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toxic_cornSeries: When I Was A Boy
Title: Edge of the Ocean
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss Whedon, I just own the kids.
Notes: The sequel series to Songs From A Firefly. To catch up on earlier chapters of this series, go to the Organizational Post.
Edge of the Ocean
Jamey choked and weakly patted at Pop’s hand.
“What?” Pop looked up from tying his son’s tie. “Oh! Sorry.” He loosened the knot and Jamey breathed easier. “Sorry ‘bout that, I’m not too used t’ these things.”
“Maybe Ma should take care of it,” Jamey suggested cautiously.
“Naw, I told ya I’d show ya how t’ do this and I’m gonna do it.” He frowned and stood back to survey his work. “That don’t look right. Shit, it’s been forever ‘n a day since I last wore one of these things.”
“I can figure it out,” Jamey said, picking at the multiple knots Pop had made. “I’ll just-”
“Jamey.” Pop took a deep breath. “There’s somethin’ that I-”
“I’m not goin’ ta college, Pop.”
Pop made a frustrated noise. “The hell not? You’re the smartest damn person I know, aside from yer Ma and maybe little Nova. You could be anything ya wanted and yer throwin’ yerself away by-”
“No, I’m not.” Jamey finally had the tie unknotted and started doing it up right the way Ma had taught him last week. “I like workin’ with engines, I told ya that. And Kaylee told me she could use some help in the engine room ‘n you and the others aren’t gettin’ any younger so you need muscle on hand during jobs. I’m needed here not at some school with my head in a book.”
“Gorramn it, Jamey!”
Jamey dropped the ends of his tie and grabbed Pop’s knee. He winced and buckled over.
“You see that?” Jamey snapped. “What the hell are we gonna do if you’re on the job and your knee acts up? You’ll get yourself killed and Cap and Zoe and Ma! I can’t lose any of you.”
Pop rubbed at his knee. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I get it.”
Jamey placed a hand on Pop’s shoulder and softened his tone. “You’ve done such a good job protectin’ me that I wanna return the favor.”
“I don’t need protectin’!”
“So let me practice until you do need it.”
Pop looked into Jamey’s eyes for a long moment then sighed. “Hell, you know I can’t say no to ya.”
Jamey grinned.
~*~
“James Simon Cobb!” Uncle Simon announced. The crew cheered as Jamey walked up the little stage steps Pop had built and accepted his diploma. “Congratulations,” Uncle Simon said. “I’m very proud of you, James.”
“Thanks.” Jamey hugged his uncle tightly then held up his diploma with a big grin on his face so Aunt Kaylee could snap a picture. He looked to his Ma and Pop in the seats and grinned wider at how proud they looked.
His grin faltered when he saw Nettie in tears.
“Lady Alleyne Washburne!”
Jamey realized he was standing there gawking at his little sister and clomped off the stage to make room for the next graduate. He slid into the seat next to his sister. “Hey, Nettie…”
She got up out of her chair and ran from the room.
During the celebration that night, she stayed there.
~*~
It’d been three weeks and Nettie still wasn’t talking to him. Jamey felt horrible and couldn’t figure out what he’d done wrong. Pop had threatened her to start acting her age but Ma had called him off, saying that all would be revealed in time.
Now the younger kids were having their final projects: They were to give a speech based on an essay they had written. The essay’s topic was personal heroes. The rest of the crew was out on the catwalk, watching this take place, all curious as to what the kids had said.
Anna took the stage first, nearly bursting with excitement. “My name is Anna Tam and my hero is Captain Malcolm Reynolds!”
Jamey glanced over at Cap and watched him grin.
“Malcolm Reynolds is really old but nice,” Anna said. “He’s the captain of a Firefly called Serenity. A long time ago he fought in the war for Independence which he lost and it was sad and stuff but he gets to fight every U-Day and wins so I guess that’s square.”
Everyone held in their laughter.
“Malcolm Reynolds wears suspenders a lot and he’s the only person I know who does and has it look good. Usually men use belts to hold their pants up, like my Daddy. When I grow up, I want to be like Malcolm Reynolds. Only a girl and maybe my coat will be black and not brown because black matches with more things than brown does. The End.”
There was applause and light laughter as Anna took her seat.
Uncle Simon made a mark in his grade book, careful to keep his smile neutral. “Okay, who’s next?”
