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toxic_cornSeries: Persephone
Title: Chapter Six (6/7)
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's homecoming.
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!
Catch up on earlier chapters at the organizational post.
CHAPTER SIX
River mainly stuck to the shadows but she eventually found her way out of the black-out zone and to the first working link to the cortex she could find. First she tried calling home but there was no answer, then the hospital but Simon was in surgery, and then her father’s office but he was ‘out.’ So she called for a taxi and huddled in the back, ignoring the driver’s attempts at conversation.
Exhausted, she rested her head against the window. It looked like Jayne wasn’t going to get his ship after all. He would just have to attain his dream in another, more legal way. Or at least another illegal way that had nothing to do with her.
“We’re here, miss,” the driver announced.
“Oh. I have to go in and get your money,” River said, fumbling with the door handle.
“That’s just fine,” the driver said, taking in her wrinkled clothes and the way she was shaking.
She got out of the taxi and stumbled up to the gate just as the front door of the Tam estate flew open.
“River!!”
Sobs ripped out of her throat as her parents and Simon dashed to her and caught her when she collapsed to the ground.
“Nurse Vasquez told me you’d called and I came straight here,” Simon said, gathering her up in his arms. “Are you all right, mei mei?”
“I’m just so happy to be home,” River said through her tears, hugging her brother back as tightly as she could.
Regan Tam stroked her hair and cried along with her daughter. “We weren’t sure we’d ever see you again.”
Gabriel Tam squeezed her shoulder and River looked up at her father. His face was inscrutable. “The kidnappers told us how much they wanted us to pay but then we didn’t hear anything after that. We assumed the worst.”
“Daddy,” she said, softly.
Her father’s face fell and he pulled her to his chest. “I would’ve gotten you back. I tried, I tried, but I didn’t know where you were.”
Simon paid the taxi driver and the family made their way back to the house, arms around one another.
“River,” Mrs. Tam said, looking confused, “what happened to your shoes?”
She looked down at her feet and realized she’d left wearing the boots Jayne had gotten her and burst into fresh tears.
~*~
Josh Hatchett practically bounded down the stairs to the basement. This was going to be a good day. Have a little tumble and then get paid off big time by the government. River Tam was looking to be the greatest thing that ever happened to him.
The best part was knowing he wouldn’t have to share that big pay off. He patted the gun inside his jacket and smirked. As if Cobb was going to cooperate. The big man had no intention of turning his back while he and little River had some fun. Besides, he’d long out-grown his usefulness.
He frowned when he saw the door was slightly ajar. “Cobb?” It was probably a trick. He pulled the gun out and trained it on the door. “Jayne, you in there?”
After a few seconds he reached out a cautious hand and pushed the door open completely.
The room was empty.
Shocked, Hatchett dropped his arm to his side. The bastard had actually taken her away! Dammit, he’d chosen Jayne Cobb for this job because he was notorious for being a selfish bastard who put credits and coin up on a pedestal to worship. Hell, he’d gotten off of Higgin’s Moon by throwing his partner out of the ship before dumping the strong boxes full of cash; he’d thought a guy like that could handle something like this.
He turned and came face to face with two intense-looking men dressed in dark suits. Hatchett jumped before he could control himself but then relaxed.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Is the girl in there?” one of the men asked and peered around Hatchett. He used one of his blue-gloved hands to push the door open even further.
“No,” Hatchett said, cursing Jayne’s name. “She must have escaped.”
The men walked into the room and looked around. If Hatchett hadn’t known any better, he would say that a girl and huge man had never even been there; everything was cleaned up perfectly, no signs of habitation whatsoever.
“You were looking after her yourself, weren’t you, Mr. Hatchett?” one of the men asked, pulling out what looked like a pen.
Hatchett brightened. Maybe this meant he was going to get a check instead of credits. A finder’s fee perhaps? Stupid Cobb, missing out on this.
“Yes, I was the only one who knew she was here,” Hatchett said, all smiles.
The blue-gloved man didn’t so much as blink. “Good.”
A high frequency whining filled the air and Hatchett felt his nose start to drip. Embarrassed, he reached for his handkerchief and dabbed at it. When he pulled the cloth away from his face, he was horrified to find blood staining the white fabric and that the hand holding the handkerchief was leaking blood from under the fingernails.
Then blood was coming out of every orifice and Josh Hatchett died screaming.
~*~
River couldn’t sleep. She turned to her left side facing the wall and sighed. It didn’t matter what position she was in; she knew why she was awake.
She had grown used to falling asleep to the sound of Jayne’s breathing.
