That Lake Scene, a firefly fanfic

That Lake Scene

Notes and Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. Nor will they ever be mine. This is just a scene, a random happy scene meant to be part of a much longer story. I absolutely despise posting WIPs - but despite the potential, I'm not sure if this one's going to go anywhere. And it was nearly lost completely in a recent computer crash, which would've been a shame since I'm actually quite fond of it. (Maybe it's just because I never let these kids have any fun.) So here it is, for what it's worth.

***

"Oooh, it's so big... Just look at it."

Kaylee stood at the edge of the lake, her eyes wide. The calm blue water stretched out in front of them, the far shore a distant, barely visible thing. The sight of so much water was a bit overwhelming, like something out of a story of Earth-That-Was. Like something you only thought you'd ever see in your imagination, a fantastical picture that resided behind closed eyelids.

"It certainly is a lovely sight," Simon said, standing beside her on the bank. Still, lovely or not, he couldn't help but steal a glance or two at Kaylee. In his opinion, the wonder on her face was competing with the view of the lake.

Kaylee, however, remained oblivious to his observation, her eyes still on the expanse before them. "Can't you just imagine how good all that water would feel on your skin? I bet it's real cold..." She lifted the hair off her neck with one hand, wishing for a breeze to come up and cool things off. "Hey, you think Cap would mind if we went for a swim?"

She turned, looking at the rest of them, her eyes as excited as the grin splitting her face. Simon looked from her to River to the lake and back again. River was smiling too - a sight more common these days, but still not one that came often enough. She nodded at him, today just a kid sister trying to get something out of her big brother. He wondered if this manipulation had been her plan all along when she decided to bring them here. No doubt she'd guessed that even if he could stand up in the face of her pleading, he'd be no match at all if she and Kaylee combined forces.

Still, he couldn't help the mental recitation of all the possibilities for danger inherent in this situation. He knew full well that what might look like a simple lake spread out invitingly in the afternoon sun wasn't necessarily the easy fun it seemed. Not out here. Who knew what kind of potentially deadly creatures lived in its depths, waiting for human-sized prey to unwittingly come their way. Or what kind of human-sized predators might come along when they had their backs turned. Toxins in the water. Drowning. The Captain's potential bad mood.

"I don't know..." He looked to Wash, hoping for support, only to find the other man already pulling off his boots. Hopping on one foot, Wash gave him a one-shouldered shrug.

"What Mal doesn't know won't hurt him, right?"

"Maybe not, but that don't mean it won't hurt you," came a familiar voice.

They turned nearly as one - Wash overbalancing and almost toppling over - to see Mal, Zoe, and Jayne walking toward them. The trio had been returning to Serenity after a meeting to drop off their cargo, when they topped a small ridge in time to see Simon and Kaylee - each with a hand covering their eyes - being led by River toward the lake. Wash trailed behind them, all four oblivious to their approach. They'd closed the distance just in time to hear the pilot's statement.

Zoe shared a quick look with her husband, noticing that at least he had the sense to look a bit chagrined - as much as one could while jumping around wearing only one shoe.

Kaylee reacted first, grabbing Mal's arm and tugging him to the water's edge. "Ain't it real pretty, Cap'n?"

Mal's gaze lingered over the big lake. "That it is," he agreed.

She looked up at him. "You think maybe we have time for a swim?"

Mal hesitated; as usual, he found it difficult to resist her enthusiasm. And all that water did look awfully tempting. They'd passed it earlier, on their way to the meeting, but they'd been running late; he didn't see much reason to keep the man waiting any longer than he already had so that they could stop and enjoy the view. It had been made more than clear to them when they were hired that this was a person who didn't like to be kept waiting, and there was no sense in getting on anybody's bad side before they had money in their hands. But now, standing here with no appointments to keep and a day that seemed intent on getting warmer and warmer, he was hard pressed to come up with a reason why this was a bad idea.

