“I understand you take passengers on your Firefly Captain Reynolds?” The man enquired. Mal looked him up and down, he was tall, well dressed and had a look about him that reminded Mal of an alliance general, but still beggars couldn’t be choosers and now Serenity was in the air again they had to find work. “I do sir”. Malcolm responded. “Do you have a ships medic?” The man questioned him. This question made Mal suspicious, Mal had thought that the Alliance had given up looking for River and Simon but maybe this man was a spy, or bounty hunter and Mal wasn’t prepared to put his crew in danger, he wasn’t prepared to risk loosing anyone else. “Why do you ask?” Mal responded warily. “I ask because the passenger I wish you to transport needs medical care”. The man responded, without waiting for Malcolm to reply he carried on. “My daughter was badly injured a couple of months back, this town is too volatile for someone like her, my brother and his wife have agreed to take her in”. “Your daughter, what does she want?” Mal asked, the only type of passenger Mal was going to agree to was the willing kind, the not so willing kind tended to be a whole load of trouble. “She will not cause you any trouble if that is what you are suggesting Captain Reynolds, she is far from dangerous, she has no memory of anything before the accident, of this planet, her home, of me. She has no ties here; this is her chance to build a new life, far away from here”. The man replied sadly. “I am prepared to offer you four times the going rate if you agree to transport my daughter safely to Olaris, providing she gets the medical care she requires”. The money was too good to refuse, the ship needed repairs and fuel, the crew needed food and work, something to take their minds off of all that had happened over the past couple of months. “Our medic is highly qualified and very dedicated, sir”. Malcolm replied. “Then I’m sure my daughters needs will not present a problem”. The man commented. “When will you be ready to leave?” He asked. “First thing tomorrow morning”. Malcolm replied. “I will pay you half the money once my daughter is on board your ship, my brother will have the other half waiting for you upon her safe arrival on Olaris”. The man informed him as he turned to leave.

Mal headed back inside. He found his crew sitting, playing poker around the table. “We have a job; we leave for Olaris tomorrow morning”. Mal told them. “But cap, Serenity, she ain’t ready for such a long flight”. Kaylee responded. “Then you must make sure she is ready”. Mal replied, Kaylee pushed back her chair and hurried to the engine room. “What’s the cargo Mal?” Simon asked. “It’s just as well you asked”. Mal replied. “A child, she needs medical care, the father says, we are to take her to some relatives in Olaris”. “Gorram kids, I ain’t being no babysitter to no kid”. Jayne muttered. “I don’t remember asking you to”. Mal responded as he turned his back on Jayne. “But you’re asking me?” Simon asked. “Yes, yes I am”. Mal replied. “Ok”. Simon shrugged his shoulders. “So what does she have wrong with her then, this child?” He asked. “I didn’t ask, she had some kind of accident, that’s all the father told me”. Mal told him, Simon raised his eyebrows in amazement at the Captains stupidity before he stalked out of the room. River giggled. “What did I do?” Mal asked her. She didn’t respond she just sat smiling quietly to herself.

*************************************************

“Mal”. Kaylee yelled up from the cargo hold. “They’re here, I can see them coming, you should come down”. Mal made his way down, his boots clanking against the dark iron of the steps of the stairway.

The man he had met yesterday, still wearing the grey suit that made him look so like an Alliance general was standing in the hold, in his arms was his daughter bundled up in a blanket, with them a dark coloured man, clearly a slave or servant of some kind, carrying a couple of cases and large rucksack type bags.

Mal sauntered towards them, eager not to appear too desperate for the money they needed so badly.

“Captain Reynolds”. The man greeted him with a curt nod of his head. “Sir”. Malcolm responded. “I take it my daughters quarters are ready?” The man demanded. “They are sir, please follow me”. Malcolm replied. He led the way back up the iron stairway and into the section of Serenity that housed the passengers quarters.

