Out to the black Chapter 20

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

This is my first Fan Fiction ever. Constructive reviews are shiny.

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

A/N: The chapter takes place two weeks after Chapter 19.

Thanks again Chris for the beta…

Out to the black

Chapter Twenty – Recovery

“Zoë, just shoot me… It would be easier,” Allan grumbled.

“Would you quit bellyaching?” She replied, “You act like you never had anyone help you dress yourself.”

“I was five I think last time…”

“Well that’s how old yer actin,” Zoë replied in an exasperated tone as she slipped a t-shirt over the cast on Allan’s left arm, “Now try ta lean forward so I can get this on you.”

Knowing better than to say anything else, Allan complied, Zoë slipping the shirt over his head.

“Now Jayne loaned you a pair o’ shorts that should fit over yer casts…”

”Shorts from Jayne?”

“I did wash em’ first,” Zoë said a slight smile curving her lips.

Five minutes later, Allan was dressed in an old pair of Jayne’s cargo shorts and one of his own t-shirts. Zoë stepped back to admire her handiwork.

“There, you feelin a bit more civilized now?”

Alan took a deep breath. At least that didn’t hurt so much anymore. His broken ribs were healing quickly. Allan smiled at the beautiful chocolate skinned woman who said she loved him.

“I do. Thank you Zoë. I… I’m sorry for being such a pain in the ass. I’ve been taking care of myself a long time. This is just so damn frustrating being stuck in this bed with only one working limb.”

Zoë crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at Allan. “You done ventin?”

Allan nodded, “Suppose so.”

Zoë leaned forward and kissed Allan, “I know this is hard for you baby. Hell iffin I were in your place, I’d a shot someone long before now.”

Allan laughed a bit, a smile on his face, “ So that’s why Simon wouldn’t let me have my gun…love you Zoë.”

“Love ya too baby…” A knock on the doorframe interrupted the couple.

“Ahem… How is Atilla the Engineer this afternoon?”

“Ha ha Simon. I’m not that bad… am I?” Allan said, looking at Zoë.

“You are,” Zoë Agreed.

Allan groaned.

“So, did you tell him yet?” Simon asked Zoë.

“Not yet Simon.”

“Tell me what?” Allan asked.

“I decided you needed a little change of scenery,” Simon said.

“That would probably explain me wearing more than a hospital gown today,” Allan said happily, “Thank you Simon, I’ve been going stir crazy in here.”

A moment later Mal and Jayne entered the Infirmary with a stretcher. With an effort, Zoë, Simon, Mal and Jayne were able to maneuver Allan out of the infirmary and into the cargo bay and carefully the set the stretcher on some crates.

“Well this is an improvement,” Allan said dryly staring at the ceiling of the cargo bay.

“Zoë leaned down and kissed him, “It gets better.”

Mal walked over to the control panel and lowered the ramp. As soon as it was down Kaylee appeared, driving some kind of small vehicle. Looking closer, Allan suddenly realized it looked to be some kind of all terrain, motorized wheelchair. Allan’s face split into a huge smile.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Sure is Baby,” Zoë said.

Kaylee spun the chair to a stop next to Allan, “Ain’t it shiny Allan? Hospital in town was gonna junk it. My sister told me ‘bout it so’s we brought it back an me an Daddy overhauled it,” The young mechanic bubbled, “We put bigger wheels on it, tweaked up the motor, rigged supports fer yer cast’s and put a grav stabilizer offa old mule ta keep it from tippin over.”

Allan was nearly dumbstruck. He didn’t quite know what to say. After a moment he was able to speak, “Thank you Kaylee. I… I’m not quite sure how I can repay you for this…”

“Don’t you fret on it Ge-ge,” Kaylee said, “This is from all o’ us.”

“Thank you everyone,” Allan said some emotion noticeable in his voice.

Mal stepped up, “There’s a bit more to it Allan,” the Captain said, “ since you can’t go anywhere in the ship other than the bay here, or outside o’ course. We kinda broke inta your cargo. Seems some o’ that stuff was real handy.”

