Chapter 1
Mal stood on the catwalk overlooking the cargo bay with a dumbfounded look of shock on his face. River walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"What's got you so conflicted ai-ren? I could read you all the way from the galley." She asked and planted a kiss on his back right between his shoulder blades.
"That right down there is what's got me so messed up." Mal replied and pointed down to the cargo bay floor.
River stepped around Mal so that she could see what he was looking at. A look of shock which matched her husband's crossed her face but she quickly wiped it away.
"He's doing really well." She complimented.
"I know that's what's so creepifying." Mal countered.
The couple stood in silence looking down at the sight in front of them for another five minutes.
It was when Simon punched Jayne hard enough to knock him across the room that Mal and River hurried down the stairs and into the middle of the spectacle they had just been watching.
"Jayne are you alright? I'm sorry I didn't mean to hit you so hard, guess I just got carried away huh?" Simon apologized as he offered a hand to the merc and helped him to his feet.
"S'ok. That was a good hit." Jayne assured him but rubbed his jaw and gave the doctor a slightly disgruntled look.
Ever since Simon had found out that he like River had been genetically engineered he had been determined to push the limits of his advanced genes as much as he could. That included having River and Jayne train him in combat. When he'd started training a month after he and Kaylee had been married Mal had been convinced that it was a hopeless cause. Simon couldn't throw a punch to save his life and his aim with a gun was terrifying it was so bad.
But now six months later Mal could hardly believe he was the same man. He had not only learned to shoot with an accuracy that rivaled Jayne's but with River's training he was better at hand to hand combat than anyone on the ship excluding his mei-mei.
As much as it freaked Mal out to see Simon acting like a badass he had to admit that it was nice having another gun hand on the ship. With the tendency their jobs had of turning pear shaped there was no way he was going to refuse the skills of one more genetically engineered super fighter.
"Still seems weird watchin yer brother beat up Jayne. Never in a million years did I think I'd see that." Mal commented as he and River headed to their bunk to clean up for dinner.
"It is rather disconcerting I admit. Simon was never one for physical exertion even when we were children. But he has progressed further than I ever thought he would. In fact he may someday even be able to take me on. Although I don't think he'll win, but perhaps he might give me a challenge." River joked as she pulled off the dirty clothes she'd been working in and slipped a dress over her head.
"Kinda funny though that ever since you and Jayne turned Simon inta a killer we ain't got caught in even one fight." Mal observed.
"You sound like you're upset about that." River teased.
"Well just makes me all on edge. Things go right for too long just makes me think something big and bad is on the way."
"You worry too much ai-ren. Maybe we've had all of the bad things that will happen to us happen already and from here it will be smooth sailing."
Mal smirked and gave River a kiss. "You're startin ta sound like Kaylee with a sunny disposition like that one."
"And just what is wrong with a sunny disposition?" River asked with her hands on her hips.
"Nothin, just here on this ship it never seems ta pan out does it?" Mal replied as he slipped off his shirt.
"Maybe it's that attitude." River argued.
"Hey now I'm just bein realistic." He whined.
"Fine you be the realist and I'll be the dreamer, we really do make such a perfect pair." River giggled and wrapped her arms around Mal's neck.
Mal picked her up and groaned loudly as River began to kiss and nibble on his earlobe and neck. Her nimble legs wrapped around Mal's waist as he walked backwards until his legs collided with the bed, he sank down slowly so that River was straddling him. She continued to focus her attention on his neck as he struggled to kick off his boots. He could barely focus on prying the annoying boots off as River's tongue danced enticingly down his neck and over his collar bone before she stopped to suck and gently bite one of his nipples.
Mal hips bucked up against her as she continued lower down his body; licking and nipping at his stomach and hips. She gave him a wicked smile as she undid his belt and slipped his pants and boxers off in one smooth motion. Once he was naked she slipped down lower and began to draw long lines up his thighs with her tongue. She licked up each thigh and all around him without once actually touching his acing erection. Mal grabbed the sheets of the bed and twisted them in his fists as he struggled to maintain control. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of the delicious torture River was inflicting on him she took him into her mouth. Mal threw his head back in ecstasy and moaned as her tongue swirled skillfully around him.
After only a few seconds Mal pulled her up and flipped them over so that she was pinned under him. He returned the teasing she had subjected him to, starting slowly at her ear and working his way down her body. River gasped loudly and her body trembled when Mal's tongue finally found her hot center; he brought her to the very edge of release and then pulled back before she could climax. River gave a small moan of protest that was quickly replaced by one of desire as he moved himself between her thighs and entered her in one deep thrust. They didn't take their time, but built almost instantly into a hard fast rhythm. River's legs tightened around him and her nails bit into his back as her orgasm took her over. Mal looked down to see River's head thrown back in ecstasy, her eyes were squeezed shut and short screams of pleasure were issuing from her throat. It was seeing his wife like this that took Mal over the edge as well. He shuddered and screamed out himself as he came into her.
