Unexpected: Chapter nine
Apr. 1st, 2007 11:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bookaddict43Title: Unexpected: Chapter nine
Author: Bookaddict
Characters: Zoe/Jayne, Crew, OCs
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: Firefly and all its characters are the property of Joss Whedon.
Word count: 1658
Comments: This story is a collaborative effort between myself and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ceslas. It’s a bit of an unusual pairing for us, so hope you enjoy it. Previous chapters here. Thanks to the awesome cantonheroine for the banner and icon.
“Engine’s fixed and back up to speed,” Kaylee reported. “And we’ve nearly ironed out all the problems with the comms system.”
“Good,” Zoë leant against the doorway simultaneously listening to the report and keeping an eye on Jayne.
He’d slipped into unconsciousness just as Serenity arrived and hadn’t woken up. She didn’t want to think about how worried that had made her.
“Nisham has called.” River added. “We can’t answer yet. He’s on his way here.”
“Oh,” Zoë’s brow furrowed. “How come he knows we’re in trouble?”
“Ya don’t think that Nisham had anythin’ to do with this do ya?” Kaylee asked in dismay.
“It seems kinda coincidental that the both times we’ve had trouble lately, he’s known of our plans.” Zoë didn’t want to think that the man she trusted, the man she was letting get all manner of close, was responsible for their problems. But it was a possibility that must be faced, not matter how much she disliked it. “Jayne certainly thinks him guilty.”
“Well that’s because Jayne’s…” Kaylee trailed off at River’s warning look.
Zoë hadn’t noticed the interruption; her eyes had been drawn back to the figure on the bed again. She couldn’t understand why Jayne hadn’t mentioned anything about his hurts. He’d had to have been aware of something being wrong.
“Doesn’t want to leave,” River answered Zoë’s unspoken thought.
“Why would he have to leave?” she asked exasperated.
“Damp lung, won’t be able to do the job.”
“Doc?” Zoë turned swiftly to Simon. “Does Jayne have the damp lung?”
“No,” Simon answered. “The last knife attack left a small nick in his lung. I can see why Jayne thought otherwise though,” the doctor added seeing Zoë’s half-way angry expression. “The early symptoms of damp lung are very similar to a haematoma.”
Stupid man! They’d nearly lost him out there because he couldn’t talk about his worries. “Why in the ‘Verse didn’t he say so?”
“He has no words.” River echoed her earlier remarks.
“He ain’t good at talkin’ ‘bout his worries, just like some other folks round here.” Kaylee supplied.
“Well we have that in common then since I take it you’re meaning me?” Zoë raised her eyebrows at the girl’s nod. “In that case I won’t yell at him about his stupidity, just talk real serious.”
*****************
Jayne opened his eyes and lay quietly for a moment tryin’ to get his bearings. He was in the rutting infirmary again; he’d recognise those ceiling tiles anywhere. There was someone else in here with him too. It weren’t the Doc; he was always potterin’ around when he was in here. Zoë? Jayne glanced quickly at the other bed, and when it was empty looked to his other side.
“Ya waited then?” Jayne’s voice was weaker than he liked.
“Said I would didn’t I?” Her voice was calm.
“Yeah.” He hadn’t really expected it though. “Thanks.”
“It wasn’t damp lung you know.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No. You got nicked in that last fight.”
“Oh,” Jayne digested that, unsure of what she wanted him say. “Did ya get yer arm seen to?”
“Simon re-bandaged it. It weren’t nothing but a scratch.” Zoë put a hand on his shoulder, startling him. “You should have said something Jayne. You put us both in danger out there. Even if you did have the damp lung, no-one would be throwing you off the ship.”
“Why not? After awhile I wouldn’t be no good in a fight you know.”
Zoë sighed and shook her head. “You’re family as well as crew now; have been for a long time. We have to look after each other…”
Her voice broke off as River called over the comm. “Nisham is docking.”
“Zoë?” Jayne grabbed hold of her hand, “don’t trust him.”
She nodded briefly and squeezed his hand back. “He’s got some explaining to do.”
Jayne watched her stride out the door and struggled to sit up. Gorramn Nisham needed to be tied up before he ‘explained’. He knew there was no way Zoe was gonna do that, she was all set to be fair.
“Jayne what are you doing?” Simon’s hand fell on his shoulder stopping him.
“Gettin’ up,” Jayne pushed against the restrainin’ hand. “That hun dan’s the reason we got ambushed.”
“Zoë’s aware that might be the case and has taken precautions.” The doctor urged him back against the pillow. “If you’re there everyone will be worrying about you and not concentrating on the danger. I’ll watch from the cargo bay. If anything untoward occurs I’ll call you.”
