Title: Breathing Underwater
Author: Musical_Junkie/Tally/Live2TiVo
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing: None, River and YoSaffBridge-centric.
Rating: G/PG
Spoilers: No overt references to major events but set post-BDM
Summary: Yosaffbridge is back on Serenity and is getting along famously with River. No, really.
Word Count: 349 (Seriously, I never write stuff this short. What is my problem lately?)
Notes: For whedonland Fic-Fest. This is my second attempt at a fic for smercy. Hope she likes this one better than the last. Based on the prompt: "mermaids made them do it." Seriously.
Much to Mal's dismay, they were transporting YoSaffBridge again. She was "Carly" on this trip, but "YoSaffBridgely" was too much of a mouthful. How she ended up on Serenity was not something Mal wished to acknowledge, and Zoe still couldn't figure out why she was there. What was even more confusing, however, was just how will River seemed to be getting along with their not-so-esteemed guest.
River called her "Carly," despite having met her under other aliases. ("She doesn't remember her first name or if she ever had one at all," River explained, much to the surprise of YoSaffBridge, who hadn't quite adjusted to River's abilities.)
Simon had protested River's association with their travelling con-artist, but Kaylee reminded him that River was more than capable of taking care of herself—Mal had chimed in that he wouldn't mind seeing "Carly" get her ass kicked (and Jayne agreed he wouldn't mind seeing River kick it.)
Nevertheless, they were stuck with YoSaffBridge for the better part of a week before they arrived in Boros, and they were forced to deal with River and "Carly" creeping around the ship, giggling loudly at all hours. Jayne was particularly disgruntled about losing his "gorram beauty sleep."
On the third night of YoSaffBridge's "visit," Inara ventured to ask her and River what had them rolling on the floor of the cargo hold, laughing around four o'clock in the morning.
"Mermaids." River replied simply.
"Mermaids?"
"Half-human. Half-fish. They can breathe underwater," River elaborated, as YoSaffBridge started laughing again.
Inara didn't understand the joke, if there was one, so she returned to her shuttle, leaving River and YoSaffBridge alone with their chuckles.
*
"You should be Vienna this trip," said River instead of "Goodbye" as YoSaffBridge prepared to leave at Boros.
"Perhaps I will." YoSaffBridge turned to the rest of the crew, "I'll be in touch."
"Please don't," said Mal.
"Goodbye, River."
"Goodbye, Vienna." River smiled as a look of recognition crossed "Vienna's" face.
"What was that about?" Kaylee asked.
"The mermaids gave back her name."
"Mermaids?" echoed Zoe.
"They can breathe underwater," explained Inara.
River laughed.