Disclaimer: I don't own. I just play. Sue if you must. I have
$1.59 in the checking account. There are 19 sticky pennies in the
change jar, many children on the place and even more cats & plastic
fish that might bring you wealth beyond your dreams...or not
Thump in the Night
Mal didn't really hear a thump.
He startled to more nearly awake is all, a half-forgotten sound, more doze than thump. He glared at Wash's dino resting, tail in the air, on the deck. Kicking the toy with the toe of his boot, catching the critter in his left hand, he passed judgment on the plastic reptile for disturbing his comfort.
Jaws spread wide, nicked paint along the row of what were supposed to be teeth, and hideously orange eyes mocked Mal's disgust. It was difficult to muster indignation over a toy that fit in the palm of his hand, especially after the day they'd had. He settled for tossing the beast on the console as all the energy he had to waste on the matter.
That's when he was sure he heard the thump. Spinning in the pilot's chair, he expected to see Wash, expected to enjoy chewing on him for not passing a word he was approaching. Wash knew better than to creep around. A man could get his hair parted in a less sophisticated style doing that.
Instead of Wash, Mal saw twinkly lights and empty corridor. Snatching his empty mug to move around and chase away some of the restlessness, he dismissed thumps in the night. Likely Zoe would confine Wash to their bunk a bit longer, and dozing off, hearing things, was not the way he intended to end the day.
While the coffee heated, Mal allowed a smile to reflect back at him from the cabinets. Jayne had said, "Any one you walk away from, right?" And damned if that wasn't the truth, at least this day, everyone was still walking. The one who wasn't was light enough to carry.
Still flying. More'n Enough.
Coffee sputtered to remind him not to ponder too long on life's little ironies, leastwise, not in the middle of the night. The curls of steam soothed his aching eyes a bit as he ambled through the dining area back to the helm. And damned if there wasn't another thump, this time, followed by a groan.
"Gorram it Zoe, don't kill our pilot!" Mal muttered, retracing his steps, slopping coffee on the table when he set the cup there to listen. "You promised I could kill him if he got to bothering you."
Again. This time, a growl and second thump, followed the first. Mal drew his side arm, treading careful across the grate that rattled if you stepped toward the left of it. Heart rushing oxygen and relaxing muscles that ought not to be clenched, he made his way through the hatch.
Doc seemed exhausted enough, but sleepwalking might be something his sister would do. Hell, maybe the Shepherd got lost on his way from the can. No need to expect it to be another fed, or worse. At the top of the stairs, Mal bent across the railing to peer cautiously below, and found –
"Kaylee?" He huffed, holstering his weapon before clumping down the stairs and around the landing while snarling, "What are ya doing?"
Kaylee's hands clutched the rail as if she might slide down the stairs if she let go. Feet bare and heels planted on the woven metal, coveralls in a wad around her hips, her head bobbed back on to the stair above to gaze loopy eyed at him. "Hi Cap'n."
Mal scrunched beside her, bending on one knee to catch her when she let go of the rail, wobbled sideways and pitched forward. Her hands covered her middle, as she gulped air across Mal's shoulder. Her whisper mingled with a shudder, "Lonely in there, alone."
"You're s'posed to be sleeping." Mal shook his head. "Didn't the doc give you-"
"He gave me stuff, shiny stuff, but it didn't help." Kaylee shoved hair from her face, squinting to focus on Mal, one hand pressed to his shoulder as if it would make the 'verse be still. "That bed is like sleeping on a rock. Besides, it's cold."
"So, you decided what? Haul ass up the steps, and then down the ladder to your own bunk?" Mal rolled his eyes. "How you planning to kick open your door, with your head?"
"Hadn't really planned on – maybe just nudge it a bit." She waved carelessly above her head. Instantly, she regretted the movement and curled against him to capture her breath. When her head bobbed from his shoulder, she greeted him once more. "Oh, it's you. How're we flying?"
He bit his upper lip to squelch the grin trying to stretch his face. She looked as if she were earnestly considering sleeping on the stairs. "Come on, back to bed-"
He started to slide his arms under her knees and around her back, but Kaylee wasn't having it. Slapping at his hands, she tossed herself sideways, landing rough against his knee. Better than the metal stairs, but not by much.
"Can't I go topside, with you. Just for awhile?" Kaylee's hand squeezed his elbow, eyes pleading with pupils so large and full, he didn't have the stamina, or heart, to argue.
"Just for awhile." Mal gathered her carefully, flinching when her thumb dug into his neck. Her clenched jaw sure didn't silence the moan shallow in her chest. He knew that most generally didn't work, was also hard on the teeth. Whispering into her ear, he said, "Gonna screw up the doc's work. Likely he'll have to cut and sew on you again. Then who will tend our Serenity?"
"If the Crazy Ivan didn't do it, figured was good enough to go to my own bed. Don't like sick beds…." Kaylee rested her head on his shoulder, nodding toward his neck because hers seemed to be all wobbly.
She relaxed as he took the stairs slow, watching her feet didn't bash against the rail and jar her. Sidestepping when he reached the top, he hesitated just a moment. Cockpit wasn't really the place to settle wounded folks. Detouring to the dining area, stretching her on the cushions in the dimly lit corner, he bent down so she was simply resting there.
Her hands were cold as the instrument table in the infirmary. He could see the perspiration from her flight up the stairs was now chilling her. Didn't want her to spend energy to stay warm that she needed to heal up. He tossed one of Inara's fancy silk things across Kaylee, just nodding and ignoring her when she fussed about messing it up. She stopped him from scooting away to fetch the doc, by wrapping her arm around his knee. If he tugged, he knew he'd hurt her, so he sat on the table.
"What?" He smiled at her glazed expression, doubted she knew what she'd been thinking of five seconds ago, let alone this second.
"She did good, our girl." Kaylee's grin demanded his agreement. "Aren't ya proud?"
"Mighty proud," Mal said. He ran his knuckles across her cheek, flicking hair across her shoulder. Her eyes drooped, soothed by his nearness and touch as much as Serenity's performance. "You both done good."
"We all done good." Kaylee sighed. "Hurts."
"I know." He watched her shift a bit and the color drain from her cheeks, only to flush once more with pain. "Stop wiggling around. You're making it worse. Be still."
Wedging a pillow to hold her knees up a little, he slid in under her shoulders. Lifting the silk, he peeked at the bandage that was stained, but no more than when he'd found her. Jayne said she'd popped a few stitches during the fancy maneuvering, but the doc told her it'd be fine if she took it easy. Definitely, no dancing. "Girl done giggled till she nearly popped more stitchery."
Mal smoothed the silk and told her again to be still.
"I'm still, it's these cushions moving." Kaylee protested. She pursed her chewed-on lips, wriggling them around, trying to force them to stop wibbling like the room was. "I am not gonna cry."
"No need for that, Kaylee." Mal squeezed her shoulder, startled when her hand slid beneath her cheek, palm flat on his thigh.
"You're warm. Better than alone in that sick bed." She sighed. "Just… so glad you are all right…. We're all right. Right?"
"Good." Mal cleared his throat. Trying not to appear obvious when he shifted so her fingertips weren't digging inside of his thigh. "We're good."
"Sorry I bought that fed on board." Kaylee rubbed at her eyes, swiping tears that were running even though she told herself they wouldn't. She hadn't cried, not even later when she thought about it, after the doc left, or when Jayne stomped off cause she couldn't stop giggling. Not even when it was cold and quiet in there, alone. Why'd they have t'start now….
"Not your fault. I should know them that can pay is nothing but feds and trouble." Mal stroked her hair, chuckling at the wobbly grin she barely managed.
"Surely does seem that way." Her yawn was contagious.
"Get some rest, then you can cause more trouble." Mal leaned his head back, willing her to relax, to stop worrying at whatever it was making her cry.
Kaylee shifted again, gazing up at Mal's relaxed face and not trusting it, though she always had before. Always. "Well," she struggled for something to comfort him, "least no body got hurt."
His eyes remained closed, but his smile was open, thankful to be talking to her, not about her. "Kaylee, you're laid out here cause you were shot. I think that counts as hurt."
She frowned, it scratched at his britches, as disturbing as her fingers. Her smile nudged him, traveling to his toes, in another manner entirely.
"But," she said, latching on to shiny, dragging him along without much effort, "He didn't snatch River, and the Reavers didn't get any one. We got paid – even though Patience did take a plug at you and Zoe – again. And, we got us a medic, plus a Shepherd. Serenity did you proud. Balances out on the credit side, don't ya think?"
"I reckon so." Mal enjoyed the laughter tumbling between them, weary but not disquieting. His hand caressed her arm; eased when she covered his hand with hers, thumb tracing the band of his rough knuckles. Catching her hand, he squeezed a bit more than he meant to, "Don't count you getting a bullet in your belly on the credit side of anything."
"Truth is," Kaylee whispered like she was sharing a well-guarded secret, "me either."
Lifting her hand, he pressed it to his cheek, turning to drop a kiss in the center of her palm.
"What'd you do that for?" Her words slurred together, like the frown that was too tired to take hold.
Grinning beneath the pulse in her wrist as he draped her hand across his shoulder, he sighed, "Sometimes, darlin', I just can't help myself."
"Night, Cap'n." Kaylee didn't squirm or wriggle into sleep. She just drifted off between a smile and a sigh.
Mal willingly followed.
Both were unaware of Wash creeping through for coffee, heading to the cockpit with a cautious tread just to be sure Mal hadn't set a course that might smash Serenity into any more trouble. Handing Zoe a cup, Wash smirked at his wife, twirling a dino by the tail and considering the stars.
"Reckon we ought to wake 'em up?" Wash sipped his coffee.
Zoe rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling at his delighted expression. Tossing the dino at him, she shook her head, "Let 'em sleep."