This is a continuation of The Other Shoe. If you haven't read part 1 you may not understand part 2 but according to at least one review part 1 may cause nightmares so I'll give a short, little less graphic, summary: Adelai Nishka got ahold of EVERYONE on board Serenity (this is post movie by the way) at once. River wouldn't break under his torture and it diverted his attention away from the others onto her. The torture for River was graphic and humiliating to say the least. Jayne and Simon were killed by Nishka. Simon was killed by Nishka to break River and Jayne was killed by Nishka because he hadn't provided good enough info to help break River. Subsequently Gordon Myers (A.K.A. The Operative) (See if you didn't read part 1 you don't understand.) Saves the people of the ship Serenity and takes Nishka prisoner and Malcolm kills Nishka with some graphic humiliating torture of his own. Malcolm and Gordon become loyal friends. River is traumatized by what happened and has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Malcolm is the only one that can comfort her and he has taken to sleeping in her bunk to help abate her nightmares and without his noticing abated his own nightmares as well. Malcolm is slowly falling for the Little Albatros. Kaylee was in shock after witnessing Simon die which put her pregnancy at risk (again if you didn't read part 1 you don't get it) and it makes River feel guilty because she feels she should have used her "GIFT" to avert the whole dilema.
It's been about two months since their ordeal. A little over two weeks on Gordon Myers' ship Argo and the rest on Serenity in open space. There's a new character named Yu Sun she's the new doctor on board Serenity because Gordon insisted they have a doctor. So he had Malcolm take on Yu Sun(again if you didn't read part 1 you're probably lost). This takes place right after Mal had his akward moment with Inara.
The Other Shoe Part 2
Chapter 1
"Simon Derrial Hoban Tam." Kaylee was saying to Zoe as Mal entered the kitchen. "If it's a boy." She finished, glancing at the Captain as he came in. "And if it's a girl?", Mal asked as River came "dancing" in behind him, ducking around him in to the room saying in a knowing sing song voice. "No need for a girl's name, because there's a son in her womb." The word "womb" made Mal cringe, he never was any good when it came to dealing with hearing about "female" business, especially when it was Kaylee's female business. Zoe smiled, slightly amused by the Captain's obvious discomfort. "That's sweet mei mei." Zoe said with a glowing smile. "Wash and Shepard Book would be honored you gave your baby their names."
"Yes they would." Mal said, raising his coffee cup up in a toasting gesture. Of course Kaylee couldn't keep up the happy facade and started to cry and River could hear her sad thoughts. River had to run from the room before anyone caught on. There was a lot of sadness on Serenity today, Inara was sad, Kaylee was sad and even Zoe was a little sad. River had her own sadness and to feel almost everyone else's and hear the thoughts of why they were sad was to much for the girl. River curled into a corner closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears trying to push away all of the thoughts that weren't her own and even some of those, she wanted to be rid of.
Malcolm stood in the doorway of River's room. He'd seen River dart out of the kitchen and even though Kaylee was crying Zoe was handling comforting her pretty well so he went to check on River. He came to the door just in time to see River sitting in the corner holding her hands tight over her ears and keeping her eyes tightly shut, slightly rocking back and forth. He knew when she was in a state like this she normally didn't like to be handled, so he stood there waiting for her to get it out. Malcolm felt, that when River was like this, he needed to keep watch over her, even if that's all he could do.
River let her head fall back against the wall, her eyes were still closed and her hands were still clamped tightly over her ears, she looked like she was in physical pain. "I know you're there." River said keeping her jaw tight. "You think to loud." It sounded as if she'd tried to have some humor in the statement, but the way she was tense with the agonizing pain made it come out anything but humorous.
Mal became perplexed. What sould he do? He couldn't just leave her alone, not like this and he couldn't flip a switch to turn off his thoughts. River looked nausous, when she managed to open her eyes they looked glazed over and she still cluthed at her ears desperatly. "So much sadness.", "It hurts to have both theirs and mine." River whined with tears streaming down her face. Malcom moved slowly towards her extending his hands so that she could see where they were as he came closer saying. "I'd take it away if I could boa bay." Mal managed to make it all the way to River and she hadn't reacted in any adverse way, he kneeled beside her, took a deep wary breath and slowly reached out and wrapped his arms around River. Malcolm gave a relieved sigh, this wasn't like a flashback or a nightmare, she just needed a way to quite the torments of her "gift".
Mal didn't know how to help River with this suffering and he did all he could do, just hold her. After a moment River's breathing became less pained and she looked up at Mal and whispered. "Thank you." The girl's face glowed with gratefulness as she stared into his eyes, she gave Mal a peck on the cheek, which was a suprise to him. A smile pulled at a corner of her mouth as she said. " You helped make it hurt less." She put her fist to over her heart indicating that the pain in there was what she was refering to , then, she put a finger to her head, smiled sadly and shrugged saying. "This still hurts, but it's okay because your here and your LOUD thoughts keep me distracted." River finished pouting out her bottom lip. Blinking at Mal she reached out and stroked the side of his face, sighed, then used him as leverage to get to her feet.
Chapter 2
Days passed as well did Kaylee's new sadness, that the father of her child would never see him born ,had never even known he'd exist. Kaylee began to focus on other things like the fact that she really was bringing a baby into the verse, a whole nother real person, and she was afraid because she didn't really know how she was going to do it. Zoe was the best most solid force of support when it came to Kaylee's fears, continuously telling Kaylee that she wasn't alone in this, that she'd be there for her, no matter what she needed.
Mal knew Zoe was always fond of Kaylee, everyone on Serenity had always been. "How could anyone not be fond of such a ray of light in all the darkness in this verse?" Mal thought. But the fact that Zoe had become so emotionally open, just wasn't like the strong, silent woman that'd been by his side all of these years.
"Zoe you've been different lately." Mal acknowledged one day while they sat alone on the bridge. "Sir?" Zoe responded in a questioning tone, as if to say she hadn't been aware of a differance. "Just saying, you've been different." Mal shrugged, regretting he'd brought it up. Zoe let out a slightly frustrated sounding sigh before asking ."How so, Sir?" Great now he was in the akward situation of having to talk. Mal faultered. "Umm..tuip..spphh..","Well.. you..puh..you've been mighty maternal..you know like a mother to Kaylee lately and River..", "Just saying it's different.. you're different.", "It's not a bad thing... I shouldn't have said anything.", "I just been noticing you're different.. and I said something.. I'm an idiot." Mal rambled. "Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Zoe looked a cross between sad and amused as she stared at Mal slightly taken aback. "Huh." Zoe finally responded, with a bewildered grin, after the akward silence. "I guess so Sir." She said. "Maybe I have been a little different.", "More in touch with my maternal side and all.", "But it's what Kaylee and River need and like you said it's not a bad thing." Zoe shrugged, smilling, but there was a sadness about her that Mal had also been noticing for a while now. "What the hell he thought." As he blurted it out. "And you've been sad about something..." "Wanna get it off your chest?", "I'm here, I've already put my foot in my mouth enough tiptoeing around it.", "You need someone to talk to about something and I'm here.", "What's going on with you Zoe?"
