Company For The Journey... Part 4: ~ ANNABELLE THE TROLL ~

Having climbed back down from the rocky hills into what used to be a forest. A graveyard, she supposed it really was now... at least until life came back to this place somewheres down the line. Was remarkable to her how she'd think that though. It never would have occurred to her before, probably. She'd been raised on a farming colony, sure, but she'd never really... taken to it much, she supposed. She'd done what was asked of her, done it well, but her head had always been elsewhere: family, friends, chasing boys, and building and fixing things mostly. That an dreaming of all the adventures she wanted to have one day. She'd never thought much about nature, animals and trees and things... She never woulda seen what was around them now as... As a holocaust or a massacre, like River did. But... she'd seen how it had affected the woman she loved, so it was real for her now also. And it was a sad thing too, walking where they were, with carrying Lola with them. Sad, but hopeful too. A light in the darkness, she supposed, like River'd said...

The scent of burnt things was everywhere, but there was also the scent coming off the river ahead carried on the wind, and the sight of green and growing things on the other side. Food, water, and hope. That much closer to getting to where Inara was. To saving her. And at least that would be one more of those she cared for safe and accounted for, wouldn't it?

About what must be close to half ways through to the river, they came to the charred trunk of a fallen tree that hadn't burned through much. The rain had come back sometime during the night for a time, meaning the damage was a bit less than as total as it might a been otherwise. There were still bits of glowing ember here and there though, some on the tree trunk too. No easy way round it, so over they were going. River let go of her hand, took a few very fast steps towards it, and just sort of hopped up onto the log, easy as you please. She stood, turned around, then knelt and offered Kaylee and hand up. Kaylee appreciatively accepted and fought her way up.

It had been a long walk on too little to eat or drink and her energy was flagging. River's didn't much seem to be yet though. "How do you do that?" She asked, a little breathless as she stood up on top of the tree with River. "Have so much go in you?"

River smiled to her and had a thoughtful, curious look in her eyes. "Just do, I guess." She told her, touching Kaylee's hair and then she caressed her breast and pressed her thumb on her nipple, making Kaylee gasp a little and blush some. "Also, I have very excellent motivation." She told her, moving in and brushing her lips in a soft, feathery kiss. "When I think about you, nothing else seems so bad as it might seem otherwise." She told her softly.

Kaylee blinked, swallowed, and tried to get her head to work again. She wanted to kiss River back about then, hard. Just... she didn't want to lose her balance and fall, so she squashed the urge. She did smile though. "I think I feel a second wind coming on..." She told her softly.

River giggled just a little. "I always like to be helpful." She told her, resting her hands on Kaylee's hips and gazing into her eyes, looking all love-struck and bemused and all of beautiful too.

"That you surely are." Kaylee found herself telling her. "That an then some." She said softly, feeling all wrapped up in River all over again.

River smiled shyly and blushed just a little. She moved forward then and held herself to Kaylee.

Kaylee was a little surprised, but went with it easy enough, encircling River in her arms and holding her close.

They stayed like that for long moments before River pulled back and smiled bravely to Kaylee. Bravely... but something else too. "Hey... Talk to me?" Kaylee asked, touching River's hair and face, resting her other hand on River's hip, sliding it round back a little to pull her just a bit closer. "Is there something the matter?" She asked gently.

"...There could be." River told her in a quiet voice.

"...Well, so what is it then?" Kaylee asked. Not feeling worried... exactly.

"...It's just fear I think, that's all." River told her, looking down and moving closer to her again.

"Fear a what?" Kaylee asked.

"What all the wealthy fear: that what I have could be taken away somehow. It's happened before, you know. It could again." River told her in a gentle, thoughtful sort of way.

"...You think you're wealthy, then?" Kaylee asked softly.

"Not think. Know. It's more than strikingly obvious." River told her, looking up to meet her eyes. "We're in love, Kaylee. Love of the truest kind there is. The kind of love that, if we both want it to, only gets better. The kind of love that would for sure lead us to live in a star one day, if my fanciful theory about stars happens to be true somehow... It's the most valuable thing there is anywhere, don't you think so?" She asked in that same egalitarian way she had a asking things.

Kaylee smiled a just happy sort of smile. "Yeah, I guess I do think that, now you mention it."

"It's not very rational of me, being afraid sometimes like I am. Probably just a classical aversion response. Once stolen into shadows, and I'm twice shy. I'm trying to ignore it in hopes that it will go away." River confessed to her honestly.

Kaylee smiled. "You really think that's going to work, huh?" She asked a little playfully.

"Fear needs attention, like sunlight for plants. If I don't feed it for long enough, it should wilt and perish." River explained logically.

Kaylee looked into her eyes and touched her face in a light caress, blinking her eyes once. "Fears like that, they aren't usually so easy to ignore for most people, yaknow?" She asked.

"...There are other strategies at work." River explained. "Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong sung a song that told people about it once... Some people still have recordings of her music, even though she lived thousands of years ago. My mother had. Probably still does... She said that love can stop my fear, if I let it..."

"I'd believe it." Kaylee smiled and laughed a little. "That's a really long name, you know?" Kaylee told her.

"She hid it. I had She thought her parents were cruel to give it to her. But I always wished I had a long name like that when I was a girl, so I probably have a Billy goat living inside of me somewheres, just like she did, except in reverse. And maybe a troll." She told her with a cute smile.

Kaylee laughed. "A troll, huh?" She asked playfully.

"Scary troll. Her name is Annabelle. She gets cranky sometimes, and likes to eat the goats." River told her seriously, though you could tell by her eyes that she wasn't being at all serious. "It's always a challenge to invent new goats, and to try to keep them safe." She explained.

"I can see how that would be a challenge alright." Kaylee replied with some equanimity of her own.

"Somehow I thought you'd understand, if anyone would." River replied with a bright smile. "Come on though, it's time for us to emulate my goats some more now. That way, we'll be sure not to lose our footing. It's clever." She explained, stepping back and jumping down from the tree with grace that would make a Billy goat blush.

"Cleverness is easy for you." Kaylee replied as she jumped after her, River catching her up in her arms before she stumbled and fell.

"I know. But I think it's easy for you as well, even if you're too modest to admit it sometimes..." River replied. "You understand me... more than anyone does... I'm not easy to understand, even to myself many times. It's good for our relationship that we have things in common, it means we can be lazy and forgetful sometimes, and it won't be as damaging."

"Are you planning to be lazy and forgetful?" Kaylee asked curiously.

"It's not a plan or a plot, it's facts and figures and fault lines. I aspire, but I fear. I try not to expect, because I don't want to send invitations I don't want received and made use of... Once a guest shows up that you decide you don't like, you have to close the door or let them in. So you're either rude or miserable, and everyone's inconvenienced." She explained thoughtfully.

Kaylee just smiled fondly and shook her head a little. "You sure can turn me right round sometimes, things you say..."

River just quirked a smile at her. "Should I try to stop, then, you think?"

Kaylee giggle. "Never, ever." She told her positively, moving closer to kiss her, and loving how it made her head swim so.

Better and better, huh?, she thought. Now ain't that a just pretty thought...

to be continued

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