Still, it was his job to look out for these people, especially if they were planning on wandering around strange planets with their eyes closed like a bunch of fong luh children. Like Simon, he was able to come up with a possibility or two for disaster. "Don't know, Kaylee. Might be somethin' living in there that won't take kindly to you splashing 'round its home."

Her face fell. "Aw, come on, Cap'n. Can't we just stick our feet in?"

Couldn't be much harm in that, he figured. Kaylee and Wash were looking at him expectantly, hopefully. He hated that look - it tended be followed soon after by him doing something against his better judgement. Zoe was looking out at the water, her expression inscrutable. Jayne just looked bored. A glance to his other side found Simon, crouching at the water's edge. The doctor scooped up a handful of clear liquid, sniffing at it as it trickled through his fingers.

Just before River came up behind him and pushed him in.

"Time for a swim," she said, smiling contentedly.

Simon landed face-first in four feet of water, his spluttering as he surfaced almost completely drowned out by Jayne's deep guffaws. Mal couldn't keep the smile off his face, and he saw Kaylee cover her mouth in an attempt to stifle her giggles. River's amusement didn't waver, even in the face of Simon's obvious outrage.

"Well, seems the little sis thinks it's safe."

River looked away from her brother to turn her smile on Mal. She nodded. "Come on in. Water's fine."

He held up his hands, taking a step back before she got any ideas. "None for me, thanks." He looked over at Kaylee. "But I suppose it won't hurt none for the rest of you to have some fun. Just so's long as nobody does any drownin', and you're all back home in time for supper."

Kaylee lit up like he'd handed her a brand-new engine part. "Shiny! You mean it?" She bent down to start unlacing her boots even as she asked.

"'Course I mean it." Out of the corner of his eye, Mal watched a dripping Simon try to stealthily creep up behind Kaylee. He wondered that she didn't seem to hear him moving through all that noisy water, but between Jayne still laughing like the doctor's sudden swim was the funniest thing he'd seen in months and her excitement at what he was saying, her attention was elsewhere. "But if any of them water-bound creatures get a mind to take a bite outta you, I don't wanna hear no complainin', dong ma?"

"No complainin'. Got it." She yanked the second boot off, started to straighten up. "Heck, I --"

Whatever she was about to say was abruptly cut short when Simon wrapped his arms around her middle and dragged them both backward into the lake. Kaylee squealed in surprise; Jayne laughed even harder. It was infectious, and Mal found himself chuckling.

"Simon got the girl," River said. Her boots were already off, her toes just touching the edge of the water. She squatted there, dangling her hand over the surface so that only her fingertips dipped in. She seemed fascinated, totally absorbed - though Mal somehow doubted Simon would be able to sneak up on her as easily, had he the mind.

Wash - finally without footwear himself - was pulling off the faded printed overshirt to reveal a sleeveless tank underneath. He waggled his eyebrows at Zoe. "And what about you? You want to throw me in the lake?"

Zoe smiled sweetly at him, patting the side of his jaw. "Very tempting, dear."

"I'll throw you in," Jayne told him.

The dirty look he gave Jayne was his only response as he knelt down to unlace Zoe's boots. "Come on," he pleaded up at her, gesturing with one hand at Simon and Kaylee while working at a knot with the other. "There's fun to be had. Very wet fun. We could be a part of that."

Zoe watched him, the laces zipping out of their eyelets as he rushed to get them undone. She could feel a trickle of sweat tickling its way down between her breasts, the dampness of her back where her shirt met her waistband. It had been a long long time since she'd seen so much water in one place. The last time that even came close, she'd watched a soldier fly twelve feet straight up in the dusk air after accidentally tripping a floating landmine.

But this was different, she reminded herself. The sun was shining; the air around them smelled fresh and clean. The lake might hold some unseen dangers, but it was a fairly safe bet that booby traps weren't one of them. Not out here, a couple of miles from the only thing in the area that could possibly be called civilization. Even saying such about the cluster of ramshackle stores and the saloon they'd just left was being generous; she figured the people who had the misfortune to spend their time in a place like that probably worried more about survival then laying traps for unsuspecting strangers.