He opened the sliding door to the largest of the ensuite passenger rooms and stood back to let the man, his daughter and the servant enter, before stepping inside himself. The man gently placed his daughter on the bed and bent down next to her softly muttering his farewells, Malcolm looked away uneasy at witnessing the mans last moments with his daughter. Finally the man stood up and turned to face Malcolm. “I trust you will take good care of my daughter, Captain Reynolds”. The man asked. “That we will sir”. Malcolm replied as the man brushed past him, his servant following silently, pausing only to thrust an envelope stuffed with notes into Malcolm’s palm as they hastily made his way out of Serenity entrusting his daughter in the care of Malcolm and his crew.

*************************************************

Malcolm sighed heavily and stuffing the envelope in the back pocket of his breeches he made his way over to the bed to greet Serenity’s newest occupant. He crouched down next to the bed expecting to find a teenage girl staring up at him, the girl wasn’t a child, wasn’t a teenager, but was a young woman older than River and probably close to Kaylee in age. Her silvery grey eyes were enormous in her small elfin face; her hair fell in long, pale golden waves around her shoulders, her frame petit and delicate. Mal caught his breathe, she was unusual looking, very attractive in an other-worldly kind of way. Mal resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, instead choosing to introduce himself. “My name is Malcolm Reynolds; I’m the captain of Serenity”. “Mist, my name’s Mist”. The girl replied softly. “Mal”. Simon interrupted their brief exchange. Mal stood up stepping away for the bedside as he introduced the ships medic. “This is Simon, Dr Tam”. Simon placed his bag upon the bed and brought a chair over so that he could sit next to the bed. “I’ll leave you to it”. Malcolm commented in his best captain’s voice, stood out of the room the sound of his footsteps echoing around the ship’s corridors.

“Can you tell me about your accident?” Simon questioned Mist. She shook her head “I don’t remember, I…” “It’s ok”. Simon said soothingly. “Just tell me what you do remember”.

“I remember a white room, bright lights that hurt my eyes, tall, white, shiny people whispering, red and pain in my head, in my back, my chest, tingling and heaviness, lying on a hard bed, people, hurting me, a man, my father”. She paused clearly distressed at her confusion.

Simon reached out tentively and stroked her cheek, the action having the same calming affected it did on his sister, River when she became incoherent and distressed.

“Will you let me examine you?” Simon requested. “I’ll try my best not to hurt you”.

Mist nodded in response her uncertainty evident as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

He took the hand closest to him in his own and asked her to try and grip his hand, getting the response he expected. He asked her to move her arms, to hold them off of the bed for as long as she could, to reach above her head, to flex her muscles, to push her hand against his own. He worked his way over her body, testing her muscle control, her strength and muscle tone, sensation and involuntary reflexes.

Almost as soon as Simon had finished examining her, her eyes closed and she was fast asleep, clearly exhausted.

************************************************* Simon found Mal and the others in the mess.

“So what’s the verdict Doc?” Mal asked.

“From what I can gather from my exam, Mist has suffered a SCI”. Simon began.

“A what?” Kaylee asked.

“A spinal cord injury, in Mists case it means she has no voluntary movements from the chest downwards, she has some, limited sensation, her hands are also affected. In simple terms she cannot walk, stand or even sit up unaided, she cannot take care of her every day needs. She will need round the clock care, physiotherapy even”. Simon looked around the room at the shocked, confused faces, people in the outer rim didn’t survive that type of injury the medical care just wasn’t available.

Malcolm turned to his crew. “Since we’re all getting a cut of the money, I expect every one of you to help Simon take care of the girl, do you understand me?” He demanded, without waiting for a response he swung round and strode from the mess.

Mists father had been right then, he thought to himself, she wasn’t going to cause any trouble because she couldn’t, she seemed like an ok type of girl, there was something about her that had got to Mal, touched him deep down inside and Mal didn’t like that feeling, he didn’t like it one single, little bit.

