Not According to Plan

Author's Note: Just FYI, the memories chapters are supposed to be memories that River is listening to as they are being remembered.

Chapter Eight: Memories

Siciline had never expected to see him again. After the brawl in the Maidenhead she had found work in a different locale. She opted for a quieter, cleaner bar this time. And by definition quieter and cleaner meant Alliance-friendly. But she could work during the day, the off hours, the hours less prone to drunken brawls, which she liked. She definitely had never expected to see him again.

It was a few months later, Unification Day in fact, that she noticed the man who had come to her rescue come into the bar, sequester himself in a corner and order a bottle of something very strong. Her conclusion: most definitely a former Browncoat looking for some U-Day trouble. Siciline kept her eye on him for the remainder of her shift, though she didn’t worry much as business was slow during the first half of the day.

At the end of her shift she made her way over to his table.

“Hello,” she said. “Do you remember me or are you too far gone at this point?”

He studied her for awhile and mumbled what she thought was “bar fight” before going back to his drink.

“Yes, the bar fight in the Maidenhead. Well, sir, I’d certainly take it as a kindness if you didn’t start one in here.”

“Whaddya mean ‘start one’? ‘One’ what?” he slurred.

“Bar fight. I know you’ve a mind to, that’s why you’re here. It’s U-Day after all.”

He stared at her with a confused expression.

“Look, how ‘bout I take you back to your ship so you can sleep this off and not do something you’ll regret later, ‘kay?” Siciline didn’t wait for a response. She hauled him to his feet and they made their way out.

She sat him down at a café down the street with a few shots of espresso and a good hot meal.

“This’ll take the edge off,” she said. “You can thank me later, just get to eating and drinking.”

Siciline watched his progress as she sipped at her glass of ice water, realizing that she had never learned his name, much less told him hers. When the food and coffee were gone and the man was watching her again, she reached an arm across the table to introduce herself.

“We didn’t do this proper last time. Hello, my name’s Siciline Aden. My friends call me Sisi. I’m from Osiris.”

He shook her hand and followed her lead.

“Nice to know it. I’m Malcolm Reynolds, captain of the Firefly-class ship Serenity. I’m from Shadow and you can call me Mal.”

“Very nice to meet you Mal. I hope I didn’t interrupt your drinking too abruptly, but you looked like you were going to cause some damage soon. I didn’t want that.”

He nodded. “Can’t say I think on too much else come U-Day. It’s a bad path for me to go down.”

“I can see that it is. Anyways, I’d like to return the favor, if you don’t mind terribly. I can take you back to your ship so’s you don’t do yourself any mischief tonight.”

“Don’t suppose I have much choice in the matter, do I?”

She smiled. “Nope, you don’t,” she said, throwing some money down on the table. “C’mon, you need to sleep it off.”

Siciline held out an arm and Mal stumbled as he stood to take it. It wasn’t a long way to Serenity. She had flown on a Firefly when she first came to Beaumonde; she hoped she would be able to leave on one too. Mal had stopped walking and was looking back at her.

“You alright?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes. I was just thinking is all.”

He held out a hand. “Wanna have a look around? No one’s about, we’ve got the ship to ourselves.”

“I’d like that.”

Mal gave Siciline the full tour, showing her every nook and cranny, regaling her with tales of previous heists, even telling her a few war stories. Siciline liked ships, small freelance ships. She liked the idea of choosing your own destiny, making your own way. Maybe she’d save enough to fly away on one someday. Maybe even on Serenity.

“You’re awful quiet, miss. Sure you’re okay? You do stop and stare a lot.”

“Mhmm. Just looking is all.”

“Well, c’mon. Bridge is just through here.”

The sun had set and the Unification Day celebrations had begun. The cheers, yells and gunshots were faint but still noticeable from inside the ship. Mal sat at the helm, pointing out buttons and dials and their various functions. Siciline could hear the love in his voice as he described his ship. She longed to float amongst the stars, free from earthly restraints.

“You’re doin’ it again.”

“Sorry. It’s just so beautiful.” The sky was scattered with stars and the shapes of Beaumonde’s moons. The U-Day festivities had culminated in a fireworks display, decorating the night sky with even more light. “So beautiful.”

“That it is,” Mal agreed, taking a good look himself.

“She’s your freedom. Your ticket to the stars. You can just leave your troubles, spread your wings and fly away. Fly far, far away.” She looked down at Mal, who was staring at her from his seat at the helm. “Now who’s staring?”

“You just…that’s the most…” He stopped, searching for words.

“I know. That’s how you feel. I—”

She was cut short when he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. Siciline was a little surprised, though not unhappy. She knew he was a good man. The kind she wished she knew more of.

He had stopped his kisses and was watching her again. “Sorry, I don’t usually—”

She placed a finger on his lips. “It’s okay. I was just thinking.”

“Noticed you do a lot of that.”

Siciline smiled and stroked his hair. “But I don’t need to. Not now.” It was her turn to do the kissing now.

At some point during the evening’s exertions, Mal moved them down the corridor to his bunk. She woke sprawled across his bare chest, tendrils of hair stuck to her forehead. The ship was quiet. Everything was quiet. The only audible sounds were their breathing.

Siciline wasn’t sure what this meant. What to think. She sat up, looking down at his sleeping form. Their blatant nakedness made her blush. Yes, she definitely didn’t know what to think. She barely knew this man. She didn’t do things like this.

“What am I doing here?” she whispered to herself.

She slipped out of bed and pulled on her clothes. Out on the street, Siciline breathed in deeply. She definitely wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore.