Challenge Redux
Guardian Angels
Author: mishbloom
Challenge: #48--hope
Characters: Inara, Book
Rating: G
Comments: I do not know where this came from. Inara and I don't talk. And then this.... HUH.
Disclaimer: As always, Joss is Boss, and the 'verse is his. I'm just happy he lets me play in it...no matter how unwittingly that may be.
Deep quiet breathing breaks the silence that gathers close in the confines of the shuttle.
The soft cushions cradle her body as the air flows into the bottom of her lungs, cycles through numerous bodily systems, and then back out-releasing tension and stress--and sending the massive migraine that’s bothered her most of the day spinning out into the ‘verse. She relaxes some more, feeling the smooth red silk beneath her slide across her skin like a whisper.
Outside the shuttle, on the far side of the cargo bay most likely, she hears Kaylee shout something to Jayne. They’d been busy for the last three months sorting out all the bugs and myriad problems since putting Serenity back together. She wondered for a moment if Kaylee was sleeping. The mechanic had been working hard, putting in hours and hours of overhaul time on the ship…and then, Inara suspected, she’d been busy with Simon in the off-hours. Worry for the younger girl creased her perfect forehead for a moment…then another long inhale and exhale pulled the thoughts away.
Concern for fellow crewmembers and the ship had kept everyone awake and on edge lately. It wasn’t bad enough to have had Serenity literally ripped out from beneath them, wounding the very heart of their family. They’d lost Wash…the smile and laughter that brightened the ‘verse. Tears burned at the back of her eyes, tears that she’d pushed away time and time again. Emotion was easy to control…but the pain did not go away….the pain she felt for Zoe, for them all. Zoe had lost a husband. They had all lost a friend.
Inhale. Exhale. Push Wash back into the depths of the mind where the pain could not shadow the days.
In. Out. She knew Mal worried about the crew, worried about each of them intensely and wasn’t sleeping well at all. More than once this week she’d made her way down to the kitchen in the middle of the night for some hot tea, only to find the captain seated at the table, staring blankly into space, the look in his eyes one of absolute defeat. He blamed the Alliance for Wash’s death, for Serenity’s hurts, and for the raid on Haven.
He blamed himself for Book.
Her breathing stuttered, and Inara’s calm self-control slipped. Long black eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Now the tears burned hot and painful as they slid down her cheeks unchecked. Normally she would have been shocked at her lack of self-control, but…Ren-ci de Fo-zu…it was about time she got to feel her own pain.
Memories of conversations with the preacher flooded over her.
*******************************************************************
I believe I just…he smiled painfully…I think I'm on the wrong ship.
She smiled softly. Maybe. Or maybe you're exactly where you ought to be.
*************************************************************
Book looked up from his Bible when she entered the kitchen. I'm surprised a respectable Companion would sail with this crew.
Inara smiled over her shoulder at him. It's not always this sort of work. They take the jobs they can get, even legitimate ones. The further you get away from the Central Planets, the harder things are, so this is part of it.
Book sighed. I wish I could help. He saw the startled look on Inara’s face. I mean, I don't wanna..not help help, not with the thieving, but... I do feel awfully useless.
She poured water into a small cup and added a tea bag. You could always pray they make it back safely.
Book gave her an ironic grin. I don't think the Captain would much like me praying for him.
An enigmatic smile. Don't tell him. She paused. I never do.
*********************************************************
It was the unspoken agreement to do just that…pray for Mal and the others whenever it seemed warranted…that had bound them together so tightly. If there was one thing Serenity’s crew seemed to need more than anything, it was a guardian angel…or a pair of them. Considering how often they got into seemingly impossible scrapes or took on mean nasty people who had no other motive than simply getting rid of them, Inara and Book certainly had their hands full trying to pray for each of them often enough to fend off bullets, knives, and men with swords or a penchant for torture and bad poetry.
One prayed to the Christian god, the other to Buddha. There were no group prayer meetings. No ceremonies of lighted incense and candles. Only the simple whispered pleas of mercy for the family they loved.
And she wondered now how she could possibly do that all by herself. The combined efforts of both of them had been unable to save Wash…even to save Book himself.
How could she dare think that her solitary prayers would fall on benevolent ears? She wept, knowing that without him, she was merely half of the whole. And in the midst of her tears, she offered up one more plea to whoever might be listening…hoping against hope that perhaps it would be Book himself.
Please don’t let Mal blame himself for our losses anymore. Take the shadow from his heart and eyes. Let him see light again. Give them over to me. I have failed Wash and Book and Serenity. I have failed Zoe and Mal and Kaylee and Jayne. My prayers were not strong enough; my faith not deep enough. Grant me that strength now. Hear my petitions for mercy and love. Help me to heal them.
And deep in her heart, she felt Book smile. He hadn’t left her. She was not alone.
Through her tears Inara felt a sense of relief rush through her. And she too smiled.
