"Of all the gorram, idiotic, stupid, moronic, thoughtless, against-my-orders thing you could've done…" Mal barked as he stared directly into Inara's chocolate brown eyes, because she was still sprawled out on top of him. She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed up; her knee accidentally colliding with his nether region making him jump and grunt at the same time.
Zoe helped Inara to her feet.
Mal got to his feet in a hurry, straightening his shirt and holster. He rounded on her. "You are to stay here with the shuttle. One step off and I'm throwing you off Serenity. You hearin' me?" he yelled.
She just stood there and glared at him, her arms crossed over her maroon top.
"I said, you hearin' me?" His voice was low and dangerous.
She shrugged and shook her head. "I'm sorry what?"
Mal yanked out his gun from his holster. "You are on my last nerve."
"I'm here, use me," she snapped.
"Our plan is for four," he growled.
"Captain, she might come in…" Mal silenced Zoe with a glare.
Inara relented. "Fine."
"Fine what?"
"I'll stay on the shuttle."
Mal nodded. "Good."
Inara took a seat at the helm. Mal ignored Inara until right before they headed out. He handed her a gun and then he was gone with the others.
They filed off the shuttle leaving Inara to stare out the window. Jayne and Zoe took the lead and Mal and Coral took up the rear. Two guards were taken down immediately.
Zoe gave Mal a look and he understood it. Where the hell was everyone? Niska had an army. He had a reputation to uphold. They found the cargo they were looking for, and only knocked one more guard out.
"Let's get it and get out of here, something ain't right," Mal ordered.
There was a gun shot in the distance.
"Inara," Mal cried as he whipped his head toward the shuttle.
Another guard had been alerted to their presence, but Jayne shot him.
"Grab the stuff and we get back to the shuttle double time."
"You look familiar to me, Mr. Tam."
Simon flinched. "I have one of those faces," he replied.
Niska smiled which was terrifying. "Mr. Tam, the longer you keep Malcolm Reynolds' plans a secret the longer you sit in this chair. The longer you sit in this chair, the longer I'm going to see what else is in this infirmary of yours." Niska nodded to his man. The man took the surgical knife and gently dragged it along Simon's leg. Then in the fleshy part of Simon's thigh he stabbed him.
Kaylee cried out but kept her whimpers quiet. Niska glanced over at her and his smile grew.
"Your girlfriend does not like to see you hurt. Maybe you tell me what Mr. Reynolds is up to and I have Heinrich patch you up and we leave you and your girlfriend alone."
Simon looked over at Kaylee's tear stained face and then back at Niska. "I don't know a Malcolm Reynolds," he replied.
Niska nodded and Heinrich twisted the knife.
Mal set down his case and pulled out his gun. He approached the mouth of the shuttle with alert senses and an urge to kill something. Images of Inara's lifeless body haunted him. He crept up onto the door over the first of four bodies that littered the shuttle's entrance and stepped forward a moment later a gun was trained on him. He felt his finger squeeze on the trigger until he heard the sigh of relief. His eyes met Inara's.
"You okay?" Mal asked approaching her.
"I'm fine. We have to get back to Serenity…Now," she ordered.
Jayne and Zoe were already carrying the men off the ship so they could load up.
"What happened?" Mal asked.
"River sent a wave, Niska's on Serenity."
Mal just stared at her. "Kaylee? Simon?"
"She knows they're alive but she doesn't know for how long." Inara was heating up the shuttle while the others loaded the shuttle.
"How is that girl walking around hiding from Niska with a hole in her gut?" Jayne asked.
Mal's expression grew grim. "I am going to kill that man, I do believe."
River had learned every hiding place in Serenity over the last year and there were quite a few. She watched as the man, Heinrich pulled the knife out of Simon's leg. She sat back feeling a wave of dizziness. Her hand put light pressure on her wound and she took a deep breath. She had to hold out until the Captain came back. He may need her. She knew that she wouldn't be able to take these men hurting her brother by surprise; their brains said they were ready for it.
She moved through the passage and headed toward the kitchen. She ignored the ache at her side and the weakness she felt.
