![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
toxic_cornSeries: She's a Sticky-Fingered Filcher
Title: Reflex Hammer (5/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Post Objects in Space
Summary: "You took that from the infirmary, didn't you?"
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Author's Note: I would've had this out sooner but RL reared its ugly head. Thanks as always to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
katsqueaks for the beta work. Previous parts can be found here.
Reflex Hammer
It seemed like everywhere he went these days, the girl popped up. Serenity wasn't that big of a ship, true, but it threw Jayne off, having her turn up wherever he planned to be. Now, here he was lifting weights with Shepherd Book and she wasn't anywhere around. Damn if he wasn't missing her a little.
Puffing, Jayne finished his last rep and Book helped him set the barbell back into place.
"I think you may have overdone it today," Book mildly reprimanded him.
"Naw, I needed it. 'Ve been wound up too tight late…" He felt something brush his knee and smiled. Without looking up from toweling the sweat off his face, Jayne asked, "What're ya doin' to me, girl?"
"Testing your reflexes."
Jayne sat up and saw River before him, waving at him with a little rubber mallet.
"For such a big damn genius, ya did it wrong. My leg didn't kick out or nothin'." He was a little surprised at how teasing he sounded.
River rolled her eyes. "I wasn't testing those reflexes. Was testing your River reflexes."
"Yeah?" Jayne scooted back on the bench a little, straddling it. "How'd I do?"
"You passed with flying colors."
"Well, hot damn! Flying colors even, shepherd!"
Book smiled, eyes crinkling. "Congratulations."
"And for being such a good patient…" From the pocket of her pretty blue sundress, River pulled out a lollipop and handed it to him.
Jayne read the label. "Caramel apple? Hell, I should get my River reflexes tested every day."
River laughed and sat beside him, watching him eagerly unwrap his treat and stick it in his mouth. The tart apple taste stung his taste buds and made his mouth pool with saliva.
"Fanks," he said, remembering his manners.
"You're welcome." She continued to watch him, eyes twinkling as she twirled the mallet around her fingers.
Jayne nodded at it. "Funny the doc has one of those. Can't recollect ever seein' him use it."
"Every good doctor has one," River said. "Like a stethoscope."
"Or one of those popsicle stick things they shove down yer throat," Jayne added.
"Or a blood pressure armband," Book supplied.
"Aww, I hate those things," Jayne said, frowning. "Makes yer arm feel like it's gonna explode."
River giggled and leaned toward him as if to tell him a secret. He leaned towards her as well. To better hear the secret, of course.
"Once when Simon was small, he got his blood pressure checked. But the doctor didn't warn him that it would hurt. So Simon punched him."
Jayne's eyes widened and his respect for the doctor increased. "The hell you say!"
"It's true!" River said through giggles. "Right in the nose; made him bleed!"
Jayne doubled over, snickering. The mental image of a mini prissy Simon punching anyone, let alone another doctor, in the snot box was priceless. Even Book chuckled along with them.
Once they'd all calmed, Jayne said, "Funny he'd grow up to be a doctor. Think somethin' like that would put him off it for life."
River's smile faded. "Not funny. He wanted to be a good doctor, not like all the liars. The liars with their needles and hurts and falsehoods…" She was rubbing her arm and staring down at the ground, lost in her old terror.
Without thinking, Jayne reached out and took her hand, stilling its movement. She turned her big eyes on him and he leaned toward her a little.
"Yer safe here. Ain't gonna let 'em get ya back again. Are we, preacher?" He tacked that last bit on when the girl turned her hand in his and linked their fingers together. We ain't alone, girl.
"That's right," Book said, quietly.
"Mei-mei? What's going on here?" Simon appeared in the doorway, effectively breaking the silence and startling all three of them.
Jayne shook the girl's hand off, hoping the doc hadn't noticed. From the suspicious look on his face though, it looked like he had. Damn it.
"River?"
"River was just entertaining us with some of your earlier exploits," Book said, stepping over to block Jayne from view.
"Earlier ex- River, what have you been telling them?!"
River's face was the very picture of innocence. "Dr. Wild."
Simon surprised Jayne by laughing. "I never should have told you that story. What's that in your hand?"
"A violin."
"You took that from the infirmary, didn't you?"
"Found it floating in space."
Simon sighed. "She hasn't had a psychotic episode in months, I thought she was-"
Jayne growled and gently but firmly pushed Book aside to see Simon. "Dammit, Doc, she ain't havin' an episode; she's bein' a smartass!"
Simon turned pink while Book hid his amusement by faking a cough.
"He understands her humor!" River beamed at Jayne and he grinned back a little.
But he stopped when he looked back to Simon and saw the way the doc was watching the two of them. Back and forth looking confused, then shocked, then just plain tired.
"Mei mei, let's go put that back."
River stared at her brother for a long moment then nodded once. She allowed Simon to lead her from the room without so much as a glance backwards.
Jayne took the lollipop that now tasted like sawdust out of his mouth. He barely felt it when Book's hand settled on his shoulder.
"Son, you have to understand that she's very young and Si-"
"I know." Jayne shrugged off Book's well-intentioned hand. "I know."
"I don't think you're-"
But Jayne got up and stalked away without letting the shepherd finish. He'd feel guilty later. Maybe it'd keep his mind off of pretty little girls too good and innocent for the likes of him.
END
Previous < T-Rex : Next > Handbook
Title: Reflex Hammer (5/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Post Objects in Space
Summary: "You took that from the infirmary, didn't you?"
