Josephine and Mal followed the manservant reluctantly, their footsteps echoing loudly through the empty corridor. Their interrupter kept his distance, staying out of arm's reach, as though he could feel the Captain's glare on his back.
Jo managed to stifle her laughter as she snuck a quick glance at Mal's sour expression. He had surprised her by offering his arm awkwardly as they left the room. The gesture was kind, but Josephine suspected that it was made only because he thought that here, in the grandeur of the Training House, it was expected. But she knew it to be completely unnecessary. All the same, she had accepted and now walked next to him, her right arm intertwined with his own. Her other hand held the cane that Efram had presented her and she used it now to ease the pressure on her leg. Jo managed to walk with only a slight limp now and she looked favorably towards that day when she would no longer need the dark mahogany stick.
The manservant turned down one of the many passages off of the large hallway and stopped near a pair of large doors. He stood ramrod straight, tilting his chin up slightly and looking slightly towards Mal's left.
"The main dining room," he proclaimed loudly.
Mal turned his head, glancing behind him quickly. He refused to believe this performance was meant for Josephine and himself, but there wasn't anyone else in the hallway. He looked down at Josephine who shrugged in response and reached forward to open the door. The servant grasped the handle before her, indignation crossing his face briefly as though she should have known better, and pulled it open. He tilted his head down slightly as though he were staring at the floor and Jo tugged gently on Mal's arm as he stared openmouthed.
"Come on," she whispered, unable to keep from smiling as she led him through the entrance. The door closed with a soft thud behind them and Josephine thought she could hear the servant mumbling under his breath as he went back to his duties.
"How bad is it when the help considers you unrefined?"
The Captain glanced down at her, happy to see that she wasn't seriously considering it. "That ain't refined darlin'," Mal said, pointing behind him. "That's a highfalutin little twerp with a stick the size of a shotgun barrel shoved way up his..."
"Mal... Josephine. Won't you join us?" Inara's pleasant voice floated over to them from a large table in the center of the room, effectively cutting Mal off and getting their attention.
The table was large, a ten-seater at least, and like everything else at the training house it was lavish.
Everyone else was already seated as well as a few attractive older women whom Josephine assumed were teachers like Inara. Two seats had been left open for the late arrivals and Mal stopped just short of the table when he realized they weren't together. He stood for a moment, contemplating asking the others to move when Josephine squeezed his hand gently and went to sit in the empty seat next to Inara. Mal stared at Jo and Inara, worrying over the prospect of the two of them so close together, before taking the other empty seat next to Zoe.
As if someone had magically announced that the last guests had arrived, dinner began to be served and Josephine felt her stomach rumble at the site of the soup placed before her. Mal had managed to distract her enough to forget that it had been quite awhile since her last meal and the others seemed to agree as they hungrily dived in. Jayne managed to abandon any sense of decorum as he gave up on the small spoon he'd been given and instead raised the bowl itself to his lips.
As soon as they had finished the soup the bowls were removed and replaced with the main course, a steaming plate of chicken, garnished with fresh vegetables and Josephine thought her heart would skip at the sight. This meal was along way from the protein bars and processed foods of Serenity.
Inara choose this moment to initiate the polite dinner conversation that seemed necessary in sophisticated society.
"How did everyone find their rooms?" She had addressed the group in general, but it was Kaylee who answered her.
"Oh 'Nara, it's lovely! I never seen anything so beautiful."
Inara smiled at the young mechanic, but it faltered at Jayne's next comment.
"What in the diyu does anybody need so many gorram pillows for? Ain't they all gonna wind up on the floor anyway?"
Mal buried his face in his napkin, effectively hiding his smile but unable to hide the snort that accompanied it.
Inara frowned at them both and turned to Josephine. "And how do you like it here?"
The Captain turned his attention to Jo as well, interested to hear what her response would be. She paused for a moment, as though seriously considering her choice of words.
"It's beautiful here," Jo began, "you've been too generous already." She turned to look at Mal, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I'll have to be very careful and take it all in small doses, I imagine it's easy to get used to."
Mal frowned slightly at her smiling face and stabbed a tomato with the pointy end of the chopsticks he'd been given along with his other utensils.
Thinking it best not to tease the Captain too much, Josephine turned her attention back to the companion next to her.
"How are the other women... and Efram?"
