![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
toxic_cornSeries: Persephone
Title: Chapter One (1/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Firefly is owned by Joss Whedon. I own nothing, sadly.
WARNING: This deals with some dark subject matter that may not appeal to everyone. Also, this is an AU where River never went to the Academy and Jayne never joined the Serenity crew. So if you're really into canon this fic is not for you.
Summary: River and Jayne meet.
Notes: Written as a gift to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sandwch__zombie. Here's to you, sweetie!
CHAPTER ONE
Jayne had fifteen minutes until the girl got out of her last class for the day. Quantum Physics or some such crap he had no use for. The girl he’d been trailing for a week now, River Tam, was some kind of egghead genius. When Josh Hatchett had first slid the girl’s picture across the table he’d been surprised by how pretty she was. Made the boring-ass stakeouts a little easier to bear that way.
Of course, if River were anything like the college girls they showed in the vids he liked, this job wouldn’t even be considered work.
He flicked a page of the college brochure he wasn’t reading and nodded to a security guard crossing the courtyard. The guard nodded back as if he and Jayne were in something together and it took everything he had not to roll his eyes. Self-important rent-a-cop.
The doors to the building he’d been watching suddenly opened and Jayne jerked in surprise, checking his watch again. Ten minutes, but it looked like the professor let class go early. Well, it was Friday, maybe even Quantum Physics professors had plans. Maybe he had molecules to count or something.
Carelessly tossing the brochure to the side, Jayne stood up and searched the crowd of students for River. It wasn’t difficult to find her. She trailed behind the others, head ducked down so she stared out into the world through long strands of dark brown hair. Looked apt to faint if someone said so much as “Boo” at her, so he’d have to approach this carefully. Why the hell had Josh left this to him?
“Ms. Tam?” Jayne stepped forward, trying to be as unthreatening as possible.
The girl looked up at him and her eyes widened as he held up a badge. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No, nothing like that.” Jayne put the badge away. “I’m Detective Shelten, Ms. Tam. My superiors have sent me to collect you.” He schooled his features into a sober expression. “It’s your brother.”
Unbelievably, River’s eyes got bigger. “Simon? Is he in trouble?”
“Please, just come with me, Ms. Tam.” Jayne was hoping she’d come along willingly so no one would get suspicious.
“Of- of course,” she stammered. She walked by Jayne’s side, chewing at her lip. “Did something happen at the hospital?”
“I can’t divulge any information at this time, Ms. Tam,” Jayne said, gritting his teeth. She wasn’t going to be bitching the whole way, was she? Hell, why couldn’t he have just stuck a gun in her ribs and marched her off like he’d wanted?
She made a little snuffling noise and he looked down at her to see tears spilling down her cheeks. Great. This was just the attention he didn’t want to attract. Suppressing a sigh, Jayne stopped and put a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“He ain’t hurt, all right? I don’t know much of what’s goin’ on, but I know that much.”
Her eyes were so big and trusting as she nodded. “I’m sorry, Detective Shelten. It’s just that my brother is very dear to me.”
“I know,” he said, without thinking.
River sniffled, fumbling a hand in one of her pockets. “How do you know?”
Uh oh. He thought fast. “I can tell from the water-works, Ms. Tam. You don’t go all cry-face for a brother who dangles loogies over your face.”
To his relief, she giggled and pulled a tissue out of her pocket to blow her nose. “No, Simon has never done that. He’s been a wonderful older brother.”
They’d finally made it to the parking lot and Jayne helped her into the vehicle Josh had picked out. Jayne had been disappointed with it, all plain and boring looking but Josh had insisted on everything being as inconspicuous as possible. She smiled at him gratefully and he felt a tiny twinge of guilt as he slammed the door shut and circled around to the driver’s side.
“When I was little, Simon helped me decorate my room with butterflies,” River said once he was settled in his seat. “We made them with tissue and construction paper.” She smiled dreamily into space, missing him roll his eyes. “All over the walls but the tissue ones for the windows, specifically. They looked so pretty when the sunlight shone through them.”