Nova raised her hand and to no one’s surprise delivered a perfect speech about her father being her hero. Kaylee was sniffling at the end and Jamey handed her the bandana he kept in his back pocket.
Next came Vee, who said her hero was her mother. She faltered once when mentioning her mother’s single parent status but other than that, she did well.
Then there was David and Jamey grinned in expectation.
“My hero is my mother, Kaylee Tam,” David said without any trace of his usual jocular manner. “Ever since I first picked up a crayon, she’s been convinced that I’m going to be a famous artist. When I grew up far away from her she always sent me paints and brushes with little notes telling me to ‘make her a masterpiece.’ My father encouraged me and I don’t mean any disrespect to him at all,” David looked at Simon worriedly, “but Mom made me believe I was great already, that it was only a matter of time before everyone else saw it, too. For that, I’m always going to be grateful.”
Jamey whispered to Aunt Kaylee that she could keep the bandana. She nodded gratefully, gulping back tears.
“Um, all right,” Uncle Simon looked moved as well and cleared his throat. “Ben, would you like to go next?”
For this, everyone was prepared and had tissues and hankies at the ready as Ben gave a speech about Wash. His voice broke in the middle and he had to compose himself for a moment before he could continue on. By the end, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Jamey wiped at his eyes and took a deep breath. Not a day went by that they all didn’t think of their former, beloved pilot.
Uncle Simon looked like this was wearing on him and he seemed to be thinking he should’ve chosen another topic. “All right, well. Nettie, it looks like you’re the last but certainly not the least.”
Surprisingly, Nettie got up and went to the front, blushing and looking nervous. She glanced down at her note cards and did her best to still her shaking hands. Why was she acting like this over a speech she was no doubt going to make about Pop?
“My hero is someone who’s always been there for me,” Nettie started. “And in a little while, he won’t be any more.” She cleared her throat. “My hero is my brother, James Cobb.”
Everyone looked surprised and turned to Jamey.
Nettie continued. “When I was little, Daddy wasn’t around as much as we would’ve liked him to be. Mommy got sick from time to time and it used to scare me. When she’d have an episode and Daddy was away, it was Jamey who could get her to calm down and then he’d come find me because,” she laughed, embarrassed, “I would run off and hide. He’d find me and explain that Mommy couldn’t help the way that she was and that he and I had to work together to get through it, otherwise we’d be sunk.
“Every single scrape or bit of trouble I’ve ever gotten myself into, it’s been Jamey who saves me or helps me through it. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have gotten into the school I’ve been dreaming of going to since I was six and saw my first opera.
“Jamey is the smartest person I know. He’s smart in every single way there is. When he said he wouldn’t be going to college, I figured it was just a weird boy phase and that it would pass. I always dreamt of going to school and having Jamey somewhere nearby to make sure that I was okay, that I was safe.” Nettie’s face crumpled. “But he isn’t going to be. And I d-don’t know what I’m going to do without him…”
“Mei mei.” Jamey started down the steps, his chest aching. “Nettie…”
Nettie made as if to dash off to her room, but he caught her up in his arms and hugged her.
“Shhhh, mei mei,” he whispered in her ear. “Shhhh.”
“I hate you,” she sobbed, trying to strike out at him. “Let me go!”
“Nothin’ doin’,” he said, but pulled back slightly to look into her face. Her eyes were red-rimmed and full of anger and fear. “Why are you so mad at me?”
“You’ve always been there!” Nettie shouted. “On land, on Haven, here! You’re the only thing I could ever really count on! And now you’re abandoning me!”
Jamey shook his head. “You’re the one leaving, Nettie.”
“But you can come with!”
“No, I can’t.”
“Why not?!”
“Look at you!” Jamey boomed, making her flinch. “You need to learn how to stand on your own without me there to solve all your problems for ya! You’re fourteen years old and you’re bright and talented and beautiful! You’re more than capable of being independent. It’s time to let me go.”
“But I don’t know how.” She looked so forlorn that if it didn’t break his heart, he would’ve laughed. He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“You’ll learn. You’re a quick study, Nettie. I know you can do it.”
She looked doubtful but nodded. “If you think I can…”
“Then it’s true,” Jamey finished.
Nettie rolled her eyes. “Big brother knows best?”
“Damn straight,” Jamey agreed, pulling her back into his arms. This time, she hugged him back extra tight.
“Doc!” Pop called out from the catwalk. “Does she get an A or what?!”
