When Mal woke up it was to an extra warmth in his bed that he realized was a body. He blinked the sleep away and smiled, memories of the night before coming back to him. When he rolled over Jo was still asleep, her long blonde hair fanning across her back and his sheets. Her face was toward the room, he reached across to move some strands of hair away from her neck and kiss her. She gave a soft sigh and her body moved toward his instinctively. His smile grew as he ran a hand down the length of her back and over one cheek of her backside. He watched her head pop up then from her pillow. She turned her face toward him with a slightly shocked look.

"Mornin' Sunshine…" He said with a smile.

"Oh boy…" She said softly watching him. His smile dimmed a little at that.

"Shah muh?" he asked reaching out to stroke her face.

He watched her swallow hard before she asked, "You're not upset with what happened?"

"Why would I be since it was my idea?" He asked moving closer to her and stealing a kiss. The kiss turned a little longer then he expected and when they pulled apart they where both breathing a bit faster. She sighed and ran a hand through his rumpled hair, "Does this mean I didn't completely send you over the edge with my tantrum last night?"

He smiled, "No…fact I think some things needed sayin' and I'm glad they got said."

"Does this mean I can come with you when you see Badger?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

She saw his jaw clench, "Mal…" She said on a half whine letting her face fall back into her pillow. She heard him give an exasperated sigh and felt the bed give as he climbed over her and started to pull on clothes. She turned her face and watched him as he moved around his room. She had always loved his body and the sheer height of him. She saw him run a hand through his hair as he stared in the mirror and she smiled, a cowlick at the back wouldn't lie down and he gave a shrug as he tucked his shirt into his pants and then sat beside her to pull on his boots.

"So…now what?" She asked him.

He glanced at her, "What do you mean?"

"Where do we go from here?" She asked.

"You get dressed and go get something to eat, I have to get to the bridge and check on how far we are from Persephone then I'll meet you for a bite." With that he was up and moving for the ladder.

"Mal…wait!" She said sitting up…"I mean…" She shook her head and motioned a hand to the room trying to get what she was going to say right. She heard him clear his throat and looked back at him.

"We'll deal with it after we do what's needed on Persephone. Now get dressed, I don't know about you but I'm hungry." With that said he was gone.

"Kao!" She swore before reaching for her own clothes.

By the time Jo was dressed and made her way to the dining area Mal was already there and getting a cup of coffee. Zoe, Simon and Jayne where also present.

"Mornin'." Zoe greeted Jo as she entered the room.

"Hi…so, how much further from Persephone are we?" She asked looking at Mal.

"Bout' two hours." He answered handing her a hot mug. She took it carefully and nodded.

"And when we get there?" She prompted putting the mug down but watching him carefully.

"You'll wait here and I'll deal with the problem at hand." He said passing her by and taking a seat at the table.

She shook her head and gave a small laugh and a tight smile, "Yup, I fixed it alright…" She muttered before turning and leaving the room.

Mal watched her go but didn't get up to go after her. Zoe and Kaylee were watching him. He sipped his coffee and said, "It's not like she can go anywhere…" Zoe nodded and glanced at Kaylee, "Think he's right?" She asked. Kaylee shrugged, "I couldn't say but I think we'll find out in two hours."

Persephone / Eavesdown Docks 2 Hours later

Jo had gone back to her room and packed all of her things after leaving the dining area. She had left the bags waiting by the cargo bay doors and returned to her room to dress, this time in black leather pants, black boots to the knee and a white cotton short sleeve shirt and a short black jacket cut to her waist. What was more noticeable then her attire was the sheath attached at her hip it held a long blade, The hilt was black inlayed with silver. She stood waiting hands on hips as Mal, Jayne and Zoe met up with her at the cargo bay doors. Mal gave her the once over and asked tightly, "You goin' to war? Cause your not goin' with us." She gave him a nasty look. "I paid you to get me to New Melbourne and back to Persephone, congratulations on a job well done Captain…now I'm going to pay a visit to Badger, you can come or you can stay…either way your job is complete as the original agreement stood." With that, she turned to go, her hair was bound back with a black leather queue and Mal stopped her by wrapping a hand around it and holding tightly

She turned in his grip and they stared at each other in silence for a beat before she said, "We can do this together or I can wait until you leave and get off this ship and do it by myself. Either way…I'm going …now let me go."

He took his hand out of her hair and she took a step back from him. Zoe watched as they sized each other up in silence. Jo turned then and made for the ramp. "Sir?" She said quietly.

