A/N:
Sabrina1204: As always thanks for your ever faithful review, at times I'm writing just for you lol. Hope I did right by you with Jack's reaction and I know you'll enjoy the next update when River and Jack go to war! (well maybe if I can fit it in in the next chapter, but if not it will be coming! Sooner or later lol) Mwahahahahahaha. Ps-good luck with the job!
Celticicegoddess: I shed a tear myself writing it, been toying with the idea of the Operative coming back just don't know if I have room in my head for one more, but don't count him out yet.
Not makin' a single cred, none of its mine….
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Jack was awake before her eyes opened, a neat little trick most street kids pick up early on. She kept her heart rate slowed and her breathing deep and even stretching out her senses to get a grip on her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was running from the Reavers back on New Mecca with Captain Mal and his crew. Jack smelt disinfectant, heard the rhythmic beeping of a machine, steady with the beat of her heart, she felt the scratchy cotton sheet over a stiff and uncomfortable mattress. Hospital? Infirmary? Did it matter, she thought, at least she wasn't on the menu which meant the Reavers hadn't gotten her and that was good. Any day you walked away alive from was a good one in her opinion.
"You gonna pretend to sleep all day kid?" A gravelly voice rumbled beside her.
"Riddick!" Jack's eyes shot opened and she tried to push herself up but everything hurt too much so she settled on rolling over toward the voice, and with an unreasonable amount of effort she managed to half roll, she considered it a victory, "Uh, what the hell happened? Where the hell am I? Where the hell have you been? I'm so glad to see you Big Evil, you have no idea what that planet was like, I mean seriously have you ever really ever tried to understand Crislam? Seriously, I don't even think they get it, do you know he made me where a robe and headscarf everywhere I went? Do you know how fuckin' hot that planet gets? One hundred degrees on a bearable day and I had to walk around covered head to toe, women pass out all the time from exhaustion and the men say it's cause we're delicate, fuck that its 'cause they make us wear a hundred extra pounds of fabric…" Jack went on.
Riddick let her ramble for as long as he could take it, still the same Jack. "Jack…" he tried.
"…total bullshit right? That's what I tried to tell him, but noooooo, know what happens when you tell a Holy Man to fuck off on New Mecca?"
"Jack…" he tried again.
"… so I had to do like a thousand hours of community service in the communal gardens, if it wasn't bad enough I had like a thousand fucking layers of clothes on but to add hard labor under that fucking sun…"
"JACK!" He finally roared.
"Gorram it Riddick! I right fuckin' her ain't no reason to yell." She snapped at him.
"Watch it girl," he growled and Jack sulked but sat silently, Riddick smirked glad at least one gorram person on this ship was intimidated by him. "Got somethin' to talk on, and by talk I mean you listen, dong ma (understand)?
Jack snorted but otherwise remained silent. Riddick took it as a yes and continued. "First thing, you're aboard Serenity, Zoe carried your scrawny pig gu (ass) into the shuttle after the Reaver's dart had knocked you out. The Doc pumped you full of some drugs to counteract them that's why you're sore and hurtin'. Be another day or two he says 'til you're up and moving 'bout again." Riddick paused, subtlety was never his strong suit and somehow he figured it was called for given he was about to tell a fourteen year old girl that the whole 'verse was circling the drain and all, that Imam was probably dead and they were making a suicidal run into Reaver space to save a women neither of them had ever met, and then there was explaining River.
Jack waited patiently for Riddick to sort through his thoughts, Big Evil really wasn't one for words and 'iffin' he was in the mood to talk she was in the mood to listen no matter how long it took. She tried to take stock of how much he'd changed in the last seven months since he'd dropped her on New Mecca, the lights in the infirmary were dimmed so his goggles were pushed back on top of his head revealing in Jack's opinion the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen. He had a few new scars along his bearlike arms, nothing not to be expected, she thought, after all he was Richard B. Riddick, but there was something inherently different about him. She had always thought he'd carried some weight around his neck, guilt or remorse, it was different now though, mostly gone, but there around the edges if you looked hard enough and Jack had spent a great deal of time in those six months drifting in the black studying the killer, she knew his moods and his growls better than anyone, and something was different she just could not for the 'verse figure it.
"You asked me once how I got eyes like these," he finally said looking up at her, his eyes glinting in the semi-darkness. "Told you paid a Doc, in a no daylight slam."
