Disclaimer: The wonderful characters and the good ship Serenity all belong to Joss Whedon, or Mutant Enemy, or Fox, or whoever actually owns them, and that person or entity is definitely not me. Written for amusement purposes only. No copyright infringement intended or implied.
Rating: T, with rough language warning. May go up for later chapters.
Summary: Eight months after Miranda, the crew of Serenity still struggles to adapt to the "new normal." Constructing, and deconstructing, moments of her life, River attempts to assimilate her new and sometimes painful feelings for Jayne. - - Rayne, but will touch on other relationships. Post-BDM, of course.
Chapter 12: Interlogue II
– Fourteen Years Ago –
Simon was irritated. He'd had a long day, since he'd been up early for cram school, plus he'd had mahjong club after his regular schedule. And then as soon as he'd gotten home, his mother told him that there had been some sort of difficulty and he had to go and collect River early from her first day of recreation class. He was tired, he was hungry, and he really wanted to know why River always became his problem.
It wasn't that he didn't love her, he did. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy her, he did. But just once in a while, he wished he were like his friend Will, who didn't have any siblings, not to mention a precocious, prone to trouble, prodigy of a sibling.
As the car slid to a halt in one of the preprogrammed parking spaces outside the recreation center, Simon could see that River's classmates were all outside in the fenced-in courtyard, taking advantage of the pleasant late afternoon sunshine. They were all running around screaming and playing with toys and balls and acting like normal four- and five-year-olds, he supposed. He really wouldn't know. His eyes searched for River, trying to remember what she had been wearing that morning, before he recalled he'd left for school before she was out of her pajamas, so that wouldn't be very helpful.
He stepped out of the car, frowning a little. He didn't see his sister's dark head anywhere. Had she been injured - ? Had she run away? Was that the problem? Why hadn't they said anything to Mother? His anxious footsteps accelerated as he scanned the play lot for Miss Deanna, River's teacher. There she was, over by the rock garden …
As he moved swiftly around the brick pillars that flanked the open cast-iron gates, he glanced to the side. There, sitting on a bench all alone, was a small figure, clad in a familiar cherry red corduroy jumper and red, black and white ladybug tights, huddled into itself. River. Relief and impatience filtered through him in equal measures. What was the matter this time?
He slowed and turned toward where she was seated, his feet dragging to a halt. She looked so tiny and defenseless. And lonely. The impatience melted away into reluctant pity and the relief flared into a fierce brotherly protectiveness.
"River?" he asked quietly, and her head shot up. There were tear smudges on her rounded cheeks. She wiped them away hastily as she jumped to her feet, her shiny black patent leather boots, purchased with such fanfare for the big first day, clapping against the cobblestones of the walk.
"Ge ge!" She called out gratefully, and ran to him swiftly, burying her small face into the brushed cotton of his school jacket. "Zui hou!"
"Mei mei, what's wrong?" he asked gently, putting his arms around her thin shoulders and patting her back. She shrugged uncooperatively, rubbing her runny nose into the soft material. He scowled a little and pushed her away firmly so that he could see her eyes.
"What happened?" He asked determinedly.
"I was angry," admitted River, her eyes remaining downcast. "And play teacher said I had to behave or leave, so I chose to call Mother."
Keeping one hand latched on her upper arm, Simon tugged her back to the bench and sat her down with a gentle shove.
"So tell me why you got angry?" He perched on the edge of the bench next to her, leaning forward to partially obscure her from anyone that might be watching, creating a private little zone.
"No one would play with me." She pouted.
"That's nonsense, River, this is recreation school. That's why you're here, to learn to play. They have to play with you," he pointed out, shaking his head slightly.
"Well, they wouldn't!"
The remembered injustice caused fresh tears to well in River's dark brown eyes.
"Explain," he sighed.
"The assignment for today was to explore our fears of the unknown through play activity. We were supposed to construct a frightening scenario and confront one another in a threatening m-m-manner," she sniffed repeatedly, trying to control her crying, and failing.
"That's what Miss Deanna told you to do?" Simon questioned in disbelief.
"I'm paraphrasing," River gave a hiccupping sob.
"I see…" Simon said faintly. Of course she was.
"Play teacher told us all to 'think of a really scary game,' and then we would take turns playing them, but no one wanted to play mine." River's lower lip wobbled, and she looked over Simon's shoulder at the group of laughing and yelling children with wet, wounded eyes.
"And what game did you want to play?" Simon asked, bewildered.
"Teratogenic birth defect," River looked up at him as if that should have been obvious.
"Uh…"
"That's significantly more frightening than Siân's 'red-eyed monster,' " River scoffed, rubbing her knuckles under her eyes, "and they all played that."
"River…" Simon began tiredly. How to begin? "I'm sure they didn't want to play because they didn't understand the game."
River blinked. "How could they not understand?"
"Not everyone thinks the way you do, mei mei. Not everyone plays the way you do."
River considered this.
"They don't understand me?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Do you…" she started hesitantly. "Do you understand me?"
He smiled, and reaching out, roughed up the top of her silky dark head.
"Yes, mostly."
"Simon!" she protested, and grabbed at his hand.
"Come on, River. Let's go tell Miss Deanna that I'm going to take you home." He stood up, pulling her off the bench, and twirled her around by their linked fingers. River gave a watery giggle, and fell into step beside him, swinging their joined fists.
"Am I going to have to come back tomorrow?" she asked with palpable dread as they approached the teacher, who had noticed Simon and was waiting for them.
"Probably," Simon responded frankly. River gave a very tragic sigh.
"Simon, am I ever going to have a friend that understands me?" She watched the other children playing with a wistful look on her face.
Simon smiled down at her. "Yes, River."
"As well as you do?"
Regardless of the teacher, Simon stopped and crouched down in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders to give her a heartening little shake.
"Even better, mei mei."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
&&&&&&&
Chinese:
ge ge – big brother
zui hou – finally/at last
mei mei – little sister
A/N: I could just see this scene in my head so well, especially little River in her red corduroy jumper and ladybug tights…if I ever happened upon a picture of Summer as a child dressed like this, I'd go completely mental and run off to apply for that remote viewing program the CIA has going. Thanks for reading, and reviewing! Gem