Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, they are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox.
Feedback is always welcome.
Takes place shortly after the series ended. Part 3 includes chapters 11-15. This is the end of this part of the story, thank you so much to everyone that read and reviewed. I ended up using less of the lyrics to Delta Rain then I thought I would, so I included the complete lyrics at the end. I hope it becomes more clear why that song inspired me so much. :-)
Very, very special thank you's go out to Cassie E, Starrbaby, Silk1 and jebbypal.
Many thanks to William Topley and The Blessing for their song "Delta Rain", it helped inspire this piece. River sings bits and pieces of it to Jayne.
********************************
Knit, pearl...not going to feel caressing hands...knit, pearl...hear whispered words...knit, pearl...feel the pulse of desire...knit, pearl...throbbing through the ship...knit, pearl...not going to get sucked in...knit, pearl...to the whirlwind of passions...knit, pearl...rising and falling like tides around her...knit, pearl...not this time...knit, pearl...stay in control...knit, pearl...safe...knit, pearl...
Her hands stilled as his presence pushed the intruding waves of emotions back and allowed her own to rush to the shore. She had done it, had kept the others at bay till he could reach her. She smiled up at him.
"Should'a come an' gotten me." he growled down at her. She let the jumble of concern and annoyance fill her, she loved how grumpy he got when he felt she was in danger of being overwhelmed. Knew it was his way of dealing with the caring. It scared her a little, how hot his emotions would get if she was ever under a physical threat.
Not scared for her own sake, scared for whoever was at the receiving end of it and scared for Jayne. He had a slight tendency to not think so well when his anger ruled.
"Needed to know," she explained gently, "needed to know I could hold it at bay. You are not always going to be where I can get to you...you have a job to do and are not always here. Needed to know the bond was strong enough I didn't need you right beside me...that it has gotten strong enough to stretch without snapping. That I am strong enough to stretch without snapping."
He crouched down in front of her, one arm slinging over the arm of the chair, his other hand coming to rest on her knee. She felt the heat of him flow through the thin fabric of her dress.
"You need me to be strong, need me to be better," she reached out and caressed his cheek tenderly. "don't need a broken child. Need a whole woman. And I need to be strong, better, for myself...won't work if we are not equals. Not wrong to need the bond, not wrong to use it. It is a part of us, makes us who we are, separate and together. But it can not be all that defines us, not healthy."
"Ya sayin' we need ta back off?" he asked, his voice quietly anguished. She shook her head emphatically.
"No, can't go back," she smiled reassuringly at him, letting her hand rest on his. "not healthy either, have to move forward. I'm healing, the brain is learning to function without the missing parts...finding ways of doing what it should. Just saying if I never push it I will never be able to become what I need to be."
"The want, the need, to protect me is not wrong, Just as my want, need, of you is not wrong." she leaned forward to brush a light kiss across his forehead, "We simply need to be aware of the danger of suffocating each other."
He nodded, letting her words sink in before he spoke.
"So, guess this means we ain't havin' sex for a while." his attempt at humor doing little to hide the serious undercurrent.
"No, not yet...not ready yet..." she felt both of their frustration at that, even as she knew it was necessary.
"Well," he drew in a deep breath, his face settling into determined lines as if bracing himself for battle, "guess if both Mal and the Doc can keep their hands ta themselves for over a year, I can too."
She giggled at that, "Not as good at self-control as they are."
"Ya don't think I can?" he asked, hurt pride putting a challenge in his eyes. With an impish grin she casually let her foot slid down to his lap and between his legs, kneading him gently with her toes.
"Gorramit River, that ain't no kind'a fair." he jerked into a standing position, glaring down at her with anger and desire in his eyes. "An don't go actin' all sorry, I can tell ya ain't."
"Won't be a year..." she said softly, letting her head fall forward to hide her smirk.
"Better not be..." he muttered, shifting uncomfortably. He went on defensively after her giggle escaped. "Ain't so dumb I need another lesson in my self-control bein' lackin'. Think those two must have ice in their ruttin' veins. An' why is it I feel ya strongest when I want ya the most?"
His voice got soft and thoughtful on the last part. She looked deep into his eyes, considering.
"The state of desire heightens the senses..." she trailed off as she became aware he didn't really need the explanation. He stared down at her for a long moment.
