Into the Blue Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. I’m just playing. No money being made.

This fic takes place just over two years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara, Zoë/OC and Jayne/River.

A/N:

Thanks again Chris for the beta…

Into the Blue

Chapter Eight – Revenge

Simon exited the infirmary, Inara behind him. He looked at the gathered crew and let a small smile cross his lips, “I think Zoe will be fine.”

Everyone seemed to let out a deep breath. All had been standing vigil outside waiting for news. Except for Allan and River.

Simon looked around, “Where's Allan?”

“Gone to see to things,” Mal said quietly.

Kaylee looked frightened, “Did... did he go after Patience?”

Mal nodded at his mechanic, “He did Lil' Kaylee.”

“And you just let him go?” Inara said, an edge in her voice, “He'll be killed.”

Mal sighed, “Couldn't a stopped him if I tried. Better to let him go.”

“Mal, Zoe needs him here.”

“I know 'Nara. I know.”

“Don't worry,” Jayne spoke up, “He'll be fine.”

Mal looked at the merc quizzically, “How do you know that?”

Jayne grinned, “River's with im.”

XXXXXXXX

Allan landed the shuttle just outside town. Fingers flying through the shutdown sequence automatically. Taking a deep breath, he turned to his passenger, “You don't have to do this Kiddo.”

“Yes I do Allan,” River replied, “Zoe is my friend. And they tried to kill me as well if you recall.”

“I know, I just don't want you to get hurt.”

River smiled wide, “I won't, we make a good team.”

“I guess we do. Made short work of those bastards didn't we?”

“We did,” River agreed, “Do you have a plan?”

“The start of one,” Allan said, “Care to play the part of my niece again?”

“I am already in all but blood Da-shu,” She replied.

Allan smiled, “let's get to work.”

Allan and River exited the shuttle, locking the hatch behind them. Looking around quickly, they made their way to the small town's main street. Again Allan was struck but the dichotomy of these rim worlds. The town itself looked like a movie set for a western yet it wasn't unusual to see a hovercar parked next to a horse drawn buckboard. Both rustic and high tech at the same time.

River and Allan walked side by side along the covered wooden sidewalk, their gait easy and loose. To any outsider they looked like a father and daughter. Allan's mind was in overdrive formulating his plan, River nodding or shaking her head in silence as ideas came into his head while they walked. Allan smiled, it was nice not having to actually explain his plan.

The pair approached the town's only saloon and without any hesitation they walked through the swinging doors, striding up to the bar. Allan nonchalantly removed his sunglasses and slid them into a shirt pocket. Silently waiting for the barkeep to finish with another customer.

River stood at the end of the bar to Allan's right. Her eyes roaming the interior of the room. Allen used the mirror behind the bar for his reconnaissance. River touched his arm and nodded in the direction of a booth in the rear of the barroom. Allan's eyes moved slowly around and he caught his first sight of Patience.

It was just after noon locally. The old woman seemed to be eating lunch, two younger men sat beside her. Allan brought his attention back to River as the barkeep approached.

“Waddya have?” Asked the skinny man behind the bar.

“Beer fer me,” Allan replied, “Somthin soft fer m' niece.” Allan didn't want to inhibit River's reading ability with alcohol.

The barkeep grunted and returned a moment later with a mug of drought beer and a Blue Sun Cola for River. Allan reached into his pocket and placed thirty in platinum on the bar. The barkeep looked at him strangely, it was more than four times what the two drinks cost.

Allan looked the skinny man in the eye, “Lookin fer a woman by the name o' Patience,” Allan drawled. He had always had a knack for picking up accents and right now Allan sounded quite a bit like Jayne.

“What you want her for?” The skinny man replied warily.

“Nothin untoward, Just a business proposition.”

The man nodded, “Be right's back”

Allan watched the man in the mirror as he approached the old woman at the back of the bar. They spoke for a few moment's and then the Barkeep returned.

“You got five minutes.”

“More than I need,” Allan replied as he left his untouched beer and began walking in Patience's direction, River slightly behind him.

Part of Allan wanted to draw and put a bullet between this woman's eyes as soon as he walked up to her. Instead he smiled.

