BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - ROMANCE

LANCECONSTABLELOGAN

In The Way - Chap. 3
Thursday, October 27, 2005

Kaylee's suspicions as tension mounts.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2675    RATING: 8    SERIES: FIREFLY

A/N: This is dedicated to anonymous who promised me lot's of love if I continued. So, where's the love, uh?

Chap. 3 -

Something was wrong with Serenity. Kaylee could feel it. In the same way she knew that the compression coil needed replacing or the buffer panel was loose, she could sense something off in the . . . aura of her beloved ship. It was driving her to distraction, that feeling of wrongness. She checked the engines, again and again, the stabilizers, the landing gear, life support, navigation. She took things apart, put them back together, flushed out systems, changed fluids, re-booted, tinkered, and listened, and tinkered again and could find nothing wrong. At least not seriously wrong mechanically. So what was this feeling she had, like one of the stabilizers was all wonky and they weren’t flying smooth anymore? And why couldn’t she find the problem? After another long frustrating day of diagnostics and adjustments for which she had absolutely nothing to show, she had dragged her miserable carcass to the galley, too tired to even wash first. Kaylee sat down at her place and acknowledged Book’s cheerful greeting with a tired nod. Eating absently, with her head propped in weariness on her hand she took a bit of rice and noticed Simon staring at her. That brightened her up. She began to raise her head to smile at him, flattered by the unexpected attention when she sighted something else. Jayne was looking at her too. When she caught his eye the big man looked down at his plate hastily. She frowned and turned back toward Simon but he was staring down at his food as well, studying it in the same way she had seen him stare at gun shot wounds, intent and serious as a preacher hearing confession. What was going on? Kaylee felt a moment of panic. She hadn’t washed up before coming to supper, maybe she had some fearsome streak of something on her face that was even worse than usual. Taking up her napkin, she scrubbed at her nose in a way she hoped was covert. Glancing at the square in her hand, she noticed nothing, not even grease. Shiny, she thought with a sigh, whatever it was, was so horrible it wouldn’t even wipe off . . . and Simon was sitting right there, pretending she didn’t even exist, to be polite. Her eyes filled with tears suddenly. Pretending she didn’t even exist to be polite, that was his usual play wasn’t it? Making a hasty excuse, she shoved her half empty plate at Jayne who was always grateful for a little extra grub and hurried out. In the safety of her bunk, she had a bit of a cry, inspired as much by her frustrating day as Simon’s perpetual indifference. Then morbidly curious as to what she actually had on her face, she got up and looked into the mirror. Eyes, red and swollen. Nose, red at the tip. Hair, mused and falling out of her slapdash bun. That was it. A little bit of grease on her forehead but in actuality her face was mite cleaner than usual. She washed it anyway, scrubbing a little too hard ‘cause she was getting angry looking at her own pathetic teary-eyed image. What was she crying ‘bout anyway? She had Serenity and the folks aboard her to love, excluding Simon who apparently wasn’t in the market for love. Which was a damn sight more than plenty of people in the ‘verse had. It was Serenity she decided. When things felt off with the ship, she felt off. So no more crying and feeling sorry for herself. She had a job and people who depended on her to do it. Best to get to it, as the Captain would say. Pulling her hair back more firmly, Kaylee headed toward the engine room. Maybe if she . . . An hour later, the little mechanic didn’t have much to show for her new efforts but she was still hopeful. She decided to try something she didn’t often resort too. Taking off her heavy boots and then her socks, Kaylee laid down on the floor of the engine room. She put her feet up onto the walls and stretched her arms over her head to touch the base of the main engine casing. She closed her eyes and just tried to open herself up to whatever Serenity was trying to tell her. C’mon girl, she begged in her mind, just give me some kinda sign. A moment later she heard an incredulous voice, “What in the Sam hill are you doin’, girl?” Kaylee sat up so fast she almost hit her head on an inconvenient bit of machinery. “Jayne! Why the hell don’t you ever knock?” She demanded. She could feel her face blazing red and hot, as though he had walked in on her in the shower or something. Nobody was supposed to catch her talkin’ to Serenity like that. “It’s a engine room.” Jayne observed rather blankly, still looking at her with amazement, which Kaylee supposed was better than scorn. “What are you doin’?” He asked again. “What’re you doing here?” She demanded, her embarrassment making her grouchy. She reached out sharply to snag the nearer of her boots. The