Firefly: Precise in Promise-Keeping (4/4)
Rating: PG overall, with a little PG-13 language
Disclaimer: Firefly, you were too good for this world, but if I owned you, you better believe you'd still be on the air.
Word Count: 885
Summary: Post-BDM. Badger makes an unexpected demand that leads to an interesting day for River.
A/N: Odd little thing I finally got around to finishing. Please feel free to correct my Britspeak.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
River tossed the sack on the carpet of Badger’s office and curled up against the frame of the entrance.
“There’s my Izzy,” the man beamed as he stood and scooped up the sack, “Almost thought y’might not make it back, love.”
“I did,” River replied, barely remembering to put a Diton slant on her words.
“So it went smooth then, did it? No troubles? Didn’t kill anyone, did you?”
River’s face jerked up to glare at him, “Yes, yes, no, and leave me the buggering fuck alone!”
Badger cocked his head, “My, you’re a touchy one. Thought you’d be bouncin’ off the walls wiv your good fortune.”
River just tucked her head in against her knees and wrapped her arms around them. It was all too much. Even Badger’s mind was like a blaring siren she couldn’t escape. And her masks had turned leaden, crushing the broken bits of her brain until all she heard was her own voice begging the darkness inside, Who am I? Tell me who I am.
She had no strength to get away when Badger crouched down next to her, could make out nothing he said, barely felt his hands on her shoulder and knee. The image in front of her changed to just outside Badger’s office, then his hover-vehicle, then Persephone’s dusty landscape zipping past. Air in her nose and mouth made her feel better, like a damp cloth over a fevered forehead. She kept her eyes focused on the horizon, because when they shut all her masks screamed for attention.
At last and too soon, a shape appeared in the fading light. A shape she knew she should know, and love like her own face. If she could recall what she looked like, that might have meant something. A beat-up cargo ship solidified, as well as the people standing out at the end of its ramp. One of them started running towards the vehicle before it even stopped, a bag swinging from its hand. Her brow furrowed as a fresh sensation touched her twisting mind. Something she knew. The vehicle stopped, the figure came close, and she choked out, “Simon,” though she wasn’t sure why.
“River, meimei, it’s okay, everything’s going to be all right, just let me help you out of there.” Strong, gentle hands she knew pulled her limp body out of her seat. River... a natural stream of water flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels... I am... No, no, she had to focus. Ignore the sounds of men shouting behind her, minds filling up the air with their concern and fear. Something she knew was here, and just maybe she could extrapolate the rest from that. Her hands held tight on to the head of the man who carried her, and she begged him instead of the answerless dark in her head, “Who am I? Tell me who I am.”
Memories surged in him and flowed out into her, filling the darkness. “You’re River Tam. You’re my bratty little sister. You’re the most brilliant person I know.”
Somehow, a laugh wrestled its way up her throat and out of her mouth, “I- I... Simon.”
Her brother grinned down at her, “Did you have a good day, meimei?”
“It was interesting.” Simon hugged River tight, and they both laughed together.
---
The black eye Mal had given Badger was gray and yellow by the time River saw it. The man was watching her through the viewscreen again, clearly waiting for her to speak first. Even though she’d been the one to contact him, River suddenly found it even harder than usual to form a coherent sentence. The truth was, River was embarrassed. Acutely, gut-churningly embarrassed. It was a new feeling for her.
Eventually the man rolled his eyes, “Guess we’re back at square one, ain’t we? What’s your name?”
River flinched, took a moment to study the opulent, womb-like interior of Inara’s shuttle. She’d wanted more privacy than the viewscreen on the bridge could provide. “It’s dangerous to tell. Dangerous to know. Knowledge like a bomb ticking in your head. Could destroy everything.”
“Listen,” Badger said, “Hatchet is more ‘n just an adorable nickname, right? ‘S a job description. An’ anyone who saves my skin from his tender mercies gets more than the reg’lar amount of discretion, understand? Come on, out wiv it... I want to know.”
“River.”
“River... right,” Badger nodded. If he recognized the name, he didn’t show it, “An’ you’re no Diton girl, are you? Though you must’ve spent time there, to know all you did.”
A tiny smile flashed across River’s face; half apology, half relief that he’d supplied his own explanation for her reading.
“That Malcolm Reynolds, he’s a deft hand at stumblin’ onto a good thing, ain’t he? Bird of your talents could find all sorts of work in my organization.”
River’s breath caught in her throat. A million thoughts begged to be voiced. A faint future spun out ahead of her... Little queen of a little hill... “Home is Serenity. If it ever falls apart...”
“Might be I could give you somewhere to land,” Badger finished with a crooked smile, “And there’s an end to it. For now.”
“Nothing ends,” River couldn’t help correcting.
