We all need help to feel fine... [ Semi-Closed to Billy, open to others in a separate thread ]

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

Kaylee doesn’t want to be here anymore. Her eyes had been closed for the majority of Big Zero’s Punishment, her face buried into Kang’s side and shielded by his wing, but the screams were harder to block out. They rang out in her head as Kang had walked her back to Serenity, helped her make it to the infirmary, just in time for her to hurl up her last meal into the nearest sink. He stayed until she had her cup of tea and had assured him for what must have been the hundredth time that it was okay, he could go back and do what he needed to.

After the hundred-and-first reassurance, Kang finally leaves, and Kaylee finds herself alone with her ship. Where Wash and Jayne are, she doesn’t know, but she’s somewhat happy that they aren’t here at the moment. They’ve seen her through worse before, but she would rather sit quietly and think things over than have to talk about anything right now.

She’s not sure how to feel about Stacy at this point, a feeling that has slowly grown from the sound of screams still playing through her head. That she’s been lending a hand for all this time to help fix a ship that was capable of something so awful... Stacy might as well be a Reaver ship at this rate.

Serenity’s engine room has been a place of comfort since Kaylee joined the crew, and she holds her cup of tea close as she starts the engine up. The ship shudders to life, and the low hum alone is enough to calm her. She curls up in her hammock, closing her eyes and concentrating on the sounds of Serenity.

Comments

What are your feelings about canon updates?

[leafonthewind]

Well, Wash wasn't the captain. There were reasons for that.

He walked into the engine room, his palm running over whatever part of the ship was closest, and when he got to Kaylee he reached out and hugged her with a hand on her hair. "You know if you stop smiling then the ship can't fly, right? I really prefer when she's mobile. Much easier to fly that way."

He needed to know what this Punishment thing was, but he'd ask someone else. Not Kaylee.

...I'm listening... :O

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

Nothing in the 'verse like Wash hugs. It was easy to hug him back. The embrace was familiar and felt like home and was just what Kaylee needed right now. No sentient ships with tentacles that sliced people up and put them back together, just Serenity and her pilot and mechanic. Just like old times.

"Ship that runs on smiles, there's an idea." Kaylee managed a small smile, just for Wash and Serenity. If anyone was worth it, they were.

I'll IM you, it's too long for a subject line

[leafonthewind]

That was better. Wash hated to see Kaylee looking downcast, and the look on her face had been one he hadn't ever wanted to see again after Miranda.

Wash shook his head before he released Kaylee from the hug, trying to clear his mind of those memories. Now wasn't the time - in fact, now was the time for a complete change of subject. "You haven't let anyone take her up while I've been sleeping, have you?" he asked. His hand settled on the outside of the engine again, vaguely possessive. He figured they all felt that way about the boat, but it was more his and Kaylee's than anyone else's.

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

It was an obvious subject change, yes, but it was one that was appreciated nonetheless.

Kaylee crossed her heart. "Not a soul, 'cept to move her around if needed, and then it's only me." Mal would have killed her if she had let anyone touch the ship, let alone fly it anywhere. If Wash hadn't gotten to her neck first, at least. "Even then she made some nice groans of protest--nobody can fly her like you."

[leafonthewind]

"I do have a way with her," Wash said. "Come on, let's go sit down so you can catch me up on the insanity that gallops around this ship on a regular basis. I never thought I'd find a crew more whackily dysfunctional than ours."

He slung his arm around Kaylee's shoulders, steering her toward the door of the engine room. It would feel good to sit down at the kitchen table again.