A heavy weight settled on her heart. He would’ve gotten her note by now. How had he responded to it? Was he amused that he’d gotten her to care for him deeply? No matter how much she tried to tell herself it was Stockholm syndrome, identifying with her captor in order to make her stay more bearable, she couldn’t quite convince herself.
She’d fallen in love with Jayne Cobb. With his gruff demeanor disguising his care for her, his guilt over his past, the gentle way he'd tuck the blankets around her before she'd go to sleep, the way he'd pause just a moment when they sat down at dinner to let her sit first, his pretty blue eyes watching her when he thought she wasn't looking...
Giving up, River got out of bed to go get a glass of warm milk. It tasted vile but it always worked to make her feel sleepy. She and Simon would have some in the kitchen on nights before big exams or presentations and have their best conversations there.
She was passing her father’s study when voices inside caught her attention.
“Thank you for taking care of this mess.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Tam. We’ve had our eyes on Joshua Hatchett for some time now. He was working with another man but we haven’t found him yet. I’m afraid our resources in the black-out zone are… limited.”
“It shouldn’t matter, should it? He was gone by the time you got to the basement, right? He didn’t see anything and for all we know, he set River free. She hasn't exactly spoken much about her abduction.”
“Still, it would be best-”
“He saved my daughter. I don’t want any harm coming to him.”
“If that’s what you wish, Mr. Tam. Are you willing to uphold your part of our arrangement? Have us find your daughter in exchange for her attendance at our school?”
“Yes, yes of course.”
“Wonderful.”
Sickened, River backed away from the door and hurried back to her room. She knew her father liked to curry favor but at the cost of his own child? How could he be so heartless? His tears earlier in the afternoon she’d taken to mean he’d forgiven her but now she could see them for what they were; a sign of guilt. He had condemned her to save her, if that made any sense at all.
She gathered some of her things together into the pink duffle bag she normally stowed her dance gear in, thinking fast. She had to find Jayne. Those men were going to be looking for him, no matter what they told her father. She had to warn him.
Quietly she sneaked to the front door, not wanting to attract the attention of her father or the government men.
“River?” Simon stood in the doorway to the kitchen, holding a glass of milk. “What are you doing?” He looked at her bag, forehead creasing in confusion. “Where are you going?”
“I can’t stay. Daddy’s going to send me to the Academy.”
Simon frowned. “He would never do that. What gave you that idea?”
She stared at her brother a long moment. Had she ever been that naive? Seeing this side of her brother underlined the notion that she really couldn't stay in this house. “I heard him myself, Simon,” River said, patiently. “I have to leave.”
“But where are you going to go?” Simon’s tone was sharp but she could hear the worry in it. “River, it’s not safe out there for you to be on your own.”
“I won’t be,” she said without thinking.
“You’re going to go find him aren’t you?” Simon shook his head. “That’s not healthy, River.”
“And what is healthy, Simon?” River snapped. “Going to that top secret Academy where they’ll do God-knows-what to me? You know what they have planned can’t be good; they wouldn’t even allow us to tour the ‘campus’ remember?”
Simon opened his mouth to argue but then his shoulders slumped. “I wish you didn’t have to go at all.”
River dropped her bag and went to her brother’s side, wrapping her arms around his middle. Though he was being a boob, she still felt for him. He had protected and cared for her for so many years, it was going to be hard for him to let go. “I’ll be fine. I’ll make a new life for myself, maybe make some friends. And I’ll keep myself safe. I can’t do any of that here.”
“Let me go with you,” Simon said firmly, not quite a request but not a question either.
“No.” River shook her head. “You love it at the hospital; you can’t give up your life for me, Simon.”
“But-”
The voices from upstairs were becoming more loud and clear. River’s eyes widened and she quickly kissed Simon’s cheek. “There’s no more time; I have to go now. Goodbye, ge ge. I love you.”
Simon looked troubled but nodded. “Call me when you’re settled somewhere safe.”
“I’ll try.” River gave her big brother one last squeeze and escaped out the front door. She ducked into her mother’s rosebushes and scratched herself a great deal but she stayed there, holding her breath as the front door opened a few minutes later.
Two men wearing dark suits and blue gloves on their hands made their way down the driveway to the gate. She waited until they’d gotten into their vehicle and driven away before shakily leaving her hiding place.
Once she was outside the confines of the Tam estate, she paused to take a look at the house she’d grown up in. It was beautifully maintained, extravagant, and completely closed to her.
Shifting the bag on her shoulder, she turned and left her old life far behind her, her thoughts moving ahead to Jayne.
< Chapter Five : Chapter Seven >
Title: Chapter Six (6/7)
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's homecoming.
