Life and Death (1/7)
Title: Life and Death (1/7)
Series: Life and Death
Prompt: #1 Asleep
Rating: PG
Word Count: 532
Title: Life and Death (1/7)
Series: Life and Death
Prompt: #1 Asleep
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done
Rating: PG
Word Count: 532
She looked like she was sleeping. Her big brown eyes that had once shined with life were closed, the thick dark lashes resting peacefully against her cheeks. Hair that Jayne had brushed and braided more times than he could count had been smoothed down to frame her pale face and rested lightly on the pillow under her head. Little hands that would never again tug on his sleeve to get his attention or hold his own tightly now lay motionless and cold by her sides.
Jayne’s heart thumped painfully in his chest as if in mockery of his anguish. It should be him in that coffin, he thought, not her. She should have outlived him, all of them. One mistake, one stupid mistake, was all it took to tear her away and he wished for the hundredth time that he could have her back.
He felt River’s hand press down on his chest, over his heart, as she snuggled into his side. Her head rested on his shoulder and her tears soaked into the cotton of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body as close to his as he could.
“I’m sorry, baby girl.” He wasn’t sure if he was apologizing to his wife or his daughter, though maybe it was both.
“Not your fault,” River replied, her voice raw and wrought with emotion. She had been crying the entire time she was picking out her daughter’s favorite outfit, a pretty blue sundress with matching ankle socks, and putting it on the girl’s body. Simon had offered to prepare the body for the funeral, but River refused. It was still her child and, therefore, still her duty to care for her.
Jayne and River remained hugging each other tightly as Mal started nailing the coffin closed and Jayne could feel her flinch with every whack of the hammer. They reluctantly let go when it was time to carry the coffin to the burial site. The first shovel of dirt made a dull thud against the wooden box and Jayne couldn’t help the tears that pricked at the corners of his eyes.
“You don’t have to help with this part, Jayne,” Zoë said, taking the shovel from his shaking hands. He nodded and stepped away from the grave, wrapping his arms around River, who stared blankly at the hole in the ground.
When the grave was filled in, they said their final goodbyes, placing paper flowers on top of it. Careful not to step on the fresh mound of dirt, Jayne crouched down in front of the headstone and pressed his palm flat against his daughter’s engraved name, letting his head fall forward in defeat. He’d never felt more like giving up in his entire life. At that moment, nothing seemed to matter except the fact that he would never see her again. But when River’s hand covered his and added her own pressure to the headstone, he remembered that he wasn’t the only one hurting and they both needed to be strong for each other. Pulling himself upright he took his wife’s hand in his own and, with hearts as heavy as their steps, headed back home.
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Series: Life and Death
Prompt: #1 Asleep
Rating: PG
Word Count: 532
Title: Life and Death (1/7)
Series: Life and Death
Prompt: #1 Asleep
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done
Rating: PG
Word Count: 532
She looked like she was sleeping. Her big brown eyes that had once shined with life were closed, the thick dark lashes resting peacefully against her cheeks. Hair that Jayne had brushed and braided more times than he could count had been smoothed down to frame her pale face and rested lightly on the pillow under her head. Little hands that would never again tug on his sleeve to get his attention or hold his own tightly now lay motionless and cold by her sides.
Jayne’s heart thumped painfully in his chest as if in mockery of his anguish. It should be him in that coffin, he thought, not her. She should have outlived him, all of them. One mistake, one stupid mistake, was all it took to tear her away and he wished for the hundredth time that he could have her back.
He felt River’s hand press down on his chest, over his heart, as she snuggled into his side. Her head rested on his shoulder and her tears soaked into the cotton of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body as close to his as he could.
“I’m sorry, baby girl.” He wasn’t sure if he was apologizing to his wife or his daughter, though maybe it was both.
“Not your fault,” River replied, her voice raw and wrought with emotion. She had been crying the entire time she was picking out her daughter’s favorite outfit, a pretty blue sundress with matching ankle socks, and putting it on the girl’s body. Simon had offered to prepare the body for the funeral, but River refused. It was still her child and, therefore, still her duty to care for her.
Jayne and River remained hugging each other tightly as Mal started nailing the coffin closed and Jayne could feel her flinch with every whack of the hammer. They reluctantly let go when it was time to carry the coffin to the burial site. The first shovel of dirt made a dull thud against the wooden box and Jayne couldn’t help the tears that pricked at the corners of his eyes.
“You don’t have to help with this part, Jayne,” Zoë said, taking the shovel from his shaking hands. He nodded and stepped away from the grave, wrapping his arms around River, who stared blankly at the hole in the ground.
When the grave was filled in, they said their final goodbyes, placing paper flowers on top of it. Careful not to step on the fresh mound of dirt, Jayne crouched down in front of the headstone and pressed his palm flat against his daughter’s engraved name, letting his head fall forward in defeat. He’d never felt more like giving up in his entire life. At that moment, nothing seemed to matter except the fact that he would never see her again. But when River’s hand covered his and added her own pressure to the headstone, he remembered that he wasn’t the only one hurting and they both needed to be strong for each other. Pulling himself upright he took his wife’s hand in his own and, with hearts as heavy as their steps, headed back home.
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