Inara guided the shuttle down from atmo. They landed next to Serenity behind a grouping of trees. Hopefully no one was watching the perimeter too carefully. Mal knew better but something had to go their way.
"Everyone clear on what the plan is?" Mal asked checking the rounds in his gun.
Everyone nodded.
"Coral, I want you to stay on this shuttle. It's no offense to you but this is your father and I don't know you. You're a risk to me and my crew. Understand? You step on my ship I will not hesitate to shoot you."
Coral looked like she wanted to argue. Her eyes flickered to Inara and Zoe and she realized Mal meant what he said. "You have my word."
Mal was the first one off. "Inara, I want you behind me and close at all times. You understand?"
Inara nodded. "Yes, Captain."
Zoe and Jayne went off in their own direction.
"Mal?" Inara whispered.
He stopped her and pushed her back against the wall of Serenity. "What?" he responded not looking at her.
"I'm sorry."
He looked over at her. "You're doin' this now? We are tryin' to be covert and spring the surprise on them and you're doin' this now?" he said exasperatedly.
Inara rolled her eyes. "Excuse me. I was just…"
Mal interrupted, "You were just thinking that if one of us dies, you don't want us to be in a fight. Trust me; you and I are going to have words about your little stunt; even if I have to bring one of us back from the dead, but right now, I need to concentrate and be mad at you. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," she mocked.
He gave her a sharp look. Then he quickly leaned over and captured her lips in a hard, quick kiss.
"Let's go," he instructed. They headed for the cargo bay doors.
"Jayne?" Zoe felt her stomach give a little turn.
"What?" he snapped.
"I think…" She leaned over and threw up.
Jayne was by her side in an instant. She was exposed. He kept his eyes going over every bit of land surrounding them. He was turning circles his gun aimed high. "Zoe?"
He was answered with another bout out vomiting.
"This is the perfect time for mornin' sickness," he snarled. "It ain't even mornin'."
"Freeze!"
Jayne cursed when he turned around to see two of Niska's guards aiming at them. Zoe was still bent over throwing up. Jayne felt a metal object between his legs and two gunshots rang out. The guards fell over.
Zoe erected herself and gave Jayne a small smirk.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Let's go." Zoe led the way.
"Maybe I am going about this the wrong way. Maybe it's better to torture the girl. Maybe then you will tell me where Mr. Reynolds is."
Kaylee gasped and a look of horror and dread filled Simon's expression.
"Ah, I finally have your attention, Mr. Tam." Niska leaned in close. "Tell me where Mr. Reynolds is."
"He's right here!" Mal's voice came from the doorway, his gun aimed at Niska.
Heinrich acted quickly but he was too late, another gun had been trained on him and now he was bleeding through a hole in his chest. Inara appeared from behind Malcolm with a smoking gun.
Niska's smiled widened. "Mr. Reynolds, you look well."
Mal cocked his gun.
There was a shot, but instead of Niska going down, Mal crouched over and fell to his knees. Inara shot the intruder that shot Mal and then pulled Mal off to the side.
"I see you can't follow your own orders…no one was supposed to get shot," she said pulling his hands over his wounds to have him keep pressure.
"Inara, get the ruttin' hell out of here," Mal grunted.
Inara heard a gun cock and she looked up into the barrel of Niska's gun.
Jayne and Zoe had made it to the kitchen trying to get to the bridge. They found Niska's army that they ad been expecting on the other moon. Just when the two of them were beginning to feel out numbered there was a loud crash and River landed on the table like a cat with perfect grace.
In her bare feet she began to do the dance of skilled violence. Jayne stepped into her flow and together they started pummeling the guards. River's precise movements and elegant strides compared to Jayne's blunt clobbers with sheer force was a thing of beauty when used together. Zoe was firing down the hall while the rest of the villains were dealt with.
River round kicked the last one to the ground. "Four on the bridge," she said looking at Zoe.
Zoe nodded.
River started weave and Jayne caught her before she fell to the ground. He pulled her into his arms so he was cradling her. "She couldn't have waited five more minutes to pass out," Jayne groaned.
