Chapter 14

Mal woke up and winced at the pain in his neck from sleeping on the couch. He checked the time and saw he'd been asleep for less than an hour. Stretching he looked around for River but didn't see her anywhere in the common room. Smiling at the sight of the Christmas tree and remembering that he and River were getting married Mal rose and set about looking for his new fiancé.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Mal started walking towards the sound of River singing and found himself outside the shower room.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life, you were always waiting for this moment to be free.

Mal's breath caught in his chest as he listened to River's lovely voice as she sang in the shower. The song was one he didn't know, but so lovely and haunting that it put a lump in his throat.

Blackbird fly. Blackbird fly. Into the light of the dark black night.

River sang beautifully; her voice carrying a grace and depth of emotion that most professional singers could never hope to have. He thought back to the portrait of Wash that she'd drawn for Zoe. Then he thought of how she had danced earlier that day in the cargo bay, gracefully twirling and spinning to Christmas music. He wondered if there was anything that she didn't do beautifully. His thoughts drifted to the first day he'd met River and Simon. Simon's words flew back into Mal's head and he realized how correct her brother had been when describing her.

"River wasn't just gifted, she was a gift."

All your life you were only waiting for this moment to be free.

River's singing made him both sad and hopeful at the same time, it seemed like she was singing about herself or all of them really. That's what the song reminded him of. The crew and Serenity and the life they had all built together since Miranda. He was lost in these thoughts and didn't realize that River had stopped singing.

"You can come in ai-ren." She called over the sound of the running water.

Mal jumped at the sound of her voice, feeling a little foolish having been caught ease dropping.

"That's alright seein as how yer kinda not dressed at the moment." Mal said from the doorway knowing it was useless to try and pretend he wasn't there.

"Please come in." She said quietly making him strain to hear her over the shower noise.

He walked into the room trying to keep his eyes focused on the ceiling. He realized after less than a second that looking at the ceiling would be an exercise in futility and dropped his gaze to the shower. River stood under the streaming water; her skin red from the heat and steam swirling around her like fog. She smiled up at him as he stared in open awe and admiration of her naked body.

"That song you were singin?" He asked after he was able to get his breath back.

"Blackbird by the Beatles." She replied as she slowly stepped out of the water and towards him.

"That band Simon bought for ya? Mayhaps you'll have to let me listen to em sometime, that song was real beautiful." Mal continued knowing that he was babbling.

River snaked her arms around his neck and stood on the tips of her toes to kiss Mal long and deep. His body responded instantly at the feel of her warm wet flesh pressed against him through his clothes.

"I'm ready Mal. I want to be with you." She whispered into his ear before trailing her tongue down his neck and causing Mal to groan loudly with desire.

"You sure? I didn't put that ring on yer finger just so's you'd do this. I'm still willin ta wait." Mal said, but felt his resolve quickly dissolving as River's tongue continued it's exploration of his neck and ear.

"I'm sure." She replied and began to unbutton Mal's shirt trailing kisses down his chest as she slowly undid each one. After throwing his shirt on the floor behind him River pulled him under the hot shower, not caring that he was still half clothed. She quickly helped rid him of his now soaking wet pants and then stood still, gazing at his nakedness as he had done moments before to her.

Mal wrapped one hand in her hair at the nape of her neck and pulled her to him so that he could kiss her. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and he easily picked her up supporting her slight weight with one arm.

The hot water poured over them making their skin hot and slippery as their two bodies slid enticingly against each other.

"We should go to yer bunk." Mal said finally forcing his lips away from River's so that he could speak.

"We can stay here if you want." River panted.

"Nah we're doin this right the first time, in a proper bed." Mal replied. He wanted to make sure she felt completely comfortable and safe before they made love and didn't figure the shower room where anyone could walk in was the best place for that.

Without putting her down Mal shut the water off with his elbow and walked quickly out of the room, happy that the showers were so close to River's room. Since Simon spent his nights in Kaylee's bunk they didn't have to worry about being seen walking naked down the hall or being overheard.

Mal set River down on the bed gently and then locked the door behind him. He grew even harder than he had been when he gazed down at her. Still hot from the shower the water on her skin was quickly evaporating off of her in tiny puffs of steam. Something about it seemed unbelievably erotic to Mal and he had to force himself to take a deep breath and calm down, he wanted this to last and didn't want to lose control before they'd even started

River smiled sensually up at him and patted the bed beside her. Happy to obey Mal stretched out beside her and began to kiss her once again. He was determined to take his time and make sure this time to be as unlike her first experience with sex as possible. He began at the hollow just behind her ear, kissing it lightly the way he knew she loved. Mal felt River shiver with the sensation and her fingers tightened around him. Moving slowly he traced lines down her neck with his tongue, savoring the sweet taste of every inch of her.

"Wuh de ma!" Mal said suddenly and pulled away from River.

"What's the matter?" She asked looking confused.