"Another reason not ta be havin' the sex yet?" he asked ruefully, "Jus' gonna make this stronger, ain't it?"
She nodded. He watched her silently for another moment, then bent down to scoop her up. Turning, he settled down on the chair with her on his lap. She felt her cheeks flush as he grinned down at her, knowing he'd picked up the flutters in her stomach at his actions. With a wicked little smirk she fidgeted to get more comfortable, laughing as his eyes darkened again.
"Playin' with fire, little girl." he said huskily.
She twisted her fingers in the collar of his shirt and pulled him close for a kiss.
********************************
Delta Rain
Album: Prince Of The Deep Water
Lyrics and music by William Topley
Thunder's up and the real live wires are talking
Set me straight as the rain falls on New Orleans
Silver bells ring for treaties made by starlight
For Southern girls and their faces lit by fire-flies
And through the gutters there will be water
Running wilder than the sea and as the rain comes down
A thousand circles fade like you and me
They call us lovers because our bony legs are tied
Once more to seed, but there ain't nothing I won't risk
To set this bird of love fly free
Shake your hair out and come and dance with me
We are lonely with no good need to be
Where the river grows wide to kiss the sea
Floods the delta and lovers' eyes can see
Tonight is hot and there's no wind from the ocean
I hear the drums as they bang across the water
Voodoo bells ring for treaties made by starlight
Forgotten gold and greed and fear at midnight
And through the gutters there will be water
Running wilder than the sea and as the rain comes down
A thousand circles fade like you and me
They call us lovers because our bony legs are tied
Once more to seed, but there ain't nothing I won't risk
To set this bird of love fly free
Shake your hair out and come and dance with me
We are lonely with no good need to be
Where the river grows wide to kiss the sea
Floods the delta and lovers' eyes can see
Do you remember how we held each other tight in sorrow
Does it haunt you still?
And in a single raindrop I can see all our tomorrows
Baby, can't you too?
Shake your hair out and come and dance with me
We are lonely with no good need to be
Where the river grows wide to kiss the sea
Floods the delta and lovers' eyes can see
© 1990 BMG Music Publishing Ltd. adm. By Careers Music, Inc. (BMI) All rights reserved.
Feedback is always welcome.
Takes place shortly after the series ended. Part 3 includes chapters 11-15. This is the end of this part of the story, thank you so much to everyone that read and reviewed. I ended up using less of the lyrics to Delta Rain then I thought I would, so I included the complete lyrics at the end. I hope it becomes more clear why that song inspired me so much. :-)
Very, very special thank you's go out to Cassie E, Starrbaby, Silk1 and jebbypal.
Many thanks to William Topley and The Blessing for their song "Delta Rain", it helped inspire this piece. River sings bits and pieces of it to Jayne.
********************************
Knit, pearl...not going to feel caressing hands...knit, pearl...hear whispered words...knit, pearl...feel the pulse of desire...knit, pearl...throbbing through the ship...knit, pearl...not going to get sucked in...knit, pearl...to the whirlwind of passions...knit, pearl...rising and falling like tides around her...knit, pearl...not this time...knit, pearl...stay in control...knit, pearl...safe...knit, pearl...
Her hands stilled as his presence pushed the intruding waves of emotions back and allowed her own to rush to the shore. She had done it, had kept the others at bay till he could reach her. She smiled up at him.
"Should'a come an' gotten me." he growled down at her. She let the jumble of concern and annoyance fill her, she loved how grumpy he got when he felt she was in danger of being overwhelmed. Knew it was his way of dealing with the caring. It scared her a little, how hot his emotions would get if she was ever under a physical threat.
Not scared for her own sake, scared for whoever was at the receiving end of it and scared for Jayne. He had a slight tendency to not think so well when his anger ruled.
"Needed to know," she explained gently, "needed to know I could hold it at bay. You are not always going to be where I can get to you...you have a job to do and are not always here. Needed to know the bond was strong enough I didn't need you right beside me...that it has gotten strong enough to stretch without snapping. That I am strong enough to stretch without snapping."
He crouched down in front of her, one arm slinging over the arm of the chair, his other hand coming to rest on her knee. She felt the heat of him flow through the thin fabric of her dress.