"We can't just leave her here."
River pulled Jayne's gun from his holster and shot a guard trying to sneak up behind Zoe. "I'll be your gun," River stated.
"Problem solved," Zoe replied leading the way.
Inara stood and stepped away from Mal as Niska had ordered her to do. Then without a word he shot Inara in the chest. She fell backwards. Mal waited for her to move, but she didn't.
"Inara," Mal called.
"She's means a lot to you, Mr. Reynolds. Heinrich meant a lot to me," Niska said. "Please, get to your feet."
Mal struggled to his feet trying to get a look at Inara. He couldn't see anything. He cringed in pain as he wobbled into the infirmary where Niska had ordered him. Mal stood next to where the doctor was lying in a cold sweat. He glanced over at Kaylee who looked pale and shaken.
"You have me, let them go."
Niska just chuckled. "You owe me a couple of days of torture, Mr. Reynolds, before I kill you. So I'm going to kill your doctor and you. Then I'm going to torture the little girl and anyone else I find on this ship. Then our business with each other will be…"
Simon cried out. Niska looked over at him just as someone grabbed his forehead from behind and slit his throat with a surgical knife, blood spurted as he tried to speak his last words.
Niska fell to the ground revealing Inara, gripping the knife. She dropped the knife she had yanked out of the doctor's leg. "Simon, I'm so sorry, it was the only weapon I could find," Inara said at last going to his side and untying him. Her breath was ragged and her hand stained with blood.
"I'm just glad the bastard's dead." Simon slid off the table and hobbled over to Kaylee to release her.
Inara went to Mal and put his arm over her shoulders. "He shot you," Mal said.
"Thanks for the news flash, I was actually there for that one," Inara replied.
"You're not even…"
She pulled down the top of her shirt to reveal body armor. "One thing I've learned, Mal, someone always gets shot."
Zoe and Jayne who was still carrying River entered the infirmary.
"Report," Mal ordered.
"We have taken back our home," Zoe replied. She looked down at Niska's limp body. "Way to go, sir."
"I would love to take credit for that one, but that's Inara's doin'."
Jayne and Zoe both looked pleasantly surprised.
"Now, if you would be so kind as to call Coral and tell her that if she would like to call that fine doctor of hers, we would be most appreciative."
Zoe headed for the bridge.
"Is she okay?" Simon asked looking at his sister in Jayne's arms. Her head was lying on his shoulder, her hair covering her face.
"I don't know," Jayne snapped defensively.
"Bring her here," the doctor ordered.
Jayne did as he was told. Simon stood by the table in the center of the room. Jayne laid the girl down very gently. He stepped away from her and let Simon look her over.
Jayne glanced down at his shirt; there was a blood stain on the left side of his stomach. His hand automatically touched it expecting pain. There was none. He looked at his finger tips now stained with blood and then he looked over at River. Her side was all bloody as well. "Is she going to be okay, doc?"
Simon glanced up at Jayne, surprised by the concern in his voice. "She popped some stitches, but I think she'll be okay," he reassured.
A week later Serenity lifted off from Pecorino.
"I'm glad to see the last of that moon, had a ripe kind of stink to it," Jayne muttered as he closed the bay doors.
Kaylee snickered.
"Jayne?"
The broad man turned around to see Simon standing behind him on his crutches. "What's up, doc?"
"May I have a word with you?"
Kaylee finished sealing off the doors while Jayne approached Simon.
"Thank you for taking care of River."
"Ah, geez, doc, not again," Jayne rubbed the back of his neck.
"I mean, you brought her breakfast that morning we had eggs didn't you?"
Jayne looked insulted. "Breakast? I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I helped her in the middle of the tussle, cause it was the right thing to do. But bringin' her breakfast? What do a I look like a gorram waiter?" He stormed away.
Simon smirked and shook his head. Kaylee came sauntering over.
"How is River?"
"She's good. I'm sure she'll be running around here soon enough."
Kaylee smiled. "Hopefully you will too." She touched the of his leg a good distance from the wound.