A tear slid down Zoe's cheek. Great, he'd made her cry, he hated seeing a woman cry especially if he was the cause. Mal had only see tears escape Zoe during the most painful of griefs and fears and knowing that, the fact that she was crying now made it hard for Mal to hold back his own tears. He'd never wanted her to hurt and he'd gone and made one of the strongest women he knew cry. "I'm such a.." Mal started to blurt out apologetically, befor Zoe interupted suddenly with. "You're right.." She let out a weary sigh. "You're right.", "I do need to talk.", Maybe I should have said something to someone a long time ago.", "I was just trying to be strong.", "At first just trying to handle it on my own.", "Then with everything that happened, just seemed like I'd be being selfish to just lay something like that on anyone.", I knew that eveyone would try to comfort me and the fact that I wanted that seemed so selfish.", "So I've just been dealing with it the best I can.", "But if it's showing, then I must not be dealing very well.", "So if you really want to listen, I'll tell you."
Mal gave her scolding look. "Zoe Washburne." He said harshly. "You have been my BEST friend for several years.", "How could you possibly think for even a second, that if something was wrong, you couldn't tell me." "I'm sorry Captain, you're usually not so touchy feely." Zoe said trying to bring things back to a comfortable level. "Oh no.. you DO NOT address me as Captain or Sir!" Mal excalaimed. "Not during THIS conversation!", "I am your friend... talk to me as your friend.", "You are not a subordanate to me.", "DAMN!", "You're equal to me and even surpass me some in some ways.. talk to me as your friend, for once." He finished sounding agitated.
"Mal." Zoe whispered pleadingly tears now a full cascade down he cheeks. Mal really felt bad now. He'd yelled at her, his best friend in the Verse and he'd yelled at her. Yelled at her for being her strong, silent self that he'd just seconds ago mentioned being different lately like it was something he missed. "I'm such a hypocrite." Mal thought as he let out a heavy sigh. He walked over to Zoe and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm an idiot." He said giving her an apologetic smile. He took a seat in his chair and gestured to Zoe that she should sit as well and when she did, Mal grabbed her hand and said. "Tell me what's been wrong."
Zoe smiled sadly and said. "After what happened on Mr. Universe's Moon I found out I was pregnant.", "Wash was gone and I was going to bring a child into this verse that's father would never see it born, had never know it's existence.", "And.", "I was sad and afraid because of that.", "But I was happy to be having a child.", "Wash had given me the greatest gift.", "I wanted to be a mother, so much." She said sobbing mournfully. "The injury I sustained to my back on Mr. Universe's Moon, must have been to severe because two days later I miscarried.", "When Kaylee was in the same situation all I could think about is what losing my child had done to me and I knew what it would do to her.", "I prayed so hard Mal, I didn't care whether there's a GOD or not I still prayed.", "I cried and pleaded with what ever force controlls the tides of things and decides our fate in this Verse not to let her know that pain to.", "Her child lives but she still knows a fear, pain and sadness that I understand.", "An unknown future of raising a child on her own.", "She needs me Mal because I understand and making sure she's not alone in raising her son is something I want to do.", "And with River, she's lost the only family she has, that's her blood and still worth calling family.", "Being whatever I can for her is also something I want to do.", "Because I love them, like they were my own flesh and they need someone to look after them the way a mother would."
Malcolm's tears had been freely falling for some time now and he didn't know when they'd escaped him. All he knew was that Zoe had held that in for a little over six months now. He did all he knew how to do when it came to comforting a person and wrapped his arms around his best friend and whispered. "It's hard to lose someone you love so much, that you never even had a chance to meet.", "I'm sorry you thought you had to be tough and thought you had to go through it alone.", "You would have been a wonderful mother, I hate that the Verse is sometimes so cruel."
Zoe gave Mal a squeeze before pulling back and looking at him confused as she caught the subtext of something he'd said. "Mal?" She said looking at him quizically. "Who did you love and lose without ever getting to meet them?"
Mal knew better than to divert especially after he'd yelled at Zoe for the same thing. "I was eight years old and my mom was going to be having a little girl." He said. "I loved just the thought of her.", "I would have doted on that girl and would've tried to give her everything she wanted.", "I would have protected her with my life.", " I honestly would have been just as bad if not worse than Simon.", "My heart shattered when my mother had a miscarriage at eight months along.", "Maybe that's why I liked the doc more than I let on.", "He reminded me of the kind of brother I would have been.", "I know devotion when I see it.", And.", "Of all the things that can be said about that man, the things that pops to mind first, is he loved his sister and he was a great big brother.", "He probably would have been a great father.", "And.", "I'm sad we lost him to.", "Since we're talking about our feelings and all." Mal finished wiping his eyes and mustering a smile.
Zoe hesitated. Well they were sharing their feelings after all and the Captain had just been there for her, now it was her turn to be there for him. "SInce we are talking about our feelings.", "I think there's some things you need to get off your chest as well.", "And.", "There's no time like the present.", "You need to talk and I'm listening."
"I don't even know where to start." Mal stated. "Well start with how you feel about what Nishka forced you to do to River." Zoe said abrubtly, like she'd been planning on springing this on him for some time. "Cause I can see the anger and the guilt when you look at her sometimes.", "You need to talk about it before it gets to far.", "Before you start to hate yourself for something you had no controll over."
"Then it's already gone to far." Mal said flatly. "I raped her Zoe.", "I hurt her.", "It doesn't matter how it came to be that, that happened.", "I'm always gonna hate myself for what I done to her.", "And it burns my already damned soul, knowing that I'm the only one that can comfort her." Malcolm said sobbing. "I don't deserve for her even to grace me with a glance of her eyes and she looks at me.", "I don't deserve to hear her voice and she speaks to me.", "She trusts me and let's me hold her even after what I've done and I don't deserve her pressence or the comfort it gives me.", "She forgives me for hurting her, for letting her be hurt, for letting Simon die and I do deserve that it breaks my heart with what mercy and grace she allows me to have.", "She keeps letting me take that comfort and mercy and I hate myself for wanting it." Malcolm had gone to his knees he was crying so hard. He bawled out incoherent sounds as he let out everything he'd been holding in since finding himself at the Skyplex.
He'd never opened up to anyone like this before and it was suprisingly easy to let it all out to his best friend. Zoe stood above him her eyes glimmering with unfallen tears. Now she was in the position of not knowing what to do. A man, a great man, a strong man, her best friend in the Verse was crying at her feet. He was filled with guilt and self hatred for something that wasn't his fault, for being human, for needing comfort. A shudder ran through Zoe as she fell to her knees in front of Mal. She cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. A moment of silence fell between them as Zoe tried to convey everything that needed to be said with her eyes and she fell forward throwing her arms around Mal squeezing him into a long embrace.
Chapter 3
When Mal broke away from the comfortably crushing hug that Zoe had him locked in, he looked up, feeling eyes on them, and there was River. Mal and Zoe both had looks of horror on their faces as they thought (depending on how much she'd heard in their conversation and thoughts) that they'd probably just given River a few awful flashbacks of both Skyplex and Mr. Universe's Moon. River stood in the entry of the bridge silent, a blank stare on her face as Mal and Zoe came to their feet. Zoe took a step forward reaching slowly out to River saying. "Mei mei I'm..." "It's okay." River interupted cocking head sideways in apparent confusion. "I'm not upset." She continued looking perplexed. River shook her head and closed her eyes. "Talking's different and it helps." She said peeking up shyly. Zoe looked sympathetic. "River do you want to talk to?", "Talk about how you feel about what we were talking about maybe?", "It's okay if you don't right now, just know we are ALL here for you and anytime you want to talk about anything, all you have to do is ask."
