"String Theory." Chapter Three.
Story: String Theory
Chapter: Three: Discovery (3/?)
Character(s)/Pairing: Zoe/Wash; eventual Rayne
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1621
Disclaimer: Not mine. (I do own Bonny and Mike, though.)
-Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long! And also sorry about the quality of this chapter. I seriously just sat down and wrote it. Ahh ha ha. *sheepish grin* Obviously I absolutely suck at planning things out to any degree of remote usefulness, so I'm afraid this shall have to do. Ooh! Cliffhanger, though. It's kind of evil - just the way I like it. ^^ I can has comments, y/y? Read and enjoy, everyone. Chapter four will be written as soon as I get "Evolution" chapter three posted. (Which should be soon. Word.)
String Theory
3. Discovery
The crew of Serenity continued on much the same as always; besides the addition of two new passengers, not much had changed. Of course, those passengers did change the dynamic; Simon and River kept themselves shut in the spare shuttle, and everyone was careful not to even breathe a word regarding them. Bonny and Michael seemed trustworthy, but Mal had learned over and over again that things were almost never what they seemed.
“Nice ship you have here,” Bonny commented one day as she and Kaylee sat in the engine room. Kaylee, of course, had taken a shine to the two kids immediately and since she couldn’t spend her time with Simon any more, she’d started using most of her free time to talk to Bonny. Michael remained unyieldingly surly and uncommunicative, but he seemed equally as unwilling to allow Bonny out of his sight.
“Aww, thanks!” Kaylee replied, beaming. She gave the engine frame a little pat. “She’s good as any o’ the newer ships. Better, in point o’ fact! You know what they say - long as you treat her right, a firefly’ll run for longer than you will.”
Bonny smiled wryly. “I believe it.”
“What kind o’ ship you fly on, anyway? We’re headed to Beaumonde, so I guess you two’re gonna get off there. Think you’ll find your crew? Really ought ‘o wave ‘em.”
For a half-second Bonny glanced over to Michael. “Ain’t workin’,” he muttered coldly. “Can’t wave.”
“Oh.” Kaylee shrugged. “Hope they get it fixed soon, though. But how d’you expect to find ‘em if you can’t even get a hold of ‘em?”
Michael sighed impatiently. “Look, we’re goin’ to Beaumonde an’ if they’re there, they’re there. If not, then we’ll keep lookin’.”
“Well okay,” Kaylee said, a little miffed at him. “Y’ain’t gotta grump about it.”
“Don’t mind Mike,” Bonny told her reassuringly. “He ain’t always in such a temper.” She smiled warmly at the boy in question, eyes sparkling with a familiar warmth. “It’s all those hormones ragin’.”
“Puh.” Mike turned his head, his already deep frown curving even further.
Kaylee noted the exchange with interest. She raised an eyebrow at Bonny and nodded towards Michael.
For a second the other girl was taken aback, but then she slowly shook her head. “Nothin’ like that,” she explained quietly. “We’re crew. Not more.”
Kaylee held back a smile for half a moment before grinning broadly and nudging the other girl playfully in the shoulder. “But not ‘cause you don’t want to be more, huh? Huh?”
Bonny hesitated and Kaylee jumped on that like a hungry dog to a piece of raw meat.
“Ooh! I was right. I knew it! So what’s the problem, huh? He ain’t gettin’ the signals?”
“It’s…” She cleared her throat. “There isn’t anything there,” she said significantly, her eyes darting over to Michael. “An’ it’s better for all of us if it stays that way.”
Kaylee deflated a little, unhappy that the romance she’d seen blossoming had been nipped in the bud before it even had a chance to grow. “Well that ain’t fair at all,” she groused. “I got my eyes on a man, too, but it hadn’t happened, either. Though that sure ain’t because it can’t happen.” She looked down, her expression forlorn, as she thought about Simon’s pitifully obtuse nature. “It’s ‘cause he don’t got a clue ‘bout how to talk to girls. I’d take just sexin’, but he don’t even seem to notice I want that!”