"Let's go." Mal answered tightly.

When the four reached the entrance to Badgers tent Mal grabbed Jo's arm, "Wait…do me a favor please, and stay behind Jayne and me until you know when to step out. I want to see if the surprise is as great as I expect. Follow our lead and keep your temper, Dong Ma?" She shook off his hand and gave a tight, "Fine." Mal nodded and he and Jayne went in first with Zoe and Jo behind them.

Badger was at his desk, a young girl on his lap laughing lightly. Mal and Jayne stood waiting as he shooed her away and turned to face them, "Well, well…look what the cat dragged in. Bout' time you showed up. Where's my gorram money?" He asked retaking his seat.

"Well now seems that the stone and the cash where stolen right out from under us. We where commin' to ask you the same thing."

Badger raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean stolen out from under you, don't tell me Captain Reynolds that you let that little lady swindle you out of your share."

"This little lady?" Mal said stepping aside to show Jordona standing behind him. It was too late to stop what happened next, before anyone could say anything the knife was in Jo's hand one moment and hurtling toward Badger the next. It clipped his ear and lodged itself in the back of his chair.

"Hello Badger." She gritted marching toward him. Badger let out a curse as she leaned across his desk and reclaimed her knife. He reached up and felt the blood as it trickled down his face. "You bitch!"

She smiled at him; everyone in the room had gone still the second she had tossed the knife, now there where small clicks around the room as Badger's security all aimed their guns at Jo, Mal, Zoe and Jayne. She smirked at Badger, "Now, now…let's not get carried away. You kill me and you'll never get the real stone…I assume by now that you've seen it, had it examined. Pretty isn't it, but not real…you didn't think I was that stupid did you?" She said on a small sigh and a smile.

Badger's eyes had turned hard, "You tricked me…"

Jo let out a laugh, "Yeah…funny isn't it? You thought you where gonna get the cash and the stone and watch me die at the same time….you stupid piece of go se!" She snapped sliding the knife back into it's sheath.

Mal and Zoe exchanged a look then turned their attention back to Jo and Badger.

Badger waived a hand at his men, "Lower your guns." He gritted. He leaned across his desk and looked at Jordona, "Now, you owe me for finding your crew of choice and for not killing you where you stand, I want half the remaining bounty or you watch as I cut down your lover and his friends." His men took aim at the middle of the room where Mal and company stood.

"Jo…can I have a word please?" Mal asked tightly.

"I've got it covered Mal, relax…Badger won't hurt you. Because if he did, he knows he'll never see a dime…don't you Badger?"

Jo watched Badger grit his teeth before he cursed and leaned back in his seat. She smiled, "Let them go and I'll give you your promised cut."

"Where's the real stone Macleod?" He asked her.

"Safe…someplace you'll never find it." She answered with a smirk.

"Let them go…" he waived at his men.

"No! I'm not goin' anywhere; I want to know what the hell's goin' on!" Mal yelled.

Jo turned and gave him a soft smile. "Nine years we've been apart. I'm not a little girl anymore Mal, I've changed too. I had to survive…I did some things I regret, but I also picked up some skills in the process." She had moved to stand in front of him and she reached up and ran her hand across his cheek pulling him down into a kiss. She pressed herself close to him and he returned it and felt her press something into the pocket of his jacket…it was heavy and he suddenly realized it had to be the real stone. When they stepped apart, he watched her, she smiled, "I love you." She whispered quietly.

Badger smacked a hand down onto his desk, "Enough of this sentimental crap, give me my money Macleod!"

"Let them leave first and I'll give you your cash." She said quietly never taking her eyes off Mal.

"Fine, escort them out!" Badger yelled.

"No…!" Mal snapped.

"Yes…go, I'll be out in a few minutes." Jo said to him as she watched Badger's goons push the three of them back and down the hall the way they'd come in.

Badger came to stand beside Jo as they watched them leave. "Where is it?" He asked her quietly.

"The stone was always a fake Badger; I never had the real thing. If you'd have kept your end of the bargain none of this would have happened." She said turning back to his desk with a sigh. She reached into her jacket and removed two, then four more packets of cash. "You can count it if you like but it's all there." She watched him round his desk and take apart the money. He began to count it slowly, when he was done he gave a sigh, "Pleasure doing business with you Ms. Macleod. In the future however keep in mind that I always get what I want." The gunshot was loud and sent Jo flying backward. Badger snorted, "Dump her outside to her friends." He said as his men picked up Jo's body and started down the hall.