Mal collapsed on top of River for a moment breathing heavily as he tried to regain his composure. After a few seconds he lay down next to her and pulled her over so that she was curled against his side. They didn't speak for a long time, but simply lay and enjoyed being together. It was finally River's stomach growling loudly that brought Mal back to reality.
"Guess we better get up there for dinner huh?" He said and gave River a long deep kiss and the boyish smile that she loved so much.
"I am hungry I admit." River agreed.
She sat up on the bed and began brushing her hair. The sight of his wife sitting and brushing her hair in the nude was almost enough to make Mal grab her for another round of love making, but he knew that the rest of the crew was probably waiting dinner on them.
Once they had both put themselves back together they headed to the galley to find Kaylee and Simon making out against the counter.
"See bao-bei look how they make dinner. Why can't we grope all over each other to get the cooking done?" Mal joked and then laughed when Kaylee and Simon quickly pulled away from each other and returned to their meal preparations.
"Where's Jayne and Zo?" Mal asked as he sat down in his usual chair.
"Where do you think they are?" Simon asked and raised an eyebrow at Mal.
Mal sighed loudly sounding more annoyed than he actually was. The crew had confronted Zoe and Jayne about their hidden relationships at the weddings and since then the couple had openly been together. Mal didn't think they'd ever get married; Jayne wasn't really the kind of man to take vows like that and Mal thought Zoe wouldn't ever get married again, but they did make each other happy.
Maybe a bit too happy. Mal thought. He knew that he and River had an extremely healthy sexual relationship, but Zoe and Jayne took things to a whole new level. Seemed like all the free time they had was spent in their bunks making love.
Once Kaylee and Simon finished dinner Mal banged loudly on the hatch to Jayne's bunk.
"Hey chows on and I'm starving so get yer pi-gu's up here fer dinner." He called through the locked hatch.
"Five minutes Sir!" Zoe yelled back.
Mal shook his head and walked back to the galley. "Gorram crew ruttin all the time. S' a wonder we ain't fallen outta the sky yet, probly no work been done in months!" Mal muttered to himself, completely ignoring the fact that he and River were having their fair share of sex as well.
True to their word Jayne and Zoe sat down at the table almost exactly five minutes later. The three couples happily dished up the food and began to eat, the conversation flowing easily between everyone at the table.
It had been like this for nearly a year now. The crew had truly grown into a family, Jayne no longer resented or belittled River or Simon and in turn everyone had grown much kinder to Jayne. Mal thought about this as he happily took in the scene before him, his family all happy and safe aboard their home, it was what he'd always wanted, but thought he'd never have.
Mal's happiness was dashed when he thought about how it probably wouldn't last, he hated the fact that he believed that, but life had taught him that inevitably things changed and usually not for the better.
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The two Alliance officials walked quickly down the opulent hall of the temple. Their surroundings were soft and feminine and the two men dressed so sterilely stood out in harsh contrast. They turned simultaneously and entered the room to their right. The room was large, dark, and seemingly empty. Against one wall sat a large shrine and after a moment a light broke through the darkness as a match was suddenly struck. A candle was lit and in the dim illumination the Alliance men could make out a silhouette near the alter. The walked confidently towards the figure and stopped a few feet away.
"Miss Serra thank you for meeting with us." One of the men said quietly.
"It's my pleasure I'm sorry it has to be in such secretive circumstances." Inara whispered in return.
"Perfectly understandable Miss Serra, I'm sure the Guild would be less than thrilled to know that their top Companion was helping to bring known fugitives to justice. A very worthy cause, but one that is, how should I put this? Less than appropriate for one as refined as you." The agent returned.
"Well I thank you for your understanding. Here is everything I could think of to help you find them. It's a description of the ship, names and locations of contacts that they have, and personal information about each crew member. I hope it will help you accomplish your goal." Inara said with the same even grace that she always spoke with and handed one of the agents a data stick.
"I'm sure your information will be most helpful in tracking them down. Very soon River and Simon Tam will be back home where they belong." The second agent said with a wide grin.
"Just remember our deal. Malcolm Reynolds is not to be injured." Inara said forcefully.
"Trust us Miss Serra we don't want to harm anyone, we simply want to return two very dangerous individuals to where they can be watched and taken care of." The first agent assured her and then the two men turned and walked from the temple.
"The issue of Malcolm Reynolds?" The second agent asked his comrade as they boarded their shuttle.
"He will be disposed of along with the rest of the crew. Anyone who has had contact with the Tams must be eliminated, including Miss Serra. Her death must look like an accident, she is too well known in Core society circles to simply erase." The first agent answered.
As the shuttle took off the two agents loaded the data stick up onto the computer. They quickly scanned through the information and both men broke into wide smiles.
"This information should lead us straight to Serenity. We will have the Tams returned to their mother within the week." The first agent said with an almost gleeful ring to his voice.
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A/N- Hope you enjoyed the first chapter in this sequel. I probably won't update this one quite as often as the first story, but I'll try and update as much as possible.