He's Just A Child - Part 3/6
Title: He's Just A Child
Pairing: Eventual Ricky/Amy with referencing to other pairings, both canon and containing OCs.
Word Count: 1,952 (This chapter)
Rating: PG-13
Status: Incomplete
Note: This takes place after Be My, Be My Baby (2x12), but before the new episodes (that aired January 4) for The Secret Life Of The American Teenager and pre-series/post-Serenity (1x01) for Firefly.
Note 2: All Chinese translations for this story have been found at Millways Mandarin and Firefly Chinese Translations. Translations for the Chinese used in each chapter will be at the bottom of the chapter.
Summary: Secret Life Of The American Teenager/Firefly crossover. Ricky Underwood's life is a secret in and of itself, but the truth has no choice but to come out when his two worlds collide.
Spoilers: The name of Ricky's mother (as we've learned in sides, available on the SLOTAT Spoiler board on FanForum) and the name of Ben's Italian girlfriend. No spoilers for Firefly.
To People Unfamiliar To Firefly: This was written so that people unfamiliar could understand. For a description of the show and the characters, click here.
Previous Chapters:
Chapter One - Chapter Two
This Chapter:
Art by me.
---
“Back to Persephone,” Ricky sighed, hands holding tight onto the doorway as Serenity touched ground. As the ship settled, he checked his clothes one last time before shutting his door and meeting the others in the hanger.
“All right, gang. Same old,” Mal said, “Get what you need and get back here. We lift off in four hours. You’re not here, you’re outta luck.”
Everyone nodded and split off. Kaylee settled into her beach chair, umbrella in hand as River and Simon lingered in the doorway. Jayne ran off, eager to pick up some more weapons. He rushed past Mal, Inara, Zoë, and Wash as they headed out towards some of the shops, barely sparing Mal a wave as the captain shouted a reminder about the time.
“Plans for your few hours of freedom?” Book asked, coming up beside Ricky.
Ricky smiled at the Shepherd that had quickly been becoming somewhat of a grandfather figure in the two months since he, Simon, and River had taken residence on Serenity. “Gotta see a guy.”
Book stared at him for a long moment and Ricky shifted, uncomfortable. He finally nodded and Ricky smiled once more before waving at the others and running off.
Even as a child, he’d never dreamed he’d be where he was now, on his own, travelling the galaxies with a group of people as they ran…less than legal jobs. It was incredible. He’d gone onto Serenity, hoping that maybe they’d let him stay on board and they had. He’d never been asked to stay, but when they reached Paquin, he went on a walk and came back, hung around for a bit, in sight of the ship. He’d thought they were going to leave without him for a moment until Mal shouted at him to get his ass on board. So he stayed. He didn’t help with the jobs much. Stuck around in the engine room with Kaylee mostly, learning little bits about what made Serenity tick. He was just there, a bit invisible, but he didn’t have a problem with that.
Some things he just didn’t want the others to know.
He came to a stop in front of a small hotel and smiled at the man behind the front desk as he slid his identification card forward. “I expect the room is ready?”
The man nodded, eyeing him for a moment. “Of course.”
He still thought about what he’d left in California every day. John was growing and he was missing it. It hurt, it hurt a lot.
Ricky shook his head as he left his shoes by the door of his room and left to prepare the tea. It wouldn’t do to think about John now, not while he was working.
The knock on the door came twenty minutes later and he opened it, smiling warmly at the man before him. “General Durn, just on time. The tea’s ready.”
---
“No clients today?” Mal asked, following Inara into a shop after they’d separated from Zoë and Wash. She’d only just rejoined them since her last trip. “Did the last one tire you out?”
Inara cast him a glare, brown eyes telling him she didn’t want to hear it. “Funny,” she said, pulling the brown curls off her neck as she adjusted her shawl, “I chose not to accept the request. I wanted to speak to you about the new passengers.”
“Fine. The Shepherd’s there, don’t mind him so long as he don’t try to push no religion on me. Doctor’s workin’ on some meds for his sister, something to calm the crazy a bit. Government messed her head up good. Haven’t been gettin’ in much trouble. Don’t expect that to last long.”
“How optimistic. You have to admire him, though. He saved his little sister.”
“And now they’re fugitives,” Mal added softly so no one else could hear.
Inara shook her head. “And Ricky?”
“Don’t hear much a peep outta him.” Mal shrugged. “He’s there and don’t cause a fuss.” He looked at her, frowning. “Why? You notice somethin’?”
Inara shook her head. “I don’t know. He just seems…I don’t know. Familiar, maybe?”
