Chapter 22

It was nearly impossible for Mal to act natural at breakfast the next morning. Every few seconds his eyes slid to Zoe or Jayne. He had to admit they did an amazing job at pretending that nothing was going on between the two of them. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes he would never had believed that the two of them were intimate.

"So what are ya'll plannin to do the last day here?" Kaylee asked.

"River and I are gonna hit one or two more casinos. You think this girl is good at poker you should see her play Roulette. She guess it every single time, I love my psychic girl." Mal exclaimed proudly.

"Its not psychic ai-ren. If you take into account the rotation speed of the wheel and factor in the approximate weight and dimensions of the ball and then of course add in the starting point its simple to accurately estimate where the ball will land." River explained and received blank looks from the table.

"Math." She amended and watched understanding brighten the crew's faces.

"Simon you wanna go with em? We hardly been out a the hotel the whole time we been here." Kaylee asked.

"I like staying in the hotel the whole time." Simon replied. "But I guess seeing some of the city might be fun too." He added when he saw the look on Kaylee's face.

"What about you two?" Kaylee asked glancing at Jayne and Zoe.

"I think I'm going to stay here, maybe take a bath and a nap in that big bed before we go back to the ship." Zoe replied.

"That sounds like a good idea think I'll stay here too." Jayne answered and for just a second gave Zoe an impish grin.

Mal nearly spit out his orange juice.

"Ok so we'll all meet for dinner and then go back ta the ship together." Mal instructed as everyone stood up from the table.

The two couples spent a few hours at casinos; playing for fun while River continued to increase their already very large winnings. On the way to one last casino Kaylee stopped on the sidewalk and her eyes lit up brightly.

"You boys go find something to do for an hour." She ordered and pulled River quickly into a bridal shop that they had passed.

Mal and Simon stood on the sidewalk staring at the spot that just seconds before had been occupied by their women.

"We just got ditched." Mal said simply.

"Yes, yes we did." Simon agreed.

"You wanna go find a bar?" Mal asked.

"Yep." Simon answered.

Kaylee and River stood in awe at the rows of beautiful wedding dresses before them.

"You think we should get dresses?" Kaylee asked excitedly.

"Well they are very expensive." River reasoned. "But I have spent the week making us ridiculous sums of money and we are both getting married, so I say yes we should buy dresses."

The girls spent the next two hours trying on dresses getting each other's opinions on each and every option. Finally they had both decided on dresses that they not only loved but were also reasonably priced.

"You think the boys are gonna like em?" Kaylee asked.

"Definitely." River confirmed.

They finished making arrangements to have the dresses delivered to the ship and then left the store to track down their men. River spoke with Mal over the comm unit she carried and they headed in the direction of the bar where the two men were drinking. Both women were talking excitedly, planning the weddings and trying to decide whether to have a double ceremony or separate weddings.

River was so distracted by the talk that she didn't sense the danger until it was too late. Suddenly a strong hand gripped her arm and yanked her forcefully into an alley, she heard Kaylee cry out in shock as she too was similarly pulled off the street. River tensed to defend herself, but before she could make a move something hard struck her across the back of the head and she was driven to her knees; she could feel hot blood running down her neck from the blow. River fought through the waves of dizziness and pain to try and remain conscious, but getting back up was an impossibility at that point. She could hear Kaylee beside her struggling and cursing against the two men that held her. River forced her eyes to focus long enough to count ten men circling her and Kaylee; one of them knelt down and quickly tied her wrists and ankles with plastic zip ties. He then picked her up roughly and carried her further into the alley as two other men drug Kaylee deeper into the alley as well. Doing the only thing she could think of River managed to reach her hands up to her pocket and push the transmit button on the comm. unit she carried. She prayed that Mal and Simon would hear their struggle and come for them.

"To marriage, may it be far easier than I've heard it is." Mal toasted and raised his glass to Simon's.

"Cheers to that." Simon laughed.

Shut her the hell up!

Mal glanced quickly down as his comm. unit crackled to life. He didn't hear any further talking but he heard the sounds of a scuffle and of someone being hit. His blood ran cold when he heard Kaylee's muffled scream. Both men were on their feet and instantly headed to the door. They hurried back towards the bridal store glancing in every direction for some sign of the women they loved. Mal had the comm. unit pressed to his ear listening for a clue to the location of the fight.