"Looks like everyone on Serenity is going to be just fine, including our soon to be newest member."
"It's going to be interesting to have a critter underfoot."
"I imagine so," Simon replied. "Sounds like everyone is up for the challenge, even Jayne."
Kaylee started walking toward Simon's bunk and he followed. "Do you want kids some day?" she asked.
Simon seemed to be taken off guard. "I…I always did before River was taken. I hadn't…" He looked over at Kaylee's profile. "Yes, kids definitely…someday."
She helped him up the stairs and opened the door to his bunk. "Me too."
"Mal?" Inara called down to his bunk. Nearly everyone was asleep.
"Yeah," Mal called up.
Inara stepped down the ladder. Zoe was standing just on the other side and smiled. "Hi, Inara."
"Zoe? Everything okay?"
"Shiny. I'll be headed up now." They switched places and Inara watched Zoe crawl out of the Captain's bunk and closed the door above.
She turned around to see Mal sitting up on his bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." He shifted slightly cringing in pain. "What can I do for you?"
Inara sat down next to him on the bed. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "For everything. For leaving, for coming back, for disobeying you, for sneaking on board the shuttle…"
"That was a surprise."
"For fighting with you, for…"
"Inara?" Mal interrupted.
She looked at him.
"Ain't nothin' about all this not complicated," he said. "And it's sure as hell not all your ruttin' fault. There's nothin' I hate more than complications."
"I understand," she moved to stand, but Mal grabbed her hand and held her there.
"No, you don't. I'm not good enough for you. I'm a brute, a scoundrel and a thief. You're a high class, beautiful woman who should have everything in the world. I can't give you the life you deserve. You're welcome to stay on this ship. Serenity will always be your home for as long as you want it, but you should go and be a companion until you find the guy that you deserve. Having you on the job with me is a might stressful, can't think clear, but you were good. Kept a level head, protected Serenity and her crew. Maybe in another life you could've been a great thief." He released her hand.
"Mal?" she questioned.
"It's okay, Inara, you don't have to…"
He was silenced from her kissing him. He couldn't help but react and kiss her back. She was lightly pressed her chest against his, careful to avoid his wound. She could feel his heart hammering against the palm of her hand. He tried to break the kiss, she deepened it. Her tongue snaked into his and he let out a feral moan deep in his throat. His hands slid around her waist and up her back pulling her closer to him.
She broke the kiss but stayed secure in his arms. Breathless, she said, "I don't know about what I deserve, but what I want is you. If you think I'm going to give it up because you think I'm too good…Mal, look what you've done. You're a good man. I'm not saying that this is going to be easy…"
Mal didn't need to hear anymore. He leaned in and captured her mouth with his. They would deal with everything else later.
Zoe stepped onto the bridge to see River sitting in the co-pilot seat.
"Needed fresh air," River stated.
Zoe chuckled. "Sick of your room huh?"
"You try having a doctor for a brother."
"River, I talked to the Captain and we've decided that it's time for you to start pulling your weight around this ship. So after the doctor gives the o.k. you're to report to the bridge as Serenity's newest pilot."
River grinned.
Zoe tilted her head. "You already knew didn't you?"
River didn't answer she examined the co-pilot's helm.
"When you report to the bridge…this will be your chair," Zoe said turning it so the seat faced her.
"Wash's chair," River replied.
"River's chair."
River stood up and cautiously approached the pilot's side of the bridge. Before Zoe could protest, River pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Wash always loved the name Lily." River sat down and patted one of Wash's dinosaurs on the head.
Zoe put a hand to her stomach and smiled. Lily, she thought.
River took Serenity off of auto-pilot and took a hold of the wheel. She looked at the trajectory and a small playful grin curved over her lips. Serenity spun like a hawk diving for its prey.
"Gorramit, River!" the Captain yelled.
The End.
Author's Note: Thank you for all the wonderfulreviews. I have an idea for a sequel, so please let me know if you would like to hear more of the story. I hope you enjoy the last chapter. Thanks again.
Lystelle