Ghost Story -- holiday fic #7

This one is for fbf, who gave a large number of perplexing requests. What she got was her Firefly request -- Mal, River and dolls.

Happy It's Christmas Until January 6th, fbf ;)

Ghost Story
Firefly
Spoilers -- The Big Damn Movie

***

"Hey, little bird," the Captain announced his presence as he always did with her, a gentle call from the door, a soft footfall, a small smile even when all the hurts of the world wore on his chest.

River looked up from Serenity's controls and smiled over her shoulder at the Captain.

Simon didn't understand, but she liked the man. He was brusque and cold to her brother, but to River he was simplicity, clarity. He might bark and growl, but the fierce beast within the man wanted only to protect what was his. Scared or hurt he snarled, but no wound pained him more than one to people he dubbed his own. His crew, his family, his ship. River'd been one of his for longer than Simon realized and the Captain would admit. But, she knew.

"What ya got there?" he asked coming to stand at her shoulder.

She stared down at the small figures in her hands, running a thumb over a smiling, painted face. "Idols. Material representations of false ideals of human form and beauty."

He laughed softly. "They're dolls."

Looking back up at her Captain, she said earnestly, "The dinosaurs were lonely."

Nodding he picked up a stegosaurus, turning it over in his hands, running his finger along the spines. "I guess they just might be," he muttered. "Gets quiet up here."

"I like it."

"So do I, darlin'." He set the dinosaur down carefully under the thin shade of the tiny, plastic palm tree. "How long 'till we get to Snowmelt?"

"Forty-seven hours and twelve minutes."

"Ahead of schedule. That don't happen very often for us, does it?" He grinned slyly down at her, and braced his hands on the consoles, leaning forward.

All too quickly, before she could decide to reply, the grin slid off his face and his eyes left hers to stare out at the black around them. "You were a mite offish on Raven."

"Too many voices," she mumbled, lowering her head, letting her hair drift down over her face. A rough finger brushed her cheek as he hooked the veil of her hair back behind her ear.

"There are at that," he agreed gently. "Place gets a deal grander each time I land. Like to find myself someplace quieter to do business in the future."

"Kaylee wanted me to go to the stores with her. She says I need proper shoes." River drew her legs up under her, tucking her skirts around her bare toes.

"Girl's just after an excuse to spend my coin," he grouched fondly. "I expect she's got her heart set on some fandango or t'other. Best watch yourself, little bird, or she and Inara'll do you up like your pretty little doll, and trot you out for all the fine young bantams to gawk at next time we're dirtside."

Shaking her head, she looked up at him and laughed at his serious mien.

"Don't be laughing, mei mei, I ain't joking. Let them get their paws on you, and next thing you'll find yourself hitched to some granger in a dandy suit."

"You'd know," she told him with a broad smile.

He scowled down at her then raised his chin and stared back out at the black. "Suppose I would. And don't think I'm about to let that happen again to any of mine."

Leaning over in her chair, she placed the dolls carefully down next to the dinosaurs and reached for his hand. "We're getting closer," she said quietly.

He looked down at their hands, surprised by her grip. "Where's that?"

"You think the Alliance might come for us again. Even though he said they might not."

He was silent for a moment, but she knew, knew his uncertainty, knew his doubt. "I wouldn't put much truck by a word that ever touched that man's lips. But, we go where the work is, and if that means dancing closer to the central planets, then that's how it is."

"It's dangerous."

"It always is, darlin'."

"Because of me."

"No, and don't you ever go thinking that," he told her sharply. "What they did to you, you didn't ask for. That won't ever be over for you, and about that I am sorely aggrieved. But, they come now, they come for all of us. And you know there ain't nothing in me that says that's not how it ought to be." He sighed and brushed her knuckles with his thumb. "They've got a world of hurt of their own just at present, and we ain't more than a chigger to 'em. It'll be a different tale when they get over their difficulty."

"Maybe they won't."

"Maybe. We nailed 'em to the counter and it'll take some doing for them to get back up. And, I don't reckon as they'll let that slip their minds too quick. But," he paused and grinned down at her, a feral sort of grin that gave her as much comfort as anything in this 'verse could. "But, I'm of a mind that something needs doing, you do it, no worry 'bout what the big bugs think."

"We'll be as ghosts," she said, feeling the words and thoughts drifting through his mind.

He pulled his hand from hers, and brushed the hair away from her face again. Bending over slightly, he met her eye squarely. "Most powerful thing in this 'verse is a person. They tried to take that away, we took it back. And if they try again, we'll damn sure haunt them."

And he meant it, and she smiled at him. "Haunt the nightmares."

His lips pulled up into a slow smile. "We're gonna turn you ornery yet." Straightening he turned, ready to head off the bridge. "Now, get us to Snowmelt, little Albatross. We got us a belly full of notions that need seeing off."

"Aye, aye, Captain," she said soberly, matching his smile as he disappeared down the stairs.

Turning back to Serenity, letting the ship whisper to her, River picked up her dolls again. "Keep an eye on the carnivores," she instructed, balancing the smallest doll up next to the stegosaurus. "They aren't to be trusted."

##