greenish light over the big room filled with inventory bound for the kind of stores that sold wares to working people with homes, pets…kids.

He started to fold his arms but winced as a jolt of pain shot through him. Gritting his teeth, he inhaled sharply cursing the hun dan that had managed to get the drop on him not only causing him to get shot but placing him in a world of domestic trouble. Face it, Mal thought, you could have sat this one out. That thought was immediately ousted - no way was he going to let a wound or a woman call the shots in his life. Besides, someone had to keep watch. He hadn’t missed Jayne’s not-so-discreet interest in several pairs of pants but them taking stuff not from within the safe wasn’t part of the deal.

Deciding that he needed to walk off the pain, he pushed himself off the crate intending to check the windows but his eye fell on something across the room and he abruptly stopped. Pretty. He stared a bit more before resuming his walk around the perimeter but as he walked, his gaze kept straying back. Looks about her size.

Walking over to a window, he glanced outside to confirm that the coast was still clear but his thoughts were distracted. What is that on the front? He walked over to another window closer to where the object of his increasing interest was saucily displayed. His eyes scanned the room until he could rationalize sneaking another peak. They were white and from what he could tell they were some of the daintiest bits of nothing his eyes had ever beheld. Well, that wasn’t exactly true but these things surely had no place in the myriad of work clothes and other hardy wares that were destined for a basic commodities type department store.

But he still couldn’t make out what was on the front; not enough light to see properly. Not from here anyway. Mal noticed that two windows converged in the far corner which would allow him the optimal location for keeping watch. The fact that the location was also right next to the rack was a bonus. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Jayne and Zoë were still occupied in the office, he headed across the room peering outside not surprised to see only an empty alley.

Finally, enough light to see that no, they weren’t white. Ivory. Shimmery ivory with a small, pink rose on the front. Make that a rosebud; a
tantalizingly innocent little pink rosebud full of promise. Innocent, sweet, tender, and alluring as hell.

Tilting his head, he noticed layers of what looked like ruffles on the backside. Lacy, dainty ruffles. Those ruffles would look heavenly cascading over the appealing curve of her backside. Ruffles would tickle. But tickle the right way.

The ruffly getup wouldn’t look right under clothes, he decided. And she was particular about those kinds of things. Outfits fitting just so, no seams out of place, no wayward bits of undergarments peeking out that weren’t meant to be peeked at. No, these fancy drawers weren’t meant to be worn with regular clothes. More like under a full skirt of the same ivory shade.

He needed to be closer. Casting another cursory glance outside the two windows, he hurried over but as he drew closer, all remnants of coherent thought fled. The front of it dipped down in a vee. A pleasing vee that would fall several inches below her navel teasing him at what was lower.

The soft whirr of the drill reached his ears reminding him of where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. Got the gorramn combination and ain’t no one coming around this place. But his attention had been hijacked and he abandoned all pretense of looking out at the alley. His mind no longer registered the pain in his shoulder but flew right out of the warehouse and landed in a place it should not be at this particular moment. An image of his finger dipping into the lace waistband easing it down over the curve of her hips surfaced. Slowly, he slid the shimmery ivory over her skin, that golden skin of hers that seemed to glow all on its own even in the darkness. He wondered if the material was as soft as her skin; hers being the softest thing he could ever imagine touching.

He glanced behind him and caught the distant murmur of Jayne’s jabbering indicating he and Zoë were almost finished wrangling with the safe. Seizing the opportunity, he reached out and lightly touched the soft material that was destined to grace the hips of some rich woman. Silk. Not some cheap knockoff but the real deal. He knew the difference.

He rubbed his chin as he studied the ivory silk, the beguiling rosebud shyly peeking at him, the delicate lacy ruffles. These were special occasion drawers. Something old, something new, something stolen…

“Aimin’ to add to your collection, sir?”

Damn. He hadn’t heard her coming. He said a little prayer to whomever was up there that Jayne wasn’t beside her. “Maybe.” He tried to adopt a nonchalant look but when he saw Jayne’s expression, he opted for angry Captain. “We done here?”

“I don’t know,” Zoe replied giving Mal her best amused non-grin. “Are we?”

“Them look too small for your ass,” Jayne observed. "Thought 'Nara'd be a red drawers kind of gal."

Black actually but Jayne didn't know that. Mal gave him a glare not in the mood to trade insults. He had made a decision. Following them out, he surreptitiously yanked the silk panties from the hanger and stuffed them in the pocket of his brown coat.

Blue Moon

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 02:47:39 GMT

Title: Bue Moon
Author: CharlieBZ
Summary: Mal and Inara and a night out.
Rating: PG-13 to Rish. Nothing graphic.

Characters: Mal and Inara
Pairing: Mal/Inara
Spoilers/Timeline: post BDM
Disclaimer: No money is being made from by me and I certainly don’t own Firefly/Serenity.

Author's Note: This fic takes place way down the line in a series of fics I’m working on. At the rate I’m writing, I’ll be collecting social security before this thing ever sees the light of day. Basically, this is a "day after" fic. Thank you to gilliebeans for her encouragement and much needed help with word usage. You are a master, devil woman.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"I'm goin' to town,” Jayne informed them as he shrugged on his coat.

“You can’t leave!” Inara couldn’t keep the slight edge of panic from tainting her voice. Glancing quickly at Mal standing beside her, she was not comforted by his similarly alarmed expression. If Jayne left, they would be alone. Too alone for comfort.

“Gonna hang with some folks that like fun," Jayne explained. He studied Mal and Inara before shaking his head in exasperation. "Good luck with the not speakin'!" He hopped into the mule and tore off.

