I tried something new with this story.

This is a collection of vignette’s (posted 10 at a time until we reach 100) that tell their own little story. It begins in the middle of the season, though no specific episode is mentioned. I have purposely left that vague.

The challenge table which gave me the words that prompted each little vignette is listed: Here if you want to see what all of the prompts were.

I don’t expect a lot of people to like or read this because of the tense. It’s hard for me to read much less write. But I wanted to do it just once. Of course, you’d have thought I could choose something other than a 100 PROMPT CHALLENGE to do it with, huh?

I did have fun doing this, but, god I have never been so happy to finish something in my life!

If you make it through all 100, I thank you. I’ve written the prompts so that they create a little series. The first story I saw done like this was one of Mordsith’s. So it is to her I must thank (or curse!) for giving me the idea to try it too!

Notes: Mucho thanks to TamSibling for beta’ing this monster that turned into 102 pages by the time I was done with all 100 prompts. Writing in this tense has been one hell of a challenge. One I never wish to ever undertake again.

And thanks to Leighkohl for saving my ass on a few of these prompts and tossing me ideas to keep me going.

For the other parts click here:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 9.5

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Because of You Part 10

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096. Sky

When he kisses her, she feels like her legs will collapse. When he lifts her into his arms, she feels like she is flying. As his hands cup her cheeks, bringing her closer so that he can deepen the kiss, she is certain she will faint from lack of oxygen.

Her fingers slip into his hair, soft and silky, as he backs her toward the bed. She whispers in his ear, tilting her head to the side as his lips drop to her neck, biting and nipping at the soft skin.

He gropes for the zipper on her coveralls and slips the offending material off her legs faster than she can ever remember him doing before.

There is nothing slow or amorous about their loving. It is fast, hot and filled with desperate longing. The heartache and despair that has separated them since Simon made his decision nearly burns them with a blinding intensity.

Shaking fingers unfasten his shirt and push it off his shoulders, then move on to his pants, shoving them unceremoniously down his legs.

He kicks them off as he leans her back onto his bed, gazing down at her with desire and no small amount of anxiety.

No words are spoken, no apologies. It’s not the time. That will come later. Once their lust has been slaked, once they lay panting and exhausted in one another’s arms.

Kaylee can feel Serenity break atmo, hurtling through the clear blue sky and toward its final destination, when Simon enters her. She hasn’t asked where they’re going. She hasn’t wanted to know on what planet they were going to leave her heart.

She clutches him tightly and enthusiastically meets each snap of his hips, wrapping her legs around his waist, urging him onward with soft mewls panted against his ear.

The ship shudders around them as it descends but they don’t care. They are lost in the wondrous pleasure thundering through their bodies as they move hard and fast, desperately, against one another.

Simon slides his hands beneath her backside and brings her body up against him. He groans loudly against her neck and when he raises his head, their eyes catch and the world around them slows.

He suddenly kisses her with all of the fervor he has contained within his body and when they part, there are tears in his eyes. He reaches between them to touch her, to pull her rapidly to the end toward which he is spiraling out of control.

As the landing struts drop in preparation for landing, Kaylee screams, his insistent motion against her, inside her, driving her to an intense end.

“I love you, Simon,” Kaylee breathes as he drops his lips to her neck. He draws the skin into his mouth and tugs relentlessly, bruises instantly appearing beneath each spot his mouth touches. “Please. Please,” she begs and he squeezes his eyes shut against the feel of her hot breath against his ear, against the intensity of the feelings that her words convey.

The passion that thunders through Simon’s body as he reaches his end dwarfs the gentle shudder that ripples through Serenity as it lands.

He collapses into her arms, panting, and rolls over, drawing her into his embrace. When he places a gentle kiss to her temple, she lifts tear-filled eyes to his.

“You’re still leavin,’ aren’t ya?”

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097. Water

“This is the closest planet ya could find ta drop ‘em on?” Jayne steps onto the bridge, glancing over Mal’s shoulder. He shivers as he takes in the ocean lapping gently at the outcropping upon which River has landed.

Slowly, River swivels in the chair and smiles at him. “Don’t worry, Jayne, no one will push you in. We know you can’t swim.”

Mal cocks his head and turns to Jayne. “You can’t swim?” Jayne sneers at River. “Won’t miss your mind-readin’ when you’re gone. “To Mal, he shrugs. “Ain’t never mattered before.”

“Just may matter before we take off if you insult my pilot again.” He’s angry enough at this situation and if Jayne says one more thing, he’s liable to push the big man into the water without benefit of a life vest. Mal looks forlornly down at River, unable to control the sadness in his voice or his eyes. “I imagine your brother is standing in the cargo bay with his bags ready to make his escape. Go on an join ‘im.”

Her eyes light with a brightness none of them have seen in days. “He’s busy.”

Mal raises an eyebrow and questions, “Doing?”

River cocks her head and smiles at him. “Are you sure you want to know?”

Mal’s jaw falls open and he whispers a name that instantly sets Jayne on edge. “Kaylee?”

