HEAVEN AND HELL: 2. "A Special Hell"
Monday, February 9, 2004
"While everybody tries to adjust to the idea of River and the Captain being an item, the Shepherd threatens Hellfire and Damnation."
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 5776 RATING: 9.0 (G) SERIES: FIREFLY
TITLE: "A SPECIAL HELL"
AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL
FANDOM: "FIREFLY"
PAIRING: RIVER/MAL.
RATING: NC-17.
STATUS: New. SEQUEL to "SO CLOSE TO HEAVEN"
ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.
FEEDBACK: Welcomed.
EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com
WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html
SUMMARY: "While everybody tries to adjust to the idea of
River and the Captain being an item, the Shepherd threatens
Hellfire and Damnation."
The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'
are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
No infringement of copyright is intended.
"A SPECIAL HELL"
A "Firefly" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
* * * * *
Zoe cornered him at one end of the cargo bay. They had just finished loading up goods for transport to Deliverance. An apt name for a planet being recolonised after being pulverised into a smoking ruin by the Alliance during the War. Their contact, Alex Trent, had been given Captain Reynold's name by none other than Lord Warwick Harrow. The Captain did not ask how a former Browncoat had come to know a member of Persephone's aristocracy and Trent had not volunteered the information. A small deposit had been handed over in coin, the rest of their payment would come on delivery. Normally Mal would have asked for more up front. The sum was pitiful but the magnitude of what these people were wanting to achieve struck right through to his core and even had no coin passed hands he would have taken the job. Even sight unseen.
Now he was reviewing the assorted crates. Checking them off against the list Trent had given him. Jayne, Book, and Wash had gone up to the commons area to see what Kaylee had rustled up for dinner. Zoe had lingered and the Captain deliberately pretended to be so engrossed in his task that he did not see her. She could be patient. No one knew that better than he did. It was a quality Wash was learning but had yet to know the depth and breadth of.
As for Mal and River, I still think that as a couple they make sense, pretty much for the reasons that you outline here. The responses from the rest of the crew are right on target. I understand Inara's "big bad" quality is needed to give the story a plot other than Mal/River goodness, however, I find myself wondering what her reaction would have been if her motives had been different.
This is lovely, Ali. As deeply romantic as the first chapter was incredibly sexy. As usual, hungry for the next one.
Keep it coming and coming quick!
Ms.Sam
Hazel
I think I've realized what's happening but I ain't gonna say nothin'. No sirree.
But the fact that I've spent so long thinking about it and finding an internal cohesion is a tribute to the power of your writing. I was just the same with the show.
SId
***"I'm sayin' I care about her on all kinds of levels. Some I don't right understand except to say it goes past bein' acquainted. Ain't just a likin' neither, nor the need to look after an' protect her. I know what you're thinkin' an' I can't say as I blame you but it's more than that. Like part of my soul callin' out to me an' it's a voice I can't ignore Zoe." He paused and briefly touched her shoulder with his right hand, not resting it there but reaching out to her in an unconscious gesture for her understanding. "River touches me inside. Like still waters it goes deep, Zoe, an' I'm probably makin' a gorram mess tryin' to explain it to you but I ain't just fixin' to take her to my bed *dong ma*?"***
This is very much as I see River's view of Mal and I loved the visualization of the butterfly breaking free...very much they way we see River in the BDM.
****"He was dreaming. Not a peaceful sleep. I touched his face. Gently so as not to wake him, wanting to banish the nightmares. Protect him." She smiled. "He sighed in his sleep and rolled on to his back. He's so beautiful, Kaylee, and I'd waited for him for so long but he never saw me as anything other than a child. Didn't see the woman waiting in the wings. The caterpillar breaking free of the chrysalis to become a butterfly. I see inside him, all his shattered dreams. The pain-filled landscape of what-was. The ghosts he carries that weigh him down. I touched him, needed to love him, show him how different things could be."*****
OH! And who the gorram heck are the Shepherd and Inara anyway...I like what you are doing there!
I can't wait for them to get caught and spaced...LOL
Or you know what ever else type of punishment Mal gives them.
I have always felt that Book was sort of convienient and the fact that he was in the cargo bay at all for the exchange with Simon/Dobson/Mal.
In the BDM I felt that Inara was just a bit too cool when speaking about River and the Operative...She seemed to truly admire the man's intellect. I dis-liked her for that as well as how she has NO clue who Mal is on the inside.
LOVED THIS FIC AND WISH I HAD TIME TO READ IT FASTER....
Lovely part!
SID
You can't take the sky from me
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