He retreated to the bridge, but he could still hear some of the laughter. He shook his head with a sigh and busied himself with checking on his ship. He was surprised when he received a wave.

"Badger, how can I help you?" he asked.

"I jus' wanted to let you know that Ducky has been taken care of. How's the little one? Did you get her back?"

"She's fine. I can't say the same about you though. You're actin' almost human."

This warranted a laugh.

"I do have my moments. I guess you can say I'm feelin' a bit guilty and I'm concerned 'bout our business relationship. So, is there anything I can do to make up for it?"

Mal let out a low whistle. "Are you sure you're okay? I'm a mite confused. Did you wake up with soul this mornin'?"

"This offer won't last, Reynolds."

"Now that you mention it, we left a few things we bought."

"What were they?"

"Medical supplies and food."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks. I assume I'll owe you one for this?"

"You might. We'll see."

"That's more like the Badger I know." He got ready to cut the wave but stopped. "When you said 'Ducky has been taken care of' what exactly did you mean?"

"He's…on hiatus…so to speak."

"I won't ask. Until we speak again."

"'Til then."

He cut the wave. The day was just getting better and better. When he didn't think that it could get any better, River came onto the bridge.

"You're on my side, Mal."

He turned around to meet her gaze. She was in her pink floral dress with white sweater combo. It moved with her as she swayed from side to side, waiting for him to move. She knew that he wouldn't so she went over to him and climbed onto his lap. He curled his good arm around her back. She looked down into his blue eyes with a faint smirk. Then, she bent down and brushed her lips across his. Her long hair tickled his neck.

"This is our bridge. I guess I could share once in awhile…" she shrugged. "If you'll share some of the other parts of the ship."

"Hm, where might you be goin' with this?" he asked playfully.

"You'll find out soon enough," she whispered with a sly smile. She kissed him again and slid off of his lap. "Simon needs some help getting around. I'll be back."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, sweetheart…" he replied. He kissed her hand like a gentleman. She left just as quickly as she had arrived.

She returned an hour or so later to take over piloting the ship. They shared a few minutes together before he had to leave and do some "captainy" things, one of which was dropping by to visit Mathis and make sure he was bound..."comfortable."

"You can't just drop me off on Whitefall! I have standing!" he protested.

"Not anymore you don't. Stop wastin' your energy arguin' and just enjoy the ride."

"As your prisoner?"

"Passenger."

"I'd hate to experience what your definition of 'prisoner' is…"

"Someone will bring you food," Mal walked outside of Mathis' room and then popped his head back in before shutting the door. "Eventually."

That night they all met up for dinner. That had always been Mal's favorite time of day. Dinner. He got to spend time with his crew, his family. He sometimes mused who would be who.

Zoe is his twin sister. She wasn't really older than he was and she definitely wasn't younger. They shared a bond that no one else could comprehend. Not even Wash could figure it out. She always had his back. They rarely fought and they thought the same way.

Jayne is his younger brother. Annoying and always trying to push him out of the spotlight, or in this case the leadership role. He had the impatience of a younger sibling. Mal cared about him, but his mercenary could be the most immature meathead in the 'verse.

Kaylee was his younger sister. The bright and sunny little sibling that you get along with and adore. That was Kaylee. She was sweet and innocent. He loved his mei mei.

Simon didn't have a place in the family really until after Miranda. He was the brother-in-law. You like him…sometimes. You respect him…sometimes. He can get on your last nerve and get in the way of the rest of the family, but he's a good guy and he loves your sister.

Book was the father. The voice of reason. Of course he rarely listened, but still he was there for advice.

Wash was the quirky old family friend. You felt like you knew him forever and he always had the best jokes and stories.

River…she's hard to place. But as he looked over at her and threaded his fingers with hers under the table, he knew where she belonged in the eccentric family. She belonged with him.

She leaned across the table and whispered in his ear, "I agree."

He smiled and squeezed her hand softly. A proximity alert went off. Mal stood up first. River was about to stand, but he held up a hand. "I got it. I'll be right back." He didn't want to interrupt his family's dinner.

He went up to the bridge. Luckily it was just a freighter passing by. He didn't hear her as much as he felt her enter the room. She wrapped her arms around his waist and set her chin on his shoulder with some difficulty.

"You're on my bridge again," she whispered against his neck. It sent chills through his body.

"I thought you said you'd share," he grinned as he turned around.

She slid her hands under his suspenders and pulled him into a kiss. She rested her lips against his even after they had stopped.

"If you'd share other parts of the ship," she reminded him mischievously.

"Like?"

"A night in your bunk sounds fair."

His heart started to race. She ran her hand through his hair with a sultry look in her big brown eyes.

"Darlin', we've been together less than a day. It just don't seem right hoppin' into bed so quick," he said gently. Another one of River's typical, "Oh please" looks was cast in his direction.

"I don't wanna take advantage or nothin' and after all that's happened I just…" he stopped in his tracks as she moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His strength was fading. She saw all of his apprehensions and couldn't help but laugh when she stumbled onto one in particular.

"Special hell?" she giggled.

"Well…" he shrugged sheepishly. She cupped his chin and made his eyes meet hers.

"If you really believed that, we wouldn't be together."

She had a point. He gave into a soft and quick kiss before pulling back, trying to be the reasonable one.

"It's just a mite fast is all."

"Do you love me?" she asked.

"Yes. Of course. I meant what I said."