River nodded and swallowed hard. "It was humiliating.", "Knowing they could do anything they wanted to me and that nothing would stop them." She said staring at the floor. "Knowing that I could kill them all if I could just get free.", "But they were cowards and kept me bound.", "I couldn't fight back and I wouldn't break." River said trembeling.
"Oh boa bay." Mal said as he felt his heart breaking. River gave him a cross look. "Don't blame yourself for ANYTHING that happened there NONE of it was your fault."
It took a couple of hours of talking things through and a lot more crying but River talked over everything that happened at The Acadamy, on Mr. Universe's Moon, on Nishka's Skyplex and even what she remembered about finally breaking on the Argo. She talked about her nightmares and flashbacks and how all of it had made her feel. She confessed to using herself as a distraction to keep Nishka from hurting the rest of them and to using her "gift" as best she could to keep all of them from being injured."
By the time it was all said and done both Kaylee and Inara had been drawn in to the mix and they shared and cried as well.
Finally real healing had began to come to the crew of Serenity again.
Chapter 4
A special day came that no one on Serenity was allowed to celebrate in ANY way. It was River's eighteenth birthday and even though Kaylee begged to at least get to give a gift, River adamantly refused to allow anyone to even acknowladge it was her birthday.
Malcolm knew why, he was no fool and he was concerned for his Little Albatross. Here it was a special day and she was paranoid to near hysterics because of the bad luck that birthdays had proven to be. River stayed to herself for the rest of the day after Kaylee, Inara and even Zoe seemed to be insistant upon doing something for her birthday.
Mal was the only one she wanted to see right now. She knew the others understood her fear, but thought her fear misplaced. She knew that they didn't mean any harm by wanting to show their love. But she stayed locked in her bunk any way.
When Mal came in later that night to take his place beside her she was laying there wide awake for the first time. "Hey darlin.", "Why are you still awake?" Mal asked sitting down at the foot of the bed. River sat up. Now that Mal really looked at her she looked more exausted than he'd seen her in seven months. "River?" Mal asked worried. "I fell asleep.", "I don't know how long, but I did." River said as a tear slid down her cheek. "I had a nightmare." She gasped out. "An awful nightmare." She looked as if she'd be sick. Mal moved closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's okay.", "It wasn't real.", "I'm here now.", "Dong ma?"
River nodded and wrapped her arms around Mal. She took in his scent and let herself hear his thoughts. She'd known for some time now that Mal was in love with her. She liked how he thought she was pretty. She loved listening to his thoughts about her in a quiet moment like this. River just held him. Mal laid her gently on the bed and climbed in beside her. With him there she felt safe again.
Chapter 5
Kaylee was two weeks from her due date. She was always glowing now and her belly had blossomed into a beautiful little bump. Everyone noted how well being a mother suited her, they could tell just by looking at her that her child would be the most loved and doted upon baby in the Verse. Of course everyone on Serenity already had plans of their own to spoil the little tyke rotten.
Inara, Zoe and River started to empty out two of the Passenger Dorms and took to making a special place for the baby in Shepard Book's old bunk because the Crew Dorm's didn't have enough space to fit a nursery in Kaylee's bunk. They worked at it the nursery for days making it perfect in every way for the most beloved crew member of Serenity. Mal got bold a few times and even helped a little himself but always ended up thrown out for jesting about how the pastel blue and stuffed bears all over the room just wasn't very manly. If Kaylee neared the Passenger Dorms no matter what pretense she used she was always politely guided away as everyone wanted to reveal the surprises after the baby was born.
Yu Sun like always had been staying to herself only interacting with everyone else on Serenity when she wound up in the kitchen or dining room the same time as any of them or when they actually came into the Infirmary which was rare all but for the exception of Kaylee. It wasn't that they were purposefully trying to exclude her. It's just that she was a quiet and shy individual and as such she was pretty much still a stranger on the ship. All anyone really knew about her is that Gordon trusted her and that Mal trusted Gordon and that had been enough for everyone.
Yu Sun was a genuinly good person that was just socialy akward and if it hadn't been for Kaylee she probably would have stayed that way. As Kaylee started getting further along in her pregnancy she had to start going into the Infimary every week until the baby was born for a little over a month and her infectious outgoing personality started to rub off on Yu Sun.
One night while the others onboard Serenity sat down to dinner Yu Sun was actually bold enough to join them and to her delight she found herself treated warmly as if she belonged amongst them as if she'd always been a part of the crew.
Yu Sun asked Inara if she could help put together Kaylee's surprise and mentioned she had a few young nephews and that she knew all about boys. Inara gladly accepted the offer and the next day the four of them went to work putting the final touches on the nursery.
While working on removing the bed that was designed to be a permanent fixture in the room a piece of the base caved in revealing a secret compartment. Yu Sun was afraid she'd broken something important. But Zoe asured the girl no harm was done, the bed had to come out anyway to make room for the crib. Inside the compartment was the journals and paperworks of Shepard Book, which was unexpected to say the least. Zoe took the books and papers to Mal for him to decide what to do with such personal effects.
Malcolm looked at one of the loose sheets of paper and found another startiling revelation.
Upon studying the other papers and thumbing through the books Mal noticed a pretty clear pattern.
Shepard Book had known more about the Tams than he had ever let on. That Derrial Book had been a name he'd taken when he found himself at a moral crossroads. That "Shepard Book's" "monastary" had really been an elite training facility for people who were born to never have any other identity than The Operatives.
Apparently at some point during "Book's" exploits he found himself capable of independent thought and his independent thought led him to the belief the way of life he had been living was wrong. So he'd sworn to never to go back to living in such a way. He had taken to having so much faith in the possibility of a GOD that he decided to live the peaceful life of a man of the cloth.
It was by a twist of fate that Book had wound up on Serenity, but he'd known the instant he layed eyes on Simon who he was and in that instant he made a vow to help the Tams however he could without raising to much suspion. He'd known the entire time the things River had suffered through, his training allowed him control of his thoughts on Serenity so that River would never know, he wanted her and the others to trust him.
Book wrote in his papers the things he knew about The Acadamy's methods and constantly made observational notes on how those things had probably affected River. It looked like his guilt for his past eventually got to him and he'd boarded up the papers and journals into the compartment under the bed right before leaving Serenity for Haven.
After reading all the papers and journals through Mal had so many questions and he knew of only one person that could possibly give him any answers.
Chapter 6
Gordon looked at the papers and journals. They were the writings of a man like him. A man that had known more than he ever could about about The Acadamy. Gordon had once been under the impression that the works of The Acadamy were good. It wasn't till the discovery of the heinous acts that had once caused River Tam's diminished capacity that he realized that the works of The Acadamy had been anything but good. But at the time he was still The Operative, he still had his misplaced ideals and River Tam, no matter how innocent, was a threat to the security of some of the most important people in the Verse.
If it hadn't been for Malcolm forcing him to watch that vid capture from Miranda and lifting the veil on the true evils of The Alliance, Gordon would have never started thinking for himself.
