Chapter 2

“You gotta stay here with lil-pint,” Jayne insisted as he, Inara and Madeline made their way toward the burning wreckage that was their former home. They’d left the shuttle in the first clearing large enough to hold it and disembarked quickly. “I’m going,” Inara replied firmly. “`Nara,” Jayne looked up at the clear blue sky. There was no Alliance ship to be seen. “They come lookin’ for survivors, you got a better chance of –“ Jayne stopped and met her eyes, taken aback by the determination mirrored there. A lesser man would have wilted beneath the Companion’s glare. “Yeah. All right. But stay behind me.” They both knew the importance of reaching the ship quickly, and so they continued to march toward where the burning trees and charred earth indicated Serenity had crashed. Madeline sobbed as they made their way through the forest. “They didn’t make it,” she said. ”I know it.” “Won’t hear no talk a that,” Jayne said. “They ain’t dead ‘til we see the bodies.” Branches swayed and twigs snapped as they drew closer to the ship. It didn’t take that much time to wind their way through the, at times, dense foliage, but each second that ticked by was too long. Metal littered the ground; Jayne scanned it as he walked a few meters ahead of Inara and Madeline. His steps slowed, then he raised his hand to indicate that they stop. “What is it?” Inara asked, clearly concerned and curious as to what he’d seen. “Stay here.” “Jayne –“ The mercenary spun around, eyes hard. “Ain’t askin’.” Inara nodded slowly, understanding, and dropped to her knees, looking to Madeline as Jayne trudged forward. She fussed with the girl’s appearance, brushed away smudges of dirt on her cheeks, all the while looking over her shoulder to watch Jayne. But Madeline would have none of her fussing and strained to look toward what could be seen of the ship – until Inara finally noticed what Jayne had already seen. Inara put her hands on the girl’s shoulders and turned her back around. “I need you to look at me, all right?” She struggled to keep her voice steady. It couldn’t be Mal; the body Jayne had seen. It couldn’t be. “What is it?” Tears leaked out of the corners of the girl’s dark eyes and Inara wiped them away with a shaky hand. “I don’t know yet. Jayne is investigating.” Inara resisted the urge to glance back over her shoulder. “He found someone, didn’t he?” Inara inwardly cursed the girl’s intellect. Madeline didn’t feel comfortable with her, with any of the women, as a matter of fact, but fear kept her at Inara’s side. “I think so.” Madeline tried to turn around but Inara stopped her. “Who is it?” “I don’t know.” Again Inara prayed that it wasn’t Mal.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Take him and go,” Simon said, his voice as determined as River had ever heard it. He pushed his son into his sister’s arms. “Get out of the ship.” “Not without you,” River said, her eyes wet with tears. “I –”Simon looked down at Kaylee’s face. She was peaceful and beautiful even in death. “I can’t.” “You have to.” Simon shook his head. “Have to take care of him, now.” River knew he needed some time to let Kaylee go, but she was torn. The boy needed his father. She needed her brother. They needed each other. Simon didn’t turn around, simply laid his head against Kaylee’s shoulder as if he was too weak to hold himself up any longer. River tried again. “He needs you.” Simon shook his head and a sob escaped River’s lips. The remorse and anguish that filled Simon’s heart nearly overwhelmed her. She wanted to run away, put some distance between the source of such gut wrenching pain. But this was her brother; she owed him everything, her life, her sanity. She knew that distance wouldn’t heal her. His grief was simply magnifying her own. Only time would heal their pain. “I need you.” She could feel his determination waver, however slightly. “Madeline needs you, too.” Simon slowly lifted his head, not bothering to wipe the salty tears from his dirty cheeks. “Aaron?” River shook her head and Simon took a slow, unsteady breath. River smiled down at her nephew and then back to her brother. “She’ll protect him like you protect me.