AN: I am so sorry for the lag in updates…again. But I have managed to break the evil writers block spell and put together this update! Hope you all enjoy! As always I own nothing, I just play with all the amazing characters.
Chapter 42 – Heavy
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After finishing their business with Niska, the trio made their way thru the halls and towards the sounds of gunfire. They were greeted halfway to Serenity by Wash, Zoe, and Jayne. They then made their way back to Serenity. Book, Kaylee, and Simon had managed to hold their position long enough, and as soon as everyone was on board they quickly closed the cargo bay doors.
Once they heard the click of the doors, everyone, including River gave a sigh of relief. Simon didn't waste any time after this, and immediately began giving orders so that he could attempt to save Mal's arm.
It wasn't as easy as they had hoped for…but they were eventually able to stabilize Mal's bleeding and reattach his arm. Simon, River, and Zoe had worked for the last three hours to ensure that the arm would take, and Jayne had supplied a blood transfusion to ensure that Mal would not die of blood loss. Once they were done, Simon gave Mal a sedative to put him to sleep, and everyone began to trickle out of Serenity's infirmary…all but River and Simon.
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River's POV
The girl sat at Mal's side, gently stroking the arm that they had worked so hard to reattach. After everything that she had felt him go through…she needed to make sure he was alright.
She could feel Simon looking on with more than mild curiosity…and some unfounded assumptions.
"Your assumptions are fallacies." She said without looking at her brother.
She can feel Simon's surprise without looking at him. "It just seems odd."
She merely lets out a breath and shrugs her shoulders. "When one has not had a good father, one must create one."
"River, our father…" but she cuts him off before he can finish.
She whirls on him now with hatred in her eyes. "…was partly responsible for the torture I suffered… and they deserved the fate that she gave them."
"They were our parents!" Simon yells at her now.
"NO! They sold me into slavery…they allowed her to be carted off like a piece of livestock…they were not my parents." She turns now and continues to watch the sleeping Mal.
There are a few moments of silence before Simon can speak again. She can hear him trying to ask the question…it's on the tip of his tongue.
"Ask her." She says without looking at him.
"Why? Why come back for me? If your childhood was so miserable, our parents so cruel, why not give me the same fate as them?"
"There's no other love like the love for a brother. There's no other love like the love from a brother... You cannot be held responsible or punished for their mistakes. And she would not allow them to use you against her…maybe one day you will understand, but the girl did what was necessary."
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…Several hours later…
Mal had woken up groggy and pleasantly surprised to find his arm reattached. "I was kinda partial to it and all." He said to Simon after thanking him for re-attaching it.
Once the Doc' had cleared him to leave the infirmary, he asked where Zoe and Wash were and headed in the direction Simon pointed him.
He finds them sitting at the dining table. Zoe is at the counter behind Wash dishing up food. She comes around the corner and sets a bowl in front of Wash, shaking out his napkin and tucking it into his shirt.
"Mmm. Wife soup." Wash says and Zoe chuckles. "I must've done good."
"Yes, dear. You done good." Zoe says as she smooches Wash's cheek and puts her arms around his neck.
There's a pained groan as Mal enters the kitchen area and Zoe lets go of Wash.
Mal smirks. "Did you tell her?"
"Tell her what?" Wash asks.
Mal turns to Zoe now. "Your husband has demanded that we sleep together."
"Really?" Zoe says with mock surprise.
"What? Mal, come on."
"He seems to think it would get all this burning sexual tension out in the open - you know, make a fair fight for your womanly affections."
"No. That was the torture talking. Remember? The torture?" Wash practically squirms in his seat.
But Mal pays no attention and takes Zoe's hands. Puts one of her hands on his hip, the other on his good shoulder.
"I know it's a difficult mission... but you and I... have to get it on." Mal deadpans.
Zoe doesn't give anything away as she plays along. "I understand. We have no choice."
Zoe and Mal stand about a foot apart, staring at each other. Absolutely nothing resembling The Sexy is happening.
