Rayne Fic! Chapter 1/?
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Buffy/Angel mythos and Firefly/Serenity are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Inc., etc.
Author: hermione2be
Story: The Awaited One
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: Prologue
Crossover: Firefly/Buffy - if you squint and look sideways
Timeline: Firefly-post BDM seven months after, Buffy - takes into account all of television series of both Angel and Buffy but no the comic books.
Summary: Five hundred years later there is a new light approaching. Rayne-S/K
This is in no way related to the K2P series (at Twisting the Hellmouth). But it is the first bit of writing I have done in months. I’m just excited that a plot bunny started multiplying on my math homework.
Been haunting the archives for nearly a month. This just popped in my head....
Inspiration for this?
sevangel 's Good Day
http://sevangel.livejournal.com/1064.html#cutid1
http://sevangel.livejournal.com/1289.html#cutid1
Persephone - Southdown Abbey
In a deep dark corner of the Abbey a Shepherd studied a box he had been put in charge of nearly two years prior. The wooden box was old, several centuries, yet looked newly carved. A rising sun on the lid of the box accented with a scythe and a lightening bolt.
“Jasper,” an older voice spoke from the doorway.
“Father Severit,” he turned and addressed his superior.
“You look distressed, my son,” the Father walked calmly into the dimly lit room. “Are you questioning your mission?”
“No, Father, never,” he hesitated. “I simply wonder if we should do this.”
“Our Order is based on this mission,” he inclined his head. “For four hundred and fifty years we have awaited this moment.”
“But Brother Book was the rightful carrier of this,” he pressed a gentle hand to the wooden box he had been studying.
Father Severit’s brows creased, “Book knew what he was doing. His part of the mission was complete when he passed.”
“What if it wasn’t?” he asked.
“Then our mission will fail,” the answer was honest and succinct. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Jasper’s shoulder, “we have not waited this long for nothing, my son. God will see to it. We must simply do our part.”
Jasper nodded, squared his shoulders and took a fortifying breath. He pushed a button on the side of the box, revealing a piece of old paper. He extracted it. “We must call together the strongest of our Order.”
“I have sent a WAVE. They will be here in time for the ceremony.”
“I will be ready,” Jasper promised picking up his Bible and following Father Severit out of the small room.
88888888
Serenity - passenger bathroom
“Albatross?” Captain Malcolm Reynolds called through the door. “Are you alright?”
“Unlock the door,” Doctor Simon Tam said anxiously.
“No,” Mal said. “’less you feel like convincing lil’ Kaylee to do it.”
“Do what?” the mechanic cheerfully asked.
“River locked herself in the bathroom,” Zoe Alleyne Washburne said from where she was watching the scene, her expressionless mask in place. “These ‘gentlemen’ would like you to break the lock.”
Kaylee shooed the men from directly in front of the door. She knocked twice on the door. “River? What did Simon and the capt’n do?”
They all listened carefully as the sound of a toilet flushing was over ridden by the sink running. When the water stopped, the door opened. River Tam looked paler than usual, a slightly green-tint to her face.
Simon stepped forward but River’s small hand was immediately held up.
“River, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“You stick me with a needle again,” she said slowly, a deadly glint in her eye, “while I sleep and I will hurt you Simon.”
Zoe’s eyebrow shot up. River was scarier when she sounded sane, because she only sounded perfectly sane when she was really angry.
“He did what now?” Mal asked.
“I refused to take his medicine,” she enunciated through clench teeth. “He gave me a smoother after my nightmare last night and pumped poison into me while I slept.”
“Simon?” Kaylee looked at him for an explanation. She believed good about everyone, and waited for Simon to prove her faith in him was good.
“It was the fourth nightmare in as many nights,” the doctor argued. “They’ve been worse since you came off the medicine,” Simon tried to explain to her. “You had an episode for the first time in five months. You are better on the medicine.”
River’s fist shot out before anyone saw it. She clipped her brother’s jaw with enough force to send him into the wall. Shaking visibly River stalked off.
“You’re lucky, doc,” Zoe finally said pushing off the wall.
“How is that?” Simon pressed a hand to his jaw while Kaylee fluttered around him.
“Seen River kill a man with a punch to the jaw,” the first mate said as she sauntered off.
The doctor looked at Mal who nodded; his eyes hard as he watched the younger man. “How long has she been refusing her meds?”
“Ten days,” Simon managed to stand, feeling the ache through his teeth.
“Take it was ‘tross’s idea?”
“She came to me and said there was something she had to take care of and I was to stop her meds.”
“Is it dangerous?” Kaylee asked.