“You Patience?”

“Who wants ta' know,” the old woman replied.

“Name's Hudson, Al Hudson, this is m' niece, Brooke.”

“What can I do ya for Mr. Hudson?” Patience said as she motioned Allan and River to sit.

“I hear you occasionally need the use o' a transport ship from time t' time?”

“Maybehaps,” she said, “What ya got fer a ship?”

“Firefly,” Allan replied simply.

“Firefly huh?” Patience laughed, “I knew a feller who had one o' them.”

“Knew?” Allan asked, “Might be someone I know, those o' us that got's firefly's tend to know one nother.”

“Name o' Malcolm Reynolds. Got himself a bit killed. This very day matter o' fact.”

“That so?” Allan said, “Name sounds a might familiar. Killed you say?”

Patience took a swig from her whiskey glass, “Yep, crossed me one too many a time. Sent m' boys to take care o' him this mornin. Should be back anytime.”

“Looks like iffin I do any haulin fer you I better not cross ya.”

Patience glared at Allan, “Who said you was haulin fer me?”

Allan held up his hands, “No offense, Just talkin out loud.”

Patience smiled, the expression looking evil on her craggy face, “The girl there don't say much... don't look like ya much neither.”

“Takes after her momma, rather than m' brother. And Brooke here usually lets her actions speak fer her”

“What's she do?” one of the men with Patience leered, “Service yer crew?”

River smiled sweetly, “No, I do this...”

In one fluid motion, two knives flew from River's hands. Each embedding in the throats of the men flanking Patience. Before she could even move, Allan stood and drew his colt, placing the muzzle against Patience's forehead. River stood at Allan's back, gun in hand.

“Sorry for all the playacting Patience,” Allan snarled, “I just wanted to know I had the right woman.”

Patience started to reach for her gun, Allan saw her move and pressed harder against her head.

“Uh uh,” Allan shook his head, “Don't be tryin that. I ain't finished talkin yet. Seems you kinda messed up this mornin. Should a come yourself so we could have avoided this little mess. That way, you'd already be dead... Just like all the men you sent after Mal. See they ran into a little problem.”

Patience's eyes shot wide, “What problem?”

“Us,” River replied.

Allan smiled, “This is what happens when you don't think things through Patience. Mal figured this was maybe a setup. So me and the girl took care o' your men. Permanently I might add. Just like I'm gonna do to you. I could have let it slide but your men hurt my woman, I can't let that lie.”

“You ain't got the stone's to shoot me in cold blood,” Patience snarled, “Otherwise you'd a shot me the second you walked up.”

“I actually wanted to,” Allan agreed, “But I wanted to tell you why you had to die.”

“Like I said, you ain't got the stones.”

“Wrong.”

The shot echoed through the room. Allan calmly picked up a napkin and wiped the spattered blood and brains off his gun and then holstered it. Turning around, he found several sets of eyes looking at him. No one dared to move. River calmly removed her blades from Patience's men's throats and wiped them clean on the tablecloth.

Allan reached in his pocket and pulled out a fifty platinum coin. As he and River calmly walked out of the bar, Allan flipped the coin to the barkeep. Remembering a line from an old Sci-fi movie...

“Sorry for the mess.”

Walking slowly down the sidewalk, Allan looked at his companion, “Anything Kiddo?”

“All I feel is surprise, fear and shock. No anger. It's quite curious actually.”

“Zoe told me the general populace hated her. We might get out of here without a fight.”

“Perhaps, but as soon as we get off the sidewalk I strongly suggest that we run to the shuttle.”

“No arguments from me on that idea,” Allan said.

As the pair walked towards the edge of town where the shuttle was parked, River grabbed Allan's arm.

“Now I sense anger... time to run.”

“Let's go.”

River and Allan broke into a run headed for the shuttle. The could hear shouts from the direction of Main Street. River being faster than Allan, pulled ahead. Turning back to see where he was she slowed her pace.

“Keep going!” Allan yelled, “Get the shuttle started, I'll be right behind you!”

