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toxic_cornSeries: Where in the 'Verse is River Tam?
Title: Ma's House (6/6)
Author: toxic_corn
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Summary: Time for River to meet Jayne's ma.
Author's Note: This sequel series to She's A Sticky Fingered Filcher is finally complete. If you want to start at the beginning of Where in the 'Verse, go here. Thanks so much for the enthusiasm, fellow Rayne shippers!
Where in the ‘Verse is River Tam?
Ma’s House
River clutched her stomach as Jayne knocked on the front door. He beamed at her and took her hand, but his glad expression faltered when he looked at her.
“Baby girl? You okay?”
She gave him a shaky smile. “Butterflies. She’ll be fine.”
“Aw, you don’t gotta be nervous. My ma’s gonna love ya just as much as I do.”
That was a possibility. There was also the possibility of Ma Cobb chasing her off the property with a broom for living in sin with her oldest boy.
So when the thin, smallish woman opened the door holding a broom, River startled back a few steps.
“Jayne!” The woman’s careworn face lit up and River could see that she had been quite beautiful at one time. She pulled Jayne into her arms and squeezed him around the middle. “Oh, we wasn’t expectin’ you home so soon! I was just cleanin’ this place up to make it presentable for your girl.” She looked at River and blinked. “Oh, honey child, I didn’t scare ya, did I?”
“River, meet my ma.” Jayne reached for River’s hand and pulled her out of the shadows. “Ma, this here’s River. She’s a mite nervous so maybe ya should go a li’l easy on her.”
Ma Cobb gave him an innocent look. “I wasn’t plannin’ on givin’ her a hard time!”
Jayne scowled. “Mattie told me ‘bout you interrogatin’ Cora on babies and inspectin’ her hips so don’t you go givin’ me that look like you don’t get a pleasure out o’ scarin’ girl folk.”
“He talks to his mother like this! The mother that brought him into this world and wouldn’t think twice on takin’ him out of it!” She playfully jabbed at him with the broom handle and grabbed River by the arm. “C’mere River girl, I got somethin’ for ya.”
River allowed the small woman to lead her into the modest house. The floors were wooden with little rugs thrown here and there and the walls were filled with family pictures in mismatching frames. The furniture was well-worn but looked comfortable. River liked it instantly. So many different things thrown together into a recognizable whole.
Ma Cobb let her go and went to rummage in the curio cabinet in the corner. “Ah ha!” she exclaimed, and came back with a package wrapped in pretty Jayne-eyes blue. “Heard you had a birthday about a month 'n a half ago. I was gonna send this but decided to hold on to it 'n give it to you in person. Seeing the reaction’s the best part of gift giving, I always thought.”
“Thank you.” River smiled and accepted the gift. She ripped it open excitedly and as she removed the box lid and moved aside the tissue paper, Jayne came up behind her to peer over her shoulder.
It was a china figurine of a dancer. Her costume was pink and she had pink flowers twined through her black hair. She was frozen in mid leap, her arms thrown over her head.
“I saw it at the general store and it reminded me of you,” Ma Cobb said softly. “It brought to mind that capture Jayne sent about a year ago.”
River looked over her shoulder at Jayne, frowning in confusion. “What capture?”
“You were in the cargo bay warmin’ up for that spring dance we went to,” Jayne explained. He looked a little embarrassed and gave his mother a dirty look. “You weren’t supposed to bring it up.”
“Oops,” she said, not looking sorry at all. “My mistake.”
River giggled softly. “I don’t mind if you spy, Jayne.” She carefully put the dancer back in the box but left the lid off so she wouldn’t be afraid of the dark. “This is lovely, Mrs. Cobb. Thank you for thinking of me.”
Ma Cobb smiled. “You’re welcome. And you can thank me by callin’ me Ma. Everyone does.” She clapped her hands together. “Well, now! I should go get started on dinner ‘fore your pa comes home. Why don’t you show River your favorite spot to kill some time?”
“Just what I was thinkin’.” Jayne grabbed River’s hand. “Call us when the grub’s ready.”
“Will do.” Ma picked up her abandoned broom.
“Wouldn’t you like some help?” River asked as Jayne led her away.
Ma Cobb just made shooing motions with her broom, smiling, as they went into the kitchen and out the back door.
The day was beautiful, the sunshine making the green trees around them appear all the greener. Jayne’s family owned property just off the edge of a forest and Jayne lead her now deep inside.
“Will we be able to hear Ma?” River voiced her concern.
Jayne laughed. “Don’t worry on it.”
It was just a little longer until they came to a section of forest near a little stream. “I used to come here when I was a sprout,” Jayne explained. “I’d lose track of time and spend all day here. Ma would get so mad that she’d have Pa tan me when he got home from the mines.”
“What were you hiding from?” River asked.