Free of his naive illusions The Operative took the identity of Gordon Myers and set off to become a better man. Now here he was staring again at confirmation of how evil The Alliance was. It was to much for him. Gordon had looked through River's Holo-File from The Acadamy himself. But Derrial Books works delved deeper into The Alliances involvement with The Acadamy and just how much all of those important people Gordon had once protected knew about the torture they put the children there through.
Gordon knew "key members of Parliment" had known about The Acadamy. But some sense of honor had held him to the belief that if anyone from The Alliance had known of the extent to the "training program" there that The Acadamy would have been shut down. Now he found that not only did The Alliance know about the tortures inflicted on the children but that they encouraged even worse treatment of the young captives at The Acadamy.
Some key members of The Alliance had even let their own children be taken by The Acadamy knowing full well what would happen. Parents such as the cold hearted Tams that had given River freely to those monsters. The Tams had given her away because she was designed specially for The Acadamy under a contract that propelled the Tam's already well establish wealth and positions in life. Yes they had been her real mother and father, although that mattered little if at all to them, they were chosen for their outstanding genes. River's mother (if she deserved that title) had willfully taken the drugs that would alter her child's pysche before she was even born. Her parents had raised her like a lamb for slaugter providing well for her and letting her feel safe and loved. They'd even been so cruel to let River believe that going to The Acadamy was her choice.
The one thing the elder Tams and The Alliance did not plan on was the devotion of a great brother to his little sister. The Tams actually loved Simon and they did not realize that they had cost themselves their son when they allowed someone to take their daughter.
It was sickening knowing what lengths The Alliance would go to make the perfect weapons out of mere children and to think it had all started with the creation of Reavers. What sort of morons were the leaders that made the laws of the Verse?
It angered Gordon to no end that a place such as The Acadamy existed and that it's existence was actually allowed by the governing forces of the Verse as well as some of the parents of some of the poor helpless children jailed within it's walls.
Gordon wanted to free the children trapped at The Acadamy but he didn't have the kind of man power it would take to get them ALL out there were just to many children and ever since Simon had gotten River out, The Acadamy had been turned in to an impenetrable fortress. It would be impossible.
Malcolm remembered how he vowed to someday teach The Acadamy a lesson and he didn't care about the impossibility of the situation he was ready to take a fight to their door to free those kids.
It didn't take much to convince Gordon that if it was done right that it wouldn't be as impossible as they thought.
Chapter 7
The fight they were preparing for would be to dangerous for Kaylee who was now only a week away from her due date so Inara was to take Kaylee and Yu Sun on her shuttle to Persephone were they could look after Kaylee . Malcolm tried to make River go with Inara as well but she refused and instead revealed her own idea to get them into The Acadamy.
"NO!", "THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL!" Mal had yelled. "NO... WAY... IN... HELL!", "THAT I'M LETTING YOU ACT AS BAIT TO GET US IN THERE.", "DO YOU EVEN REALIZE HOW DANGEROUS IT IS FOR YOU THERE?", "THEY'RE THE ONES WHO MADE IT TO WHERE YOU COULD BE KNOCKED OUT BY A SAFE WORD.", "YOU WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO FIGHT RIVER!", "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?", "THERE'S NO WAY I'M ALLOWING YOU TO GO BACK THERE SO THEY CAN HURT YOU AGAIN!", "YOU'RE GOING WITH INARA AND KAYLEE AND THAT'S FINAL!" He vented arguing with thin air as River stood there calm and silent a look of defiance on her face.
When Malcolm was finished ranting River raised her eyebrows, shifted her jaw and balled her fist looking ready to fight but instead, she took a deep breath and stated calmly. "You sound like Simon.", "Now if you'll listen to me I have an idea." Mal clenched his teeth and hissed out a frustrated breath. "No, I'm not listening and you're not going." He said firmly. River turned away, ignoring him and addressed the others instead.
"We have someone pose as an Operative.", "A person they wouldn't know.", "They want me back so I'll be a prisoner.", "That will get two of us in.", "Once we're in I can take out a good portion of the guards and open the doors for the others.", "Then we take them by storm and free the children.", "Get them out of there to some place safe.", " Then we destroy The Acadamy for good measure."
Malcolm roled his eyes as a few of the others revelled in the fact that it WAS a good plan except that River was forgetting a few details. "What about your safe word, what if they use it against you?, "YOU'LL BE VULNERABLE THAT'S WHAT!", "YOUR PLAN WOULD HAVE FAILED BEFORE IT HAD A CHANCE TO BE PUT INTO ACTION.", "AND THERE'D BE NO WAY WE COULD GET YOU OR THE PERSON THAT WENT IN WITH YOU OUT.", "YOU'D BE SACRIFICING TWO PEOPLE!.", "THAT'S UNEXCEPTABLE!", "YOU'RE... NOT.. GOING IN THERE!"
River spun around on him looking annoyed. "I was actually getting to how to deal with that scenario.", "Thank you.", "And before you start I was also going to cover tranquilizers, weapons and how to avoid hurting the children or being hurt by them.", "I can read your mind remember?" She finished giving Mal a sarcastic look. She sounded so much like... him, it was uncanny.
"Okay." Mal said crossing his arms. "I'll listen and then I'll carry you kicking and screaming if I have to onto Inara's shuttle when I still refuse to let you come." River smiled , shrugging as she said. "You can try." Then she turned away again reciting a list. "We need a map of The Acadamy.", "That's a must.", "Identification that passes someone they don't know off as an Operative.", "Controlled explosives.", "Armor lots of light weight bulletproof body armor.", "Better than the kind Operatives wear.", "Coms small enough to be hidden all the way in the ear canal making them invisible to a search.", "They also need to be undetectable by scanners." River said nodding. "Oh and plenty of neutralizers to conteract any tranquilizers that they may mange to inject any of us with."
Mal raised his hands and slapped them down on his thighs frustratedly saying. "That's ALL.", "REALLY.", "There's no way we can get our hands on half of that stuff.", "Your plan is void.", "I've listened, now you're going with Inara even if I have to drag you onto the shuttle." "Actually." River said turning to face him again and halting his advancement on her. She looked at Gordon. "We can."
Gordon had connections of his own and they were GOOD connections at that. Able to provide everything they needed for River's plan to work. Of course Mal wasn't to happy about that and Gordon was on the fence about letting River do this himself. But River had her mind set on doing this and her plan really was solid.
To Mal's relief he was going to be posing as The Operative. River said he had a non-discript face and that anyone at The Acadmy wouldn't know him as they had poor inneroffice comunication with The Alliance. Knowing that he'd be beside her and able to insure her safety was the only way he was even partially okay with going through with this plan.
Gordon started working with Mal on how to behave as an Operative and even trained up his fighting skills a bit. Gordon also worked with River saying her safe word as she tested out the coms' ability to keep out his voice. She had music playing loudly in her ears from the coms and she didn't pass out once as Gordon said her safe word back to back at least fifty time to be sure. They tested the neutralizers and found they worked well in rendering all known tranquilizers harmless. They tested the body armor. It was good, being light enough to hide under clothing, flexible enough, even for someone like River to fight in and strong enough to withstand a close range shot by a high caliber weapon.
So far it looked like this plan may actually work.