Author: mishbloom
Challenge: #48--hope
Characters: Inara, Book
Rating: G
Comments: I do not know where this came from. Inara and I don't talk. And then this.... HUH.
Disclaimer: As always, Joss is Boss, and the 'verse is his. I'm just happy he lets me play in it...no matter how unwittingly that may be.
Deep quiet breathing breaks the silence that gathers close in the confines of the shuttle.
The soft cushions cradle her body as the air flows into the bottom of her lungs, cycles through numerous bodily systems, and then back out-releasing tension and stress--and sending the massive migraine that’s bothered her most of the day spinning out into the ‘verse. She relaxes some more, feeling the smooth red silk beneath her slide across her skin like a whisper.
Outside the shuttle, on the far side of the cargo bay most likely, she hears Kaylee shout something to Jayne. They’d been busy for the last three months sorting out all the bugs and myriad problems since putting Serenity back together. She wondered for a moment if Kaylee was sleeping. The mechanic had been working hard, putting in hours and hours of overhaul time on the ship…and then, Inara suspected, she’d been busy with Simon in the off-hours. Worry for the younger girl creased her perfect forehead for a moment…then another long inhale and exhale pulled the thoughts away.
Concern for fellow crewmembers and the ship had kept everyone awake and on edge lately. It wasn’t bad enough to have had Serenity literally ripped out from beneath them, wounding the very heart of their family. They’d lost Wash…the smile and laughter that brightened the ‘verse. Tears burned at the back of her eyes, tears that she’d pushed away time and time again. Emotion was easy to control…but the pain did not go away….the pain she felt for Zoe, for them all. Zoe had lost a husband. They had all lost a friend.
Inhale. Exhale. Push Wash back into the depths of the mind where the pain could not shadow the days.
In. Out. She knew Mal worried about the crew, worried about each of them intensely and wasn’t sleeping well at all. More than once this week she’d made her way down to the kitchen in the middle of the night for some hot tea, only to find the captain seated at the table, staring blankly into space, the look in his eyes one of absolute defeat. He blamed the Alliance for Wash’s death, for Serenity’s hurts, and for the raid on Haven.
He blamed himself for Book.
Her breathing stuttered, and Inara’s calm self-control slipped. Long black eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Now the tears burned hot and painful as they slid down her cheeks unchecked. Normally she would have been shocked at her lack of self-control, but…Ren-ci de Fo-zu…it was about time she got to feel her own pain.
Memories of conversations with the preacher flooded over her.
*******************************************************************
I believe I just…he smiled painfully…I think I'm on the wrong ship.
She smiled softly. Maybe. Or maybe you're exactly where you ought to be.
*************************************************************
Book looked up from his Bible when she entered the kitchen. I'm surprised a respectable Companion would sail with this crew.
Inara smiled over her shoulder at him. It's not always this sort of work. They take the jobs they can get, even legitimate ones. The further you get away from the Central Planets, the harder things are, so this is part of it.
Book sighed. I wish I could help. He saw the startled look on Inara’s face. I mean, I don't wanna..not help help, not with the thieving, but... I do feel awfully useless.
She poured water into a small cup and added a tea bag. You could always pray they make it back safely.
Book gave her an ironic grin. I don't think the Captain would much like me praying for him.
An enigmatic smile. Don't tell him. She paused. I never do.
*********************************************************
It was the unspoken agreement to do just that…pray for Mal and the others whenever it seemed warranted…that had bound them together so tightly. If there was one thing Serenity’s crew seemed to need more than anything, it was a guardian angel…or a pair of them. Considering how often they got into seemingly impossible scrapes or took on mean nasty people who had no other motive than simply getting rid of them, Inara and Book certainly had their hands full trying to pray for each of them often enough to fend off bullets, knives, and men with swords or a penchant for torture and bad poetry.
One prayed to the Christian god, the other to Buddha. There were no group prayer meetings. No ceremonies of lighted incense and candles. Only the simple whispered pleas of mercy for the family they loved.
And she wondered now how she could possibly do that all by herself. The combined efforts of both of them had been unable to save Wash…even to save Book himself.
How could she dare think that her solitary prayers would fall on benevolent ears? She wept, knowing that without him, she was merely half of the whole. And in the midst of her tears, she offered up one more plea to whoever might be listening…hoping against hope that perhaps it would be Book himself.
Please don’t let Mal blame himself for our losses anymore. Take the shadow from his heart and eyes. Let him see light again. Give them over to me. I have failed Wash and Book and Serenity. I have failed Zoe and Mal and Kaylee and Jayne. My prayers were not strong enough; my faith not deep enough. Grant me that strength now. Hear my petitions for mercy and love. Help me to heal them.
And deep in her heart, she felt Book smile. He hadn’t left her. She was not alone.
Through her tears Inara felt a sense of relief rush through her. And she too smiled.