FIREFLY: Silent Night (Alternate Ending)
Title: Silent Night (Alternate Ending)
Characters/Pairing: Mal/River, Jayne, Simon
Word Count: 262
Rating: PG
Summary: Alternate, happy ending to Silent Night.
Notes: Written for enterincolor.
Disclaimer: I am not Joss Whedon, I do not own Firefly, Serenity, or any of its characters.
It had been three days since River got shot. Of course, Mal hadn't been down there the whole time, there were things to do, they still had to get paid. Mal hadn't slept much since then, though, and found he really couldn't. He paced around the ship, wondered about poking around the infirmary to see if Simon had any mild sedatives hiding somewhere...
Then he'd have to see River's silent, still form, wonder if she'd wake up. He'd lost enough crew, too many to worry about this now. He kept pacing, and found himself at the door to River's room, staring at her empty bed. This whole stupid thing was-
"It's not your fault, Captain," a soft voice said behind him. He whirled to face her - River, looking very pale, a little unsteady, but there. Alive.
"When did- You prob'ly oughta lie down, darlin'. You lost a lot of blood." It was all he could find to say, the only words that would form. River stepped past him into the room, and sat on the bed, though her eyes stayed fixed on Mal. They seemed unusually dark in her pale face.
"Everyone's so scared," she said quietly.
Mal managed a very small smile. "Well, we was all worried about you. Guess I should tell your brother you're pretty well alive..."
Before he could move, River said, "Don't- Please stay. I got lost. If you look away, I'll disappear."
Mal hesitated in the doorway, and at last stepped in slowly, a little unsure. He closed the door behind him.
Characters/Pairing: Mal/River, Jayne, Simon
Word Count: 262
Rating: PG
Summary: Alternate, happy ending to Silent Night.
Notes: Written for enterincolor.
Disclaimer: I am not Joss Whedon, I do not own Firefly, Serenity, or any of its characters.
It had been three days since River got shot. Of course, Mal hadn't been down there the whole time, there were things to do, they still had to get paid. Mal hadn't slept much since then, though, and found he really couldn't. He paced around the ship, wondered about poking around the infirmary to see if Simon had any mild sedatives hiding somewhere...
Then he'd have to see River's silent, still form, wonder if she'd wake up. He'd lost enough crew, too many to worry about this now. He kept pacing, and found himself at the door to River's room, staring at her empty bed. This whole stupid thing was-
"It's not your fault, Captain," a soft voice said behind him. He whirled to face her - River, looking very pale, a little unsteady, but there. Alive.
"When did- You prob'ly oughta lie down, darlin'. You lost a lot of blood." It was all he could find to say, the only words that would form. River stepped past him into the room, and sat on the bed, though her eyes stayed fixed on Mal. They seemed unusually dark in her pale face.
"Everyone's so scared," she said quietly.
Mal managed a very small smile. "Well, we was all worried about you. Guess I should tell your brother you're pretty well alive..."
Before he could move, River said, "Don't- Please stay. I got lost. If you look away, I'll disappear."
Mal hesitated in the doorway, and at last stepped in slowly, a little unsure. He closed the door behind him.