"How long have you?"

"Close to a year I s'ppose."

"I love you. I have for a long time. The way I see it, mathematically speaking, is that the amount of time I've loved you plus the amount of time you've loved me plus the time we've been together as a couple is X+Y+Z. Then the ratio from the time two people start dating to the time they take their relationship to the next level is PN. Since we've just started dating, but bypassed from liking each other to already loving each other means that we can subtract U from PN. So, bringing all of this data into account, I'd say that X+Y+Z=PN-U. Which means, that the time works out evenly and technically it isn't rushing into anything."

He looked down at her, absorbing all of what she had just told him.

"So you're sayin' that although we haven't been a couple for more than a day, it all works out?"

"Yes. Mathematically speaking."

"So we wouldn't be rushin' anything?"

"No. The equation adds up."

He grinned like an idiot again. "Who am I to argue with math?"

He kissed her harder than before. It left them panting for a few moments after it ended.

"I love my mathematician. What do you say we try this equation out?"

"I do enjoy math…"

She took his hand, the one attached to the good arm, and led him to his bunk.

"Ladies first," he whispered, pressing his mouth right up to her ear. She shivered happily as he kissed down her neck.

She reluctantly went down the ladder. She would rather have stayed and enjoyed the moment, but she didn't want anyone seeing and neither did he. They had enough comments for one day.

He followed shortly after. She twirled around and waited until he had shut the hatch. They looked into each other's eyes for a lingering moment and then they darted to each other, locking in the most amazing kiss they had ever had.

She slid his suspenders off of his broad shoulders while his hands roamed her back somewhat awkwardly because of the heavy cast. She laughed when it got caught in her hair. He smiled and gently untangled it. He put his hand on her face and guided her lips back to his. She started to work on unbuttoning his shirt with one hand while the other rested on the nape of his neck.

He let his mouth explore any bare skin he could reach while she continued the process of getting the gorram shirt off of him. It was taking forever. She finally got the last button and he frantically tried to shrug it off. It worked on one side, but the cast was a hindrance once again. She was able to get it off of him finally. Her tiny hands moved over his skin, bewitching him completely. She kissed one of his many scars.

"I just wanna let you know that I really really truly and completely love you," he whispered sweetly into her temple before kissing her there. She smiled as he nuzzled into her hair with his nose.

"I love you too," sure her declaration wasn't as articulate, but the way that she said it sent his heart into overdrive. She said it sincerely with all of her soul in every word.

They found each other's lips again. Her giggle was muffled as he stuck his tongue in her mouth. He traced her collarbone with kisses and then lightly tugged on the string that held her sweater shut. It untied and he helped her pull it off. She moved back towards his bed and sat down on it while he worked on getting his boots off. She, like ninety percent of the time, was barefoot. He hopped out of the first boot. She laughed, completely enjoying the show. He yanked the other one off and tossed it carelessly behind him while gazing into her eyes.

He sat beside her on the bed and kissed her shoulder, like in his dreams, and pulled one of the dress straps down. She helped with the other one. He cursed when he saw that she had on her dancer shorts and a tank underneath. She blushed, at the cursing or his thoughts or maybe both, and planted a kiss on his neck before pulling the tank off. The undressing continued until their clothes ended up in various places around his bunk.

She kissed him everywhere she possibly could and he was left to groan under her skilled mouth and tongue. He ran his hands over every inch of her milky white skin. All he could think about was how much he loved this gorram woman and how lucky he was to be with her. She felt the same way about him, but he couldn't hear her thoughts like she could hear his.

They unraveled together, letting all of their love for each other burn like a supernova in the Black. She curled up across his chest and he draped his good arm across her back. She smiled at him and gave him an enchanting kiss before falling asleep. He fell asleep shortly after that. He woke up when he felt her stirring beside him. She was just readjusting, but it was enough to wake him.

He looked at her with the idiot grin on his face. She was brighter than all the stars in the 'verse put together and more beautiful. She had a ghost of a smile on her tasty lips too. He didn't want to wake her, but he wanted to kiss her. So, the inner battle raged on. Kiss her and wake her or not kiss her and watch her sleep. Luckily she yawned and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was his smiling face.

"Good morning," she muttered.

He didn't waste any time. He kissed her hard. She gripped his hair and kissed back just as hard.

"Mornin' to you too, darlin'."

He used her abdomen as a pillow. His hair tickled her so she giggled. He caught onto her ticklishness, so he started kissing her sensitive stomach. The giggle turned into a laugh as she wiggled under his unmerciful lips. He worked his way up to her neck and rested his head on her shoulder. She curled her arm across his shoulders and tenderly caressed his muscular arm.

"I should probably leave. I don't want everyone on this ship knowing our business."

He looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes. "Don't go! Please?"

"I need to take a shower!" she argued.

"I like the sound of that…" he replied suggestively with a light kiss on the cheek.

"Mal, it's early. Everyone will be up in an hour. I'll see you at breakfast."

"An hour is too long, sweetheart."

She kissed him and then stroked his hair while looking into his eyes.

"I'll miss you," she said softly. It made him melt.

"I already do."

She smiled and rolled out of bed to get semi-dressed. She moved to the ladder with her rest of her clothes tucked under her arm.

"I love you," he called.

"I love you more," she replied while going up the ladder.

"Do not!"

"Do to!" her voice floated down from the corridor above. He heard the hatch shut and he sighed deeply.

"Do not…"