Bonny laughed a little, amused by Kaylee’s plight. “I wouldn’t worry,” she assured the mechanic. “Men can be pretty thick, but I’m sure that sooner or later he’ll realize you been waitin’ for him all along.”
“Well I sure hope so,” Kaylee announced, turning back to give the engine another quick once-over. “’Cause if I gotta wait much longer I’m go’n go crazy! Girl’s got needs, too, you know.”
Bonny nodded with a grin, holding back a chuckle at Mike, who, during the course of Kaylee’s rant, had turned a little pink. “I wouldn’t worry. He’s gonna realize what a fool he’s been, an’ then there’ll be no tearin’ him away from you.”
“Mmm, that sure would be nice.” Kaylee sighed dreamily. “He’s real pretty,” she confessed. “A Core boy, right an’ proper. Ain’t never met someone in my life so concerned with that’s civilized an’ appropriate! But he’s got the biggest heart ever. He just ‘bout gave up his whole life for his little sister! She…” Kaylee stopped suddenly, a stricken expression across her face. “Uh… Well, you probably don’t wanna hear nothin’ more ‘bout that. He’s… he’s real shiny. A doctor an’ everything.”
“A doctor, huh? That’s nice.”
“Yup.” Kaylee smiled nervously for a second before she had a thought. “Oh! That reminds me. I never did ask you what you did on your ship.”
“Hmm.” Bonny looked down for a moment. “I… I’m a pilot. Still learnin’, of course, but I have to say I’m pretty good. Mike’s momma’s teachin’ me. She’s incredible - one o’ the best I’ve ever seen.”
“A pilot, huh?” Kaylee bobbed her head happily, wearing a bright smile. “Well you gotta talk to Wash, then. He’s Zoë’s fella, an’ a great pilot, too. Bet you two would get along jus’ perfect!”
Bonny coughed, not looking up. “I’d like that,” she said quietly. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Oh, well, uh…” Kaylee tried to get a look at her face, confused by the girl’s sudden serious air. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a whit givin’ you a lesson or somethin’. I can ask him if you want.”
“No!” Michael broke in suddenly, standing up. “We ain’t gonna be here long - no use for lessons or any o’ that.”
“Hey!” Kaylee stood up, too, looking indignant on her new friend’s behalf. “That ain’t no way to - “
“No, he’s… he’s right.” Bonny sighed. “I’d like that of course, but it’s not somethin’ I should… Well, it - “
“It’s not worth it,” Michael told her, his voice suddenly softer and full of some deep emotion Kaylee didn't understand. "Bonny... It just ain't worth it."
They stared at each other for a long moment - long enough for Kaylee to grow uncomfortable with the silence. "Uh, I'm gonna... I think I hear cap'n callin'. What's that 'bout space monkeys?" And with a quick, sheepish smile, she darted out of the engine room, her head slightly bowed.
Micheal sighed.
"I'm sorry," Bonny said. "I... I want to get home as badly as you do. It's just... the opportunity, Mike. I will never - never - get this chance again, an' you're gonna snatch it away, jus' like that?"
"I know how you feel, Bonny. I do. An' I'm - "
"Yeah, Mike. I know." She put a hand to her temple defensively. "I know."
"I really am sorry. I'll get us home soon, I promise." He looked down awkwardy. "I don't like seein' you like this, Bonny. You're s'posed to be the tough one."
She grinned, the atmosphere suddenly lighter. "Well what about you? Your Momma would have a fit if she ever saw you actin' so much like your Daddy."
xXx
"So," Mal said, biting off a piece of his roll. "How y'all settlin' in?"
Bonny smiled tightly. "Oh, we're doin' all right. It's comfortable."
"Yeah," Mike agreed sullenly. "It's fine."
Wash laughed. "Your comfort hasn't altered your people skills at all, I see."
Jayne grunted. He'd had a strange dislike of Michael since the moment he'd met the boy and wasn't at all opposed to showing it. "Guess he ain't real interested in makin' friends."
"No," Michael spat, glaring at Jayne. "I ain't."