*************************************************

Kaylee stomped into the mess and fairly threw the bowl down on the table in frustration. “I give up, that girl, she ain’t never gonna eat”. She sighed as she slumped down in the seat opposite Jayne. She didn’t even look up as Jayne pulled the bowl across the table towards him, he stood and as quietly as he could slipped out of the room.

Mist stirred caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness as Jayne sat down heavily on the edge on the bed. He put his hand up to her face his index finger slowly tracing the outline of her lips. Mists eyes opened and she drifted out of her dreams, the faint tickling sensation awakening her from her peaceful slumber. Jayne brought the spoon to her mouth, running the edge over her lips as he had done with his finger until her lips parted and her mouth opened, as swiftly as if he were pulling his pistol from his belt he angled the spoon so that he could get her to take some of the porridge from it, she chewed, swallowed and opened her mouth for another spoonful. A smile split Jayne’s face as big as if he had single-handedly brought the Alliance to their knees.

Soon the bowl was finished, Jayne stood up to leave, as he did so Kaylee appeared in the doorway, Jayne pushed roughly past her trusting the empty bowl into her hands and leaving without uttering a single word, leaving Kaylee dumbfounded.

************************************************* Inara smiled down at Mist, even though the companion was able to make the slow, humiliating process of being bathed and changed almost pleasurable Mist was grateful that she could finally sink back against the soft warmth of the pillows once more. Although she was weary her senses were keen and she could hear footsteps approaching. Mist watched as Inara’s face lit up in anticipation as the Captain strode into the room. Inara’s expression changed as Mal approached her feelings, as always, guarded when in the presence of the man she loved. “I would like to brush Mist’s hair, will you help me?” Inara asked. Mal paused unwilling to spend too much time in Inara’s company; but he didn’t shake his head and say he was busy. Instead he remembered how much Kaylee adored having Inara brush and fix her hair, who was he to deprive Mist of something had could bring her a little pleasure? He sat down on Mists bed and bending over her he lifted her from the comfort of the pillows into his strong embrace. Mist sighed as he cradled her against his chest, she could feel the hardness of his muscles through the fabric of his shirt and hear the faint beating of his heart.

Mal tried to ignore the soft swell of Mist’s breasts as he pressed her against him, his arms wrapped around her fragile torso, one hand supporting her neck as Inara brushed her hair in long smooth strokes. Mal caught his breath as Mist murmured in appreciation. Inara watched the expressions cross Mal’s face, what he closed off from her, his feelings, his emotions were plain; he did not feel the need to protect himself from a crippled girl as he did from her. Inara wasn’t stupid, she knew Mal cared for her deeply, that he would die to protect her, but she also knew he would never come to terms with her profession, that it would always come between them and there was probably nothing either of them could do to change it. Inara finished her one hundredth stroke and stood up to admire her handiwork, Mists hair glistened in the dim light as though it were made from gold. She watched sadly as Mal slowly lowered Mist back against the pillows, something about the tender way he treated Mist, who was little more than a stranger wrenched at her heart and made Inara want to cry.

*************************************************

Mist drifted in and out of sleep the dreams absorbing her every moment, on the boat, Serenity, the days merge into the nights, into an endless dream where people cared for her and catered to her every need. The people, the captain and his crew were good people, different from those she had known at the hospital, it felt good to be here laying amongst the soft coolness of the cotton sheets and pillows, wrapped up in the cosy warmth of the duvets and blankets, it made her feel safe.

River sat in the corridor, Mist kind of liked the girl, she was broken like Mist herself, but broken on the inside where no one could see.

Mist could hear River muttering to herself as she sat cross legged on the floor, sometimes she was as innocent as a small child and sometimes it was like she carried the weight of the world upon her shoulders.

River looked up and smiled at Mist, then she stood up as she always did in one fluid movement and made her way to Mists bedside. She carried with her two plastic dinosaurs, a t-rex and a stegosaurus. River places the dinosaurs on the bed next to Mist and starts to play with them, talking in a strange voice. (Stegosaurus): We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... "This Land." (T-Rex): I think we should call it "your grave!" (Stegosaurus): Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal! (T-Rex): Ha ha ha! Mine is an evil laugh! Now die!

