Forget and Forgive: And Then He Was Gone (Chapter 4)
Title: And Then He Was Gone (Chapter 4)
Series: Forget and Forgive
Author: just_unravel
Rating: PG
Pairings: Pre-Rayne
A/N: The lyrics at the end are from Sarah McLachlan's "I Love You".
It would be an hour after take-off before the crew realized Jayne wasn't on the ship; another hour and a half before they docked on Persephone and went out to look for him.
River stayed in bed while the crew was out. She convinced herself that if she didn't get up, if she didn't witness how Serenity was short one family member, then he wasn't really gone. She would just wait out this dream--this nightmare--so that when she finally did wake up, she would find him sitting at the dining table, cleaning his guns...waiting for her.
But by the time the crew returned and gathered in the cargo bay, after searching through every bar and every house of ill-repute, Jayne was long off-planet. Kaylee immediately blamed Mal for the merc's sudden departure, accusing him of meddling in things that did not concern him.
"The man made his decision, Kaylee," Mal argued. "Wash, get us in the air."
And that was that. The crew dispersed, going back to their respective duties in preparation for the next job. It wasn't long until Mal came down to talk to her. He tapped lightly on the door and waited a moment before entering the room. When he observed that she was hiding from him, a pang hit him in his belly. He knew he caused this.
"I'm guessin' you already know that Jayne-"
"Yes," she said, cutting him off before he could say gone. She still desperately clung to her lie, but her hold was beginning to slip.
"He say anything to you?"
River finally turned to look at the Captain and she saw how he was trying to hold back his emotion. Telling him of Jayne's secret goodbye would only add to the guilt he was feeling. River understood that Mal was only trying to protect her. To him, she didn't ask for this life out in the Black. Before Serenity, before the Alliance, she was innocent, pure...untouched, and in some way, she maintained a little piece of that. And he'd be damned if he allowed for it to be all stripped away. Knowing all this, knowing the Captain's motives, she decided to spare him.
"No," she lied.
With a sigh of defeated acceptance, Mal took his leave and let her be. She closed her eyes and prayed for the sleep to make her forget. To forget the pain she was feeling now. To forget the events of the last twelve hours. Most of all, she desperately wanted to forget the love she still carried in her heart.
and i forgot to tell you i love you / and the night's too long and cold here without you / i grieve my condition / for i cannot find the words to say 'i need you so'
<< Chapter 3 || Chapter 5 >>
Series: Forget and Forgive
Author: just_unravel
Rating: PG
Pairings: Pre-Rayne
A/N: The lyrics at the end are from Sarah McLachlan's "I Love You".
It would be an hour after take-off before the crew realized Jayne wasn't on the ship; another hour and a half before they docked on Persephone and went out to look for him.
River stayed in bed while the crew was out. She convinced herself that if she didn't get up, if she didn't witness how Serenity was short one family member, then he wasn't really gone. She would just wait out this dream--this nightmare--so that when she finally did wake up, she would find him sitting at the dining table, cleaning his guns...waiting for her.
But by the time the crew returned and gathered in the cargo bay, after searching through every bar and every house of ill-repute, Jayne was long off-planet. Kaylee immediately blamed Mal for the merc's sudden departure, accusing him of meddling in things that did not concern him.
"The man made his decision, Kaylee," Mal argued. "Wash, get us in the air."
And that was that. The crew dispersed, going back to their respective duties in preparation for the next job. It wasn't long until Mal came down to talk to her. He tapped lightly on the door and waited a moment before entering the room. When he observed that she was hiding from him, a pang hit him in his belly. He knew he caused this.
"I'm guessin' you already know that Jayne-"
"Yes," she said, cutting him off before he could say gone. She still desperately clung to her lie, but her hold was beginning to slip.
"He say anything to you?"
River finally turned to look at the Captain and she saw how he was trying to hold back his emotion. Telling him of Jayne's secret goodbye would only add to the guilt he was feeling. River understood that Mal was only trying to protect her. To him, she didn't ask for this life out in the Black. Before Serenity, before the Alliance, she was innocent, pure...untouched, and in some way, she maintained a little piece of that. And he'd be damned if he allowed for it to be all stripped away. Knowing all this, knowing the Captain's motives, she decided to spare him.
"No," she lied.
With a sigh of defeated acceptance, Mal took his leave and let her be. She closed her eyes and prayed for the sleep to make her forget. To forget the pain she was feeling now. To forget the events of the last twelve hours. Most of all, she desperately wanted to forget the love she still carried in her heart.
and i forgot to tell you i love you / and the night's too long and cold here without you / i grieve my condition / for i cannot find the words to say 'i need you so'
<< Chapter 3 || Chapter 5 >>