Allan looked to where Mal was pointing. In the corner of the bay was what Allan realized was one of the small survival shelters from Free Bird’s cargo module.

The captain continued, “Set you up a room in there, give ya some privacy. Kaylee rigged up a cortex screen to help you from getting too bored. Scrounged up a real hospital bed too. Lot more comfortable than that one in the infirmary.”

Allan reached out and squeezed Zoë’s hand. Then he held it out to the Captain, “Thanks Mal. I really don’t know what to say.”

A genuinely warm smile on his face, Mal replied, “Don’t have to say nothin… Fourth time you saved either crew or the ship itself. Least we could do. Now, lets get you in that chair so’s you can try it out.”

Jayne and Mal lifted Allan into the chair. Simon and Zoë adjusted the supports for his casts. Grinning like a little kid, Allan started to drive the chair around the bay. Mastering the controls quickly.

“So I can go outside with this thing too… Right?”

“As long as you take it easy,” Simon replied.

“Before you go out roamin the countryside,” Zoë interjected, “We gotta go get ready, Kaylee’s folks are throwin a little shindig tonight. Everyone’s invited.”

“A party? Hot damn just what I needed,” Allan said smiling, “I need a different shirt though, I’ve got the perfect one back in my duffle.”

“All your stuff is in your new room Baby,” Zoë said.

“Help me get dressed?”

“Oh, you actually want help now?”

“Zoë…”

Mal cleared his throat, “Guess we’ll leave you two love birds to the dressin.”

With a smile, Allan swung the chair around and drove it into the shelter in the back of the bay. Once inside he saw it had all the comforts of home. A large hospital style bed equipped with grab bars in various locations so Allan could move himself. A small Lavatory had been set up to one side. A hose ran from it to what Allan could only assume was Serenity’s waste system. On the bed was his Laptop computer and a duffel bag containing his clothing. All of Allan’s guns freshly cleaned, most likely by Jayne, or perhaps River sat on the bed as well.

“What shirt do you want?” Zoë asked as she moved to Allan’s duffel.

“The blue patterned one at the bottom.”

Zoë pulled out the shirt. Suddenly her breath caught in her throat…

It was a Hawaiian shirt…

“Zoë? What’s wrong?”

“It’s… It’s a Hawaiian shirt.”

Confused, Allan replied, Yeah… I even got it in Hawaii…”

“Wash used to wear these…” Zoë trailed off.

“Huh? Oh… Zoë I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…”

“Not your fault, didn’t know,” Zoë said, voice low.

“I’ll wear something else… Hell I’ll burn it if you want. I didn’t know it would upset you.”

Zoë stared at the colorful fabric in her hands. It shouldn’t upset her she thought. Until recently she had been wearing Wash’s old shirts to bed. But since she and Allan had… well, become a couple she had stopped wearing them.

“Zoë?”

Shaken out of her reverie, she turned back to Allan, “Sorry baby, jus thinking.”

“You okay?”

“I think so… I… it’s just a shirt, shouldn’t make any difference.”

“But it does.”

Zoë nodded.

“It’s okay, you loved Wash. Can’t change that. I don’t want you to.”

“You don’t?

Allan smiled, “He’s part of you. Part of this ship. He’s the reason you’re the woman you are now… The woman that I love.”

Zoë tried to hold back her tears, without much success, “Allan I…”

“Did I ever tell you about Sara?”

“Who’s Sara,” Zoë asked, trying to regain her composure.

“Girl I loved back on Earth. Grew up together, dated a bit in high school, course I graduated early. I was in college when I was sixteen. We stayed together even while I was away at school. I loved her something fierce. Then one weekend when I was home from school, this was back when I was doing the paramedic thing… Well long story short, She had to work that weekend so I took call with the rescue squad. About midnight that Saturday night, we get a call for a car accident… bad one. Still used automobiles out in the rural areas then. Anyway, got to the accident and I got out of the ambulance and started walking up to the wreck…”

“It was Sara wasn’t it?” Zoë said flatly.

