La Escorpiona/The Scorpion :Chapter 20- Trust

Author: Tinadoll (aka Tina- That’s me!) Setting: After BDM. Rating: R to NC-17. Spoilers: Yes. Author’s note: I try to beta. Ido the best I can editing by myself but you can do nice by just ignoring all the mistakes. Comments and encouragments appreciated.

Part 1. Chapter 21 is Part 2.

Chapter 20- Trust

She sat there for a couple of moments longer waiting for them to step down the corridor and then closed the doors.

She sent a wave to Dr West who answered.

“Well, Well. It has been so long Scorpion. I would think you had forgotten about me,” he said. “Oh wait- Was I the one that made you forget?” he said as he smiled a devilish smile.

“Herbert, taking the companion was not a smart idea-she could expose you. You know that,” she said, firmly. Even though it had taken forever to adjust to this life (Although she still felt like an outcast) she didn’t feel that Inara, sweet loving Inara, should be in this mans hands.

“I didn’t hurt her. She’s a companion, she’s…..keeping me company. Besides-I just wanted to get your attention” He said, a smile crept upon his lips. “I wanted to know- why did you run? I would have found you and rescued you.”

“It wanted chance at freedom and I didn’t want to rely on anyone to rescue me,” she said, crossing her arms. She had done it to be free. Besides she was meant to give her life as punishment. She had to do it her way. She noticed how smitten Dr West was with her and it made her sick. But maybe she could use that.

“Freedom,” his voices raised in anger at the next part: “You all talk about Freedom. You all don’t know what freedom is, Independent scum. Freedom is what I can give you-nothing more, nothing less. You are meant to obey the ones in charge. They protect you, feed you, clothe you, give you jobs- and you repay them with this talk about freedom!”

“You think you are talking to the council again don’t you, West? Do me a favor. It’s me Scorpion, killer, and psychopath. Get to the point,” she said firmly.

His lips grew tighter as he narrowed his eyes.

“Tell me what you want.” She said, trying to reason with him.

“You, of course.” he said the cheerfulness returning to himself.

She shuddered and looked away. She had fought so hard to return her humanity… But she had no choice. Mal would choose Inara over her any day. She knew it and she didn’t care.

“And you shall have me…” she sat back in the chair, she was tired of this running and the game she was playing against time, “But what about the girl? You cannot have her. She knows nothing about anything.”

She was talking about River. What about the girl genius? The Reaver killer?

“If you refer to Miss Tam, they have no further use for her. Her mind is too far gone,” he said. He said it in a matter of act way. She didn’t know why she shuddered at his tone of voice- but he made her uneasy as all hell.

“Then why do you need me then,” she said after several moments of reflection.

“My use for you is of a rather personal nature,” he said smirking. “Let show you how merciful I am.. I will release the companion. But soon- I will come for you. Whether you like it or not, Cheri…” The Wave ended.

She said nothing but she felt disgusted. She couldn’t read his intentions but she knew they weren’t good.

Reynolds, who was watching, said nothing as well.

** Three hours later, Inara shuttle docked with Serenity. She unlike usual times-this time she didn’t come out of her shuttle. Mal just entered and then quickly exited.

“Yea she’s in there…” he said dodging a pillow.

They were 8 hours away from their targeted destination and Maria couldn’t wait to get off and taste the last few moments of freedom.

** After the drop off everyone was uneasy. People kept to themselves because there was no next job nor any course set.

Maria snuck a moment to go speak with Inara.

She knocked on her door lightly.

There was no answer.

Maria boldly crossed the threshold and went in.

Inara looked like she had been crying and looked a mess but her shuttle was still in perfect order. She hadn’t gone on a rampage as Maria would have thought.

Instead Inara remained silent.

“He wanted me ‘Nara... and he thought he could do it through you. Don’t worry ‘Nara. It’ll all be over soon…” that was all she said and she hugged the woman.

“All he did was bathe me… and hum. Nothing more. It creeped me out!” Inara said as she broke the embrace.

“I’m so sorry” Maria said and she ran from the shuttle.

She had to get out of there. She was close to weeping. Poor Inara.

When she stepped out from Inara’s shuttle, she bumped into Mal.

He seemed distant to her. But she couldn’t figure out why.

“It’s my entirely my fault,” she said to him, she walked down the stairs and towards the common area. She looked behind her and saw River and Kaylee entering Inara’s shuttle, hopefully to ease her mind.

“It’s not your fault,” he blatantly lied. “”Nara knows that whorin’ could be dangerous.”

Maria immediately got up and smacked him in the face. He countered with and arm lock and she kicked him in the shin.

“STOP!” he said, angrily. “You just hit ME.” He rubbed his face and then his knee, in pain.

“Yea and I’d do it again, of you keep badmouthing ‘Nara.” She said, reminding him of an earlier argument. “You know you are just acting jealous. Those guys need to pay for her attention. All you need to do is ask.” She said finally. She could read the sexual tension between them and it pissed her off. All the man had to do was tell Inara how he felt and she would give herself over to him.

He said nothing, ignoring her comment, and but pulled out his weapon (he was still wearing it because he was uneasy about Inara’s absence) and shot her leg. She gripped her leg instinctively. It was just a flesh wound. He was just warning her.

“You never hit your Capt…Ever..” he said coldly.

Malcolm Reynolds then straightened his shirt and proceeded to go venture back into Inara’s shuttle. “I’m going to have a talk with her…” he said and Maria crossed her fingers and hopped on her good leg to the stairs. It took her a couple of moments but she managed to get down the stairs.

She was glad that she said nothing to him because it would have caused more problems. All the while- she felt Serenity’s crew, watching her from a doorway- not interfering.

She limped (and bled) her way to the infirmary.

She would speak to him later about leaving. ** Jayne sat on the back stairs and said nothing. He didn’t want to intrude in this…Whatever it was. He just stared in utter fascination. ** It didn’t take Simon long to clean out and bandage the wound. He did it in silence as he always did. He had already got use to wounds and she had gotten use to his silence as well. ** She felt Jayne’s presence when she came limping up the stairs. She knew that he probably was sitting there still watching. The several days had gone by since the Shindig and yet the heat they felt between them stayed the same.

She really didn’t want to start anything with this guy- it would seem obvious as to the reason why. Not only was she marked, she didn’t want to give this hun-dun son of a bitch the time of day. But she wanted to. Oh yes- desperately.

It would be too easy to say yes- but it would be harder, and much more productive, if she said no.

“Let him stew..” she thought to herself as she approached him. She sauntered right by him, on her way to the kitchen, without saying one word. Soon it would be over.