BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - ROMANCE

NAILANI

The Circular Irony Part 3
Thursday, December 14, 2006

After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 1695    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

The Circular Irony Part 3 by Nailani Williams

Disclaimer: No Copyright Infringement intended so Joss put down the Sword of Infinite Truths!

Summary: After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.

Rating: PG-13

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay, it’s the holidays and I seem to be swamped with family obligations. I’ll try to get the next part out sooner! :D!

I dedicated this to all the brave writers of Zayne fic! ~

Mal:

I was tense, and it wasn’t because of the New Browncoats… it was because of Zoe. Never did I think she’d ever look at me with questioning eyes, but she did now and it cut me to the quick. And what made it worst, was that there were children reinitiating a war that we lost. All because of Miranda.

I was humped and I knew it. I couldn’t just allow these children to sacrifice themselves. I couldn’t let the Alliance put them to death because I knew it’d be broadcasted on every wave in the verse. They would be made an example of. And that was blood I couldn’t bare to have on my hands.

I just hoped Zoe would be with me on this. I hoped that somewhere inside her she still felt like a soldier.

Everyone was sitting around the table when I walked in from the cockpit. I looked at their faces. Some were expectant… others were annoyed.

“So cap, what going on?” Kaylee was the first to speak to me with a huge smile. I looked at her.

“As you all know we‘re going to Persephone to do a job…” I stopped when Zoe and Jayne began grumbling and shaking their heads. Inara’s hand took mine. I smiled briefly at her. “This job is with the New Browncoats.”

“No way, Mal,” Simon stood up. “you know River and I are still wanted by the Alliance!”

“I know and I’m sorry, I took the job before knowing who the job was with,” I began.

“I thought you were calling the job off, sir?” She was talking more at me than to me, I nodded, helplessly. She had her reasons to be pissed.

“I was, but then it came to my attention that without us, they are caught in a bind,” I told her and she closed her eyes and cussed in mandarin.

“So?” Jayne said, and I was expecting it. “They formed this half ass group of wannabes why do we have to go save their asses?”

“Because they’re children, Jayne. No older than River and I don’t wanna have to see them get spaced on the next Alliance verse wide transmission,” I yelled and Jayne sat back.

“This is dangerous… I know, but I’m asking you to be with me,” I pleaded.

“I’m with ya, Cap,” Kaylee said with a big smile, taking Simon’s hand.

“I guess that means we’re with you,” Simon pointed at himself and River, who smiled and nodded.

“I’m with you, always,” Inara squeezed my hand.

“I need you, Zo,” I said. “I need both of you.”

Jayne looked at Zoe and she shook her head, “I can’t do this again,” she stood up and left.

I went to Jayne, “I need her, Jayne.” I looked at the bigger man and he nodded.

“She’s tired, Mal, she’s been through it. If I get her to agree to this, there ain’t no guarantees where that would leave the two of you,” Jayne warned and I looked away.

“Thank you,” I said and he shook his head.

“I ain’t doing it on your behalf, I’m doing it because she would never forgive herself if she allowed those kids to die,” Jayne stood and walked out of the room.

“Tomorrow morning we’ll be orbit around, Persephone.. .we’ll talk specifics then,” I said to the others as they dismissed themselves.

Jayne:

This idea of saving the New Browncoats were foolhardy, but foolhardy was Mal’s middle name. As much as the idea made me nervous, I wasn’t about to allow some teenagers to get spaced. Ain’t a good death, specially for no younguns. And I knew Zoe felt the same way.

I walked into our bunk and she was sitting on the bed, a picture of Wash in her hands. I could tell she were teary.

“What would Wash want you to do?” I asked her and she gave me a long defeated look.

“He’d want me to do what’s right,” she whispered. I sat besides her on the bed.

“I’m with you in whatever you decide,” I said and she nodded.

“We have to get those kids,” she said, and I nodded.

“Yep, we do.”

Zoe:

I was mad at Mal. And I couldn’t get the tone out of my voice when I told him Jayne and I was in. He looked at me with a sad expression and I turned away from him. It hurt me to hurt him, but something had to give between us.