Chapter 8
On Persephone Inara paced a grove into the floor continuously looking to the sky wondering where Mal and the others were. It had been four days and she hadn't heard a word and it had her scared beyond measure.
It was especially hard for Kaylee knowing her friends were in mortal danger and her stress threw her into labor .
Yu Sun assured Inara that it would be okay, that, Kaylee was only three days from her due date and both mother and child would be fine if she delivered now.
Hours passed Kaylle was now in active labor and had accepted a nice dose of pain meds so she was coping pretty nicely, untill it came time to push that was. The baby had slamed into the entrance of the birth canal causing THE WORST cramp Kaylee had ever felt in her life. After that there was excrusiating searing, tearing pain as the baby slid down into the birth canal. Kaylee screamed from the pain Inara climbed into the bed behind her and helped get her into a better position to push. The act helped with Kaylee's pain and it was easier for her to bear down on the push.
Three good pushes later and he was out. Little Simon Derrial Hoban Tam was in the world screaming his lungs out.
Yu Sun gave the baby to his beaming mother and Inara whispered into Kaylee's ear. "He's beautiful mei mei." The baby had his father's kind, compassionate, patient blue eyes and Kaylee smiled down at him saying. "He's perfect." And for the smallest moment of time Kaylee and Inara forgot there worry and focused on the most amazing and miraculous thing they'd ever seen.
But that moment was small and it was fleeting as there was a loud catastrophic noise coming from the sky. Inara ran to the window. Through the clouds she could see fire and it was descending at a rapid rate but not fast enough to be in freefall. Something was controlling the fire trying to slow it's fall. Then a sinking feeling hit inara in her core as she realized that it was a ship. That it was Serenity.
Inara ran to the front gates flinging them open going as fast as she could as she watched Serenity falling from the sky. With a horrific crash the ship hit the ground, followed by, the crackling sound of flames and Inara's screams.
Dazed Inara stood there in shock as the hatch to the cargo bay fell open and out came River holding up an injured Malcolm. He was bleeding profusely from his head and River was struggling to support his massive frame. Inara went to Mal's other side and helped take his weight as she and River guided him inside.
Once Malcolm had been laid into a bed and had Yu Sun tending to him Inara turned to River her eyes filled with mortification asking. "What the hell happened?", "Where are the others?"
Chapter 9
Three days earlier...
Everything was going according to plan. But as Mal entered The Acadamy, pretending to force River inside it felt all to real. He didn't have to be a Reader to sense River's fear and apprehension. As the doors shut behind them Mal could see River's need to recoil away from the hands that reached out to pry her away from him. And his first instincts had been to mercilessly slaughter the monsters that were scaring her. But River bravely acquiesced to her own scheme. She cast a cold glance up at Mal pretending she thought him a horrible person and pretended to struggle against him as planned. Mal was pulled from his revelry and he fell in line to her will. He acted back pretending to be harsh and cruel, he pretended to hurt her, as much as he hated it. The guards of The Acadamy came to his "aid", only to be met with River's skilled fighting as Malcolm "lost his grip" on her.
River killed at least a hundred men on her own with her bare hands, despite being shot at because the body armor did it's job very well, especially since, upon Mal's insistance, she'd worn two layers. All of their efforts to put River down with her safe word were unsucceful as the com's blasted her favorite music into her ears drowning them out. Malcolm made his way unhendered to the door controls. As far as anyone had known he was on their side and in the same predicament they were. Up untill he opened the door and took up a weapon against them that was.
Gordon and Zoe joined the fight and with them Malcolm and River the odds were damn near even. But with the addition of the skilled members of Gordon's crew the odds were actually in their favor.
Killing some of the staff of The Acadamy had still proven difficult. These people had been responsible for River's fighting skills as well after all. Some of them were also wearing body armor making them nearly invincible.
There were two imparticular men that River froze in the face of. They had been her nightmares for so long and all she could do as she saw them was stare blankly whispering. "Two by two hands of blue." Over and over again. Mal had seen River cowering before them, heard her frightened whispers and knew that these men had hurt her badly once.
Mal put himself between River and the men. He fought them valiantly only to beaten down. It was when they were going to deal the killing blow that River snapped out of it and she put herself protectively between Mal and them.
Her fury burned inside her and fueled her "gift". As strong as they were, her anger made her more of a match for them now and she fought so gracefully. As Mal slipped into unconsciousness he could see her and all he could think even in all this chaos was. "She's beautiful." River had the men on the ropes and even though it was two against one River had more power than they could fathom. Really the beating she was giving them was theraputic and she could have ended them any moment she wanted by her hand but she had a worse fate in store for them. When all her anger and hate was spent she stepped back and did something she'd only theorized about. Their eyes began to bleed and they clutched at their heads as their skulls were slowly maticulously crushed by an invisible force. River Tam had killed the two "Blue Gloved Men" with her brain.
The crew members of the Argo had managed to gather all of the children, using their own mix of tranquilizers, eaily subduing the innocent (but still dangerous) young captives and getting them aboard the Argo. The plan was to get the children to the abandoned and isolated planet of Haven so that they couldn't hurt anyone as they were slowly "deprogramed" from their experiences.
Mal was still unconscious and River was hovering over him protectively as Gordon came to help get him out of The Acadamy.
When Mal came to he wasn't suprised to find River curled up beside him. "Boa bay." He whispered trying to wake her. She stirred but only just enough to slide her arm over his chest. Mal laid there content to let her cuddle him as it felt good to have her arms around him.
There was a commotion outside the Infimary that brought both River and Mal to their feet simultainiously. They were hardwired to fight after what they'd just been through. Both of them spilled into the hall moving together as if they were one. Going towards the sorce of the noise they found that one of the children had come to and had the crew of the Argo on the defensive. It was a girl, barely twelve years old by the looks of her. She yelled incoherent giberish as she spun in every direction trying to defend herself.
At some point the girl realized how outnumbered she was and she tried to get into a corner. She struck out at any who neared her a continuous stream of babble flowing from her mouth as she looked around the room for means of escape.
Out in the middle of space the tortured children of The Acadamy started to wake one by one. Their confusion and torment started a frenzy of fear and it was almost to much to handle.
Both Argo and Serenity looked like they'd been through a war zone by the time it was over. People had been hurt and the majority of the children had to be tranqed again. The one thing River hadn't planned on was the children's surprising resistance to being knocked out.
Now Malcolm was seriously injured and Doctor Bourland was incapacitated so badly that he wouldn't be able to help.
Malcolm ordered Zoe to go with Gordon to Haven to help with the children and he even tried to lighten the mood by saying her great maternal insticts would be needed there.
Mal needed to get Serenity to ground somewhere because she was damaged pretty bad from the chaotic mess and he wasn't in any condition to fly her on his own. River didn't wait she had Mal drug into Serenity with a course set for Persephone before he could object.
Mal was thinking about River more than himself and he knew Serenity wouldn't make it that far and he argued at River to abide his orders and told her to get Serenity down on a nearer planet and she responded by casting a smart ass smile over her shoulder, shrugging as she said. "You need a doctor, Serenity needs a mechanic and I know where to find both."
Mal didn't know when he slipped into the darkness again but he did know that when he woke up he was going to give River an ear full, if they survived long enough for him to wake up again.