Allan nodded, “She… she was gone. I was twenty she was eighteen. I stopped being a paramedic that night. She always wanted to save the world… I knew it couldn’t be saved… I went back to school that fall, and started on the path that led to the exodus. It was… well an obsession. I promised Sara that I’d find a new world that humanity could live on and maybe it would be a better one than the old one.”

Zoë looked at Allan for a moment. Not sure what to say. Allan reached out and gently took the shirt from Zoë’s hands.

“So we’ve both lost people that we loved, people that made us who we are today. And if not for them, we wouldn’t have us… right here, right now,” Allan finished with a smile.

Zoë smiled back, “You are a good man Allan Bryant.”

“Nah,” he said with a chuckle, “I just got a good woman. She makes me a good man.”

“You’ll have to introduce me to her sometime.”

Allan looked at Zoë. Something seemed to flash between them and then they both broke out in laughter. Giving Allan a quick kiss, Zoë took the Hawaiian shirt back from Allan.

“Guess we need to get you dressed for the party, then I need to go get ready.”

“So the shirts okay?”

Zoë Smiled, “It’s more than okay.”

“Shiny.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Half an hour later, most of the crew had gathered in the bay. Kaylee was dressed in a floral dress, Simon in his white shirt and dark vest. Mal was wearing one of his nicer shirts. Allan figured that that was as about as dressed up the Captain ever got.

River was in a long denim skirt and a floral patterned blouse. Her stetson perched on her head, completing the cowgirl look. Jayne was dressed in his best button front shirt and a clean pair of cargo pants.

Allan drove his chair into the middle of the crowd. The looks he got wearing his Hawaiian shirt ran from confusion to nervousness.

“Uh, Allan…”

“Yeah Mal?”

“Zoë know you’re wearing that shirt?”

“Yep, she helped me put it on.”

“She did?” This came from Kaylee.

“We had a long discussion about these kind of shirts.”

“Okay then,” Mal said, trying to change the subject, “So we’re just waitin on Inara and Zoë,”

“I’m here,” Inara called as she descended the stairs from her shuttle. Inara’s clothing was almost casual for her. A tan skirt and maroon blouse.

“Sorry I’m late,” Zoë called as she came down the stairs behind Inara.

Allan’s jaw nearly dropped off his face. Zoë had always dressed… utilitarian. While not hiding her curves, Zoë’s usual clothing did nothing to accentuate her looks either.

But now, Allan couldn’t believe that this was Zoë in front of him. While still wearing pants, they were skintight black. Tucked into black mid calf boots. Her top, also black had a plunging neckline and hugged her every curve. For color, Zoë wore one of Wash’s Hawaiian shirts over the top, unbuttoned.

“Wow,” was all Allan could say.

Zoë looked at Allan with a warm smile. Her smile turned to a frown when she saw the expression on Jayne’s face.

River smacked Jayne on the arm, “Eyes front Ape Man,” she admonished.

“Sorry Riv,” the big man apologized.

The bay erupted in laughter.

Allan spoke up, “Don’t we have a party to go to?”

“That we do,” Mal said, “Lets be off.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The next few hours went by quickly. Kaylee’s parents had arranged an old fashioned chicken barbeque with all the trimmings. Allan didn’t realize until the middle of the dinner that he was the guest of honor.

True to his promise, Mal toasted Allan with some of Kaylee’s brother Robert’s home brewed beer. Zoë sat by his side, getting anything he needed. After the meal, the party moved into the Frye’s barn, which had been turned into an impromptu dance hall. Colored lights hung from the rafters while a few members of the extended Frye clan had brought instruments and began playing music.

Allan had been introduced to nearly every member of Kaylee’s family at some point during the evening. Allan thought that he had grown up with a large extended family but Kaylee’s put it all to shame.

Before long couples found their way to the center of the barn, the lively music moving the dancers about the floor. After a while, Allan found himself alone for a moment, Zoë off speaking with Kaylee’s mother. Allan felt a presence next to him. Jonathan Frye was standing next to him, watching the dancers.

