Title: Tales of a Would-be Hostage

Chapter: 8/??

Author: thefalloficarus at livejournal

Characters: This chapter: River, Simon, Mal, Bester Kaylee

Spoilers/Warnings: Completely Alternate Universe. River never went to the Academy; certain characters have WAY different backgrounds, others are very similar if not the same as the ones they had in the show.

Note: plot bunny passed on to me by lj user whitemoonflower: Thank you so much for sharing this idea with me! I sort of ran a completely different direction with it… but still! Yay! And as always Comments are Shiny and make me happy (and let me know people are actually reading and enjoying. Lol)

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Chapter 8: The Point of Danger

River took a deep breath to steady her nerves. The ship had been completely unresponsive and as a result, they were taking a shuttle to the distressed vessel rather than docking their entire ship. River had felt that would created delayed results if anyone needed serious medical attention, but as they finished docking with the distressed vessel River was glad that her brother was safe on a ship several yards away. The injured boat seemed to radiate a sort of pain and rage. It was beyond anything River had ever encountered and though she would never admit it, it caused a seed of fear to grow deep within her. She rubbed at her arms clad in her Alliance issue uniform, feeling the fabric rub harshly against the goose bumps that danced up and down her skin.

"All right now." Mal said to his army of two. Bester was watching him, a foot jiggling nervously, and River wondered if she looked as nervous as the mechanic did She forced her limbs still, and turned her full attention onto Mal.

"So I'll take point, you two follow, if anything happens you get back to the shuttle and get out of here. If it's clear then we get the moveable injured into the transport while Serenity docks with the ship." Mal was cool, and direct in his orders and his plan, and it made River wonder what his background was and what type of "serenity" he seemed to carry with him. She guessed it had something to do with her first impression of him, and the color of his coat.

When the shuttled docked a moment later, Mal gave a nod and without delay opened the door that led into the foreign ship. The air was musty and stale, and River hoped they wouldn't need to be there long. Mal stepped out first checking both ways and held a hand up motioning her and Bester to stay behind for the moment. Bester gave her a look, and suddenly she knew how scared he was, could hear him in her head, praying over and over again, "Please let this be okay, please don't make me shoot anyone, I've never shot anyone before, please don't make me now." River wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him, instead she took a step back, taking the rear, sandwiching him between herself and Mal. She couldn't comfort him, but she could protect him.

Mal signaled for them to move and Bester followed hesitantly with River close behind him. Mal had searched the docking bay and stood, his shoulders looking slightly more relaxed as his comrades neared him. Entering the docking bay, River felt them at once. It was that sense that allowed her to know what beat through Bester's brain like a drum and allowed her the advantage so many other times. She felt their rage and their anger, indiscernible thoughts swirling at her, hitting her like a cold wave. She felt them move, saw it all happening stretched out in front of her. There were four of them, two behind Mal and one of either side of she and Bester. She had a moment to wish she were allowed two guns and then she reacted, without thought, effortlessly.

"Mal!" She screamed, alerting him to the danger before raising her gun and firing three shots: One into the head of his closest attacker, one into the throat and head of the second. She shoved Bester with all her might, sending him sprawling, flying forward out and away, landing with a sliding stop at Mal's feet away from the final two attackers. She fired again, the shot landing wide into the shoulder of her nearest attacker, and then fell, pulled down by not one but both of the remaining creatures ambushing them. Her mind saw it all happening but couldn't make sense of anything as she felt teeth and claws rip and tear at her, pulling her in more ways than she thought imaginable. She turned terror filled eyes up to Mal in time to watch him aim and fire his gun and then blackness pooled into her vision, filling everything, taking all sound and thought with it.

River became aware of their energies first. Simon always said she had a third eye, and though she had never voiced this fact aloud, she tended to sense things about people, thoughts, feelings, especially when she was in a weakened or stressful state. Slowly as her mind began to awaken, pushing through the cobwebs and cotton that had settled in, she became aware not just of the sorrow, guilt, fear and hope rolling off those around her but of their thoughts too. The tiny echoing voices that she often heard echoed before her now.

"I'm sorry…so sorry. Please wake up, please be okay. I'm sorry River, I'm so sorry mei mei. Wake up please, wake up."

"River, please wake up, Simon's so worried, please be okay, I don't think he'll get over this if you don't."

"Little Albatross…wake up…please… wake up…"

She heard them all, saying over and over again to stay, to wake up, and obligingly she allowed her eyelids to flutter open, to inundate her senses with white hot light. Simon was the first face she saw followed by Kaylee's. They gathered around her, smiles of relief and joy on their faces.

"Mei mei." Simon said, stroking her hair and then switching over into Doctor mode, checking her pupils, reading the measurements taken by the various machines she now realized she was hooked to.