Inara kept her gaze fixed on the rapidly disappearing mule feeling unaccountably angry at Jayne. She was vaguely mortifed that she had assigned last hope status to Jayne of all people but she desperately needed the buffer that his presence would have provided. If he stayed, she and Mal wouldn’t be alone and they could go about their separate business. She would have the much needed opportunity to retreat to her bed and sort out this mess that she had fallen into.

The mule finally disappeared from sight leaving them alone. Jayne wasn’t turning back. Inara had never felt so…nervous. Frightened. Last night, with Mal… In the span of one reckless night, her nonrelationship with Mal had changed. Drastically. Irrevocably. What was she supposed to do now?

Taking a deep breath, she mustered a smile and turned to face him but he was no longer by her side. Her smile faded as she walked up the ramp into Serenity only to see Mal disappear up the stairs toward his bunk. Disappointment mingled with a small amount of relief swept over her. Ok, Inara thought, is this how it's going to be? Pretend nothing happened? She could do that, she assured herself but she felt a pang at the thought.

Confused by her warring emotions, she walked toward her room trying to decide what she should do. She shook her head utterly exasperated with herself. In all her relations with men, there had never been this…uncomfortableness, this feeling of not knowing what to do next. She always knew what to say or how to behave with a man. Except Mal.

She started to sit down on her bed but a burst of anger at Mal's utter pigheadedness caused her to jump back up. Damn him! How could she let him do this to her? Her, Inara Serra, afraid of one, single man! If he thinks he can just ignore her he’s diān dǎo. She paced her room glaring at the general direction of his bunk. How dare he?

As she started up the stairs to the upper decks, she had worked herself into a huff. By the time she reached the corridor, the huff was bordering on righteous outrage. Narrowing her eyes, she squared her shoulders ready to do battle. She took a deep breath, lifted her chin and turned the corner. And almost ran into Mal.

A litany of his faults was firmly set in her mind but they fled instantly when her eyes fell on the blanket under his arm and the basket in his hand. Her eyes lifted and met his. Once again, he managed to surprise her.

Inara started to say something but stopped. Words were a problem with them. She didn’t know the right thing to say to him. Her anger was completely forgotten and she smiled. Her smile was shy and unsure. Mal moved toward the stairs tilting his head slightly indicating she should follow him.

Follow him? Her smile faltered as she considered that here was her last defense opportunity. She could yell after him telling him she didn't follow anyone. Rail at him for his presumption that all he had to do was nod his head and she would obey. She thought over these options until she saw him pause at the top of the stairs. He looked back at her and his look humbled her and hurt her heart; it was one she had never seen before by anyone. In his look was everything she ever wanted from him, everything that frightened her about him. She followed him down the stairs.

She watched him as he closed and locked Serenity’s ramp. With his back turned, she took the opportunity to study him while allowing herself to remember him as he was last night. Mal was a man of great passions and she couldn’t stop the slight shudder that coursed over her as she thought about how he had demonstrated his passion for her. He turned around and she pushed her thoughts away afraid to reveal to him how deeply he affected her.

They walked side by side pointedly not saying anything but every few moments Inara glanced at Mal. Fear must have shown in her face because he smiled reassuringly and moved closer to her. Their arms touched. Inara wanted to say something because the silence was making her even more nervous. But no words sprang to mind so she just looked back up at him feeling comforted by his presence and the certain knowledge that he was feeling as lost as she felt.

Mal led her through a small grove of trees until the trees gave way and they reached a wide, open field. Inara smiled in delight as she looked over the broad expanse of waist high wildflowers that seemed to go on for miles. An easy breeze rustled the flowers causing the mass of color stretched out before to dance.

She felt Mal watching her. When she looked up at him, her heart again constricted at the expression in his usually guarded face. Her fear returned but she kept looking, looking at Mal, calling on a strength that might have surprised her if she'd thought about it. She kept looking and saw that he, too, was afraid. Sliding her arm in his, she smiled. She really wanted to give him a light, casual kiss to ease their fears but the way she was feeling, the kiss would rapidly turn into something more and she wanted to draw out this experience.

They made their way through the shifting oranges, yellows and purples. Mal stopped and looked around. Handing her the basket, he spread out the blanket. He lay on his side resting his head on his hand. His playful grin had returned and Inara saw his amusement at her, at him, all over his face.

Sitting down on the blanket, Inara folded her legs under her and swished her long hair over her shoulders. She refused to look at him - he was daring her to be the first to say something. She gave him a false stern look which only made him grin more. Smiling at the game, she dug through the basket finding only two protein bars. She held them up. I know we have something better in the pantry her look told him. He shrugged and caught the bar she tossed him.

As she nibbled the flavorless protein, she gazed at the beauty that surrounded them. It was stunning. Other than the sky, all she could see was an ocean of wildflowers. She knew Mal watched her. She was accustomed to feeling his eyes on her, always looking, seeing things about her she didn’t want seen. But she wasn’t prepared to meet his gaze so she continued to eat until she felt ready. Finally feeling ready to face him, she turned to Mal and was shocked at what she saw.

"What are you doing?" Her disbelief at what he was doing caused her to forget that she had intended to win the silent game.

He cracked open one eye. "Resting my eyes. Didn't get much sleep last night." He smirked at her before closing his eyes again. “You got to let me rest from time to time, woman."

Inara felt an angry blush creep up over her and she remembered exactly why they forged the unspoken agreement not to speak. Mal could not be relied upon to ever say the right thing. She wanted to kick him and stewed about it for awhile as she purposely turned her attention back to the flowers.

A soft snore brought her attention back to Mal who lay with an arm thrown over his eyes to keep out the fading light. Her anger forgotten, Inara shook her head in wonder at the man that was Mal. Leave it to him to fall asleep on their first date. If this is what could be called a date since dates usually involved conversations instead of wordless challenges.

