Firefly fanfic - The Day She Left
Title: The Day She Left
Author: Miss Courtadoo
Rating: PG
Pairings: Mal/Inara, Simon/Kaylee, River/Jayne, Wash/Zoe
Length: 1505 words
Genre: angst, fluff, humor,
Summary: Inara's leaving Serenity, and it affects more than she knows.
Warnings: Set just after "Objects in Space"
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. He owns everything.
Author's Notes: This is an old fic I wrote just as I was finishing up watching the series for the first time. I recently found it and decided to post it. I hope you all like it! ^_^
THE DAY SHE LEFT
Jayne shook himself awake again, a large firearm across his massive chest and a bright orange cap covering his eyes. He was, of course, only resting his eyes, but his mind was ever awake, trying to keep his ears alert for intruders. On a rich and fancy planet swarming with Alliance like Persephone, you could never be too sure what low-life might want to sneak onboard a piece of feng le boat like Serenity. Either way, Jayne’s busy mind was keeping him awake, whether he liked it or not.
It’s ridiculous, he thought. Why would Inara even consider leaving Serenity? She’s got it made. She gets paid to sleep with people, was on a ship that she loved beyond reason, got herself good recognition as a companion across the verse, good friends - scratch that - a good family on board, not to mention Mal... maybe that’s why she was leavin...
“You look good in red.”
His thoughts were once again interrupted at the sound of River’s voice and he smiled as he lifted his orange hat. She stood in the doorway leaning up against the metal frame, dressed in her simple pajamas. But her eyes were sparkling with energy and her smile was intent on him, staring him down like the crazy that she was. Jayne couldn’t help but smile when he looked at the girl.
“So I’ve been told.” he chuckled. “What’re you doin out of bed, little one? Your brother finds you out here in the dark talking to little ol’ Jayne, he might blow a gasket...”
“Do you like to be alone when you’re scared?”
Jayne stumbled over his words as she interrupted him. “Wha? I ain’t scared. What I got to be scared of?”
“Sad, that Inara is leaving. Scared of how her absence will change Serenity, change the captain.” she said simply.
Jayne smirked at her, leaning back again in his uncomfortable chair. “So you’ve seen it too, eh?”
“I’ve seen more than your eyes will ever see.” she said solemnly.
“Well, if that ain’t the biggest load of bull,” Jayne laughed. “How old are you seventeen, maybe eighteen? You were cooped up in that school for who knows how long, and you’ve been stuck on this ship for less than that... you think you’ve seen more than me, a killin’ man that’s twice your age? How could you possibly know...”
But he slowly stopped talking when he ‘heard’ a familiar voice in his head. “I have my ways,” it sang sweetly.
“The way I know that Simon is scared to make any romantic advances towards Kaylee. The way I know that Wash is scared about Zoe having a baby. The way I know that the Captain is scared of Inara leaving. And the way I know that you are scared of me.”
It took Jayne a moment to register everything she had just told him. “Psht,” was his response. “I ain’t scared of you.”
Once again, he heard the sweet girl’s voice in his head. “Remember, I can kill you with my brain.”
“Okay girl, you have got to stop doing that!” he almost shouted.
River smiled. “You’re cute when you’re mad.”
This made Jayne laugh out loud. “Yeah, well you’re pretty cute yourself when you’re not trying to hack at me with a butcher knife.”
When she giggled and disappeared behind the wall, he sat back against the wall once again, pulling the orange cap back over his eyes. Maybe if I kiss that pretty little mouth of hers, she’ll stop talking and I can go back to resting.
“You can’t kiss me, silly Jayne.” he heard her say as she stuck her head around the corner. “Simon would blow a gasget.” she said, mimicking him.
Jayne only smiled. “The thought never crossed my mind.”
River turned once again and left with a smile on her face that wouldn’t go away. She decided she rather liked the feeling that went along with it.
“Jayne thinks I’m pretty.”
---
“River?”