END
Previous < Momentary Thing : Next > Dirty Sunshine
Title: Edge of the Ocean
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss Whedon, I just own the kids.
Notes: The sequel series to Songs From A Firefly. To catch up on earlier chapters of this series, go to the Organizational Post.
Edge of the Ocean
Jamey choked and weakly patted at Pop’s hand.
“What?” Pop looked up from tying his son’s tie. “Oh! Sorry.” He loosened the knot and Jamey breathed easier. “Sorry ‘bout that, I’m not too used t’ these things.”
“Maybe Ma should take care of it,” Jamey suggested cautiously.
“Naw, I told ya I’d show ya how t’ do this and I’m gonna do it.” He frowned and stood back to survey his work. “That don’t look right. Shit, it’s been forever ‘n a day since I last wore one of these things.”
“I can figure it out,” Jamey said, picking at the multiple knots Pop had made. “I’ll just-”
“Jamey.” Pop took a deep breath. “There’s somethin’ that I-”
“I’m not goin’ ta college, Pop.”
Pop made a frustrated noise. “The hell not? You’re the smartest damn person I know, aside from yer Ma and maybe little Nova. You could be anything ya wanted and yer throwin’ yerself away by-”
“No, I’m not.” Jamey finally had the tie unknotted and started doing it up right the way Ma had taught him last week. “I like workin’ with engines, I told ya that. And Kaylee told me she could use some help in the engine room ‘n you and the others aren’t gettin’ any younger so you need muscle on hand during jobs. I’m needed here not at some school with my head in a book.”
“Gorramn it, Jamey!”
Jamey dropped the ends of his tie and grabbed Pop’s knee. He winced and buckled over.
“You see that?” Jamey snapped. “What the hell are we gonna do if you’re on the job and your knee acts up? You’ll get yourself killed and Cap and Zoe and Ma! I can’t lose any of you.”
Pop rubbed at his knee. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I get it.”
Jamey placed a hand on Pop’s shoulder and softened his tone. “You’ve done such a good job protectin’ me that I wanna return the favor.”
“I don’t need protectin’!”
“So let me practice until you do need it.”
Pop looked into Jamey’s eyes for a long moment then sighed. “Hell, you know I can’t say no to ya.”
Jamey grinned.
“James Simon Cobb!” Uncle Simon announced. The crew cheered as Jamey walked up the little stage steps Pop had built and accepted his diploma. “Congratulations,” Uncle Simon said. “I’m very proud of you, James.”
“Thanks.” Jamey hugged his uncle tightly then held up his diploma with a big grin on his face so Aunt Kaylee could snap a picture. He looked to his Ma and Pop in the seats and grinned wider at how proud they looked.
His grin faltered when he saw Nettie in tears.
“Lady Alleyne Washburne!”
Jamey realized he was standing there gawking at his little sister and clomped off the stage to make room for the next graduate. He slid into the seat next to his sister. “Hey, Nettie…”
She got up out of her chair and ran from the room.
During the celebration that night, she stayed there.
It’d been three weeks and Nettie still wasn’t talking to him. Jamey felt horrible and couldn’t figure out what he’d done wrong. Pop had threatened her to start acting her age but Ma had called him off, saying that all would be revealed in time.
Now the younger kids were having their final projects: They were to give a speech based on an essay they had written. The essay’s topic was personal heroes. The rest of the crew was out on the catwalk, watching this take place, all curious as to what the kids had said.
Anna took the stage first, nearly bursting with excitement. “My name is Anna Tam and my hero is Captain Malcolm Reynolds!”
Jamey glanced over at Cap and watched him grin.
“Malcolm Reynolds is really old but nice,” Anna said. “He’s the captain of a Firefly called Serenity. A long time ago he fought in the war for Independence which he lost and it was sad and stuff but he gets to fight every U-Day and wins so I guess that’s square.”
Everyone held in their laughter.
“Malcolm Reynolds wears suspenders a lot and he’s the only person I know who does and has it look good. Usually men use belts to hold their pants up, like my Daddy. When I grow up, I want to be like Malcolm Reynolds. Only a girl and maybe my coat will be black and not brown because black matches with more things than brown does. The End.”
There was applause and light laughter as Anna took her seat.
Uncle Simon made a mark in his grade book, careful to keep his smile neutral. “Okay, who’s next?”
Nova raised her hand and to no one’s surprise delivered a perfect speech about her father being her hero. Kaylee was sniffling at the end and Jamey handed her the bandana he kept in his back pocket.