Mal raised an eyebrow. "I don't hold with none o' this fightin'," he said lightly. "This is dinner time, an' we're gonna eat in peace. No more arguin', dong ma?"
At the exact same moment, Jayne and Michael grunted and crossed their arms over their chests. Bonny snickered and even Mal had to smile.
"So! Bonny," Wash said, grinning, tapping absently on his glass of water. "A little bird told me you like flying."
Kaylee's eyes widened and she quickly busied herself with her meal.
Mike growled a little and said, "A little bird... or maybe a mechanic?"
"I was just talkin' an' it slipped right out!" Kaylee said apologetically, hunching her shoulders a little as she failed to hold in a sunny smile. "I hope you ain't mad."
Michael exhaled, his eyes fixed on his plate. "I guess it don't really matter now, does it?"
"Um..." Wash looked back and forth from Michael to Kaylee, a little perplexed. "As... interesting as this is?" He cleared his throat and then looked over to Bonny. "You can come up to the bridge some time - an' we'll see what you've got. I need a student - a pupil to pass on all my expertise to."
Even with Michael's not-so-subtle throat clearing, Bonny couldn't contain her excitement. "Yeah! Oh, I'd, uh... Yes. I'd like that."
Wash grinned at her and Bonny flushed a little under his gaze.
Mike just rolled his eyes, though he did shoot Bonny a furtive glance when no one was looking.
They continued eating, the chatter easy and incongruous. Book shared a humorous story about a man with only one shoe, and Wash told a few familiar old jokes that still made everyone laugh. Bellies were full and Bonny had just stood up to retire, when suddenly River came bursting in, breathing heavily and looking as though she'd seen some sort of ghost.
"I'm sorry," Simon panted, right behind her, watching with desperation as River climbed onto the table, knocking plates off as she went. "I couldn't stop her."
Everyone else was too stunned to speak and they could only watch, aghast, as River pointed one thin, trembling finger at Michael.
She took in a shallow breath of air. "It's you."
~~~
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Chapter: Three: Discovery (3/?)
Character(s)/Pairing: Zoe/Wash; eventual Rayne
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1621
Disclaimer: Not mine. (I do own Bonny and Mike, though.)
-Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long! And also sorry about the quality of this chapter. I seriously just sat down and wrote it. Ahh ha ha. *sheepish grin* Obviously I absolutely suck at planning things out to any degree of remote usefulness, so I'm afraid this shall have to do. Ooh! Cliffhanger, though. It's kind of evil - just the way I like it. ^^ I can has comments, y/y? Read and enjoy, everyone. Chapter four will be written as soon as I get "Evolution" chapter three posted. (Which should be soon. Word.)
String Theory
3. Discovery
The crew of Serenity continued on much the same as always; besides the addition of two new passengers, not much had changed. Of course, those passengers did change the dynamic; Simon and River kept themselves shut in the spare shuttle, and everyone was careful not to even breathe a word regarding them. Bonny and Michael seemed trustworthy, but Mal had learned over and over again that things were almost never what they seemed.
“Nice ship you have here,” Bonny commented one day as she and Kaylee sat in the engine room. Kaylee, of course, had taken a shine to the two kids immediately and since she couldn’t spend her time with Simon any more, she’d started using most of her free time to talk to Bonny. Michael remained unyieldingly surly and uncommunicative, but he seemed equally as unwilling to allow Bonny out of his sight.
“Aww, thanks!” Kaylee replied, beaming. She gave the engine frame a little pat. “She’s good as any o’ the newer ships. Better, in point o’ fact! You know what they say - long as you treat her right, a firefly’ll run for longer than you will.”
Bonny smiled wryly. “I believe it.”
“What kind o’ ship you fly on, anyway? We’re headed to Beaumonde, so I guess you two’re gonna get off there. Think you’ll find your crew? Really ought ‘o wave ‘em.”
For a half-second Bonny glanced over to Michael. “Ain’t workin’,” he muttered coldly. “Can’t wave.”