"You need me to be strong, need me to be better," she reached out and caressed his cheek tenderly. "don't need a broken child. Need a whole woman. And I need to be strong, better, for myself...won't work if we are not equals. Not wrong to need the bond, not wrong to use it. It is a part of us, makes us who we are, separate and together. But it can not be all that defines us, not healthy."
"Ya sayin' we need ta back off?" he asked, his voice quietly anguished. She shook her head emphatically.
"No, can't go back," she smiled reassuringly at him, letting her hand rest on his. "not healthy either, have to move forward. I'm healing, the brain is learning to function without the missing parts...finding ways of doing what it should. Just saying if I never push it I will never be able to become what I need to be."
"The want, the need, to protect me is not wrong, Just as my want, need, of you is not wrong." she leaned forward to brush a light kiss across his forehead, "We simply need to be aware of the danger of suffocating each other."
He nodded, letting her words sink in before he spoke.
"So, guess this means we ain't havin' sex for a while." his attempt at humor doing little to hide the serious undercurrent.
"No, not yet...not ready yet..." she felt both of their frustration at that, even as she knew it was necessary.
"Well," he drew in a deep breath, his face settling into determined lines as if bracing himself for battle, "guess if both Mal and the Doc can keep their hands ta themselves for over a year, I can too."
She giggled at that, "Not as good at self-control as they are."
"Ya don't think I can?" he asked, hurt pride putting a challenge in his eyes. With an impish grin she casually let her foot slid down to his lap and between his legs, kneading him gently with her toes.
"Gorramit River, that ain't no kind'a fair." he jerked into a standing position, glaring down at her with anger and desire in his eyes. "An don't go actin' all sorry, I can tell ya ain't."
"Won't be a year..." she said softly, letting her head fall forward to hide her smirk.
"Better not be..." he muttered, shifting uncomfortably. He went on defensively after her giggle escaped. "Ain't so dumb I need another lesson in my self-control bein' lackin'. Think those two must have ice in their ruttin' veins. An' why is it I feel ya strongest when I want ya the most?"
His voice got soft and thoughtful on the last part. She looked deep into his eyes, considering.
"The state of desire heightens the senses..." she trailed off as she became aware he didn't really need the explanation. He stared down at her for a long moment.
"Another reason not ta be havin' the sex yet?" he asked ruefully, "Jus' gonna make this stronger, ain't it?"
She nodded. He watched her silently for another moment, then bent down to scoop her up. Turning, he settled down on the chair with her on his lap. She felt her cheeks flush as he grinned down at her, knowing he'd picked up the flutters in her stomach at his actions. With a wicked little smirk she fidgeted to get more comfortable, laughing as his eyes darkened again.
"Playin' with fire, little girl." he said huskily.
She twisted her fingers in the collar of his shirt and pulled him close for a kiss.
********************************
Delta Rain
Album: Prince Of The Deep Water
Lyrics and music by William Topley
Thunder's up and the real live wires are talking
Set me straight as the rain falls on New Orleans
Silver bells ring for treaties made by starlight
For Southern girls and their faces lit by fire-flies
And through the gutters there will be water
Running wilder than the sea and as the rain comes down
A thousand circles fade like you and me
They call us lovers because our bony legs are tied
Once more to seed, but there ain't nothing I won't risk
To set this bird of love fly free
Shake your hair out and come and dance with me
We are lonely with no good need to be
Where the river grows wide to kiss the sea
Floods the delta and lovers' eyes can see
Tonight is hot and there's no wind from the ocean
I hear the drums as they bang across the water
Voodoo bells ring for treaties made by starlight
Forgotten gold and greed and fear at midnight
And through the gutters there will be water
Running wilder than the sea and as the rain comes down
A thousand circles fade like you and me
They call us lovers because our bony legs are tied
Once more to seed, but there ain't nothing I won't risk
To set this bird of love fly free
Shake your hair out and come and dance with me
We are lonely with no good need to be
Where the river grows wide to kiss the sea
Floods the delta and lovers' eyes can see
Do you remember how we held each other tight in sorrow
Does it haunt you still?
And in a single raindrop I can see all our tomorrows
Baby, can't you too?
Shake your hair out and come and dance with me
We are lonely with no good need to be
Where the river grows wide to kiss the sea
Floods the delta and lovers' eyes can see
© 1990 BMG Music Publishing Ltd. adm. By Careers Music, Inc. (BMI) All rights reserved.