“I bet,” Jayne said, pulling out of the parking lot.
“You know about butterflies, right?” the girl continued. “How they start out as caterpillars?”
“Remember that covered in primary school, yeah,” Jayne said, maneuvering them through the traffic. What the hell made her think he wanted to hear all this?
“So you know how they start out as caterpillars until they build a chrysalis and emerge changed, beautiful.” She was silent a long moment before softly adding, “I envy them.”
Jayne spared her a look. “Why for?”
She seemed to realize she had company and blushed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
“What, you think you’re a caterpillar?” Jayne said, disbelievingly. “You looked in a mirror before, girl? You’re beautiful.”
If it was possible, she blushed more. “You’re just being polite, detective.”
“I’m never polite,” Jayne said, feeling the most truthful all day.
River ducked her head but he noticed the pleased smile on her face and grinned a little. Maybe he could just drop her off someplace and forget the whole thing, damn Josh Hatchett to hell. But he was low on funds, the Core really ate at a man’s savings, and if it wasn’t him, Josh might pick someone else for this job. Someone who would probably hurt the fragile girl he was sitting next to.
“Detective Shelten?” Gone was the coy blushing of a moment before. Now she looked nervous as she stared out the window at the passing buildings. “Where are we going? This isn’t the way to the hospital or the precinct.”
“How do you know where the precinct is?” Jayne asked, sharply.
The girl flinched. “My father was robbed once when we were on our way to a party. We went to the precinct to report the incident.” She stared at him a moment. “Can I see your badge again?”
“Why do ya-”
“Let me see it.”
He was so surprised by the steel in her tone that he dug in his pocket for the badge and tossed it her way. She stared at it a long moment.
“I didn’t get a good enough look at this the first time,” she said. “Your badge is missing one number.” She looked up at Jayne and he could see the fear in her eyes. “Are you going to kill me?”
“Shut it,” Jayne snarled.
“When girls my age are abducted, they’re usually found later raped and mutilated in a field,” the girl said, shakily. “Oh god.”
“I said shut it,” Jayne snapped, hands tightening on the steering wheel.
She did and she shut her eyes for good measure, tears leaking out through the narrowed slits. Jayne was hoping for some silence but the girl opened her mouth again a few minutes later.
“Where are you taking me?”
“It don’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“That’s what I said.”
She glared at him. “You’re right. It doesn’t matter. Once we get out of this vehicle, the screens will see me with you and my brother will-”
“Ain’t no screens where we’re goin’.”
Her face turned pale. “A black-out zone?”
“Got it in one,” Jayne said, sourly.
“Well, I’ll just start screaming the second we get-”
Jayne snorted. “No one’ll pay any mind, girl.” He pulled a walkie-talkie out of his pocket. “You see this thing?”
“Yes.” She stared at it, sullenly.
“I say the word and my partner makes sure that brother o’ yours is never seen again.” He looked over at her frightened face. “So when we get out of this thing, you’re gonna come with me quietly and you’re not gonna argue or cry or make any fuss. Dong ma?”
She simply stared at him.
“I asked you a question, girl.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I understand.” She turned to look out the window, at the people going about their lives, happy and safe. “But I don’t comprehend.”
: > Chapter Two
Title: Chapter One (1/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Firefly is owned by Joss Whedon. I own nothing, sadly.
WARNING: This deals with some dark subject matter that may not appeal to everyone. Also, this is an AU where River never went to the Academy and Jayne never joined the Serenity crew. So if you're really into canon this fic is not for you.
Summary: River and Jayne meet.
Notes: Written as a gift to
sandwch__zombie. Here's to you, sweetie!Jayne had fifteen minutes until the girl got out of her last class for the day. Quantum Physics or some such crap he had no use for. The girl he’d been trailing for a week now, River Tam, was some kind of egghead genius. When Josh Hatchett had first slid the girl’s picture across the table he’d been surprised by how pretty she was. Made the boring-ass stakeouts a little easier to bear that way.
