Becoming Sleepers (8/14)
Title: Twelve (White) (8/14)
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Rating: R
Title: Twelve (White) (8/14)
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done.
Rating: R for graphic (Reaver) violence and language
Notes: This is based on stormwolf-dawn7’s Sleepers (alt.version). Even if you decide to skip my story I highly encourage you to read (or re-read) hers.
As River opened the box she saw a blindingly bright light being shined into his left eye. The light moved to his right eye and promptly snapped off leaving purple spots dancing across his vision. A woman’s face appeared in front of him. She stepped back to reveal the room behind her. He was in a hospital, lying down on a gurney where the blonde haired doctor hovered over him. She checked the clean white bandages high on his left thigh. He remembered seeing the bullet pass through his leg and watching the blood soak into his gray uniform.
His eyes swept over her, imagining the body underneath the white lab coat. The machine monitoring his heart beat began to beep faster but the only indication that she noticed was the slight upward turn at the corners of her mouth. She waited for his eyes to meet hers before she winked at him and walked out of the room.
The image dissolved and River was momentarily surrounded by a white light. When the image returned he was walking on a bridge under a clear night sky. The blonde doctor was with him dressed in a simple black dress, her hand on the crook of his elbow. They paused to look over the safety rail at the dark cold water below them. Pulling her tightly to his body he looked into her blue eyes before slowly lowering his head to meet her lips in a hard kiss. Her mouth warm under his and tasted of peppermint as she kissed him back just as forcefully. At that moment he knew he was in love with her.
Once again, the image faded into the white light, but this time the image that reappeared was a single white rosebud. It was pinned onto the lapel of his black suit jacket. He looked up and nodded at the preacher holding his bible before turning towards the aisle that ran down the sea of people. The doors at the back of the room parted and the woman came into view. She wore an ivory gown with a long train that trailed behind her as she walked. His heart was in his throat and his chest felt tight.
Sucking in a deep breath he straightened his back, squared his shoulders and took her soft hand in his own. The preacher’s words hummed in his ears but he couldn’t bring himself to draw his attention away from her. Somehow he managed to say the right words when he was supposed to and the ceremony was over. After a chaste kiss they were running back down the aisle through the sea of friends and family.
The white light was back and was quickly replaced by a new memory. Their bodies were cushioned by the soft white down comforter on their bed. He lay on top of her, his arms holding his upper body up as he rained kisses across her neck and collar bone. Her head was thrown back in pleasure and soft moans were elicited from her throat every time he thrust into her. River blushed at the intimate moment she was witnessing but remained watching the lovers. She felt the woman’s hands grip his sweaty back tightly and was almost overwhelmed with passion when he came. He rested his sweat covered forehead against his wife’s shoulder as his breathing tried to even out.
A white flash and then he was staring down into the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. He thought his life was over and immediately regretted storming out of their house just an hour ago. He had been mad that she had brought up having children again. It was a conversation they had had a dozen times in the past week and he had gotten angry and snapped at her. The most hurtful things had poured out of his mouth as he let all of his frustration out on her. She had thrown a lamp and told him to get out. Now, he was going to die and they would never have those kids that they both wanted but he was too scared to admit. He closed his eyes and prayed that she would know how much he loved her despite the things he had said. The vehicle passed by him with a woosh of air. Opening his eyes, he thanked whatever deity had given him a second chance and ran towards home with the intent to beg, grovel and plead for her forgiveness.
Another flash of white light separated the previous memory from the next one. He was running down white hallways of the hospital. He had rushed out of work as soon as he heard the news and was still dressed in his gray Alliance uniform. His boots skidded across the green tile floors as he rounded a corner and ran into the first room on the left. Screams echoed through the small room and, out of breath, he joined his wife’s side. He took her clammy hand and tried not to wince when she nearly crushed his fingers with her tight grip. He had nearly missed the delivery of his first child but he had made it for the last half hour of labor and he figured that would have to be good enough. The wail of a newborn baby brought him out of his thoughts and he went to meet his son for the first time.
The memories were over and River paused to think about what she had just seen. While he was far from the perfect man she had imagined he would be, he was still far from the Reaver that currently existed in his place. Still trying to figure out what she thought of him, she reached for the second box.
