Title: Tales of a Would-be Hostage
Chapter: 11/16ish
Author: thefalloficarus at livejournal
Characters: This chapter: Kaylee, River, Mal, Inara, OC Marisol
Spoilers/Warnings: Completely Alternate Universe. River never went to the Academy, certain characters have WAY different backgrounds.

Note: I really have no notes this chapter. Lol. But if you read please comment! Comments make me happy!
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Chapter 12: A Little Bit of Girl Talk

River eased her way into the room she and Kaylee were supposed to be sharing. Since the incident with the marooned ship things had changed drastically on Serenity. When she was healed enough to be moved out of the Infirmary, she had been moved into a room with Kaylee and Simon had moved next door. The three were allowed to roam the halls of the ship at will, and were treated more like crew than like captives. Kaylee, Simon and River all enjoyed the change, though River had noticed that Kaylee seemed a little disappointed in her new bunkmate.

Entering their shared room River was glad to see Kaylee still sleeping. It gave her hope that Simon had not noticed her absence and therefore she would not have to explain where she'd been. Somehow, she couldn't picture her brother being very pleased with the change in her relationship with the nefarious Captain Mal.

"You're back." River heard, soft and muffled, and she turned to see Kaylee's eyes, barely open slits.

River sighed and suddenly she wanted nothing more than to spill the secret that moments before she thought she would never tell. Her face melted slightly, and she limped over to Kaylee's bed. Kaylee in turn lifted her covers and waited as River crawled slowly into bed next to her, and slid her pillow over so that the two could share.

"Still painful to sleep?" Kaylee asked in a groggy voice.

River simply shook her head no, a slight mischievous smile spreading over her lips. 'I slept rather well.' She thought to herself. "I have to tell you something and you have to promise not to tell Simon."

Kaylee shifted then, rubbing at her eyes, waking her self up a little more. "Pinky promise." She said, offering up her pinky, sensing something good about to happen.

River shifted slightly and the two locked pinkies, vowing the secret was to remain between them. After a slight dramatic pause, and an uncomfortable shifting, River turned her eyes to the ceiling. "I kissed the Captain."

Kaylee gasped and sat up suddenly causing the bed to rock and River to whimper in pain. "As in the Captain that took us hostage?"

"The very same." River grimaced.

"Mal, the captain of i this /i ship?" Kaylee motioned to the surrounding walls.

"Yes and could you keep your voice down?" River said sternly, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper.

Kaylee giggled then, covering her mouth. "River Tam! You hussy!" She laughed. "Was it a good kiss?" She asked excitedly.

River smiled, when Kaylee was excited or happy it was infectious. "Better than good."

"And… River! Is that what you were doing all night!"

River blushed then.

"River Tam! You i are /i a hussy!"

River covered her eyes with her good arm, her blush darkening. "Kaylee, we just slept."

"You slept with him! Like in the same bed?"

"Of course Kaylee!" River laughed. "What do you think I meant by spelt."

Kaylee laughed then. "Was he nekkid?"

River blushed further, feeling the heat in her cheeks. "Almost," She admitted. "He was in breeches, and I was in my t-shirt and knickers."

Kaylee covered her mouth and muffled and excited squeal. "Was he delicious? I bet he was." She said when she finally calmed. "He's dreamy with clothes on... and those tight pants... Mmmm leaves little to the imagination."

River uncovered her face then and laughed, slapping Kaylee playfully on the arm. They both giggled and after a minute they quieted into silence. "I think Inara, the dark haired beautiful one..." She said incase Kaylee didn't know who Inara was. "She loves him. She kissed him before he kissed me."

Kaylee smiled, stroking River's sleep matted hair. "Sweetie. I seen the way he looks at you. T'were a coupl'a times I even stalled Simon a hair so he could spend some time with ya." She smiled. "She may love him, but he's got eyes for you bao bai, and ain't no surprise either."

River smiled then and was still a moment. "So are we talking the kind of eyes Simon seems to have for you?" She asked causing Kaylee to blush.