“Highly,” Simon admitted, “she wouldn’t let me wean her off them. Her body is going to have to balance itself out. Her mood swings could be very severe before she gets there.”
“Think that’s what this was?” Kaylee tipped Simon’s face to examine the rapidly forming bruise.
“No,” Mal said, “that was for betrayal.”
“Betrayal?!” Simon sounded outraged.
“Mayhap you want to look at the ethics book you always referrin’ to,” Mal told him.
River lay on the weight bench pressing her body weight slowly, clearing her mind as she tried to control her anger.
“Wha’ch doin'?” Jayne Cobb asked as he entered the cargo bay. He was dressed to lift weights.
“Must work off irate feelings,” she said as she hefted the bar away from her. “Otherwise, fratricide is likely to occur.” She brought the bar back down muttering, “poison in my veins… barely enough time… must not occur again…”
The mercenary studied the small woman again. Her long black hair was a mess and there looked to be bits of something in it near the end. She wore a knee-length pink dress. None of it conducive to lifting weights.
“How many times I told ya,” he crossed his arms, “yous gonna work out, ya got to wear the right clothes.”
River heard his words as she pushed the bar away. Like the last four months, they lacked the animosity her broken mind had considered his trademark. In its place was a familiarity she looked to Jayne for on jobs, or when the ‘verse was too much - a smooth path to follow.
With his presence her anger got swept away by the tide. The bar came down and she felt it press against her. She had only enough strength to keep the bar from crushing her, while tears leaked from her tightly closed eyes.
Jayne watched the pilot’s arms shake and her eyes close. It took a moment before he realized the bar was flat against her chest. He uncrossed his arms and stepped around the back of the weight bench. The tears made him grab the bar and lift it from her. The moment the bar was off her chest, River’s hands went to her face as her body was wracked with sobs.
She was muttering, “not strong enough… will fail… too great a mission… let down generations…”
Jayne leaned down hesitantly, “you’re getting my bench wet.” He flinched when she only cried harder.
“Gorramit,” he hissed. Tears always made him feel ineffective. Give him an angry man and a decent gun - that was his element.
“Can’t do it,” River said, “am the only one, but will fail. Too big, ground rises up, shifts the river back. Reverse. Rewind. Never allowed to go forward.”
The merc frowned, “ya lost me.”
She swallowed and removed her hands from her face to grab Jayne’s. “Help…”
When he only looked confused she pulled her hands back wiping tears away hastily. They did not completely stop. She sat up rubbing at her nose. So absorbed in her thoughts, visions, numbers, and physic feelings she was startled when Jayne placed a hand on top of her head. She looked up at him. His piercing blue eyes caught her doe-like chocolate ones.
“I’ll help ya,” he said sincerely.
“Promise?”
“Ya’ve saved my hide a few times,” he shrugged, “figure I owe ya.”
“Jayne,” she whispered his name, waiting.
He rolled his eyes, “yeah, I promise.”
She smiled shakily. “While that is pleasing to hear… I have stomach matter in my head follicles.”
Inara stood near her shuttle watching Jayne suddenly remove his hand from where it was on the young genius’s head. River’s tinkling laugh echoed around the bay as the mercenary looked disgusted and rubbed his hand on his shorts. He gave a growl and chased the nineteen year old across the bay.
The Companion observed their chase for awhile longer before entering her shuttle. She sat down and marked the day in her calendar. She didn’t know why, but felt it important to remember the day.
88888888
Two weeks later - early morning
Persephone - Southdown Abbey
The box opened in the middle of the shepherds’ circle. A black orb rose with their chant. A tiny sparkle started at the center of the orb. Then slowly grew. Until the orb was bright green, then nearly white.
On the last word of the fifth cycle of the chant the orb flashed out of existence.
The shepherd’s looked at the box. It was empty. After a moment it snapped shut.
“It is done,” Father Severit announced.
“How will we know?” one of the shepherd’s asked.
“Trust in God’s will,” Jasper said evenly, the same question on his mind.
88888888
Night - ship time
Serenity - mess hall
The chatter was lively around the table. Kaylee’s hand in Simon’s on the table. Mal grinning as Inara laughed at his story of a plan-gone-bad heist, Zoe filling in the details. Jayne shoveled more protein gruel on his plate. River’s hand paused in stealing his bread.
She moved the hand to her heart, breathing deeply for several seconds before curling her hand in her shirt. The foundations shook in her mind and she closed her eyes to weather the storm. And when it passed she felt something settle deep within her.
Opening her eyes she found nothing had changed.