“Evening Mr. Frye,” Allan said.

“Please Allan, call me John”

“Okay John,” Allan said.

“So, I wanted ta thank ya for savin my little girl and I’m right sorry you got hurt doin it.”

“Thanks John, but I wasn’t protecting just Kaylee… I was doing it for all of them.”

“Don’t change the facts. I wanted you to know you got family here now after you did what you did.”

“Thank you.”

“So is it true what Kaylee says, you came from Earth that was?”

Allan nodded, “Yup, you’re looking at the oldest fifty two year old your ever gonna meet.”

John laughed a bit at that, “Magine so. Kaylee told me you’re the inventor o’ the radion core engine?”

“That would be me… And I had a hand in artificial gravity too.”

“Now ain’t that somthin,” John laughed, “Might have to get you a beer for that.”

“A refill would be appreciated. Your son brews some good stuff, haven’t had beer like this since Earth.”

“You tryin to get my man drunk Jonathan?” Zoë asked jokingly as she walked up.

“Heaven’s no Zoë… wouldn’t be proper,” Kaylee’s father replied with a wink as he left to get Allan a refill.

“You doin okay baby?” Zoë asked.

“A little tired, but I don’t mind. It’s a good tired. I… Hey look at that”

Zoë turned to see what Allan was looking at. River and Jayne were dancing across the floor. Making a fine spectacle of themselves.

“I didn’t know Jayne could dance,” Zoë said.

“Looks like he’s full of surprises,” Allan agreed.

Zoë pulled up a chair and sat next to Allan, leaning her head on his shoulder, watching the other couples dance. Mal and Inara made several elegant turns around the floor while Simon and Kaylee danced so close it was hard to tell where one stopped and the other began.

Allan turned to Zoë. About to say something when they were distracted by a loud squeal from Kaylee. Turning to see what the commotion was Both Zoë and Allan broke out in smiles. In the center of the dance floor was Simon Tam down on one knee holding a ring.

They couldn’t actually hear Simon ask the question but everyone for a mile around could have heard Kaylee’s enthusiastic, “YES!” as she nearly tackled Simon to the ground.

The party descended into a round of congratulations for the engaged couple. After another half an hour, Allan was having trouble staying awake. His still healing body taking its toll.

Zoë told the partygoers that she was going to help Allan to bed. Slowly with Zoë at his side, Allan drove his wheelchair back to Serenity. Pulling into his new temporary room, Zoë helped him undress, and prepare for bed. Allan situated himself on the rather large hospital bed and relaxed. Zoë excused herself and said she would be back in a minute.

Allan had almost dozed off when Zoë returned carrying a change of clothes and wearing a robe. A questioning look on his face, Zoë dropped the robe on the floor to reveal the rather short, gold colored nightgown she wore underneath. The color matched her skin tone perfectly. Allan couldn’t imagine her looking any more beautiful.

“Zoë… I can’t be…” Allan whispered.

“Shush now,” she replied a finger to his lips, “Ain’t gonna be doin nothin tonight… I just wanna sleep next to you baby.”

Zoë slowly climbed onto the bed, laying on Allan’s right side, draping herself across his chest. Allan moved his arm across Zoë’s back, holding her close.

Allan could feel the heat from her body through the thin material of the nightgown against his chest, the feel of Zoë against him causing his body to relax except for a certain part of his anatomy.

Allan sighed, “These damn cast’s can’t come off soon enough,” he thought.

Zoë reached over to shut off the light, and then she pulled up the covers over both of them. Exhaustion overtaking him Allan was soon asleep. Zoë slowly drifted off listening to Allan’s heartbeat and feeling him breath beneath her body.

“Soon baby… soon,” she whispered just before falling asleep herself. Almost as if she had heard Allan’s last thoughts before he fell asleep.

Fin’

A/N: Well this is the last chapter in this arc. Not to worry. I’ve got more adventures planned for Allan and the rest of the crew. The next installment will take place after Allan has mostly healed. I have plans for more Blue Sun involvement and maybe an old enemy or two showing up.

Brian