“Oh.” Kaylee shrugged. “Hope they get it fixed soon, though. But how d’you expect to find ‘em if you can’t even get a hold of ‘em?”
Michael sighed impatiently. “Look, we’re goin’ to Beaumonde an’ if they’re there, they’re there. If not, then we’ll keep lookin’.”
“Well okay,” Kaylee said, a little miffed at him. “Y’ain’t gotta grump about it.”
“Don’t mind Mike,” Bonny told her reassuringly. “He ain’t always in such a temper.” She smiled warmly at the boy in question, eyes sparkling with a familiar warmth. “It’s all those hormones ragin’.”
“Puh.” Mike turned his head, his already deep frown curving even further.
Kaylee noted the exchange with interest. She raised an eyebrow at Bonny and nodded towards Michael.
For a second the other girl was taken aback, but then she slowly shook her head. “Nothin’ like that,” she explained quietly. “We’re crew. Not more.”
Kaylee held back a smile for half a moment before grinning broadly and nudging the other girl playfully in the shoulder. “But not ‘cause you don’t want to be more, huh? Huh?”
Bonny hesitated and Kaylee jumped on that like a hungry dog to a piece of raw meat.
“Ooh! I was right. I knew it! So what’s the problem, huh? He ain’t gettin’ the signals?”
“It’s…” She cleared her throat. “There isn’t anything there,” she said significantly, her eyes darting over to Michael. “An’ it’s better for all of us if it stays that way.”
Kaylee deflated a little, unhappy that the romance she’d seen blossoming had been nipped in the bud before it even had a chance to grow. “Well that ain’t fair at all,” she groused. “I got my eyes on a man, too, but it hadn’t happened, either. Though that sure ain’t because it can’t happen.” She looked down, her expression forlorn, as she thought about Simon’s pitifully obtuse nature. “It’s ‘cause he don’t got a clue ‘bout how to talk to girls. I’d take just sexin’, but he don’t even seem to notice I want that!”
Bonny laughed a little, amused by Kaylee’s plight. “I wouldn’t worry,” she assured the mechanic. “Men can be pretty thick, but I’m sure that sooner or later he’ll realize you been waitin’ for him all along.”
“Well I sure hope so,” Kaylee announced, turning back to give the engine another quick once-over. “’Cause if I gotta wait much longer I’m go’n go crazy! Girl’s got needs, too, you know.”
Bonny nodded with a grin, holding back a chuckle at Mike, who, during the course of Kaylee’s rant, had turned a little pink. “I wouldn’t worry. He’s gonna realize what a fool he’s been, an’ then there’ll be no tearin’ him away from you.”
“Mmm, that sure would be nice.” Kaylee sighed dreamily. “He’s real pretty,” she confessed. “A Core boy, right an’ proper. Ain’t never met someone in my life so concerned with that’s civilized an’ appropriate! But he’s got the biggest heart ever. He just ‘bout gave up his whole life for his little sister! She…” Kaylee stopped suddenly, a stricken expression across her face. “Uh… Well, you probably don’t wanna hear nothin’ more ‘bout that. He’s… he’s real shiny. A doctor an’ everything.”
“A doctor, huh? That’s nice.”
“Yup.” Kaylee smiled nervously for a second before she had a thought. “Oh! That reminds me. I never did ask you what you did on your ship.”
“Hmm.” Bonny looked down for a moment. “I… I’m a pilot. Still learnin’, of course, but I have to say I’m pretty good. Mike’s momma’s teachin’ me. She’s incredible - one o’ the best I’ve ever seen.”
“A pilot, huh?” Kaylee bobbed her head happily, wearing a bright smile. “Well you gotta talk to Wash, then. He’s Zoë’s fella, an’ a great pilot, too. Bet you two would get along jus’ perfect!”
Bonny coughed, not looking up. “I’d like that,” she said quietly. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Oh, well, uh…” Kaylee tried to get a look at her face, confused by the girl’s sudden serious air. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a whit givin’ you a lesson or somethin’. I can ask him if you want.”