“Don’t even have my guns,” Jayne subsided onto the bed.
“Yes you do,” Simon handed him Vera and gave him a crooked smile. “Zoë made me keep them in here. She said you’d be easier to control if they were around.”
“She’s smart that one,” Jayne grunted. Smart about everything except Nisham.
*****************
Nisham was met with a semi-hostile reception when he stepped through the hatch. “Zoë?” he questioned, raising his hands.
She was standing, mare’s leg levelled at his head, stoical expression in place. River was to his side a gun in each hand, the doctor was hovering in the cargo bay a watchful expression on his face and there was no sign of the mechanic or volatile mercenary.
“Where’s Jayne?” he asked, looking around warily. He didn’t trust the mercenary one iota.
“He’s around,” Zoë answered evasively. She gestured with her gun, “how about you head for the mess and tell us what this is all about?”
“Another presence,” River stopped their movement.
“In the shuttle?” Zoë was disappointed. “Nisham I told you to come alone.”
“He’s my prisoner Zoë. You can go check if you like.”
“River,” Zoë nodded at the shuttle and kept her gun pointed at Nisham while the girl searched. He wasn’t making this easy; he shoulda done what she asked.
“A chicken all trussed up,” the genius reported as she returned.
“Right, we’ll leave him there till we get some answers.” Zoë gestured with her gun again and followed as Nisham headed for the mess.
*****************
“Zoë, I’m sorry,” Nisham sat across the table from her, a worried expression on his face. When he hadn’t been able to contact Serenity he’d really become concerned. They’d headed here at hard burn, finally contacting the others just before landing. “I never suspected that Fredericks would do such a thing.”
Zoë was relieved at Nisham’s explanation. She hadn’t wanted to believe he’d sold her out. Seeing his reaction to his mechanic’s betrayal had gone a long way to reassuring her about that. River’s nod of confirmation bought more relief. Now she could talk to him about her other worry.
“If Jayne wasn’t paranoid and bought his grenades, we’d have been captured or dead by now. That’s the second time an easy job’s gone sour on us and I’m wondering why. This lot didn’t even bother to bring the cargo with them; it was a trap plain and simple.”
“I figured that,” Nisham nodded. “Fredericks might know something. At least he could tell us who he contacted. As you know I kept him confined till we could talk to him.”
*****************
“It turns out that Fredericks was the one gave our plans out,” Zoë sat on the chair recounting to Jayne the events of the day. “He’s given us all the information he had about his contacts and such. We’re planning a raid on the fella he’s been reporting to.”
“We?” Jayne asked.
“Nisham and me,” Zoë missed the flash of hurt dismay in the mercenary’s eyes when she mentioned Nisham’s name. “He’s feeling kinda guilty about Fredericks doing what he did.”
Why hadn’t she talked to him first? Ok he weren’t Mal or Wash and never likely to be. But he was there and had experience and all, ya could almost say he was second in command for awhile. Even Mal didn’t ignore him the way she was. The Captain nearly always let Jayne in on the discussions, and though he didn’t actually act on any of Jayne’s opinions, he did listen to them.
“So you got it all planned out then?” he asked.
“Yes,” Zoë nodded, noticing the disappointment in his eyes. “It’ll be a week before we get there. You should be up and around a bit by then and can do some of the background stuff.” There was no way she was going to let Jayne do anything before he was ready for it. But she knew he couldn’t sit still when there was prospect of a fight so had arranged for him to do some of the lighter duties.
Unreasonably hurt that she’d again made plans with Nisham and hadn’t talked to him ‘bout anything, Jayne lashed out.
“Gorramnit Zoe, ya ain't Mal. Ya know a set-up when ya see one!”
“This ain’t a set-up. Nisham explained himself to my satisfaction. None of this was his fault.”
“He hired the man, didn’t he?” Jayne snarled. “Did ya at least talk about this plan with any of the others?”
Zoë hesitated. She hadn’t actually. After questioning Fredericks she and Nisham had discussed ideas and she had informed the others about their decisions. Kaylee and Simon had looked doubtful and River had been non-committal. But no-one had said anything till Jayne objected. She rounded on him again. “We wouldn't be having this discussion if I were the Captain now would we?"
“Yes we would,” Jayne glared at her as if she were demented. “When don’t I argue with Mal? And it ain’t him we’re talkin’ about right now, it’s ya.”
“Yes it is,” Zoë stood up quietly. “I’m sorry you don’t like my decision, but it’s final. All I want from you is some back-up and that you don’t undermine me with the others.”
“I wouldn’t…” Jayne gaped at her retreatin’ back. He was only tryin’ to warn her not to be so trusting. Didn’t she know he’d follow her to hell if she asked him?
