Tenuous: Chapter Five
Title: Tenuous : Chapter Five
Characters: Zoe/Jayne
Rating: PG13
Timeline: Five or so years after the BDM
Word count: 713
Comments: This is my first time doing this and I'm a little nervous. Here goes nothing.
Tenuous Organizational Post
Chapter Five
He had to admire her coolness, just like he did that day on Mr. Universe's moon. He'd never forget that day. Never. Day they lost the Shepherd. Lost Wash. Almost lost everything.
When Jayne had moved, he saw she'd covered Mal and figured she was in control now. What he didn't know was that Zoe was scared. She was scared of what she was going to find on Serenity. But she was the Captain now. That thought too scared her.
She felt the jolt of the ship she was piloting connecting with Serenity and found the console to secure the airlock so they could board. Setting it on autopilot, Zoe turned to Jayne.
"You ready, Jayne?"
"Always." He held up his gun and the one Scruffy had been holding. "Ya okay?"
"Fine, Jayne," she lied and headed to the airlock. "Don't know what we're gonna find over there, Jayne. Be ready for anything." It came out a little harsher than she had intended but at this point, she didn't care. Wash was long dead. Mal was cold on the floor behind her. She had to protect the crew, Serenity. Mal would haunt her for the rest of her life if she didn't.
Jayne took up his position behind her, guns at the ready. She steeled herself for the bodies of her crew, the only family she'd allowed herslef to have, on the cargo bay floor, covered in blood. She was ready for the worst. She'd learned to be since losing Wash.
The air rushed in as the doors opened, and despite her readiness, Zoe was a little shocked by what she saw. Three men were dead, River holding a gun and Simon looking at her like she was a ghost or crazy or something.
River turned, face pale. Zoe knew the girl knew what lay behind her. She had to. Inara took one look at Zoe's face and the fact that Mal wasn't in front of her and knew as well. Part of her wondered if Simon and Kaylee knew in that moment, too. But she'd never know.
Jayne lowered his weapon behind her. "Everyone okay?" she asked calmly, hulstering her gun as she stepped into the bay.
"I think so," Simon responded.
River locked eyes with Zoe. "No. He's lying. Daddy is gone. Isn't he, Mommy?"
Zoe had to admit she was a little surprised by the title. "Ain't no one's momma, River. But you're right."
Kaylee gasped and Inara's knees buckled. Simon looked so shocked. Jayne took it all in. Everyone's surprise, Zoe's calm handling of what River had said. It was almost too much for him. He was in awe of the woman in front of him, more so than he'd ever been.
"Mal's gone." Her voice sounded hollow, even to her, much like when she told Kaylee Wash wasn't coming. Only this time, there weren't Reavers coming to attack them, distracting them from the pain. This time, all they had was the words that he was gone. 'And he ain't coming back,' she thought to herself.
~*~
Simon and Jayne had carried Mal into the infirmary. Zoe had River set a course for Haven and Inara and Kaylee had gone to Inara's shuttle. Everyone was walking on eggshells around her again. She didn't really care.
"Thought we agreed I'd go first," she said softly, entering the infirmary and closing the door. "That was the plan. I was never meant to lead this people. That was your job. I just followed your orders. Well, most of them anyway." She sat on a stool and looked and the man before her, covered in a white sheet. "I don't know if I can do this, Mal. I know I have to, but, honestly? I'm scared. You were the only real family I had left. What am I supposed to do now?"
The door opened and Zoe was instantly on her feet. "River wanted me ta tell ya we'll be landin' shortly," Jayne said softly, having heard her last few words.
"You ever hear of knocking, Jayne?" she snapped at him. He looked a little surprised at her harshness. She brushed past him and headed for the bridge, not looking back at her past and not knowing what the future would hold for them.
Characters: Zoe/Jayne
Rating: PG13
Timeline: Five or so years after the BDM
Word count: 713
Comments: This is my first time doing this and I'm a little nervous. Here goes nothing.
Tenuous Organizational Post
Chapter Five
He had to admire her coolness, just like he did that day on Mr. Universe's moon. He'd never forget that day. Never. Day they lost the Shepherd. Lost Wash. Almost lost everything.
When Jayne had moved, he saw she'd covered Mal and figured she was in control now. What he didn't know was that Zoe was scared. She was scared of what she was going to find on Serenity. But she was the Captain now. That thought too scared her.
She felt the jolt of the ship she was piloting connecting with Serenity and found the console to secure the airlock so they could board. Setting it on autopilot, Zoe turned to Jayne.
"You ready, Jayne?"
"Always." He held up his gun and the one Scruffy had been holding. "Ya okay?"
"Fine, Jayne," she lied and headed to the airlock. "Don't know what we're gonna find over there, Jayne. Be ready for anything." It came out a little harsher than she had intended but at this point, she didn't care. Wash was long dead. Mal was cold on the floor behind her. She had to protect the crew, Serenity. Mal would haunt her for the rest of her life if she didn't.
Jayne took up his position behind her, guns at the ready. She steeled herself for the bodies of her crew, the only family she'd allowed herslef to have, on the cargo bay floor, covered in blood. She was ready for the worst. She'd learned to be since losing Wash.
The air rushed in as the doors opened, and despite her readiness, Zoe was a little shocked by what she saw. Three men were dead, River holding a gun and Simon looking at her like she was a ghost or crazy or something.
River turned, face pale. Zoe knew the girl knew what lay behind her. She had to. Inara took one look at Zoe's face and the fact that Mal wasn't in front of her and knew as well. Part of her wondered if Simon and Kaylee knew in that moment, too. But she'd never know.
Jayne lowered his weapon behind her. "Everyone okay?" she asked calmly, hulstering her gun as she stepped into the bay.
"I think so," Simon responded.
River locked eyes with Zoe. "No. He's lying. Daddy is gone. Isn't he, Mommy?"
Zoe had to admit she was a little surprised by the title. "Ain't no one's momma, River. But you're right."
Kaylee gasped and Inara's knees buckled. Simon looked so shocked. Jayne took it all in. Everyone's surprise, Zoe's calm handling of what River had said. It was almost too much for him. He was in awe of the woman in front of him, more so than he'd ever been.
"Mal's gone." Her voice sounded hollow, even to her, much like when she told Kaylee Wash wasn't coming. Only this time, there weren't Reavers coming to attack them, distracting them from the pain. This time, all they had was the words that he was gone. 'And he ain't coming back,' she thought to herself.
~*~
Simon and Jayne had carried Mal into the infirmary. Zoe had River set a course for Haven and Inara and Kaylee had gone to Inara's shuttle. Everyone was walking on eggshells around her again. She didn't really care.
"Thought we agreed I'd go first," she said softly, entering the infirmary and closing the door. "That was the plan. I was never meant to lead this people. That was your job. I just followed your orders. Well, most of them anyway." She sat on a stool and looked and the man before her, covered in a white sheet. "I don't know if I can do this, Mal. I know I have to, but, honestly? I'm scared. You were the only real family I had left. What am I supposed to do now?"
The door opened and Zoe was instantly on her feet. "River wanted me ta tell ya we'll be landin' shortly," Jayne said softly, having heard her last few words.
"You ever hear of knocking, Jayne?" she snapped at him. He looked a little surprised at her harshness. She brushed past him and headed for the bridge, not looking back at her past and not knowing what the future would hold for them.