“If it could be any different..” he began. I sighed loudly.

“I don’t think it can be different with you…sir, Mal, this is your life, and I guess it’s your fate to be entangled in this War,” I said, turning back to him.

“I guess the question are you gonna be entangled with me? Or are you bailing on me?” he asked and I looked at him.

“I don’t know yet,” I said and he nodded.

“Fair enough.”

Inara:

Most women couldn’t deal with a man like Mal. Someone who was always chasing danger, but I couldn’t help myself. I loved him so much I gave up everything I had to be with him. After almost losing him on Mr. Universe’s, I knew that I just couldn’t leave him again, no matter how many times he exasperated me to the point of screaming.

“Zoe’s in,” Mal said coming into my shuttle before supper, he kicked of his boots and lied face down on the bed.

“You’re not going to eat?” I asked him and he shook his head. I sat down next to him and ran my hands through his thick brown hair.

“I can’t Nara, ain’t got much of an appetite,” he rolled on to his back.

“Talk to me Mal, let me take some of your burden from you,” I whispered and he gave me a look. He looked through the part of my kimono to my cleavage and then my face.

“Ain’t much in the mood for that either,” he brushed me off and I slapped him.

“Ow,” he protested holding his big fat head. “I didn’t mean nothing by it, I‘m just not in the mood.”

“I wanted you to talk to me, Mal, I wasn’t trying to seduce you!” I rose from the bed retying my kimono so it was tight against my body while avoiding his grasping hands. Mal had away of exasperating me to the point of insanity.

“There ain’t nothing to talk about, Nara, nothing that’s gonna make anything better,” Mal said, collapsing back onto the bed with a deep sigh of heavy contemplation. I was worried for him and he was shutting me out harder than he ever had.

“I thought we were past this,” I sighed disappointed walking out of my shuttle holding back tears. I touched my abdomen where I knew life was growing. “If he can’t even confide in me, how is he going to be your father?” I whispered. The news came on Deadwood after my friend Bethanie spotted the signs I was desperately hiding from Mal. So I went and paid for a local doctor to see me, instead of going to Simon, who I knew for sure Mal would badger to death about anything concerning me. I wasn’t far along, and Bethanie told me it was best to keep my news to myself until I was sure the baby would hold. Though, not telling Mal when he was ready to get neck deep into the War again, was killing me.

I needed to stop thinking like a Companion, I needed to stop thinking like a I was just member of his crew and start thinking about him as my man. I was his woman, and above all others I had to have faith in him. And hopefully, through my faith in him, the others would come around…maybe not Jayne, but the others will definitely come around.

We all had to put our trust in Mal, because if anything he deserved it. He had pulled us all out of some harried situations. He had bled and almost died for the crew of Serenity many times. And though he tries to covered it over with macho bravado, he still feels the pain of losing Book and Wash. I could only imagine how it was for him after the loss at the Battle of Serenity. How many faces of his regiment who didn’t survive did he mourn everyday. I walked to the galley, River and Kaylee had prepared a breaded protein mash, with fresh onion and cooked greens. Zoe arrived before Jayne, they sat besides each other. And if you didn’t know they were together, you wouldn’t guess they were by their body language. I waited for Simon and Kaylee, noticing how Simon was doing his best to get Kaylee’s attention, but Kaylee was focusing solely of talking to River, much to Simon’s dismay. When everyone was seated, I sat down in Mal’s chair. Everyone looked at me and was quiet.

“Where’s Mal?,” Kaylee asked concerned. She was the closest to me sitting on my left, I smiled and touched her hand reassuringly.

“He’s sleeping,” I said and Kaylee nodded, but the concern never left her face. “Before we start our supper, I need to talk with you all about tomorrow.”

“It’s fine Inara, everyone is going, Mal will be well protected,” Zoe voice held annoyance and resentment. She was sitting straight up in her chair, tense. Jayne touched her shoulder and she relaxed slightly with a in audible sigh. I continued.

“We have had a rough year and a hard time, and none of it is lost on Mal. And though it may seem that he seeks out War from every minute corner of the verse…he doesn’t do this intentionally.” I took a deep breath.

