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toxic_cornSeries: Girl Anachronism
Title: Chapter Six (6/12)
Author: toxic_corn
Pairing: River/Jayne
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Joss Whedon, except for a certain stowaway.
Summary: A mysterious stowaway on Serenity may bring Jayne and River together.
Warning: Takes place after the BDM but has some AU elements to it so if that's not your cup of tea, it'd be best to skip this one.
Notes: I previewed this in my journal back in February and now I'm ready to share it with the public. Hope you like!
Catch up on earlier chapters at the round-up post.
Chapter Six
"You're it, you're it!" Vee Washburne sing-songed, darting amongst crates stacked along the dock.
Nettie pounded after her, furious. "You cheated! There's no tag-backs?"
"Didja get that in writing?" Vee called gleefully over her shoulder.
Now she was really pissed off. Nettie stepped up her pace until she was on Vee's heels. With a snarl, she tackled the girl to the ground.
SLAM.
"You're it," Nettie said smugly and hopped up. "No tag backs!"
Vee groaned and stayed where she was on the ground, curling up in a ball.
Uh oh. "Vee?" Nettie knelt by her friend's side, "Sainted Buddah, Vee, are you okay?!"
Swift as a striking snake, Vee's fist shot out and caught Nettie right in the nose.
"Ow!" Nettie screamed. "It was an accident, you psychopath!" Tears spilled down her cheeks but that wasn't the only liquid on her face. Dabbing gingerly at her nose, she saw her fingers were blood streaked.
Vee flipped onto her back and started to get up. "So was that. My fist accidentally got you in the nose. Maybe you should watch where you're-"
She didn't get much farther because with an angry growl, Nettie shoved her. Before toppling over, Vee reached out and grabbed a handful of Nettie's shirt and brought her down with her when they landed on a stack of Blue-Sun crates. One of them broke open and Nettie found herself lying in a puddle of who knew what. It could've been medicine, it could've been a new cola drink.
"Hey, you kids!" Two Alliance federals ran over to them. "What do you think you're doing?"
The girls hastily jumped to their feet, hearts pounding. They exchanged a look and both came to the same conclusion: run.
"Get back here!" one of the federals shouted but that only made them run faster. They only slowed when they reached Serenity.
"Think we lost them," Nettie said, nervously.
"No thanks to you," Vee snapped and gave her a shove. "Why do ya hafta play so rough, huh?!"
Nettie's mouth fell open. "That's funny coming from you!"
"Why you skinny little-"
"HEY!" Nettie looked around and saw Daddy coming their way, scowling. "The hell are you two arguin' about?"
"Nettie knocked me down so I had to belt her one!" Vee exclaimed.
Daddy's eyes narrowed. "That so? Reckon it was you two that started that hub-bub that's got the Feds in a twist. They're askin' after two kids that look like you." He surprised Nettie by leveling his glare at her. "We don't need that kind o' attention. I'd expect you to understand that, Serenity."
Mommy and Uncle Simon had been running from the law for years, he meant. Nettie should know; she looked too much like her mother so that if an updated Wanted notice appeared on the Cortex, she couldn't leave the ship if they were on a Core world.
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Nettie said, quietly.
"You should be," Daddy snapped. "I thought you was growin' up but apparently you're still a little kid who I can't trust on her own for five minutes."
Nettie bristled. "I'm not a little kid! I'm eight years old!"
"Then start actin' like it!"
"Why do you always take everyone's side but mine?!" Nettie shouted, stomping her foot. "You like Vee better than me!"
"Now that ain't even got a grain of truth in it."
"Yes it does!" Nettie's eyes filled up with angry, frustrated tears. "You don't love me anymore."
"Of course I-"
"No you don't!" Nettie wiped at her bleeding nose and made a face; her hand had still been wet with that weird Blue-Sun crap. "I hate you."
Daddy made a grab at her but Nettie skipped back just out of his reach. "Serenity Jane Cobb, you-"
She didn't hear the rest; she turned tail and ran. She wasn't sure how long she was running for and finally she stopped in an unfamiliar warehouse district.
Stupid Vee. Stupid Daddy. Stupid everybody. They wouldn't care if she ran away. Maybe there was a circus somewhere she could join and maybe train dogs or something. Sniffling, she sneaked into a warehouse through one of the windows and looked around. There was a canvas sheet covering some boxes in the middle of the room. She took that and dragged it over to a corner where she bunched it up to make a kind of nest.
"Nobody needs me," she muttered and curled up, falling asleep.
~*~
"Where the hell is she?!" Jayne threw his leather wristband on the ground in frustration, hands shaking. "We been lookin' for hours!"
Jamey came running up to him, breathless. "We just got done checkin' the warehouses and she ain't in any of 'em, Pop."
