To Serenity and Hell and Back

[Rev. Onyx Clark]

A Nurse's Gamble

Serenity Valley, Hera, 2504

"Why do we need to go though these fèi wù lists anyways?"

Sophie Campbell moaned as she leaned back against the wall of the supply room filled with what was left of the medical supplies that was in the hospital. There wasn't really much available not since tensions had started to appear between the Core Worlds and the Rim Worlds, having the Boarder Worlds caught in the middle. Onyx Clark, who was newly granted privileges to be a designated Critical Care Nurse, was the one who had the responsibility of going through the medical stores to make sure that they were stocked well. There was a huge list of projects to do before the harvest season when the whole planet it seemed becomes a buzz with activity. Sophie's brown eyes and golden hair were darting all around the place in boredom, mainly because she was assigned to help him and protect him as a Bodyguard. It wasn't because he really needed protecting in a secure facility, it was the fact that she was bored and they have been friends since before they can remember.

"You volunteered Sophie."

Onyx turned his eyes over to her with a slight grin on his face as the list was held comfortably in his hand.

"I know, but I thought that all of this was automatic and such!"

Sophie's protest humored Onyx as he shook his head slightly and returned to the task.

"Every vial has to be accounted for. If we know what we don't have, then we know what we need to order."

Sophie sighed as she again looked around she puffed out her cheeks watching Onyx do his work. She eyed him cautiously, finding herself becoming focused on his physique. She watched how his eyes looked focused and determined. She also knew much more about him physically than he would feel comfortable with. Typically it is not a good idea to have a curious teenager be friends with someone who loves setting traps. The memory gave her a grin, so much so that she hopped up on a counter and let her legs dangle, feeling her Colt revolver resting on her thigh as the bottom securement was undone for comfort.

"You know this could be done a lot faster if you helped me."

Onyx spoke with a straight face, which gave Sophie an idea.

"How about we dice it?"

Onyx stopped what was he doing and spoke with a curious expression. Once that was made, Sophie knew she had him.

"Zàilái?"

Hopping off the counter, she got really close to him. So close in fact that any concept of "personal space" flew right out into the black where only the Reavers would go. She also gave him a teasing expression that would make any young adult male question his ability to maintain self-control. Sophie moved her left hand pointing at herself while her right hand went to her pocket.

"You..."

She then placed her hand on Onyx's chest, giving her a triumphant shudder from Onyx's lips.

"Me..."

Her hand agonizingly worked its way down his chest through his arm, teasingly skimming past his arm hairs like the winds weaving their way through the valley outside. Her lips came closer to his, and he could feel her breath in his lungs as they forgot how to exhale.

"This list..."

Right as it seemed like he dropped the list and was about to make her his Queen to have and to hold until his death she shall take to part, she took a step back and rolled out a six sided dice in her hand showing it to him. A wide smile and the eyes of an innocent (she's guilty as tā mā de!!) young woman.

"And this dice."

Onyx took a huge exhale as he caught his breath and heard the sounds of Sophie's laughter as she was unable to breath herself. The look he gave her wasn't enough to stop her laughter, in fact it made it worse. He continued working while she was finishing her bought with laughing.

"That's not funny."

Sophie took a deep breath as she spoke back.

"I don't care if the whole Verse thinks it's not funny I think it's hilarious!"

Onyx sighed as he couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle too. He had too, considering how much she wound him up and teased him about everything, upto and including...

"Seriously though. We pick numbers and roll the dice, whoever it lands on gets to decide who checks what in here."

Onyx narrowed his eyes and he grinned ever so slightly.

"How do I know those aren't loaded?"

Sophie tossed it in the air like flipping a coin, catching it with precision.

"You just have to trust me to be a good girl."

Taking a breath, he thought that if he won, he could make her do the rest of it since he was already half way done.

"Deal...but..."

Onyx used his reflexes to catch the dice in midair, much to Sophie's amusement. He felt it and he knew that they were not messed with and they were legit dice.

"I throw it."

Sophie smiled, her lips curled up in excitement.

"Four and higher."

"Three and lower."

Onyx threw the dice down the hall, flinging it in a way a gambler would on the Craps table when money is on the line. It bounced down the room, bouncing on different objects before coming to rest on the floor. As Onyx and Sophie walked up, to it, they looked down and saw the number of the winner. Looking back at each other, Onyx smiled as Sophie looked at him with a nervous expression and a pitiful grin.

"Two out of three?"