Unexpected: Chapter Ten
Title: Unexpected: Chapter Ten
Author: Ceslas
Characters: Zoe/Jayne, Crew
Rating: PG
Word count: 1482
Disclaimer: Firefly owns me, I own words.
Comments: The tenth chapter in a collaboration between bookaddict43 and myself, a bit of a different pairing for both of us… Header and icon courtesy of cantonheroine
Organizational Post
Unexpected Chapter 10
“Yes Sir, things been flowing about as smooth as usual.” Zoë spoke to Mal through the comm..
“That would mean things been going sour and either Jayne or you been shot…” Mal replied, voice tired.
Zoë chuckled slightly, no hiding anything from the Captain. “You aren’t far from right on that. Last two jobs been set-ups. Found Nisham’s engineer been sellin’ us out to Badger. Jayne gone gotten himself nicked in a knife fight… infection got him on his back right now. “
“Jayne? What about the job on Santo? ‘Nara heard from Kaylee you were headed there last…”
“Yes sir, Jayne was jumped on the Skyplex, got a slice on his leg, and neglected to tell anyone about a puncture to his chest. Gorramn fool figured he would be aw right and then got infected. Thought he’d gotten the damp lung, didn’t tell no one about it… weren’t til we were left waiting on Serenity after things went south on Santo that he started showin’ signs.”
“You watch him Zoë, don’t need him getting’ you killed cause he is bein’ all stupid like.”
“No sir, he won’t let that happen… truth be told he’s been far from stupid on most things here. Not sure about what he’s thinkin’ on most matters, but he’s got a good sense of what’s workin’ and what isn’t.” Zoë sounded a little bemused. “We got a day here on Santo still, comm. unit blew a few circuits and Kaylee needed to pick up some parts before we head out.”
“Well, don’t go lettin’ your guard down, he may still take a few ideas into his fool head and then you’ll be dealin’ with that.” Mal was grumpy at being left out of the loop, at being trapped far from his ship, his crew and Jayne getting more opinionated worried him.
~*~ ~*~
“Zo…ZO!!!” Jayne was hollering from the infirmary, voice stronger after a few days of forced quiet.
Zoë was in the mess when she heard him yelling. She grimaced at her dinner companions. Simon merely shrugged non-committedly, “I can’t keep him sedated any longer…” he said tiredly, ready to let someone else listen to the big man complain about his forced idleness.
Kaylee smiled sweetly, trying to look at the bright side, “Least he’s feeling better? That’s good right? Cause that means he’ll be able to help on the raid. Always makes him feel better to shoot folks.” Her smile faded a little at that comment, realizing that there was something not quite normal in that attitude. Simon patted her shoulder gently, comforting her. She sighed slightly and regained her general composure.
River had cocked her head, listening to something no one else could hear. Zoë watched her, eyebrow cocked, “Honey, you got something to add?”
“He feels left out…” River said softly, wistful.
“Of what? Dinner, cause he was sleeping when we sat down…”
River looked at Zoë, gaze withering, “Everything… apart, not really trusted.”
Zoë sat back in her chair, hands flat on the table.
Jayne’s voice boomed again from closer by, “Zo gorramnit! What in the hell…” He came into the mess, holding the wall for balance. Simon jumped up, doctor instincts on full alert. He reached to help the bigger man and was repulsed by a growl and a thrown arm. Jayne weakened could still send a grown man sprawling if he made contact. Simon stopped short, hands up defensively.
“You should have called for assistance Jayne…” Simon tried to sound reasonable despite his irritation at the mercenary.
“I did, ya all deaf? Been hollerin’ and no one done answered. I figured I better get up here and see what was happenin’.. see if that hun dahn Nisham gone done ya all in…”
“The comm. still works you know.” Kaylee said, angry tone at the insult to Nisham.
“Yeah, well…” Jayne mumbled, realizing she was right and not wanting to admit he forgot about it in his irritation at being ignored.