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Author's Note: I would've had this out sooner but RL reared its ugly head. Thanks as always to
katsqueaks for the beta work. Previous parts can be found here.Reflex Hammer
It seemed like everywhere he went these days, the girl popped up. Serenity wasn't that big of a ship, true, but it threw Jayne off, having her turn up wherever he planned to be. Now, here he was lifting weights with Shepherd Book and she wasn't anywhere around. Damn if he wasn't missing her a little.
Puffing, Jayne finished his last rep and Book helped him set the barbell back into place.
"I think you may have overdone it today," Book mildly reprimanded him.
"Naw, I needed it. 'Ve been wound up too tight late…" He felt something brush his knee and smiled. Without looking up from toweling the sweat off his face, Jayne asked, "What're ya doin' to me, girl?"
"Testing your reflexes."
Jayne sat up and saw River before him, waving at him with a little rubber mallet.
"For such a big damn genius, ya did it wrong. My leg didn't kick out or nothin'." He was a little surprised at how teasing he sounded.
River rolled her eyes. "I wasn't testing those reflexes. Was testing your River reflexes."
"Yeah?" Jayne scooted back on the bench a little, straddling it. "How'd I do?"
"You passed with flying colors."
"Well, hot damn! Flying colors even, shepherd!"
Book smiled, eyes crinkling. "Congratulations."
"And for being such a good patient…" From the pocket of her pretty blue sundress, River pulled out a lollipop and handed it to him.
Jayne read the label. "Caramel apple? Hell, I should get my River reflexes tested every day."
River laughed and sat beside him, watching him eagerly unwrap his treat and stick it in his mouth. The tart apple taste stung his taste buds and made his mouth pool with saliva.
"Fanks," he said, remembering his manners.
"You're welcome." She continued to watch him, eyes twinkling as she twirled the mallet around her fingers.
Jayne nodded at it. "Funny the doc has one of those. Can't recollect ever seein' him use it."
"Every good doctor has one," River said. "Like a stethoscope."
"Or one of those popsicle stick things they shove down yer throat," Jayne added.
"Or a blood pressure armband," Book supplied.
"Aww, I hate those things," Jayne said, frowning. "Makes yer arm feel like it's gonna explode."
River giggled and leaned toward him as if to tell him a secret. He leaned towards her as well. To better hear the secret, of course.
"Once when Simon was small, he got his blood pressure checked. But the doctor didn't warn him that it would hurt. So Simon punched him."
Jayne's eyes widened and his respect for the doctor increased. "The hell you say!"
"It's true!" River said through giggles. "Right in the nose; made him bleed!"
Jayne doubled over, snickering. The mental image of a mini prissy Simon punching anyone, let alone another doctor, in the snot box was priceless. Even Book chuckled along with them.
Once they'd all calmed, Jayne said, "Funny he'd grow up to be a doctor. Think somethin' like that would put him off it for life."
River's smile faded. "Not funny. He wanted to be a good doctor, not like all the liars. The liars with their needles and hurts and falsehoods…" She was rubbing her arm and staring down at the ground, lost in her old terror.
Without thinking, Jayne reached out and took her hand, stilling its movement. She turned her big eyes on him and he leaned toward her a little.
"Yer safe here. Ain't gonna let 'em get ya back again. Are we, preacher?" He tacked that last bit on when the girl turned her hand in his and linked their fingers together. We ain't alone, girl.
"That's right," Book said, quietly.
"Mei-mei? What's going on here?" Simon appeared in the doorway, effectively breaking the silence and startling all three of them.
Jayne shook the girl's hand off, hoping the doc hadn't noticed. From the suspicious look on his face though, it looked like he had. Damn it.
"River?"
"River was just entertaining us with some of your earlier exploits," Book said, stepping over to block Jayne from view.
"Earlier ex- River, what have you been telling them?!"
River's face was the very picture of innocence. "Dr. Wild."
Simon surprised Jayne by laughing. "I never should have told you that story. What's that in your hand?"
"A violin."
"You took that from the infirmary, didn't you?"
"Found it floating in space."
Simon sighed. "She hasn't had a psychotic episode in months, I thought she was-"
Jayne growled and gently but firmly pushed Book aside to see Simon. "Dammit, Doc, she ain't havin' an episode; she's bein' a smartass!"
Simon turned pink while Book hid his amusement by faking a cough.
"He understands her humor!" River beamed at Jayne and he grinned back a little.
But he stopped when he looked back to Simon and saw the way the doc was watching the two of them. Back and forth looking confused, then shocked, then just plain tired.
"Mei mei, let's go put that back."
River stared at her brother for a long moment then nodded once. She allowed Simon to lead her from the room without so much as a glance backwards.
Jayne took the lollipop that now tasted like sawdust out of his mouth. He barely felt it when Book's hand settled on his shoulder.
"Son, you have to understand that she's very young and Si-"
"I know." Jayne shrugged off Book's well-intentioned hand. "I know."
"I don't think you're-"
But Jayne got up and stalked away without letting the shepherd finish. He'd feel guilty later. Maybe it'd keep his mind off of pretty little girls too good and innocent for the likes of him.
END
Previous < T-Rex : Next > Handbook
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-04-14 03:22 pm (UTC)Love this serise.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-14 04:19 pm (UTC)Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying this.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:10 am (UTC)Thank you, I really am enjoying this series.(not to great in the spelling area)
no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:44 am (UTC)