Back in the world for a spell.
Mal had that look about him. The sergeant look, the look of a man who got through a war by the skin of his teeth and had seen too many people die. Book knew that look. Had seen it too many times to count. Mal was checking Book's wound. Book was making small talk.
"I shot him down." It hurt to breathe. "I killed the ship that killed us. Not very Christian of me." Felt familiar. Powerful. Predatory? No, protective. It was protective. Mal was a step ahead of him. "You did what's right." Book smiled crookedly. "Coming from you," -ai ya- "that means almost nothing."
He paused, feeling his body shutting down. This is it. Mal looked worried, frantic. It's okay. It was bound to happen. I ain't invincible. "I'm long gone." Mal was being tough, stubborn as hell. "No, Doc will bring you around. I look to be bored by many more sermons before you slip." Ahh, of course. The jokes. "Just don't move."
Book smiled as best he could, then tried to put on a tough face, but talking was hard enough without puttin' on airs. "Can't order me around, boy. I'm not one of your crew." He faded in and out, Mal's hand locked in his the only thing keeping him near consciousness. He could still remember that day, so clearly. It was dry and dusty at the Eavesdown Docks as he wandered, seeing the 'verse with fresh eyes. He had seen the Firefly sitting there, unpretentious as ever, just tucked away with the others. The girl with the parasol smiled at him; Serenity was smiling at him.
Serenity had been home, but he hadn't ever been one of the crew. Mal always did push him away; keep him at well past arm's length. Mal didn't like Shepherds, which meant he didn't like Book. Book took a shallow breath, distracting himself by walking in his mind through Serenity's halls, memorizing the patches and cracks, the whistling in the joints.
Book watched as Mal tightened his jaw, his face growing colder as his voice shook. "Yes, you are."
Book stared up at him for a moment, then felt something.... A feeling, like someone was with him. Like there was another person holding his hand, besides the captain. A softer, sweeter touch. He paused, then, on instinct-- "River...." Mal's hand tightened around his, and he bellowed something to the crew. Book's vision was blurring, getting darker. He blinked hard and turned from the soft, familiar, warmth of that presence, and gripped Mal's face in his hands, his eyes clear and cold again. "Hey--" Mal looked almost scared, but Book barely noticed. "I don't care what you believe. Just believe it." His eyes were like fire, Mal fading fast before him. "Whatever you-" He took a long breath, but he couldn't get any air, and the world was fading.
Haven had become another home, another love, and when the Alliance cruisers fall from the sky, Book remembered his past, remembered his family in the sky, and shot it down. His hand slipped from Mal's face, and then, for him, Haven is only so far away from Heaven, and Serenity.
It could have been a lifetime, and it could have been a moment, but Book was blinking slowly, his eyes aching. He was propped up against a rock on the sand, his rucksack by his side. As his eyes adjusted to the morning light, he realized that there, with the sun rising behind it, was Serenity, glowing warm and clean and whole.
Book's eyes shone as he sat up against the rock, healthy and calm as he stared up at the ship before him. You can't leave her or let her go, because she's home. "Well, here's as good a destination as any, Bao bei."
[Enter the Shepherd! Find him on the beach looking up at Serenity. He is in fine health, but he looks like he's been shot.]
"I shot him down." It hurt to breathe. "I killed the ship that killed us. Not very Christian of me." Felt familiar. Powerful. Predatory? No, protective. It was protective. Mal was a step ahead of him. "You did what's right." Book smiled crookedly. "Coming from you," -ai ya- "that means almost nothing."
He paused, feeling his body shutting down. This is it. Mal looked worried, frantic. It's okay. It was bound to happen. I ain't invincible. "I'm long gone." Mal was being tough, stubborn as hell. "No, Doc will bring you around. I look to be bored by many more sermons before you slip." Ahh, of course. The jokes. "Just don't move."
Book smiled as best he could, then tried to put on a tough face, but talking was hard enough without puttin' on airs. "Can't order me around, boy. I'm not one of your crew." He faded in and out, Mal's hand locked in his the only thing keeping him near consciousness. He could still remember that day, so clearly. It was dry and dusty at the Eavesdown Docks as he wandered, seeing the 'verse with fresh eyes. He had seen the Firefly sitting there, unpretentious as ever, just tucked away with the others. The girl with the parasol smiled at him; Serenity was smiling at him.
Serenity had been home, but he hadn't ever been one of the crew. Mal always did push him away; keep him at well past arm's length. Mal didn't like Shepherds, which meant he didn't like Book. Book took a shallow breath, distracting himself by walking in his mind through Serenity's halls, memorizing the patches and cracks, the whistling in the joints.
Book watched as Mal tightened his jaw, his face growing colder as his voice shook. "Yes, you are."
Book stared up at him for a moment, then felt something.... A feeling, like someone was with him. Like there was another person holding his hand, besides the captain. A softer, sweeter touch. He paused, then, on instinct-- "River...." Mal's hand tightened around his, and he bellowed something to the crew. Book's vision was blurring, getting darker. He blinked hard and turned from the soft, familiar, warmth of that presence, and gripped Mal's face in his hands, his eyes clear and cold again. "Hey--" Mal looked almost scared, but Book barely noticed. "I don't care what you believe. Just believe it." His eyes were like fire, Mal fading fast before him. "Whatever you-" He took a long breath, but he couldn't get any air, and the world was fading.
Haven had become another home, another love, and when the Alliance cruisers fall from the sky, Book remembered his past, remembered his family in the sky, and shot it down. His hand slipped from Mal's face, and then, for him, Haven is only so far away from Heaven, and Serenity.
It could have been a lifetime, and it could have been a moment, but Book was blinking slowly, his eyes aching. He was propped up against a rock on the sand, his rucksack by his side. As his eyes adjusted to the morning light, he realized that there, with the sun rising behind it, was Serenity, glowing warm and clean and whole.
Book's eyes shone as he sat up against the rock, healthy and calm as he stared up at the ship before him. You can't leave her or let her go, because she's home. "Well, here's as good a destination as any, Bao bei."
[Enter the Shepherd! Find him on the beach looking up at Serenity. He is in fine health, but he looks like he's been shot.]