Inara took a quick sip of her wine, swallowing hastily to answer her. "They're being well taken care of I assure you."
"When can I see them?"
The companion couldn't hide her shock and surprise at Josephine's question. "You're free to go anywhere here that you'd like, as are they, and can see them any time. If you'd like, when we're all through here, I can take you there myself."
"I'd like that."
They finished their dinner in relative silence and as dessert was served everyone seemed to break off into their own conversations. Kaylee and Simon whispered quietly to each other and Jayne turned his attention to the other companions at the table. Even Zoe and River found something to talk about as Mal turned his attention once again to Josephine and Inara across the table. He was none to happy to see them speaking quietly, their heads inclined gently in the others direction. He strained his ears to hear what they were talking about but Kaylee and Jayne's increasing drunken laughter managed to stifle it.
Without warning, both women stood up and Mal immediately rose to his own feet, the whiskey he'd been nursing all evening still grasped loosely in his hand.
Josephine smiled at him warmly. "I'll only be a moment. Take your time and I'll meet you in the room."
Mal nodded and sat back down quietly. He managed to only look slightly dejected as he watched Inara lead Jo out of the room. His eyes roamed silently over the rest of his crew. He glanced at Kaylee and Simon, who's actions were quickly turning inappropriate, briefly and thought about telling them to knock it off before deciding to let them be. Mal wasn't at all surprised to find Jayne leering and laughing with the remaining companions but he was surprised to find that they seemed to have taken a liking to the large mercenary. Even River had gotten up and was now swaying to some music only she could hear on the far side of the room, a dreamy expression on her face.
The Captain turned back to the drink in his hand and stared at the amber liquid as it quietly sloshed about the glass.
Zoe nudged him in the side suddenly. "You thinkin'?"
Grunting in response, Mal continued to stare down and raised the glass to his lips to finish it off.
"I wouldn't worry much..." Zoe continued as though he'd answered her. "Probably just girl talk."
Mal's eyes widened and the glass slipped slightly in his hand, forcing the liquid down his throat faster than he would have liked.
The first mate smiled and raised her hand to Mal's back, patting gently as the coughing fit overtook him.
Inara led Josephine down a large hallway graced with ornate paintings and wall coverings, the companions heels clattering loudly and mingling with the soft thump of Jo's cane.
"Is it always this quiet?"
"Oh Buddha no," Inara responded. "You can't think normally, with hundred of girls running around all day." She paused and shook her head. "Curfew's started, they're in the dormitories. I'd like to think they're studying or sleeping... but I seriously doubt it."
Jo glanced quickly at the beautiful woman next to her, Inara's small smile betraying her fondness for her charges.
They came to a stop at the end of the hallway and Inara opened a small door, ushering Jo inside before her.
She could see that the large room's original purpose was that of a classroom, but the desks and chairs had been replaced by eight comfortable looking beds. Inara had even tried to hide the stark blankness of the walls with some more elegant wall coverings that greatly resembled the ones Jo had just seen in the hallway.
The makeshift dormitory was dimly lit and Josephine could make out the huddled form of four of the women as they lay under their blankets. The other four, including Mira, sat on the floor in the corner near a small lamp. The older woman that had met them at Serenity with Inara sat with them, speaking quietly.
"That's Ivani." Inara pointed in the direction of the older woman, her voice low so as not to disturb them. "Sort of our resident therapist. She's had... experiences similar to your friends." She paused thoughtfully. "But it's not my story to tell. She'll be staying nearby should they need her. They'll also have daily sessions with her as well as some of the doctor's here."
"Some? You've more than one?"
"With hundreds of clumsy teenage girls? Of course."
Jo nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning over the room again. "Where's Efram?"
Inara pointed to the other side of the room. "Through that door. He has his own room of course."
Jo nodded again, her eyes falling on Mira, the youngest of them all. She sat with the other girls in the soft orange glow of the lamp but she really didn't seem to be listening. Instead she stared at the wall behind Ivani, as though something incredibly interesting were taking place there.
Inara placed a warm hand on Josephine's shoulder, startling the younger woman slightly, and motioned for Jo to follow her out of the room.
The companion shut the door softly behind her and they stood quietly outside of it for a moment.
"She'll come around... she just needs time."
Jo began walking back down the hallway, trusting that Inara would follow. "I hope you're right Inara. Sometimes I don't think any of them will be fine."