Simon was searching the entire ship for her. After that man Early had come to the ship, he’d kept an extra eye on his sister. At the moment, it was late and she wasn’t in her bunk. This worried him. Maybe she was keeping Kaylee company as she finished checking up on the heart of Serenity. Maybe she was out annoying the preacher, or watching Inara pack her things. Or she could be talking with Jayne...
“River!”
But suddenly, he heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks. His eyes darted around but saw nothing. He took a few steps, then saw where the distress was obvious; Kaylee.
“Kaylee?” She looked up at him and quickly wiped away her tears. “What’s the matter?”
“Go away, Simon.” she said in an unsteady voice. “There’s nothing you can do here.”
“No, you need to talk, and I’ve always been a good listener.” he said, taking a seat beside her and putting an arm around her shoulder for good measure.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” she replied, blowing her nose in a dirty rag. “I’m just a girl who’s losing her best friend.”
Simon pulled her close as a new wave of tears began. She didn’t wipe them away this time, she just cried and let him hold her.
“Why would ‘Nara want to leave?” Kaylee sobbed. “Serenity’s been real good to her. I thought she liked it here.”
“Of course she does.” Simon said soothingly.
“It’s good business, good friends - why would she leave?”
“Everyone has a life off Serenity, Kaylee. We can’t stay forever.”
“I don’t.” she said firmly. “Cap’n don’t. Even Zoe and Wash are goin’ to have a baby here on Serenity. We all have a life here... I just don’t see why she can’t.” Her voice died in her throat and she grew tearful again, but Simon just held her for a long time. It apparently was the right thing to do, because she eventually cried herself to sleep in his arms. He awkwardly but gently picked her up and carefully carried her to her bunk. When he finally laid her there, she still held her arms around his neck.
“Do you think I’m pretty, Simon?” she whispered drowsily.
Simon swallowed hard. She was drowsy and emotionally drained, so surely she didn’t mean anything she said...
He simply nodded and decided to answer truthfully. “I think you’re very pretty, Kaylee.”
She smiled sleepily, but still refused to let go.
“Do you think that you’ll go back to your life before Serenity?” she asked playing with his fingers before he laced his hand with hers.
“I may,” he whispered, “But if I do, I plan to take you with me.”
She only shook her head, nodding off into sleep. “I won’t leave Serenity. I couldn’t leave the Cap’n, I’m needed here.”
Simon nodded, leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “Then I guess I’ll be staying too.”
---
Inara swallowed the tears in her throat for the tenth time in the past five minutes.
She refused to cry. She’d cried enough tears for the man who obviously didn’t love her.
But did he? There had been so many sacred moments, awkward touches... surely all of those things meant something.
Perhaps to her, but not to his stone cold heart. And to think that she had hoped he would come after her, beg her to stay and confess his undying love for her.
She caught it in her throat again, but this time it wouldn’t be stopped.
“Why didn’t he ask me to stay?” she whispered to herself.
“Because I didn’t know you wanted me to.”
Inara whirled around to see Mal hiding in the shadows of the doorway as he often did.
“Mal, what are you doing here?” she demanded, wiping quickly at her tears. “How many times have I told you that when I am in my shuttle-”
But he ignored anything she may have been saying and strode up to her. He took the clothes from her hands that she may have been packing and threw it back onto the bed. “Out with it, ‘Nara. I want the truth.”
She simply stared. “I... I don’t know what you-”
“Gorramit, woman.” Mal grumbled a moment before he roughly took hold of her face, pulled her closer and kissed her.
She tasted sweeter than he had ever imagined. The scent she constantly carried with her was stronger now than it ever had been. And the way she was responding to his kiss sent a thrill through his entire being.
He pulled back and let out a deep breath on her lips. “I want you to stay, ‘Nara.” he mumbled. “My feelings haven’t changed since last time you were thinkin’ of leavin’. But if you want to hear my say it, I’ll say it. I want you to stay. Now it’s up to you.” Then he stormed out of the room, leaving her breathless.
