Fic-Never Ending Circle

[walkwithheroes]

Title: Never Ending Circle
Author: walkwithheroes
Disclaimer: I don’t own them; if I did, Jayne and River would have been making out by episode three.
Rating: light PG at the most.

Author’s Note: Takes place in my H.E. ‘verse. AKA, it has the same characters and the like with ‘The More Things Change’ series and the three one-shots ‘Make Things Even’, ‘Children in Bloom’, and ‘Hypocrites’.

Summary: Life and death flow together in a never ending circle.

 

Shepard Book was dying down the hall and River Cobb knew that. He was dying and she was bringing life into the word. In a way there was a twisted poetry to it. A baby girl would come into being before the night was done and an old man would leave the ‘verse. River knew that and she knew what could happen because of that; forever connected. Tough, a connection between a dead man and a little girl made no logical sense. Still, there were many times that logical sense seemed to have no place in the blackness of the ‘verse.

“River, honey?” That was Inara, calm as ever. “Are you still with us?”

River’s dark eyes fluttered open and she looked at Inara. The older woman was trying to make River comfortable while Simon was seeing to Book in the infirmary. “Yes.” It was only a whisper. For reasons no one could ever rightly figure out, River had a hell of a time giving birth. Her two sons had nearly killed her and now her daughter was threatening to do the same.

Months before Jayne had asked her if she was sure having another child would be alright. River’s response had been: “We have one of you. We have a mix of uncles. We need a me.” That had been the end of that and now River was having her baby. Jayne was just outside the door, little Matt right behind him. Jayne Junior (Jay for short) had disappeared earlier; he wanted to get his new sister a gift.

Down the hall, Shepard Book coughed and whizzed. His life force was slowly slipping away. Kaylee and Lee were all ready crying; everyone was already feeling the mournful feelings that came with death.

Inside River, the little baby did not move forward. And River knew what would happen, the baby was refusing to be born until Book was dead. This baby wanted a connection with a dead man. This baby would need a connection with a dead man.

“The sins of the parents.” River whispered softly.

Inara glanced up from a bowl of water. “River, sweetie?”

River didn’t answer Inara, she just closed her eyes again and nodded slowly. There were all kinds of things running through her head and she slowly and creepily answered: “No concern for future events.”

Deciding to let it go, Inara quietly brought a cool washcloth to River’s head. Outside the door, Jayne paced back and forth, little Matt following in his father’s footsteps. Down the hall, Book’s breathing slowed. Inside her old room, River breathed, pushed, and let out a tiny scream.

All most there.

Another cough, another scream, more pacing.

 

All most there.

Hours went by and still Book was not dead and no baby had been born. Simon and Inara had traded places and Jay had returned with a blanket for his coming sister. Most people on Serenity had gone to bed or were now collected in the dinning room. It seemed like they were all trapped in a never ending cycle of screaming and coughing, in life and death.

All most there.

Simon rushed from River’s room, his hands covered in blood, and rushed past Jayne.

“Simon?!” The doctor turned around. “River…?”

“She’s…it’s not as bad as it was with Jay. It’s…she’s doing fine. I have to,” he pointed to the infirmary. “I need my other med bag.” Simon rushed off.

Taking a chance, Jayne peered into the room. River was laying very still and her eyes were closed. She was also mouthing something to herself. Jayne leaned in closer, wanting to hear.

“RUNtse duh SHANG-DEE, ching DAIwuhtzo.” The last time Jayne had heard River start that had been on Miranda. The only difference was that River’s voice and her accent sounded a lot like Book’s. Jayne breathed a sigh of relief, River was just picking up on Shepard Book’s thoughts.

“River?” Jayne slowly entered the room. “It’s okay, you don’ gotta…”

“RUNtse duh SHANG-DEE, ching DAIwuhtzo.” Was River’s only reply.

Jayne would have said something else, but that was when Simon came rushing back into the room. He gave Jayne a look, as if to tell him he was sorry, before sliding the door closed.

All most there.

In the infirmary Shepard Book felt the last drops of life leave him. In River’s old room, a baby was born and her little cries filled the old room.

There.

______________________________________________________________________

Two boys sat at the edge of the bed and Jayne stood next to River, who was holding a little baby in her arms.