For a long moment, Jayne didn’t answer. He dropped her hand and went to lean his back against one of the trees. “I got picked on a lot at school. Most of the time I caught hell for my name. Other times, I was just little and you know how kids get.” He shrugged but she knew that the memory made him uncomfortable even after all this time. “But they got theirs once I got my growth spurt.”
River giggled and he smiled. “This here tree I’d sit under and think about what’d I do once I finished school. Was nice.” He patted the tree he was leaning on and River came to stand beside him, running her fingers over its bark.
“I never had a tree,” River said. “A flower, once. I named her Florence. But when I went to the Academy, I had to leave her behind.” She turned to Jayne, seeing the sympathy in his eyes. “Can he be my tree, too? Because he’s special to you.”
Jayne nodded. “Sure, he can be yours too. I’ll even make it official-like.” He pulled out his knife and carved R.T + J.C. and traced a heart around it. “Now everyone’ll know. This is our spot and our tree.”
River traced the letters in fascination. So much love in so few strokes. In her concentration she missed Jayne clearing his throat nervously and taking a deep breath.
“River, there’s somethin’ I wanted to talk to ya about. And there’s no place else I had the guts to do it.”
Sensing his urgency, River focused all of her attention on Jayne. He ran the palms of his hands along his thighs and appeared to be choosing his words carefully.
“I love ya. And I ain’t loved no woman before ‘cept my Ma. She once told me that if I ever met somebody I loved the way I love you, I should make ‘em mine quick as I can.”
“I am yours,” River interrupted.
Jayne looked thrown off for a moment but then grinned. “Yeah, but I don’t think she quite meant…” He dropped to his knee and fumbled in his pocket before swearing softly, standing up to get whatever he needed from his pocket and then dropping to his knee once more. “I asked your brother for permission first and it took a lot of convincin’, so hopefully this goes a bit easier here.” Jayne held up a simple golden ring. “River, will you make me the luckiest sumbitch in the ‘verse and marry me?”
River stared at the ring in shock. Marriage. Out of all the things to expect from Jayne, this hadn’t been one of them. She’d had her fantasies, yes, but never did she think that he’d come up with the idea on his own. She figured she would’ve had to trick him into seeing that he wanted her to be his wife, the way she’d had to trick him into noticing her in the first place. He wanted her to marry him. Wonder started to replace the shock and warmth suffused her chest.
As her mind raced, the silence stretched on. The look in Jayne’s eyes went from hopeful, to pleading, to disbelief and then finally to hurt resignation. He curled his fist around the ring and the loss of its shiny presence snapped River out of her daze.
“Guess it was a dumb idea,” Jayne muttered, not looking at her. “You’re still young and got a lot o’…” He let the end of his sentence trail off, seemingly not having the heart to finish it.
River reached out and traced the letters he’d carved. “It’s wrong.”
Jayne swallowed. “I was thinkin’ it was right but if you don’t-”
“You carved the wrong initial.” She reached out and tapped Jayne’s cheek, pointing at the letters. “She’ll need a ‘C’ like her mate.”
Jayne’s mouth dropped open. “Need a- Is that your feng le way of sayin’ you’ll marry me?!”
River smiled brightly. “Yes.”
Whooping, Jayne jumped up and swept River into his arms, spinning her around. “Damn near gave me a heart attack, girl!”
“Don’t drop my ring!” River shouted through her laughter.
“Damn, forgot about that.” Luckily, he still had it in his fist and he hastily set her on the ground and slipped it onto her finger as she bounced eagerly.
“Shiny,” River breathed as the gold caught the light.
“I know it ain’t much but it was the best that I could do,” Jayne admitted.
“Shiny,” River repeated emphatically. “Seal it with a kiss?”
Jayne bent his knees so he was closer to her height and kissed her sweetly, his mouth warm and tasting a bit like peppermint. River wound her arms around his neck and sighed happily.
BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET
Startled, they broke apart.
“Angry bird,” River said, puzzled.
Jayne chuckled. “Naw, that was just Ma’s whistle. Supper’s ready.” He swooped in for another quick kiss. “We’d best go and tell her the news. The others’ll be here tomorrow ‘long with Mattie and his wife Cora. Be a big ol’ celebration.”
“Can’t wait!” River said. “Kaylee can help me plan.”
“Oh, this’ll make that girl’s year. She’ll probably start pressurin’ the doc to tie the knot.”
It was now River who led the way as they headed towards the house, where Ma Cobb was gearing up to blow her whistle a second time.
THE END
****************************************************************
Well, that's it. Until I finish the deleted scene, which will be my first foray into smut. So keep on the lookout for that, as well as my other series Songs From a Firefly (which I guess you could call the sequel to THIS story). That should be it until another plot bunny follows me home.
*****************************************************************
Previous < The Museum : Next > Optional Future Raynekid!Fic Series Songs From a Firefly - #1 Crush
Title: Ma's House (6/6)
Author: toxic_corn
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Summary: Time for River to meet Jayne's ma.