Of course, if River were anything like the college girls they showed in the vids he liked, this job wouldn’t even be considered work.
He flicked a page of the college brochure he wasn’t reading and nodded to a security guard crossing the courtyard. The guard nodded back as if he and Jayne were in something together and it took everything he had not to roll his eyes. Self-important rent-a-cop.
The doors to the building he’d been watching suddenly opened and Jayne jerked in surprise, checking his watch again. Ten minutes, but it looked like the professor let class go early. Well, it was Friday, maybe even Quantum Physics professors had plans. Maybe he had molecules to count or something.
Carelessly tossing the brochure to the side, Jayne stood up and searched the crowd of students for River. It wasn’t difficult to find her. She trailed behind the others, head ducked down so she stared out into the world through long strands of dark brown hair. Looked apt to faint if someone said so much as “Boo” at her, so he’d have to approach this carefully. Why the hell had Josh left this to him?
“Ms. Tam?” Jayne stepped forward, trying to be as unthreatening as possible.
The girl looked up at him and her eyes widened as he held up a badge. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No, nothing like that.” Jayne put the badge away. “I’m Detective Shelten, Ms. Tam. My superiors have sent me to collect you.” He schooled his features into a sober expression. “It’s your brother.”
Unbelievably, River’s eyes got bigger. “Simon? Is he in trouble?”
“Please, just come with me, Ms. Tam.” Jayne was hoping she’d come along willingly so no one would get suspicious.
“Of- of course,” she stammered. She walked by Jayne’s side, chewing at her lip. “Did something happen at the hospital?”
“I can’t divulge any information at this time, Ms. Tam,” Jayne said, gritting his teeth. She wasn’t going to be bitching the whole way, was she? Hell, why couldn’t he have just stuck a gun in her ribs and marched her off like he’d wanted?
She made a little snuffling noise and he looked down at her to see tears spilling down her cheeks. Great. This was just the attention he didn’t want to attract. Suppressing a sigh, Jayne stopped and put a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“He ain’t hurt, all right? I don’t know much of what’s goin’ on, but I know that much.”
Her eyes were so big and trusting as she nodded. “I’m sorry, Detective Shelten. It’s just that my brother is very dear to me.”
“I know,” he said, without thinking.
River sniffled, fumbling a hand in one of her pockets. “How do you know?”
Uh oh. He thought fast. “I can tell from the water-works, Ms. Tam. You don’t go all cry-face for a brother who dangles loogies over your face.”
To his relief, she giggled and pulled a tissue out of her pocket to blow her nose. “No, Simon has never done that. He’s been a wonderful older brother.”
They’d finally made it to the parking lot and Jayne helped her into the vehicle Josh had picked out. Jayne had been disappointed with it, all plain and boring looking but Josh had insisted on everything being as inconspicuous as possible. She smiled at him gratefully and he felt a tiny twinge of guilt as he slammed the door shut and circled around to the driver’s side.
“When I was little, Simon helped me decorate my room with butterflies,” River said once he was settled in his seat. “We made them with tissue and construction paper.” She smiled dreamily into space, missing him roll his eyes. “All over the walls but the tissue ones for the windows, specifically. They looked so pretty when the sunlight shone through them.”
“I bet,” Jayne said, pulling out of the parking lot.
“You know about butterflies, right?” the girl continued. “How they start out as caterpillars?”
“Remember that covered in primary school, yeah,” Jayne said, maneuvering them through the traffic. What the hell made her think he wanted to hear all this?
“So you know how they start out as caterpillars until they build a chrysalis and emerge changed, beautiful.” She was silent a long moment before softly adding, “I envy them.”
Jayne spared her a look. “Why for?”
She seemed to realize she had company and blushed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
“What, you think you’re a caterpillar?” Jayne said, disbelievingly. “You looked in a mirror before, girl? You’re beautiful.”