Mal chuckled. “Bit young to be a client, ain’t he?”
Inara glared at him again.
---
“You went missing for quite a while,” General Durn noted as he took a final sip of his tea. He gazed at Ricky through hazel eyes. Salt and pepper hair dusted the stop of his balding head.
Ricky nodded. “Got a bit lost for a while.”
“And found your way back, I see.”
Ricky smiled at him, setting his own cup aside. “Bit unexpectedly, but yes.”
General Durn grinned at him, yellowing teeth showing. “Now that the tea’s outta the way, what do you say we get down to…business?”
“Of course.” Ricky stood, shirt already unbuttoned as he let it slip off his shoulders. “If you’ll follow me.”
---
“Not gonna work,” River mumbled, shaking her head as she retreated back into the ship, “Not gonna work. Gonna find out. Secret’s gonna come out.”
Simon frowned, following his younger sister into the hanger. “What secret, River?”
River shook her head, hard, brown curls flying as she looked at Simon with wide brown eyes. “Can’t tell. Gotta prove I can keep a secret.” She smiled at her brother. “Maybe then he’ll play with me. No more hide and seek.”
“Hide and seek?” Jayne echoed, walking back into the hanger. “What’s she yammerin’ about now? Not playing no kid games.”
“He won’t play,” River said, looking sad, “Stays away from me. Far, far away. Doesn’t like me. He knows I know. Know his secret.”
Kaylee and Book glanced at each other, both completely lost.
“Mei-mei, who are you talking about?” Simon asked.
River shook her head, raising a finger to her lips. “Shh. Family’s coming back. Gonna make a splash.”
---
Ricky sighed, eyes shut as lips trailed down his back.
“Beautiful,” General Durn breathed, fingers trailing across Ricky’s bare skin. He turned Ricky’s head and kissed him once as his hand found its destination. “Turn over. I want to see your face.”
---
“What the-” Wash shouted as a flash of light erupted in front of him Zoë. He jumped back, banging into his wife, and scrambled for a moment before he straightened his back.
“Very brave.”
“Thanks, honey.”
Zoë shook her head at her husband and returned her gaze to the sight in front of them as the light faded away. A young girl, no older than seventeen lay unconscious in front of her and her husband. She paused as she surveyed the girl, eyes widening as she finally saw the infant on the ground. She exhaled softly, bending to pick him up as he began to wake and fuss. “Sh,” she soothed, “it’s alright.”
“Zoë, what-”
“I don’t know.”
---
“Your payment,” General Durn said, holding out the money.
Ricky plastered on another smile as he took it, putting it into his pocket. “It was a pleasure.”
“Quite.”
---
“He’s been avoiding me,” Inara said, “Since you told him I’m a Companion, he won’t stay in the same room as me.”
Mal shrugged. “Maybe he just don’t like whores.”
Inara slapped his arm. “What have I told you about calling me-”
“What?” Mal asked when she stopped speaking.
“Nothing. Forget it,” she said, knowing she should be getting Mal out of there, but unable to tear her eyes away. She tried to remind herself that Mal shouldn’t see this, but…oh, God. She shook her head, pulling at Mal’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“What are you,” Mal started, pulling his arm free and looking around, “What are you trying to…”
Oh, God. He saw.
“Mal, let’s go.”
“Jien tah-duh gway!”
And then he was gone, storming through crowds as he honed in on his target. He ignored Inara shouting after him. It didn’t matter. What mattered was the sight in front of him.
“Hwoon dahn,” he cursed, grabbing General Durn by the collar and shoving him into the outer wall of the hotel. “What the fuck do you think you’re doin’?”
“Captain, what-”
Mal glared at Ricky. “Oh, not just yet. I have a few choice words for you, but first him.”
Ricky sputtered at him for a moment, lost for words. It took him a minute to straighten his back and glare right back at Mal. “Captain, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but get your hands off my associate,” he said, deadly calm. Three sets of eyes turned on him, but he didn’t back down, waiting until Mal had loosened his grip on the General enough to free him. “General, you have my apologies.”
General Durn huffed, straightening his jacket. “Accepted, so long as he doesn’t accompany you next time.”
“There won’t be a-”
“You have my word,” Ricky said, glaring at Mal. He watched the General walk away and the second he was out of sight, his shoulders slumped and he suddenly looked nervous. “Captain…”
Mal didn’t say anything, just grabbed Ricky roughly by the arm and began dragging him back in the direction of the ship. He didn’t stop once as Ricky stumbled behind him or as Inara jogged to keep up. Back to the ship. Away from prying eyes and fucking perverts. The others started asking questions the second he walked into the hanger, but he paid them no heed as he threw Ricky against the wall and held him there. “What…the…hell…do you think you were doin’?!”