But the very ‘verse had. She could feel it…
A/N: I do not hate Simon but I like mirror scenes (you’ll see the second part in Chapter 1 or 2) and this was the vessel that came to me. Will deal with meds and gaps in time as I go. Thanks for reading, I live off reviews
Author: hermione2be
Story: The Awaited One
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: Prologue
Crossover: Firefly/Buffy - if you squint and look sideways
Timeline: Firefly-post BDM seven months after, Buffy - takes into account all of television series of both Angel and Buffy but no the comic books.
Summary: Five hundred years later there is a new light approaching. Rayne-S/K
This is in no way related to the K2P series (at Twisting the Hellmouth). But it is the first bit of writing I have done in months. I’m just excited that a plot bunny started multiplying on my math homework.
Been haunting the archives for nearly a month. This just popped in my head....
Inspiration for this?
sevangel 's Good Day
http://sevangel.livejournal.com/1064.html#cutid1
http://sevangel.livejournal.com/1289.html#cutid1
Persephone - Southdown Abbey
In a deep dark corner of the Abbey a Shepherd studied a box he had been put in charge of nearly two years prior. The wooden box was old, several centuries, yet looked newly carved. A rising sun on the lid of the box accented with a scythe and a lightening bolt.
“Jasper,” an older voice spoke from the doorway.
“Father Severit,” he turned and addressed his superior.
“You look distressed, my son,” the Father walked calmly into the dimly lit room. “Are you questioning your mission?”
“No, Father, never,” he hesitated. “I simply wonder if we should do this.”
“Our Order is based on this mission,” he inclined his head. “For four hundred and fifty years we have awaited this moment.”
“But Brother Book was the rightful carrier of this,” he pressed a gentle hand to the wooden box he had been studying.
Father Severit’s brows creased, “Book knew what he was doing. His part of the mission was complete when he passed.”
“What if it wasn’t?” he asked.
“Then our mission will fail,” the answer was honest and succinct. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Jasper’s shoulder, “we have not waited this long for nothing, my son. God will see to it. We must simply do our part.”
Jasper nodded, squared his shoulders and took a fortifying breath. He pushed a button on the side of the box, revealing a piece of old paper. He extracted it. “We must call together the strongest of our Order.”
“I have sent a WAVE. They will be here in time for the ceremony.”
“I will be ready,” Jasper promised picking up his Bible and following Father Severit out of the small room.
88888888
Serenity - passenger bathroom
“Albatross?” Captain Malcolm Reynolds called through the door. “Are you alright?”
“Unlock the door,” Doctor Simon Tam said anxiously.
“No,” Mal said. “’less you feel like convincing lil’ Kaylee to do it.”
“Do what?” the mechanic cheerfully asked.
“River locked herself in the bathroom,” Zoe Alleyne Washburne said from where she was watching the scene, her expressionless mask in place. “These ‘gentlemen’ would like you to break the lock.”
Kaylee shooed the men from directly in front of the door. She knocked twice on the door. “River? What did Simon and the capt’n do?”
They all listened carefully as the sound of a toilet flushing was over ridden by the sink running. When the water stopped, the door opened. River Tam looked paler than usual, a slightly green-tint to her face.
Simon stepped forward but River’s small hand was immediately held up.
“River, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“You stick me with a needle again,” she said slowly, a deadly glint in her eye, “while I sleep and I will hurt you Simon.”
Zoe’s eyebrow shot up. River was scarier when she sounded sane, because she only sounded perfectly sane when she was really angry.
“He did what now?” Mal asked.
“I refused to take his medicine,” she enunciated through clench teeth. “He gave me a smoother after my nightmare last night and pumped poison into me while I slept.”
“Simon?” Kaylee looked at him for an explanation. She believed good about everyone, and waited for Simon to prove her faith in him was good.
“It was the fourth nightmare in as many nights,” the doctor argued. “They’ve been worse since you came off the medicine,” Simon tried to explain to her. “You had an episode for the first time in five months. You are better on the medicine.”
River’s fist shot out before anyone saw it. She clipped her brother’s jaw with enough force to send him into the wall. Shaking visibly River stalked off.
“You’re lucky, doc,” Zoe finally said pushing off the wall.
“How is that?” Simon pressed a hand to his jaw while Kaylee fluttered around him.
“Seen River kill a man with a punch to the jaw,” the first mate said as she sauntered off.
The doctor looked at Mal who nodded; his eyes hard as he watched the younger man. “How long has she been refusing her meds?”
“Ten days,” Simon managed to stand, feeling the ache through his teeth.
“Take it was ‘tross’s idea?”
“She came to me and said there was something she had to take care of and I was to stop her meds.”
“Is it dangerous?” Kaylee asked.
“Highly,” Simon admitted, “she wouldn’t let me wean her off them. Her body is going to have to balance itself out. Her mood swings could be very severe before she gets there.”