Bitch think you can cheat us out of our money?

Mal heard the angry shout of a man and then the sickening sound of fist on flesh. He knew that when he found the hun-dan hurting his girl, he was going to end that man and end him painfully.

"There!" Simon shouted and turned down a small alley. Mal glanced down the end of the alley but couldn't make anything out, but Simon seemed sure of himself. They ran down the alley using trash cans for cover as they moved. Once they'd traveled a block or so Mal could make out a group of people further down.

Damn Simons got some damn good eyes! Mal thought.

The two men slowed down as they approached the group. They tried to remain out of sight as they crept closer and closer to the men. Finally they stopped ten feet away and crouched behind a dumpster. Mal drew both of his pistols and wordlessly handed one to Simon. He glanced out just long enough to determine where the girls were so that he knew where not to shoot, Simon quickly did the same. Mal's heart seemed to skip a beat when he saw River lying tied on the ground and bleeding. Kaylee thankfully appeared to be unharmed although she was being restrained by two men.

Standing Mal quickly fired off three shots and smiled when two of the men went down. Simon fired as well and took another man down. Even with the three men taken out of the picture Simon and Mal were still greatly outnumbered and the Captain knew that there was no way River was going to be able to join in this fight.

Now alerted to their present the group of thugs turned towards Mal and Simon.

"He's the one who was with the girl!" One of the men shouted and suddenly Mal felt fourteen angry eyes turn on him.

"Your little girlfriend here cheated us, we want out money back!" The man Mal took to be the leader of the group shouted.

It finally dawned on Mal that he recognized a few of the men as owners of some of the casinos they had been to.

"Seems ta me she played and won that money honestly." Mal argued knowing that the excuse sounded lame even to him.

"Ain't no one that good at cards!" The leader shouted.

"Or Roulette." Another added angrily.

"Beginner's luck is all." Mal protested.

"Bullshit! We want our gorram money back!" The leader shouted and pulled out a switch blade. He grabbed River by the hair and dragged her to her feet then pressed the blade to her throat. River moaned a little and tried to jerk away from the man holding her. Mal could see that she was bleeding heavily from the back of her head and her struggle was weak at best, she only succeeded in drawing a thin line of blood across her neck.

"Drop the guns or I kill the girl." The man ordered.

Mal and Simon exchanged a side long glance and both dropped the guns at the same time, neither of them willing to risk River's life. As soon as their guns clattered to the ground the group of men rushed Mal and Simon, four of them focusing on Mal and the remaining three on Simon.

Mal knew he was better than average at brawling, but still four men against him weren't odds that Mal was overly fond of. Mal managed to kick the first one who came at him in the knee and he went down to the ground. The next few minutes were a blur of punches and kicks, Mal receiving more than he gave out. As he was thrown to the ground once more he vaguely wondered how Simon was doing with the rest of the men. He glanced up in time to see a fist heading straight towards his face and then all he saw were stars and blackness.

"Mal can you hear me? Mal wake up." Mal groaned and tried to slap away the hand that was tapping his face. He cracked open one eye and saw Simon's concerned face above him and behind that a dumpster.

"How long I been out?" Mal asked.

"About five minutes. Think you can sit up?" Simon asked and put a hand behind Mal's shoulder to help him sit up and lean against the alley wall.

"Where's River? She ok?" Mal asked glancing around furiously.

"I'm alright ai-ren." He heard her say off to his right.

Like him River was leaning against the wall with Simon's handkerchief pressed to her head. Kaylee was sitting next to her and appeared to be unhurt.

"What the hell happened? Where are the hun-dans that started this? You take care of em River?" Mal asked when he saw that other than his crew the alley was empty.

Kaylee and River exchanged a grin and looked at Simon.

"Simon took care of em!" Kaylee squealed proudly and moved to hug her fiancé.

Mal stared wordlessly at Simon, the Captain knew Simon had no shortage of bravery but the doctor certainly wasn't a fighter. It didn't seem that Simon had won the fight easily, he was beaten to a bloody pulp. Mal wondered how he was still conscious with the beating Simon had taken.

"You took care a seven guys?" Mal asked disbelieving.

"Well I've made a useful discovery about these souped up genes the Alliance gave me. I might not be the best fighter in the world, but apparently it's extremely difficult to take me down. They kept hitting me and I kept getting back up. It gave me enough time to wear them down and get in some good punches. They ran off after I managed to grab one of the pistols again." Simon explained looking both proud and slightly embarrassed at the same time.