< Previous: chapter 7: Fourteen (Questions and Maybes) | Next: chapter 9: Ten (Crying)>
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Rating: R
Title: Twelve (White) (8/14)
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done.
Rating: R for graphic (Reaver) violence and language
Notes: This is based on stormwolf-dawn7’s Sleepers (alt.version). Even if you decide to skip my story I highly encourage you to read (or re-read) hers.
As River opened the box she saw a blindingly bright light being shined into his left eye. The light moved to his right eye and promptly snapped off leaving purple spots dancing across his vision. A woman’s face appeared in front of him. She stepped back to reveal the room behind her. He was in a hospital, lying down on a gurney where the blonde haired doctor hovered over him. She checked the clean white bandages high on his left thigh. He remembered seeing the bullet pass through his leg and watching the blood soak into his gray uniform.
His eyes swept over her, imagining the body underneath the white lab coat. The machine monitoring his heart beat began to beep faster but the only indication that she noticed was the slight upward turn at the corners of her mouth. She waited for his eyes to meet hers before she winked at him and walked out of the room.
The image dissolved and River was momentarily surrounded by a white light. When the image returned he was walking on a bridge under a clear night sky. The blonde doctor was with him dressed in a simple black dress, her hand on the crook of his elbow. They paused to look over the safety rail at the dark cold water below them. Pulling her tightly to his body he looked into her blue eyes before slowly lowering his head to meet her lips in a hard kiss. Her mouth warm under his and tasted of peppermint as she kissed him back just as forcefully. At that moment he knew he was in love with her.
Once again, the image faded into the white light, but this time the image that reappeared was a single white rosebud. It was pinned onto the lapel of his black suit jacket. He looked up and nodded at the preacher holding his bible before turning towards the aisle that ran down the sea of people. The doors at the back of the room parted and the woman came into view. She wore an ivory gown with a long train that trailed behind her as she walked. His heart was in his throat and his chest felt tight.
Sucking in a deep breath he straightened his back, squared his shoulders and took her soft hand in his own. The preacher’s words hummed in his ears but he couldn’t bring himself to draw his attention away from her. Somehow he managed to say the right words when he was supposed to and the ceremony was over. After a chaste kiss they were running back down the aisle through the sea of friends and family.
The white light was back and was quickly replaced by a new memory. Their bodies were cushioned by the soft white down comforter on their bed. He lay on top of her, his arms holding his upper body up as he rained kisses across her neck and collar bone. Her head was thrown back in pleasure and soft moans were elicited from her throat every time he thrust into her. River blushed at the intimate moment she was witnessing but remained watching the lovers. She felt the woman’s hands grip his sweaty back tightly and was almost overwhelmed with passion when he came. He rested his sweat covered forehead against his wife’s shoulder as his breathing tried to even out.
A white flash and then he was staring down into the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. He thought his life was over and immediately regretted storming out of their house just an hour ago. He had been mad that she had brought up having children again. It was a conversation they had had a dozen times in the past week and he had gotten angry and snapped at her. The most hurtful things had poured out of his mouth as he let all of his frustration out on her. She had thrown a lamp and told him to get out. Now, he was going to die and they would never have those kids that they both wanted but he was too scared to admit. He closed his eyes and prayed that she would know how much he loved her despite the things he had said. The vehicle passed by him with a woosh of air. Opening his eyes, he thanked whatever deity had given him a second chance and ran towards home with the intent to beg, grovel and plead for her forgiveness.
Another flash of white light separated the previous memory from the next one. He was running down white hallways of the hospital. He had rushed out of work as soon as he heard the news and was still dressed in his gray Alliance uniform. His boots skidded across the green tile floors as he rounded a corner and ran into the first room on the left. Screams echoed through the small room and, out of breath, he joined his wife’s side. He took her clammy hand and tried not to wince when she nearly crushed his fingers with her tight grip. He had nearly missed the delivery of his first child but he had made it for the last half hour of labor and he figured that would have to be good enough. The wail of a newborn baby brought him out of his thoughts and he went to meet his son for the first time.
The memories were over and River paused to think about what she had just seen. While he was far from the perfect man she had imagined he would be, he was still far from the Reaver that currently existed in his place. Still trying to figure out what she thought of him, she reached for the second box.
< Previous: chapter 7: Fourteen (Questions and Maybes) | Next: chapter 9: Ten (Crying)>