"Menthol Kools." She smirked.
"Wasn't exactly truthful Jackie-girl," He confessed, a mixture of hurt and curiosity crossing her face, "Ain't exactly all the way human, close to, but different evolutionary track so to speak. Grew up in a home kinda like you kid…"
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"Captain?" Simon entered the mess to find Mal hunched over a glass of whiskey, he wasn't drinking it, just glaring at it as if he had demanded answers and it had refused to give.
"Yeah Doc," He answered not looking up.
"Jack's up, but Riddick is in talking to her, I'd give them a bit." Simon took an empty glass from the cabinet and sat down beside the Captain pouring himself three fingers of whiskey. "Captain I wanted to say I was sorry."
Mal looked up. "Ain't seein' a reason for it, unless you're 'bout to confess somethin' in which case I don't care, had me a bad enough day it can wait 'til tomorrow, or least what counts for tomorrow in the black." He grimaced taking a sip of his whiskey, knowing he really didn't want it.
"Captain, if I hadn't brought River onto the ship, if we had really gotten off at Beaumonde, Miranda wouldn't have happened, Wash, Book, and all the others wouldn't have died, Miranda would have remained a secret and this…" he searched for the right word and took a swig off his glass, the taste not phasing him as it once would have, "travesty, you wouldn't all be in danger again, Kaylee would be safe and happy with someone who wasn't a wanted felon with a reader/psychic for a sister."
Zoe had been listening from the door way and took the opportunity to step forward, "Ain't no need or want for that apology Doc, people had a right to know, what they did on Miranda was evil Doc, my Wash died for somethin' worthy, ain't your fault a feng le hun dan (insane bastard) took that evil and the good we made of it and twisted it back." She seated herself on the other side of the captain and not bothering for a glass took a heavy swig from the bottle.
"Zoe's right Doc, Alliance here is the 'cause of all this, they built their pyre, they'll burn in it. Likely we will to, but ain't a moment I regretted taking on you and Albatross after knowing what happened to that girl, ain't nothin' to do with you and her, yous got swept up in the tide, we hadn't taken you on, Miranda never happened, sure Book and Wash mite still be alive but they woulda tried again, as sure as day they woulda tried on another world, and you and your sister might be not be breathin' or likewise another member of the crew, you and 'Tross has saved each of us on occasion. This ship, this here is your home, our home, this crew, this is your family, and we take care of our own."
"I'll drink to that." Jayne said, having wandered in at some point during Mal's speech and taking the offered bottle from Zoe he took gulp and took the seat next to her. "Ain't a thing coulda been different, and anyways can't change a lick of it now, Book used to tell me each of us plays the cards we're dealt, says the cards make us who we are, sometimes a bad hand makes a man bad, bitter and angry, 'reckon I was like that once myself, but he said that even a good hand can make a man bad, greedy and selfish, said it's not the cards, that's the trick of it. It's about how we play 'em. Miranda, that was a bad hand, but we played it, came out big damn heroes, the way I see it, even 'iffin it don't feel like it, but now we got a different round, same bad hand, but it's all we got, so's we gots to play it right."
"Jayne, I mean this with the sincerest respect, I think that is the most intelligent and coherent thought you've ever had." Simon said, Mal and Zoe both letting out a chuckle.
Jayne grunted, but did not take offense, there was no malice in the Doc's face or words, just genuine surprise and that truly didn't bother him, he knew what he was and what he wasn't, and while he wasn't completely dumb he wasn't a thinker, he was more of a doer and that was fine by him. "Yeah well, been thinking on Book's words to me since he died, 'reckon I'd pay attention to some of them."
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Kaylee appeared in the cockpit doorway, River felt the warmth of her sunshine despite everything and smiled as Kaylee sat beside her in the co-pilot's chair.
"Big guy ain't around?" She asked.
"Negative he is holding palaver with the girl-named-Jack, the sunshine wishes to speak, and the girl is willing to listen, but she will not press and stay in the confines of her mind, what the sunshine wishes to remain secret will so remain." River turned from the computer and curled her legs up beneath her giving her Jie-jie the upmost attention.
"I'm scared River, goin' to get 'Nara is the right thing to do and I know she's brave and she would come and get me 'iffin things were different, but I can't help bein' scared."