"So ya noticed?"

"Well, I'm not blind." River laughed.

"I hope you don't mind. I just carried such a torch my whole life, and the past three weeks here 'a' been almost wonderful, whole you almost being eaten and hostage thing aside." Kaylee babbled nervously, only quieting when River placed a hand on hers.

"I don't mind bao bai. You know I love you like a sister, so who better for you than my brother. You make him all nervous and boyish again."

Kaylee kissed River's forehead then and smiled. "Ain't no one he'll ever love more than you mei mei, but with Simon, that's an okay thing, and second don't actually seem like a bad place to be with him."

"Give it time Kaylee. He'll love us equally."

"I don't know mei mei. I seen people fall for you and fall hard. When someone learns to love you River Tam, ain't nothing they can do about it. They're hooked."

River laughed. "Oh please Kaylee. The only people in my life are you, Simon and our parents."

Kaylee laughed then. "And now our poor unsuspecting Captain. He ain't gonna know what hit him."

River only smiled and wondered if Kaylee was right, a small piece of her even wished she were.

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River stood in the infirmary as Marisol finished changing her bandages. Simon had done it for the first few days, but as River became more capable of helping by shifting and moving, he decided that for the sake of propriety a female nurse should attend her. This never bothered River and so she stood very still in nothing but her knickers as Marisol replaced the several awkwardly placed bandages on her body.

"I'm going to have some nasty sets of scars." River commented, watching Marisol work.

"Oh 'eres nothing to it. Your brother's been injecting you with sicolimyte that we nicked from ya ship back 'ere a week; skin's healing right nice. Should 'ave nothing more 'an a few small ugly nasties." She said, before catching herself and looking up startled into River's lovely face. "Ain't that it'd change much though. You're such a pretty lass."

River smiled at Marisol. The woman's accent was thicker when she was around River and her hands seemed to shake more. Obviously her presence made Marisol nervous and therefore she tried very hard to prove that she was not some big scary Alliance monster. "You're just being kind. And besides, scars add character, and frankly there's no one I need to impress."

"Oh?" Marisol added, curiously, a brow quirked, giving River the impression she might know a little something that she wasn't telling River.

Suddenly the door to the infirmary swung open and River instinctively threw a hand over her small breasts, jerking in a way that caused her a great deal of pain in her freshly wrapped shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry, should I have knocked?" Inara asked sweetly. River noted however, that there was nothing sweet at all about the look she was giving them.

"Oh I'm just finishin' up here 'nara. What can we do for ya?" Marisol asked, oblivious to the scowl on the companion's face. The young nurse was obviously enamored with the great beauty, and under other circumstances River admitted she might feel the same.

"Marisol, the Captain's requested your presence in the galley. He asked that I ask you to begin dinner preparations."

Marisol nodded. "Sure thing, soon as I finish up with Miss River."

"I can do that." Inara offered.

"Oh no I would'n' want'a trouble ya."

"Nonsense Mari, we both know how grumpy the Captain gets sometimes when he doesn't get his way." Inara said, conspiratorially, placing a hand on Marisol's shoulder. "You go ahead, I'll finish with Ms. Tam."

River watched the scene play out unsure of what to do. She felt as if she were in the garden of Eden and the snake just slithered in. "Maybe you should just finish up Marisol."

"Nonsense," Inara said, taking the roll of gauze out of Marisol's hands. "I'm a registered companion, we're trained for numerous situations, and in that training comes basic first aid. I am highly capable of changing bandages." She smiled sweetly. "Besides, it's been almost two weeks, aren't these ready to come off soon, anyway?"

"Well, the damage was extensive. Miss River almost bleed to death as you know." Marisol said, jumping to River's defense, but handing over the supplies in her hand to Inara.

"Yes." Inara said drolly, and River glared as the word, 'pity' echoed into her mind.