Author's Note: This sequel series to She's A Sticky Fingered Filcher is finally complete. If you want to start at the beginning of Where in the 'Verse, go here. Thanks so much for the enthusiasm, fellow Rayne shippers!
Where in the ‘Verse is River Tam?
Ma’s House
River clutched her stomach as Jayne knocked on the front door. He beamed at her and took her hand, but his glad expression faltered when he looked at her.
“Baby girl? You okay?”
She gave him a shaky smile. “Butterflies. She’ll be fine.”
“Aw, you don’t gotta be nervous. My ma’s gonna love ya just as much as I do.”
That was a possibility. There was also the possibility of Ma Cobb chasing her off the property with a broom for living in sin with her oldest boy.
So when the thin, smallish woman opened the door holding a broom, River startled back a few steps.
“Jayne!” The woman’s careworn face lit up and River could see that she had been quite beautiful at one time. She pulled Jayne into her arms and squeezed him around the middle. “Oh, we wasn’t expectin’ you home so soon! I was just cleanin’ this place up to make it presentable for your girl.” She looked at River and blinked. “Oh, honey child, I didn’t scare ya, did I?”
“River, meet my ma.” Jayne reached for River’s hand and pulled her out of the shadows. “Ma, this here’s River. She’s a mite nervous so maybe ya should go a li’l easy on her.”
Ma Cobb gave him an innocent look. “I wasn’t plannin’ on givin’ her a hard time!”
Jayne scowled. “Mattie told me ‘bout you interrogatin’ Cora on babies and inspectin’ her hips so don’t you go givin’ me that look like you don’t get a pleasure out o’ scarin’ girl folk.”
“He talks to his mother like this! The mother that brought him into this world and wouldn’t think twice on takin’ him out of it!” She playfully jabbed at him with the broom handle and grabbed River by the arm. “C’mere River girl, I got somethin’ for ya.”
River allowed the small woman to lead her into the modest house. The floors were wooden with little rugs thrown here and there and the walls were filled with family pictures in mismatching frames. The furniture was well-worn but looked comfortable. River liked it instantly. So many different things thrown together into a recognizable whole.
Ma Cobb let her go and went to rummage in the curio cabinet in the corner. “Ah ha!” she exclaimed, and came back with a package wrapped in pretty Jayne-eyes blue. “Heard you had a birthday about a month 'n a half ago. I was gonna send this but decided to hold on to it 'n give it to you in person. Seeing the reaction’s the best part of gift giving, I always thought.”
“Thank you.” River smiled and accepted the gift. She ripped it open excitedly and as she removed the box lid and moved aside the tissue paper, Jayne came up behind her to peer over her shoulder.
It was a china figurine of a dancer. Her costume was pink and she had pink flowers twined through her black hair. She was frozen in mid leap, her arms thrown over her head.
“I saw it at the general store and it reminded me of you,” Ma Cobb said softly. “It brought to mind that capture Jayne sent about a year ago.”
River looked over her shoulder at Jayne, frowning in confusion. “What capture?”
“You were in the cargo bay warmin’ up for that spring dance we went to,” Jayne explained. He looked a little embarrassed and gave his mother a dirty look. “You weren’t supposed to bring it up.”
“Oops,” she said, not looking sorry at all. “My mistake.”
River giggled softly. “I don’t mind if you spy, Jayne.” She carefully put the dancer back in the box but left the lid off so she wouldn’t be afraid of the dark. “This is lovely, Mrs. Cobb. Thank you for thinking of me.”
Ma Cobb smiled. “You’re welcome. And you can thank me by callin’ me Ma. Everyone does.” She clapped her hands together. “Well, now! I should go get started on dinner ‘fore your pa comes home. Why don’t you show River your favorite spot to kill some time?”
“Just what I was thinkin’.” Jayne grabbed River’s hand. “Call us when the grub’s ready.”
“Will do.” Ma picked up her abandoned broom.
“Wouldn’t you like some help?” River asked as Jayne led her away.
Ma Cobb just made shooing motions with her broom, smiling, as they went into the kitchen and out the back door.
The day was beautiful, the sunshine making the green trees around them appear all the greener. Jayne’s family owned property just off the edge of a forest and Jayne lead her now deep inside.
“Will we be able to hear Ma?” River voiced her concern.
Jayne laughed. “Don’t worry on it.”
It was just a little longer until they came to a section of forest near a little stream. “I used to come here when I was a sprout,” Jayne explained. “I’d lose track of time and spend all day here. Ma would get so mad that she’d have Pa tan me when he got home from the mines.”
“What were you hiding from?” River asked.