Chapter 10
He heard an explosion and at first he didn't know where he was. He sat up in a daze as he started to recognize the smell of smoke and the heat of fire. Then Mal remembered, he was going to have a nice little chat with River. But first he was going to have to help save their lives before they crashed.
River was in the Pilot's seat and from the look of it she was not in nearly as much trouble as Malcolm had first assumed. She had Serenity's hull as level as it could get as she forced the failing ship to slow it's descent. She kept the nose high and wasn't fighting the spin.
Mal took the Captains seat and flipped switches to re-route power from the main grid to the dead engine on the left side of Serenity. The engine kicked on and all of Serenity stalled sending them into freefall. River looked to Mal and yelled over the roar of their fall. "THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T DO THAT!" River pulled the flight control back as far as she could fighting Serenity's nose back into the air. River flip some switches pulled a lever and Serenity's power came back only enough to get the landing gear under them and to turn on the hydraulic thrusters enough to cusion the blow of the landing.
Serenity was a wreck and had never been so damaged but she'd held true and gotten Mal and River safely to their destination.
Mal looked incrediously at his defiant Little Albatrose and tried to stand as he yelled "WHAT THE HELL.." But the last words of that sentance didn't quite make it out as his legs gave out from under him and he nearly passed out again. River moved herself under him befor he hit the ground. "Let's get you patched up.", "Then you can yell at me." She said as she pulled him outside of the wreckage.
Mal was dizzy and nothing but River and survival instinct kept him on his feet and moving away from the deadly flames. When Inara appeared at his side Mal thought "Well what do you know we made it." Suddenly he wasn't so mad at River, she had been right after all, but he'd never admit it. Of course River smirked up at him from under his arm letting him know he couldn't get off that easy because she already knew. Mal gave River a sideways smile and his last coherent thought before letting his mind swim in the darkness again was. "We are in so much trouble when Kaylee lays her eyes on Serenity."
Chapter 11
On Haven, Argo landed with much less of a bang but with fifty times the trouble as the children from The Acadamy wouldn't stay subdued for long. Gordon and Zoe had to figure out a way to contain them without hurting them or frightening them even more.
Once they were able to get the children back under sedation the crew of the Agro moved the children into one of Havens large caves. At least there, there was nothing they could break and if the exit was guarded correctly no one they could hurt either.
Zoe had more experience of knowing what River had been like right after rescue from The Acadamy and so she was in charge of how to handle the children. Zoe remembered how the frantic, scared girl had thrown herself naked from the crate and tried to escape being harmed again. If it hadn't been for Simon being there and him being someone River actually trusted she would have possibly reacted just as violently as these children were now.
All Zoe knew to do was be gentle and patient with them. To use slow easy obviously unaggressive movements. To keep their hands visable at all times and to continuously convey to the children that they were safe.
Zoe was worried about River and the Captain. But, she had her orders and those children did need her so Zoe was proud to help however she could.
It took weeks for any of the children to respond any other way than frightened or hostile. But slowly they all did come around to accepting that they were safe and that none of the people here meant them harm. The crew members of Argo had gotten Book's old refuge town up and running so that some amenaties could be enjoyed by the new village of children that had been founded. Argo could not be repaired as there were no parts or supplies to get the job done. All that could be done was hope that Mal and River had made it to wherever they had gone for all of their sakes.
Chapter 12
Mal's head was spinning as he came to. River was only two inches fom his face as he opened his eyes. He was sore and groaned out his discomfort as he tried to sit up. River put a hand on his chest pressing him back down saying. "No you don't.", "You have to stay down." "Yes Ma'am!" Malcolm laughed as he fell back to the bed. He realized he loved it when she got bossy and in fact he thought about letting her take over as Captain just to be ordered around by her. "You better not." River said looking down at him. Mal blushed. "It's impolite to read my mind while I'm laying here nearly dead you know." River beamed at him. "You're far from dead." She said smilling. River stroked the side of his face and leaned close giving him a kiss on the cheek and whispered in his ear. "But you do still need to rest.", "Don't worry I'm making sure everything is taken care of." Mal looked at her surprised. "I bet you are darlin." He said and he leaned up towards her just enough to let his lips lightly touch her cheek. "Just don't get to bossy.", "That's my job." River pushed him back down with a smile saying sounding slightly amused and annoyed. "Just stay in bed." Mal slipped back into the darkness again but this time he was smiling ear to ear his last thought before passing back out was. "Yes Ma'am."
River took the privilage of doting on her new nephew while his mom worked with what she had to get Serenity back into flying condition. Kaylee was cursing, in chinese, under her breath, up a storm, for the damage done to "her ship". But Kaylee was a miracle worker when it came to machines, she could READ them just as easy as River could READ people and she had Serenity patched up and in flying condition in no time.
Mal was finally up and around and started to plan on getting them to Haven. Inara was to stay behind and look after little Simon while Kaylee would have to accompany Mal and River to Haven to retrive their friends.
Kaylee packed parts that could work for Argo and spare parts for Serenity for if they got really desperate.
As River got Serenity into the air Inara held Simon's small hand up in a wave as she watched them depart. Inara prayed that they would be alright.
The children had slowly come out of their fragile shells and they began to open up to Zoe about the ways they'd had their humanities taken away from them. They had names, beautiful names, that The Acadamy had stripped away from them to be replaced by numbers. Slowly they remembered their identities and their families. Some didn't understand that they had been practicaly sold into this life. Others understood all to well as they still remembered being drug away from their homes with their parents just stood there and watched.
The youngest of the children was twelve year old Bianca. She had been sold to The Acadamy by her uncle at eight years old. She had been used as a "control" in the experiments as she wasn't born with the same drugs as most of the other children in her system.
Being "controls" had been even worse than being a natural born experiment because with no drugs in their systems that altered their pshyce made them fair game to much harsher abuses than the other children because they couldn't defend themselves the same way and they weren't as feared. At some point during Bianca's time at The Acadamy the "Blue Gloved Men" had taken note of "the experiments'" empathy for others and had begun to use that empathy against them, forcing them to use their "gifts" to protect "the controls" and if they failed to do so they'd be forced to watch them suffer horrificly and sometimes even die.
Zoe was sickened to learn this and she felt bad for all of the poor children that The Acadamy had stolen the innocence and taken the lives from. Part of her wished she could return to that place and prolong the suffering of those monsters the way Mal had done to Nishka.
Chapter 13
It had been ten weeks since the Argo crashed on Haven and both Gordon and Zoe were going stir crazy not knowing the fate of River and Mal.
The weeks of waiting and worrying had tensions high and having over almost hundred children with Post Tramatic Stress and the ability to READ didn't help things any.
The unexpected sound thunder coming from a cloudless sky was startiling and the children thought the lightshow was dazziling. River smiled over at Mal and whispered. "They think she's pretty." Mal looked confused but then as River brought Serenity to a gentle landing he saw the look of awe in the faces of the countless children as they stared at the pretty Firefly and knew what she meant.
Zoe stood there with her hands on her hips looking very much like a scolding mother as Mal came out of the cargo bay door. "What took you so long?" She asked sounding annoyed. Mal turned his head pointing to the scar that had been left by one of the children bashing in his head. "Got held up a bit." He answered playfully. "Excuses, excuses." Zoe retorted. But really she had loved the time she'd spent with the children on Haven. Zoe had always wanted a daughter and she'd grown to love Bianca so much that she asked the little girl if she could adopt her and she was overjoyed when not only did Bianca accept but she glady called her mom when she did so.