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Inara and Madeline approached only when Jayne indicated it was safe to do so. He’d covered the body as best he could and Inara knew to keep Madeline from looking too closely. The girl had seen far too much death in her young life already. “Who is it?” Both adults were saved from an explanation by grunts, groans, and curses, not to mention branches and twigs, falling from above. “Jayne?” came Mal’s disjointed voice. The mercenary exchanged a relieved look with Inara before turning back toward the foliage-covered ship. “Mal?” “Get up here. We need help!” Inara’s eyes darted from Jayne, clearly wondering how he was going to get ‘up’ there, and wanting desperately to see Mal’s face, and not just hear his voice. “Workin’ on it,” Jayne grunted. Inara pulled Madeline away and the two watched as Jayne climbed up toward the movement in the foliage. Then Jayne disappeared, leaving the two very much alone. Inara hoped Madeline wouldn’t want to see the body that Jayne had mostly covered with broken branches. But it was not to be. “That’s my dad, isn’t it?” Her voice was low, sad, resigned. Inara tore her eyes from the wreckage above. It would do no good to lie to the girl now. “Yes.” Madeline collapsed immediately into a heap on the ground and buried her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook, and sobs wracked her body as and Inara knelt beside the distraught girl and wrapped her arms around the thin shoulders. She returned her gaze to Serenity and prayed they had seen all the death that awaited them today.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“What’s the situation?” Mal asked as soon as Jayne tugged himself up into the cockpit. Jayne glanced around, taking in their injuries and the surroundings with the eyes of an experienced hunter. He brushed shards of glass off his hands and noted the small ticks of blood that dotted his skin for the effort. “Got ‘Nara an’ lil-pint down there. Found Aaron’s body too.” Mal nodded slowly and met Zoe’s eyes. “That’s what we were afraid of.” “River?” Jayne asked, eyes searching the rubble. “Ka –“ “She went to get Kaylee and Simon. Ain’t seen her since –“ From behind them, River’s head appeared on the other side of the jagged hole she’d pushed through to get to her brother. “Help.” Jayne lurched forward on uninjured legs and took the baby she held through the small hole. “What the –“ “Get him out, Jayne. Please.” Jayne glanced down at the strangely silent baby River held. “Take him to Maddy and Inara,” Mal said then looked to River. “Kaylee?” Jayne watched the emotion play across River’s face and his eyes widened. He didn’t need to hear the girl speak. He already knew what her answer was going to be. River shook her head and glanced down at the baby in her arms. Zoe hobbled closer to Mal. Jayne could feel them pressing in to hear River’s news. “Simon won’t leave her. He’s too hurt to move, and there’s really no way out.” River looked around, the stains on her dirt-covered cheeks clearly made by tears. “Everything’s so – broken.” “We’ll get him out, River,” Mal said, and Jayne recognized the tone instantly. One that indicated they’d get it done, whatever it was, and deal with everything else later. And he’d do the same. He’d follow Mal’s example. He stepped forward and held out his hands. River hesitated only a moment before placing her nephew into the big man’s arms. “What can we do?” Zoe asked River as she and Mal moved forward after Jayne left. River looked around. “Can’t do anything right now. You’re hurt. Need to rest. Can’t come in here with me.” Mal’s eyes flashed. He didn’t like the helpless feeling that was beginning to settle like a dead weight on his shoulders. “River, I ain’t gonna –“ But River interrupted. “Inara needs you. Go down. Help will come.” Her eyes shifted to Zoe and Mal had the distinct impression the girl was trying to recruit his first mate into coercing him into doing what she wanted. “She is right, sir. We need to rest, re-group –“ “It’s my ship, Zoe –“ Mal started, nearly regretting the sharp movement he’d made to turn and look at her. He grimaced and wrapped an arm around his injured side. “I can’t sit here and do noth-” “Going to sit with Simon.” River pushed herself away from the opening. “Don’t want him to be alone.” “River, wait,” Mal called. He was unwilling to let her go without at least offering some help, but he knew he couldn’t get through that hole without doing further injury to himself. He bent down to collect another blanket that they’d pulled from the overturned cabinets. The motion made him wince, as it pushed against his bruised and broken ribs, but he managed to offer the material to River. “Make sure he’s warm.” ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Inara blinked when she noticed Jayne appear out of the foliage. She watched, her eyes glued to his back, as he climbed down with a small bundle in his arms. The baby began to cry halfway down the rope and Inara felt her heart lurch at the sound. By the time Jayne got to her, the baby was crying full out. Deprived of his mother’s nutrition and warm embrace, the boy no doubt felt lost and alone. Inara opened her arms immediately and when she opened her mouth to ask Jayne a question, he simply turned away and walked back to the ship, unable or unwilling to answer any of the many questions poised on her lips. “He’s so tiny,” Madeline observed, reaching a thin finger toward the pale, clenched fists. It was the first time she’d moved and Inara was grateful for something to occupy the girl’s attention. Inara glanced down at the bundle buried for warmth in her skirts and nodded, barely able to keep her eyes on the baby. She selfishly wanted to see Mal climb down from the ship. She wanted to see him with her own eyes. Jayne had said nothing, his expression revealing to Inara only one thing; the baby she held now had come into this war ravaged ‘verse without a mother to care for him. And it took every ounce of strength Inara possessed not to break down and cry for her mei mei. While Madeline cooed and entertained the baby, fingers ghosting over his smooth skin, Inara’s eyes remained firmly fixed on the swaying branches and the metal hull visible through them. Her heart skipped when she noticed someone moving slowly through the path Jayne had haphazardly cut through the foliage. She had to force herself to remain calm as a familiar form came into view – it wasn’t Jayne. In the low light, she couldn’t truly make out their faces, but her body tensed in hope that it was Mal. She had so much to say, so much to – When he lifted his head and she saw, without a doubt, that her prayers had been answered, her shoulders slumped and her body collapsed around the baby. She pulled him into her arms, dislodging Madeline from where he had drawn her undivided attention, and stood on shaky legs. “Mal . . .” Inara whispered as he approached her with a limp. He was bruised and battered – but he was alive. She could see he was exhausted and when he leaned against her, she could feel it too. They stood that way for a long moment, wanting, needing, what little comfort they could provide one another. They didn’t part until Madeline’s tiny voice asked, “Where’s Kaylee and Doctor Simon?” Inara searched Mal’s face, hoping he would have an answer where Jayne had none. “Still inside, kiddo,” Mal answered, his voice thick with emotion. They watched Madeline reach up and try to touch the baby Inara held tight to her breast. “But he needs his mom. And –“ “’Nara needs to be his mom for now,” Mal interrupted, and Inara could see that this was something he didn’t want to have to explain. She met his eyes, needing to hear from his own lips that her mei mei was dead. When he looked at her, eyes sad and soulful, she swallowed back a sob. “Ya need to be his ma for now.” Tears leaked down the corner of her cheeks as she asked, “Simon?” “Hurt bad. Won’t leave without her.” “River?” “Won’t leave ‘er brother.” Inara bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling and nodded her understanding. Tears welled in her dark eyes but she set her jaw to keep them from falling. Just a little longer. She needed to be strong until it was all done. “We’ll get ‘em out.” Jayne puffed, dropping a torn bag full of supplies that he’d managed to gather from the ship. Inara lifted her eyes to the mercenary, surprised to see the determined set of his jaw. “All of ‘em.” He turned around and headed back into the wreckage, his stance sure and confident.