other was right at Jayne’s feet. He crouched down a little stiffly (it was only three days since he’d been shot, Kaylee remembered) and offered her the other boot with an out stretched hand. Squatting, with his weight resting on his toes, their eyes were almost of a level. He had pretty eyes for a man; hazel, see-sawing between soft greens and browns. Spring time colors. Kaylee reached out and took the boot slowly. “You didn’t finish your dinner and I never know’d you not to eat what was put in front of you.” He answered, “You feelin’ okay?” “I’m fine.” She said to her boot lace. Jayne snorted, “Tell that to my face.” Kaylee looked up, startled. She opened her mouth to say something or ask a question, maybe about why he had been looking at her over dinner when Simon appeared in the doorway. He had to see them both on the floor but the doctor ignored Jayne and spoke only to Kaylee. “Hello.” “Hi,” Kaylee said, a little awkward. The feeling of offness was back with a vengeance- so strong it was almost surreal, like being stuck in a strange dream where you know you’re sleepin’ but you still can’t wake up and you have to resign yourself to going wherever the dream takes you. “You didn’t finish your supper,” Simon said with a careful, concerned smile, “Are you feeling alright?” Kaylee couldn’t help it, she glanced over at Jayne to see if it was some unlikely joke they had dreamed up together. From the expression of irritation on Jayne’s face it was nothing of the sort. She turned back to Simon. “Fine,” She said, “Just wasn’t hungry is all.” Simon nodded and there was a moment of exceptionally awkward silence. Jayne stood abruptly and moved toward the door. Simon was still standing in the doorway. The big man looked down at the doctor with undisguised menace. “You’re in my way, little man.” He growled. Simon’s eyes widened and he gave Jayne a look so strange, even Jayne paused for a second. Then the doc’s expression resolved itself into the usual vague contempt he wore around Jayne. Simon stepped back mockingly and waved Jayne through with a gesture so grand Jayne might have been the King of all Londinium, complete with shiny hat. To Kaylee’s surprise, Jayne ignored the provocation and left the engine room without a backward glance. Simon turned back to Kaylee where she sat on the floor. “What are you working on?” He asked, with a curious little frown. He didn’t ask her again about supper, Kaylee noted somewhere in her mind. Jayne was right, she always cleaned her plate. Too many years sitting at a big table with a lot of people and not enough food had taught her to eat what she could get while she could get it. That wasn’t something Simon would know a lot about, she observed absently. “Nothing much,” Kaylee answered, getting to her feet. He reached out and took her hand to help her up. The touch was cool and impersonal, merely polite. Simon’s eyes were dark, mysterious Kaylee had always thought. Now they just seemed distant. Everything was politeness and gestures and distance with him. What did he really feel? Was he ever gonna do something? Kaylee rubbed her thumb gently over the skin of Simons hand just as it slid from her grasp. He moved away from her to dip his hand into one of her toolboxes. “What were you doing on the floor, then?” He asked absently fingering one of her wrenches and not looking at her. Could she tell him? Would he understand that sometimes she had to really open herself up and listen to Serenity to find a problem? Her eternal optimism forced her to give him a chance. “I was listen’,” Kaylee explained, “Sometimes . . .”She struggled for the right words and he looked at her finally, a question wrinkling his brow, “Sometimes I have to- strip myself down so I can hear Serenity right.” “Strip yourself down . . .” He said with doubtful amusement. “Not like that,” She said. Why was he always laughing at her? “I mean. . . I hafta put aside all the stuff I’m thinking and feeling, kind of take away all the things that get in the way of listening and just. . . be ready to hear ‘er. ” Kaylee wasn’t sure if he understood. “It’s easier on the floor,” She added kind of lamely. “I understand.” “Do you?” She asked, tilting her head to the side and studying him.

COMMENTS

Thursday, October 27, 2005 7:58 AM

REXJAYNE


aww.. that was great. good work. I love how you write Kaylee, just perfect. I hope there's lots more..

Thursday, October 27, 2005 9:16 AM

JACQUI


I'm not anonymous, but I'll love you if you post more!

Thursday, October 27, 2005 10:25 AM

AMDOBELL


Love how in tune Kaylee is with the ship and was amused how both Jayne and Simon could see something was wrong and were concerned. That little look Simon gave Jayne when the big man said he was in his way was telling. I like to think it's made Simon focus a bit more on Kaylee. Hopefully that gorram distance is starting to close. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me

Friday, October 28, 2005 3:07 AM

BOOKADDICT


I've been waiting for part 3. And really enjoyed it, how's it going to end?


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