Mist heard footsteps coming down the corridor, they paused just outside the room, the half light casting Zoë’s shadow on the opposite wall as she listened to River.

Rivers voice changed back to normal, “He loved her you know, he would have died for her, he loved them all very much”. River told nobody in particular. Her voice changed again. “That's right, of course, 'cause they wouldn't arrest me if we got boarded, I'm just the pilot. I can always say I was flying the ship by accident.”

"Oh, my God. What can it be? We're all doomed! Who's flying this thing? Oh, right, that would be me. "

"I wish I was somebody else right now, somebody not... married, not madly in love with a beautiful woman who can kill me with her pinkie."

”Were I unwed, I'd take you in a manly fashion.”

“Hey, I've been in a fire fight before....Well, I was in a fire....actually I was fired, from a fry cook opportunity. I can handle myself.”

"Mmm wife’s soup. I must have done good."

Rivers voice changed once again as she started to sing

“Take my love, take my land Take me where I cannot stand I don't care, I'm still free You can't take the sky from me Take me out to the black Tell them I ain't comin' back Burn the land and boil the sea You can't take the sky from me There's no place I can be Since I found Serenity”.

“She feels empty”. River surmised. “So alone, she lies in their bunk at night and sheds no tears, she stares at the place were he once slept, wears in his favourite shirt”. “She blames herself, wishes she had been a better wife, a lesser soldier, she longs for his touch, his kindness, to hear his laughter, to feel his skin against her own. She wishes that they had more time together, that they had gone on vacation, had children, all of the stuff normal folks do”. River pauses. “She is not alone, inside they all cry, for their pilot, their comrade, their beloved friend. They miss his kindness, his laughter, his love. He was not a murderer or a thief. He was a leaf on the wind, watch how he soars. He is not dead, he lives on in the ship that he loved, in their hearts, their memories, he is part of their family, of the boat they call home”.

River stares out into space, still talking to nobody in particular, but Zoë knows who her words were meant for, she doesn’t know why but Rivers crazy talk comforts her, somehow the moon-brained girl knows that her heart is breaking, somehow she understands exactly what Zoë needs to hear, that she is not alone and that Wash loved her more than life itself.

*************************************************

Jayne stared intently at the wall in front of him as he tried to gain control over himself, in some ways the night shift was easier, it meant less mothering and fussing, in other ways it was far worse, turning the girl, feeling the soft warmth of her skin against his rough hands as he manoeuvred her almost lifeless form, made his blood pressure rise, that he was attracted to a crippled girl spooked him more than a little and there’s two more hours to go until he could get back to his bunk.

“Gorram it”. Jayne swore quietly as Mist murmured and stirred in her sleep. She wheezed a little and her eyes shot open. Jayne panicked, Simon had explained to them all that Mist had trouble coughing and shown them how to help her cough, but it had never occurred to Jayne that he might have to actually help her.

Another wheeze brought Jayne to his senses, Jayne looked own and seeing the fear in Mists eyes he lifted her against him, struggling to remember what Simon had demonstrated, he cupped his hand and pressed beneath her ribcage, Mist coughed and spluttered and then her breathing seemed to become easier. Jayne laid her back against the pillows and as he did so Mist started to cry. “Gorram it girl what the ruttin hell is wrong now?” Jayne demanded.

In response, Mist turned her head away from him so her face was hidden but continued to cry, Jayne sat down heavily on the bed next to her and sighed, he wasn’t kitted out to deal with all this girly emotional stuff. “You aughta talk about it, I ain’t sitting here listening to you getting all tore up” Jayne told her. “I hate it” Mist started, her voice little more than an angry whisper. “I hate lying here in this bed and having other people take care of me, I want to dance like River or fight like Zoë, I want to be normal and have a normal life, have a boyfriend like Kaylee, I want to have someone love me, someone want me”. Mist started to cry again.