“She’s awful purty.” Jay said with a smile. He held a little blanket in his hands. “I got this f’r her.”

“She thanks you.” River told him with a smile.

“W’at we gonna call her?” Matt asked. “Ya named Jay after Pa and me a’ter Uncle Simon an’ Uncle Mattie.”

“Rayne, her name is Rayne Tam Cobb.” River answered softly.

“Rain?” Matt made a face.

“Rayne. R-a-y-n-e.” River corrected. “Little mix of both parents; Rayne.” She gave her sons a smile. “You two will call her ‘Ray’ and she’ll adore you both until the end of time and forever after that.”

Jayne kissed the top of River’s head. “Guess we got our three.” He beamed when he looked at little Rayne. “Welcome ta the Cobb family, little Rayne.”

Wrapped in her mother’s arms, baby Rayne’s eyes nearly seemed focused in the direction of the wall behind her father. By the wall, baby Rayne and only baby Rayne, saw the figure of an old preacher; her protector and future connection to reality.

Comments

[madannekidd.livejournal.com]

*shiver* Creepifying, but in a good way. I love this, the transition between life and death. Quoting from Sin City, "an old man dies, a young girl lives on". Or something like that. Beautiful.

The Cobb boys are just so adorable. *g* *huggles Jay and his gift*

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I was going for creepy, but in a good way. The transition between life and death was something I wanted to write about for some time. Plus, my sister wanted to know what had happened to Book. By the way, that's a great quote from Sin City.

As for the Cobb boys, I just adore them more and more. And Jay was very sweet to get that blanket for Rayne. He actually traded his favorite pocket knife for it. All together-'Aw.'

[crazywriterchic.livejournal.com]

Somthing tells me that little girl will waver between life and death a lot as she grows up. Good addition, as always.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Yes, poor Rayne will always waver between life and death. This was to sort of explain, why in 'Children in Bloom' (another story from this verse) Rayne spent her days listening to the 'ghost' in Serenity and why she talked about Book as if he were there with her.

[purpleskyfly.livejournal.com]

Wow!

I want to cry, but I'm too disturbed


Book dies...AGAIN, does anyone like him enough to let him live?

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Oh, I love Book to, well, death. However, he had to die for this story.

[winkingannie.livejournal.com]

Beautifully done. I had wondered at Rayne talking to Book earlier.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. Actually, I wrote this for someone who wanted to know what had happened to Book. :) And I thought it would be a great way to say why Rayne seems to see and speak to a dead Book.

[ladylauraglyde.livejournal.com]

How sweet. Sad, but very touching.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

[beebells.livejournal.com]

Spine tingling. Beautiful. I loved it, thank you.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Again, thank you for reading.

[calijirl5150.livejournal.com]

Quite beautiful.

How nice for Rayne to haveher protector and future connection to reality. Like how your worded that, protector (that's a given, as to the meaning) & future connection to reality ( to me this signifies she might have a tendency to be like the River of the beginning of Firefly & need an connection so she comes back to reality.

Excellent job.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

How strange, you totally got my future plans for Rayne and why she's the only Cobb child to need someone/something like Book to watch over her!

Thank you!

[realdedanaan.livejournal.com]

This ficlet was bittersweet. It was lovely for Rayne to come into the world but sad that Book had to leave it in order for it to happen. It is nice that he's going to be around as her protector and connection to reality, though. The brothers were cute in this story too.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thanks for a lovely review. I love Book and he seems so wise and understanding, which is why I knew he'd be the perfect choice for Rayne's protector and connection. Plus, he'll never be truly gone.
The Cobb boys are always cute. :)

[jeshyr]

Wow! I love this - it's creepy in a way, but not bad creepy... if that makes sense!

But I seem to have missed your other stories - is there an index somewhere? 0

r

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

If you go to my memories you'll find a link to the three part series 'The More Things Change' and a link to the other stories in that 'verse.

[jeshyr]

Yay! I used your tags and that worked fine :)

Lots of the fic love flowing, here! Please forgive me not commenting on each separately - typing is difficult and painful. If I could, I would, and they would say everything wonderful :)

Ricky
[[ Please excuse odd mistakes or brevity, typed via on-screen keyboard ]]

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

That's okay, I'm just glad you enjoyed the stories. :)