She eased down to lie beside him. "He sleeps," she said, but she smiled and studied his profile marveling at how at peace he looked. Not wanting to get caught staring, she rolled onto her back and gazed up at the colors of the fading sunset. In the distance, she could see the twinkle of a few stars. As the sun set and the temperature began to fall, Inara scooted over closer to Mal. She stayed awake until darkness fell and the moon rose content to lie beside him.

***

Mal's eyes sprang open. The first thing he saw was the full moon that hung high in the sky. Momentarily, he was confused but then he remembered where he was. His ears dully heard the explosions that kept shaking the ground. The smell of fire, explosive charges, and charred bodies hung heavily in the air.

His gaze fixed steadily on the moon and, for a moment, he was too petrified to move. Sniper's Moon. Mal stared at it as his body registered the warmth of the air. He was confused; it was winter and his unit was close to freezing to death. Maybe the heat from burning barracks had warmed him, maybe he was in shock. He felt a body next to him and was afraid to see who had died today.

Then, Mal had a thought that scared him to his bones. He felt no physical pain. That wasn’t right. That gorramn sniper shot him clean through the shoulder. What else had happened? He shut his eyes believing the worst had happened to him. When he dared to open them, what would he see?

His heart hammered in his chest as he waited for the medics.

The dead person next to him stirred slightly. That ain't right. Perkins is dead - been dead for… Mal started to realize where he wasn’t. He looked down next to him and saw a thick mass of black hair. Inara’s dead, he thought dully as he stared at her until his eyes finally registered the gentle rise and fall of her body indicating her steady breath.

That gorramn moon. Exactly the same one he remembered from the winter campaign of ‘09. He looked back at it trying to clear his mind but the smell of smoke and death as well as the distant sounds of his men dying kept pulling him back to Verbana. His body jumped at the sound of a seeker exploding. He quickly turned to see what damage had been wrought but all he saw was an expanse of tall wildflowers.

He sat up abruptly taking deep breaths. He couldn’t pull himself out of his dream. Couldn't smell the flowers or feel the cool breeze. The smell and sounds of death clung to his senses. He could feel the shine of the moon and couldn’t shake the fear that the light would give away his position.

"Mal?" He barely heard her. His breathing was heavy and labored as he fought his way out of the memory. Over the sound of the harsh beating his heart, he distantly heard: "Where are you?"

He now knew for certain where he was but still the sounds and smell of the battle surrounded him.

Inara leaned closer and he felt her warm hand on his arm. When he looked down, he expected to see a bloody uniform but his eyes saw her fingers, with maroon nail polish, grasping his dark blue shirt.

“Mal?” He heard the worry in her voice.

“I’m here.” He didn’t sound convinced – even to his own ears. His breathing calmed but his heart still pounded in his chest. He finally risked a look at her. She was looking at him intently, naked concern in her eyes.

"The moon," he said, as if that explained everything. He looked back down at his still shaking hands and rubbed them on his pants hoping to steady them.

Inara knelt in front of him and placed her hands on his face nudging him to look at her. He looked into her eyes, and through the blurriness of his own, he saw tears shining in hers.

She kissed him lightly. Mal kept his hands on his thighs wanting desperately to hold her but he had enough presence of mind to register that if he allowed her to save him now, he would need her forever. That was exactly the thing he didn’t want from her. Where would he be when she left?

“You’re here, Mal. With me,” she whispered against his lips. He tasted salt from whose tears he couldn’t fathom. “And it’s a beautiful night.”

Of their own volition, his arms moved to hold her. His shaking hands tightly clutched the fabric of her blouse. She tilted her head, deepening the kiss, trying to pull him back to her. She was succeeding.

Mal pulled her to him losing himself in her kiss. His hands cupped her face and gathered her, closing the distance between them as he pulled her ever closer. He groaned quietly as she nestled in to him, bending her legs against each of his hips, pressing her body against his. Even through their clothes, he could feel her warmth, her strength, her…life. The sound of her increasingly arduous breathing, the feel of her heart, all signs of the beautiful life pulsing through her.

He drew his head back to look at her. Had to make sure she was real and he wasn’t on that field on Verbana having a dying dream. Had to see that there was still beauty in the ‘verse. Beauty for him. He gazed at her until she looked into his eyes. They stared at each other breathing heavily.

His gaze strayed from her eyes to watch as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse. After the last button, her hands rested by her side waiting for him. Mal reached out with steadier hands and opened her blouse. He inhaled sharply at the sight of her. The shine of the Sniper’s Moon allowed him to see her so clearly. He looked his fill, taking in the sight of her. She shrugged off her shirt. The air was pleasantly cool causing goosebumps to rush over her skin. His hands ran over her body, touching her warm, soft, unmarred skin. He leaned forward burying his face in the crook of her neck, his mouth trailing kisses up to her ear. Tightening his hold on her, he breathed deep inhaling her scent. The smell of smoke and death only a lingering memory.

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:28:41 GMT

Happy Birthday, gilliebeans!!

Simon is happy for you.

River didn't get you anything.

Rest assured, Mal will protect your cake.

Lastly, Mal bestows upon you his most awesome birthday look:

Hope your day is filled with laughter and non-protein cake. Maybe more of that pudding cake I'm still obsessing about.

Ode to the Bodice-Rippers. I miss you. :(

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:20:57 GMT

Today I'm talking romance novels. Specifically historical romance novels. Heck, let's just call them bodice rippers - the bestest kind of all!!

The kind where the virgin heroine inexplicably finds herself in a brothel/ship/library/fill in the blank only to be found by our hero who, of course, thinks she's a whore. The randy bastard sees a willing wench and does not take no for answer. But he's so damn good in bed that the heroine always forgets she didn't want to have sex. She also forgets the important mission that brought her to the brothel/etc. It's always something Noble and Secretive. Probably trying to save a father/brother/grandfather or some poor orphans - this genre did rely heavily on the Too-Stupid-To-Live heroine. Anyway, the hero realizes she's a virgin and is SHOCKED and must keep her for himself. Misunderstandings of epic proportions and lots of sex ensue for the next 400 pages until all is resolved on the second to the last page.