Zoë was still at the table, hands quiet on the table, eyes flashing. “Jayne, sit down.” Her voice was extremely measured and soft. Jayne grunted and began to retort before she slammed her closed fist onto the cool wood. Kaylee flinched back from the table jumping under the impact.
“Jayne, sit down.” She emphasized more sternly.
Muttering darkly, he complied, eyes looking everywhere except at her angry visage.
“I am done hearing your insults to our friend…”
“Friend?!” Jayne blurted out, breathe exploding the word into an expletive, “Friend? He got some he chusheng zajiao de zanghuo working for him that done sold us out…Twice! And you want me to trust him… no gorramn way.” Jayne answered angrily.
Zoë answered in tight tones, voice barely under her control she was so furious, “You got no place to be judging a man for actions of his crew like that… I seem to recall there was a time where you weren’t above making a profit on selling information, and even crew mates.”
Jayne’s head snapped up at that, eyes blazing. He stood up so violently the chair flew back and hit the wall behind him. His jaw worked tightly, but no words came. He spun on his heel to go, catching his balance on the bulkhead as he went to leave the mess.
Zoë let him go, still sitting in her place at the table. Eyes bored into the surface before her, thoughts racing. Had she just done an irreparable wrong? Had she read the situation with Nisham so incorrectly that Jayne had the right of it?
River’s hand on her shoulder broke her train of thought, “He is angry at plans made without his expertise asked for or desired.”
“I ain’t said I didn’t want his two-bits on the plan.” Zoë answered.
“Did not inquire as to his thoughts… left him not knowing where he stood. Suspicious of those who betray… knows what it feels like to be the betrayer… now feels betrayal… let he who lives in a glass house cast the first stone…” River sounded sad; remembering Ariel, remembering Jayne before he found his place truly as family and not just hired gun. Before they had all become knit by the horror of Miranda.
Zoë pushed back from the table tiredly, “I can’t talk to him tonight, don’t got no words for him that won’t come out angry and wrong.”
She left the mess to go to her quarters, upset with herself at exploding at Jayne. Not sure why it mattered so much to her to keep him at arms length. After they had been rescued on the moon, where she had felt closer to the big merc than she understood, she had retreated back to isolate herself from feeling. He just kept pushing into her thoughts and it scared her.
River watched her friends leave the mess, both with thoughts roiling in confusion. Kaylee came to her, saw the younger woman’s anxiety. “It’ll be ok sweetie, they’ll figure it out, you’ll see.”
River looked at the mechanic, all shiny happiness glowing through even she was upset. She tried to smile in response. Kaylee gave her a quick hug and then headed down to work on the comm. unit that was still acting quirky.
“Won’t… neither understands… will leave if rift is not examined…” River looked despondent, not sure how to help what would be coming to tear them further apart before they could be family again.
~*~ ~*~
Morning found a much quieter boat. Zoë and Simon were quietly enjoying a few minutes of companionable coffee time, Kaylee was whistling in her work in the engine room. And River sat in the cockpit, silent tears streaking her cheeks. Wasn’t until mid morning that the others noticed he was gone.
Zoë had gone looking for Jayne when he didn’t appear. He wasn’t in the infirmary, the cargo bay or the shuttle they still had with them. She had finally gone to his bunk. Knocking, Zoë got no response. With a sigh of exasperation, she checked the door, it was unlocked, no code key needed. For a moment she stopped, hesitated, and then entered and went down the ladder. The bunk was stripped, nothing was left. Her eyes took in the empty gun rack behind the bed, the bureau with drawers half-open, nothing in them. Wall of guns, even the pictures on the ceiling of women were vanished leaving only shadows of where they had been.
Suddenly deflated, she sat on the bare bunk, stared at herself in the mirror across the room. She could smell his gun oil, faint cigar smoke, and the detergent he used on his t-shirts; but no Jayne. He was gone. She looked at herself, saw her darkened eyes, the tired lines around her mouth. Saw herself as the others could not. Alone and miserable.
he chusheng zajiao de zanghuo pig-fucker (more or less)
Author: Ceslas
Characters: Zoe/Jayne, Crew
Rating: PG
Word count: 1482
Disclaimer: Firefly owns me, I own words.