Author: Bookaddict
Characters: Zoe/Jayne, Crew, OCs
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: Firefly and all its characters are the property of Joss Whedon.
Word count: 1658
Comments: This story is a collaborative effort between myself and
ceslas. It’s a bit of an unusual pairing for us, so hope you enjoy it. Previous chapters here. Thanks to the awesome cantonheroine for the banner and icon.“Engine’s fixed and back up to speed,” Kaylee reported. “And we’ve nearly ironed out all the problems with the comms system.”
“Good,” Zoë leant against the doorway simultaneously listening to the report and keeping an eye on Jayne.
He’d slipped into unconsciousness just as Serenity arrived and hadn’t woken up. She didn’t want to think about how worried that had made her.
“Nisham has called.” River added. “We can’t answer yet. He’s on his way here.”
“Oh,” Zoë’s brow furrowed. “How come he knows we’re in trouble?”
“Ya don’t think that Nisham had anythin’ to do with this do ya?” Kaylee asked in dismay.
“It seems kinda coincidental that the both times we’ve had trouble lately, he’s known of our plans.” Zoë didn’t want to think that the man she trusted, the man she was letting get all manner of close, was responsible for their problems. But it was a possibility that must be faced, not matter how much she disliked it. “Jayne certainly thinks him guilty.”
“Well that’s because Jayne’s…” Kaylee trailed off at River’s warning look.
Zoë hadn’t noticed the interruption; her eyes had been drawn back to the figure on the bed again. She couldn’t understand why Jayne hadn’t mentioned anything about his hurts. He’d had to have been aware of something being wrong.
“Doesn’t want to leave,” River answered Zoë’s unspoken thought.
“Why would he have to leave?” she asked exasperated.
“Damp lung, won’t be able to do the job.”
“Doc?” Zoë turned swiftly to Simon. “Does Jayne have the damp lung?”
“No,” Simon answered. “The last knife attack left a small nick in his lung. I can see why Jayne thought otherwise though,” the doctor added seeing Zoë’s half-way angry expression. “The early symptoms of damp lung are very similar to a haematoma.”
Stupid man! They’d nearly lost him out there because he couldn’t talk about his worries. “Why in the ‘Verse didn’t he say so?”
“He has no words.” River echoed her earlier remarks.
“He ain’t good at talkin’ ‘bout his worries, just like some other folks round here.” Kaylee supplied.
“Well we have that in common then since I take it you’re meaning me?” Zoë raised her eyebrows at the girl’s nod. “In that case I won’t yell at him about his stupidity, just talk real serious.”
*****************
Jayne opened his eyes and lay quietly for a moment tryin’ to get his bearings. He was in the rutting infirmary again; he’d recognise those ceiling tiles anywhere. There was someone else in here with him too. It weren’t the Doc; he was always potterin’ around when he was in here. Zoë? Jayne glanced quickly at the other bed, and when it was empty looked to his other side.
“Ya waited then?” Jayne’s voice was weaker than he liked.
“Said I would didn’t I?” Her voice was calm.
“Yeah.” He hadn’t really expected it though. “Thanks.”
“It wasn’t damp lung you know.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No. You got nicked in that last fight.”
“Oh,” Jayne digested that, unsure of what she wanted him say. “Did ya get yer arm seen to?”
“Simon re-bandaged it. It weren’t nothing but a scratch.” Zoë put a hand on his shoulder, startling him. “You should have said something Jayne. You put us both in danger out there. Even if you did have the damp lung, no-one would be throwing you off the ship.”
“Why not? After awhile I wouldn’t be no good in a fight you know.”
Zoë sighed and shook her head. “You’re family as well as crew now; have been for a long time. We have to look after each other…”
Her voice broke off as River called over the comm. “Nisham is docking.”
“Zoë?” Jayne grabbed hold of her hand, “don’t trust him.”
She nodded briefly and squeezed his hand back. “He’s got some explaining to do.”
Jayne watched her stride out the door and struggled to sit up. Gorramn Nisham needed to be tied up before he ‘explained’. He knew there was no way Zoe was gonna do that, she was all set to be fair.
“Jayne what are you doing?” Simon’s hand fell on his shoulder stopping him.
“Gettin’ up,” Jayne pushed against the restrainin’ hand. “That hun dan’s the reason we got ambushed.”
“Zoë’s aware that might be the case and has taken precautions.” The doctor urged him back against the pillow. “If you’re there everyone will be worrying about you and not concentrating on the danger. I’ll watch from the cargo bay. If anything untoward occurs I’ll call you.”
“Don’t even have my guns,” Jayne subsided onto the bed.