"Glad you were able ta stay conscious seein as how I couldn't manage it." Mal muttered, angry that he hadn't been able to help more in the brawl.

"Do you think you can walk? We need to get back to the ship, I have to suture River's head and I think you and I could both use some medical attention as well." Simon said and winced suddenly as if to emphasize his point.

"I can make it." Mal said confidently. His confidence faded a second later when he stood up and promptly fell into the wall.

"Ow. Ok give me a sec and I'll be fine." He assured Simon.

"Kaylee help Mal I'm going to carry River." Simon instructed.

Mal was amazed that Simon was on his own feet as it was, but even more amazed when he picked up River without any sign of weakness or dizziness. Kaylee gave Mal a smile and put his arm around her shoulder. Luckily they were only a block from the docks and they were able to keep to the allies nearly the entire time. Mal didn't want to explain to the feds why they were all dirty and three of them were beaten up and covered in blood.

Once they had returned to Serenity Mal used the comm to contact Jayne and Zoe, they decided to head back to the ship immediately before any other angry casino owners could track them down at the hotel. As soon as he finished speaking with Zoe Mal hurried to the infirmary to check on River.

"She gonna be ok Doc?" Mal asked.

"She'll be fine. She's got a fairly deep head wound and a concussion, but the cut was small and she should heal just fine from the concussion. We do need to make sure she stays awake for the next eight hours, sleeping after a concussion can be very dangerous." Simon informed Mal.

Mal glanced at River and could see that keeping her awake was going to be easier said than done. Her eyelids were already drooping and her head was bobbing more than the wobbly headed geisha dolls they delivered that one time.

"You should let me check you over now Captain." Simon told Mal and gestured for Mal to have a seat on the other exam table.

"So where does it hurt?" Simon asked as Mal climbed onto the table with a groan.

"Think it'd probably be easier for me to tell you where it doesn't hurt. It'd be a lot shorter." Mal replied only half joking.

Simon gave Mal an exasperated grin and began to clean up his various cuts and scrapes.

"I don't think there's any permanent damage, you're just really banged up." Simon told him after fifteen minutes.

"Don't make it hurt any less." Mal complained. "Hey bao-bei your brother said ya can't go to sleep." Mal said loudly as he saw River's head drop down onto her chest.

"Kaylee can you take River and walk around for a bit? That should wake her up some." Simon asked.

"Sure! Come on River lets go see if our delivery has gotten here yet." Kaylee said brightly as she hopped up from the couch outside the infirmary.

"Don't wanna walk around." River complained in a slurred voice.

"I know you're groggy from the pain medicine mei-mei, but you can't go to sleep until we know that you don't have any swelling in your brain. You just have to stay awake until bed tonight and then you can go to sleep." Simon promised and received a nasty look from River.

"Can't I just nap for a little while?" River whined.

"Sorry mei-mei." Simon sympathized.

"You don't wanna wake up and not remember nothin like I did do ya?" Mal asked.

River gave him the same dirty look she'd given Simon and stuck her tongue out at both of them men as Kaylee helped her from the room.

"You alright Doc? Ya seen ta everybody else and you look like ya tried to stop a shuttle with yer face."

"Thanks you're really making me feel better." Simon replied dryly.

"Just sayin ya took quiet a beating. Thank you by the way for takin care of them guys. That's pretty impressive." Mal complimented.

"If you had seen it you wouldn't think it was that impressive. They hit me a lot more than I hit any of them. It was just lucky that they threw me right over to where your pistol was laying. If I hadn't gotten my hands on it things would have turned out a lot differently."

"But ya did get the pistol and things turned out shiny so good job."

"Thanks." Simon replied grinning widely.

"Here let me help ya out." Mal offered as Simon eased his shirt off and Mal noticed a large cut on the doctor's back.

"Thanks again." Simon said and then hissed in pain as Mal cleaned out the wound.

They heard Zoe and Jayne return just as they finished patching Simon up.

"You two look like go-se." Jayne stated bluntly.

"Damn! Simon and me were plannin on enterin a beauty pageant tomorrow. Guess we'll have to figure out somethin else ta do huh Simon?" Mal joked as the four of them made their way to the galley.