Her eyes darted to Mal over the top of her husband's head. She didn't doubt he was remembering the young soldier as well, but if he was concerned about a repeat performance he wasn't showing it. The grin he flashed her momentarily took away some of the tired lines around his eyes. "Don't be looking to me to save you. Anything about swimmin' in those vows a'yours?"

Wash had her boots unlaced and loosened; Zoe obediently lifted a foot so he could pull one off. "Didn't come up."

He tapped her other calf; she lifted the other foot. Wash was smiling broadly in his apparent victory. "Short ceremony. I had to cut a lot of things." He stood up and took her hand, leading her toward the water's edge.

Zoe arched an eyebrow at that, but allowed herself to be lead. "Is that right? Sounds like you're lookin' to get yourself thrown in after all, husband."

They waded into the water together, a slight distance from the others. "Always with the threats. Promises, promises, I say."

Mal stood back on the sand, watching them all. Simon or Kaylee had coaxed River out into the water as well, and the three of them were engaged in an intense splashing fight. He'd never seen the girl look as at ease as she did now. Her brother too. Kaylee looked as happy as anything, happy as when she'd realized he was offering her a place on his boat. He shook his head, marveling at how young they all seemed. A bunch of kids playing in the sun.

The lake bottom dropped off quickly, and Wash and Zoe didn't have to go out very far before the water was up near their shoulders. Wash pulled her into his arms for a kiss; Mal turned away to look over at Jayne beside him. "You ain't goin' in?"

The big man shook his head once. "Don't swim." He watched the others with a sneer. "Look at 'em, splashing 'round like a bunch of ruttin' crazies."

"You should try it," Wash called to him, his arms still disappearing into the water to wrap around his wife's waist. "It might make you smell better. Of course," he continued cheerfully, his eyes on Zoe, "those clothes of yours might fall apart if they ever were to touch water."

"Awful big talk, little man."

Wash spread his arms wide, kicking out a little farther in the water. "You going to come out here and get me, Jayne?"

Zoe reached out to him, pulling him back to her. "Now, honey, what've I told you 'bout antagonizing the man with the big guns?" She kissed him again, their attention instantly diverted from the mercenary prowling the bank.

"Gotta come out sometime," Jayne said, scowling.

"Jayne," Mal warned under his breath. "Play nice."

He looked angry, on the verge of protesting, but he stopped whatever he was about to say before it came out. "Chou ma niao. I'm goin' back to the ship," he growled, stalking off.

Mal watched him for a minute before turning back to the scene in front of him, the smile returning to his lips. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, feeling the sun warm on his face. His shoulders relaxed for what felt like the first time in a good long while, and he stood there like that, listening to the sounds of his happy crew. Well, mostly happy, at any rate. But Jayne would come around as soon as they got back to Serenity and split up the take. Money always did have a cheering effect on him.

He opened his eyes and stretched, several vertebrae and a shoulder popping along the way. They were tired, but now they could afford to take some time off. Not much, but more than they'd seen recently. A little break, some well-deserved rest, before it was on to the next thing. Maybe even a touch of smooth between the rough patches.

Time to get back to it. A nice walk back in the sunshine, then plenty of time to prep Serenity for take-off before the rest of them returned. A pleasant sort of leisurely afternoon. No one was paying attention as he turned away and headed back toward his boat.

He was two-thirds of the way back, cutting through the small copse the way they'd come, when his ears caught the sound of rustling from the trees nearest him. He turned sharply, hand going for his weapon, just as a man stepped into view. Mal froze, as much from the shock of recognition as from the sound of the gun being cocked behind his left ear.

"Well, Captain Reynolds. Fancy meetin' you 'ere," Badger said.

Mal's world went dark.

***