Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly/Serenity people, places or things. Only Liara Hawke is my creation.

A/N Thank you to all those who reviewed and sent emails! You keep me going. Sorry it took so long to update. Enjoy

Chapter 4

Ruffled Feathers

The moment the words left my lips I wanted to call them back. Mal dropped his hands and stepped away from me, a look of consternation crossed his features before he controlled them as the doctor came in.

"Captain…" I whispered. It's not you, I wanted to say. Not you at all. I didn't mean it. But the moment was gone.

" Liara, you're back with us." Simon said.

"Yes, " I didn't say how happy I was to be back from where I had been.

" You lost consciousness in the galley and from my examination-"

" Examination?" I asked alarm in my voice.

" Just a cursory one." Simon said stepping closer to me. " I did a scan and determined you fainted from malnutrition, your body reacted to the food and possibly from the healing your body is doing from past trauma."

"Trauma?"

" Injuries, namely broken bones. There is evidence of scarring on your-"

"Look. I just haven't eaten a good square meal in a while that is all." Mal stood silent, his arms crossed.

" Unfortunately that is not all." Simon said firmly. He stepped up to the exam table. "Here I will show you. Raise your right arm a bit." He held onto my arm then placed his other hand on my abdomen and pressed slightly. I gasped aloud as pain flared. He might have jabbed a hot poker there as much as it hurt. He stopped immediately and gently brought my arm down. "Your ribs are severely bruised, one or two were close to being fractured. I'm amazed you can move around with the pain."

" I manage-"

"Not well enough to keep from passing out." Mal said.

" Well enough to take on Jayne." I shot back. Forgetting that Mal was captain and I , just the cook.

"Adrenaline." Mal smirked.

"I'm not a child. I can handle myself and heal myself for that matter." I said tersely. I wanted them to stop prying. I wasn't going to tell them. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Or me. I moved to hop down from the table.

Simon put a hand on my shoulder, gently but firm. "At least let me bandage your ribs. Unless you'd rather leave them as they are and be in pain." Simon said softly but his jaw was set. A stubborn man then? Who would have guessed it of the Doc? I opened my mouth to argue.

" I reckon you'll be of much use to me doubled over in pain." Mal said

I felt the blood rush to my face at his words. Another had found 'use' for me as I was, well enough. But this was Mal and he was now my captain. If I couldn't work I was just another mouth to feed, one that didn't pull its own weight. I would be better off not on his boat- to his way of thinking. I needed to stay, I wanted to stay. I nodded at the men and settled back on the table.

Simon went to a drawer in the cupboards along the wall and pulled a roll of bandages, a small white jar and gauze tape out, set them on a tray and rolled it over to the chair. "Lie back Liara." Simon said quietly. I found myself calmed by his voice. It was soft and articulated and cultured. Like those I used to hear at home, like mine used to be. His voice must be a useful tool as a doctor. Then I hesitated and almost involuntarily my eyes shot to Mal.

"You're safe Liara." Mal said. The captain didn't miss much.

"Would you excuse us Captain?" Simon asked so politely. Mal nodded and his long strides took him out of the sick bay quietly and quickly. He shut the door behind him.

I lay back again. " Is there a reason you are afraid of the Captain?" Simon asked as he cut a length off the roll of bandages.

"I'm not- It's just..I know I am safe." If I hadn't been, anyone could have done anything to me while I was unconscious. Simon put gentle fingers on the edge of my tunic shirt and moved it up to expose my abdomen and higher to my ribs. He paused and looked at me. I stared back at him. His brown eyes locked with mine. I looked away first. I knew what he could see without glancing down. Every inch of skin was mottled in shades of blackish-blue, purple, yellow and green.

" How did you get these? Simon uncapped the jar and took up a cotton ball. He administered the cream over my skin. It was cold.

"Work is hard." I replied through clenched teeth.

"As a galley cook? Captain Reynolds says that is what you were doing up until a month or so ago?" I didn't reply. "Liara, I can only do so much to help you. The rest depends on you. Trust is not easily found out here. But the captain is someone you can trust. You are his crew, I believe he trusts you."

"Why?" I was surprised.

" You will have to ask him."

I sat up and the good doctor wound the bandages around my battered torso while I held my shirt up. He taped the gauze in place. The cream he had applied was a soothing balm and the pain lessened some. The moment he was done I let the tunic flutter back into place. " I want you to eat simple foods in small amounts. You need to get your body used to food taken in regularity again. If you feel faint again tell me. I will check on your injuries in a day or so. Drink plenty of fluids and get some rest." He handed me a small pill bottle. "These are a mild pain reliever, they won't make you drowsy. I'll tell the captain that you are fit to work, as long as you take a care. Those bruises need to heal, your ribs will take longer but they will."

"Thank you Simon." I said softly.

"Just doing my job."

I hopped down from the table and went to the door. "Is your sister okay?"

"River? Why do you ask?"

"I heard her… in my dream. She was screaming." So was I , I thought.

"She was upset by something but she is sleeping quietly for now. It is hard to know what might set her off."

" Yes, I can imagine it is." I paused and then opened the door. "Goodnight Doctor." I left and pocketed the pills and made my way toward the bridge. I told myself I was going to see Kaylee but part of me hoped that I would cross paths with Mal.