"Keep calm, Jayne," Mal said. "We've asked around and anyone who finds her knows to send her our way. She'll be back in a few hours after she's mellowed a bit."
"Shouldn'ta yelled at her," Jayne muttered to himself. He pressed a shaky hand to his forehead. "Sh-she was bleedin', Mal, and all I did was stand there 'n yell. 'N she was scared since she 'n Vee had that run-in with the Feds..."
"Feds?" Jamey repeated. "Do you think the Feds got her?"
Mal winced at the horrified expression on Jayne's face and gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Jamey, how 'bout you go find yer ma and offer her some comf-"
But a rustling from overhead caught their attention and they saw that River had come out from her and Jayne's bunk, eyes rimmed red from crying. "I can't feel her," River said brokenly. "She's not here anymore."
"Babydoll," Jayne said, tone low, "Is she... is she dead?"
River nodded, looking uncertain. "To this world." Then she burst into anguished tears and it took Jayne, Mal, and Jamey to put her back in bed and some of Inara's tea to lull her to sleep.
~*~
Nettie awoke and sensed that she'd been sleeping a long time. She shifted around on her piece of canvas and felt something in her overalls' front pocket poke at her. Curious, she pulled it out and saw it was the capture she'd had taken in the market a few hours before she and Vee had played their disastrous game of tag.
She looked at her smiley happy family and felt a pang of homesickness. It was time to go home and take her medicine.
Slipping the capture back into her pocket, she headed back to the dock. Unease started to curl up in her belly along the way. None of the stalls were looking familiar. People couldn't have packed up and left and had someone else set up in the space of time she'd been gone.
The other docked ships were different, too. They looked wrong. She continued on, trying to be brave. What would Cap do? He wouldn't start bawling, that's what. He'd find the ship and have a funny story to tell, to boot.
Relief made her sag when she finally found Serenity. Aunt Kaylee was even sitting out front but she looked... different.
Younger.
Confused, Nettie stared at her a long moment. Maybe that cream she put on before bed time was starting to work? She took a few cautious steps toward her and asked, "Is he mad?" If she could get to Mommy first, then Daddy wouldn't be as angry. Mommy could talk him into anything.
“Who? Oh!” For some reason, Aunt Kaylee looked off down the street. “No, sweetie of course not.”
That didn't sound right; he should be spitting fire after some of the things she said. “But he said-”
“He don’t always mean what he says.” Aunt Kaylee smiled reassuringly and Nettie stared at her, unnerved by how young she looked.
“Maybe I’ll just go for a walk,” Nettie said. She glanced up at the ship uncertainly and then back at Kaylee.
“Okay, hon,” Kaylee agreed.
Nettie backed up, staring at the ship. Serenity. This was the right place. But... why did everything feel off? She dashed away, trying to think. How many hours had she been gone? Maybe... six? Seven? A million? Nettie didn't have a watch and she cursed under her breath.
Maybe one of Aunt Kaylee's sisters had been at the market and they'd run into each other. After catching up, Aunt Kaylee's sister sat out front and pretended to be Kaylee as a joke on Nettie for being so bad earlier. That was it! That had to be it. Nothing else made sense.
Nodding, Nettie went back to the ship and was relieved to see that Aunt Kaylee's sister wasn't there anymore. She crept back to her room and was confused to see her things weren't there; this all looked like Mommy's stuff.
Too exhausted both emotionally and physically to give it much thought, Nettie curled up in bed and fell asleep.
~*~
"Jayne."
There was no reply.
"Jayne, we gotta be on our way if we wanna make rendezvous."
"I ain't leavin' without my daughter."
"We got the Linus brothers lookin' for her, Mrs. O'Malley put up a sign in her shop, and we've looked this place up and down, Jayne. I don't like this any more than you do but... we got folk here we need to feed. We have to go on with this job."
"She's my daughter, Mal," Jayne said pleadingly. Mal hated hearing Jayne sound like that.
"I know. I'm sorry as hell, Jayne, but-"
Without a word, Jayne went back on board the ship, no doubt blaming himself for Nettie's disappearance.
Worried about the little girl himself, Mal sighed deeply and turned to follow Jayne, not 100% comfortable with his own decision. They'd just have to wave the Linuses every day and come immediately back here after the job.
What else could they do?
***************************
If you're wondering about the 'verse Nettie came from, then you can read Songs From a Firefly and When I Was A Boy. They aren't necessary for understanding this story, but the stories are good to read when you're bored or killing time. :)
***************************
< Chapter Five : Chapter Seven >
Title: Chapter Six (6/12)
Author: toxic_corn
Pairing: River/Jayne
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Joss Whedon, except for a certain stowaway.
Summary: A mysterious stowaway on Serenity may bring Jayne and River together.