"Fear is natural, it is a survival instinct, easy to give into and let the primal take over, fight or flight, courage is knowing this and knowing you are afraid and continuing down the chosen path."
"Thanks Mei-mei." Kaylee tried to smile but failed miserably.
"There is more." River said knowingly but not willing to pry.
"Everythin' is goin' to change again, we just done healed over Wash and Book and Haven, we paid the 'verse what we owed and now, why's it we always gotta be runnin', why's people gotta be fightin' and hatin' I can't stand it anymore. We's was just getting' happy again." She sniffled. "Even Simon's different, somethin' changed in him after the wave, I could almost feel it like you says you feel people."
River nodded knowingly, "The Ge-ge is preparing to dance in this number, not his nature to hurt and kill, Ge-ge is a healer, a life giver, he is crimson now and he has changed, the girl knows this as well, she wishes it wasn't but it is. Push, push, push, push, this time he has been pushed too far and wishes to push back."
Kaylee gave into her tears for the hundredth time that day, she didn't care that no one else had cried, well that was fine she'd cry for all of 'em, 'cause somebody needed to be cryin' over this, 'iffin there ever was anything in 'verse to cry about this was it. "Just wish it wasn't real, wish we could go back and listen to Wash make voices for his dinosaurs, wish Book was liftin' weights with Jayne in the hold, and Mal and Inara yelling at each other 'cross the ship, wish Zoe would laugh, wish I coulda introduced Simon to my folks and settled down and had a mess load of young 'uns like every other Frye, ain't fair River, we done our share."
"If wishes were cred chips," River said, "Serenity would never be low on fuel and we wouldn't have to eat Ge-ge's protein surprise every fifth day." Kaylee giggled a little at that and River was silently pleased, she didn't like it when the sunshine rained, it was wrong, all wrong. "It shouldn't have been this way," River frowned, "The sunshine deserved her happy ending, the girl is sorry it all went wrong."
Kaylee sniffled, "Ain't nothin' for you to be sorry 'bout Mei-mei, don't you start that talk 'bout it bein' you're fault again, I'll go get the Big Bad 'iffin' you do." Kaylee tried to look angry and serious, but those emotions did not suit her face.
"The sunshine is right," River sighed, "Blame is useless, we are not the cause of these events nor the catalyst it began a long time ago when a man with no face decided he could improve upon human nature, could train us to follow commands and not question why, when the end justified the means."
"River are we gonna make it?" Kaylee asked timidly afraid of the answer but more so to leave it unasked.
"The girl cannot see, Reavers are chaos, they do not follow the strings, they make noise and not music, she cannot hear the song." River answered, she was exhausted from trying.
"Least we're together then right?" Kaylee answered hopefully.
"Yes, that at least should give the sun reason to shine," River forced a smile, something she had perfected through years of madness. "You must go now the Ge-ge is looking for you."
"Thanks River." Kaylee popped up out of her seat, her light brighter albeit slightly but brighter.
Alone again in the cockpit River stared out into the black at the endless sea of diamonds. The stars had always calmed her, their voices were quiet and gentle, they had been there before recorded time and would exist long after there was anyone left to record, she wondered how much longer that might be, the thought made her cold and afraid, very distinctly she felt a warm touch on her mind, her beast had felt her distress and reached across the ship to reassure her. She opened herself up to his warmth, feeling the tug of his mind's embrace and she allowed herself to take refuge there and for awhile she was content.
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"So's you wasn't coming to get me?" Jack's face broke slightly, everything he had told the girl and this was what she chose to be upset about, Riddick and his beast both mentally rolled their eyes. Feng le women were going to kill him sooner or later. "You only came cause she made you." Jack said the word she as if it were dirty.
"Jack, I left you there with the Holy Man so you'd have a chance at a different kinda life girl, the kind River-girl and I lead, ain't safe for you, didn't want you dead."
Jack instead of being placated by his words grew angrier, "And whose to say I'd get dead? Betcha I've got better aim with a shiv then your precious River, she ain't hardly bigger than me, how's it safer for her?"
Riddick suppressed a chuckle, knowing that would be exactly the wrong thing to do with an indignant Jack. "Girl ain't you listenin'? Told you the Alliance and me trained her up, plus she's a gorram reader knows when stuff is comin', knew you was with the Mal and Zoe, knew where to find the four of you, hell gorram girl found me when Toombs had me on some backwater moon."