Kaylee and River were working on making lunch for everyone, although River was basically leaning against a wall and shooting daggers at Simon once she saw him.

"Cap'n ya want I should get us airborne 'fore any more a them hun-dans show up?" Kaylee asked.

"Inara ain't due back for another three hours." Mal replied, surprised that Kaylee would have forgotten her friend.

"Oh yeah, well I think I'm just gonna go check on the engines so we're ready ta leave when she's back." Kaylee said looking uncomfortable.

"Don't ya wanna eat?" Mal asked.

"Not hungry." Kaylee replied without turning around as she headed down the hall.

"I should go check on her." Simon said worriedly. "Hey River wake up!" He shouted suddenly when he noticed River dozing in a chair at the table.

"You take care a yer sis doc. I'll check on Kaylee." Mal told him and headed off towards the engine room.

Kaylee was already under the engine when he walked in, only her boots were visible. Mal grabbed her ankles and pulled Kaylee out.

"What're ya doin?" Kaylee asked looking annoyed.

"Just wanted ta talk to ya mei-mei."

"Bout what?" Kaylee asked and began to tinker with some other part of the ship. She seemed determined to look at anything besides Mal.

"I just noticed ya seem a little down lately. You okay?"

"I'm fine Cap'n just a little shook up is all." Kaylee answered sounding far from fine.

"I don't mean just today, I been noticin for days that ya seemed off. Specially when someone mentions Inara."

Kaylee glanced at the captain guiltily then quickly looked away. Mal saw that tears were building in her eyes. She took a shuddering breath as the tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Cap'n I think Nara called them casino men." Kaylee whimpered and fell against Mal's shoulder.

"What makes ya think that?" Mal asked thinking Kaylee had to be jumping to conclusions.

"Well no one else knows we're here. And how did all them men from different casinos get together ta come get her at once. Plus I thought you both said she was real sneaky when she cheated em. So how come that many of em caught on?" Kaylee questioned.

"Those're good questions mei-mei, but it don't mean Inara was behind it." Mal reasoned.

"They took River out." She said simply.

"Huh?"

"They hit her in the head straight away and tied her up real good. How'd they know how dangerous she is less someone told em? She don't look dangerous."

This made Mal stop and really consider what Kaylee was saying. She made a good point. When the Alliance had come to take her they hadn't been that nearly that prepared. So how did a bunch of small time casino owners take out his little assassin?

"You really think it was Inara?" Mal asked darkly.

Kaylee began to cry harder and nodded her head.

"Mal she turned River in on purpose." Kaylee whimpered.

"What?"

"She called River's ma cause she wanted Mrs. Tam to come take River. Me and Nara got in a fight last week and she told me. She- she was so mean. She said she wished that the Alliance had gotten River and she said that she wished the Reavers had killed her on Miranda."

The same blinding anger he'd felt the day the Alliance had come on board returned in full force.

"Why didn't you tell me before Kaylee?" Mal asked through gritted teeth. He was furious that she had kept something like this from him.

"Cause River made me promise not to. She said you'd only feel guilty bout lettin Nara stay. She told me she took care of it." Kaylee whispered.

Mal's anger at Kaylee faded when he saw the hurt in her eyes. He knew that she and Inara had been best friends and he understood how much all of this must be hurting her. Mal pulled Kaylee into a tight embrace and planted a kiss on top of her head.

"Thanks for telling me mei-mei. I know it can't a been easy." Mal comforted.

"I shoulda told you sooner. I just didn't want ta believe it. But after today I just figure it had to a been her."

"Don't worry anymore bout it mei-mei. I'll take care of it." Mal promised darkly.

"You want me to send Simon down." He asked as he stood to leave the room.

Kaylee wiped her face and nodded.

"Simon Kaylee needs ya down in the engine room." Mal said quickly and then left the galley.

He stalked through the halls of Serenity. His anger too great to let him rest or even deal with any of the crew at that moment. He couldn't even seem to put his thoughts into anything resembling coherent thought, it was just a constant angry buzz running through his mind. He didn't know what he would do to Inara if she was responsible for tipping off the casino owners. It was while he was pacing the cargo bay that Mal heard the gentle whine of Inara's shuttle docking with Serenity. He took a deep breath to try and calm the rage still coursing through him before he reached up and pounded on Inara's door.

TBC

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Sorry it's been a bit since the last update. Stupid inventory at work, it sucks.