"You seem to be doing alright."
"It's... different somehow. I've always been the strongest, not that that's saying much but..." she trailed off suddenly as though unsure of how to continue. "It's almost like I've had an unfair advantage."
"What do you mean?"
"Ending up on Serenity was the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me friends and..."
"And Mal."
"And Mal," Josephine agreed, fearing the uncomfortable silence that was bound to follow. Needless to say, she was surprised when it did no such thing.
"Of course he'd be good for you." Inara said matter-of-factly as she turned her head in Jo's direction. "You look surprised that I'd mention him. I know if Mal didn't tell you about us that Kaylee must have and you don't need to worry... what's done is done."
Jo simply nodded and Inara, sensing her discomfort, changed the subject quickly. "We'll need your help with the women. They don't trust us, not that I blame them of course. If I'd been through what they have... what you have... I wouldn't trust us either."
Inara stopped in front of the red door that led to Jo and Mal's room and turned to Josephine. "They trust you though... you can help them to trust us."
"I'll do my best."
"I know you will," Inara smiled at the younger woman and Jo thought she could see a tiredness behind the companions eyes. "Well good night then."
"Good night, and thank you again... for everything." Jo stood a moment outside the door and watched Inara walk quickly back down the hallway and disappear into one of the many corridors.
She sighed deeply, mulling over the difficulty of the task she had known would be given her, before reaching out for the doorknob. Before her hand connected with the smooth wood however, the door opened revealing an anxious looking Captain. He'd untucked his shirt and his suspenders hung loosely at his sides. Josephine smiled as she stepped around him, ignoring his fidgety manner.
"So how are they?" Mal shut and locked the door behind her before he turned to lean against it, crossing his arms over his chest.
She turned to face him, still smiling. "They're fine. Now why don't you ask what you really wanted to."
Mal managed to look only slightly embarrassed but refused to back down as he took one step away from the door. "What were you and Inara talking' about at dinner?"
"Oh you know... just comparing notes."
The Captain looked so shocked to have his suspicions so blatantly confirmed that Josephine couldn't hold back her laughter at the sight of him. Mal recovered quickly, as soon as he realized she was trifling with him, and stepped towards her, a false menace crossing his face.
"Are you teasing me?"
Jo's smile widened and she stepped back, trying to stay out of his reach, but she moved too slowly with the cane and he reached out suddenly, grasping her arms gently. He turned them around and began maneuvering her backwards towards the door again.
"I don't like being teased," Mal said, his voice husky, causing something deep within Josephine to stir.
She jumped suddenly as her back came into contact with the wood of the door and Mal pressed her against it firmly before locking his eyes with hers and closing the gap between them.
"What are you doing?" Jo's voice came out in a whisper as her breathing began to speed up.
"Picking up where we left off," Mal said quietly as he tilted her head to the side and began kissing her neck.
Josephine shivered at the contact. "But the bed's over there."
"So naive," Mal whispered against her throat, one hand sliding around her and resting at the small of her back. "Do you really think we would have made it to the bed?"
Josephine moaned as his warm breathe caressed the soft skin of her throat and quickly raised her own hand to his hair. As if being hurried by some unseen force, Mal captured her mouth in a searing kiss and hastily slipped his tongue between her waiting lips.
Jo let the cane fall to the floor as her hands flew to the buttons of his shirt and quickly rid him of it, sliding the thin material over his shoulders. Mal continued to caress her mouth with his tongue but removed his hands from her back and pulled the sleeves off, letting the shirt fall to the floor behind him, before gripping her hips roughly and pulling her flush against him.
She moaned into his mouth at the sudden contact and placed her hands on his bare chest, sliding them over his nipples slowly before coming to rest at the edge of his pants.
He'd already removed his belt earlier and Josephine dipped her fingers below the waistband.
Mal pulled back suddenly and placed his hands over her own. "Wait."
She looked at him questioningly as he pulled her hands off of him and placed them by her side.
He grasped the hem of her shirt loosely in his hand and she instinctively raised her arms as he pulled it up and over her head. He lowered his head to her bare torso and placed a chaste kiss on the scar tissue above her left breast before moving down and pulling the flesh into his mouth.
She cried out and moved her hands back to his chest, desperate for the feel of his skin under her hands.