Basically, that's the plot for about 90% of these types of books. Please don't read this as a complaint, either. These things may have been trite, predictable, and infuriating as hell but rarely boring. What these ladies (and a few gents) did with tired plots was miraculous. Hats off to the lot of them. Most of the novels were published between 1975-1985.

And let's not forget the subtle covers of yesteryear. Like this little gem:

Please note the strategically placed marketing blurb on the second pic.

Also, just to show how times have changed, here's how the book now looks:

The new one seems more touch-feely (in the traditional sense because the book does contain plenty of touching and feeling).

I must point out that NO, I am not a Fabio fan. I never understood the Fabio obsession. And didn't he just pick a fight with George Clooney?

Lots of non-con sex in these things. The hero is usually an asshole who deserves to be repeatedly kicked in the balls but who cares? He's hot and good in bed! He also has a mistress who wants our heroine dead. Can I admit that I just love that plot point?

Then we have our TSTL (see above) heroine who is so beautiful every man who lays eyes on her must have her. She's usually completely unaware of her beauty and is kind, sweet, down-to-earth, charitable...Ok so these heroines are a bunch of Mary Sue's - I can deal with that. Face it, no one is reading these things for the strong characterizations.

Why read? It's not even the sex exactly because there's really only so many ways that can be written. There's something about the fantasy of it all. And it is a fantasy. Never did I expect to find these guys in real life - if I had I would have run screaming. There was something safe about them - no matter what, there is that happy ending at the end of the road.

They don't write books like these any more. The PC movement has tainted the fantasy non-con books and the genre turned inspid and utterly predictable without the interesting writing. I think. I haven't read one of these books in years. But I do have some extremely worn copies from the eighties.

What started this stroll down mammory lane? Well, I'm the only person in the office today and am bored silly so I'm surfing and got the inspiration to look up my favorite romance novel author of all time. One, Ms. Valerie Sherwood. Her books were fantastic. Most took place in the 1660s and she provided tons of interesting historical details. But. But, when I saw her picture, I was taken aback. Not at all what I was expecting.

See, here's some pics of other romance novelists:

Johanna Lindsey - author of the above interestingly covered novel.

Ms. Nora Roberts - the queen of romance. This woman cranks out like a hundred books a year. Honest.

Rebecca Brandewyne - I think she's still writing but I only know her old stuff. She looks like a romance novelist doesn't she? All that long blonde hair and feathery clothes. Good writer!

So now we come to my most favorite writer of the bodice ripper, Valerie Sherwood. She was one of the first authors I discovered when my aunt brought me a paper bag filled with these things when I was thirteen. (I can blame her for my teenage obsession with these books).

Dear Ms. Sherwood, I know you haven't written a novel since 1990 and I miss you, I really do. But may I say thank you for not providing a pic on your novels? I don't think I would have read a single one and that would be a shame. Oh, and is that really the only publicity picture available? I'm hoping it is a joke but since you are kind of trying to sell your books even if they went out of print a long time ago, maybe you should rethink the dead animals around your neck. The big necklace would have been sufficient.

That's it for my true confessions.

Black Days: River (7/7)

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:17:00 GMT

Title: Black Days: River
Author: CharlieBZ
Summary: River finds a hobby and bonds with the Captain. Jayne and Inara return from their mysterious night out.
Rating: PG for language

Characters: River, Crew
Pairing: Canon, if any
Spoilers/Timeline: post BDM
Disclaimer: No money is being made from by me and I certainly don’t own Firefly/Serenity.
Author's Note: This fic takes is part of a continuing series. If you’re a little lost see my blog entry here. As always, I extend my deepest, squishiest thanks to gilliebeansfor her Firefly friendship and all her great suggestions and Latin corrections.

Simon

Zoe

Kaylee

Mal

Inara

Jayne

Black Days: River (7/7)

Using all her brain power, River concentrated on finding a path back into her dream. She had been a lepidoptera and had been happily flitting about her mother’s garden. Flying from the heliotropia to the amaranthus caudatus, she happily fed on the sweet nectar until her butterfly eye had fallen on a woman calmly pruning her prized Queen Elizabeths. Butterfly River recognized the woman as her mother and tried to fly to her but a bright purple and red striped ladybug as well as the cloying scents of the roses kept diverting her attention and River woke without ever reaching her mother. She wanted to be back in the dream world - not to reach her mother but because she enjoyed being a butterfly.

The trail of her dream became hopelessly lost, however, as images from the crew assaulted her. River’s eyes snapped open, immediately focusing on some random point on the ceiling. It wasn’t the imperfections and discolorations of the ceiling that drew her attention; her mind was not registering what her eyes perceived. Her mind was being inundated with the colors and waves of emotion that flowed through Serenity. Black for the Captain, hollowed but not empty, sitting on his chair in his bunk staring at nothing. Purple for Zoë, flush with grief, making herself complete another twenty push-ups. Yellow for Kaylee, rousing out of a dream of Reavers and dead children, trying desperately to keep hold of her optimism. Simon…

“I’m awake,” she called out, turning her attention away from the others to greet her brother.

He slid the door open smiling at her. “Ready for your meds?” He asked, overly bright.

River frowned; she didn’t need to be psychic to see the strain in the smile or to hear the tension in his voice. “I don’t need it!" She exclaimed grouchily and looked back up at the ceiling. One brow raised as she saw that a spot was moving across the dingy expanse. As it moved, it grew until River was able to identify the ladybug from her dream. How had it escaped from her head?

