Here it is! The 4th part of the 'Six Years' Saga. The sequel to Scattered to the Wind, Driftwood and Ace's High so you'll need to read them first to know what's happening.
I own nothing - i just play here.
Please read and review.
Italics are flashbacks.
Here.
Chapter 1: Down the Rabbit Hole
The tiny cottage sits on the banks of the lake in a large green meadow, hidden in the mountains of nowhere. River has already shouted to the mountains, delighting in the echoes that come rippling back.
There is nothing to do here but swim, and relax and play house. Jayne doesn't mind River playing house.
How Mal had known about this cottage they had not asked. Nor do they particularly care. They are too wrapped up in one another to wonder on things like that.
Simon rolls over and stares at the ceiling. He strains his ears to try and hear anything other than the faint hum of the engine in the distance. Nothing. He hates the fact that he is the only one still sleeping in the passenger dorms. Kaylee has been off with him since Icarus and he doesn't know why. He sighs and turns onto his side.
Jayne yawns and rolls onto his back. River snuggles up under his arm and rests her head against his chest.
"I don't want to go back," she murmurs, eyes half closed.
He kisses her hair. "We have to," he says. "They'll be here in about an hour to pick us up."
He closes his eyes and starts to doze off again. Suddenly River sits bolt upright and screams as loudly as she possibly can. Jayne nearly falls off the bed.
"What the?"
She is just babbling now, her face pressed into her hands. "Won't go back. I won't."
He grabs her shoulders and shakes her. "River!"
"I won't go back to them! Not a girl anymore. Can't make me leave."
"I won't let you go anywhere," he says softly.
"They'll try and take me! Hurt you, hurt him, hurt us. I want this, want to have this with you!" she starts screaming and sobbing again.
Jayne pulls her hands away from her face, and kisses her roughly. She quiets momentarily.
He pulls away. She stares at him, her eyes wide and dark.
"They're going to rip it out of me." Her voice is a rough whisper.
He pushes her hair back off her face. "No, they're not."
Two tears run down her cheeks. "Yes they are."
"This is to lower the landing legs…"
Baby Mal giggles on Wash's lap as he sets Serenity down on the dirt ball world in the middle of nowhere to pick up River and Jayne.
"I really think he's too young to be learning piloting dear," Zoë says entering the bridge.
"No he's not," Wash protests, but he does put baby Mal down on the floor.
He starts crawling towards the steps. Mal chooses that moment to walk into the bridge.
"What's this rug rat doing loose on my bridge?" he says striding forward and scooping up the child before Zoë or Wash can move.
"Wash was teaching him to fly the ship," Zoë says calmly.
Mal obviously doesn't know how to hold babies the right way because baby Mal is squirming. Zoë takes him out of Mal's arms.
"Err right," he says leaning on the back of the co-pilot's chair with his hands. "Anyways lets collect our two lovebirds and then get flying."
"I thought we were the lovebirds," Wash sounds put out and looks to Zoë. "Zoë aren't we supposed to be the lovebirds?"
Mal laughs. "Lets just go get them shall we? I've got a job to be doin'."
Jayne carries River back to the ship and to the infirmary. Simon has a moment of blind panic at the sight of his sister's limp body in Jayne's arms. He thinks about punching Jayne but decides to go into full doctor mode instead. He starts hooking all the monitors up to River and barking orders and questions at Jayne.
Mal appears in the doorway. "What's going on?"
"Don't know," Simon says filling a syringe.
"Err, people. We got company. Mal its Reavers." Wash's voice comes over the comm and cuts into their conversation like a scalpel.
"Take us off the world Wash," Mal says into the comm, his voice calm and steady.
Simon looks up, the syringe still in his hand. Reavers. Not again. He looks towards the door agitated, wondering where Kaylee is.
"Finish your work doctor," Mal says leaving the infirmary.
Simon stares at his back for a moment and then injects River carefully.
Jayne had left the room at the first mention of Reavers, and now returns clutching Vera. He looks down at his unconscious wife.
The ship rumbles as it takes off.
River opens her eyes suddenly. "They're here."
Simon leans over her. "Are you alright mei mei?"
She nods weakly.
Jayne looks up at him, his hand resting on River's forehead. "Go."
Simon leaves the room at a run, but swerves to his room before looking for Kaylee. He fishes his hand into a nook down the side of his bed. His fingers close around cold metal and he smiles to himself. He won't be unprepared this time. He tucks the gun into his waistband and pulls his shirt over it. He knows where he needs to be.
"Kaylee."
She turns. There is fear in her eyes. "Simon…"
He reaches for her and pulls her into his arms. "Not again. Not this time," he murmurs in her ear.
Kaylee leans into him gratefully and feels something hard press against her. He's got a gun. Simon has a gun. On him.
She pulls away sharply. "I've...err…I need to be in the engine room."