His hands dropped blindly to the fasten of her pants as his tongue laved her nipple and he slipped his fingers under the waistband of her pants and undergarment as he tugged them both down her legs. Mal's head moved down as his body sunk to the ground, taking the time to pull his tongue across the jagged scar on her stomach which made her writhe against him. Now kneeling on the floor, Mal pulled the last of her clothes down to her ankles and she stepped out of them, kicking them softly to the side with her uninjured leg.
He knelt before her, his large hands resting loosely against the bare flesh of her thighs, and let his eyes roam upward over her exposed body before meeting her eyes.
She stared back down at him, awkwardness and unease flittering across her face at his new position.
"You're so gorram beautiful," he said earnestly, trying to force that apprehension from her eyes. "Trust me."
Jo gave him a small nod and he ran his hand up the back of her injured leg, lifting as he went and placing it gently over his shoulder. Her eyes widened as she finally realized what he meant to do but all thought was abandoned as he turned his head and kissed up the flesh of her inner thigh, working closer and closer towards her center.
Her eyes grow heavy as she watches him and closed completely, her head falling back against the door, when he reached his goal. Mal slowly drew his tongue up across her core, his nose rubbing against her tiny nub and sparking something deep within her. He continued moving upward, until he could circle her clit with his tongue before sucking it gently into his mouth and Josephine's mouth fell open as her breathe fell out of her in small gasps. Her hips thrust closer to his face of their own accord and he brought his fingers up to stroke at her folds before delving into her.
She pushed against them and Mal pulled them back only to thrust again and again. He released her tiny nub and lapped at it with the tip of his tongue in rhythm with his thrusting fingers until she began writhing under his ministrations, unable to restrain the loud moans issuing from deep within her throat.
Mal felt her begin to tighten around his fingers and pumped them harder, biting down gently on her clit.
Her climax hit her unexpectedly and she cried out, dropping her hands to tangle in Mal's hair as he continued to thrust slowly, helping her ride out the pleasure as she began to come down.
When her breathing slowed, only a slight tremor running through her body, he pulled his fingers and head away from her and gently sat her leg back on the ground before looking up at her.
Her skin was flushed and her eyes closed as she rested her head against the door, breathing slowly. She could sense him looking at her and opened her eyes halfway to glance down at him. "Mal..."
"Hmm?"
"Come here."
Rising to his feet swiftly, Mal wasted no time in capturing her mouth again as Jo placed her hands on his back, pressing him closer to her. She cried out suddenly, feeling his hard member pressed firmly against her stomach and as though an invisible switch had been thrown inside her she grew hungry for him again.
Hastily she undid his pants and pulled them down halfway, and this time he did not stop her but helped her. He paused a moment and trailed wet kisses over her collar bone making her growl slightly in frustration.
"Mal... inside of me please...," she panted into his ear.
In one swift motion Mal wrapped his arms around her backside, pulling her up and over him as her own legs wrapped around his waist. He slid into her slowly, resting his head on her breast as he gently forced his way in.
Jo's head fell back against the door again, relishing the deliciously full feeling before he began to move slowly within her. Her eyes closed and she rested the palms of her hands against his shoulders as she rose and fell against him, her back sliding over the door. It felt wonderful but she wanted to feel him pulse inside of her, feel his warmth gushing into her, and she knew he was holding back.
She lowered her mouth to his ear. "You won't hurt me... harder Mal."
He growled low in his throat as her tongue darted out against his ear and began thrusting deeply, pressing her roughly against the door.
Jo moaned loudly and began pushing back against him. "Yes xin gan, harder!" Her voice had grown loud, almost a scream, and in a brief moment of clarity she hoped no one was passing by their door. But it was soon forgotten as he shoved himself into her, harder than she had thought possible, and she shrieked at the sudden pleasure, her nails digging into his shoulders. Her whole body began to shake violently as he continued to plunge into her, her back thumping loudly against the door, until Mal cried out and thrust twice more before resting his head on her shoulder, his body convulsing desperately.
"Bao bei," Mal whispered when he had regained control of his body and placed a chaste kiss on her shoulder blade. He slid them down the door and laid back, pulling her over him as their chests continued to rise and fall rapidly.
"Wode ma," Josephine whispered softly as she nuzzled her head into his chest. "I hope you don't mind sleeping here cause I don't think my legs will work right now."
Mal smiled and pressed his lips against her forehead. "Don't worry, I'll carry you."