“Then I’m in luck. Cheers, love.”
“Cheers.”
Disclaimer: Firefly, you were too good for this world, but if I owned you, you better believe you'd still be on the air.
Word Count: 885
Summary: Post-BDM. Badger makes an unexpected demand that leads to an interesting day for River.
A/N: Odd little thing I finally got around to finishing. Please feel free to correct my Britspeak.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
River tossed the sack on the carpet of Badger’s office and curled up against the frame of the entrance.
“There’s my Izzy,” the man beamed as he stood and scooped up the sack, “Almost thought y’might not make it back, love.”
“I did,” River replied, barely remembering to put a Diton slant on her words.
“So it went smooth then, did it? No troubles? Didn’t kill anyone, did you?”
River’s face jerked up to glare at him, “Yes, yes, no, and leave me the buggering fuck alone!”
Badger cocked his head, “My, you’re a touchy one. Thought you’d be bouncin’ off the walls wiv your good fortune.”
River just tucked her head in against her knees and wrapped her arms around them. It was all too much. Even Badger’s mind was like a blaring siren she couldn’t escape. And her masks had turned leaden, crushing the broken bits of her brain until all she heard was her own voice begging the darkness inside, Who am I? Tell me who I am.
She had no strength to get away when Badger crouched down next to her, could make out nothing he said, barely felt his hands on her shoulder and knee. The image in front of her changed to just outside Badger’s office, then his hover-vehicle, then Persephone’s dusty landscape zipping past. Air in her nose and mouth made her feel better, like a damp cloth over a fevered forehead. She kept her eyes focused on the horizon, because when they shut all her masks screamed for attention.
At last and too soon, a shape appeared in the fading light. A shape she knew she should know, and love like her own face. If she could recall what she looked like, that might have meant something. A beat-up cargo ship solidified, as well as the people standing out at the end of its ramp. One of them started running towards the vehicle before it even stopped, a bag swinging from its hand. Her brow furrowed as a fresh sensation touched her twisting mind. Something she knew. The vehicle stopped, the figure came close, and she choked out, “Simon,” though she wasn’t sure why.
“River, meimei, it’s okay, everything’s going to be all right, just let me help you out of there.” Strong, gentle hands she knew pulled her limp body out of her seat. River... a natural stream of water flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels... I am... No, no, she had to focus. Ignore the sounds of men shouting behind her, minds filling up the air with their concern and fear. Something she knew was here, and just maybe she could extrapolate the rest from that. Her hands held tight on to the head of the man who carried her, and she begged him instead of the answerless dark in her head, “Who am I? Tell me who I am.”
Memories surged in him and flowed out into her, filling the darkness. “You’re River Tam. You’re my bratty little sister. You’re the most brilliant person I know.”
Somehow, a laugh wrestled its way up her throat and out of her mouth, “I- I... Simon.”
Her brother grinned down at her, “Did you have a good day, meimei?”
“It was interesting.” Simon hugged River tight, and they both laughed together.
---
The black eye Mal had given Badger was gray and yellow by the time River saw it. The man was watching her through the viewscreen again, clearly waiting for her to speak first. Even though she’d been the one to contact him, River suddenly found it even harder than usual to form a coherent sentence. The truth was, River was embarrassed. Acutely, gut-churningly embarrassed. It was a new feeling for her.
Eventually the man rolled his eyes, “Guess we’re back at square one, ain’t we? What’s your name?”
River flinched, took a moment to study the opulent, womb-like interior of Inara’s shuttle. She’d wanted more privacy than the viewscreen on the bridge could provide. “It’s dangerous to tell. Dangerous to know. Knowledge like a bomb ticking in your head. Could destroy everything.”
“Listen,” Badger said, “Hatchet is more ‘n just an adorable nickname, right? ‘S a job description. An’ anyone who saves my skin from his tender mercies gets more than the reg’lar amount of discretion, understand? Come on, out wiv it... I want to know.”
“River.”
“River... right,” Badger nodded. If he recognized the name, he didn’t show it, “An’ you’re no Diton girl, are you? Though you must’ve spent time there, to know all you did.”
A tiny smile flashed across River’s face; half apology, half relief that he’d supplied his own explanation for her reading.
“That Malcolm Reynolds, he’s a deft hand at stumblin’ onto a good thing, ain’t he? Bird of your talents could find all sorts of work in my organization.”
River’s breath caught in her throat. A million thoughts begged to be voiced. A faint future spun out ahead of her... Little queen of a little hill... “Home is Serenity. If it ever falls apart...”
“Might be I could give you somewhere to land,” Badger finished with a crooked smile, “And there’s an end to it. For now.”
“Nothing ends,” River couldn’t help correcting.
“Then I’m in luck. Cheers, love.”
“Cheers.”