She didn't wait long to share the news with the others. While Kaylee and Gordon's mechanic tinkered with both ships to get them in better shape Zoe went to Mal and simply said. "I have a daughter." Mal looked at Gordon shocked and back to Zoe as he thought he was putting two and two together. He raised his eyebrows saying. "Really.", "When did this happen?" Gordon looked just as confused as Mal and shrugged because he had no idea what Mal was insinuating. Zoe motioned for Bianca to come over. "Mal this is Bianca, I've adopted her."
River danced over to Mal smilling and said gleefully. "Looks like your two plus two equaled six." Mal shot her a sarcastic look then smiled at Zoe. "Nice to meet you Bianca I'm your Uncle Mal." Malcolm said smilling down at the girl as he extended his hand for her to shake. Then River beamed down at the little girl. "And I'm your Aunt River." She said giving a curtsey. Bianca giggled and wrapped her arms around Zoe. She was completly new to this family and already she was truly loved.
Chapter 14
After a week more on Haven the ships were in good enough condition to suffice till they could get the proper parts put in. Mal looked to Gordo saying. "Ready to get out of here?" But Zoe and Kaylee answered the question saying simultaniously. "YES!", "Wouldn't want ANYONE TO WORRY!" Everyone looked at them and burst out laughing.
"Great moms think alike." River joked leaning over to Mal. He wrapped his arms around his Little Albatros and their eyes locked. With all the warm feelings of family and togetherness Mal was inspired and right there in front of all those present he leaned in and kissed River full on the lips. But even with all of the eyes on them for just that moment it was just the two of them. When they broke apart River touched her lips truly shocked, she really hadn't seen it coming. She bit her bottom lip and blushed shyly and reached up to caress his face smilling and said. "I love you to." "I know." Mal said raising his eyebrows like he'd "read" her mind for a change. He pulled her tighter to his side and whispered sweetly in her ear. "I love you to River." She always did like hearing him SAY what he thought and in that moment the Verse disapeared again as she placed her mouth on his in a passionate kiss.
No one that knew Mal or River were really surprised by this turn of events it had been quite obvious for some time how the two had felt about eachother. When the two lovebirds broke apart again Kaylee laughed sounding chipper saying. "If you two are done I have a baby I want to get to.", " I will gladly take Serenity and leave you two here for all the alone time you need.", "I second that." Zoe said laughing. "Malcolm I think if you don't get yourself on your ship your crew's gonna leave you behind." Gordon said with a chuckle. "Damn straight." Zoe remarked. "I wanna see my nephew." She said smilling at Kaylee. "Alright, alright, let's go already." Mal said rolling his eyes laughing as he scooped River into his arms and carried her back onto Serenity. Even though there hadn't been a ring, an announcement, a ceremony or even a question Mal wanted River to know he already thought of her as Mrs. Reynolds.
That night while on their way back to Persephone Mal layed beside River just holding her while she slept like he had been for months. They loved each other enough to be bound together for eternity. But there were some things River just wasn't ready for and if their relationship never reached that next level of intimacy it was perfectly alright with Mal because laying there loving her would always be enough.
Chapter 15
It took two days to reach Persephone as the still relativly busted up ships couldn't be exurted past a certain point. Serenity was in a little better repair than Argo so Mal had to take it slow as Gordon's ship limped along side his.
Inara lit up as she heard the cloudless thunder. "You're mommy's back dia dia!" She said to little Simon excitidly. Looking out the window she was relieved to see both Serenity and Argo landing safely. Cradiling her sweet little nephew she went out to greet everyone.
With everyone calmly and safely in one place it was easier to focus on putting the proper repairs on the ships and soon with everyone working together both Serenity and Argo were pieced together and made as close to as good as new as they were ever going to be again.
With the damage that had been done to Serenity the nursery had to also be redone. Kaylee of course, was frustrated that she couldn't see what River, Mal, Zoe, Bianca, Inara and Yu Sun were doing until they had it done. It was made worse by the fact that Gordon was in charge of keeping her from seeing the surprise. It had taken a whole week and a half and Kaylee had griped and pouted every single day in frustration. But when she was guided into the new room she had to admit she was actually excited to see what they'd done to the place.
Kaylee held her breath and kept her eyes tightly shut even when River's hand moved away from her eyes. "It's okay you can look." River whispered. Kaylee peeked out just barely then opened her eyes. "NO WAY!", She said joyously laughing as tears formed in her eyes. Her hands went to her mouth as she gasped and walked to the wall next to the crib.
On the wall was three pictures of three great men. "How did.. where did." Kaylee said choking on her words as she longingly touched the picture of Simon. "Gordon found a good picture of Simon in one of his old files, we thought you'd like to have it." River said putting her hand on Kaylee's shoulder. Kaylee blinked back the tears and looked at the other pictures. "Wash." She whispered. "Zoe... you didn't have to.." "He'd be happy to watch over your son mei mei." Zoe said as one single tear escaped her glistening eyes. "Shepard Book." Kaylee smiled at the picture of their old friend.
She stood staring at that wall forever just mesmerized by such a grandly perfect gift. She didn't take much notice of the rest of the room right away. She didn't realize till much later that it was painted in just the right manly shade of blue or that it looked as if the walls were marked up with engine grease or even that tools instead of stuffed bears decorated the room in the perfect representation that this was the room of a mechanic's (very manly) son. Kaylee held her son and pointed to the picture in the middle and said to him tearfully. "That's your daddy."
Kaylee had to be pried out of the nursery to see her next suprise. The room next door had been turned into a luxiorious bedroom suite that outmatched Inara's any day of the week and right beside the bed was a copy of the picture of Simon that hung in the nursery. "It's beautiful.", "Thank you all so much.", "I love what you've done for me." Kaylee gasped as she got emotional again. "Wait..", "What are you doing with my old bunk?" Kaylee asked as she realized her old space would now be vacant. Inara smiled mischeviously saying. "The honeymooners need to be close to the bridge so we adjoined your old bunk with Mal's so there'd be enough space to fit a bigger bed." "Bianca's getting River's old bunk." Zoe said. "There's room for the whole crew." Mal said with a chuckle as he tickled little Simon's exposed stomach.
Within days Gordon seen to it that all of the other children were placed in the safe caring refuge of loving homes and truly good people.
With The Acadamy destroyed and the children free to live their lives as children again Gordon felt that he had gained the absolution he'd been seeking for so long because he was finally starting to be able to forgive himself for his past.
Chapter 16
Another month flew by in a blink out in the middle of the vast nothingness of space and the serene calm that had settled over the ship and it's crew gave a new meaning to Serenity's name. For the first time since he had fought in the war Mal felt at real ease now and he credited his true love for River with his new peace.
Things became easier for River now to that Mal knew she loved him. The fact that he had started to be able to kiss her so passionatly and not feel guilt was a sign she could push on to a new level with him.
She had been abstaining from this new level of intimacy with him, because she'd been waiting till he could see her as a willing equal that he wasn't afraid of hurting or scaring.
The unapologetic vigor in wich he kissed her lately was exactly the sign she'd been waiting for.
