Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

Fighting demons

A few mornings later, Lou got to see River at her worst. In a fit of paranoia and rage she was ripping at the walls and screaming unintelligibly at whoever tried to get close to her
"Where the ruttin hell is Simon," Jayne snapped trying to get close enough to restrain her.
"I have an idea," Lou said. "River. Come with me."
She took the girl's hand and ignoring the scratching nails dragged her to the punching bag.
"Now, I know there are demons inside that beautiful, brilliant mind of yours and you want them out. You go punch that bag and give those demons a beating untill they are gone!" She said.
River calmed enough to get the idea before going at the punching bag with all her might. Lou stood back impressed with the unexpected strength in that skinny body. Simon appeared in a hurry and looked at his little sister with panic, ready to go in to stop her. Lou laid a hand on his arm.
"Let her kick the crap out of those traumas," she said.
"At least she doesn't rip the ship apart," Mal said behind them.
Simon kept his eyes fixed on his sister, worried for her and prepared to step in if she got injured.
After kicking and punching for a long time, River collapsed, crying and exhausted on the floor. Lou and Simon both ran over and picked her up off the floor.
"They never stop. I hear them everywhere. They never stay quiet," River cried.
"It's okay sweetheart. We'll find a way to make them quiet. Simon will figure it out," Lou told her.
"Simon! Take it away. I don't want all these thoughts and feelings. They are not mine. I don't know what I think anymore," River said.
"I wish I knew how," Simon said, lifting River up and carrying her to the infirmary.
"That girl could be a price fighter if she wasn't so unpredictably loopy," Jayne said leaning on a crate and chewing away on one of the last apples onboard.
"You are a beast!" Lou said.
"What? I'm serious. She's so ruttin small nobody would bet on her. We would be rolling in platinum," he said lighting up at the thought of making a profit.
Lou shook her head.
"You are a fascinating specimen. Besides... that's the last of my cargo you're eatin'," Lou said snatching the half eaten apple out of his hand before taking a bite.
"I was hungry," he grinned taking it back.
"I suppose I ought to sort you out some breakfast then," Lou grinned and headed for the kitchen.
Shortly after, Simon entered the dining area.
"Thank you," he said.
"For what?" Lou asked.
"I hadn't thought of the punching bag as a therapeutic method. That was a good idea," he smiled.
"Danny used to get these rages sometimes. The only thing that could stop them was if he went for a long run or beat the billy-o out of something. I figured River might have some similar trauma symptoms. There is nowhere to run, so beating up a punchbag was the second best option," Lou said evenly.
"You realise it's not just post traumatic stress with River, right?" Simon asked.
"She keeps saying about hearing thoughts and feeling other people's emotions. Not sure what that means, but it's obviously not easy," Lou said.
"Seems the only thing that keeps it away is piloting," Simon sighed.
"Good job Wash is patient enough to teach her. If she's not knitting with me, she's usually up there with him," Lou smiled.
"Oh. Wash doesn't have to teach her. She allready knows every nut and bolt about this ship," Simon smiled back.
"She asleep now then?" Lou asked.
"I gave her a sedative," Simon nodded.
"Good. She'll need her rest after a blow out like that," Lou agreed.

After breakfast, Jayne remained in the dining area watching Lou potter about with the last canvas on the roll, trying to work out how to get a pair of combat trousers for Zoe out of it and still have enough left for a couple of small items.
She tried to ignore him, but after a while, she gave up.
"So... you were a pirate once, huh?" She asked.
"Still am," he smirked.
"But you were on Duggar's crew? " Lou asked.
"Yeah," he replied.
"So can I ask how you ended up with them?" Lou asked.
"Why?" He asked back.
"Curious, I guess," she smiled.
"Didn't feel like joining no war so that seemed like a good idea at the time," he said picking up a small offcut of fabric and running it between his fingers.
"At the time? You regret it?" Lou asked.
"Nope... there were good times. Shootin', drinkin', fightin'... Nothimg to regret," he said.
"Then, how come you left?" Lou continued.
"Didn't get my share of the loot. Thought I'd find something more profitable," he shrugged.
Lou focused on her cutting for a moment. Considering Zoe's flexibility, she wanted the knees of the trousers shaped to not get in the way.
"I need to ask... What was Danny like as a pirate?" Lou asked feeling her pulse in her fingertips.
"Danny?" Jayne asked.
"Yeah," Lou said prepared to get absolutely no answer at all.
Jayne unravelled the loose weave of the fabric in his hand for a moment.
"You don't wanna know," he replied.
"Just tell me anyway. I know he did some horrible stuff," Lou said.
"And you knew that when you married him?" Jayne asked.
"Yep," Lou said.
"Danny was the best gorram mercenary in the 'verse. He was Duggar's right hand man when I left. No one was as ruthless in fights or as quick to kill. He always shot before asking and never looked back," Jayne said with a shrug, but voice loaded with a theatrical sarcastic edge. Obviously not Danny's biggest fan.
"Right," Lou said.
"He was a good looking bastard as well... charming as hell when he was in the mood for it... used to have women crawling over him wherever we landed," Jayne grinned obviously testing Lou.
Lou lifted an eyebrow at him.
"Never thought he'd settle down. He was too god at what he was doing," Jayne said.
"Being a bad guy?" Lou asked.
"Yeah... being a lean, mean, genuine bad guy..." Jayne nodded.
Lou nodded too.
"I get why he liked you though. You'd be a good mercenary," Jayne said.
"Thank you... I guess....?" Lou said.
"Yeah... I'm gonna go... er... count my guns," Jayne mumbled and hurried out of the kitchen.
"It's not fair to compare him to your husband you know," Lou heard from the stairs up to the bridge and turned to see Wash's teasing smile.
"Yeah, well... he knew Danny before he became the Danny I knew so I had to ask," Lou smiled.
"It seems you're better off talking with Mal. He was Mal's brother. From what I have picked up on it seems Danny and Jayne hated eachother," Wash said.
"Danny was no saint. I just wanted to know how bad he was..." Lou said.
"If I were you, I'd leave that dog buried. I know Zoe saw and did some stuff during the war, but I don't really want to know," Wash said.
Lou nodded.
"I get why you wanna know, but you have your good memories of him. You know he was happy with you. Leave it at that and move on," he said.
"I suppose," Lou said and studied a piece of fabric she had cut out, matching it up to an other piece making sure the trousers would end up symmetrical.
"Is that Zoe's combats?" Wash asked.
"Yeah. I almost forgot that I hadn't made her anything. She never asks for anything for herself your wife," Lou smiled.
"I am a lucky man," Wash smiled happily.
Lou pinned the pieces together to get them ready to sew.
"Erm... any chance of you doing some of your tailored magic and give that a bit of extra fitted shape around the derrière?" Wash asked cheekily.
"I am making it as Zoe wanted," Lou laughed.
"But tight around the rear?" Wash hinted.
"It will be snug, yes," Lou replied winking at Wash.