Warning: Takes place after the BDM but has some AU elements to it so if that's not your cup of tea, it'd be best to skip this one.
Notes: I previewed this in my journal back in February and now I'm ready to share it with the public. Hope you like!
Catch up on earlier chapters at the round-up post.
"You're it, you're it!" Vee Washburne sing-songed, darting amongst crates stacked along the dock.
Nettie pounded after her, furious. "You cheated! There's no tag-backs?"
"Didja get that in writing?" Vee called gleefully over her shoulder.
Now she was really pissed off. Nettie stepped up her pace until she was on Vee's heels. With a snarl, she tackled the girl to the ground.
SLAM.
"You're it," Nettie said smugly and hopped up. "No tag backs!"
Vee groaned and stayed where she was on the ground, curling up in a ball.
Uh oh. "Vee?" Nettie knelt by her friend's side, "Sainted Buddah, Vee, are you okay?!"
Swift as a striking snake, Vee's fist shot out and caught Nettie right in the nose.
"Ow!" Nettie screamed. "It was an accident, you psychopath!" Tears spilled down her cheeks but that wasn't the only liquid on her face. Dabbing gingerly at her nose, she saw her fingers were blood streaked.
Vee flipped onto her back and started to get up. "So was that. My fist accidentally got you in the nose. Maybe you should watch where you're-"
She didn't get much farther because with an angry growl, Nettie shoved her. Before toppling over, Vee reached out and grabbed a handful of Nettie's shirt and brought her down with her when they landed on a stack of Blue-Sun crates. One of them broke open and Nettie found herself lying in a puddle of who knew what. It could've been medicine, it could've been a new cola drink.
"Hey, you kids!" Two Alliance federals ran over to them. "What do you think you're doing?"
The girls hastily jumped to their feet, hearts pounding. They exchanged a look and both came to the same conclusion: run.
"Get back here!" one of the federals shouted but that only made them run faster. They only slowed when they reached Serenity.
"Think we lost them," Nettie said, nervously.
"No thanks to you," Vee snapped and gave her a shove. "Why do ya hafta play so rough, huh?!"
Nettie's mouth fell open. "That's funny coming from you!"
"Why you skinny little-"
"HEY!" Nettie looked around and saw Daddy coming their way, scowling. "The hell are you two arguin' about?"
"Nettie knocked me down so I had to belt her one!" Vee exclaimed.
Daddy's eyes narrowed. "That so? Reckon it was you two that started that hub-bub that's got the Feds in a twist. They're askin' after two kids that look like you." He surprised Nettie by leveling his glare at her. "We don't need that kind o' attention. I'd expect you to understand that, Serenity."
Mommy and Uncle Simon had been running from the law for years, he meant. Nettie should know; she looked too much like her mother so that if an updated Wanted notice appeared on the Cortex, she couldn't leave the ship if they were on a Core world.
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Nettie said, quietly.
"You should be," Daddy snapped. "I thought you was growin' up but apparently you're still a little kid who I can't trust on her own for five minutes."
Nettie bristled. "I'm not a little kid! I'm eight years old!"
"Then start actin' like it!"
"Why do you always take everyone's side but mine?!" Nettie shouted, stomping her foot. "You like Vee better than me!"
"Now that ain't even got a grain of truth in it."
"Yes it does!" Nettie's eyes filled up with angry, frustrated tears. "You don't love me anymore."
"Of course I-"
"No you don't!" Nettie wiped at her bleeding nose and made a face; her hand had still been wet with that weird Blue-Sun crap. "I hate you."
Daddy made a grab at her but Nettie skipped back just out of his reach. "Serenity Jane Cobb, you-"
She didn't hear the rest; she turned tail and ran. She wasn't sure how long she was running for and finally she stopped in an unfamiliar warehouse district.
Stupid Vee. Stupid Daddy. Stupid everybody. They wouldn't care if she ran away. Maybe there was a circus somewhere she could join and maybe train dogs or something. Sniffling, she sneaked into a warehouse through one of the windows and looked around. There was a canvas sheet covering some boxes in the middle of the room. She took that and dragged it over to a corner where she bunched it up to make a kind of nest.
"Nobody needs me," she muttered and curled up, falling asleep.
"Where the hell is she?!" Jayne threw his leather wristband on the ground in frustration, hands shaking. "We been lookin' for hours!"
Jamey came running up to him, breathless. "We just got done checkin' the warehouses and she ain't in any of 'em, Pop."
"Keep calm, Jayne," Mal said. "We've asked around and anyone who finds her knows to send her our way. She'll be back in a few hours after she's mellowed a bit."
"Shouldn'ta yelled at her," Jayne muttered to himself. He pressed a shaky hand to his forehead. "Sh-she was bleedin', Mal, and all I did was stand there 'n yell. 'N she was scared since she 'n Vee had that run-in with the Feds..."