“Think that’s what this was?” Kaylee tipped Simon’s face to examine the rapidly forming bruise.
“No,” Mal said, “that was for betrayal.”
“Betrayal?!” Simon sounded outraged.
“Mayhap you want to look at the ethics book you always referrin’ to,” Mal told him.
River lay on the weight bench pressing her body weight slowly, clearing her mind as she tried to control her anger.
“Wha’ch doin'?” Jayne Cobb asked as he entered the cargo bay. He was dressed to lift weights.
“Must work off irate feelings,” she said as she hefted the bar away from her. “Otherwise, fratricide is likely to occur.” She brought the bar back down muttering, “poison in my veins… barely enough time… must not occur again…”
The mercenary studied the small woman again. Her long black hair was a mess and there looked to be bits of something in it near the end. She wore a knee-length pink dress. None of it conducive to lifting weights.
“How many times I told ya,” he crossed his arms, “yous gonna work out, ya got to wear the right clothes.”
River heard his words as she pushed the bar away. Like the last four months, they lacked the animosity her broken mind had considered his trademark. In its place was a familiarity she looked to Jayne for on jobs, or when the ‘verse was too much - a smooth path to follow.
With his presence her anger got swept away by the tide. The bar came down and she felt it press against her. She had only enough strength to keep the bar from crushing her, while tears leaked from her tightly closed eyes.
Jayne watched the pilot’s arms shake and her eyes close. It took a moment before he realized the bar was flat against her chest. He uncrossed his arms and stepped around the back of the weight bench. The tears made him grab the bar and lift it from her. The moment the bar was off her chest, River’s hands went to her face as her body was wracked with sobs.
She was muttering, “not strong enough… will fail… too great a mission… let down generations…”
Jayne leaned down hesitantly, “you’re getting my bench wet.” He flinched when she only cried harder.
“Gorramit,” he hissed. Tears always made him feel ineffective. Give him an angry man and a decent gun - that was his element.
“Can’t do it,” River said, “am the only one, but will fail. Too big, ground rises up, shifts the river back. Reverse. Rewind. Never allowed to go forward.”
The merc frowned, “ya lost me.”
She swallowed and removed her hands from her face to grab Jayne’s. “Help…”
When he only looked confused she pulled her hands back wiping tears away hastily. They did not completely stop. She sat up rubbing at her nose. So absorbed in her thoughts, visions, numbers, and physic feelings she was startled when Jayne placed a hand on top of her head. She looked up at him. His piercing blue eyes caught her doe-like chocolate ones.
“I’ll help ya,” he said sincerely.
“Promise?”
“Ya’ve saved my hide a few times,” he shrugged, “figure I owe ya.”
“Jayne,” she whispered his name, waiting.
He rolled his eyes, “yeah, I promise.”
She smiled shakily. “While that is pleasing to hear… I have stomach matter in my head follicles.”
Inara stood near her shuttle watching Jayne suddenly remove his hand from where it was on the young genius’s head. River’s tinkling laugh echoed around the bay as the mercenary looked disgusted and rubbed his hand on his shorts. He gave a growl and chased the nineteen year old across the bay.
The Companion observed their chase for awhile longer before entering her shuttle. She sat down and marked the day in her calendar. She didn’t know why, but felt it important to remember the day.
88888888
Two weeks later - early morning
Persephone - Southdown Abbey
The box opened in the middle of the shepherds’ circle. A black orb rose with their chant. A tiny sparkle started at the center of the orb. Then slowly grew. Until the orb was bright green, then nearly white.
On the last word of the fifth cycle of the chant the orb flashed out of existence.
The shepherd’s looked at the box. It was empty. After a moment it snapped shut.
“It is done,” Father Severit announced.
“How will we know?” one of the shepherd’s asked.
“Trust in God’s will,” Jasper said evenly, the same question on his mind.
88888888
Night - ship time
Serenity - mess hall
The chatter was lively around the table. Kaylee’s hand in Simon’s on the table. Mal grinning as Inara laughed at his story of a plan-gone-bad heist, Zoe filling in the details. Jayne shoveled more protein gruel on his plate. River’s hand paused in stealing his bread.
She moved the hand to her heart, breathing deeply for several seconds before curling her hand in her shirt. The foundations shook in her mind and she closed her eyes to weather the storm. And when it passed she felt something settle deep within her.
Opening her eyes she found nothing had changed.
But the very ‘verse had. She could feel it…
A/N: I do not hate Simon but I like mirror scenes (you’ll see the second part in Chapter 1 or 2) and this was the vessel that came to me. Will deal with meds and gaps in time as I go. Thanks for reading, I live off reviews