She wanted to speak, but suddenly she was aware of the fact that everything had a buzz of pain. Her whole body seemed to sing with a hum of agony, like background noise, dampened by what she could only guess was a large amount of painkillers. Finally, though she found a reservoir of strength and pushed her voice forward. "Simon..h..how…?"

"Shh mei mei." He soothed, stroking her hair. "You were attacked aboard the other ship. The Captian brought you back, but you've been unconscious for two days. The damage the men caused was extensive." He explained, taking her hand in his, his eyes fixed on her, filled with the terror of what could have been. "They… they hurt you. The captain and Bester both agree that they were unarmed, but… they caused severe abdominal tearing, and they managed to break your collar bone." He turned then and looked behind him. "You were also grazed on the arm." He said with anger in his voice, eliciting a pained and puzzled look from River.

Mal stepped forward finally, head bowed. "I shot them down, what were attacking you, but a bullet strayed and caught ya."

River nodded slightly, watching Mal. He had saved her life, and in her opinion, a bullet wound didn't seem an unreasonable price to pay. When she turned back to Simon she saw that he did not share her view point and she shook her head at him, not trusting herself to voice his disapproval of his tone with Mal. She squeezed her brother's hand and then found her eyes flitting back to the captain before they fluttered closed again of their own volition.

"Okay." She heard Simon say, his voice full of authority and command. "She's past the point of danger, but I think we should let her rest." And with that River drifted back into a sound and dreamless sleep.

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River awoke to the sound of humming. It was a tuneless song, but it seemed sad, and when she opened her eyes she wasn't surprised to the song belonged to the Captain, though she was surprised to see him by her beside.

When Mal saw River's eyes open he silenced himself, a funny smile crossing his face. "Your bother's getting somethin' to eat. I promised him I'd look after ya."

River nodded and raised a hand to her aching neck and found it bandaged. She gave Mal a puzzled look. "They both took ya, one from the front, one from behind. The one in the back got you on the neck…" He trailed off. "Do you remember any of it?"

River thought for a moment. Her brain felt so bogged down with drugs and pain and fuzz that she wasn't sure what was dream and reality. "No." She finally croaked.

Mal nodded, folding his hands in his lap, shifting uncomfortably on his stool. "It's probably for the best." He said, shifting again. They were silent a moment and River watched emotions play out across Mal's features dancing a jerky sort of dance. "You saved me." He said finally.

River nodded. "I remember that part."

"Why?"

River closed her eyes for a moment, her lids felt so heavy. Mal watched her, unsure whether or not she had fallen back to sleep. "I knew they were coming."

"But why did you save me. You could have doubled back to the shuttle: saved yourself. Can't say that I'd a blamed you what with the hostage situation and all."

"Why do you call me Albatross?" She asked, suddenly very quiet. She opened her eyes and looked at him intently.

"This again?"

She smiled, reaching out, touching his fidgeting hands. "I saved your life, remember? Humor me."

Mal looked down at her slender hand on his, and he shifted, feeling suddenly sweaty and nervous. "Well I don't know if Albatross fits no more." He said, shifting in his seat, but keeping his hand still under her own. "It's cause you brought luck to my boat." He shot her a look before she could pull a face, "And yes, I've read a poem." He sighed. "But I ain't bringing you luck." His eyes flicked down for a moment, just a moment, and then he looked up at her again, whatever he'd been trying to hide buried behind false bravado.

River closed her eyes again a slight smile playing on her lips."I like it." She said sleepily.

"Now you. Why'd you save me?" He asked.

She was still a long time, and Mal was almost sure that she'd fallen asleep when she finally responded, "Because I knew you'd do the same."

Mal sat silently after that and watched as her breathing steadied and evened. After several minutes he glanced at the door. When he saw that no one was watching he slide a hand out from under River's and placed it on top of hers feeling her cool skin engulfed in his big warm hands.

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Inara stood outside the infirmary door watching Mal sit with their hostage, holding her hand. She felt as if something or someone had reached inside her chest and crushed her heart, leaving it weak and dieing in her chest. She crumpled the forgotten sheet of paper in her hand and turned, marching back to her shuttle slamming the door behind her.

Inara settled herself in the pilot's chair and waited for her shuttle to connect to the cortext. Carefully she straightened the warrant for the Tams' and Kaylee's arrest. She inhaled sharply, glaring down at the slip accusing their supposed hostages of aiding fugitives and armed robbery. Her eyes scanned for the contact information of the officer incharge of their capture and arrest. As she readied herself to type she paused. 'I'd be condemning innocent people to jail.' She thought and then shook her head, not fully believing that the Alliance would chare three innocent people for a misunderstanding after they had been held hostage for over a week. Then her mind traveled back to Mal's face as he held the young woman's hand, and her decision was made. Swiftly she began drafting a message to the Alliance police informing them of the location of their desired prey.