Ricky tried to hold Mal’s gaze for a moment, but fell under the glare, and looked away. “Working.”
“Mal, what the hell?” Jayne asked.
“Captain, you’re hurting him!” Kaylee shouted.
“The doc can patch him up real good later,” Mal said, never taking his eyes off of Ricky. “He’s gonna wanna check for internal injuries. Tell me, how was it?”
“I-”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Started when I was twelve-”
Inara gasped, hands covering her mouth. “Oh, God.”
“-till I was fourteen. Ended up somewhere else for while. They had a…less respectful use for me.” He shook his head. “Came back when I was seventeen. Been doin’ it since.”
“That’s where you’ve been goin’,” Mal said, “Every time we dock and you go off, that’s what you’re doin’.”
“It’s work.”
“Work, my gorram ass.”
“Told you he was gonna find out,” River said as she came up beside both of them. Mal didn’t release Ricky from his place against the wall, but she didn’t seem to care. “Secret’s out. Everyone knows now. No more hide and seek.”
“How’d she find out? Anyone else here know and not tell me?” Mal shouted.
“She just knew,” Ricky said, groaning as his spine pressed into the metal more, “She just knew. I begged her not to tell you. Thought this was how you’d react.”
“Ever plan to tell me? Any of us?”
“No.”
“You put this crew at risk. Anyone could have followed you back, found the good doctor and his sister. The stuff on this ship, quite a few Alliance people’d just love to get their hands on this cargo or the doc and his sister. Our asses would go right in jail. And yet you go out every time we dock. Are all of them with the Alliance? All of them Generals? Do you actually have a standard?”
“Mal, stop it,” Inara said.
“No. He’s listening. Realize now? Realize the danger you’re puttin’ this crew in?”
“I-”
“You’re a whore.”
“W-what?”
Eyes and heads whipped to the opening of the hanger and to Wash and Zoë’s companions. Ricky’s eyes widened and he froze.
“Amy.”
TBC
Translations:
- Mei-mei: Little sister
- Jien tah-duh gway: Like hell
- Hwoon dahn: Son of a bitch
Chapter 4 >>
Pairing: Eventual Ricky/Amy with referencing to other pairings, both canon and containing OCs.
Word Count: 1,952 (This chapter)
Rating: PG-13
Status: Incomplete
Note: This takes place after Be My, Be My Baby (2x12), but before the new episodes (that aired January 4) for The Secret Life Of The American Teenager and pre-series/post-Serenity (1x01) for Firefly.
Note 2: All Chinese translations for this story have been found at Millways Mandarin and Firefly Chinese Translations. Translations for the Chinese used in each chapter will be at the bottom of the chapter.
Summary: Secret Life Of The American Teenager/Firefly crossover. Ricky Underwood's life is a secret in and of itself, but the truth has no choice but to come out when his two worlds collide.
Spoilers: The name of Ricky's mother (as we've learned in sides, available on the SLOTAT Spoiler board on FanForum) and the name of Ben's Italian girlfriend. No spoilers for Firefly.
To People Unfamiliar To Firefly: This was written so that people unfamiliar could understand. For a description of the show and the characters, click here.
Previous Chapters:
Chapter One - Chapter Two
This Chapter:
Art by me.
---
“Back to Persephone,” Ricky sighed, hands holding tight onto the doorway as Serenity touched ground. As the ship settled, he checked his clothes one last time before shutting his door and meeting the others in the hanger.
“All right, gang. Same old,” Mal said, “Get what you need and get back here. We lift off in four hours. You’re not here, you’re outta luck.”
Everyone nodded and split off. Kaylee settled into her beach chair, umbrella in hand as River and Simon lingered in the doorway. Jayne ran off, eager to pick up some more weapons. He rushed past Mal, Inara, Zoë, and Wash as they headed out towards some of the shops, barely sparing Mal a wave as the captain shouted a reminder about the time.
“Plans for your few hours of freedom?” Book asked, coming up beside Ricky.
Ricky smiled at the Shepherd that had quickly been becoming somewhat of a grandfather figure in the two months since he, Simon, and River had taken residence on Serenity. “Gotta see a guy.”
Book stared at him for a long moment and Ricky shifted, uncomfortable. He finally nodded and Ricky smiled once more before waving at the others and running off.
