Disclaimer: I've forgotten these of late! So…
I own very little. A few pairs of socks, some crusts of bread and a computer on which I fabricate stories.
So don't try to make off with the little money I have because of a misunderstanding. I do not own Firefly or Serenity.
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It was a dusty planet at first, and Nevvie trained her eyes at first glance on the light brown cloud that enveloped them. She glanced sideways and Malcolm Reynolds looked back at her for a moment before waving his arms about to clear the air and gesturing to move forward.
It was then she truly saw the Reynolds Ranch, and it was beautiful.
Remembering how she studied Earth That Was, she observed delightedly that the ranch resembled one out of the "Wild West" of those years. It had large oak trees with shade, a pasture full of cows grazing with sleepy contentment, horses kicking up dust in a corral and sprawling one-story buildings with clapboard roofs.
He studied her face, "Never been on a real farm, have you?"
She shook her head without looking back at him, "No, just the sugar kind."
"Well we don't got no sugar, but we do have livestock and we do have crops. Just go on over there and talk to my mama and I'll take your things to your room."
She nodded and shook herself out of her thoughts.
Where in the verse is his mama? She wondered while glancing around the working farm.
One moment later a loud call echoed, "Is that Neveah Trynn? Our new help? Oh, come over here!"
She looked towards the voice and identified a shorter lady with her hair tied in a red bandana coming toward her quite quickly and smiling very broadly. Nevvie smiled back, though inside she felt a little more surprised than she let on, "Hello Mrs. Reynolds, it's nice to meet you." Nevvie smiled graciously at the older woman.
Mrs. Reynolds, however, refused to accept that. Stretching out her arms in front of her she looked up at the taller girl, "Come on now give me a real hug, or do they not hug on well to do sugar farms out there?"
A nanosecond later Neveah was wrapped in a hug that smelled like apple pie and fresh linen. Breaking away Mrs. Reynolds studied her, "Now aren't you a pretty one? I hope my Malcolm didn't make any wrong moves toward you?"
She smiled, wanting to laugh at the notion of that man ever finding her attractive, "No ma'am, he was very respectful."
"Oh good then, I knew my boy wasn't raised that way. It's just been a while since he's been around womenfolk who weren't either related to him or like to strike his fancy."
Nevvie raised her eyebrows, How picky can one man be living on a small moon like this? "Well I'm sure one will come along some day."
The kindly woman grinned mischievously and winked, "Maybe today?"
Nearly choking Neveah found herself being frank, "I'm sorry Mrs. Reynolds, probably not today."
Keeping a mysterious smile she nodded and started up again, "Now Neveah, you'll not be workin' as the hands do, you don't seem bred for that. But we have some need of business types, you know, Public Relations and the like. None today, so you can get accustomed to your surroundings a bit. Would you like one of the hands to show you around?"
The young woman nodded and thanked her while she showed her to her room at the end of a long hall, "Now my quarters aren't but spittin' distance away so if you need anythin' just go and holler. The hands' rooms are in the next buildin' and Malcolm's room is right by mine. I don't allow no monkey business before a good Christian wedding, so remind him of that."
"Mrs. Reynolds, I assure you once more there will be no monkey business because of…"
The mother cut her off with a pat on the shoulder, "I know, I can see why."
Nevvie smiled at the lady's understanding. "I see your cross so you'll be keepin' him in line."
Nevvie sighed and let it go before bidding Mrs. Reynolds farewell to enter her own room before seeing which friendly hand would like to take a break to show her around this new home.
She had no need to look any farther than her own room. As soon as she entered the calm, woodsy smelling plaid-decorated room she heard some snores and her mouth dropped in surprise and amusement.
There was Malcolm Reynolds, her suitcases by his loose hands, his snores echoing throughout the tiny space as he dozed on her small bed.
Approaching softly she stifled her laughs and gazed at his countenance. His mouth was slack and a little bit of glistening saliva glazed the corner, his eyes fluttered and sporadically he would shift and snort.
How she wished she had a video card!
Deciding not to wake him just yet she kneeled by the bed and peered at him while thinking. A moment later she said, "Hello Malcolm."
She had heard that people in a certain state of sleep can carry on a conversation and had been eager to try it out for some time.
Sure enough he grumbled and said back, "Hullo there."
Smiling broadly she came up with many devious questions but decided on a more useful one, "Why are you in this room?"
The man wrinkled his nose, "Mine smells bad."
Figures, she thought while rolling her eyes. "What do you think of your new helper?"
His brow wrinkled, "Gary's nice, but I think he stole cornbread."
"No not Gary. Neveah."
"Neveah is a hard name to say. She's pretty, very pretty. She has nice eyes. Don't really want to see her much."
Taken aback and inexplicably upset she fired back, "Why not?"
Her voice was a little bit too loud and his blue eyes flickered open, and immediately widened at the sight of Neveah looking indignant at his sleeping figure.
"What in the gorram verse are you doing in my room?" he yelled, backing up against a wall.
Recovering herself but looking at him a bit coldly, "This is my room actually, you apparently wanted to catnap."
He calmed down for a moment and looked around, realizing the recent events. "Then what were you doing hovering over me while I was sleeping? That's not natural."
"I was waking you up, but you're the deepest sleeper I've ever met." She lied quickly, averting her eyes.
He grumbled a bit and ran his fingers through his hair, making it in turn more messy. Sliding off the bed and straightening his shirt he cleared his throat in an attempt to seem dignified, "Well would you be wantin' a tour guide for your new place of work?"
Purposefully removing all warmth from her eyes she stared him straight in the face, "No that's all right Malcolm, I'll find my way around. I wouldn't want you to have to see me, what with you not knowing me at all and such."
He returned her glare with obvious surprise before she threw up her hands and stormed from the room in frustration.
Glancing about, he thought for a second and then said aloud, "Was it something I said?"