AN: Hey all! So my threat to not update was obviously not that strong. It took two. Mad props to FOXSHOE and RIONAEIRE for calling my bluff and actually reviewing. So this is chapter is dedicated to them.
Another little thing I've noticed that no one else has noticed… I haven't written Book in this story at all and no one has mentioned it. It's not that I don't like Book… I just find his character kinda hard to write for in a scenario like this. I might bring him in later, but for now, we'll pretend that he is already on Haven off of Serenity.
Little note: Remember in Serenity how Mal went through the air shaft to get to River when she locked herself on the bridge… that's where I'm imagining Karáh and Jayne are hiding.
Disclaimer: They ain't mine. I can't do the awesomeness that Joss does. Totally wish I had his gift.
Karáh held her breath as Mal moved to open the door to Serenity, her heart pounding in her chest.
Mal took a fortifying breath and slapped the button to open the hatch with his whole palm. Karáh listened as the doors hissed open.
Mal stood back and watched as the stranger he hated to fervently invade the space he considered a sanctuary.
He was surprised to find that Havers was not that tall; and while the man was by no means obese, he had a girth to him. To him, Havers was not an intimidating man, but he could see how he could strike fear in Karáh's heart.
Havers sniffed and gazed at his surroundings. "Where is she, Captain?"
"Who? I have a fair number of 'she's on my ship. You're going to have to be a bit more specific about which one you mean." Mal struggled against the urge to tear the man's throat out.
"You know which one I mean. I mean the girl you … ahem… rescued… from the… what did you call them again? Reavers, was it?"
Mal feigned confusion. "Oh her? We left her on a moon a ways back. Didn't I mention that to you?"
Havers smirked as if he knew a secret.
"Would you like to know why I haven't shot your shuttles out of the sky, yet, Captain? Because I know the little bitch is here." Havers paused. "Crawley, find her."
One of the several men who had followed Havers in pulled out a device. He looked at it for a moment before heading off in the general direction of the bridge.
In a less than intelligent sounding voice, the man Havers called "Crawley" called out, "Over here, sir. The signal's comin' from up this way."
"Come, Captain. I have a feeling you'll be most helpful in finding my girl."
"What makes you think I'm going anywhere with you, you stupid piece of fei-oo?!"
"Such a strong sentiment from someone claiming not to know where she is," Havers pointed out. He cocked his own gun and aimed it at Mal's head. "Why do I have this feeling that threatening you life will have absolutely no effect on you?" He shifted his arm so that the gun was aimed at Mal's stomach. "Of course… I also seem to enjoy it terribly… So, Captain, tell me where she is before my man finds her, and you'll get to keep your health."
The sound of Havers threat floated up the air vent to where Karáh and Jayne were hiding.
Jayne stiffened beside her when he heard it. "That gorram bastard, doesn't know the captain very well does he?"
"J-Jayne, sir… we can't let him h-hurt M-Mal! He loves me!" Without waiting, for a response, Karáh crawled around Jayne and back in the direction they had come from.
"Gorrammit girl! Get back here!"
Karáh, however, was surprisingly fast in tight places.
"He loves me!" she repeated as she crawled farther and farther away.
Karáh had managed to make it back to the grating without making a sound and watched the events unfold before her.
Havers still had the gun pointed at Mal.
"I ain't sayin' a word."
"Captain, I do believe you just tried to call my bluff. Stupid thing if you ask me." Havers tightened his index finger around the trigger, shooting Mal; the bullet ripping through his stomach.
Karáh jumped, banging her head against the metal of the air shaft as she realized that her dream was starting to come true.
The resulting sound caused Havers, Crawley, and the armed gunmen keeping Mal in his place on the floor to look in that direction. Mal refused to look deciding that bringing even more attention to his feelings for her would only incite the malicious lord.
"Oh… go se…" Karáh turned as fast as possible in her confined space and crawled headfirst into Jayne who had followed her at a much slower pace.
"Run!" she told him.
Just as they were headed in the right direction, the sound of the grate being removed from its place caused them to panic.
"Sir! I've got her!" came Crawley's painfully loud bellow. He grabbed her by her exposed ankle and dragged her out of her hiding spot none too gently. She fell out of the air vent, twisting her ankle in the process, causing her to cry out. "Get up," Crawley said as he pulled her up roughly by her right arm. He got her reasonably steady enough and twisted her captive arm behind her back, nearly wrenching it out of its socket.
"Bring her here," Havers ordered.
Crawley put more pressure on her arm, effectively dislocating it, causing her to scream in pain once more.
"Don't toy with her, Crawley, Just bring her here," Havers said with a sick smile curving his lips.
Crawley pushed Karáh towards the steps. "Move."
She slowly limped her way in the direction of certain pain, agony, torture, and all sorts of unhappiness. Mal couldn't take it anymore. He had to look at her, to see if she would be alright, or if she was about ready to fall apart at the seams.
When she reached the stairs, Crawley decided she was going too slow for his taste, and he gave her an extra shove while releasing her injured arm.
Unsteady as she was, the extra force sent Karáh toppling headfirst down the stairs. Miraculously, she didn't break her neck, but lie at the bottom hugging her right arm to her body.
Mal watched all of this, unable to do anything about it beyond protesting, and he had a feeling that drawing attention to his feelings for her would only cause Karáh more trouble.
From his somewhat hidden perch, Jayne took aim at Havers and Crawley, but couldn't find a shot that couldn't possibly hit Mal or Karáh.
Karáh finally and painfully made her way to Havers, her eyes fully glued to the ground.
He looked at her in a sickly possessive way. "There you are, my dear. We were worried about you at home."
"I-I-I'm sorry I c-c-c-caused you t-to wo-worry," Karáh said, fear strong in her voice.
Havers backhanded her upside the head. "Caused me to worry what?"
"S-SIR! I'm s-sorry I c-caused you to wo-worry, sir."
"Better. Is there anything you would like to say to the captain?"
Mal looked up at her, hoping to catch her eye, to see if what he could do or something.
She kept her eyes to the ground.
"Th-thank you for sa-saving me…" she said. Havers nudged her painfully. "Fr-from the Re-Reavers… Ma- Captain," she qualified. Tears fell steadily from her eyes. She knew what was in store for her; she knew there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
"Let's go." Havers put his hand in the small of Karáh's back and propelled her forcefully forward. "I wouldn't suggest coming after us, Captain. It will only make things worse for everyone."
With that, Havers, Crawley, and the rest of Havers' small army, made their way off of Serenity.
They were on board for no more than five minutes.
AN: OHS NOES!!! WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?!?! Muahahaha! I can't let everything be so easy for them! I want this story to go on at least a bit longer. Anyhoodles! I expect oodles and doodles of reviews before I post the next chapter. It actually might take a while because with this chapter ends the material that I already had written up, but fear not! I have more in my noggin. So! Review and see what happens next!!
Oh, and b.… The rating is moving up to M, so be ware for next time.