“There’s men who would want you, I ain’t saying you’re gonna be like other girls cos the doc says you ain’t, but you’re real pretty, shiny, even if you ain’t normal like”.

Mist shook her head in disbelief. “You tie my guts up in knots every time I so much as look at you”. Jayne almost yelled at her. He grabbed her hand and pressed it hard against the swelling in his trousers. “I ain’t gonna love you, I’m too old, too ugly”… Jayne began the lack of fear in Mists expression spooking him once more.

“I want to feel” she told him honestly her voice pleading, shredding the last thread of common sense Jayne had managed to keep a hold of . “I don’t want to be a girl forever”. Jayne watched frozen as she moved her other arm towards him, this must be a dream, he thought, he must have hit his ruttin head. Tiny shards of electric shot through him as her fingers brushed against his chest, he seized her small hand in his own and looked down at it, at the fingers that could feel but were unable to curl around his and at that moment he knew that he was going to go to a very special kind of hell. “I can’t be all gentle like, I don’t know how”. He told her. “I don’t want you to be, I want to feel what other women feel, not be treated like a china doll”. She replied softly.

He looked down at her hands, one still resting against his groin, the other lying limply in his strong grip and swallowed a large gulp of air. He hesitantly pushed back the duvets and blankets, staring at her feminine curves for an instant before he bent forward help her lift her arms around his neck, with one arm he lifted her off of the pillows, his free hand cupping her face as he leant in and kissed her, his lips skimming hers, then kissing more firmly, his tongue exploring the dark cavern of her mouth as her lips parted and she responded, all his remaining control over himself instantly fled from his mind. His hand began to caress her neck and then knead her breast, he paused to check he wasn’t hurting her as she cried out a little, before he lay her back against the pillows so he could quickly shed his clothes. He lifted her against him, his expert hands caressing her as he undressed her casting her nightdress and diaper to one side. He held her, moved her body against his and kissed her and stroked her until he was sure she was relaxed enough for him to enter her silky warmth, they moved as one Jayne guiding her body, stroking, and kisses her, his flesh rubbing against hers until she thought stars were going to explode inside of her head and she cried out, a tingling wave spread over her body that she had never experienced before. Jayne held her close and carried on kissing her until both of their hearts had stopped pounding. Slowly, unwillingly he untangled their bodies and lay Mist reluctantly back against the pillows, his hands were shaking as he cleaned her and helped her dress before he dressed himself, he felt strange, kind or warm inside but oddly sad, at what he didn’t know, as he re-arranged the bedding around her. Mist smiled up at him, still light-headed, her expression a little dazed as he sat down next to her. He took her hand in his own once more holding it in his strong grip until Mist drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

*************************************************

Mal breathed a deep sigh of relief as River finally set the Firefly down on the dusty red soil of Olaris. Mal would never be comfortable on the central planets, he found them unsettling, far to many rules and the too perfectness of these places made him uneasy even though River and Simon had been pardoned following the events on Miranda, meaning the Alliance were no longer a threat to his crews wellbeing there ever presentness still troubled him. He heard the familiar sound of the mules engine fire up and hurried down to join Zoë in the hold, rather than taking his usual position in the front with Zoë, Mal clambered into the rear of the vehicle and Jayne came carefully down the narrow stairway, his muscle bound arms wrapped securely around his precious cargo. Something about Mists trusting manner and the mercs uncharacteristic gentleness made Mal a little uneasy. In fact a whole lot of things about the girl and the change that had come over his crew since her arrival made Mal uneasy, it was as if she was a witch who had cast an enchanting spell over them all, it wasn’t anything but a good thing that her stay had been so short, merciful even Mal decided. Mist smiled serenely up at the huge merc as he passed her to Mal who settled her comfortably against him and Mal could have sworn that Jayne almost blushed, which certainly wasn’t something they experienced every day. He swung himself up into the front seat next to muttering gruffly to himself as she revved up the engine. “Looks like a nice place this” Zoë surmised as she pulled up outside the house where Mists uncle and aunt were said to reside. Two people presumably Mists uncle and aunt emerged from the open doorway. They were neatly presented, there clothes all pressed and the like, well to do respectable folk, who smiled warmly at them as Jayne lifted Mist into his arms once more. It made Zoë envious, made her kind of wonder what might have been, if things had been different, if she had met Wash is another lifetime or if Miranda had never happened. The uncle stepped forward and shook hands with Mal enquiring if there journey had been good, handing him an envelope with the outstanding payment, his wife offered them all refreshments that Mal politely declined as her husband greeted his niece and took her from the now familiar security of Jayne’s arms and carried her inside her new home. Zoë noticed both the men watching the now closed door of Mists new home and decided that there was definitely something bewitching about the girl.