“You all know as well as I do, that Mal has a code of honor. As much as he tries to deny it he does. When he exposed Miranda he hoped that it’d open the eyes of the verse to the practices of the Alliance, he didn’t however expect for children to put on Browncoats and pistols, and reinitiate the War.” I looked at Zoe and Jayne then Simon and Kaylee and River. “If those children die, he won’t feel that it was their own fault, he will think it’s his, you know that.” I said to Zoe.

“He already wears the blood of our friends, and of our family, and it’s only a matter of time before that blood gets so thick and makes things too hard for him to walk alone… and he’s already struggling,” I said feeling tears burn my eyes. “He can’t walk without us. So let’s walk with him, because he’s our family,” I finished and Kaylee smiled, widely. Simon nodded, thoughtfully. River smiled at me, knowingly, while Zoe and Jayne looked at each other.

We spent the rest of the dinner in semi silence until River stole the last piece of protein mash and gave it to me. Jayne fussed as usually and we laughed.

It didn’t take long for the laughter to reach Mal, half way through dinner he appeared. I went to stand… to change my seat but he just shook his head and sat down next to me. I placed the plate of food made for him neatly in front of him.

“I’m the biggest pi-gu in the verse,” he whispered to me and I grinned. I knew then that he had heard me address the crew.

“You are, but I love you, and that’s what matters,” I touched his face. “Now eat… your mash is getting cold.”

I touched my abdomen again under the table, I was going to have to tell him. Before we got to Persephone. He had to know to be extra careful, I couldn’t lose him now. Not now…

~ Thanks BEB for the heads up!

COMMENTS

Friday, December 15, 2006 2:04 AM

AMDOBELL


I absolutely adored this especially because of the way you wrote Inara, It is such a pleasure to see Inara actually standing by Mal for once instead of tearing him to pieces a snark at a time. Sad that Zoe is so reluctant and almost resentful. I just hope trying to save those kids from themselves doesn't get them all killed. Ali D
You can't take the sky from me

Friday, December 15, 2006 4:02 AM

TAMSIBLING


Very cool concept. I am liking this more and more as I read it. I'm still not so sure about Zoe/Jayne, but I really like your Mal/Inara and the concept that the 'verse is just getting uglier by the minute since Miranda.

I can totally see Mal carrying that weight solely on his shoulders ... and I can see Inara fighting to keep him afloat.

Friday, December 15, 2006 4:50 AM

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER


Great work here, Nailani! Definitely loving this storyline and how we're finally getting to see Mal and Zoe suffering through a schism that is slowly eating at their friendship (I squee all manfully at the schisming cuz I know Joss would have worked something like this into a later season after Wash's death and things had gone further to crap;D)!

Only quibble I had was some of Inara's internal monologue seemed...off. Mainly I thought some of the turns of phrase like "my man" and "mucho bravado" seemed too informal and slangy for Inara...even when she's relaxed. Though I think for the latter quibble, I am assuming you meant "macho bravado," not "mucho bravado";D

BEB


POST YOUR COMMENTS

You must log in to post comments.

YOUR OPTIONS

OTHER FANFICS BY AUTHOR

The Circular Irony Part 9
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Circular Irony Part 8
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.

The Circular Irony Part 7
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Circular Irony part 6
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Circular Irony Part 5
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Circular Irony Part 4
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Circular Irony Part 3
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.

The Circular Irony Part 2
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Circular Irony Part 1
After the BDM. Zayne, M/I, S/K, R/OC pairing. Taking place after the events of “The Bravest Thing” and “The Welcoming Committee”. When Mal gets a job on Persephone he realizes he’s transporting a new generation of Browncoats, who have their own special person straight out of the Alliance Academy. Meanwhile, Zoe and Jayne work out their working relationship and River gets a new creep-a-fying boyfriend.


The Welcoming Committee Part 7 NC-17
After the BDM. Zayne, pairing. Taking place after, “The Bravest Thing” Jayne’s going home to Deadwood and he realizes that only his Mama’s happy he’s home.