Chapter 11

Most people who knew Malcolm Reynolds were aware that he was not a stupid man, but even he was surprised at how quickly he put together what had happened. One second he was kissing his loving wife and the next Inara said something he couldn't understand and suddenly he was flying through one of the infirmary windows. He wasn't sure how River had been able to throw him through the window, she shouldn't have anywhere near the physical strength to pull off such a feat, but the fact that he was now lying in a pile of broken glass outside the infirmary proved she'd managed to do it.

The realization that River had been triggered by the strange words Inara had spoken occurred to him as he was flying through the window. He was up and moving almost the second he hit the ground despite the blood gushing from the cut in his arm. He briefly considered turning to try and subdue his wife, but realized that she would probably kill him before he could even think of getting a hand on her.

Mal raced into the cargo bay with the sound of River's pounding combat boots directly behind him. He didn't have a plan, he simply ran in the hope of staying away from her until Simon could say the safe word and knock her out.

Almost as if reading his mind, which Mal then realized he probably was, Simon ran into the cargo bay and shouted, "Eta kooram nah smech!"

Mal sighed with relief and turned quickly hoping to catch River before she could hit the ground, he was worried that the babies would be hurt. Instead of finding his unconscious wife behind him Mal found her fist as it slammed into his face. As soon as she punched him in the face River delivered a swift blow to his kidney that caused Mal to cry out and fall to his knees.

Simon watched in horror as River began to pummel her husband, completely unaffected by the safe word he had screamed out. Not seeing any other option Simon raced forward and grabbed River by the shoulder, spinning her around so that she was facing him and away from Mal. She lashed out immediately throwing her fist at her brother's face. Simon managed to block the blow and the next one and the next as well. He hoped that he could simply hold River off until someone came for help or the trigger ended which ever came first.

Mal pulled himself up from the ground and looked up in fascinated horror as the Tam siblings fought each other. Mal had known River was an incredible fighter, but seeing her brawl with someone who could match her in speed and strength was a thing of wonder. The two moved so fast that they were a blur to the naked eye; Mal could only catch every third or fourth blow and then the two would again become a blur.

Although Simon was managing to hold his own against River, Mal knew it was only a matter of time before his wife got the better of her brother. Simon had had a few months of training from his sister and a rim world mercenary that could in no way compare to the intensive military training River had been put through for three years at the Academy. Just as this thought was crossing Mal's mind River managed to land a kick directly in the side of Simon's head, which sent him flying back about six feet.

The instant Simon was on the ground River again spun to face Mal. She was breathing heavily and red faced, but Mal knew she was no where near being tired out. She spun once and kicked him in the face. Mal felt blood gush into his mouth as his head whipped to the side and he fell once again to the metal grating of the floor. He was distracted from the pain a moment later when he felt a tug at his hip and realized that River had just pulled his revolver from his holster. He looked up to see the gun pointing directly at his face.

"River Stop! Fight it!" Mal yelled trying to reach her beneath whatever compulsion was driving her.

River hesitated, the gun wavered when just a second before it had been rock steady.

"Please bao-bei I know you can break whatever is in your head right now. You're stronger than them hun-dans!" Mal urged again.

River's hand began to shake wildly as it pointed at Mal. Her eyes were wide open with horror, sweat poured off of her, and her face was bright red with the strain of fighting the trigger. So slowly it seemed to happen in slow-motion River turned the gun away from Mal.

Mal's blood ran cold as River turned the gun from Mal and put it to her own temple.

"River stop! Think about the babies, if you hurt yourself you'll hurt them." Mal said gently.

"I can't stop the trigger. Have to stop myself." She stammered, obviously using every ounce of will power she had to speak.

"No bao-bei you put that gun back on me. If'n one of us is gonna get shot it's gonna be me." Mal instructed, the need to protect his family greater than anything else in the world.

River's face looked even more horrified as her hand turned again to her husband. Mal could see how hard she was fighting against the programming that had been put in her brain; she wasn't just breathing heavily anymore she was hyperventilating and her face had grown an even darker shade of red. Mal knew that this kind of stress couldn't be good for either her or the babies and he hoped that if she was going to shoot him she'd do it soon and stop hurting herself.

"That's right baby doll you just keep that gun pointed at me." Mal urged gently, obviously relieved, his fear of being killed much less than his fear of losing River.

"Simon knock me out! Please Simon!" River begged without taking her eyes off of Mal.

"He's out cold bao-bei." Mal informed her sadly and winced when he heard River cock the gun.

"I- I- can't stop. Mal I'm sorry." River sobbed.

"Its alright bao-bei. It ain't yer fault. Love you. You tell our babies I love em too." Mal whispered and closed his eyes.

The gunshot came only a second later, the sound deafening as it echoed around the cargo bay. Mal stiffened and jerked from the sound, but cracked open his eyes less than a second later when he felt no bullet tear into him.

To his shock he found Inara standing before him facing River. When she turned around to look at Mal he saw a bullet hole in her chest. She gave him a loving smile and crumpled to the ground. Moving quickly Mal managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

"Nara?" He asked not knowing what else to say.

"S-sorry Mal. I told them. Told them… River. I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"Shhh… Nara it's ok. Whatever ya did it's all over now." Mal comforted.

He glanced up quickly fearful that River would use his distraction to put a bullet in his head. River however was sitting on the ground, her knees pulled to her chest, and the gun sitting on the ground next to her.

Mal turned his attention back to Inara. She had begun to tremble in his arms and her breath made a disturbing rattling noise in her chest.

"Why'd you get in front a the bullet? You shouldn't have done that Nara." He whispered.

Inara coughed, causing a spray of blood to stain her lips and his shirt. "Love you Mal. Had to protect you. My fault." She whispered.

Another fit of coughing wracked her body and Mal held her tightly as she struggled to breath. He glanced desperately at Simon hoping the doctor could help her, but Simon was obviously still unconscious.

"Thank you for savin me Nara." He told her gently and wiped the blood from her lips.

Inara gave him another loving smile and reached a trembling hand to his face and touched his cheek gently.

"I should have left the Guild for you. We could have been happy." She said regretfully. Mal noted that her voice was growing weaker by the second, but she sounded more like her old self.

"It's all in the past Inara. Don't blame yourself." Mal comforted.

"Take care of her Mal." Inara instructed and looked over to where River still sat huddled and crying.

"I will. We'll take care of each other. You just hang on Nara, the Doc'll fix you up." Mal instructed.

"I love you Malcolm Reynolds. I always loved you, more than anything else." Inara said, her voice gaining a note of strength.

Mal could hear Inara's breathing catch in her chest and when he felt for a pulse he could feel it skipping beats. Her hand dropped limply from his cheek to her lap. He pulled her to him even tighter than before, determined to give her every ounce of comfort he possibly could.

"I'm sorry too Nara. I love you." He whispered into her ear and placed a gentle light kiss onto her lips.

Inara's eyes lit up with happiness, she pulled in one final breath , let it out in a soft sigh, and then lay still in his arms.