Next came Vee, who said her hero was her mother. She faltered once when mentioning her mother’s single parent status but other than that, she did well.
Then there was David and Jamey grinned in expectation.
“My hero is my mother, Kaylee Tam,” David said without any trace of his usual jocular manner. “Ever since I first picked up a crayon, she’s been convinced that I’m going to be a famous artist. When I grew up far away from her she always sent me paints and brushes with little notes telling me to ‘make her a masterpiece.’ My father encouraged me and I don’t mean any disrespect to him at all,” David looked at Simon worriedly, “but Mom made me believe I was great already, that it was only a matter of time before everyone else saw it, too. For that, I’m always going to be grateful.”
Jamey whispered to Aunt Kaylee that she could keep the bandana. She nodded gratefully, gulping back tears.
“Um, all right,” Uncle Simon looked moved as well and cleared his throat. “Ben, would you like to go next?”
For this, everyone was prepared and had tissues and hankies at the ready as Ben gave a speech about Wash. His voice broke in the middle and he had to compose himself for a moment before he could continue on. By the end, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Jamey wiped at his eyes and took a deep breath. Not a day went by that they all didn’t think of their former, beloved pilot.
Uncle Simon looked like this was wearing on him and he seemed to be thinking he should’ve chosen another topic. “All right, well. Nettie, it looks like you’re the last but certainly not the least.”
Surprisingly, Nettie got up and went to the front, blushing and looking nervous. She glanced down at her note cards and did her best to still her shaking hands. Why was she acting like this over a speech she was no doubt going to make about Pop?
“My hero is someone who’s always been there for me,” Nettie started. “And in a little while, he won’t be any more.” She cleared her throat. “My hero is my brother, James Cobb.”
Everyone looked surprised and turned to Jamey.
Nettie continued. “When I was little, Daddy wasn’t around as much as we would’ve liked him to be. Mommy got sick from time to time and it used to scare me. When she’d have an episode and Daddy was away, it was Jamey who could get her to calm down and then he’d come find me because,” she laughed, embarrassed, “I would run off and hide. He’d find me and explain that Mommy couldn’t help the way that she was and that he and I had to work together to get through it, otherwise we’d be sunk.
“Every single scrape or bit of trouble I’ve ever gotten myself into, it’s been Jamey who saves me or helps me through it. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have gotten into the school I’ve been dreaming of going to since I was six and saw my first opera.
“Jamey is the smartest person I know. He’s smart in every single way there is. When he said he wouldn’t be going to college, I figured it was just a weird boy phase and that it would pass. I always dreamt of going to school and having Jamey somewhere nearby to make sure that I was okay, that I was safe.” Nettie’s face crumpled. “But he isn’t going to be. And I d-don’t know what I’m going to do without him…”
“Mei mei.” Jamey started down the steps, his chest aching. “Nettie…”
Nettie made as if to dash off to her room, but he caught her up in his arms and hugged her.
“Shhhh, mei mei,” he whispered in her ear. “Shhhh.”
“I hate you,” she sobbed, trying to strike out at him. “Let me go!”
“Nothin’ doin’,” he said, but pulled back slightly to look into her face. Her eyes were red-rimmed and full of anger and fear. “Why are you so mad at me?”
“You’ve always been there!” Nettie shouted. “On land, on Haven, here! You’re the only thing I could ever really count on! And now you’re abandoning me!”
Jamey shook his head. “You’re the one leaving, Nettie.”
“But you can come with!”
“No, I can’t.”
“Why not?!”
“Look at you!” Jamey boomed, making her flinch. “You need to learn how to stand on your own without me there to solve all your problems for ya! You’re fourteen years old and you’re bright and talented and beautiful! You’re more than capable of being independent. It’s time to let me go.”
“But I don’t know how.” She looked so forlorn that if it didn’t break his heart, he would’ve laughed. He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“You’ll learn. You’re a quick study, Nettie. I know you can do it.”
She looked doubtful but nodded. “If you think I can…”
“Then it’s true,” Jamey finished.
Nettie rolled her eyes. “Big brother knows best?”
“Damn straight,” Jamey agreed, pulling her back into his arms. This time, she hugged him back extra tight.
“Doc!” Pop called out from the catwalk. “Does she get an A or what?!”
END
Previous < Momentary Thing : Next > Dirty Sunshine
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Date: 2006-11-07 12:13 am (UTC)