Title: Broken Promises (1/?)

Author: gwenfrewi72
Rating: M (references nudity)
Fandom: Firefly
Spoilers: None
Summary: Post BDM. The crew goes back to Triumph for a visit. Mal gets a surprise in his bunch the next morning.
Length: 1,071 according to Word.
Disclaimer: The great, almighty and powerful Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. own the universe and characters. I'm just playing with them.
Author's Note: Thanks to lj useralsuwunderland for beta'ing this story for me.
Feedback: is shiny and always encouraged, both the good and the bad.
Copyright (c) October 2007 Patricia Flynn

Wo de ma! - Mother of God!

"Elder Gommen, it's a pleasure to see you again." Mal said to the grey bearded gentleman who appeared as the cargo bay doors opened.

"Captain Reynolds, it has been too long 'ere you visited us."

Mal smiled, his eyes crinkled and sparkled in humor, "Yeah. Thought we'd come and visit for a spell."

Mal glanced over at Kaylee who was beaming in delight. It had been her persistent nagging of him that had gotten him to agree to stop here for the night. Well, that and her indiscriminate use of her puppy eyes that had finally broken him.

"We thought we'd have a little celebration to welcome you back." Elder Gommen's voice interrupted Mal's thoughts.

"Well," Mal began hesitantly. The last time they'd thrown a party he'd ended up with a murderin', thievin' wife. Noticing the happy faces of his crew at the notion of a little fun, he squelched his own misgivings and put on a happy face. "That sounds like a right bit of fun."

"Let us head into town so you may partake of our noon meal." Elder Gommen turned and let the crew towards the village viewable in the distance.

Mal watched as Simon, Kaylee and Jayne immediately followed him. Realizing that Zoë stood attentively at his side, he turned to her.

"Zoë, you'll protect my virtue at this shindig, won'tcha?"

"Sir, if it's all the same to you, I think I'll sit with Serenity tonight."

Seeing the anguished memories in her eyes, he nodded.

"You are going to join us for lunch and dinner. Wouldn't want to give the impression that you're not appreciative of their hospitality."

"Of course, sir."

"I'll protect your virtue, Captain." River stated from behind Mal.

Turning in surprise, Mal was stunned to realize that River had listened to their conversation.

"Well then, since that's settled, let's get somethin' to eat." Mal started to walk off but River's next statement stopped him in his tracks and made him whirl about.

"We haven't discussed what I'm getting in return for protecting you." Her voice suggested lasciviously as her eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Uh."

Zoë watched as Mal fumbled in confusion.

"You have to dance with me." River smiled mischievously.

"Ahh, I'm not the best dancer, lil' one."

"Those are my terms if you want me to protect your virtue." River crossed her arms under her breasts and glared at him.

Mal noticed that her breasts had gotten somewhat larger in the last few months. Realizing what he was thinking, he quickly suppressed the thought.

Zoë watched in untold delight as River toyed with the captain.

Sighing heavily, Mal responded. "One dance."

"Five."

"Nothin' doin'. Two."

The light of battle entered River's eyes.

"Five." She stated firmly.

"Three." Mal's azure eyes shimmered defiantly.

"Five." River stamped her foot petulantly.

"You really are the brat your brother says you are. Four."

River grinned triumphantly. "Done."

Mal was stunned and his face reflected it. "What?"

"Four dances, in exchange, I protect I your virtue /I ."

At this point, Zoë couldn't contain her amusement any longer and busted up laughing.

"Sir, if you could only see your face."

Mal grinned good-naturedly. "Okay River, four dances it is. Now let's go get something to eat, I'm starving."

River and Zoë shared grins as they followed the captain off the boat.

Mal woke groggily the next morning. He was definitely hung over and his head was poundin' somethin' fierce.

As his brain began to take stock of his surroundings, he realized he was in his bunk, and then he realized that his arm was wrapped around a warm body pressed against his own. The breast his hand cupped and the feel of the taut nipple his fingers were stroking told him it was a person of the female persuasion.

Just then, the conversation the day before with Zoë and River flashed in his mind. Especially River's promise to protect him.

"Did protect you." River's voice intruded his thoughts.

Focusing in the dim light, Mal realized that it's River's naked body pressed against his own. Leaping from the bed to stand glaring down at her, he groans at the throbbing behind his eyes this action caused.

"Wo de ma! Uh, River?" Mal begans tentatively as River pushes the blanket aside, rises from his bed and flips the light on.

Seeing her nakedness in the bright glare of the light, he averts his eyes to the floor.

River sighs heavily as she slides her dress on. Gathering up several more things, she hides a memento from their night together behind her boots and moves toward the ladder.

"I'm dressed." River states disappointedly.

Opening his eyes, Mal searched the room until he spotted her. By this point, he'd gotten some of his brain function back.

"Did we, umm...?"

"We copulated." River said as she stepped on the first rung of the ladder. His question stilled her climbing.

"My memories of last night are a mite fuzzy, did you..?" Mal couldn't believe he was asking this but he needed to know.

"Orgasmed five times before you finished."

Mal frowned. He'd obviously pleasured her but he couldn't gorram remember it.

"That's good." He replied tentatively and then he had a frightening epiphany. "Did we, uh, use protection?"

River smirked at the panicked look on Mal's face when he said that.

"I'm on birth control."

Sighing in relief, Mal looked around awkwardly at his room. Discovering that his clothes were thrown haphazardly about the room, he began to pick them up as River resumed climbing out of the bunk.

"I'm sorry, I…huh, didn't mean to take advantage of you like that." Mal was totally ashamed of himself. He couldn't believe he'd done that to her.

River paused on the ladder, her face just barely visible below the ceiling as she spoke. "If anyone took advantage, it was me. I asked."

Mal's face registered his disbelief.

"Why? And, uh, why me?"

River let out a long breath. "Have needs same as any other woman. Who do you suggest I sleep with? Jayne or better yet, some strange man I don't know?"

Mal shook his head. He didn't like the thought of Jayne or any man for that matter doing things like that to his pilot.

"Don't worry, Captain. I won't do it again." River stated in a tight voice before she hastily climbed out of his bunk as a tear slid down her check.