[ A dark cell; Harth's Farm - apharsites]

[princeinexile]

There is darkness; Zuko has known this kind of depair only once, just three years ago, when he awaited judgmeent in the cell that was his suite. There was no comfort to be found there, not in Iroh's kind hand or gentle voice. But here, there is even less.

He is alone with his agony, locked in an inbetween space between wakefulness and unconsciousness, a dream-space that offers no respite.

If there was ever a time he might wish to die, this would likely be it.

Comments

[called-i-am.livejournal.com]

Behold your salvation -

But not from this. Not yet.

He isn't Her child, well - he is - but he isn't - but he could be, and it doesn't matter, because She is here, and She will comfort him, no matter what world he came from.

She takes his face in Her hands, and there are tears in Her eyes, because that's what this shape does when faced with this, and there is urgency in Her kiss as she presses Her lips to Zuko's forehead.

Wake up, Prince of the Fire Nation.

There's someone here to Save you.

[princeinexile]

There is blood crusted on his lashes; his eyes are slow to open, the lids impossibly heavy. Like it takes a whole lifetime just to come fully into the realm of the waking.

Golden eyes flicker, bloodshot, tired, but; he does not know this woman -- but she does not feel like an enemy. She is like going homee, the scent of ash on the air, the smell of smoke, his father's long shadow which he was content to stand in, the smell of ozone following Azula, Uncle's safe but crooked smile-- a time whene he was innocent and believed in family, in love, in a better tomorrow.

Are you here to take him back? Is it time to die?

[called-i-am.livejournal.com]

Healing is for Josh to do . . . but She kisses his forehead anyway, and a gentle spreads across his skin. Love has healing power of its own. It's the endorphins - She's proud of them.

Would he like for it to be time? Because when he can no longer feel the chains, when the pain is gone . . . he could. And She would accompany him Home.

Does he know it, though?

[princeinexile]

He doesn't want to hurt anymore, but neither does he want to die. He wants to see Mel, see their child (is there a child at all, or is that just a lie, to hurt him like everything else here?) and laugh and smile and love and give her something and whisper this means I am for only you since they have no way to wed...

But he does not know Her, or that she might lead him somewhere like Home; his lack of understanding is there; he is not sure of what this is, this kindness.

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

She's been tending to the boy as best she can, keeping him clean, trying to keep him as comfortable as possible in his state, and all the time trying not to cry, trying not to break.

And she can't stop that feeling of shame that she's really bad at this: that she's going to break and be useless to everyoen and that she can't cope.

If only the cap'n or Zoe were here. They'd know what to do.

Meanwhile, all Kaylee Frye can do is to sit in the corner of the room, hug her knees and try to suppress the sob of dispair that begins to choke her.

[princeinexile]

"Hey."

His voice is raw, hollow in his throat from swallowing screams, giving only the occasional miserable whimper at his treatment.
(it would shame him, shame him if anyone knew he made a sound at all; he is stoic, he is a Prince of his people, he is strong; fire does not whimper -- it dies silently and so should he, never giving that little fuck the satisfaction of so much as a peep)
But now, he speaks.
"... don't cry. It's okay. Even if I die here, someone will come. Stay near me, and they'll take you away from here. You'll be safer, where they can't-- can't reach you so easily--"

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

When he speaks, she stops, again shamed. Here's her, crying and moping and they haven't even done anything to her. And he - this little kid, can't be older than River - he's been so strong, so brave.

She wipes her tears and lifts her head in the dark.

"You have friends gonna come for you?"

[princeinexile]

"Yeah. And if we don't rip this place -- down around that little animal's ears-- the first time, we'll come back and clean it out-- again and again."

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

She sniffs loudly to clear her nose from crying, and forces a tiny smile, which shows in her voice, just barely.

"It's nice, to have people come for you. We done that enough times for our cap'n."

[princeinexile]

"Good; you a sailor, then? You don't look like a sailor. Or are you going to -- tell me you're a-- spacebaby?" The term is something passed on from Harper and Wash; he remembers it for it's strange sound; spacebaby.

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

"Well, I ain't never heard it put like that," she says, "But we sailed out in the black, sure."

[princeinexile]

Zuko laughs-- or maybe to put it better, he wheezes.

"We got a couple of those-- back at home-- Natalie, and Wash and his wife, and-- and the Tams-- and Harper-- they're-- all spacebabies."

The word 'baby' makes his throat tight, but he struggles past it. He won't think about that, right now; he can't afford to wonder -- the sentimentality will make him weak.

It will eventually make him beg.

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

"Tams?" Kaylee repeats, urgently. "River? And Simon?"

And... wait a second. She scrambles towards the boys voice, on her hands and knees. "Did you say Wash?"

[princeinexile]

He blinks, trying to focus on here. "Yeah. Dr. Tam-- his sister-- and -- Wash. And his-- wife. I don't-- know his w--wife very we--well."

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

"Zoe." Kaylee says quietly, and she stops moving, trying to think hard.

Wash is dead. They buried him.

"His wife's name is Zoe."

[princeinexile]

Wash seemed pretty chipper lasts Zuko saw him.

"Yeah. Something-- like that." He confirms, and then goes quiet, his eyes still closed; he might've passed out again, he might merely... be tired.

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

As the boy goes quiet, Kaylee sits on the floor, hugging her knees and resting her chin on them.

If Zoe's here, and River, and Simon, then they will come and rescue him. And maybe they'll find her, and be able to tell her what's going on. And maybe the Captain and Inara and Jane are somewhere as well.

She has to stay strong. Zoe would be able to. And if the captain, or Simon knew she'd been weak, well, she'd be so ashamed.

And maybe Serenity's out there as well. Maybe, if she stays strong and stays with this boy until his crew come for him, maybe she'll see Serenity again.

"" she says quietly. ""

She don't want him feeling bad on her account.

[princeinexile]

He is quiet a time; he -- hurts. He's tired, and he hurts, and he is wondering if the pain in his legs means he'll never walk again, and what that means to the rest of the people back home, to his lover, for them--

He remembers glimpsing veterans in the shadows. Beggers. Father told him not to look...

"That doesn't-- mean-- they won't," He finally says after a time, voice a rasp. "I promise-- I'll do what I can-- to keep them from touching you. I wno't-- let them-- do this-- to you, instead of-- me."

[meimeichanic.livejournal.com]

"Sure you won't," she says, and there again, is the hint in her voice of a smile that doens't belong in this situation. "You're a good man, and your crew's gonna come getcha out of here. You'll see."

[princeinexile]

He smiles tiredly for her, before his expression goes slack; the dark reaches up and drags him down and he doesn't resist it.