Comments: The tenth chapter in a collaboration between bookaddict43 and myself, a bit of a different pairing for both of us… Header and icon courtesy of cantonheroine
Organizational Post
Unexpected Chapter 10
“Yes Sir, things been flowing about as smooth as usual.” Zoë spoke to Mal through the comm..
“That would mean things been going sour and either Jayne or you been shot…” Mal replied, voice tired.
Zoë chuckled slightly, no hiding anything from the Captain. “You aren’t far from right on that. Last two jobs been set-ups. Found Nisham’s engineer been sellin’ us out to Badger. Jayne gone gotten himself nicked in a knife fight… infection got him on his back right now. “
“Jayne? What about the job on Santo? ‘Nara heard from Kaylee you were headed there last…”
“Yes sir, Jayne was jumped on the Skyplex, got a slice on his leg, and neglected to tell anyone about a puncture to his chest. Gorramn fool figured he would be aw right and then got infected. Thought he’d gotten the damp lung, didn’t tell no one about it… weren’t til we were left waiting on Serenity after things went south on Santo that he started showin’ signs.”
“You watch him Zoë, don’t need him getting’ you killed cause he is bein’ all stupid like.”
“No sir, he won’t let that happen… truth be told he’s been far from stupid on most things here. Not sure about what he’s thinkin’ on most matters, but he’s got a good sense of what’s workin’ and what isn’t.” Zoë sounded a little bemused. “We got a day here on Santo still, comm. unit blew a few circuits and Kaylee needed to pick up some parts before we head out.”
“Well, don’t go lettin’ your guard down, he may still take a few ideas into his fool head and then you’ll be dealin’ with that.” Mal was grumpy at being left out of the loop, at being trapped far from his ship, his crew and Jayne getting more opinionated worried him.
~*~ ~*~
“Zo…ZO!!!” Jayne was hollering from the infirmary, voice stronger after a few days of forced quiet.
Zoë was in the mess when she heard him yelling. She grimaced at her dinner companions. Simon merely shrugged non-committedly, “I can’t keep him sedated any longer…” he said tiredly, ready to let someone else listen to the big man complain about his forced idleness.
Kaylee smiled sweetly, trying to look at the bright side, “Least he’s feeling better? That’s good right? Cause that means he’ll be able to help on the raid. Always makes him feel better to shoot folks.” Her smile faded a little at that comment, realizing that there was something not quite normal in that attitude. Simon patted her shoulder gently, comforting her. She sighed slightly and regained her general composure.
River had cocked her head, listening to something no one else could hear. Zoë watched her, eyebrow cocked, “Honey, you got something to add?”
“He feels left out…” River said softly, wistful.
“Of what? Dinner, cause he was sleeping when we sat down…”
River looked at Zoë, gaze withering, “Everything… apart, not really trusted.”
Zoë sat back in her chair, hands flat on the table.
Jayne’s voice boomed again from closer by, “Zo gorramnit! What in the hell…” He came into the mess, holding the wall for balance. Simon jumped up, doctor instincts on full alert. He reached to help the bigger man and was repulsed by a growl and a thrown arm. Jayne weakened could still send a grown man sprawling if he made contact. Simon stopped short, hands up defensively.
“You should have called for assistance Jayne…” Simon tried to sound reasonable despite his irritation at the mercenary.
“I did, ya all deaf? Been hollerin’ and no one done answered. I figured I better get up here and see what was happenin’.. see if that hun dahn Nisham gone done ya all in…”
“The comm. still works you know.” Kaylee said, angry tone at the insult to Nisham.
“Yeah, well…” Jayne mumbled, realizing she was right and not wanting to admit he forgot about it in his irritation at being ignored.