“No!” Michael broke in suddenly, standing up. “We ain’t gonna be here long - no use for lessons or any o’ that.”
“Hey!” Kaylee stood up, too, looking indignant on her new friend’s behalf. “That ain’t no way to - “
“No, he’s… he’s right.” Bonny sighed. “I’d like that of course, but it’s not somethin’ I should… Well, it - “
“It’s not worth it,” Michael told her, his voice suddenly softer and full of some deep emotion Kaylee didn't understand. "Bonny... It just ain't worth it."
They stared at each other for a long moment - long enough for Kaylee to grow uncomfortable with the silence. "Uh, I'm gonna... I think I hear cap'n callin'. What's that 'bout space monkeys?" And with a quick, sheepish smile, she darted out of the engine room, her head slightly bowed.
Micheal sighed.
"I'm sorry," Bonny said. "I... I want to get home as badly as you do. It's just... the opportunity, Mike. I will never - never - get this chance again, an' you're gonna snatch it away, jus' like that?"
"I know how you feel, Bonny. I do. An' I'm - "
"Yeah, Mike. I know." She put a hand to her temple defensively. "I know."
"I really am sorry. I'll get us home soon, I promise." He looked down awkwardy. "I don't like seein' you like this, Bonny. You're s'posed to be the tough one."
She grinned, the atmosphere suddenly lighter. "Well what about you? Your Momma would have a fit if she ever saw you actin' so much like your Daddy."
xXx
"So," Mal said, biting off a piece of his roll. "How y'all settlin' in?"
Bonny smiled tightly. "Oh, we're doin' all right. It's comfortable."
"Yeah," Mike agreed sullenly. "It's fine."
Wash laughed. "Your comfort hasn't altered your people skills at all, I see."
Jayne grunted. He'd had a strange dislike of Michael since the moment he'd met the boy and wasn't at all opposed to showing it. "Guess he ain't real interested in makin' friends."
"No," Michael spat, glaring at Jayne. "I ain't."
Mal raised an eyebrow. "I don't hold with none o' this fightin'," he said lightly. "This is dinner time, an' we're gonna eat in peace. No more arguin', dong ma?"
At the exact same moment, Jayne and Michael grunted and crossed their arms over their chests. Bonny snickered and even Mal had to smile.
"So! Bonny," Wash said, grinning, tapping absently on his glass of water. "A little bird told me you like flying."
Kaylee's eyes widened and she quickly busied herself with her meal.
Mike growled a little and said, "A little bird... or maybe a mechanic?"
"I was just talkin' an' it slipped right out!" Kaylee said apologetically, hunching her shoulders a little as she failed to hold in a sunny smile. "I hope you ain't mad."
Michael exhaled, his eyes fixed on his plate. "I guess it don't really matter now, does it?"
"Um..." Wash looked back and forth from Michael to Kaylee, a little perplexed. "As... interesting as this is?" He cleared his throat and then looked over to Bonny. "You can come up to the bridge some time - an' we'll see what you've got. I need a student - a pupil to pass on all my expertise to."
Even with Michael's not-so-subtle throat clearing, Bonny couldn't contain her excitement. "Yeah! Oh, I'd, uh... Yes. I'd like that."
Wash grinned at her and Bonny flushed a little under his gaze.
Mike just rolled his eyes, though he did shoot Bonny a furtive glance when no one was looking.
They continued eating, the chatter easy and incongruous. Book shared a humorous story about a man with only one shoe, and Wash told a few familiar old jokes that still made everyone laugh. Bellies were full and Bonny had just stood up to retire, when suddenly River came bursting in, breathing heavily and looking as though she'd seen some sort of ghost.
"I'm sorry," Simon panted, right behind her, watching with desperation as River climbed onto the table, knocking plates off as she went. "I couldn't stop her."
Everyone else was too stunned to speak and they could only watch, aghast, as River pointed one thin, trembling finger at Michael.
She took in a shallow breath of air. "It's you."
~~~
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Previous ♥ Next
And my comment-fic-a-thon's going on! Go on - right HERE. You know you want to.