"Now," Marisol stated standing and preparing to leave. "I've changed her shoulder, arm and neck. So that only leaves her waist, and some fresh ointment for her leg. The stitches were just removed from were they got her thigh, so it's healing nicely but the doc just wants to be double sure she steers clear of infection. And mind her waist; this was where most of the damage took place, so just be gentle with evenly spaced wrapping." Marisol shot a look at River then. "And don't let her try to help too much, she's a squirmer and she's already popped a couple of stitches."

River blushed then, embarrassed, and wished she were in more than just a thin pair of briefs in front of the perfect and statuesque companion.

"Right." Inara said, smiling at Marisol. "She's in good hands Mari."

Marisol nodded, "I know she is." She winked at the pair and with that she was off, leaving them in the infirmary with its blinds drawn down, completely sheltered and alone.

"So, what's your actual plan here?" River asked, looking down at the companion. "To kill me with infection so you can have him all to yourself?"

Inara sighed, taking a seat on the stool Marisol had previously occupied. "I've come to talk this out rationally." Inara said, squeezing a small amount of ointment and spreading it over the scabbed and gnarled looking wound on River's thigh. River watched the companion incredulously as she continued. "I am skilled in the art of perception, but even were I not, I would have to be a fool to miss the looks that you and the Captain seem to give each other. Your attraction is undeniable."

"As is yours," River stated simply.

"Indeed." Inara said looking bemused. "It is useless to deny when I know you witnessed our interlude last night."

River thought back on the scene and wondered if Inara too had been present for her own kiss with the Captain.

Inara began undressing River's more serious wound then, "Now, this ship has suffered greatly in the past month. We've lost crew, and as you know had a certain amount of attention turned to us in light of your arrival." Inara looked up to be sure River was paying attention. "If you pursue these feelings you have, what will happen to the captain when you leave?"

River wanted to say 'You'll dig your grubby little hooks into him?' but what actually came out was, "He's a grown man capable of making his own decisions. Your concern is touching, but in the end the Captain is fully qualified to determine what is and is not best for him."

"Spoken like someone who does not take responsibility for her own actions." Inara commented pointedly.

"Spoken like the jealous party." River returned.

"Why you…" Inara said, her face uglied with anger. "You're not the first girl to have caught the Captain's eye, and you won't be the last. Throughout them all his feelings for me have remained. He may have eyes for you now, but he kissed me back last night. It wasn't just something forced upon him, and if I were to up the offer, he would not say no." Inara spat assuredly. "I've come here to speak with you woman to woman, to give you a chance to walk away without your feelings being hurt. Now if you…."

"What's going… whoa…" Came a voice from behind and both women turned to see the Captain standing in the doorway his hand raised to cover his eyes. "I'm… I didn't know you'd be… Inara…" He said, turning his eyes to her feet. "What's this Marisol tells me about you sending her to the Galley on my orders?"

A deep flush seemed to spread across River's body and the arm clamped over her breasts tightened. She started to move her injured arm to cover the rest of her when a sharp pain seared down through it and she whimpered instead.

"I…" Inara began, "Well, I figured that it was getting close to supper time, and that it was such an easy task to finish up with our hostage here that Mari could start with dinner rather than having to waste her time here."

"Inara, we'll talk about this later, but in the meantime, I suggest you find someone else to tend to." Mal said, folding his arms.

Inara laughed nervously, "Mal don't be…"

"Now." Mal said, "And I'd appreciate from now on that you don't bother Ms. Tam unless it's for legitimate reasons, and she's not so… exposed at the time." Mal said, coloring slightly. "Now, go on." Mal held the door for her, and Inara shot a glare at River before getting up and leaving the infirmary. Mal kept his eyes on the ground the entire time and once Inara had passed him, he turned to follow her.

River stood there a moment caught in indecision and then finally called after him. "Mal…wait." Mal paused looking as if he'd just been told he had a gun to his back. He stepped backward into the Infirmary, still facing the door and let it close in front of him. "Mal, it was nice of you to try and rescue me, but in doing so you've dismissed my doctor." River said, both embarrassed and annoyed.

"Oh."

"I need someone to finish wrapping my last wound and to help me get my shirt back on."