River grins and looks out the window at the gently rolling waves. “He needs her. He’s busy showing her how much.”

Jayne immediately backs down the stairs, hands clenching into fists. “Ain’t gonna let that boy hurt her again.”

“Jayne you stop right now,” Mal says, jaw set. If by some miracle those two could work out their problems so that he doesn’t have to lose his pilot and his medic, he was gonna let ‘em. “Don’t go interferin’ in their business.”

“They ain’t t’gether no more, Mal. You wanna let ‘im hurt lil’ Kaylee all over again?” Jayne tenses at the mere thought, ready to go down to the passenger dorms and deliver a few hard punches to the prissy doctor’s gut.

“He’s not hurting her,” River says, not looking at them. “He could never hurt her.”

“He’s done plenty a hurtin’ the last few days. Or have ya missed the cryin’ and sobbin’ at all hours?” Jayne stares at the back of River’s head.

“He’s fixing his mistake.”

Mal crosses his arms and stares down at his pilot. “And what exactly does that mean, lil’ albatross?”

“They’re talking.”

“About?” Jayne asks, impatience clearly evident in his tone.

“Leaving Serenity.”

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098.Nurture

“It will be safer on Newhall,” Simon says, tightening his arms around her shoulders.

“Cap’n always says it’s safer on the move. An Serenity never stops movin’ for long.” She wraps an arm around his waist afraid that if she lets go, he’ll disappear from her life forever.

A small snort of laughter spills from his mouth. “Safer? Name the last job where everyone came back without a single scratch?”

Kaylee opens her mouth ready to name a job, but then remembers that someone had been injured. She does that two more times before frowning and dropping her head to his shoulder.

“You know I’m right.”

“Don’t want ya to go. You don’t want to go, Simon. I know ya don’t.” Her voice has dropped to a pitch he can barely hear. But the one thing he can hear plainly is the desperation she doesn’t even try to hide.

“Then come with me.”

Kaylee’s head snaps up and she searches his pretty blue eyes. “What?”

Simon leans forward and gives her a slow kiss. “I think you heard me.”

“I –“ Kaylee’s mouth falls open and her eyes go as wide as saucers. “Simon – I –“

Simon chuckles clearly amused that he has managed to render her speechless – something unheard of for Kaylee. He presses a quick kiss to her lips before sliding out from beneath her.

Kaylee reaches for him, eyes widening in panic, but he slips out of her reach. She sits up, ready to stop him from leaving but instead watches him move toward the luggage packed neatly in a corner of the room. Her eyes sweep appreciatively down his bare body and she licks her lips, telling herself there is no way that she is letting him leave.

After taking a moment to rummage through the suitcase lying at his feet, he returns to the bed, takes her hand and deposits a small velvet bag into it.

Kaylee recognizes it instantly and hesitates.

Simon smiles gently and nods. “Open it.”

“Ain’t openin’ it if you’re leavin’ me,” Kaylee says stubbornly, ready to give it back.

He covers her hands with his and implores, “Please. Open it.”

Slowly, she pulls open the small drawstring and tips the contents of the open bag into her hand. Even in the dim light of the room, the silver chain sparkles.

“I got it a long time ago.” Simon lifts the chain, and turns the item attached to it so that she can see the detail engraved into the silver band.

“They’re butterflies. And that portion of the metal has been treated to allow each etching to retain a different color.”

“Simon, it’s – ain’t no one every given me anything so pretty before.”

“You deserve so much more,” Simon says softly, his eyes downcast. “But this was all I could get you.”

Kaylee lifts his eyes to hers as a sudden thought occurs to her. “You got this before Miranda, didn’t you?”

Simon grins sheepishly and nods. “It’s meant to be a symbol of friendship. Something to show you, since I’ve never been so good with the words, that I – liked you, cared for you.”

“An you ain’t never found the time ‘fore now to give it to me?”

Simon shrugs, thinking for a moment she is upset with him. But when he sees the smile on her face, he realizes that she’s just playing. “I’m as bad with gift giving as I am with the talking, it appears.”

Kaylee smiles at that and closes her hands around his. “If I ‘cept this, does that mean you’ll stay?”

“I want you to come with me. Stay with me. Marry me. Have children with me. Grow old with me.” Simon briefly wonders if he can harness this one moment that is giving him the ability to speak coherently. “This is a good, safe place to raise children. It has a good, nurturing atmosphere. We can be happy here – together.”

The words come nearly too quick for Kaylee to process. But when she takes the chain out of his hand and holds it up, she grins coyly. “A friendship ring, huh?”

Simon grins sheepishly. “It means more now, obviously. But when I got it we were only friends.”

She clutches it to her chest and leans forward to kiss him gently. “Still are friends, Simon.”

“Yes, Kaylee,” he pulls her into his arms and kisses her deeply. “Yes, we are.”

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099. Writer's Choice – Clean

“How long you think we been landed?” Kaylee asks as she steps into the shower. Simon wanted to be clean before facing the rest of the crew, and who was she to argue when he’d taken her hand and dragged them naked toward the showers.