For a long moment, Jayne didn’t answer. He dropped her hand and went to lean his back against one of the trees. “I got picked on a lot at school. Most of the time I caught hell for my name. Other times, I was just little and you know how kids get.” He shrugged but she knew that the memory made him uncomfortable even after all this time. “But they got theirs once I got my growth spurt.”
River giggled and he smiled. “This here tree I’d sit under and think about what’d I do once I finished school. Was nice.” He patted the tree he was leaning on and River came to stand beside him, running her fingers over its bark.
“I never had a tree,” River said. “A flower, once. I named her Florence. But when I went to the Academy, I had to leave her behind.” She turned to Jayne, seeing the sympathy in his eyes. “Can he be my tree, too? Because he’s special to you.”
Jayne nodded. “Sure, he can be yours too. I’ll even make it official-like.” He pulled out his knife and carved R.T + J.C. and traced a heart around it. “Now everyone’ll know. This is our spot and our tree.”
River traced the letters in fascination. So much love in so few strokes. In her concentration she missed Jayne clearing his throat nervously and taking a deep breath.
“River, there’s somethin’ I wanted to talk to ya about. And there’s no place else I had the guts to do it.”
Sensing his urgency, River focused all of her attention on Jayne. He ran the palms of his hands along his thighs and appeared to be choosing his words carefully.
“I love ya. And I ain’t loved no woman before ‘cept my Ma. She once told me that if I ever met somebody I loved the way I love you, I should make ‘em mine quick as I can.”
“I am yours,” River interrupted.
Jayne looked thrown off for a moment but then grinned. “Yeah, but I don’t think she quite meant…” He dropped to his knee and fumbled in his pocket before swearing softly, standing up to get whatever he needed from his pocket and then dropping to his knee once more. “I asked your brother for permission first and it took a lot of convincin’, so hopefully this goes a bit easier here.” Jayne held up a simple golden ring. “River, will you make me the luckiest sumbitch in the ‘verse and marry me?”
River stared at the ring in shock. Marriage. Out of all the things to expect from Jayne, this hadn’t been one of them. She’d had her fantasies, yes, but never did she think that he’d come up with the idea on his own. She figured she would’ve had to trick him into seeing that he wanted her to be his wife, the way she’d had to trick him into noticing her in the first place. He wanted her to marry him. Wonder started to replace the shock and warmth suffused her chest.
As her mind raced, the silence stretched on. The look in Jayne’s eyes went from hopeful, to pleading, to disbelief and then finally to hurt resignation. He curled his fist around the ring and the loss of its shiny presence snapped River out of her daze.
“Guess it was a dumb idea,” Jayne muttered, not looking at her. “You’re still young and got a lot o’…” He let the end of his sentence trail off, seemingly not having the heart to finish it.
River reached out and traced the letters he’d carved. “It’s wrong.”
Jayne swallowed. “I was thinkin’ it was right but if you don’t-”
“You carved the wrong initial.” She reached out and tapped Jayne’s cheek, pointing at the letters. “She’ll need a ‘C’ like her mate.”
Jayne’s mouth dropped open. “Need a- Is that your feng le way of sayin’ you’ll marry me?!”
River smiled brightly. “Yes.”
Whooping, Jayne jumped up and swept River into his arms, spinning her around. “Damn near gave me a heart attack, girl!”
“Don’t drop my ring!” River shouted through her laughter.
“Damn, forgot about that.” Luckily, he still had it in his fist and he hastily set her on the ground and slipped it onto her finger as she bounced eagerly.
“Shiny,” River breathed as the gold caught the light.
“I know it ain’t much but it was the best that I could do,” Jayne admitted.
“Shiny,” River repeated emphatically. “Seal it with a kiss?”
Jayne bent his knees so he was closer to her height and kissed her sweetly, his mouth warm and tasting a bit like peppermint. River wound her arms around his neck and sighed happily.
BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET
Startled, they broke apart.
“Angry bird,” River said, puzzled.
Jayne chuckled. “Naw, that was just Ma’s whistle. Supper’s ready.” He swooped in for another quick kiss. “We’d best go and tell her the news. The others’ll be here tomorrow ‘long with Mattie and his wife Cora. Be a big ol’ celebration.”
“Can’t wait!” River said. “Kaylee can help me plan.”
“Oh, this’ll make that girl’s year. She’ll probably start pressurin’ the doc to tie the knot.”
It was now River who led the way as they headed towards the house, where Ma Cobb was gearing up to blow her whistle a second time.
****************************************************************
Well, that's it. Until I finish the deleted scene, which will be my first foray into smut. So keep on the lookout for that, as well as my other series Songs From a Firefly (which I guess you could call the sequel to THIS story). That should be it until another plot bunny follows me home.
*****************************************************************
Previous < The Museum : Next > Optional Future Raynekid!Fic Series Songs From a Firefly - #1 Crush
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Date: 2006-07-27 10:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-27 11:15 pm (UTC)