Zoë was still at the table, hands quiet on the table, eyes flashing. “Jayne, sit down.” Her voice was extremely measured and soft. Jayne grunted and began to retort before she slammed her closed fist onto the cool wood. Kaylee flinched back from the table jumping under the impact.
“Jayne, sit down.” She emphasized more sternly.
Muttering darkly, he complied, eyes looking everywhere except at her angry visage.
“I am done hearing your insults to our friend…”
“Friend?!” Jayne blurted out, breathe exploding the word into an expletive, “Friend? He got some he chusheng zajiao de zanghuo working for him that done sold us out…Twice! And you want me to trust him… no gorramn way.” Jayne answered angrily.
Zoë answered in tight tones, voice barely under her control she was so furious, “You got no place to be judging a man for actions of his crew like that… I seem to recall there was a time where you weren’t above making a profit on selling information, and even crew mates.”
Jayne’s head snapped up at that, eyes blazing. He stood up so violently the chair flew back and hit the wall behind him. His jaw worked tightly, but no words came. He spun on his heel to go, catching his balance on the bulkhead as he went to leave the mess.
Zoë let him go, still sitting in her place at the table. Eyes bored into the surface before her, thoughts racing. Had she just done an irreparable wrong? Had she read the situation with Nisham so incorrectly that Jayne had the right of it?
River’s hand on her shoulder broke her train of thought, “He is angry at plans made without his expertise asked for or desired.”
“I ain’t said I didn’t want his two-bits on the plan.” Zoë answered.
“Did not inquire as to his thoughts… left him not knowing where he stood. Suspicious of those who betray… knows what it feels like to be the betrayer… now feels betrayal… let he who lives in a glass house cast the first stone…” River sounded sad; remembering Ariel, remembering Jayne before he found his place truly as family and not just hired gun. Before they had all become knit by the horror of Miranda.
Zoë pushed back from the table tiredly, “I can’t talk to him tonight, don’t got no words for him that won’t come out angry and wrong.”
She left the mess to go to her quarters, upset with herself at exploding at Jayne. Not sure why it mattered so much to her to keep him at arms length. After they had been rescued on the moon, where she had felt closer to the big merc than she understood, she had retreated back to isolate herself from feeling. He just kept pushing into her thoughts and it scared her.
River watched her friends leave the mess, both with thoughts roiling in confusion. Kaylee came to her, saw the younger woman’s anxiety. “It’ll be ok sweetie, they’ll figure it out, you’ll see.”
River looked at the mechanic, all shiny happiness glowing through even she was upset. She tried to smile in response. Kaylee gave her a quick hug and then headed down to work on the comm. unit that was still acting quirky.
“Won’t… neither understands… will leave if rift is not examined…” River looked despondent, not sure how to help what would be coming to tear them further apart before they could be family again.
~*~ ~*~
Morning found a much quieter boat. Zoë and Simon were quietly enjoying a few minutes of companionable coffee time, Kaylee was whistling in her work in the engine room. And River sat in the cockpit, silent tears streaking her cheeks. Wasn’t until mid morning that the others noticed he was gone.
Zoë had gone looking for Jayne when he didn’t appear. He wasn’t in the infirmary, the cargo bay or the shuttle they still had with them. She had finally gone to his bunk. Knocking, Zoë got no response. With a sigh of exasperation, she checked the door, it was unlocked, no code key needed. For a moment she stopped, hesitated, and then entered and went down the ladder. The bunk was stripped, nothing was left. Her eyes took in the empty gun rack behind the bed, the bureau with drawers half-open, nothing in them. Wall of guns, even the pictures on the ceiling of women were vanished leaving only shadows of where they had been.
Suddenly deflated, she sat on the bare bunk, stared at herself in the mirror across the room. She could smell his gun oil, faint cigar smoke, and the detergent he used on his t-shirts; but no Jayne. He was gone. She looked at herself, saw her darkened eyes, the tired lines around her mouth. Saw herself as the others could not. Alone and miserable.
he chusheng zajiao de zanghuo pig-fucker (more or less)