The sound of Simon tapping the hypo brought her back to reality. Frowning at him, she scooted down in her bed pulling the covers over her head. "I’m better.”

“Yes, but are you better because of the meds?”

Her brain didn't feel quite as broken as before Miranda - her jumbled thoughts had indeed cleared. Somewhat. Instead of mass, chaotic confusion, she just felt chaotic confusion. She wanted to believe that purging Miranda from her mind had put her right but she could still feel madness creep through her broken brain. Jumping across severed nerves and flitting from one side to another just like a butterfly.

Still under the covers, she rolled onto her side and faced the wall not wanting to watch him administer the shot. She wondered if the ladybug was still on the ceiling. “Kaylee comforts you,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the prick of the needle.

“Yes,” he said.

“She comforts me, too.” She imagined the gold colored medication flowing up through her vein mingling with her blood as it travelled to her heart and made its way to her brain. “But she won’t be able to if you make us leave.”

He didn't answer her.

“I’m sad that Kaylee will be sad.” River's voice softened - more from the effects of the medication than from what she was saying. A sense of languid tranquility spread through her. She pushed the covers off her head and looked up to find that the ladybug had grown even larger. The black and purple of the beetle’s back was so bright and the contrast was lovely against the boring, faded yellow of the walls.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do, River,” Simon snapped. “I just can’t live like this. Feeling useless.
Everyone hating me.”

“They don’t hate you.” She sat up watching as the bug inched down to rest just behind Simon’s head.

“Jayne?” His mouth turned up in a bitter grin.

She looked from the ladybug to Simon. He had leaned back against the wall and was gazing at the empty cylinder. She smiled and touched his arm. “But he likes hating you. That’s different than hate hate.”

“Much as I enjoy being the object of Jayne’s recreational hate, I cannot ignore the fact that things on Serenity are bad right now.” He sighed heavily before meeting her gaze. “I think it will be best for everyone…us."

"You, you mean."

"If the Captain is intent on doing what I suspect, then, we - you and I - have no business being on this ship."
"The Tam children on a smuggling vessel!” River affected the stilted accent of one of their Langsford cousins. “Whatever would Aunt Miriam say?"

Simon smiled.

"You're bored,” River said.

"It's not that. It’s just that…I feel like a burden." In his mind, he returned to his world on Ariel where he was most assuredly not a burden of any kind. Simon had loved the bustle of hospital life; barking out orders, people coming to him for advice, the smiles of grateful patients, easing pain, prolonging life...

"My entire medical expertise has been boiled down to doling out shots. No one gets wounded…" He shook his head surprised and appalled at what he had verbalized. He looked over at River. "I'm not saying that I want someone to be hurt…but…" Simon trailed off and gazed at the opposite wall.

"You're figuring me out." River needed to remind him that he did have a purpose. Unlike her who was content merely to exist, Simon needed a purpose.

"That will take a lifetime." He smiled and this time there was no tension in the smile. Just love. For her.
"Are you finished?" She asked abruptly. Instead of comforting her, his loving smile had spread an unwelcome feeling over her and she wanted him to leave.

"Yes, let's go eat--"

"No," she said. "I'm ready for you to go."

Simon shrugged and left her alone.

River slid out of bed and grabbed yesterday’s dress that she had thrown on the floor. As she dressed, she looked for the ladybug and frowned when it couldn’t be found anywhere. Kneeling down, she opened one of the bins under her bed and rummaged through the assortment of oddities she had accumulated since her stay on Serenity until she found the particular protein bar that suited her today. Since the last month had seen more than enough mealtime unpleasantness, River steadfastly refused to be a part of it and kept a stash of protein bars in her room. She far preferred to eat alone in various nooks throughout the ship.

She grabbed her book and stepped out into the small corridor looking around to make sure no one was around. Satisfied that she was not being observed, she climbed up the ladder. Once at the top, she squeezed into a small accessway where she crawled until she reached another vent that opened into the space just below the cockpit. While it wasn’t really hidden, it was used so infrequently that it began to feel like her space where she could while away the hours undisturbed.

She sat on the floor with her back against the armory door and opened the battered book. When River had first found the book, it had been practically brand new. The plastic cover and paper pages were crisp, looking as if they had been perused but once. The first night she began reading it aloud to Simon, Kaylee, and Inara, she had focused on the task of speaking the words on the page. Then, she concentrated on dissecting the meaning of every single word in the sentence but she hadn’t yet realized that a story was behind all those words. The second night of reading, her brain pieced it all together and she was stunned. So stunned that she sat down abruptly and stopped reading aloud. Simon was worried that she had reached a catatonic stage but she waved him off and ran to her room where she huddled on her bed and greedily read the entire book.

In the past several days, River read the book seven times. It was old…old as in Earth-that-Was old but it wasn’t the kind of book on any reading list in Classical Literature at the Academy. It certainly hadn’t been in her parents’ library. It was too…plain…too honest and straightforward, too heartfelt for people who liked lofty things. Maybe that's why she loved it so; she felt she had discovered something beautiful that no one else knew about. She would bet that Professor Yanamato had never read this book and that fact alone made her love it even more.

She unwrapped the protein bar and mindlessly ate while she read her favorite passages. It took her mind off herself and out of Serenity. When she read, she didn’t hear the others. She just listened to Ponyboy. His voice alone penetrated her brain as she read of his family and friends.

“What are you doing?”

River jumped, startled that someone had found her. She looked up at the Captain who was looking at her sternly.

“Not supposed to be in here, you know.”

She gazed at the Captain for a few moments trying to come back to Serenity. “Johnny died,” she finally said.

“Who?” Mal's voice was impatient.

“He saved the children and then he died.”