*************************************************

“She’s crying, the air is thick, it’s making her choke, she can hear them screaming, smell the redness, seeping from them”. River screamed at them as they sat eating she stood framed in the doorway and blade in each hand. “Mei, Mei” Simon tired to calm her. “You had a dream that was all”. River turned to Mal “You believe me don’t you?” Mal nodded. “Yes lil’ albatross I believe you”. Mal said trying to diffuse the situation. She swung round to face Jayne. “And you, you believe me?” she demanded. Jayne nodded the only time he’d seen River this riled yup was before the Reaver attack, she’d been right then, so she was right now. “She’s dying, with each breathe she’s dying, all of you are sitting here eating and she’s dying and we have to save her”. River gasped in distress her eyes bulging with unshed tears. Jayne’s chair crashed to the floor as he stood and taking Vera from her position nestled safely between his thighs, he took his place beside River. Mal was next to stand, rarely these days did River get riled up over nothing, rarely were her feelings misleading. Zoë followed “I’ll fire up the mule captain?” Mal nodded in response. “Crazy, there all crazy and one day, there all going to get themselves killed”. Kaylee muttered. Simon turned to Inara. “I have a question, who exactly is dying?”

*************************************************

Even before the neared the house they could see flames rises from the rooftops, the smell of burning flesh reached Mal’s nostrils almost making him gag, in all his years that smell was something a man just couldn’t get used too.

He signalled to Zoë to pull up close to the burning building behind some large rocks, before she had removed the key from the ignition the others were out of the mule and running towards the burning building.

Zoë watched in dismay as the first gun shot rang out and Mal stumbled as the bullet caught his shoulder, but she knew that he would never fall, he would keep on fighting for whatever, whoever he believed in. Zoë raised her gun and fired into what would have seemed to the untrained eye to be an empty window; however she was sure that the bullet had met its intended target.

River, Mal and then Jayne reached a bush the only cover between them and the house, Zoë joined them. “Now what Captain?” she demanded, as far as she could make out there were at least six more people which evitabley meant at least six more guns.

“Gorram moonbrained girl” Jayne swore as River stood up from there position and all hell broke loose. He watched River her head cocked slightly to one side as she listened to the sound of the bullets snake towards her through the smokey air, easily, gracefully she dodged each one giving the others time to slip around the back of the house and in through a broken, blackened window, they watched still amazed even after the events on Miranda as River drew her gun and in one fluid motion as if she were a prima ballerina fired six shots all of which met with there targets, as even over the roaring of the fire on the floor above the others could hear the unmistakable sound of six bodies dropping lifelessly to the floor, she joined them presently, that is to say she bounded through the window and made her way up the burning staircase in the smoke filled house. This time it was Mal who swore as he staggered to his feet and prepared to cover her crazy arse. When they reached the top of the stairs Jayne reached for the closest door handle and yelped in pain as the white hot metal burnt the flesh on the palm of his roughened hand. River shook her head, “Not that one”. She said almost as if she were a teacher scolding one of her pupils. River tried the handle of the next door along finding it locked she stood well back as Jayne used what was undoubtedly his best attribute other than his prowess with firearms, his strength, the door gave way almost instantly as he rammed his shoulder against it.