"Well… I mean… if you need help... I…"

"That's not what I meant." River said, blushing.

"Oh, okay.. well, if you don't trust me not to look…" He said reaching for the door.

River sighed then and shook her head. "No, it's fine, just.. hurry up.. and no peeking."

Mal nodded, turning around then. "Deal." He walked over to her and seated himself on the stool in front of her. Silently he went to work, removing the old bandages. Once they were clear and revealed the smooth expanse of River's torso with its bubbling red and ravaged wound Mal paused. His fingers hovered over her skin a moment and River found her heart beating faster and her stomach up in her throat.

"What's past Miranda?" Mal asked suddenly, surprising River completely.

"What?"

"What is out there after we pass Miranda?" He repeated slowly, with a hint of agitation to his tone.

"I… well, about two days away is the next star system. I'd have to check the charts but I think this time of year would be the ion could moon Calisto. But there are several habitable planets and moons out there…" She commented. "Why do you ask?"

"So, there's just planets and moons out there?" He asked again.

"Yes. Mal, what's this about, why the sudden inquisition?"

"So you're saying there ain't reavers?" He asked tentatively.

"Reavers? What? You mean the supposed phantom men who rape and cannibalize those who wander too far out into space?" She asked incredulously. "Come on Mal, those are just ghost stories."

Mal looked at her as if she'd gone mad, finally looking up past her waistline. "Are you fā kuáng (crazy) girl? What do you think attacked you?"

River shook her head. "Yes, admittedly some men go mad out in space, but even then it's one or two ships not some giant conspiracy theory army." She gave a short laugh. "I mean come on Mal, be serious, nothing would drive that many men that mad."

"So, you don't even believe in Reavers?"

"I've been flying for four years in the core and I've never seen anything like what hit us, I believe that yes some men go mad, but on the whole they're the interstellar boogeyman." River finished. She didn't like the conversation at all, but she found her heart rate had returned to normal and she could properly swallow once more.

"River," Mal started hesitantly. "I need the truth. What would you do to get back to the alliance and back in their good graces?"

River was shocked by the question and the accusatory nature is seemed to imply. "I'd sooner face jail time than risk injury to those I respect and love." She said, growing angrier, "And Mal if you want to accuse me of something, just get it over with, because I haven't done anything wrong and I'm not going to stand here completely exposed and let you whittle away what little armor I have left."

River noticed that his eyes never left hers during her outburst, and she saw something swim through them. He smiled at her then and nodded, turning back to her wound and picking up a fresh roll of gauze. He held it a moment above the skin of her back, both hands used to pull the beginning strip taught and then he paused. River felt her heart rate increase again and she watched him lean forward and gently place smooth lips on a portion of unharmed flesh to the right of her navel. Her breath caught in her throat as he did and she stood incredibly still feeling both vulnerable and wanting at the same time. He shifted then, turning, nuzzling her good side, and burying his face in the soft smooth flesh of her belly. River looked down and saw that his eyes were closed tightly, and realized that his hands had wrap gently around her. Puzzled by this she realized he was whispering and then slowly his words came to her ears.

"I'm sorry bao bai I should have never doubted you." He said softly. Tentatively she released the firm girl she'd held on her breasts and stroked his hair. He looked up at her then and she realized he had not been whispering to her, but rather she'd invaded his private thoughts and somehow that endeared his words to her even more.

Mal looked up at her from his position, taking her in for the first time, and he kissed her stomach once more. "You're absolutely beautiful." He whispered, and this time she saw his lips move and knew the words were meant for her ears. She smiled, bending at the knees so as not to hurt herself and she kissed him.

When the two broke apart, Mal smiled, caressing River's cheek as she slowly straighten back to her former position. "I peeked." He admitted.

"I know." River smiled.

"Ain't never been able to overcome temptation." Mal admitted.

As he began to wrap her once more, River began to worry for the first time: What would happen to her Captain once she departed Serenity, and more importantly, when the time came, would she actually want (or be able) to leave?