One night when Mal slid in bed beside her River turned and nestled into his chest. Caressing his jaw she looked into his eyes and leaned in for a deep, longing kiss. Mal was breathing hard, his heart was racing as River glided her hand down his exposed chest. River let out a soft moan as she moved her hand lower on his body. Running her index finger under the waistband of his pants she whispered her skin against his making a shudder run through him.
Mal swallowed hard as his breath hitched in his chest with the sensation she was causing him. River held his gaze as she flatened her hand and slid her fingers lower past his waistband. His stomache muscles contracted as she caused him to spasm in his fight to keep himself under control. "It's okay." River whispered as she sought his mouth with hers. This kiss, was the breaking point for her and she slipped her hand into his pants caressing his manhood.
Now Mal was at his breaking point and he used his lips to trace a line down River's jaw and back up to her ear as his hands moved slowly down in a gentle caress. Roling River onto her back he let his hand roam her body.
His fingers slid into her waistband now and it caused gooseflesh on her skin to have him so close to touching her in the most intimate of ways. Her hips began to move back and forth as her womanhood craved his touch.
A shiver ran through River causing her teeth to slightly chatter. She gulped for air. Her whole body was quaking in anticipation. His finger grazed closer to her point of sensitivity. Her fingers locked into his hair and she pulled his mouth to hers. He left her mouth wanting more as he kissed down the nape of her neck and her body tensed as his mouth traveled further down. His mouth lingered at the waist of her pants as his hands worked to get them off of her.
He used his tongue to trace a line across from hip to hip before placing more lingering kisses down towards her womanhood. Her hips moved with the eagerness of her body being instinctual and uncontrolable. Mal let himself taste her and it sent River into a fit of desire. Her hands tightened their grip in his hair as her body needed him to press deeper into the sensation he caused her.
Malcolm was happy to abide by her body's will and he slid the tip of his tongue over the her clit sending electricity through her. He worked his fingers slowly to her entrance and as he continued to taste her he slid his fingers inside her and moved them back and forth putting her through an overdrive of pleasure.
His tongue lapped up her delicious taste and he inhaled her aroma until he was intoxicated by her arousal. He guided his free hand up her torso and found the soft mound of her breast and began stroking her nipple with the tips of his fingers.
River moaned as Malcolm devoured her esscense and his fingers in her entrance hooked to scoop out more to sate his hunger. Knots formed in her stomach as this hungry ache took hold of her body. Her breathing hitched, her body tensed as electrical currents of pleasure roled from the pit of her womb. She felt the contraction of her insides as her body gave way to the most exilerating physical sensation she'd ever felt course through her. She let out a low guttural moan as her body shook tremendously.
Her moan became a longing whimper as Mal pulled his mouth up her body and as he grazed her torso River began to writhe beneath him giggling. "It tickles." She panted. Mal smiled at her and kissed again. River hissed with hushed laughter as her body proved to sensative to his touch. "What did you do to me?" She asked with a shaky sigh. Mal bit his bottom lip as he looked at her. She was all aglow with pleasure and it made him want her even more.
His lips resumed their travel back up her body but the ticklish sensation it caused her had quieted. Her breathing slowed so did her heart rate as Malcolm slowed down the ascent of his kisses.
He nipped at her jaw as his hips ground between her legs. His erect manhood straining at the fabric of his pants trying to gain access to her entrance. Mal removed the last remanants of his clothing. River clutched his back trying to pull him into her.
As he felt himself enter her he held back enough to drive her over the edge again and she lunged up biting into his shoulder with a hungry whimper. She clawed into his back as his body moved closer into her. River bit his neck and cried out in her pleasure as Malcolm bottomed out within her.
Panting and shuddering she let her body flow with his rythm. He looked into her eyes as his body took charge and the pace and depth of his thrusts intensified. Shuddering moans escaped River as she licked the under side of his chin. In her desperate disoriented pleasure she cried out as he filled her so completly that she was sure she'd burst from the sensation. His mouth found hers muffling her mewling cries. Their passionate moans escaping into one another's mouths reverbrated through them and gave them simultanious bliss.
The hunger and excitement they had for each other's love pushed their thresholds and neither of them could hold on as their bodies' arousals for the other couldn't be contained any longer. River met Malcolm's thrust and she made each plunge deeper and harder than the last. She needed him burried in her depths and as they climaxed together he clutched her hips and took deep stabbing thrusts that ushered them both past the brink. They transended into ecstasy together. They moved as one and together they reached their climaxs.
Malcolm panted above River as his body emptied of all abilty to move. River laid there in a daze. She fixated on hanging on to that beautiful, perfect moment in which she gave herself willingly to a man for the first time in her life. And it made it all the more perfect that it was the man that she would love for the rest of her life. It was a memory she would cherish always and the greatness of it, was powerful enough, to keep the shadows of the bad things in her past away forever.
Truly free of the darkness of her nightmarish past River felt like a brand new person and it was all because of Malcolm's love and devotion to her.
Epilogue
Gordon had made a habit out of making visits to Serenity whenever it was in the same viscinity as the Argo which was at the very least, once a year... .
A very special day came that everyone on Serenity was more than happy to celebrate. For five years, birthdays had proved to no longer be troublesome but instead a joyus display of love. Kaylee placed the cake in front of young Simon. "Make a wish." She whispered. As little Simon blew out the candles everyone clapped their hands and started passing presents to the special birthday boy.
"That ones from me." Gordon said from the back corner of the table as Simon pulled a large badly wrapped present in front of himself. "Oh wow!" Simon said excitedly when he pulled the paper off and revealed a small engine that was about the right size for the new mule that Malcolm had "acquired" for their "work". "It needs to be fixed.", "I figured you'd like to have a go." Gordon laughed.
The little boy loved anything with moving metal pieces and he had already taken to stealing his mom's tools for little projects of his own. "This young man is from me." Kaylee said sternly.
"My own tools!" Simon shouted. "Now you can keep your paws off mine." Kaylee remarked in a playful tone while rustling Simon's hair. River passed down her gift. "These things were your daddy's.", "I think your ready to give tools like these a try if you want." Simon pulled a neatly packed case from the paper. Opening it revealed a vintage stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. "What do think bud?", "Wanna be a doctor like your daddy?" Kaylee asked. Simon shrugged as he ran his hand over the tools and he felt a little closer to the dad he loved but never got to meet. "I love them.", "Thank you Aunt River." He said breathlessly admiring his father's initials that were stiched on the outside of the case.
After all the gifts were unwrapped and the cake was eaten everyone wound down and it was Simon's bedtime Kaylee asked her sweet little boy. "How'd you like your birthday sweetie." As she tucked him in. "It was wonderful.", "Thank you guys I love my presents." He said sounding elated. But he looked at River a little longer letting her know that he secretly thought her gift was the best. River smiled at her nephew and gave him a wink before bidding him goodnight.
Malcolm was helping to clean the Kitchen as River danced back in. "I love a man that cleans." She joked. Zoe and Bianca raised their cups in unision toasting gestures saying. "Me to." Gordon nearly dropped the plate he was drying as he blushed. Apparently Malcolm's two plus two had equaled closer to four than even River had realized.
THE END ( YES FOR GOOD THIS TIME) I'm sorry to all the people who waited for this to go up and I hope that I rounded everything out nicely for you all in the end. PLEASE REVIEW!