Moments In The Hallway
===================After meeting Kiera’s Father ===========================
She was waiting to ambush him as he finished in Botany Bay, leaning against the wall. Kiera felt worn and angry, but more than anything desperately wanted to apologize for her father. She was certain that it wouldn’t make her feel any better. And yet, she felt as if she needed to. As Joshua walked out, she pushed off the wall and gave him a twitch of a smile.
“I’m sorry about that mess with my father. I had hoped. . .” Her brows met in a frown that sank rapidly into something close to sadness. She shrugged, looking down so that her hair covered her eyes. “Hey, at least he hasn’t changed. But I’m sorry about how you were treated. There was no excuse.”
Joshua shrugged with a smile. "Nothing I hadn't heard before. You wanting to help me was a pure motive. I don't hold people responsible for other people's actions. Just sorry he had to be an ass to you that way."
"It doesn't change how I feel." Her eyes cloud for a moment, softening. "I guess I just hoped that not everything would be a business profit. That maybe I could spin it better." Her expression was pure hangdog and she finally gave up hiding and looked at him. "I messed up and gave up my hand too quick. I shoulda known that it was gonna be a negotiation. No emotion in it, least of all sympathy or kindness." She leaned back against the wall and abruptly slammed her leg into it, kicking it fiercely as she cursed in Chinese. When she looked up, her eyes were frosted with tears. "I'm sorry. I really am."
With a shrug, she pushed off from the wall to leave him alone.
"Hey, now." He reached for her arm. "Maybe in the end, it was what I needed. I know that doesn't make it any better what's between you and your dad, but take your silver linings where you can get them, right?"
She skittered away like he was going to shock her. "Yeah, sure," she stated with a quickly forced smile. "Silver linings. Good idea." Her eyes met his and then darted to a place on the wall above his head. "So, we need to practice sometime soon. Singing, that is."
"Yeah. That'd be good." Music cured a lot of ills, he thought. "Maybe in the galley...unless there are holes in it." Somewhere public, he thought, would probably be best.
Her forehead lined lightly, her mind clearly on something other than music. "Yeah, just don't float away in the meantime" she answered and then gave an abrupt harsh laugh. "I'm getting good at catching you and Rina." She swallowed as her stomach roiled again, the image of him floating away replaying crystal clear in her mind. Why did that bother me so much? came the unbidden question and she answered it fiercely, Because he's my friend. She steeled herself to meet his gaze, catching his eyes with her own. "No more showboating in space." Her finger wagged at him as she again forced a bright smile.
"Deal, as long as every now and again, you promise to take me seriously."
The hurt hit her face faster than she could hide it. "I always take you seriously," she blurted and then added, "mostly," as she regained control of her features.
"How about we settle for sometimes. Which is about as much as anybody on this crew does, so don't feel bad." He paused for a longmoment. "But thank you," he said, really meaning it. "You saved my life out there. I owe you big."
"You and Rina can name your first girl after me," she answered with a wink. She darted forward quickly, giving in to an urge she couldn't fight anymore and wrapped her arms around him. "You don't owe me nuthin'. I gotta keep the perfect couple together." She winked again and stepped back out of the range of his reach. "Dont'cha got something to do? I know I do. Work, work, work."
The whole sequence was over before Joshua ever had time to process. Her closeness still made his insides tumble in confusion. He shook his head briefly. "Um, yeah, I do." Still shaking his head, he started wandering off towards Botany Bay.
============== And after the assassination of El Kabah==================
Joshua just stared. “So which is it, Kiera. You complain when I rush out to danger. Then you complain when I try and stay out of it.”
“Damn right I complain! You distract me from what I oughta be doing. Got better things to do than keep an eye on you and Rina!” She had just left a pile of neatly folded towels in the kitchen and had been surprised to run into Joshua as she left. Without thinking, she had snarked that she didn’t really appreciate his enthusiasm in creating opportunities for she and Arden to fondle his internal organs. His vehement response only kindled her irritation to a higher note.
Joshua calmly countered, “You're perfectly happy letting the guys with the swords swing 'em at me instead of at you. Don't lie to me and tell me otherwise.”
“I have enough sense to carry a gun to shoot at them. And I ain't happy watching them swing at you either,” she snapped with a snarl. “I don't need you protecting me. I can protect myself.”
“Didn't say I was protecting you. Awful damn full of yourself.”
“Then you was just getting in my way?! Thanks hero!” She rolled her eyes and sneered.
“I don't know what the gorram hell to do with you. You twist everything I do and say around.”
“That ain't my fault if what you say and do don't make a lick of sense. It ain't hard to make nonsense of nonsense. And don't feel obliged to do anything about me.”
“Ghraaaa!” Joshua threw up his hands and walked off.
Kiera cursed fluidly in Chinese at his back. “And you effin' run away every time!” she snapped, breaking into English. “Why don't you do that when you're facing bullets and swords unarmed, huh?!”
“What the hell do you want me to do?” Joshua stopped in the middle of the hallway still facing away from her. “Bullets and swords at least I understand!”
“I don't want you hurt!” Kiera started towards him but stopped before she closed the distance. “I don't want to see you hurt! God, I saw that explosion and you know what I did. I ran to get Beggar. You know why? Cus' I didn't want to know what would hurt me more. Seeing you dead or seeing Rina dead. I never wanted that emotion. You're the emotion man. Not me. I don't want to. . .” She spun and began to walkaway. “I don't want nuthin'.”
Joshua turned to see her leaving. “Now who's the one walking away? Obviously you want something or you wouldn't be arguing with me and yelling at me all the time!”
Kiera stopped and stiffened, finally turning to stare at him. “I want you outta my head.” Her next words came softer. “I don't wanna remember your mouth on mine, dammit.”
“Yeah, well, you think it makes me happy remembering that half the time when I'm kissing her? But what's in the past is past, as I'm fast learning. And no matter what you do to try and figure it out or change it, it stays what it is.”
“That ain't my problem, Joshua. And you're right. You oughta not be my problem either. You go on and get married. We ain't nothing. It was a moment. And her mouth oughta be erasing your memories of mine. And I need to find another mouth to erase yours.” Her eyes glittered coolly into his. “It wasn't that memorable anyway now that I think about it. So yeah, past is past. Right.” With that she turned to leave again.
As she got just about out of the range of his hearing, Joshua said to her retreating figure, "We can't be anything but friends....but I still want that."
She almost staggered, she stopped so quickly in her tracks. A shudder threatened to take her and her head bowed under the weight of his regard. “We are friends, Joshua,” she stated without turning and her feet began to move again.
He started to say something else, but thought better of it and let her go on her way.
Go to Joshua's Crew Page or Kiera's Crew Page
Go back to: Season Six, Aug 2522 to --
Go to EPISODES or TIMELINE