Notes: Written as a gift to
sandwch__zombie. Here's to you, sweetie!Catch up on earlier chapters at the organizational post.
River mainly stuck to the shadows but she eventually found her way out of the black-out zone and to the first working link to the cortex she could find. First she tried calling home but there was no answer, then the hospital but Simon was in surgery, and then her father’s office but he was ‘out.’ So she called for a taxi and huddled in the back, ignoring the driver’s attempts at conversation.
Exhausted, she rested her head against the window. It looked like Jayne wasn’t going to get his ship after all. He would just have to attain his dream in another, more legal way. Or at least another illegal way that had nothing to do with her.
“We’re here, miss,” the driver announced.
“Oh. I have to go in and get your money,” River said, fumbling with the door handle.
“That’s just fine,” the driver said, taking in her wrinkled clothes and the way she was shaking.
She got out of the taxi and stumbled up to the gate just as the front door of the Tam estate flew open.
“River!!”
Sobs ripped out of her throat as her parents and Simon dashed to her and caught her when she collapsed to the ground.
“Nurse Vasquez told me you’d called and I came straight here,” Simon said, gathering her up in his arms. “Are you all right, mei mei?”
“I’m just so happy to be home,” River said through her tears, hugging her brother back as tightly as she could.
Regan Tam stroked her hair and cried along with her daughter. “We weren’t sure we’d ever see you again.”
Gabriel Tam squeezed her shoulder and River looked up at her father. His face was inscrutable. “The kidnappers told us how much they wanted us to pay but then we didn’t hear anything after that. We assumed the worst.”
“Daddy,” she said, softly.
Her father’s face fell and he pulled her to his chest. “I would’ve gotten you back. I tried, I tried, but I didn’t know where you were.”
Simon paid the taxi driver and the family made their way back to the house, arms around one another.
“River,” Mrs. Tam said, looking confused, “what happened to your shoes?”
She looked down at her feet and realized she’d left wearing the boots Jayne had gotten her and burst into fresh tears.
Josh Hatchett practically bounded down the stairs to the basement. This was going to be a good day. Have a little tumble and then get paid off big time by the government. River Tam was looking to be the greatest thing that ever happened to him.
The best part was knowing he wouldn’t have to share that big pay off. He patted the gun inside his jacket and smirked. As if Cobb was going to cooperate. The big man had no intention of turning his back while he and little River had some fun. Besides, he’d long out-grown his usefulness.
He frowned when he saw the door was slightly ajar. “Cobb?” It was probably a trick. He pulled the gun out and trained it on the door. “Jayne, you in there?”
After a few seconds he reached out a cautious hand and pushed the door open completely.
The room was empty.
Shocked, Hatchett dropped his arm to his side. The bastard had actually taken her away! Dammit, he’d chosen Jayne Cobb for this job because he was notorious for being a selfish bastard who put credits and coin up on a pedestal to worship. Hell, he’d gotten off of Higgin’s Moon by throwing his partner out of the ship before dumping the strong boxes full of cash; he’d thought a guy like that could handle something like this.
He turned and came face to face with two intense-looking men dressed in dark suits. Hatchett jumped before he could control himself but then relaxed.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Is the girl in there?” one of the men asked and peered around Hatchett. He used one of his blue-gloved hands to push the door open even further.
“No,” Hatchett said, cursing Jayne’s name. “She must have escaped.”
The men walked into the room and looked around. If Hatchett hadn’t known any better, he would say that a girl and huge man had never even been there; everything was cleaned up perfectly, no signs of habitation whatsoever.
“You were looking after her yourself, weren’t you, Mr. Hatchett?” one of the men asked, pulling out what looked like a pen.
Hatchett brightened. Maybe this meant he was going to get a check instead of credits. A finder’s fee perhaps? Stupid Cobb, missing out on this.
“Yes, I was the only one who knew she was here,” Hatchett said, all smiles.
The blue-gloved man didn’t so much as blink. “Good.”
A high frequency whining filled the air and Hatchett felt his nose start to drip. Embarrassed, he reached for his handkerchief and dabbed at it. When he pulled the cloth away from his face, he was horrified to find blood staining the white fabric and that the hand holding the handkerchief was leaking blood from under the fingernails.
Then blood was coming out of every orifice and Josh Hatchett died screaming.
River couldn’t sleep. She turned to her left side facing the wall and sighed. It didn’t matter what position she was in; she knew why she was awake.
She had grown used to falling asleep to the sound of Jayne’s breathing.
