New chapter. Bit shorter than normal I apologise.
Please read and review as normal.
Chapter 2: Alice
"The Core? Are you crazy?" Jayne snaps.
"According to the doctor no one is looking for the Tam's anymore, ain't that right?"
Simon stares at the table and shrugs. He doesn't see Kaylee's strange look.
Zoë frowns over the business card in her hand. "Who exactly is Alexis Marillion?"
Mal grins wickedly. "Pretty girl. Lots of money."
Zoë raises an eyebrow and gives him her patented 'I-know-you're-up-to-something-Malcolm-Reynolds' look.
Kaylee stares at him hard but there is no flicker of the shaking creepifying man from the engine room barely an hour ago. She suppresses the shudder in her spine. She isn't sure which Mal scares her most.
"There is one snag doctor," Mal says.
Simon's head comes up instantly. "What?"
"It'd be on Osiris."
River looks at her brother who has gone a little pale. "That's not a problem anymore."
There is a moment of silence in the room. Simon's face is white. River has grabbed his hand tightly. Jayne is still glowering as though Mal has just insulted his mother. Kaylee doesn't know why.
"So who is she?" Wash asks looking up confused.
Mal gives him a look. "Makes good bao. Steals stuff. Goes by the name Mrs. Reynolds on occasion."
There is a moment of shocked silence.
Then Kaylee blurts out. "Saffron?"
"The very same," Mal says.
Zoë rests her elbows on the table and looks at him. "Really?"
"You don't approve?"
"What's the take?" she asks with arched eyebrow.
"Wealthy new husband. Collector. Earth-that-was stuff it's rumoured. She would be mighty upset if we relieved him of some of it."
"Personal vendetta Mal?" Inara says softly.
He shoots her a grin. "You always said out best job was in the core."
"But Saffron? Your record against her is not good Mal…"
"Third time lucky then."
Wash is holding then business card. "So how did you get this?"
"If it isn't Malcolm Reynolds."
The high-heeled foot hits the wall in front of Mal so that a length of naked leg blocks his way.
"I knew those rumours of your death were exaggerated."
Mal looks up at the woman from beneath his hat. Nice leg, he thinks with the haze of a man well on his way to being drunk.
"YoSaffBridge," he sighs. "Whoring your way through the core now?"
She smiles languidly and lowers her leg. "I know marriage is hard Mal, but faking your own death? We can work things out…" she purrs.
Mal stares at her open-mouthed for a moment. "You are tweaked in the brainpan woman!"
She laughs lightly and tickles him under the chin patronisingly. He fingers are tickling him.
"You are such an easy mark Mal. I'm doing well since your 'death'…"
"Last time I heard about you Inara was locking you in a trash bin…"
"And last time I saw you, you were stark naked in the desert," she shoots back. "I got out of that one." She bats her eyelashes at him. "I always get out of things. Anyways I like the Core." Saffron flashes a ring worth several thousand platinum at them.
Mal feels his eyes drawn to the flashy sparkle. Hmmm, maybe he can use this meeting to his advantage. He flashes his eyes over her swiftly. Hmm looks like a business card in that pocket on her hip.
"I'm doing well here."
"Yes another wealthy husband I'll bet."
She reaches out and caresses his cheek, his scar. She presses herself close to him. Mal can use this.
"I even cried when I heard you were dead…"
His carefully dips his fingers into the pocket on the hip of her coat. "Yeah big fat crocodile tears I'm sure." His fingers close around the card and he pulls his hand back quickly. Sometimes pickpocketing has its place. He learned this after the war, before Serenity, when no one would employ a Browncoat. He folds his arms, hiding the card in his armpit.
"You can't rile me Reynolds," she smiles sweetly as she turns to leave. "Be seeing you."
"Not if I can help it."
"By the way," she shoots over her shoulder as she departs. "Nice hat."
Mal tips his hat at her back as she leaves and pockets the card.
Mal looks to Zoë, "Stoop to be on my arm?"
Inara's frown speaks volumes.
Mal looks at her. "Inara, you and the doc are going to be my distraction."
"What?" they both say at the same time.
"Well you're both all fancy like. I'm sure you can smarten up a bit doc."
Simon is staring at him like he has grown another head. "But Osiris…" he finally mumbles.
"Thought you told me the Feds weren't looking for you anymore?" Mal narrows his eyes. "You never did explain the hows and whys of that."
Simon glances at his hands, and sees them as they were, reddened with blood. His stomach rolls a little. He can't tell them. "Nothing to tell."
"Good. Have to make use of your…'special skills'."
Kaylee looks up as Simon looks at the table. What in the 'verse is he talking about.
"Alright then. There's a ball as well. So Zoë, you might want to find a dress." Mal spreads a printed out building plan on the table and doesn't see his first mate's aghast look. "Right this is the plan…"
Wash looks up at the ship and knows. Maybe this is how Mal felt about Serenity.
The salesman looks at him. Then at Zoë. Then back at him.
"We'll take it!"
The salesman goes to complete the paper work.
"I get to name it!" He yells before she has even said a word.
"Yes dear."
"The dinosaur," he says proudly.
Zoë wants to throttle him. Not only has he spent all their savings on a ship that looks like it might not get off the ground, he wants to name it the 'Dinosaur'. She shakes her head. Maybe Wash isn't that different to Mal. She still misses Mal.