Nyx

Ch.7

"Solitary"

I was at a loss. I had no clue what they had thought I did and I was sort of afraid to ask. They hadn't ordered me to take off my oh-so-subtle disguise yet which probably was a good sign. I sat staring at the wall of my gray, concrete, jail cell for the better part of the night, thinking of something - anything - that I could have done.

I could have broken out easy enough, but that was the only evidence they needed right now to just prove I was guilty. What's more, I wouldn't find out what I was being held for. Footsteps coming down the hall interrupted my thoughts and I looked up to see a very upset-looking Captain, one who usually disdained from showing any emotion whatsoever. From that alone I knew it must be bad.

The cell door slid open with a *clink* and the two guards that had been escorting us left us alone to discuss. The Captain was silent so I decided that I should be the one to break the silence.

"I do have a right to know what I'm being held for, you know." I said quietly into the tension that had started to build. The captain nodded, and pulled out a thick packet of papers.

"These are depositions from every person at the scene of the crime - and there were a lot of them - saying that they saw you break into the company safe and make off with the money." He fell quiet again. I waited for more but when none was forthcoming I had to, once again, start the conversation up.

"And you believe them." It really wasn't a question; his mind was radiating betrayal in the highest sense of the word as well as a feeling of loss. The last I didn't understand but I had to figure out how to clear my name before I couldn't worry about the Captain's feelings.

"I really don't want to, Nyx, but what isn't to believe? Everyone *saw* you. There is no dispute." I sighed, I never knew people would loose faith in me so quickly. It almost made everything not seem worth it, the rescues, the chases, and the scars. I put my head in my hands.

"I suppose it won't do me any good to tell you that I was on the roof watching you guys the whole time." Someone had obviously framed me, and done one hell of a good job.

"Was anyone there with you? Do you have any proof?" My head shot up when I caught the little note of hope in his voice. Maybe he wasn't ready to condemn me just yet. But I thought about it and there hadn't been any windows facing the rooftop or any one within the nearest four buildings that would have seen. That's probably why I had stopped there in the first place. I let out the hope that I had let rise within me.

"No." I tilted my head back and against the cell wall and watched the sunlight filter in through the tiny, barred window right above my head. I closed my eyes and heard the cell door close taking the Captain with it. The whole situation seemed rather hopeless to me.

I furrowed my brow when the light that had been shining in my closed eyes just a second ago dimmed and went away. I looked up and to my utter surprise saw Terry looking through the small window.

"Fear not, fair maiden. Your knight in shining armor is here!" I had to laugh, could they give the death penalty in this state?

"Oh great now they can convict me quicker. And with a clear conscience too." He shook his finger from side to side and then laid it on the side of his nose. Suddenly he was gone and the light was back. I squinted and made an annoyed sound in the back of my throat. He couldn't have warned me?

"I think I can help you." The voice came from inside the cell and I pulled my head down to see him standing between the cell door and me.

"Yeah, right, help me right off a cliff you'll help me." I grumbled, crossing my arms. "How do I know you aren't the one who set this whole thing up? And how do I know you don't just need my fingerprints on another piece of evidence?" He looked at me and couldn't quiet meet my eyes.

"You're just going to have to trust me, I'm here to help out."

"Sure. Tell me another one." He rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Fer chrissakes, Inara, just have faith in someone for once! You have some real trust issues."

"If I'm going to have faith in someone it going to be the Captain, not you." He arched his eyebrow.

"Oh so you are going to put your faith in someone who already thinks you're the scum of the earth because he thinks you lied to him for a good two years?" I opened my mouth to deny it but he was right. I hadn't read the Captain's mind to find out what he was thinking, but then again - I hadn't needed to. Silence once again filled the cell.

"And I don't have trust issues, I trust plenty of people!" I grumbled under my breath after a good length of silence.

"Name three." I had forgotten he was there.

"I think I will. There's the Doc and the Captain. . . and. . . um m m. . .uh h h . . ." Terry again raised that annoying eyebrow. "Cooper! I trust Cooper! There that's three!" His face seemed to fall but the glint of determination didn't leave his eye.

"If you trust him so much why does he still think you work in the doctor's office in your free time? Why don't you tell him what you really do after school?" The man had a point.

"So I don't trust that many people, that doesn't mean that I have trust issues."

"If you say so."

Again the inevitable silence.

"So you said you could help me. How?" I had to ask, if nothing else then to ease my curiosity.

"I can break you out of here."

"I can do that myself, thank you very much." I said waspishly.

"But where would you go? Eventually they would figure out who you were and you wouldn't be safe anymore." I studied him carefully trying to gauge his intention.

"So what are you suggesting?" he looked like he really didn't want to say. At first he had been trying to persuade me to trust him now it looked like he didn't even trust himself. What was going on with this boy?

"I have a friend and he can hide you; take you far away from here and you won't ever have to face ridicule again. It's a place with people like you and me, LOADS of them and no normals to be bitter about it." I looked at his face, which had gone expressionless waiting for my answer. What was he up to? A place for people like us? Did he mean Power users? Was there more of them? And what exactly were 'normals'? The questions buzzed through my mind and for a few happy seconds I wondered at how it would feel to make friends who I didn't have to hide the Power from.

But then it was over and I was back in the tiny, concrete cell, remembering the betrayal that had been burning in the Captain's thoughts. If I left now who would clear my name? Would the world always see me as someone who used my Power to my own ends? The thought erased any desire to leave out of my mind. Somehow I had to find out what was going on.

"No." I shook my head at his surprised expression "No, I can't leave. Not without clearing my name first." His expression was a mixture of relief and despair, which just served to confuse me more. A second later he was gone and once again, I was alone. This state however didn't last long as once again footsteps came down the hall.

A/n: who ooho oo! Well, that was fun. I wrote this all in one sitting and I actually like it! I think I have a better idea of the direction I'm taking this story and hopefully it will be done it time to be my creative writing project. ^_^ Happy New Year to everyone and I hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas/Chaunaka/Kwanza

Staring at Horizons: I got both X-men movies for Christmas and I couldn't be happier! *does little dance of having* I hope you had a fun winter and here is another chapter just for you since you seem to be the only one reading^_^

-Em