Jayne walks into the kitchen area just in time to hear Zoe say, "Take me, sir. Take me hard."
Jayne grimaces. "Now somethin' about that is just downright unsettling."
Wash throws down his napkin as Mal and Zoe mock-struggle to kiss each other from a foot away. Wash grabs Zoe and escorts her to the door.
"We'll be in our bunk." Wash calls behind him.
Disconcerted, Jayne turns around and walks toward the dinner table. Mal is slowly, painfully pulling out a chair.
"Oh, hey." Jayne says as he smacks Mal's back unconsciously before sitting down at the table where Wash was sitting. "Free soup."
Mal makes a tiny grunt of intense pain and freezes, glaring at Jayne.
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…Elsewhere on Serenity…
After River had Simon assure her at least a dozen times that Mal's arm would properly heal, she had allowed Riddick to carry her out of the infirmary and to the showers. They were both still covered in dirt from crawling through the ventilation system and blood from the various people they had killed.
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River's POV
He didn't even bother undressing her before he pulled her into the spray of water from the shower…He just attacked her lips with his and pinned her to the wall. Her senses begin to be overloaded…the water hitting her skin…his lips and hands roaming all over her…and the music filling her ears…
…I was a heavy heart to carry
My beloved was weighed down
My arms around his neck
My fingers laced to crown…
The weight of the wet clothing now begins to pull on their limbs and they each work to pull the fabric sticking to their skin off so as to allow them to move more freely.
…I was a heavy heart to carry
My feet dragged across ground
And he took me to the river
Where he slowly let me drown…
He pushes her back now to where her body is entirely under the water…and small rivulets of water begin to wet the dried blood on her skin and leave a trail down her body. He practically growls at the image of her…standing like Venus rising from the foam…except the foam is red from the blood on her skin.
She's getting impatient though…she can feel him restraining himself…he wants to savor the way she looks…she narrows her eyes at him…
…And is it worth the wait
All this killing time?
Are you strong enough to stand
Protecting both your heart and mine?...
"Her patience is wearing thin." She says as he rakes his nails down her skin.
He looks up at her thru hooded eyes...his fingers digging deeper into her hips. His mouth twists into a form of smirk, and her eyes grow a little wider as she picks up on the fragment of his thoughts.
He crouches down now, his breath trailing down her stomach…He inches her legs slightly further apart. It takes every ounce of control to not scream at him to hurry up.
…Who is the betrayer?
Who's the killer in the crowd?
The one who creeps in corridors
And doesn't make a sound…
His tongue darts out and slowly caresses her folds…now she really wants to scream…he's trying to torture her…
" .iddick." She manages to squeak out.
"Hmmm?" He says as he softly blows on her skin. Her senses are being entirely overpowered now with both hers and his thoughts and she can barely contain herself…
"If you don't fuck me soon, I will murder you."
He chuckles…"Don't have to tell me twice."
He stands up quickly…he practically hoists her to the ceiling of the shower as he positions her where he wants her. He doesn't waste time after that…
Her body and mind are both overwhelmed with…every touch…every kiss of his lips…every teasing bite leaves her aching for more…and as she gets closer to climax it gets harder for her to muffle her moans…
…This will be my last confession
I love you never felt like any blessing (Ohhhh)
Whispering like it's a secret
Only to condemn the one who hears it
With a heavy heart…
The climax together…his name on her lips…and hers in his thoughts…
…Heavy heavy I'm so heavy in your arms…
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"Interesting." He says as he reviews the footage again.
He's sitting at his desk, reviewing the security footage that was forwarded to him an hour ago. His brow is slightly furrowed, a look of frustration and intrigue on his face.
"River Tam…you are one interesting specimen." He says as he looks out at the print out.
He stops the footage and stands up from the desk.
"Jubal Early is going to enjoy turning you in honey." He says he walks out of the room.
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Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoy the end of War Stories! I'm sure some of you will be excited about mention of Jubal Early (I wasn't originally planning to use him, but I have kind of had a change of heart about where to take this story). Happy Holidays!