Author's Note: This story was originally meant to be just a fun drabble, but then I started thinking about it and now it will be a longer fun drabble. Heehee. The cat featured in this fic is modeled after my own Sagwa cat, who died of feline luekemia just recently at the very young age of three. I guess you can say this is my way of immortalizing her. And besides, everyone knows Serenity could use a cat on board! That being said, please forgive the roughness of this fic, as it is my first Firefly fic ever. Wish me luck, and hope you enjoy!

Timeline: Shortly after the episode "Trash".

A Visitor at Breakfast

Mal stretched his arms wide and yawned as he made his way down to the galley. It was still fairly early; it looked as if everyone else was still asleep. He'd glanced up into the cockpit on his way up from his bunk, but Wash's chair had been empty. It didn't matter yet… they weren't due at Beylix for another several hours. Mal pulled his suspenders up over his shoulders and finished buttoning up his shirt, enjoying the quiet, listening to the soothing hum of Serenity as she flew smoothly through the black.

He descended the steps into the dining area, moving straight for the sink and intending to fix himself a good strong cup of coffee. Or at least, a good strong cup of that stuff that tried to pass for coffee. He pulled the pot from a nearby cabinet, but no sooner had he started the water to fill it when he felt something against his leg.

"Mrrow."

Mal startled, one hand dropping halfway toward his pistol before he realized what he was looking at. A large pair of sky blue eyes peered up at him from a distinctly feline face, and Mal rolled his eyes.

"What the gorram hell are you doing in here?"

The little Siamese cat at his feet stared at him intently. "Mrrrow," she squawked again.

Mal ignored her, going back to making his imitation of coffee. But the cat was insistent, winding herself around his ankles, her meows growing louder.

"Mrow. Mrowww. Mrrrooooowww."

Mal tried to sidestep her affections, his irritation growing. Why is this cat running loose on my boat? Last I knew, cargo wasn't supposed to leave the cargo bay…

Next thing he knew, she jumped nimbly onto the counter, waltzing over to the sink and sticking her head under his arms to delicately lap the water straight from the faucet. Mal blinked, then abruptly pulled the coffee pot from the sink and set it aside. He grabbed the cat, who immediately protested with a loud yowl, and set her back on the floor resolutely.

"Come on now," Mal pleaded. "Kwai jio kai. This isn't where you belong."

"Mornin', Cap'n," a cheerful voice called from the other side of the galley, and Mal turned to see Kaylee enter the room from the opposite door. She'd obviously spent the night in the engine room… again.

He decided to take this opportunity. "Kaylee… what is this?" He pointed to the cat, who was now squinting up at him unhappily.

Kaylee's face lit up at the sight of the animal. "Oh, it's Sagwa! You know, the cat from Paquin?"

Mal sighed. "I know where it came from, Kaylee. I mean, what is it doing here, in the galley? Outside the cargo bay?"

Kaylee's face fell; she moved forward quickly to scoop the cat up into her arms. "Captain," she scolded, "it is a she, and she's a cat… you can't just expect to leave her cooped up in her crate till we get to Bellerophon."

"I can expect her not to have free reign of my boat! What if she gets into somethin' she shouldn't?"

Kaylee cuddled the cat closer. "She hasn't hurt nothin'. She's really sweet… and she's litter trained. Not like that cargo we took to Jiangyin. Them cattle stank up the whole ship!"

"Yes… well, they still stayed in the cargo bay."

"But she's so small. She won't get in the way."

Mal grunted, finally filling the coffee pot and turning off the faucet. "She's already been in my way."

"That's cuz you didn't let her drink the water straight from the sink."

Mal tossed Kaylee an incredulous look.

"Well, what do you expect?" Kaylee defended, scratching Sagwa's chin. "She's beautiful. All beautiful creatures get spoiled."

Mal turned away from his mechanic to grab a ration bar from one of the food drawers, hating to think of how true that statement was. "Just put her back in her box, would you?"

"Captain…"

He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth at the sound of that familiar pleading tone. He braced himself, facing Kaylee again and fixing her with a stern gaze. Her expression had effortlessly morphed into one of complete, pouting innocence.

Say no. Just say no. You're the Captain, this is your boat. You make the rules. The cat goes back in the box. He opened his mouth, then shut it again. Gorramit. "All right. Fine. But you got us this job, that cat is your responsibility. She screws anything up, or anything happens to her, and it's no one's fault but your own. Dohn-luh-mah?"

Kaylee grinned. "Yes, Cap'n! Duhn ruhn! I'll keep careful watch on her, don't you worry." She stepped forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, scampering off for the stairs that led down to the cargo bay. "Come on, pretty kitty," she crooned to the cat. "Let's get you some breakfast!"

Mal blew a breath through his teeth, shaking his head. Well, least she's not askin' me to keep it. He tore open the wrapper to the ration bar and took a bite.

Chinese Translations:
Kwai jio kai: Get lost.
Dohn-luh-mah: Are we clear?
Duhn ruhn: Of course.