"It's just I ain't been with anyone, well it's been a long ruttin time and I don't have any protection ya know." He said internally kicking himself for his stupidity at not being prepared.

Maybe he could go ask Jayne? Surely he would have a condom. Mal put that thought out of his head as quickly as it had come. He and Jayne may have developed an understanding and mutual respect, but they weren't that close. Asking Simon was even less of an option than asking Jayne.

"I took care of it last month ai-ren." River said smugly, enjoying the fact that she was the inexperienced one, but had been the one to plan ahead.

"Huh?" He asked.

"Started getting the shot last month." River explained.

"So we don't need ta worry?"

"No we're prepared." She assured him.

"Thank merciful Buddha for that!" Mal exclaimed and returned to kissing her neck.

Every few minutes Mal would look into River's face, checking for any sign of fear or discomfort before allowing himself to move further down her body. Her back arched and a growl of pleasure rumbled in her throat when he slid his tongue along first one nipple and then the other. He playfully licked and nipped at each breast enjoying the small moans of desire mixed with frustration coming from River.

Moving down her body Mal began kiss the inside of her thighs; starting near her knees and working his way up, savoring the delicious feel of her warm creamy skin under his lips. He mixed short punctuated kisses with longer open mouthed kisses as he moved higher and higher. River gasped loudly when his mouth found her hot center. He smiled at the sound and continued his slight teasing touches with his tongue, he brought her closer and closer to climax but would slow down every time she was nearly there.

Finally hearing her sharp cries of protest as he pulled away yet again he relented and quickened his pace against her sensitive center. She screamed loudly as an orgasm over took her. Afterward she lay there breathing heavily and smiling in dazed way.

"Wow that was…" She trailed off. For once in her life the genius was unable to find a word to describe what she trying to say.

"Guessin you enjoyed that then?" Mal asked, a proud smile gracing his face.

"Mm-hm." She hummed contentedly.

River wrapped her legs around the back of Mal's thighs and pulled him towards her. She possessively grabbed his mouth with her own and set about doing things with her tongue he wasn't aware tongues could do. She continued the tongue gymnastics down his jaw to the sensitive skin on his neck and behind his ears.

After less than half a minute he pulled her away, knowing if she continued any longer he wouldn't be able to hold on. Turning so that she was laying under him once again he kissed her as he positioned himself between her thighs. As he slowly began to ease into her he felt her fingers once again tighten against his back. He looked at her expecting to see pleasure on her face, but instead saw fear.

"Bao-bei you alright with this?" He asked and stopped moving right away.

She looked conflicted for a moment and then nodded her head determinedly.

"Yes keep going. I'm fine." She assured him, but Mal could tell she was still frightened.

"Look at me my love. Just keep looking at me. It's just you and me here." Mal comforted.

River opened her mind to Mal's and used her reading skills to feel the love and security coming from him. She continued to look into his eyes and after a moment she nodded and smiled at him.

"Really I'm fine keep going." She whispered and wiggled her hips a little making him shiver with desire.

Without looking away from her eyes Mal continued to ease himself inside of her hot wet core. He moved slowly so as not to hurt her and once he was fully inside he held still allowing her body to adjust to his size. Her eyes widened at the sensation but she didn't look scared; Mal could see a hungry anticipation in her gaze.

He began moving in a steady rhythm slowly building speed as he felt her body move to match the pace he set. Mal couldn't believe how wonderful she felt. He had been so concerned about making certain that she enjoyed herself he hadn't given any thought to his own pleasure. But the way she moved, her muscles gripping his shaft tightly, caused his eyes to roll up into his head and all conscious thought to fly out of his brain. His movements sped up and became more random as he built towards his own climax. River's second orgasm was what sent him over the edge. Her muscles clamped down around him tightly as she exploded against him. His own release occurred a fraction of a second later, his cry of pleasure mixing with hers.

Afterward they lay panting on the bed next to each other staring at the ceiling. Once he was able to breathe Mal pulled River to him and put his arms around her. She snuggled against him laying her head down on his chest and enjoying the still racing heartbeat she knew she had caused.

"You ok darlin?" He asked.

"Better than ok ai-ren, that was amazing. Is it always like that?" She asked innocently.

"Can't rightly say. That was something completely new to me." Mal replied.

"New in a bad way? Was I not good? I know I'm not an expert but…" She trailed off; sitting up quickly and looking at him with concern.

"Bad? Hell no that was better than anything I've ever had before bao-bei. In fact with you still learnin I might not survive if you become an expert." He joked and pulled her down for a kiss.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I was worried I wouldn't satisfy you." River confided.

"I never was. Your so damn good at everything else, how could ya not be good at this too?" He teased.

He had expected a slap on the arm for his teasing and when it didn't come he looked down to find River asleep against his chest. She slept peacefully the rest of the night and Mal noted that she didn't wake up once from nightmares.