Blue Sun Room FICTION - GENERAL

Best Intentions, ch. 14

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Post-BDM. Gabriel and Regan Tam have arrived and Simon is not pleased. Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara

CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 3205    RATING: 9.0 (G)    SERIES: FIREFLY

Tweet

A/N: This is a long one folks ... sit back and enjoy!

Thanks so much for all the fabulous feedback. I'm psyched that the arrival of Mommy and Daddy Tam was met with such excitement ... I hope this lives up!

Thanks again to Leiasky for the beta!

***

Best Intentions, ch. 14

***

“What are you doing here?” Simon’s blue eyes were cold and hard as his jaw set and his arms crossed over his chest defensively. Without even realizing it, he took a slight step forward, positioning himself between his parents and his sister protectively.

His mother, Regan, her face moments ago reflecting a renewed hope, looked to him with unparalleled sadness as she moved towards him, reaching to put a hand to his cheek. Simon jerked away and her face fell. “Simon, sweetheart. We haven’t seen you for over two years and that’s all you can say?” Her tone was light, her only way to try and conceal the immense hurt she felt at such a sharp reaction from her baby boy.

His gaze never wavering, Simon bit out, “I’m perfectly aware of how long it’s been, mother.” Shifting his eyes to his father, he asked, “And I have to wonder what prompted your visit now, after all this time? And how you found us?”

As neither parent appeared willing to share this information, Simon felt his gut churn uncomfortably. He had thought the days of the Alliance tracking him and River were over, but maybe not; maybe it had been a ruse, to make them comfortable, to trap them and his parents had willingly agreed to help capture their own children. He could think of no other explanation.

But River knew differently. Resting a light hand to his arm, she got his attention and in an instant Simon panicked again, fearing she had brought this down on them. Frowning at him, she said, “I didn’t tell them where we were.” When Simon stared at her with disbelief, she shrugged and said simply, “Money talks.”

Releasing a sigh of frustration, Simon closed his eyes, his chin dropping to his chest. “Of course,” he muttered under his br

Comments
Tuesday, 28 November 2006 03:27
Yay! I was sitting with baited breath to see what kind of parents you'd make the Tams into. I'm rather glad to see that both of them appear to be genuinely sorry and hopeful. It's refreshing and I think you handled the first interaction quite well! I especially like the reactions of the crew to the Tams (though it would've been rather funny to see Jayne and his reaction had they all stayed).

Anyway, I'm looking forward to see how this works out. Shiny stuff!
Tuesday, 28 November 2006 03:45
You've managed to take everything I've been trying to say with YCGHA, and condense it all into one (or more) chapter. This is without a doubt my favorite bit of writing you've done.

I like how you pick up on the idea that River has in her own way forgiven her parents and that Simon needs to learn how to forgive them as well. River was never my absolute fave character in the series, because it always seemed that everyone was making her decisions for her. It's so much better when she actually makes a decision for herself, like in here when she embraces her parents and actually defies Simon.

I have to say that all that pent up anger and hatred Simon has towards his parents will definitly not help him down the line in regards to his future nuptuals to Kaylee. I'm eager to see the next few chapters and Simon's journey down the road to forgiveness, even if he's being dragged down it by River.

I have half a mind to re-write what I havn't posted of YCGHA just so that the quality will match this.
Tuesday, 28 November 2006 05:29
It's a difficult road, I imagine, to play around with characters like Gabriel and Regan Tam. We only got to see them for a brief period of time...and even then, it didn't really give us a rounded perception of who these people were. Were they truly concerned only with their wealth and status, or were they more like Inara in that they were unable to fathom the government they supported was willing to do something as horrific as violate a teenage girl's mind in the name of science and/or security. It's easy I suppose to make them villians, paint them as cold-hearted and selfish...or actively aware and invovled in what was being done to River. It's harder to make them totally innocent and just criminally naive when it came to worldly affairs. But I think it's even harder to take a road like this, a path where they are neither painfully ignorant nor psychotically cruel. They just are...

And I really think you've hit more than one nail on the head with this chapter, TamSibling. Like Mal, Simon is still torn and battered inside but from the betrayal of his parents and their abandonment, rather than from learning even God seems fallible at times. Also, River's dialogue with Simon is something I believe Joss would have spend some quality time on, theme-wise: River regaining some the power that was stole and asserting herself as adult in ways that would drive Simon to fear and fury. I can just picture (vaguely, mind you) moments between River and Simon where River's blasting Simon for doing what her parents and the Alliance tried to do, and Simon's blasting River for seemingly betraying all of his efforts to save and heal her.

I just hope Simon can at least forgive his parents enough to allow them some interaction with their future grandchildren. Punishing Gabriel and Regan, much as it seems fitting, does nothing but poison Simon in ways that no one - not even Kaylee - could heal:(

BEB
Tuesday, 28 November 2006 05:55
What an amazing chapter! You have written such atouching scene between Simon and Kaylee, I got a little weepy at the end! I can't wait to see how the Tams fair with Simon and the rest of the crew, but I am really interested in how forgiving River seems to be. I wonder what her motivations for it are. Could it be healing for her, as well as Simon? Is this her own stab at independence from her brother? And I am interested in what the Tams are thinking as well! Real Life has been hectic for awhile now, but I am so glad to try and catch up on this wonderful story!!
Tuesday, 28 November 2006 08:28
I'm hoping River is right about G&R, and that she can help sway Simon.
Loved how Kaylee was a bit tipsy when she met them, very cute.
She makes the most interesting first-impressions.
Tuesday, 28 November 2006 10:46
This was truly excellent. I particularly liked how you made the scenes with Gabriel and Tam so awkard, brittle and unforgiving as Simon was towards them it was understandable and on some level both Regan and Gabriel need to realise they have to earn the right to be back in their children's lives. They are adults now and while I think Simon will slowly come round to accepting them in some limited fashion I do not think he will ever forgive them. It was very touching to see River's reaction to her parents, it showed so clearly that she is still a girl at heart, still yearning to be loved and valued. Plus she has the advantage of knowing what her parents are really thinking which is an insight the rest of us can only dream of most of the time. If Simon had that insight it might make it easier for him. This was stunningly done, thank you. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me
Thursday, 30 November 2006 15:01
Of course, the Tam parents showing up is another twist to this already amazing story. I just know that they will cause some trouble, either by having ulterior motives of their own, or by leading the feds or the BlueHands to them by accident.
Thursday, 30 November 2006 18:10
I love Simon's reactions to his parents arrival. I believe his reaction to be right on the money as well as Kaylee wanting to see some good in the family. His conversation with Kaylee at the end was a good demonstration of how they are growing as a couple.

Post Your Comments

You must log in to post comments.