Based on: "Love story" by Taylor Swift

Summary: "This love is difficult, but it's real"

Who could have thought that one deed as simple as selling the settlement medicine and food could have prompted them to host a party in their honor? For a small town, they didn't skimp on the details. People were everywhere, dancing, laughing, celebrating, congratulating the crew of Serenity. It was like the party on Triumph, only a bit classier.

River never grew tired of dancing, but she did grow tired of dancing with a bunch of drunk townies. So, she retreated to a balcony on the second floor of the mayor's mansion. It was a lovely summer night with just the right amount of humidity. She looked out over the sleepy little town with a sigh. Yes, she was a bit bored. She shouldn't be. It was a party…a party for them. She turned around, looking in. There he was.

Mal was laughing with one of the elders when he looked up and caught her eye. She watched him say something to the man and then make his way through the crowd over to her. They should have been on the dance floor together, but they were still keeping things hush-hush. He finally reached her with one of his boyish grins.

"Hello," he smirked.

"Captain," she returned.

He wanted to kiss her, but they couldn't be seen together. Not yet, anyway. So he settled for standing as close to her as possible. She thought back to her first memory of him. She was so young, and actually so was he. His voice woke her up and she had crawled out of the cyro box. Lately, his voice was what woke her up every morning. She liked it that way.

"So…" he whispered by her ear, giving her goose bumps all over. "You look a little bored, how's about a dance?"

She couldn't refuse. It was just a dance. Just one little dance. It wouldn't raise any suspicions. She smiled and took his hand. They got on the dance floor and started to slowly dance.

"I'm gettin' real tired of not bein' able to kiss you," he breathed onto her neck.

"Is that so?" she giggled.

"Mhmm."

She looked around. No crew members in sight. "Now's your chance."

He lit up and then bent down and kissed her softly. She threaded her fingers through his hair, kissing him back sweetly.

"I feel a lot better now," he smiled.

They walked away, arm in arm, when they ran into Simon and Kaylee on the staircase. Simon had on his angry face.

"Captain," he began coldly. River saw it in his mind. He saw them. Not careful enough…

"Hey there, Doc, Kaylee. How about this party, eh?" Mal said cheerfully. River squeezed his arm. He looked down at her. Her eyes flickered from the dance floor and then to Simon and back to him. He understood.

"Look, I can't explain 'bout me 'n River-"

Simon's fist cut him off mid sentence. Luckily he had River clinging to him, otherwise he would have fallen down the steps.

"Stay away from her!" Simon growled.

"Ain't no way I'm gonna do that," Mal replied with equal venom.

"Now everyone should jus' calm down…" Kaylee said sweetly.

"You are. You're going to stay away from her or I'll do more than punch you."

"Threatenin' me ain't wise since it's my boat you're stayin' on."

"Simon, calm down. We're at a party! We can talk later," Kaylee muttered softly.

"Right. River, we should leave…" Simon snapped.

"No, no. I'll leave. Don't wanna make a fuss…" Mal said evenly, although inside he was ready to kill him.

River was already crying. She grabbed Mal before he turned to leave.

"Don't go," she choked out. "Don't…please."

His eyes shot to Simon and then back to River. He put his arms around her, knowing that Kaylee would hold back her husband.

"Take me somewhere we can be alone," River whispered into his neck. He was going to, but Simon pushed them apart.

"We'll talk later. I'll be back on the ship having protein…" Mal directed the last word at River. She understood immediately and nodded stiffly with a tear rolling down her face.

She returned to the ship that night after Simon went on an hour long rant about how she shouldn't be with Mal, how he wasn't right for her, and how she shouldn't be feeling the way she did. He insisted on sleeping across from her like he used to do, just to keep tabs on her. When Mal attempted to talk to him, he had walked away.

She slid the door open quietly and then gracefully moved up the steps like a ghost while Simon kept sleeping. Her heart was racing as she entered the galley. He wasn't there, but she knew where he would be.

She tiptoed over to the cupboard and opened the door. He was there, reading the back of a can of something. He looked up with a smile. She pinned him against the wall with a passionate kiss. He dropped the can, but she caught it with her catlike reflexes.

"I knew you'd be here," she whispered happily.

"I knew you would," he whispered back.

"If Simon knew…"

"I'd be dead."

She kissed him again with a nonverbal, "Don't go there."

For just a few minutes, they had escaped the drama. But, she had to ask.

"Now what?"

"I'm gonna talk with Simon. Don't worry."

"You're everything to me. Please don't leave again. I want to be with you always."

He cupped her face and kissed away her tears.

"I won't, darlin', I won't."

"He's trying to tell me how to feel. He says that it's just a crush. It's not. It's love, real love."

"I feel the same. Don't worry. We'll make it outta this mess."

She embraced him tightly.

"We should go 'fore we get caught."

She gave him one last kiss before leaving. He left five minutes later.

Simon and Mal still didn't talk for most of the day.

"I'll meet you in your bunk tonight 'round twenty-one hundred," Mal whispered.

"What about Simon?"

"I'm gonna talk to him. I'll be fine, so will he."

He kissed her on the cheek and then vanished for the rest of the day.

She paced in her room. It was an hour past when he said he'd be there. She was worried that something bad had happened or that the two men she loved the most had killed each other.

Then, he wandered into her room with a big stupid smile on his face. He didn't have any other noticeable injuries.

"I talked to him," he began.

"You don't have any bruises or cuts. Did he inject you with something? Does he have all the bruises?" she asked nervously.

"No, we didn't hurt each other."

"Ai ya…it's a gorram miracle!" she exclaimed.

He laughed.

"Well?" she asked.

"I'm gettin' there!"

She gave him a sheepish smile. He cleared his throat.

"I explained to him that I love you more than anythin' and that I wanna do right by you. He said, 'If you love her that much, why don't you make her an honest woman?' 'Course he was bein' sarcastic, but he had a point. So I asked and luckily Kaylee was there to twist his arm 'til he said yes. Now I just need you to."

Her heart raced. She knew what was coming. He got down on one knee and pulled out a ring.

"Marry me, River. You'll never have to be alone. I love you and that's all I really know. Baby, make me the happiest man in the 'verse and just say yes."

"Yes."

She didn't even bother with the ring; she just went straight for his lips. Somehow they managed to get it on her finger in between kisses. She thought back over all of the time she had spent with him, from the beginning. It was hard to believe how far they had both come and how far they were going to go, together as husband and wife.

We were both young when I first saw you.

The end

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