He took the book from her hands. “The Outsiders,” he read. He looked at her for a few moments before sitting on the step facing her. “What’s it about?”

She looked up surprised at his interest. He looked back at her while she tried to discern if he was actually interested in her book.

“Greasers. The Outsiders. They were greasers and society ignored them. They were poor and helpless and ignorant. Ponyboy…” The words coming out of her mouth failed to adequately represent how the book made her feel. “I think you’re Darry.”

“And that means what?”

She shrugged. “Darry’s parents died and he had to take care of his brothers. Had to do whatever he could to take care of them. He loved them. But was mean to them. Nice mean.” That wasn’t it at all. Why couldn’t she express to the Captain how Darry really was? That he loved his family more than anything and traded his future to keep them together.

“Happy book,” Mal commented smiling at her.

She responded to his smile. It lifted her spirits – he so rarely offered one.

“Jayne is Dallas. I’m Johnny.”

“The kid who dies?”

She nodded tears welling in her eyes. “I’m dead.”

“Then we're differing on our definitions of dead.” He grinned again but this time it didn’t reach his eyes. She could see by the slight slump of his shoulders that his burdens had taken hold of him again.

“I know what you’re thinking,” River said.

“I know you know what I’m thinking.”

“No. I know what you’re thinking in the regular way.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“She cries for made up people but not real ones.”

“It does seem a mite odd.”

“But my insides hurt,” she said suddenly, her chin quivering. “All fiery and…I feel it.”

“It’s just a story,” Mal said.

She shook her head thinking of the tragedy of Johnny. Of death. Images that she tried to keep at bay invaded her mind – images of friends and families laying dead on the ground at Haven.

“What makes my life better than theirs?”

He was quiet, thinking over his answer. “People decided yours was more valuable. They’re the kind of people who find it very easy to step on them they dismiss as no account.”

She frowned, unhappy with his answer. It didn’t answer her question at all. But then, he couldn’t know her real question because she couldn’t figure out how to ask it.

“Ain’t your fault. Nothing in all of this is your fault.” Mal smiled. “Except your affinity for peeling labels and spying on people.”

She didn’t respond to his attempt at a joke. “Simon should have left me there. At the academy. Those people would still be alive.”

“No, River,” he said, his voice was gentle but stern. Mal tilted her face up to meet his gaze. “He did the right thing. Can’t believe he pulled it off, mind you, but he did the right thing. Not ya’lls fault bad people are after you.”

“Simon gave up his life for me.”

“He’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“It’s not fair.”

He shook his head and gave her a rueful smile. “If you’re needing someone to expound on the fairness of life, I ain’t the man for the job.”

They sat in silence, Mal absently thumping the book against his knee. River watched him think purposefully not listening. She concentrated and put up a wall…No, a flowering hedge that buzzed with bees and butterflies who got along and made happy sounds together. She looked over the Captain's head to see the ladybug flying over him heading up to the bridge. River refused to be distracted and focused on the hedge, on the buzzing of the bees, on the colorful butterflies and forgot to hear the constant murmurs that plagued her to no end. As she realized her achievement, her excitement grew and she forgot about the hedge and the barrier fell. No choice. Too far gone. No choice. Really gonna do this, aren't you? No choice.

The Captain's worry bombarded her. She wanted to help, needed to help this man who had done so much for her and her brother. “What are you going to do?”

“Was hoping you’d tell me,” Mal said, studying the cover of the book.

“Can’t you rob a bank?” The heist on Lilac had gone well. At least before the Reavers showed up.

“What bank? If you got a bank in mind that we know’s got untraceable cash that we can get to, then I’m all ears.”

“Smash and grab and git the hell out quick,” she said quoting Jayne.

“Yeah, but those kinda jobs get people killed.” Mal rubbed his eyes. “I’m hoping we can steer away from those for a spell.”

She fell silent again forcing herself to pay attention to this one problem. This time she didn't need to focus on the hedge, the distant hum of wafting thoughts quieted as she became immersed in trying to find a solution for the Captain.

“Blackmail!” She exclaimed, suddenly excited. “I know of a Parliamentary official who has an incestuous relationship with her brother. They have a special house together and pretend they’re married…”

Mal held up a hand, his face slightly appalled at the thought. “ ‘Preciate the offer, little one, but that ain’t exactly the kind of work I’m lookin for.”

"I know other things about important people…"

He shook his head.

"…even stuff that doesn't involve sex?"

"Let's avoid that, okay? Any more secrets percolating in your brain need to stay put."

“What are you going to do?” She asked again.

“I don’t know. I do know that I’m ready to get the hell off this gorramn rock. Wanna help?”

River looked into his eyes and saw the olive branch he offered. She smiled at him happy to realize that he hadn't forgotten about love. How could she have thought that when everything Darry did was meant to keep them together?

“I suppose you remember how to take her out?”

She nodded, her smile growing even broader. She wanted to fly. Fly like a butterfly or a ladybug, or a firefly. “Can’t.”

Mal eyebrow rose in surprise. “Care to fill me in on why not?”

“Jayne and Inara aren’t back yet.”

“What?” He exclaimed, quickly standing. “Where’d they go?”

River shrugged taking the book back from Mal. She saw the ladybug flying toward the bridge and wondered why she didn't dream of fireflies.

“Zoë!” Mal bellowed, running up from the stairs. River followed him and the ladybug as he stalked to the dining area.

“Zoë, you know where Inara and Jayne are?”

“They ain’t here?” Alarmed, Zoë set down the coffee pot she was holding with such force that the lid rattled.

“Kaylee! Simon!” Mal called into the com. “Get up here. Now.”

“You two know where Inara and Jayne went off to?” Mal called out as they approached the dining room.

They both looked surprised at the information. "They ain't here?" Kaylee asked.

“Gorrammit! I’m ready to get the hell out of here.”