"Feds?" Jamey repeated. "Do you think the Feds got her?"
Mal winced at the horrified expression on Jayne's face and gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Jamey, how 'bout you go find yer ma and offer her some comf-"
But a rustling from overhead caught their attention and they saw that River had come out from her and Jayne's bunk, eyes rimmed red from crying. "I can't feel her," River said brokenly. "She's not here anymore."
"Babydoll," Jayne said, tone low, "Is she... is she dead?"
River nodded, looking uncertain. "To this world." Then she burst into anguished tears and it took Jayne, Mal, and Jamey to put her back in bed and some of Inara's tea to lull her to sleep.
Nettie awoke and sensed that she'd been sleeping a long time. She shifted around on her piece of canvas and felt something in her overalls' front pocket poke at her. Curious, she pulled it out and saw it was the capture she'd had taken in the market a few hours before she and Vee had played their disastrous game of tag.
She looked at her smiley happy family and felt a pang of homesickness. It was time to go home and take her medicine.
Slipping the capture back into her pocket, she headed back to the dock. Unease started to curl up in her belly along the way. None of the stalls were looking familiar. People couldn't have packed up and left and had someone else set up in the space of time she'd been gone.
The other docked ships were different, too. They looked wrong. She continued on, trying to be brave. What would Cap do? He wouldn't start bawling, that's what. He'd find the ship and have a funny story to tell, to boot.
Relief made her sag when she finally found Serenity. Aunt Kaylee was even sitting out front but she looked... different.
Younger.
Confused, Nettie stared at her a long moment. Maybe that cream she put on before bed time was starting to work? She took a few cautious steps toward her and asked, "Is he mad?" If she could get to Mommy first, then Daddy wouldn't be as angry. Mommy could talk him into anything.
“Who? Oh!” For some reason, Aunt Kaylee looked off down the street. “No, sweetie of course not.”
That didn't sound right; he should be spitting fire after some of the things she said. “But he said-”
“He don’t always mean what he says.” Aunt Kaylee smiled reassuringly and Nettie stared at her, unnerved by how young she looked.
“Maybe I’ll just go for a walk,” Nettie said. She glanced up at the ship uncertainly and then back at Kaylee.
“Okay, hon,” Kaylee agreed.
Nettie backed up, staring at the ship. Serenity. This was the right place. But... why did everything feel off? She dashed away, trying to think. How many hours had she been gone? Maybe... six? Seven? A million? Nettie didn't have a watch and she cursed under her breath.
Maybe one of Aunt Kaylee's sisters had been at the market and they'd run into each other. After catching up, Aunt Kaylee's sister sat out front and pretended to be Kaylee as a joke on Nettie for being so bad earlier. That was it! That had to be it. Nothing else made sense.
Nodding, Nettie went back to the ship and was relieved to see that Aunt Kaylee's sister wasn't there anymore. She crept back to her room and was confused to see her things weren't there; this all looked like Mommy's stuff.
Too exhausted both emotionally and physically to give it much thought, Nettie curled up in bed and fell asleep.
"Jayne."
There was no reply.
"Jayne, we gotta be on our way if we wanna make rendezvous."
"I ain't leavin' without my daughter."
"We got the Linus brothers lookin' for her, Mrs. O'Malley put up a sign in her shop, and we've looked this place up and down, Jayne. I don't like this any more than you do but... we got folk here we need to feed. We have to go on with this job."
"She's my daughter, Mal," Jayne said pleadingly. Mal hated hearing Jayne sound like that.
"I know. I'm sorry as hell, Jayne, but-"
Without a word, Jayne went back on board the ship, no doubt blaming himself for Nettie's disappearance.
Worried about the little girl himself, Mal sighed deeply and turned to follow Jayne, not 100% comfortable with his own decision. They'd just have to wave the Linuses every day and come immediately back here after the job.
What else could they do?
***************************
If you're wondering about the 'verse Nettie came from, then you can read Songs From a Firefly and When I Was A Boy. They aren't necessary for understanding this story, but the stories are good to read when you're bored or killing time. :)
***************************
< Chapter Five : Chapter Seven >
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Date: 2007-06-01 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 03:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 03:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 01:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 03:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 08:00 am (UTC)Nettie, obviously broke my heart as did River. But it was Jayne standing outside the ship that killed me dead, specifically "Mal hated hearing Jayne sound like that." because it's someone seeing him like that from the outside...
That probably makes no sense but I knew what I meant.
Kudos *wobbly smile*
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Date: 2007-06-01 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 12:18 pm (UTC)Oh, poor Nettie! This is so good. Don't keep me waiting for more, I need it like air!
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Date: 2007-06-01 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 07:42 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2007-06-08 03:17 am (UTC)