"So you could train me, 'iffin' she can learn so can I!"
Riddick let out a very unmanly sigh, which he covered quickly with a growl, "Ain't matter now does it?" He snapped, "Told you we ain't droppin' you back down not with the gorram Reavers tearin' up the fucking 'verse, so you're crew and if I know Mal he's got some words to say to you about it."
Jack opened and closed her mouth a few times, wanting to still be angry but not really finding a cause for it, after all she had got what she wanted, she was back with Riddick in the black. "So do I get my own bunk?"
"Yeah kid you get your own bunk, right next to mine and River's gotta keep an eye on your scrawny ass."
Jack shot Riddick a look, "You share a bunk with her?"
Fucking great, Riddick thought to himself, "Ain't talkin' 'bout this with you."
Jack sulked, something was going to have to be done about this River chick and she had a couple of nasty surprises up her sleeve.
"When the hell they gonna unplug me from these gorram machines?" She demanded.
"Your mouth's a lot fucking worse than I remember it Jackie-girl."
"Look whose fucking talkin' Big Bad."
Riddick barked out a laugh and standing he ruffled Jack's hair, "Looks good on you kid."
"Yeah well bald doesn't work for anybody." She shot back.
"Watch it Jackie-girl," he mock growled, "Might hurt my feelings."
Jack snorted, "Quit lying you ain't got feelings."
Riddick chuckled again, remembering why he'd liked the girl, had a whole lotta mouth, nothing to back it up with of course, but he could take care of that. Across the ship he felt a sudden twinge of cold move along the string which tied him to River, his whole body seemed to be pulled in her direction but he still had a few things to clear up with Jack. Briefly he closed his eyes focusing on their girl pulling her towards him instead of being the one pulled, when he felt her presence within his mind he relaxed.
"Hell-fucking-lo!" Jack snapped at him, "Jeeze Big Bad where'd ya go?"
"Got a lot to think on Jackie –girl," he lied, "gotta know you're with me, can't be worried 'bout you when the time comes, you been training still like I told you?"
"Everday," she said proudly, "even learned a few new tricks."
"That's my girl. You remember?"
"One speed," She answered immediately, "yours, keep up, put up, or shut the fuck up."
Riddick grunted and Jack beamed under his approval. "Training at 0600."
"Thought it'd take a couple of days 'til I'm back on my feet?" She asked.
"Who do you listen to the Doc or me?"
"You," She said without hesitation knowing she'd follow him to hell and back.
"Training starts at 0600."
"Yes sir!" She mocked saluted with a giggle, she could care less if the 'verse was circling the drain she had Riddick back and she would do whatever it took to keep it that way.
"Yous 'bout finished? Wanted a few words with the little bit." Mal said from the doorway.
"Sure thing Mal," Riddick nodded, "See you at chow kid." He ruffled her hair again despite the disgruntled look she gave.
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River knew the moment Riddick started moving toward her, she felt the change in intent, the shift of his movements, the approach of the dragon.
"The-girl-named Jack does not approve of the ballerina she wishes to play tricks." She said as she felt him enter.
Riddick chuckled. "Yeah well, didn't come here to talk about Jack," he said swinging her around to face him.
"The girl is working," she giggled, "the beast's thoughts are not conducive to a productive work environment."
"Don't give a shit," he said sweeping her up into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, "the beast is hungry." He growled claiming her lips.
River surrendered herself, allowing her body to melt against his, everything else in the 'verse could wait, the beast wanted his ballerina and she was of no mind to deny it.
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Mal rolled over Simon's chair and sat himself down next to the bed Jack was currently confined to. "Guessin' Riddick filled you in on the particulars."
Jack nodded.
"Your daddy was a good man little bit, brave as they come, he talked 'bout the bit he left at home, willing to fight knowin' he had someone to fight for."
She looked away, unwilling to show any sign of weakness to her new captain.
"Way I figure it, he might not wanted you to join up with the likes of us, we run a bit to the wrong side of the law but seein as how there's not much law left don't think it matters much anymore. Ain't gonna drop you, you're crew now, you work just like everybody else, Riddick says you got a gift for machines, that's right good Kaylee could be using a good hand in the engine room, Serenity's a good ship but she takes some lovin' and I don't trust my girl with just anyone dong ma?"
