Disclaimer: all rights to Joss and Mutant Enemy

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Love. Love keeps a ship flyin'. Love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down. Tells you she's hurtin' before she keens...

Love. Love is a fairy tale. Something to give little girls big dreams so that they grow up and lead a good life. Love is an illusion, a game that people play...

Love. It makes a family. It's hard to hold onto. One love gives way to another, and you have to make a decision on which is more important...

Love. The ideal. The dream. Wish that love were simpler, wish that when you found it, you both were willing. I carry such a torch...

Love. It brings great sadness and great joy. Sometimes it gets torn from you, but it leaves you better for it. When you've got it, hold onto it with all your might...

Love. It's made up. Don't much care fer it. Mama and money are the only things worth lovin'. It's somethin' you tell pretty ladies, they like that...

What is love? So much interference, it's hard to tell. Love keeps you flyin, it's a game, makes a family, isn't simple, something to cling to, something for pretty ladies.

She jolted upright in her bed, sweating. Love is a lie... Her head flew forward, like it had been hit from behind, her vision shivered. Love is something they tell good little girls and boys so they will do as they are told. She slid her legs out from under the covers and dropped them to the cold floor. "Two by two, with hands of blue..." she whispered.

Standing, she made her way to the door, slightly wobbly. Sliding it open, she propelled herself into the dark hallway, breathing in deep the air. It didn't seem as stale compared to the air in her stuffy room. Love isn't a lie. Got love. Makes the bad things go away.

She made her stumbling way down the hall, and through the ship, until she stood outside the door. "And the mighty king took his mighty sword and drove it mightily into the beast's heart, bringing peace to the land." she said quietly.

Then she opened the door to his room just as quietly and slipped down the ladder, the door closing softly above her.

---

The soft click of the door woke him, and he sat up straight in his bed, squinting into the darkness. "Whozere?" he grunted sleepily.

"Just a princess in need of saving, just a damsel in distress." a soft voice said.

"River? What you doin' sneakin' around people's rooms at night?" he asked. He was very aware of his bare chest.

"She needs a knight in shining armor. Needs a prince ready to become a king. Will you defend her. Will you protect her from the beast?" she asked.

He smiled, "You need more savin' than I have to offer." he replied.

She advanced toward him, stopping right next to his bed. "Won't you even try?" she asked in a meager voice, "You've always won before."

"Look love, you're really crazy, you're tormented by imaginary beasts, and you're a little to young to be in my room in the dead of night..." he said.

She smiled her little smile at him, by now his eyes were adjusted to the dark, "Only crazy with you." she replied, reaching out and touching his cheek with two fingers. "Age is irrelevant. Age is simply the record of the body's decay and decomposition."

He closed his eyes at her touch. Wo de tien ah, I am a lecherous old hump. "Yeah," he said, reaching up and pulling her hand down, placing it at her side, "And I'm decayin' a lot faster than you."

She laughed, a musical laugh, "Also irrelevant. Besides," she said, thinking a moment, "Right now, my cells are decaying point zero zero zero zero one three two..." but Mal grabbed her hands to quiet her.

"Shhh... Darlin'..." he said. She simply smiled and leaned her forehead against his. Strange as it may be, it felt right and good that she should be there. He wanted so badly to give into the mutual feelings they shared. Aiya, this girl'll be the death of me. "Why... me?" he asked. "Why is it you want me so bad?"

"You make me crazy." she said, smiling mischeviously.

"Sweetheart, you was already crazy." he pointed out.

"Crazy... different." she replied. "You make me forget all the skeletons that are hidden in the closet. Heart makes a sound, pitter-pat, can't you hear it?" she asked, pausing so he could listen. "Think like I do. Love keeps me flying, too." she said. "Can't stop it. No power in the 'verse can stop it."

He was astounded. One of her hands drifted up to rest on her heart. Somehow he knew, this was more than a silly girl's crush.

"Doesn't want much. Just want what she needs. Love keeps her flyin', it's her fuel. Needs it to survive." she leaned her face down and kissed him lightly. I am going to burn in a very special level of Hell. he thought to himself as he gave into her kiss.