The ladybug was flying over the Captain's head. River pointed to it and everyone in the dining area looked up to see what she was pointing at. She smiled unaware of their resigned looks.

“So they went to town,” Zoë said, walking to the Captain. “What’s the rush anyway?”

“You talked to Tito?” Mal asked, meeting her gaze.

Zoë sighed. She straightened even taller and looked at him steadily for a moment before speaking. “How low you plan on sinkin’ us?”

"Thought we talked about this." His voice dropped.

"You did the talkin' but looks like I'm the only one doin' the thinking." She emphasized thinking.

"Zoë…" Mal began but was interrupted as Jayne came bounding into the room.

River’s mouth fell open as she observed the big man practically skip over to the dining table. “See Jayne skip,” she said to no one in particular.

“Problem solved folks!" Jayne was jubilant. With great satisfaction, he dumped a great deal of cash on the table. "We’re back in business!”

Astounded, Mal and Zoë exchanged a quick glance.

“Jayne, how’d you come by this?" Zoë asked, sifting her hand through the money. "Do we need to get outta here quicklike?”

“No, Zoë. This is purely legitimate money. Earned mostly honestly and with alotta luck.” Jayne smirked at everyone in the room.

“How?” Mal asked.

“Our Ambassador.”

“This is Inara’s money?” Mal’s tone turned from wonder to dismay.

“Well," Jayne grinned. "Actually it was a coupla fellas money but it’s ours now.”

“What fellas?” Mal looked sick.

“You shoulda seen her. She was magnificent!”

“What?”

Jayne looked at the Captain for a moment a knowing grin soon appeared. “Those guys didn’t stand a chance. I tell you watching her was like watching an artist at work.” He sat down pleased to have the undivided attention of everyone in the room.

“You watched?!” Mal was horrified.

“Hell yes!” Jayne leaned back and propped his feet on a chair. “Learned a few tricks, too,” he said with a wink.

“Jayne, please,” Zoë said pushing his feet off the chair. “Offer us some clarification.”

“Poker,” Jayne replied. His tone not as arrogant as before.

“Who poked her?”

“No, Mal. The game. Poker. Cards. Gambling. I tell you she is a natural.”

“She won this money?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that a problem?” Inara called out as she walked into the dining room. “I assume you will take ill-gotten money of any kind.” She paused, putting on an exaggerated contemplative look on her face. “Although, gambling is legal in this town. And I know how you frown on money earned legally.” Inara winked at River.

“Can’t take this,” Mal said pushing the money in her direction. Charity. No. Can’t. Yes. Weak.

“You should take the paper,” she said softly. She picked up a bill from the table and turned it over in her hands smoothing it out. “They used to make these from trees.” No one paid her any attention.

“I’ll pay you back.”

“Consider it payment for my room and board.”

“Inara…”

“Mal, please, just take it.” Inara stared at him silently begging him to be reasonable. He stared at her until she turned and left. Kaylee followed her.

River rolled the bill into a tight cylinder. She held it up to her eye and looked at Zoë through it. Zoë turned away.

Mal walked over and took the bill from her. “Doing’s like that ain’t earning anyone’s confidence.”

River’s chin rose slightly, “Yes, sir.”

“Zoë, go give this to her.” He threw down the bill on the table and gestured toward the money.

“No.”

Mal cocked his head before turning to face Zoë. His expression was a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Ain’t taking her money, Zoë!”

“Am I recollectin’ correctly that not more than one week ago you were callin’ on Inara for her freeloadin’ ways?”

“I never said that!”

“I’m sorry,” Zoë said, her voice sounding soft and deceptively contrite. “Must have been Simon that called her a ‘destitute prostitute’.”

Mal crossed his arms and glared at Zoë whose own gaze narrowed. They didn’t notice Simon and Jayne quietly and quickly vacating the dining area. River, caught behind them in the galley, shrank back against the storage compartments making herself as invisible as possible.

“We don’t take charity on my ship.” He spoke slow trying to keep his anger at bay.

Zoë shook her head, any patience she had all but gone. “You won’t take Inara’s winnings that she went to some trouble to get for us but you’ll jump at the chance to drag Kaylee into dǎi work?”

Mal continued to glare at her, his jaw tightening.

“Captain,” Zoë walked closer stopping inches from Mal. She called him ‘Captain’ but River could hear ‘Sergeant’ in her thoughts.

Zoë raised her chin, taking a deep breath. “I will escort her off this boat myself if you follow through with this luàn xiàng.”

Mal broke their gaze and River knew Zoë had won.

“I’m waitin’ for you to be reasonable,” Zoë said softly.

The glare faded from his eyes. “How long you been waiting on that?”

Zoë smiled with relief. “Long time, sir, long time.”

Mal nodded. “Ok, then. Don't think I left Oklahoma too cold, did I?

"I suspect he's more interested in business than grudges."

“I think so, too,” River piped in wanting to remind them that she was still in the room.

He looked over at River and smiled encouragingly but his reluctance to take Inara's money still hovered about him.

"Alright, let's seal this deal."

xXxXx

Inara and River sat outside Serenity waiting for Mal, Zoë, and Jayne to return from the meet with Oklahoma.

"I know what they're thinking!" River said, looking in the direction of Simon and Kaylee who loitered near Serenity’s idle port engine.

Inara looked back at them. "I think everyone knows what they're thinking."

"I could have helped, you know," River said.

Inara paused, mentally calculating the abrupt subject change. "I know."

"You wouldn't have to bluff."

"Bluffing is fun."

"You wouldn't lose."

"No!” Inara patted River’s arm to emphasize her position on River gambling.