Feedback is appreciated. ♥
Author: Miss Courtadoo
Rating: PG
Pairings: Mal/Inara, Simon/Kaylee, River/Jayne, Wash/Zoe
Length: 1505 words
Genre: angst, fluff, humor,
Summary: Inara's leaving Serenity, and it affects more than she knows.
Warnings: Set just after "Objects in Space"
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. He owns everything.
Author's Notes: This is an old fic I wrote just as I was finishing up watching the series for the first time. I recently found it and decided to post it. I hope you all like it! ^_^
THE DAY SHE LEFT
Jayne shook himself awake again, a large firearm across his massive chest and a bright orange cap covering his eyes. He was, of course, only resting his eyes, but his mind was ever awake, trying to keep his ears alert for intruders. On a rich and fancy planet swarming with Alliance like Persephone, you could never be too sure what low-life might want to sneak onboard a piece of feng le boat like Serenity. Either way, Jayne’s busy mind was keeping him awake, whether he liked it or not.
It’s ridiculous, he thought. Why would Inara even consider leaving Serenity? She’s got it made. She gets paid to sleep with people, was on a ship that she loved beyond reason, got herself good recognition as a companion across the verse, good friends - scratch that - a good family on board, not to mention Mal... maybe that’s why she was leavin...
“You look good in red.”
His thoughts were once again interrupted at the sound of River’s voice and he smiled as he lifted his orange hat. She stood in the doorway leaning up against the metal frame, dressed in her simple pajamas. But her eyes were sparkling with energy and her smile was intent on him, staring him down like the crazy that she was. Jayne couldn’t help but smile when he looked at the girl.
“So I’ve been told.” he chuckled. “What’re you doin out of bed, little one? Your brother finds you out here in the dark talking to little ol’ Jayne, he might blow a gasket...”
“Do you like to be alone when you’re scared?”
Jayne stumbled over his words as she interrupted him. “Wha? I ain’t scared. What I got to be scared of?”
“Sad, that Inara is leaving. Scared of how her absence will change Serenity, change the captain.” she said simply.
Jayne smirked at her, leaning back again in his uncomfortable chair. “So you’ve seen it too, eh?”
“I’ve seen more than your eyes will ever see.” she said solemnly.
“Well, if that ain’t the biggest load of bull,” Jayne laughed. “How old are you seventeen, maybe eighteen? You were cooped up in that school for who knows how long, and you’ve been stuck on this ship for less than that... you think you’ve seen more than me, a killin’ man that’s twice your age? How could you possibly know...”
But he slowly stopped talking when he ‘heard’ a familiar voice in his head. “I have my ways,” it sang sweetly.
“The way I know that Simon is scared to make any romantic advances towards Kaylee. The way I know that Wash is scared about Zoe having a baby. The way I know that the Captain is scared of Inara leaving. And the way I know that you are scared of me.”
It took Jayne a moment to register everything she had just told him. “Psht,” was his response. “I ain’t scared of you.”
Once again, he heard the sweet girl’s voice in his head. “Remember, I can kill you with my brain.”
“Okay girl, you have got to stop doing that!” he almost shouted.
River smiled. “You’re cute when you’re mad.”
This made Jayne laugh out loud. “Yeah, well you’re pretty cute yourself when you’re not trying to hack at me with a butcher knife.”
When she giggled and disappeared behind the wall, he sat back against the wall once again, pulling the orange cap back over his eyes. Maybe if I kiss that pretty little mouth of hers, she’ll stop talking and I can go back to resting.
“You can’t kiss me, silly Jayne.” he heard her say as she stuck her head around the corner. “Simon would blow a gasget.” she said, mimicking him.
Jayne only smiled. “The thought never crossed my mind.”
River turned once again and left with a smile on her face that wouldn’t go away. She decided she rather liked the feeling that went along with it.
“Jayne thinks I’m pretty.”
---
“River?”