"Oh," Simon steps back. "Ok."
Kaylee hurries towards the engine room. From just outside the door she hears a scraping noise. She steps into the room carefully, her entire body tense. And finds Mal. He is sat against the wall below her hammock, his pistol in his hands.
"No mercy," he is muttering softly. "No mercy. You're all going to die…"
An icy shudder goes up and down her spine. But this is Mal. And she remembers what happened the last time Serenity met with Reavers. She drops into a crouch in front of him.
"Cap'n?"
He looks up at her, his brow knitted in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
She frowns. "It's the engine room, I'm always here." She hides the fear in her voice.
"But you're meant to die…"
She grabs his shoulders roughly. "Malcolm Reynolds!"
Serenity bumps with turbulence and Mal tenses his grip on the gun a little more.
"I don't want to fight them again," he says quietly.
"You won't have to," Kaylee wraps a hand around his, and shuffles to sit next to him. "Wash is gonna get us out of here, you'll see. They couldn't kill us before. They won't now alright?"
He nods and rests his head down on her shoulder. Kaylee realises that he is shaking and squeezes his hand.
They sit like that against the wall for a long time.
Simon enters the infirmary and comes face to face with the business end of Vera. "Jayne! Its me!"
"Thought you might be a Reaver." Jayne lowers Vera and moves back to River's side.
She is sitting up now and the colour in her cheeks is better. Simon gives Jayne a look that says 'how could I be a reaver?' and moves to her side. He feels her pulse in her wrist.
"How are you mei mei?"
"I'm okay," she says then frowns at his quizzical look. "I am alright." She smiles at him. "Its just the three of us. Like last time."
River's hand snakes into Simon's just as Jayne lays a hand on her shoulder.
"We're the three musketeers," she says with a wry smile.
"All for one…" Simon starts, feeling a little sick. This is not going to be like last time.
Jayne finishes his words. "And one for ruttin' all."
I don't want to die at all.
Inara listens to the sounds of Serenity around her and wonders where Mal is. She remembers how he looked when they last spoke of what happened. He was terrified them so what now?
She knots the blanket she is sitting on between her fingers and realises something. She is not afraid of dying. She is afraid of him dying. Again. She isn't sure if she could live with that for a second time.
Wash's arm muscles tense as he pilots Serenity as fast as he can out of atmo.
Zoë cradles baby Mal against her stomach and watches him from the co-pilot's seat. She doesn't say a word. Baby Mal wiggles, wanting to get down. She keeps her hold on him. Reavers. She will kill them all before she lets them get a hold on her baby.
"Come on baby," Wash pleads. "Not this time." He reaches up and flicks some switches. "Come on baby. Do it for me."
Serenity gives a judder as they hit the Black. Wash kicks in all the power he can and heads for the stars.
Zoë leans over a screen on the console. The blip of the Reaver ship is rapidly disappearing off the edge. She looks over at Wash and lets out a whoosh of breath she didn't know she was holding. Wash grins at her. Mal gurgles and claps his hands. Zoë picks up the intercom. "We're clear people. My man did good."
"Atta girl," Wash strokes the console lovingly.
Zoë smiles at him and mouths 'I love you'.
He grins widely. "Love you too."
Inara chooses that moment to enter the bridge.
"Well done Wash," she says warmly before crossing the space between them and firmly planting a kiss on his cheek.
Zoë stands, "Inara? Could you take the helm please, and our son?" She dumps a squirming child in Inara's arms.
Wash spins the steering column back to its locked position. "Hmmm surviving and sex, what a day!" He grins from ear to ear and bounds from his seat.
Inara laughs as Zoë grabs his shirtfront and drags him from the bridge. Inara sits down and settles Mal on her lap.
This is where the captain finds her minutes later. She hasn't noticed him yet. She looks beautiful against the backdrop of stars.
"What's the Companion policy on children?"
I wish I hadn't said that he thinks before he even finishes the sentence.
She looks up. "Its complicated." There is a warning tone to her voice.
"Like us," Mal says walking fully into the room, but keeping his gaze away from her. On the stars. "Our next job is in the Core. Your sort of worlds." He pauses. "Not sure why you didn't go back. Was mightily surprised to find you slumming it on Persephone."
Why hadn't she? He wonders.
Why didn't I? She thinks.
Mal keeps his eyes fixed out of the window. "I don't want you to sleep with anyone," he mumbles.
Inara starts and snatches a glance at him. He doesn't look at her.
Baby Mal interrupts by grabbing her sleeve. "Inala…" he lisps, in his just learning to talk way, "want Kaykay…"
"Okay Mally," she can never quite bring herself to call him Mal. "We'll go and find Kaylee." She looks at Mal still looking out of the window. "Mal…"
He cuts her off, "Need you on the job anyways." There is a pause. "Kaylee's in the engine room."
Inara frowns at him. "What is this job?"