Inara and Simon must have anticipated her request because he had said the same thing. It irritated her that her keeper of a brother would prevent her from helping the crew. She would be the best gambler ever. It wouldn’t even be gambling…

River looked up abruptly at the sound of a gaggle of geese flying overhead. Maybe tonight she would dream of them and could fly point leading her flock to warmer climes. She and her geese friends would all take turns heading the great vee. Each taking a turn leading the way when the other dropped back for rest.

She watched them fly away until the roar of the mule replaced the sound of their distant honking. Mal, Jayne, and Zoë had arrived back at Serenity. They looked much happier than the last time they had pulled into the cargo bay.

Jayne hopped out of the mule. With great self-importance, he strutted over to Inara and offered his fist.

Smiling at River, she touched his fist with her own. "Did you get your money back?"

"I did,” Jayne said patting his pocket. “If you want, I could try to get your bow back. That guy paid way less than it was worth."

"That's alright," Inara said quietly. River caught an orange flash from Inara as she thought about killing Reavers.

“Suit yourself,” Jayne said shrugging out of his drab green jacket. “Told the Cap’n how much you got fer it. He’ll give that back to you, at least.”

He nodded to Mal who had approached them.

"So…you two buddies now?" Mal asked as Jayne walked off. Don't you have any idea what Jayne thinks of you?

"I suppose so." Inara leaned back in her seat. Renci de Fozu! Please tell me you aren't thinking that Jayne and I…

"Well, here's what Jayne said you sold your bow for." He handed her a small stack of cash. I hate giving her money. Not like it's that kind of money. This is her money. Not like we…

River watched their exchange fascinated. Of all the conversations that took place aboard Serenity, the Captain's and Inara's were by far the most interesting. They never said what they thought. Unlike Simon and Kaylee who said too much and thought too little when they were…otherwise engaged.

"Didn't mean for you to sell your bow." By the way, why exactly would she have a bow?

"Let's hope I won't ever have a need for that again." Have I ever done anything that makes anyone think I am at all interested in Jayne? It's Jayne. I know Jayne's interested in me. Well, not me me - he's interested in every woman he sees.

"Yeah." If that bow is some sort of client thing then I really don't want to know.

"Why did you have a bow?" River asked. Mal glared down at her. She shrugged at him.

"Just for fun." Inara’s voice deadened imperceptibly. River glanced sharply at Inara whose mind had closed with an abrupt slam. Almost as if she had closed off a musty old attic room that contained loads and loads of forgotten junk. How did she do that? It was like she had just grown a flowering hedge of her own.

“Huh,” Mal said. Keep outta my head, kid. Just don’t think. How can I not think? She looks so pretty right now. Don’t think that! Are you sending me a message? He looked at her suspiciously.

"No, Captain. I don't think I can do that." Your fly is undone! Your fly is undone! The Captain didn’t react. Guess she really couldn’t send messages but that would be really neat. The fun she could have with Jayne.

“Well, that’s a comfort.” I have to remember I'm mad at her but it’s hard when she looks all pretty- beautiful even when she’s looking at me like I’m an idiot. She can’t know what I’m thinking not like YOU. Don't think. He shook his head and grinned at River giving her a wink.

River’s eyes widened in delighted surprise. Jumping out of her seat, she beamed up at him waiting for him to say the words.

“Ready to chart us off this rock?”

“Aye aye, Captain.” She hugged Inara, ran over to Simon and Kaylee, hugged them and then skipped up to the bridge.

xXxXx

River plotted Serenity’s course but the Captain had taken Serenity out. That was alright with her - she could still feel the worry of everyone over her ability to stay focused on the task at hand. Even she didn’t want the responsibility of having everyone’s lives in her not quite sane hands. Not now but maybe soon. Her hedge was growing and the flowers were blooming.

“Good to have a job, little one, ain’t it?” Mal said as they cleared atmo.

“Inara was helpful. You thought she --“

“Don’t matter what I thought,” Mal interrupted. “Should’ve known she was a gambler.”

She sat next to him happy to be back in his good graces. They looked out the window not speaking. After some time passed, River began telling him about the story of The Outsiders and filling him in on all the important details. He leaned back in the pilot’s seat and listened to her disjointed explanations.

“Have to go, Captain.”

“Gotta date?”

“My reading group awaits.”

“Thought you finished it.”

“I not them.” She paused at the hatch. “Will you come listen?” She asked shyly.

“Got things to do, little one,” he said, turning to the console.

She shrugged and strolled down to the common area. Simon, Kaylee and Inara were waiting for her.

She looked down at her audience and frowned. Kaylee was once again on Simon's lap. "No lap sitting," she said.

Kaylee slid off Simon's lap to sit between him and Inara on the couch. They all looked expectantly up at River.

“Well, whatcha waitin’ for?” Kaylee asked.

"Just wait."

Kaylee leaned back and snuggled closer to Simon. River rolled her eyes and gave them an irritated look. Kaylee gave her an irritated look right back.

The room was silent as they watched her watch them. River remained standing still for a few minutes until Mal came in.

He nodded to Simon and sat down on the chair next to Inara.

Kaylee beamed, throwing River a pleased look. “Cap’n, you don’t know the story. River’s readin’ the last bit.”

“She filled me in.”

River stood straighter and opened the book. She practically had the thing memorized but she liked letting her eyes feed her brain. Her reading strengthened as she went on. She paused only a few times to admonish her audience. "Please stop playing with his hair!" "Captain, please look at me I'm the one talking."

She didn’t let herself become too immersed in the story. She needed to be aware of her surroundings for River could see what the others couldn’t. Jayne had wandered closer from his weight bench and stood at the door listening.

She tippy toed over toward the bulkhead next the stairs. On the other side, out of view, was Zoë. She was sitting on the steps listening, too.

River faltered in her reading. She was happy. Everyone was almost where they should be.

Got five minutes?

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:42:49 GMT