Memory Lane

Chapter 4: Bullet Holes.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: If I said I owned them, I lied.

Mal walked back onto the bridge. Wash sat there, tinkering with the controls. "How far away are we?" He asked, walking closer. Wash sighed. "The same distance away we were the last time you asked me. Which was..." He thought for a moment. "Ten minuets ago. A personal best for you." Mal just rolled his eyes. As Mal walked away, Wash called over his shoulder, "Still a day away!"

When Mal walked into the dining room, River was lying on the table. "What in rutten hell are you doin' lil' Albatross?" He asked.

"I'm trying to hear her. But, she's too far away." River answered, staring at the ceiling. He headed to Inara's shuttle. "What'cha come up with?"

"Well, there are quite a few officers in the database. I told them that I had selected them. That's your way in." She told him.

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Nivia screamed out in pain. Her left shoulder began to bleed. She grabbed a hold of it, trying to keep the blood inside.

Nivia screamed out in pain. Her left shoulder began to bleed. She grabbed a hold of it, trying to keep the blood inside. "Baby, you stay strong for me," Mal said, pushing his hand on top of hers.

"I'll be fine.." She said, wincing in pain again.

"I need the doc!" He yelled. A distance away, Nivia heard a soldier pleading for his life.

"Please, don't. I have a wife, a child!"

"Then you shouldn't have gone up against us." The soldier said. Nivia couldn't let him die. She dug into her shoulder. She screamed and rooted around for the bullet. She pulled it out.

Nivia dug into her bleeding shoulder. She screamed in pain. When she pulled her thumb and index finger out of her shoulder, there was nothing between them, but she saw the bullet.

She picked up her gun, went up behind the Alliance soldier and shot him in the head. She extended her hand, and hoisted her friend up. "You gotta be more careful, Nark."

"Wait, you mean to tell me that she helped you?" The doctor asked Nark. He stayed silent. The doctor turned around and began to walk out of the room.

"And just where the hell do you think you're going?" Nark asked.

"Me and some of the others have a visitor coming in." Then, when he was almost out of the door, he turned around. "You better be glade she hadn't been shot any other place. That could have killed her. And, if you keep going, you will." When he was gone, Nark almost smiled.

"That's sort of the plan."

Next chapter coming soon. This is one of those "rising action" chapters.