The dirt puffed up next to Allan followed by the report of a gunshot. Not looking back Allan began to change his direction randomly, not giving the shooter a steady target. River had reached the shuttle and launched herself through the hatch, Allan only fifty feet behind.

Suddenly, Allan felt the hot searing pain of a bullet grazing his right calf, causing him to stumble to the ground. Rolling onto his back, Allan drew his gun and returned fire, causing the men chasing him to duck for cover. Scrambling to his feet, Allan dove through the open door of the shuttle. As soon as he was on board, River lifted the shuttle into the air. Allan quickly slammed the door shut and made his way into the cockpit, collapsing into the second seat, his chest heaving from the exertion.

River glanced at him quickly, “Are you all right?”

“Took a graze, just hurts,” Allan replied.

“First aid kit is on the aft bulkhead,” River said quickly, keeping the shuttle low to the ground.

Allan got up and limped back to the rear of the shuttle and grabbed the first aid kit. As he reentered the cockpit, River was on the com.

“Serenity, this is shuttle two, do you copy?” she called.

“Go ahead Tross,” Came Mal's scratchy voice.

“We need to be in the black as soon as possible. Takeoff now and we will rendezvous in the air.”

“Lifting now... Is it done?”

“It's done,” Allan replied into the com.

XXXXXXXXXX

Allan's hands were shaking. He tried to still them but could not. They had docked with Serenity and now were climbing through Whitefall's atmosphere. Shakily, Allan got up from his seat in the shuttle and began to limp in the direction of the infirmary. River had left moment's before to assist the Captain on the bridge.

Just as he reached the bay floor, Allan's legs gave out and he dropped to his knees. Without warning Allan threw up. His vision began to blur and he wondered what was happening to him. Just before the world went black, Allan heard Kaylee yell his name.

XXXXXXXXXX

Allan opened his eyes and immediately closed them again blocking out the bright light assaulting him, a small moan escaping his lips.

“How do you feel Allan?” Came Simon's voice.

“Like shit,” he replied through clenched teeth, eyes still closed.

Simon chuckled, “Thats about par for the course.”

“Allan's eyes shot open, “Zoe?”

Simon smiled and stood back. Allan looked from his position on the small bed on the counter to the Med chair in the center of the room.

Zoe, her face a bit pale lay there, looking at Allan with a slight smile on her face, “Bout time you woke up” She said quietly.

A grin came across Allan's face as he body relaxed, “Simon, Can you help me up?”

“I really think you...”

“Simon, help me up,” Allan said again.

“Fine,” he replied in an exasperating tone, “But you need to take it easy. You're dehydrated and exhausted. Thats why you threw up and passed out. That combined with your wound means you need to rest. But since you're obviously not going to listen... just don't disturb my other patient too much,” he finished with a smile.

“Thanks Simon, I'll take it easy,” Allan said as he got shakily to his feet.

“I'll leave you two alone for a while,” Simon said as he left.

Allan limped to Zoe's bedside and took her hand in his, “Hey there.”

“Hey yourself,” She replied weakly.

Allan blinked back tears, “Almost lost you today,” he said, voice breaking.

“Hush now. Takes more than a little gunshot to get rid o' me.”

Allan took a deep breath and nodded. “I'm sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“Going off like that... I should have waited... I...”

“Did you kill Patience?”

“Yes,” Allan said, averting his eyes from Zoe's gaze.

“Different when it's not in the heat of battle ain't it?”

Allan nodded, “Zoe, I... It's...”

“A lot like murder?”

“Yeah,” Allan agreed, “I just don't want you to think less of me because I went and killed her.”

Zoe smiled and with her good arm pulled Allan's lips to hers. Smiling Zoe broke the kiss and looked Allan in the eye.

“If I could've gotten up off this bed I'd a blown that mu-gou ta' hell myself.”

Allan relaxed, a smile on his face he kissed Zoe for a long time, finally breaking for breath he spoke, “You know how much I love you?”

“As much as I love you,” Zoe replied.

Half an hour later, Simon looked in on his patients to find them both asleep, Allan sitting on a stool, head across Zoe's chest while her arm was across his shoulders. Smiling Simon left the couple to sleep. He's bring them some food later.

TBC