BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

SOFI

Death Experiances: Complications
Friday, September 29, 2006

Pre-series Zoe n Wash. After the crash declarations of love are cut short by an unexpected obstacle...


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2634    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

note: number two of probably now three. i hope you like this. i know i can't help feeling upset when wash looks all sad and cute, that's what i was going for! anyhow, enjoy!

~

Zoë flinched. Her head stung. Where was she? It was dark. Were her eyes open? The pain came again and she moaned in protest.

“Zoë?”

It was Mal. With difficulty she hauled back her eyelids, squinting in the unwanted glare of the infirmary. Her head throbbed.

Relief flooded Mal’s expression. In that moment all he could was smile. “You missed the crash.”

“Wash?” It was an instinct. She didn’t mean to say it.

A frown glanced Mal’s brow. “Gone to buy repairs with Bester… after a little persuasion. Nasty knock you got there. Remember what happened?”

Zoë paused. What did she remember? Coffee. Wash. Heat. “I remember. I’m fine.”

“The gash on your skull suggests otherwise. You need rest.”

She didn’t bother arguing. “The job?”

“No way we could make the rendez vous now, even if Serenity was fit.”

This was said as reassurance, but Zoë frowned. They needed that job. How could they possibly afford the cost of repairs? They would find a way though, they always did.

~

Shuttle 1 was skimming over the barren landscape through the searing heat of midday, it’s course set for the nearest town on this sparsely populated rock.

Bester poked his head into the cockpit, a thrilled grin spread across his good-looking face. “Man, that was close.”

The pilot didn’t reply.

“Wash?”

“Yeah, close.” His mind wasn’t on Bester, nor was it on flying. She had been so still, so still, so lifeless…

“If I hadn’t managed to redirect the breadth cooler we would have been roasted alive. Pretty shiny, eh?”

“Yeah, amazing,” Wash agreed half-heartedly. He slowly lowered them into the dock. Bester’s trick had still left the ship rocketing to the ground, but Wash didn’t defend his near miraculous emergency landing. It hadn’t been enough.

Bester regarded Wash suspiciously as he de-powered the engine. “Thinkin’ of Zoë?”

Wash didn’t reply. Standing up, he strode into the sunshine.

“Dude, she’ll be fine. No need to be grouchy.”

“Let’s just get the stuff and get back to the ship.”

Bester rolled his eyes.

Mal wandered down to the cargo bay on the shuttle’s return. To his surprise he found Zoë striding from the infirmary, hands on hips. “Thought I told you to rest!”

Zoë nodded. “You did, Sir.” She continued past him.

Mal opened his mouth protest when the door to the shuttle was slung open and Wash came flying down the stairs towards them.

“Zo! Honey, you alright?” He ran into her arms.

Zoë breathed in the scent of him, her hands finding the back of his neck. “I’m fine.”

“That’s what you said last time. Not going to go passing out again?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Promise?” He pulled away to look her in the eye, his arms clasped around her waist. Her dark eyes, her beautiful eyes.

“Promise.”

Embarrassed and exasperated, Mal glanced to the ceiling. His mouth fell open. “什麼在點燃地獄方面?”

“Sir?” Zoë’s eyes followed her Captain’s gaze. The colour drained from her face and her arms fell to her side.

Frowning, Wash turned. On the stairs next to Bester stood the mechanic who had come from the parts store.

His gaze was locked with Zoë’s. “Wow,” he said eventually.

Mal turned to Zoë who was rapidly regaining her wits. “Zo?”

Knowing his concern, she nodded. I’m fine.

Wash noticed this, but didn’t understand.

The mechanic grinned widely. “Sergeant! Zo! What’re the chances?”

“Arran, what the hell you doin’ here?” Mal demanded.

The mechanic continued down the stairs, flicking his long dark hair from his eyes. “I work on this rock, have done since the war. Not ideal, but got no way out now. Hurt ship, thought I’d need to take a look at it. Didn’t know it was your wreck.”

“She ain’t wrecked, just dinted.”

“Right…” His clear emerald eyes had met Zoë’s again and Wash felt a cold stab of jealousy.

Mal cleared his throat. “I guess we should have a drink!”

“First I’ll check your damage, if someone would show me…”

“I’ll do it.”

Everyone stared at Zoë with varying levels of shock and confusion.

Mal faltered then nodded. This was going to be awkward.

They left without another glance at the rest of the crew. Wash’s dejection was almost enough to stir sympathy within the Captain, but he couldn’t offer a word of sympathy.

Wash watched the pair go. He was tall, like Zoë.

~

Zoë guided Arran to the front of the ship in silence.

“So, still with the Sergeant?”

“Of course.”

Arran nodded. “Should have guessed.”

A silence.

“You and the pilot seem close.”

“I guess.”

He cleared his throat slightly. “Well, I hope you’re happy together.”

“We’re not.”

“What?”

“Together.”

“Oh! Oh. Oh, well, that’s, that’s good.” He grinned.

Zoë smiled very slightly. He hadn’t changed.

~

Mal was on the cortex. “Listen, I understand this is disappointing for everyone, but there’s nothing I can do. My buyer will be long gone. There’s no deal.”

A disagreeable frown distorted Otto’s youthful features. “Captain Reynolds, let me make sure I am clear. You are going back on a bargain you have already committed to?”

“It’s not as-”

“I see.”

The line went dead. Mal sighed, running a hand through his hair. Another rich man to avoid.

“Mal?”

Wash stood in the doorway to the bridge, a wrench in one hand and that pathetic look on his face that he had worn since Arran had appeared.

“Ain’t you got something to be fixing?”

“Who exactly is this mechanic guy? Not to suggest I don't trust one of your old buddies, but if you’ll remember last time…”

Mal rolled his eyes. “Arran is just a mechanic, was just a mechanic in the war.”

“Didn’t seem like ‘just a mechanic’ to Zoë.”

“He was just a mechanic to me. Ask Zoë if you want to know who he was to her.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea, but I wouldn’t want to interrupt their romantic walk.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting slightly? Besides,” Mal countered, “what’s it to you?”

Wash opened his mouth then closed it again.

“Just concentrate on getting Serenity ship-shape. Don’t need no more complications, you hear?”

A pause.

Wash nodded and left.

Complications.

To be continued...

glossary

His mouth fell open. “什麼在點燃地獄方面?” What in flaming Hell?

COMMENTS

Friday, September 29, 2006 1:56 PM

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER


Oh...cao. Always with the disruptive war buddy of Mal and Zoe...never with the kind and caring friend of Wash's or Kaylee's;)

Definitely can't wait to see how things go in the next chapter, Sofi:D

BEB

Friday, September 29, 2006 10:26 PM

AMDOBELL


Zoe can handle Arran, I don't think the guy has a chance in hell of doing anything but tinkering with Serenity. So calm down Wash. And uh oh, another rich former employer to avoid like the plague. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me


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