If it was possible, she blushed more. “You’re just being polite, detective.”
“I’m never polite,” Jayne said, feeling the most truthful all day.
River ducked her head but he noticed the pleased smile on her face and grinned a little. Maybe he could just drop her off someplace and forget the whole thing, damn Josh Hatchett to hell. But he was low on funds, the Core really ate at a man’s savings, and if it wasn’t him, Josh might pick someone else for this job. Someone who would probably hurt the fragile girl he was sitting next to.
“Detective Shelten?” Gone was the coy blushing of a moment before. Now she looked nervous as she stared out the window at the passing buildings. “Where are we going? This isn’t the way to the hospital or the precinct.”
“How do you know where the precinct is?” Jayne asked, sharply.
The girl flinched. “My father was robbed once when we were on our way to a party. We went to the precinct to report the incident.” She stared at him a moment. “Can I see your badge again?”
“Why do ya-”
“Let me see it.”
He was so surprised by the steel in her tone that he dug in his pocket for the badge and tossed it her way. She stared at it a long moment.
“I didn’t get a good enough look at this the first time,” she said. “Your badge is missing one number.” She looked up at Jayne and he could see the fear in her eyes. “Are you going to kill me?”
“Shut it,” Jayne snarled.
“When girls my age are abducted, they’re usually found later raped and mutilated in a field,” the girl said, shakily. “Oh god.”
“I said shut it,” Jayne snapped, hands tightening on the steering wheel.
She did and she shut her eyes for good measure, tears leaking out through the narrowed slits. Jayne was hoping for some silence but the girl opened her mouth again a few minutes later.
“Where are you taking me?”
“It don’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“That’s what I said.”
She glared at him. “You’re right. It doesn’t matter. Once we get out of this vehicle, the screens will see me with you and my brother will-”
“Ain’t no screens where we’re goin’.”
Her face turned pale. “A black-out zone?”
“Got it in one,” Jayne said, sourly.
“Well, I’ll just start screaming the second we get-”
Jayne snorted. “No one’ll pay any mind, girl.” He pulled a walkie-talkie out of his pocket. “You see this thing?”
“Yes.” She stared at it, sullenly.
“I say the word and my partner makes sure that brother o’ yours is never seen again.” He looked over at her frightened face. “So when we get out of this thing, you’re gonna come with me quietly and you’re not gonna argue or cry or make any fuss. Dong ma?”
She simply stared at him.
“I asked you a question, girl.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I understand.” She turned to look out the window, at the people going about their lives, happy and safe. “But I don’t comprehend.”
: > Chapter Two
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 12:27 am (UTC)*SCROLLS BACK UP TO READ* AND I SHALL COMMENT AGAIN WHEN I'M DONE. I KNOW IT WILL BE THE BEST THING EVER.
*HUGSSOOOOMUCH*
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 12:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 12:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 01:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:14 am (UTC)Detective Shelton!!! *squee* LOVE IT, LOVE HIM, LOVE YOU!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 03:21 am (UTC)Cool opening, love AUs :)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 05:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 03:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 05:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 07:03 am (UTC)Interesting... very interesting...
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 07:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 07:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 01:30 pm (UTC)I'm not usually into AU fanfics, but I seem to really like the Jayne/RIver ones. I hope you post more soon.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 06:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 04:46 pm (UTC)if it wasn’t him, Josh might pick someone else for this job. Someone who would probably hurt the fragile girl he was sitting next to.
Yes! Awesome!!
*hugs you*
And I love how they're both in character even though they're essentially different!!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 05:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 06:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 06:32 pm (UTC)(Seriously, I'm the last person who has any room to complain about people taking too long to write, considering I've had the second half of "Intervention," half-finished, glaring reproachfully at me from my desktop for a week and a half now. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it this weekend, and we can both have new stories up by Monday!)
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Date: 2006-12-02 08:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-02 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 01:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 02:41 am (UTC)