On the floor slumped next to the bed was the women, Mist’s aunt who they had met briefly earlier, Zoë knew by the blood seeping from the corners of the women’s mouth, and the trail of blood that streaked across the blackened carpet that she was already dead, she didn’t even have to check for a pulse.

River signalled to a cupboard in the corner of the room, Mal reached out stopping Jayne from using his considerable strength to break the door down just in time. Checking the door he found it locked, he turned to find Zoë had read his mind and was riffling through the dead women’s pockets; eventually she located the key and handed it to Mal who opened the door.

As expected Mist lay unconscious in a crumpled heap on the cupboard floor, they had all learnt that it was usually the best and safest option to trust Rivers instincts. Jayne scooped her up. “We got what we came for, lets get out of here” He growled as like the others he choked on the smoke as he gasped for his each and every breathe of air. River was for once to slow to warn him as he swung round to leave the room and a final shot rang out, the bullet hitting Jayne’s muscular thigh, for an instant he slumped against the door frame as Zoë and Mal sprang forward, Zoë’s gun aimed at the guy hiding half in the smokey shadows at the end of the corridor, swiftly Zoë pulled the trigger, the man fell backwards, his blood leaving what River thought was an exquisite pattern on the smoke stained wall as he slumped to the floor. “Jayne?” Mal yelled. “I got her, let’s go”. Jayne responded his teeth gritted with pain and determination.

*************************************************

Mal pressed his forehead against the cold glass of the infirmary door, relishing in the coolness for an instant, until Jayne’s snoring disturbed his thoughts. One hundred and twenty-five hours ago, he had been sat in the back of the mule cradling Mist’s lifeless forming his arms. Now every time he closed his eyes he saw her soot smeared face and sleep evaded him, he sat back down next to the corpse like girl laying in the hospital bed as he listened to the hiss of the machine breathing for her and Jayne’s snores as he slept soundly in the opposite bed and he prayed to Book’s god, a god he wasn’t even sure he believed in. Critical condition, that’s what the doc had said and even Mal, and he weren’t no doctor knew critical weren’t a good thing to be.

The girls long dark eyelashes began to flutter as Mist finally started to regain consciousness, the sudden beep of one of the many monitors Simon had attached to her, quickly brought an exhausted Mal to his senses. The panic in her eyes as she struggled to talk, to move her head was like a knife to Mal’s heart.

“You inhaled a lot of smoke”. Mal explained his tone low and soothing. “Simon put on a….” Mal struggled to remember the medical term for the machine, “a ventilator to help you breathe”.

He leant over the bed so he could hear her as she struggled to speak, her voice was barely audible. “Your shoulder?”

“This? This is just a little scratch”. Mal told her, fingering the edge of the bandage, suddenly self conscious that he hadn’t bothered to put his shirt back on after Simon had changed the dressing on his gun shot wound a couple of hours before.

“Jayne?” she whispered hoarsely noticing the sleeping merc in the opposite bed.

“Jayne, he got shot. Don’t worry gongzhu, Jayne’s as tough as old boots, he’s gonna be just fine”.

“Mal” she cried out as the darkness threatened to overwhelm her once more, Mal reached out, his rough hand stroking the cool smoothness of her check.

“I knew you’d come”. She told him faintly as she slipped back into oblivion.

Gongzhu = princess

*************************************************

“So your saying that we keep her?” Simon voice was raised in disbelief.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, no one will even suspect she’s alive, she has no where else to go, no one else who wants her”. The minute he uttered those words Mal realised that was the truth of the matter, that he wanted her, that she had reawakened something deep inside of him that he had thought was gone forever.

“Besides, I kept you and River, when I should had thrown you out for all the trouble you caused, and your forgetting one thing, the fact of the matter is I’m captain of this ship and if I say Mist stays then she does. Mal finished.