"Yes sir." She said quietly.
"Good, don't reckon' you got much kin left," he started waiting for Jack to look at him before continuing, "don't matter none, we're your kin now, mind that, 'cause we look to our own."
Jack nodded again unable to form words.
"Right, get some rest 'lil bit, don't think Riddick will spare you from trainin' in the mornin', even if it does give the Doc a heart attack, someone will come and fetch you for chow." Mal got up without another word and left Jack in the empty infirmary alone with her thoughts.
She wondered what her pa had thought of Captain Mal and Zoe, she liked Zoe wished she could be a little more like her, strong and independent, didn't look like she was afraid of anyone. Captain Mal was alright too she guessed, a lot like Riddick but more cuddly and fuzzy than Big Evil. She thought she could probably be happy on board Serenity, there was Riddick for one and dependable grub those two counted considerably towards her happiness, mainly cause Riddick wasn't the most pleasant person to be around when he was hungry. She wasn't pleased that the big lug seemed to have found himself some skank to shack up with but she'd dealt with worse and whatever painkiller the Doc had come in to give her while Riddick was talking was making her feel wonderfully optimistic, life in the black was looking pretty good if you overlooked the threat of annihilation by cannibalistic psychopaths. She'd deal with that when it came Jack was very much a live in the now kind of person and the right now was pretty gorram peachy.
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Jayne signed off the cortex, a wave of relief washing over him knowing his family would be safe, his brothers retrofitting the cellar to be a safe room since their Ma had adamantly refused to leave the homestead. He hadn't really expected her to turn tail and run, he had hoped for it but in the end he knew she wouldn't have if the Reavers were kicking down her door. Ma Cobb would grab her shotgun and start blowin' the gorram monsters to bits, ain't no man or Reaver takes what belongs to a Cobb not while there's a breath left in the body to fight with. While he was glad to know his family would be safe his mind was running in all sorts of unwarranted places, he didn't like sittin' around and waitin' 'specially not while there was fightin' to be done, made him tetchy being idle. He reached up and pulled Vera from her designated wall space and began to strip her down and clean her, needed to make sure his best girl was in top shape, would keep his head clear and keep her purring, man takes right care of his girl and she'll do the same for him.
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Mal and Zoe sat in the cockpit, no words needed to be said between them, they had known each other too long and been through too much to need words any longer. It was enough that they were there, Serenity was flying, and there was still breath in their bodies in which to fight another day, that was all the comfort they needed.
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In the mess Simon and Kaylee began molding the night's rations of protein into something edible, aided by some herbs and spices Kaylee had pulled from her secret stash. Her momma had said there was nothing a good meal couldn't fix, and though she doubted a little bit of spiced protein could fix their current mess it might at least make things a little brighter. Simon had eased himself away from the meal knowing he would just muck it up anyway and watched Kaylee as she worked magic on the unidentifiable lumps she had to work with as she quietly hummed to herself. He watched every blink of her eye, every strand of strawberry blonde hair that fell loose from her ponytail, mesmerized by her. Without thinking he moved behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist he whispered as he planted tiny kisses along her neck, "I love you Bao bei (treasured one), whatever happens to us now, you are my sunshine in the darkness of the 'verse."
Kaylee leaned into his kisses, "Love you too Bao bei," she sighed treasuring her little moment of happiness, so long as she had Simon and Serenity the rest of the 'verse could sit on it and spin.
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In the pitch black of their bunk River saw only the endless depths of Riddick's silver blue eyes and she allowed herself to drown, for a few brief moments the only thoughts in her head were her own.
Riddick saw, touched, smelled, and tasted every inch of River's body, burning her into himself, branding her as theirs. The beast had been right, for her they would become anything, do anything, go anywhere even straight into the heart of Reaver territory to rescue some fancy whore the captain held a torch for. After all the years she was theirs and both man and beast were content.
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A/N: Next chap we go a little bit more light hearted, they might be on a suicidal mission (seriously have any of Mal's plans ever been anything but suicidal), but I can't possible handle any more emotions right now I feel like the resident Reader, eight characters and more to come aaaaahhhhhhhh! Trying to keep each one involved and in character and in the story is becoming a bit overwhelming, so like I said a little breather in the next update the first training session Riddick style! Who throws up? Who passes out? Who pulls a gun? 'Til after now.