TBC

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Reviews before the hack

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nbz Monday, August 27, 2007 - 06:52

Can we hate you for making it so believable?

(I normally prefer the dark stuff to be slightly unbelievable - just so you know it'll never really happen. Even to fictional characters.)

Very well written with the right amount of emotion, the right amount of getting on with things. It could have been easy to wallow in emotions, but this is much much better. ---------------------

Jaynesgirl212 Monday, August 27, 2007 - 06:56

I love this determined Jayne. As sad as it is, I look forward to the way the rest of the crew will deal with Kaylee's death. Could see a whole new side to each of them. Great plot! Now I have to go cry. -----------------

epm0001 Monday, August 27, 2007 - 06:58

OMG this is sooo good. Thanks for posting!! -----------------

TamSibling Monday, August 27, 2007 - 06:58

Heart-wrenching and painful - it amazes me how debilitating this scenario is and yet how strong our BDHs are. Simon refusing to leave Kaylee's body tugs at my heartstrings in ways that I just can't explain. And River's refusal to leave her brother is so perfectly characterized.

Oh boy - so much pain and I know there's more to come! ----------------

LadySage Monday, August 27, 2007 - 06:58

Wow, this continues to be a heart-wrenching story. It feels like it has a way to go as it slowly builds. Some of the overwhelming emotion starts to feel melodramatic, but I know its not at all easy to write tragedy, so I think it'll make more sense as part of a finished story.

Good work and thanks for posting updates!

:-)

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epm0001 Monday, August 27, 2007 - 06:59

OMG this is sooo good. Thanks for posting!! ------------------

AMDOBELL Monday, August 27, 2007 - 08:25

Gorramit, it just doesn't feel fair losing Kaylee like that but when accidents happen this is a consequence and it reminds us how fragile mortal lives can be and how easily something unexpected may happen to snatch a life away. So poignantly illustrated here. Poor Simon, poor River, poor EVERYBODY! Ali D You can't take the sky from me ---------------------------

mal4prez Monday, August 27, 2007 - 08:30

Yeah, I wish I could take credit for this! But I couldn't do it - character death, eeek! Very brave, Leiasky, and well done!

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BrainSpecialist Monday, August 27, 2007 - 09:04

Nice. ------------------

Platonist Monday, August 27, 2007 - 12:59

You're characterizations of the crew's reactions are spot on as usual.

I know this must be an "author's sacrafice" for you. You do love writing K/S together and alive.

It is brave, it is Joss and it is working very well.

Bravo! 10+ ------------- Platonist Monday, August 27, 2007 - 13:01

oops sorry "your" characterizations ------------------

BigBadJayne Monday, August 27, 2007 - 14:18

okay, breathe in, breathe out, not gonna cry this time, not gonna cry, not gonna.... dammit, you did it again!

You already know I think you're one of the best out there, so I'm not going to mention the wonderful characterizations or that the voices are bouncing in my head right now as you wrote them, just understand that we're all gonna need therapy after 19 chapters of this, and I'm personally sending you the tissue bill for my house for the next two months..... again, keep it up! ----------------

Desertgirl Monday, August 27, 2007 - 17:33

I'm not sure what to say. I'm still in shock from the last chapter, I think. I just read chapters 1 and 2. Both are great. I can't wait to read more, Although I truely hope noone else dies. I don't think I could take the saddness. ------------------

blackbeanie Monday, August 27, 2007 - 17:48

Still recovering from the shock, but I am recovered enough to noticed how awesome this is.

Very sad to see Aaron go, but at least Maddie is in good hands. ------------------

KiMbEr Monday, August 27, 2007 - 20:13

NOO Kaylee!!! Please someone tells me this isn't what I've seen...Please?... Simon and Maddie broke my heart, not mention the baby...I'll send you da bill of my Psychiatrist in the end so that now you have two:'( --------------------

Leiasky Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 07:48

Wow, thanks for all the great comments.

The more therapy bills the better! Means the writing is making an emotional impact:)

>Can we hate you for making it so believable?

Sure, if you like:) I'm glad to hear it is, though, because I really try to make everything I write believable.

>I love this determined Jayne.

There will be a lot more of that. A Lot. I don't think I've ever written this much Jayne into a fic.

>I know this must be an "author's sacrafice" for you.

Trying something new. Thinking out of the box a bit:)

>You do love writing K/S together and alive.

Oh, I've killed Simon in a fic before. Even killed River in another one. Of course, I do like Kaylee and Simon together and very much alive, but - that couldn't happen here. She's still in the story though . . . or will be, at some point . . .

>Although I truly hope no one else dies.

They're in the middle of a war? What are the chances that someone else will die? But will I tell you? Nope. Will I lead you on wild goose chases? Oh hell yeah! :P