Pinyin is used in this story, for translation see the end of each chapter

Chapter One: Reunion

She thoroughly taught him that one cannot take pleasure without giving pleasure, and that every gesture, every caress, every touch, every glance, every last bit of the body has its secret, which brings happiness to the person who knows how to wake it.

Herman Hesse

"Hey, xìng gǎn! Can we get a drink over here?"

I turned, picking up a tray. "Yǎnkàn. Be patient, boys." Taking the empty tray with me, I walked to the bar, where I placed it down and picked up another one with drinks on it. Then I took that one to the table of men who had called out to me.

"Here you go. Enjoy your Ng-Ka-Pei. Be good now." I placed a drink in front of each of them, skilfully dodging each hand that tried to touch me.

Suddenly the door burst open, and my older brother, Malcolm Reynolds, walked in with the crew of his spaceship, Serenity. There Kaylee, Wash, Zoe, two others that I did not recognise, and Jayne.

I walked over to them. "It's good to see you again, Lǎo dà gē. What brings you out to this moon?"

"Work, meimei. Just plain, boring work." Mal replied.

I nodded in reply, avoiding Jayne's gaze. Last time I had been on Serenity, Jayne and I had succumbed to one of humanity's shallowest and fundamental impulses. Needless to say, Mal wasn't entirely happy when he found out, and things didn't really end well between Jayne and me. Now I tried to avoid being alone with him, for the tension and lustful want between us was often overwhelming.

"Are you going to introduce me to your new friends?" I asked, trying not to let my voice give away how much I wanted Jayne again.

"Dahng ran. This is Simon Tam, and his sister, River. Simon, River, this is Alison, my meimei."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Simon held out his hand to me. It was a well-manicured hand, clearly looked after and worth a lot.

I nodded in reply. "Where are you heading? This is my last evening at this bar, then I'm moving on. Could I get a lift?"

"Sure. We are headed to Persephone. Will that do?"

"Yeah. I just want to get off this luh-suh planet." With that, I stood and walked to my room, pulling my luggage out from under my bed.

I stood on the walkway above the holding bay, watching as Kaylee and Jayne closed up. As I watched, I felt someone lightly touch my back. I turned, and found Mal standing there.

"Don't go down that road again, Allie. You know how hurt you were last time." He whispered, realising that I was looking at Jayne.

"Gwan nee tzi-jee duh shr. The only reason I broke it off with him was because you told me it was a bad idea. You never even told me why."

He sighed and shook his head. "He is jing-tzahng mei yong-duh, and not good enough for you. I wanted you to be able to break out of our type of life. He will drag you down, and you aren't able to make a good decision about these things yet."

I burst into tears and ran to my room. As I threw myself onto my bed, I heard shouting outside.

"Jing-tzahng mei yong-duh? Is that what you told her?" Jayne snapped.

"Nee boo go guh, nee hwun chiou! She deserves so much better than you. Before our parents died, she had so much potential. She was going to be a dancer. But then they died, and she followed me, because I am the only family she has. I have dragged her down enough, she doesn't need anyone else in her life to drag her down further."

"She made her decision, Mal. I didn't go to her, she came to me."

"Dāng xīn. I don't want you near her. Only talk to her if you have to. Don't touch her and don't you dare be alone with her."

"Kuh-ooh duh lao bao jurn." Jayne replied.

I waited for his footsteps to disappear, then climbed out of my room. Mal was still standing there.

"How much of that did you hear?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"All of it."

"I'm sorry, Allison. I had to."

I shook my head. "Did you ever think that maybe I chose this life? After mum and dad died, I was given the choice to either live in a boarding house, or go with you. I chose to go with you because I didn't belong in that society. My application to the Dance Academy had been denied, because I was born on the wrong side of the city. They didn't want lower-class girls like me, Mal."

His eyes grew wide in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you. I could have found you a job and a place to stay."

"Chur ni-duh. You don't always know what's best for me. Let me make my own decisions for once. Do you want to know why I went to Jayne?"

He was silent a moment, but finally he nodded.

"Because he was the one who took care of me. When you picked me up last year after that guy attacked me, he was the one who sat with me in the medbay. I know you all think he is yu bun duh, but he cares about me, and he makes me laugh."

"I didn't realise how much you both care for each other. I just think you could do so much better."

"I'll be the judge of that." I pushed past him, and made my way to Jayne's room. I quietly opened the door, and climbed down the ladder.

He was lying on his front on top of the bed, taking apart one of his smaller guns. He didn't notice as I walked up and sat beside him. I reached out, and slid my hand over his, finally drawing his attention to me.

"You shouldn't be here, Allie. I don't want you to get in trouble with your brother." He whispered, pushing my hand away.

"Jien tah-duh guay! I just spent five minutes trying to convince him to let me be with you. Besides," I continued, slowly unbuttoning my tight red blouse, "you wouldn't make me leave when I have so much to give you. Especially when I brought you this." I pulled the bottle of Shimmerwine out from behind me, and handed it to him.

"Xìng gǎn tiānshǐ. Come here." He grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pulled me onto the bed beside him. He kissed me hard, gruffly running his hands over my body.

I yanked his hands away from me. "Have you forgotten everything I taught you last time, zhàn shì?"

He shook his head, kissing my fingertips. I felt the blood rush into my cheeks at the tenderness of his touch. The rest of the crew thought he was violent, hot-headed and stupid, but to me, he was always kind and gentle.

Last time, he had started off so rough, but as I guided his hands, showing him every place on my body that made me feel good, his touch had grown softer.

"I missed you." I whispered, as he kissed my neck.

He gazed into my eyes, holding my whole soul and heart in his gaze. That was all it took to make my blood begin to pump through my body.

I threw him onto the ground, crawling onto him, and running my fingers over his lips. He was so rough around the edges, but soft and gentle in his heart, a trait I so admired in him.

"Promise me you won't let me go, zhàn shì." I looked down at him, at his brown eyes and short beard.

"Never. Not even when I die, for I will always be here." He touched the tip of his finger to my heart, then traced the curve of my breasts, then my hips, then my thighs. Then he yanked me up, so that my chest was level with his lips.

I gasped as he took me, slowly at first, then faster as he held my heart in his eyes, making me moan in pleasure.

Glossary (In order of usage)

- Xìng gǎn: sexy

- Yǎnkàn: In a moment

- Ng-Ka-Pei: an alcoholic drink

- Lǎo dà gē: Big brother

- Meimei: Little Sister

- Dahng ran: Of course

- Luh-suh: Garbage

- Gwan nee tzi-jee duh shr: Mind your own business

- Jing-tzahng mei yong-duh: Constantly useless

- Nee boo go guh, nee hwun chiou: You don't deserve her, you fink

- Dāng xīn: Be careful

- Kuh-ooh duh lao bao jurn: Horrible old tyrant

- Chur ni-duh: Screw you

- Yu bun duh: Stupid

- Jien tah-duh guay: Like hell

- Tiānshǐ: Angel

- Zhàn shì: Warrior