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gracefulwoman[OOC: Backstory for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
dontrightly_die]
It wasn't that he wasn't grateful. Things could've gone so much worse. Of course, worse was on a whole level of sliding scale at the moment from bad to terrible to 'verse shattering, and he wasn't quite sure where anything lay at the present moment. But he could've been without two of his crew. Zoe could've been without a husband. They could've been without their Shepherd.
What's more...they should've been.
Too many men had lain wounded in his arms too many times for him not to know how badly the Shepherd had been wounded. For all he'd ordered him not to die, the man was headed that way, and he didn't have many minutes left for this 'verse before his God called him home. Until Inara had come running with a syringe in her hand, saying maybe it would help, she didn't know, but maybe it would at least ease his pain...
And the man had gotten up off the ground.
They'd all been too grateful to question it much, thinking maybe he hadn't been that hurt. Simon had looked bemused, but he hadn't been there nearly as long as Mal, hadn't examined him so closely. He didn't know for sure. Inara had mostly stared around at the rest, griefstricken. The Shepherd had looked dazed. Mal had gone on, dismissing it. There were other things to do, things they had to take care of, a man they had to stop, a battle they had to fight.
But when the battle was over there was a man down, and he had a stake through his chest, no denying it. Mal and Zoe had seen it, clear as day, and when Inara did, she was almost as broken as Zoe. They didn't let the rest of them see. Simon was hurt. Kaylee, too. So was he, but Inara had one of those magic syringes, and she tried to give it to him, but he said no. Maybe he was delirious. Maybe he was clutching at hope. He wasn't going to die; he knew that. Wash was gone, but he made her put it in him anyway.
And the wound closed, he took a breath and Wash sat up.
Mal and Inara had stared at each other, and he'd stumbled out. Told Zoe they weren't asking any questions. Told the rest he'd been mistaken.
That wasn't good enough for him. He needed answers, and he had a mind to get them. That in mind, he made his way slowly to the door of Inara's shuttle and after a moment, knocked. Everything still ached, and it was gonna still take some time to put the ship to rights, but he needed to know, now, just what was going on, what she'd gotten involved in, and what the cost might be. Because benefits like this didn't come along without a price. No one gave anyone this sort of thing for free, not in this world.
dontrightly_die]It wasn't that he wasn't grateful. Things could've gone so much worse. Of course, worse was on a whole level of sliding scale at the moment from bad to terrible to 'verse shattering, and he wasn't quite sure where anything lay at the present moment. But he could've been without two of his crew. Zoe could've been without a husband. They could've been without their Shepherd.
What's more...they should've been.
Too many men had lain wounded in his arms too many times for him not to know how badly the Shepherd had been wounded. For all he'd ordered him not to die, the man was headed that way, and he didn't have many minutes left for this 'verse before his God called him home. Until Inara had come running with a syringe in her hand, saying maybe it would help, she didn't know, but maybe it would at least ease his pain...
And the man had gotten up off the ground.
They'd all been too grateful to question it much, thinking maybe he hadn't been that hurt. Simon had looked bemused, but he hadn't been there nearly as long as Mal, hadn't examined him so closely. He didn't know for sure. Inara had mostly stared around at the rest, griefstricken. The Shepherd had looked dazed. Mal had gone on, dismissing it. There were other things to do, things they had to take care of, a man they had to stop, a battle they had to fight.
But when the battle was over there was a man down, and he had a stake through his chest, no denying it. Mal and Zoe had seen it, clear as day, and when Inara did, she was almost as broken as Zoe. They didn't let the rest of them see. Simon was hurt. Kaylee, too. So was he, but Inara had one of those magic syringes, and she tried to give it to him, but he said no. Maybe he was delirious. Maybe he was clutching at hope. He wasn't going to die; he knew that. Wash was gone, but he made her put it in him anyway.
And the wound closed, he took a breath and Wash sat up.
Mal and Inara had stared at each other, and he'd stumbled out. Told Zoe they weren't asking any questions. Told the rest he'd been mistaken.
That wasn't good enough for him. He needed answers, and he had a mind to get them. That in mind, he made his way slowly to the door of Inara's shuttle and after a moment, knocked. Everything still ached, and it was gonna still take some time to put the ship to rights, but he needed to know, now, just what was going on, what she'd gotten involved in, and what the cost might be. Because benefits like this didn't come along without a price. No one gave anyone this sort of thing for free, not in this world.