Simon was searching the entire ship for her. After that man Early had come to the ship, he’d kept an extra eye on his sister. At the moment, it was late and she wasn’t in her bunk. This worried him. Maybe she was keeping Kaylee company as she finished checking up on the heart of Serenity. Maybe she was out annoying the preacher, or watching Inara pack her things. Or she could be talking with Jayne...
“River!”
But suddenly, he heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks. His eyes darted around but saw nothing. He took a few steps, then saw where the distress was obvious; Kaylee.
“Kaylee?” She looked up at him and quickly wiped away her tears. “What’s the matter?”
“Go away, Simon.” she said in an unsteady voice. “There’s nothing you can do here.”
“No, you need to talk, and I’ve always been a good listener.” he said, taking a seat beside her and putting an arm around her shoulder for good measure.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” she replied, blowing her nose in a dirty rag. “I’m just a girl who’s losing her best friend.”
Simon pulled her close as a new wave of tears began. She didn’t wipe them away this time, she just cried and let him hold her.
“Why would ‘Nara want to leave?” Kaylee sobbed. “Serenity’s been real good to her. I thought she liked it here.”
“Of course she does.” Simon said soothingly.
“It’s good business, good friends - why would she leave?”
“Everyone has a life off Serenity, Kaylee. We can’t stay forever.”
“I don’t.” she said firmly. “Cap’n don’t. Even Zoe and Wash are goin’ to have a baby here on Serenity. We all have a life here... I just don’t see why she can’t.” Her voice died in her throat and she grew tearful again, but Simon just held her for a long time. It apparently was the right thing to do, because she eventually cried herself to sleep in his arms. He awkwardly but gently picked her up and carefully carried her to her bunk. When he finally laid her there, she still held her arms around his neck.
“Do you think I’m pretty, Simon?” she whispered drowsily.
Simon swallowed hard. She was drowsy and emotionally drained, so surely she didn’t mean anything she said...
He simply nodded and decided to answer truthfully. “I think you’re very pretty, Kaylee.”
She smiled sleepily, but still refused to let go.
“Do you think that you’ll go back to your life before Serenity?” she asked playing with his fingers before he laced his hand with hers.
“I may,” he whispered, “But if I do, I plan to take you with me.”
She only shook her head, nodding off into sleep. “I won’t leave Serenity. I couldn’t leave the Cap’n, I’m needed here.”
Simon nodded, leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “Then I guess I’ll be staying too.”
---
Inara swallowed the tears in her throat for the tenth time in the past five minutes.
She refused to cry. She’d cried enough tears for the man who obviously didn’t love her.
But did he? There had been so many sacred moments, awkward touches... surely all of those things meant something.
Perhaps to her, but not to his stone cold heart. And to think that she had hoped he would come after her, beg her to stay and confess his undying love for her.
She caught it in her throat again, but this time it wouldn’t be stopped.
“Why didn’t he ask me to stay?” she whispered to herself.
“Because I didn’t know you wanted me to.”
Inara whirled around to see Mal hiding in the shadows of the doorway as he often did.
“Mal, what are you doing here?” she demanded, wiping quickly at her tears. “How many times have I told you that when I am in my shuttle-”
But he ignored anything she may have been saying and strode up to her. He took the clothes from her hands that she may have been packing and threw it back onto the bed. “Out with it, ‘Nara. I want the truth.”
She simply stared. “I... I don’t know what you-”
“Gorramit, woman.” Mal grumbled a moment before he roughly took hold of her face, pulled her closer and kissed her.
She tasted sweeter than he had ever imagined. The scent she constantly carried with her was stronger now than it ever had been. And the way she was responding to his kiss sent a thrill through his entire being.
He pulled back and let out a deep breath on her lips. “I want you to stay, ‘Nara.” he mumbled. “My feelings haven’t changed since last time you were thinkin’ of leavin’. But if you want to hear my say it, I’ll say it. I want you to stay. Now it’s up to you.” Then he stormed out of the room, leaving her breathless.
Feedback is appreciated. ♥