A heavy weight settled on her heart. He would’ve gotten her note by now. How had he responded to it? Was he amused that he’d gotten her to care for him deeply? No matter how much she tried to tell herself it was Stockholm syndrome, identifying with her captor in order to make her stay more bearable, she couldn’t quite convince herself.
She’d fallen in love with Jayne Cobb. With his gruff demeanor disguising his care for her, his guilt over his past, the gentle way he'd tuck the blankets around her before she'd go to sleep, the way he'd pause just a moment when they sat down at dinner to let her sit first, his pretty blue eyes watching her when he thought she wasn't looking...
Giving up, River got out of bed to go get a glass of warm milk. It tasted vile but it always worked to make her feel sleepy. She and Simon would have some in the kitchen on nights before big exams or presentations and have their best conversations there.
She was passing her father’s study when voices inside caught her attention.
“Thank you for taking care of this mess.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Tam. We’ve had our eyes on Joshua Hatchett for some time now. He was working with another man but we haven’t found him yet. I’m afraid our resources in the black-out zone are… limited.”
“It shouldn’t matter, should it? He was gone by the time you got to the basement, right? He didn’t see anything and for all we know, he set River free. She hasn't exactly spoken much about her abduction.”
“Still, it would be best-”
“He saved my daughter. I don’t want any harm coming to him.”
“If that’s what you wish, Mr. Tam. Are you willing to uphold your part of our arrangement? Have us find your daughter in exchange for her attendance at our school?”
“Yes, yes of course.”
“Wonderful.”
Sickened, River backed away from the door and hurried back to her room. She knew her father liked to curry favor but at the cost of his own child? How could he be so heartless? His tears earlier in the afternoon she’d taken to mean he’d forgiven her but now she could see them for what they were; a sign of guilt. He had condemned her to save her, if that made any sense at all.
She gathered some of her things together into the pink duffle bag she normally stowed her dance gear in, thinking fast. She had to find Jayne. Those men were going to be looking for him, no matter what they told her father. She had to warn him.
Quietly she sneaked to the front door, not wanting to attract the attention of her father or the government men.
“River?” Simon stood in the doorway to the kitchen, holding a glass of milk. “What are you doing?” He looked at her bag, forehead creasing in confusion. “Where are you going?”
“I can’t stay. Daddy’s going to send me to the Academy.”
Simon frowned. “He would never do that. What gave you that idea?”
She stared at her brother a long moment. Had she ever been that naive? Seeing this side of her brother underlined the notion that she really couldn't stay in this house. “I heard him myself, Simon,” River said, patiently. “I have to leave.”
“But where are you going to go?” Simon’s tone was sharp but she could hear the worry in it. “River, it’s not safe out there for you to be on your own.”
“I won’t be,” she said without thinking.
“You’re going to go find him aren’t you?” Simon shook his head. “That’s not healthy, River.”
“And what is healthy, Simon?” River snapped. “Going to that top secret Academy where they’ll do God-knows-what to me? You know what they have planned can’t be good; they wouldn’t even allow us to tour the ‘campus’ remember?”
Simon opened his mouth to argue but then his shoulders slumped. “I wish you didn’t have to go at all.”
River dropped her bag and went to her brother’s side, wrapping her arms around his middle. Though he was being a boob, she still felt for him. He had protected and cared for her for so many years, it was going to be hard for him to let go. “I’ll be fine. I’ll make a new life for myself, maybe make some friends. And I’ll keep myself safe. I can’t do any of that here.”
“Let me go with you,” Simon said firmly, not quite a request but not a question either.
“No.” River shook her head. “You love it at the hospital; you can’t give up your life for me, Simon.”
“But-”
The voices from upstairs were becoming more loud and clear. River’s eyes widened and she quickly kissed Simon’s cheek. “There’s no more time; I have to go now. Goodbye, ge ge. I love you.”
Simon looked troubled but nodded. “Call me when you’re settled somewhere safe.”
“I’ll try.” River gave her big brother one last squeeze and escaped out the front door. She ducked into her mother’s rosebushes and scratched herself a great deal but she stayed there, holding her breath as the front door opened a few minutes later.
Two men wearing dark suits and blue gloves on their hands made their way down the driveway to the gate. She waited until they’d gotten into their vehicle and driven away before shakily leaving her hiding place.
Once she was outside the confines of the Tam estate, she paused to take a look at the house she’d grown up in. It was beautifully maintained, extravagant, and completely closed to her.
Shifting the bag on her shoulder, she turned and left her old life far behind her, her thoughts moving ahead to Jayne.
< Chapter Five : Chapter Seven >
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Date: 2006-12-14 02:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-14 02:35 am (UTC)