Even as a child, he’d never dreamed he’d be where he was now, on his own, travelling the galaxies with a group of people as they ran…less than legal jobs. It was incredible. He’d gone onto Serenity, hoping that maybe they’d let him stay on board and they had. He’d never been asked to stay, but when they reached Paquin, he went on a walk and came back, hung around for a bit, in sight of the ship. He’d thought they were going to leave without him for a moment until Mal shouted at him to get his ass on board. So he stayed. He didn’t help with the jobs much. Stuck around in the engine room with Kaylee mostly, learning little bits about what made Serenity tick. He was just there, a bit invisible, but he didn’t have a problem with that.
Some things he just didn’t want the others to know.
He came to a stop in front of a small hotel and smiled at the man behind the front desk as he slid his identification card forward. “I expect the room is ready?”
The man nodded, eyeing him for a moment. “Of course.”
He still thought about what he’d left in California every day. John was growing and he was missing it. It hurt, it hurt a lot.
Ricky shook his head as he left his shoes by the door of his room and left to prepare the tea. It wouldn’t do to think about John now, not while he was working.
The knock on the door came twenty minutes later and he opened it, smiling warmly at the man before him. “General Durn, just on time. The tea’s ready.”
---
“No clients today?” Mal asked, following Inara into a shop after they’d separated from Zoë and Wash. She’d only just rejoined them since her last trip. “Did the last one tire you out?”
Inara cast him a glare, brown eyes telling him she didn’t want to hear it. “Funny,” she said, pulling the brown curls off her neck as she adjusted her shawl, “I chose not to accept the request. I wanted to speak to you about the new passengers.”
“Fine. The Shepherd’s there, don’t mind him so long as he don’t try to push no religion on me. Doctor’s workin’ on some meds for his sister, something to calm the crazy a bit. Government messed her head up good. Haven’t been gettin’ in much trouble. Don’t expect that to last long.”
“How optimistic. You have to admire him, though. He saved his little sister.”
“And now they’re fugitives,” Mal added softly so no one else could hear.
Inara shook her head. “And Ricky?”
“Don’t hear much a peep outta him.” Mal shrugged. “He’s there and don’t cause a fuss.” He looked at her, frowning. “Why? You notice somethin’?”
Inara shook her head. “I don’t know. He just seems…I don’t know. Familiar, maybe?”
Mal chuckled. “Bit young to be a client, ain’t he?”
Inara glared at him again.
---
“You went missing for quite a while,” General Durn noted as he took a final sip of his tea. He gazed at Ricky through hazel eyes. Salt and pepper hair dusted the stop of his balding head.
Ricky nodded. “Got a bit lost for a while.”
“And found your way back, I see.”
Ricky smiled at him, setting his own cup aside. “Bit unexpectedly, but yes.”
General Durn grinned at him, yellowing teeth showing. “Now that the tea’s outta the way, what do you say we get down to…business?”
“Of course.” Ricky stood, shirt already unbuttoned as he let it slip off his shoulders. “If you’ll follow me.”
---
“Not gonna work,” River mumbled, shaking her head as she retreated back into the ship, “Not gonna work. Gonna find out. Secret’s gonna come out.”
Simon frowned, following his younger sister into the hanger. “What secret, River?”
River shook her head, hard, brown curls flying as she looked at Simon with wide brown eyes. “Can’t tell. Gotta prove I can keep a secret.” She smiled at her brother. “Maybe then he’ll play with me. No more hide and seek.”
“Hide and seek?” Jayne echoed, walking back into the hanger. “What’s she yammerin’ about now? Not playing no kid games.”
“He won’t play,” River said, looking sad, “Stays away from me. Far, far away. Doesn’t like me. He knows I know. Know his secret.”
Kaylee and Book glanced at each other, both completely lost.
“Mei-mei, who are you talking about?” Simon asked.
River shook her head, raising a finger to her lips. “Shh. Family’s coming back. Gonna make a splash.”
---
Ricky sighed, eyes shut as lips trailed down his back.
“Beautiful,” General Durn breathed, fingers trailing across Ricky’s bare skin. He turned Ricky’s head and kissed him once as his hand found its destination. “Turn over. I want to see your face.”
---
“What the-” Wash shouted as a flash of light erupted in front of him Zoë. He jumped back, banging into his wife, and scrambled for a moment before he straightened his back.
“Very brave.”
“Thanks, honey.”
Zoë shook her head at her husband and returned her gaze to the sight in front of them as the light faded away. A young girl, no older than seventeen lay unconscious in front of her and her husband. She paused as she surveyed the girl, eyes widening as she finally saw the infant on the ground. She exhaled softly, bending to pick him up as he began to wake and fuss. “Sh,” she soothed, “it’s alright.”