When Simon joins her, she leans back into his arms and tilts her head in an invitation for him to drop his mouth to her neck.

He doesn’t disappoint. As his hands move to cup her breasts, his lips close over that one sensitive spot on her neck that makes her knees weak.

When he doesn’t answer, Kaylee breathlessly says, “Yeah, I don’t care neither.”

Kaylee closes her eyes and gives herself over to him. His hands brush over firm nipples, before dancing lower, across her abdomen before dipping between the soft, damp folds. She gasps as he touches her, massages the sensitive skin with long, sure strokes. She mewls piteously, long and loud, as he draws every little sound out of her.

Her legs buckle when he finally drives her over the edge, her body trembling with a release that threatens to render her cross eyed. He simply holds her until the tremors subside, murmuring against her neck, nibbling on the delicate curve of her ear.

When she spins in his arms and locks her wrists around his neck, he is helpless to do anything but respond to the mouth that comes down on his, hard and insistent.

Without delay, he presses her against the back of the shower, desire burning through his veins. When she lifts her legs around his waist, he sinks into her with a soft grunt.

Water pounds them relentlessly from above as they work urgently, desperately against one another from below. Desire thrums through their blood and they are helpless as its waves crest and fall over them, leaving them breathless and panting in its wake.

Simon’s rapturous shout is drowned out by the water and muffled by Kaylee’s mouth. After a short moment his legs give out and he sinks to the floor, bringing Kaylee with him. He presses long, gentle kisses to her temple, forehead, and cheeks before ending in a long, deep kiss to her lips.

She settles comfortably on his lap, shifting her hips just enough for him to groan at the contact with over stimulated flesh. Kaylee giggles and lays her head on his shoulder, oblivious to the water falling down on them.

“I’ll go with you, Simon.” Kaylee tilts her head up to meet his eyes.

He slides his hands around her head and into her damp hair. Slowly, as if drawn by a magnet, their lips meet and cling, the desire burning through their blood not completely abated.

When they part, Simon grins. “I think the Captain might have an objection to losing his pilot, medic and mechanic all in one day.”

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100. Writer's Choice- Neglect

“Kaylee!” Mal calls, stomping noisily into the passenger dorms. Seeing the door to Simon’s bunk open he peers in with one eye open, hoping he isn’t walking in on any indecent fornication. But the room is empty, and he frowns, before River dances by him, crooking a finger in an indication to follow.

With a slight frown, he follows the smiling girl to the showers where she points at a closed door.

“Won’t be out for a while but if you want to catch them before they go back to bed, you better stand here and wait for them.” River flattens her hand against the metal door and closes her eyes, thanking the Shepherd for Simon’s change of heart, and Kaylee for her determination to make the boy see reason.

Mal groans as he hears Kaylee giggle through the door and takes a step back. “There ain’t nothin’ about that act I wanna hear coming from them two.”

From the shadows, Jayne creeps closer, intent on hearing that lil’ Kaylee is being well sexed. But with a firm hand on his shoulder and a stern look from Zoe, he sulks out of the room and toward his weights, eager to relieve a bit of excess energy.

Inara smiles when she notices Mal backing further away from the shower door. “Really Mal, it’s just sex. A grown man like you should be used to such acts by now.”

River suddenly turns from the door and walks toward them. Resting a delicate hand on Inara’s arm, she says surely, “It’s been too long for him. He doesn’t remember how to do it.” With a conspiratorial grin, she adds, “Perhaps you can remind him.”

Inara smiles politely, refusing to let Mal believe River’s words have affected her. Her fingers twist together, the only sign that she’s been unnerved by River’s comment.

For his part, Mal takes a step away and stutters, “A – uh – well, right then.” He stalks back toward the showers and pounds on the door. They’ve been sitting on the planet for a while now and he needs to know what’s going on.

River turns back to Mal. “Not leaving.”

Inara’s soft intake of breath is followed by a happy smile. “None of you?”

River shakes her head. “Kaylee’s convincing him that it’s safer to stay moving. Stay on Serenity.”

Mal glares at River. “I don’t need to know what they’re doing.” He pounds on the door again. “Lil’ Kaylee, you’d better get out here, mah shong! You’ve neglected your girl for that boy long ‘nuff! Time to get Serenity back into the air!”

When he turns around, Inara is gone, but he can hear her laughter echoing through the room and it is the sweetest sound he's ever heard.

END

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The last two prompts were listed as ‘Writer’s Choice’ but I had my beta give me 10 words which I wrote down on slips of paper, put into an envelope, and then chose two. It actually worked out really well. They ended up being ‘Clean’ and ‘Neglect’.

Thanks to everyone who stuck with this and kept reading. Writing in this tense was new for me, (and something I will NEVER, EVER, do again!) as was letting a series of prompts lead the way in the telling of the tale.

As one can't comment now without logging in (which I truly hate, btw), I hope you'll leave comments and let me know what you liked or even what you didn't. It's all good.