A/N- This chapter is definitely short compared to the others, but I think it works just as it is. It is also full of fluff and so sweet you may get a tooth ache, there now you've all been warned.

Also I don't own Firefly or any of its characters. Thought I should finally put that out there.

Chapter 11

Halfway to the infirmary Mal turned a corner and smacked right into Simon who'd been heading towards the galley.

"Pretty sure I gave you some serious warnings about moving slowly for awhile." Simon stated as he straightened his clothes.

Mal sighed inwardly. Why in the hell did he have to run into the Doc just then? He so badly wanted to go to River and spill out every feeling he was having for her, but now that he was facing the doctor he knew he had to speak with him first.

"Look Doc I gotta tell ya somethin and I gotta do it quick fore I lose the guts. So here it is. I'm in love with yer sister. Don't know how it happened, but I love her and I wanna be with her and I'm really hopin you'll give me yer blessing cause I wouldn't feel right about doin somethin without it." Mal blurted quickly and then took a deep breath.

Simon stared at Mal seriously for almost a minute, giving him a cold and calculated look, which left Mal sure that he was going to wake up dead the next morning.

"You want to be with my sister? You son of a bitch she's half your age and you're a criminal!" Simon shouted.

Mal winced and backed a step away from the doctor, seriously hoping that Simon didn't carry a scalpel around in his pocket at all times.

Suddenly and unexpectedly Simon burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that his face turned red and tears ran down his cheeks.

"What in the gorram Verse is just so funny?" Mal asked irritated.

"I'm sorry it's just the look on your face. Mal I'm just messing with you, we had this conversation already. I gave you and River my blessing over a week ago." Simon explained still chuckling quietly.

"So in the three weeks I had amnesia I told River I loved her, squared things away with Inara bout it, and came to you for your blessing? Did I do anything else amazing while I was walkin around with no memory? Single handedly take down the Alliance? Pull off a job with no complications and make us all wealthy for the rest of our lives?" Mal replied sarcastically.

"Not that I know of, but you did make my sister a promise."

"See she was talkin bout breaking a promise earlier and I didn't know what she was talkin' bout. She seemed mighty upset about it."

"You promised her that when your memory returned you weren't going to change your mind about being with her. She's probably worried that you don't remember and aren't going to make good on your promise." Simon explained.

"Think its best if I go talk to her then huh?" Mal replied finally connecting the dots about why his joke earlier had upset her so badly.

"Mal if you aren't completely sure about this, don't do anything. I gave you my blessing because I believe that you're a good man and I think you'll treat River better than most anyone she could find. If you prove me wrong, well let's just say right now, off the top of my head, I can think of at least thirty different combinations of drugs in the infirmary I could kill you with." Simon threatened.

"You know it's down right creepifying how you and yer little sis can look so proper and polite and then turn down right scary so damn quick. I promise ya Doc hurtin her ain't an option, I don't think I ever felt this way bout anyone before and I ain't planning on losing it." Mal promised.

Simon gave him a warm smile and a friendly slap on the back before leaving Mal alone outside the infirmary.

Mal took a moment to gather his courage and walked through the door, only to find River asleep. He felt that familiar fluttering in his chest that seemed to happen every time he looked at her as he sat down on the stool next to her bed. His first thought was how much she looked like an angel while she slept. He loved everything about her; the way she slept with her fists clenched loosely around her thumbs like a child, the way her long black eye lashes rested on her pale white cheeks making her look like a porcelain doll. Damn! He thought. I'm getting down right poetical.

"Hey there River girl. Got some stuff I need ta say to ya and mayhaps it'll be easier ta practice while yer sleepin." Mal whispered quietly.

"Guess first off I wanna tell ya I'm an idiot. Don't know why I fought this for so long. Now that I'm here with ya it seems like the most natural thing in the world. I love you River Tam. I love you so much it kinda scares me. A long time ago I decided that not havin somethin was better than havin it and losin it, so I didn't let myself have anything I thought I couldn't stand to lose. But I realized somethin' bout you; not havin you at all would be worse than havin you and losin you."

Mal paused for a second and took a deep breath before continuing.

"I ain't about to say that I deserve ya in any way. I'm a mean old man and depending on who ya ask a petty thief. You're smarter than me, better lookin, and you're even better in a gunfight than me. Don't much know why you'd want ta be with me, but I'm just gonna count my blessings that you do. So I'm gonna tell ya right now; I'm done screwin around and feelin bad about wantin ta be with you. I want ta be with ya and I don't care if it's right or not. I want you to be mine. Forever, if you'll have me." Mal finished and leaned over to kiss her lips softly still trying not to wake her.

To his surprise the moment his lips touched hers she began to kiss him back. The kiss was long and more passionate than Mal had ever had before with any woman. He pulled away breathlessly and gave her a look of surprise.

She smiled sweetly up at him, "Took you long enough."

"Hey I just said you're smarter than me. Can't be blamin me if I don't figure stuff out as quick as you do."

"You got it eventually, that's all that matters." She whispered and pulled him down for another kiss.

"Love you bao-bei." He whispered.

"Love you too ai-ren."