“Yes you do,” Simon handed him Vera and gave him a crooked smile. “Zoë made me keep them in here. She said you’d be easier to control if they were around.”
“She’s smart that one,” Jayne grunted. Smart about everything except Nisham.
*****************
Nisham was met with a semi-hostile reception when he stepped through the hatch. “Zoë?” he questioned, raising his hands.
She was standing, mare’s leg levelled at his head, stoical expression in place. River was to his side a gun in each hand, the doctor was hovering in the cargo bay a watchful expression on his face and there was no sign of the mechanic or volatile mercenary.
“Where’s Jayne?” he asked, looking around warily. He didn’t trust the mercenary one iota.
“He’s around,” Zoë answered evasively. She gestured with her gun, “how about you head for the mess and tell us what this is all about?”
“Another presence,” River stopped their movement.
“In the shuttle?” Zoë was disappointed. “Nisham I told you to come alone.”
“He’s my prisoner Zoë. You can go check if you like.”
“River,” Zoë nodded at the shuttle and kept her gun pointed at Nisham while the girl searched. He wasn’t making this easy; he shoulda done what she asked.
“A chicken all trussed up,” the genius reported as she returned.
“Right, we’ll leave him there till we get some answers.” Zoë gestured with her gun again and followed as Nisham headed for the mess.
*****************
“Zoë, I’m sorry,” Nisham sat across the table from her, a worried expression on his face. When he hadn’t been able to contact Serenity he’d really become concerned. They’d headed here at hard burn, finally contacting the others just before landing. “I never suspected that Fredericks would do such a thing.”
Zoë was relieved at Nisham’s explanation. She hadn’t wanted to believe he’d sold her out. Seeing his reaction to his mechanic’s betrayal had gone a long way to reassuring her about that. River’s nod of confirmation bought more relief. Now she could talk to him about her other worry.
“If Jayne wasn’t paranoid and bought his grenades, we’d have been captured or dead by now. That’s the second time an easy job’s gone sour on us and I’m wondering why. This lot didn’t even bother to bring the cargo with them; it was a trap plain and simple.”
“I figured that,” Nisham nodded. “Fredericks might know something. At least he could tell us who he contacted. As you know I kept him confined till we could talk to him.”
*****************
“It turns out that Fredericks was the one gave our plans out,” Zoë sat on the chair recounting to Jayne the events of the day. “He’s given us all the information he had about his contacts and such. We’re planning a raid on the fella he’s been reporting to.”
“We?” Jayne asked.
“Nisham and me,” Zoë missed the flash of hurt dismay in the mercenary’s eyes when she mentioned Nisham’s name. “He’s feeling kinda guilty about Fredericks doing what he did.”
Why hadn’t she talked to him first? Ok he weren’t Mal or Wash and never likely to be. But he was there and had experience and all, ya could almost say he was second in command for awhile. Even Mal didn’t ignore him the way she was. The Captain nearly always let Jayne in on the discussions, and though he didn’t actually act on any of Jayne’s opinions, he did listen to them.
“So you got it all planned out then?” he asked.
“Yes,” Zoë nodded, noticing the disappointment in his eyes. “It’ll be a week before we get there. You should be up and around a bit by then and can do some of the background stuff.” There was no way she was going to let Jayne do anything before he was ready for it. But she knew he couldn’t sit still when there was prospect of a fight so had arranged for him to do some of the lighter duties.
Unreasonably hurt that she’d again made plans with Nisham and hadn’t talked to him ‘bout anything, Jayne lashed out.
“Gorramnit Zoe, ya ain't Mal. Ya know a set-up when ya see one!”
“This ain’t a set-up. Nisham explained himself to my satisfaction. None of this was his fault.”
“He hired the man, didn’t he?” Jayne snarled. “Did ya at least talk about this plan with any of the others?”
Zoë hesitated. She hadn’t actually. After questioning Fredericks she and Nisham had discussed ideas and she had informed the others about their decisions. Kaylee and Simon had looked doubtful and River had been non-committal. But no-one had said anything till Jayne objected. She rounded on him again. “We wouldn't be having this discussion if I were the Captain now would we?"
“Yes we would,” Jayne glared at her as if she were demented. “When don’t I argue with Mal? And it ain’t him we’re talkin’ about right now, it’s ya.”
“Yes it is,” Zoë stood up quietly. “I’m sorry you don’t like my decision, but it’s final. All I want from you is some back-up and that you don’t undermine me with the others.”
“I wouldn’t…” Jayne gaped at her retreatin’ back. He was only tryin’ to warn her not to be so trusting. Didn’t she know he’d follow her to hell if she asked him?