Chapter 2- Did it work?
Summary: Did it? And Mal and River talk about what happened in that Fed base

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"Give me a second. Zoe's putting me through her diaper changing boot camp," Wash said with a weary sigh. "Warrior women."

"Take your time," Simon replied with a smile.

He was waiting with River to get the scoop from Wash about their warrants and things of the like. Simon had been refusing to look at River for the longest time—a few days actually—and now Kaylee was with him making the situation much worse.

"How'd you learn how to do that? I couldn't dream that move up! We gotta talk, sister!" she cried. River hadn't stopped blushing since Kaylee's initial, "Was the sex good?" comment.

"Some other time," she gritted out embarrassedly. "Simon, please talk to me."

He finally looked at her. "In my infirmary?"

"You two did that in my room that one time!"

It was Simon's turn to blush. "You know about that?"

"Yes! Now we're even."

Kaylee burst into uncontrollable laughter. He glared at them both.

"Fine. We're even. Just don't do it again. I'm going to pretend you're still innocent."

"I love you, Simon."

"I love you too, mei mei."

"Aw. See? It's all good. But you didn't answer me before! Was it good?" Kaylee asked.

"KAYLEE!" Simon and River sputtered in unison. Luckily Wash returned before she could ask again.

"Okay kids, here's the news: you're clear."

"Clear?" River asked.

"Everything is clean. There are no warrants, no record of there every being any warrants, nothing. I had Mr. Universe double check. He checked everything. Bounty hunters, black market, unlawful circuits, you name it, he checked it. There's nothing. It's like you two were never fugitives."

"Could we be again?" Simon asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. For now, you're completely safe. How about that?" Wash grinned.

"Thank you for looking into it," River said with a relieved sigh.

"No problem, fly girl. I have a ship to pilot. You better stop by later. I want to teach you a few cool maneuvers. They're top secret. Just for you and me. Got it?"

"Yes sir," she giggled.

"Ha! I can't wait to tell Mal you called me that! He's going to be so jealous!" he laughed and didn't stop until he got to the bridge.

"So I guess you two could go home now if'n you wanted to…" Kaylee said quietly.

Simon took her hand. "This is home, bao bei."

She beamed and gave him a kiss. River shut her eyes. "Ewww."

"Now you know what it's like!" Simon exclaimed triumphantly.

"I know what it's like," she shot back.

"You mean you've seen us…?" he gaped.

"Who hasn't?"

She laughed at how red he turned and then kissed him on the cheek. "Bye brother."

He watched her skip away in shock.

****

"Heya Zo," Mal said when Zoe stopped by to visit him with Nadia.

"I just put Wash through diaper changing boot camp."

"How'd it go?"

She started laughing. "He turned green and almost threw up."

"He did?"

"Yes he did. I told him that he wouldn't have lasted one ruttin' day in the trenches."

He smirked. "Now that's the pure truth. Wash in a trench…"

They both started laughing at the exact same time. Nadia joined in and they both laughed harder.

"That's the first time she's done that," Zoe commented.

"So how's motherhood?"

"Tiring, but good. Would you like to hold her, Sir?"

He looked at the tiny person hesitantly. "I don't know…"

"I trust you. Don't drop her or squeeze her to death."

He forced a smile. "Comfortin' words, Zo. Real comfortin'."

"You'll be fine. Here you go."

She put Nadia in his arms and he looked down at the wide Zoe-like eyes of his youngest crew member.

"Welcome aboard kid-o. I'm Captain Mal."

She stared up at him blankly. River walked in with a laugh.

"What?" he asked.

"She thinks that you look funny."

"I do not look funny!"

Zoe laughed and then directed her attention to River. "You can hear what my daughter thinks?"

"I can."

"Ain't that somethin'?" she smiled. "Well, it's time for a feedin'. We best be on our way. I'll see you both at dinner."

She gingerly picked the baby up and left the couple alone.

River kissed him on the top of the head and then sat beside him. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better. My hearin' is comin' back to me on that side."

"That's good."

"So…did it work? Are you and the doc cleared?"

"We are. Blonde checked with Mr. Universe and we're off every avenue. We're safe. For now."

He frowned. "For now?"

"We don't know if the warrants will come back or not."

"Didn't that guy say he'd prevent it?"

She tensed at the mention of him. Mal noticed her demeanor change. It was like that whenever he tried to talk to her about what happened a few days back.

"What happened in that base to make you this edgy?"

"What do you mean?" she countered. He glared at her.

"No games. Out with it."

She took a deep breath. He could be the jealous type and she didn't know how he'd react. "The reason I thought that he was bad was because he made me feel like I wanted to run away. That wasn't it. Butterfly hides like a moth to not be eaten."

"Why did that guy make you feel like that then?"

"Because he loved me."

He paused. "'Cause…he loved you?"

"I knew his presence was strong. That's why. I just assumed…it's all so new to me…"

"You know this…how?"

"He told me. We were pinned down. Hens caught in a corner with foxes ready to strike. Before we ran, he told me he loved me. Then he ran so we could escape. He died for us. Sacrifice for the village to stop the eruption."

"Okay…"

"He kissed me."

"He what?"

"Kissed me on the mouth."

Mal processed this information. "Did you kiss back?"

"No! Of course not! You're my duck and I'm your duck and he's a goose. I love you. Only you. And I couldn't pull away! The goose was fast for a goose! He didn't give me any warning and then his lips were on mine and then they weren't and he was saying goodbye and telling us to run and then we were running and running and I heard him in my head get killed because of me when I didn't even like him all that much…"

He started laughing. She stared at him strangely.

"This isn't funny. I don't see my joke."

"I know and there wasn't one. You get all sorts of cute when you're defendin' yourself. It's okay."

"It is? You aren't mad?"

"You didn't kiss back, right?"

"I had no time to do anything! Even if I did have time, I wouldn't have. I would have hit him."

"And you didn't feel anything for this guy, right?"

"Right."

"And you love me, right?"

"I love you."

"Then we're good. But if were to ever see him again, it would be a recipe for unpleasantness. Besides, I don't blame the guy. Who wouldn't love you? It's damn near impossible for anyone not to."

She smiled. "Jayne doesn't."

"I think he's startin' to come around. He hasn't tried to sell you of late. I think it's progress."

"I guess so."

"Good. So just relax and sit on over here."

"How can you tell when I'm stressed?"

"I have reader-like abilities."

She gave him an "Oh come on" look.

"You start talkin' in those riddles."

"I do that around you anyway. You care enough to figure them out. Simon cares, but he wants to make it go away with pills and shots when it's just who I am."

He patted the small amount of free space beside him. She lied down beside him—more like across him, it's a small bed—and he kissed her forehead. She didn't think that that was good enough, so she captured his lips with her own.

"Mal I-" Shepherd stopped in his tracks once he saw what was going on. They stopped too and looked at him, both feeling completely mortified.

He smiled at them kindly. "Never mind. I'll come back later…" with that, he slid the doors shut and left them alone.

"I can't wait until I can get outta here and to a proper room with some gorram privacy!" he exclaimed.

"Simon and Kaylee saw us."

"Saw us as in…?"

"I told you there were windows."

"They didn't!"

"Oh no…they did…"

"Jian qu chen lun gei te zhi di yu! You're jokin'! You have to be!"

"I'm not."

(Jian qu chen lun gei te zhi di yu- my worthless self be damned to the Special Hell)