“Zoë, what-”
“I don’t know.”
---
“Your payment,” General Durn said, holding out the money.
Ricky plastered on another smile as he took it, putting it into his pocket. “It was a pleasure.”
“Quite.”
---
“He’s been avoiding me,” Inara said, “Since you told him I’m a Companion, he won’t stay in the same room as me.”
Mal shrugged. “Maybe he just don’t like whores.”
Inara slapped his arm. “What have I told you about calling me-”
“What?” Mal asked when she stopped speaking.
“Nothing. Forget it,” she said, knowing she should be getting Mal out of there, but unable to tear her eyes away. She tried to remind herself that Mal shouldn’t see this, but…oh, God. She shook her head, pulling at Mal’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“What are you,” Mal started, pulling his arm free and looking around, “What are you trying to…”
Oh, God. He saw.
“Mal, let’s go.”
“Jien tah-duh gway!”
And then he was gone, storming through crowds as he honed in on his target. He ignored Inara shouting after him. It didn’t matter. What mattered was the sight in front of him.
“Hwoon dahn,” he cursed, grabbing General Durn by the collar and shoving him into the outer wall of the hotel. “What the fuck do you think you’re doin’?”
“Captain, what-”
Mal glared at Ricky. “Oh, not just yet. I have a few choice words for you, but first him.”
Ricky sputtered at him for a moment, lost for words. It took him a minute to straighten his back and glare right back at Mal. “Captain, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but get your hands off my associate,” he said, deadly calm. Three sets of eyes turned on him, but he didn’t back down, waiting until Mal had loosened his grip on the General enough to free him. “General, you have my apologies.”
General Durn huffed, straightening his jacket. “Accepted, so long as he doesn’t accompany you next time.”
“There won’t be a-”
“You have my word,” Ricky said, glaring at Mal. He watched the General walk away and the second he was out of sight, his shoulders slumped and he suddenly looked nervous. “Captain…”
Mal didn’t say anything, just grabbed Ricky roughly by the arm and began dragging him back in the direction of the ship. He didn’t stop once as Ricky stumbled behind him or as Inara jogged to keep up. Back to the ship. Away from prying eyes and fucking perverts. The others started asking questions the second he walked into the hanger, but he paid them no heed as he threw Ricky against the wall and held him there. “What…the…hell…do you think you were doin’?!”
Ricky tried to hold Mal’s gaze for a moment, but fell under the glare, and looked away. “Working.”
“Mal, what the hell?” Jayne asked.
“Captain, you’re hurting him!” Kaylee shouted.
“The doc can patch him up real good later,” Mal said, never taking his eyes off of Ricky. “He’s gonna wanna check for internal injuries. Tell me, how was it?”
“I-”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Started when I was twelve-”
Inara gasped, hands covering her mouth. “Oh, God.”
“-till I was fourteen. Ended up somewhere else for while. They had a…less respectful use for me.” He shook his head. “Came back when I was seventeen. Been doin’ it since.”
“That’s where you’ve been goin’,” Mal said, “Every time we dock and you go off, that’s what you’re doin’.”
“It’s work.”
“Work, my gorram ass.”
“Told you he was gonna find out,” River said as she came up beside both of them. Mal didn’t release Ricky from his place against the wall, but she didn’t seem to care. “Secret’s out. Everyone knows now. No more hide and seek.”
“How’d she find out? Anyone else here know and not tell me?” Mal shouted.
“She just knew,” Ricky said, groaning as his spine pressed into the metal more, “She just knew. I begged her not to tell you. Thought this was how you’d react.”
“Ever plan to tell me? Any of us?”
“No.”
“You put this crew at risk. Anyone could have followed you back, found the good doctor and his sister. The stuff on this ship, quite a few Alliance people’d just love to get their hands on this cargo or the doc and his sister. Our asses would go right in jail. And yet you go out every time we dock. Are all of them with the Alliance? All of them Generals? Do you actually have a standard?”
“Mal, stop it,” Inara said.
“No. He’s listening. Realize now? Realize the danger you’re puttin’ this crew in?”
“I-”
“You’re a whore.”
“W-what?”
Eyes and heads whipped to the opening of the hanger and to Wash and Zoë’s companions. Ricky’s eyes widened and he froze.
“Amy.”
TBC
Translations:
- Mei-mei: Little sister
- Jien tah-duh gway: Like hell
- Hwoon dahn: Son of a bitch
Chapter 4 >>