Hi everyone, here's my chapter again, I changed a few things. Special thanks to Agent Rouka and SvSerenity for reviewing my original chapter!!

Chapter 14

Blake's Mansion

'Who are you?' One of the men barked.

'We are here to deliver potatoes.' Mal said as he tried to look as innocent as possible. Did that sound as stupid as he felt it did? He hoped not… The fact that all the men were dressed in dark outfits and had masks on didn't make the situation any better.

'Do you know them?' The man asked a woman who was dressed as a servant.

Mal hadn't even noticed the servant. She had blonde hair, seemed to be around her fifties and looked friendly. She gave him a cold glare as she eyed him, Zoe and Jayne. She shook her head firmly. 'Juan delivered the potatoes two days ago.'

She didn't seem to mind the men being there, with their guns. It was almost like she knew them, Mal thought.

'Search them.' The leader ordered his men.

'Potatoes huh?' One man said as he took Zoe's gun.

They all looked up as the door opened and a man walked in with a wounded woman in his arms.

Mal's mouth dropped open as he barely recognised the beautiful Companion. Her face was swollen and covered in bruises and there was blood all over her clothes.

She needs medical attention quickly.' He said as he put Sivella on the kitchen table. He pushed a strand of her dark hair out of a bloodstain on her forehead. 'What have you done now you stubborn woman.' He said in a worried tone as he sighed. 'Who are they?' The man spat as he looked up at the strangers.

'Who are you? What are you doing with Sivella?' Mal snapped angrily as he stepped towards him but got stopped by the man that was standing next to him.

Sivella opened her eyes slowly as she recognised a voice. She looked around her at all the masked men. Her eyes fell on three people, dressed in rags.

'Mal.' Sivella muttered surprised when she recognised him. 'I thought-.' Talking hurt. She had thought Mal would be long gone. What was he doing here? She recognised Jayne and Zoe next to him.

'Do you know this man?' The man next to Sivella asked as Sivella's eyes studied the three crewmembers of Serenity.

She didn't spot Inara anywhere. Sivella nodded weakly.

'Can he be trusted?'

Sivella nodded again.

'He's helping me Pete.' Sivella said weakly. Pete looked at Mal and the rest paranoid.

'Pete?' Mal said surprised as he repeated the name. 'You know these men?!'

Sivella said something in a slurred voice. She wasn't looking at Mal anymore but at the man called Pete.

'What?' Pete asked as he bended his ear near her mouth.

'M…Mary and David..' Sivella said as she took Pete's collar.

'Mary and David? What is wrong with them?' Pete asked.

'No time…. You and Thomas…. You have to-'

'Thomas isn't here.' Pete said softly.

'Rogan and Edward aren't here.' A man informed them as he walked into the kitchen.

Pete nodded as he instructed his men to lower the weapons aimed at Zoe, Jayne and Mal.

'We have a doctor on board, she needs help.' Zoe said as she noticed that Sivella was loosing conscioussness.

'We'd better hurry before they come back. You two, go and find out where Mary and David are. ' Pete ordered his men. 'You two find out where Rogan and Edward are.' He said as he picked Sivella up off the table in his arms as if she weighed nothing. 'And I'll bring Sivella to your doctor.'

'We'll manage.' Mal stated.

Pete took a few threatening steps towards Mal. 'She says that I can trust you, I trust her. If anything happens to her I know where to find you.' He threatened Mal.

'Nothin' will happen to her when it's up to me.' Mal said angrily.

'My brother wants her in one piece, and that's exactly what will happen.' Pete stated as he made his way towards the door with her.

Mal looked at Zoe at that. His brother wants her? What was this? Another sick man after her? He forced himself to move behind them. Great.

Inara's shuttle

'Finally!' Inara exclaimed as the lights turned on again and she could open her door.

She ran down the stairs and stopped in her tracks when she saw Jayne, Zoe and Mal coming in with a strange man who had Sivella in his arms.

'Simon!' Zoe called out to the young doctor.

'Sivella!' Inara shouted as she ran towards her.

Shock painted Inara's beautiful features when she saw the lifeless form of her best friend in the strange man's arms. O no, she wasn't…. She wouldn't be…. Dead? Inara took Sivella's arm and to her relief felt a half warm watched how the door of the medical bay closed and Simon bended himself over Sivella instantly. Inara was by her side. 'You need to get out of here as soon as possible. Rogan and Edward might come after you.' The voice next to Mal said. Mal looked up at Pete. He nodded. 'What is your bussiness with Sivella?' He asked. Pete shrugged as he studied Sivella's unconsciouss form through the glass. 'We are friends of her.' 'How did you know where to find her?' Mal asked as they walked down the stairs. 'My brother has a friend in Edward's households. He told us that he had seen Sivella been brought in and that she looked very bad.' Serenity, Medical Bay

'How is she?' Inara asked worried as she saw Sivella's unconsciouss form in the medical bay. Sivella was lying on her stomach. Simon was stitching up some of the nasty cuts on her back.

'She is pretty beaten up.' Simon said softly as he took another needle. 'She is sleeping now. She has a deep knife wound in her side. I just stitched that up. She lost a lot of blood but I think she will manage. The rest are swellings and wounds that will be okay.'

Inara swallowed as she saw the many wounds on Sivella's back. Her hand softly touched the battered skin as she closed her eyes in pain.

'I am so sorry Inara.' Simon whispered.

'Yes, I am too.' Inara said as she caressed Sivella's arm. She went to sit next to the behandeltafel and took her hand to hold it in hers.

Mal's bunk

It wasn't like he was hiding from her. Not at all. He sighed. Yes, he was. He expected Inara to come in and find him any moment now. He had thought about how her reaction would be and whatever option, it wasn't going to be good. He sat down on his bed as he stared at his shoes. He had been right. It wasn't like he hadn't been right, right? The woman would have chased off without seeing the danger around her if it were 'bout Sivella. But somewhere he knew that what he had done was wrong and it was eating at him. He stood up and began to pace. It was his right…. No it wasn't…. 'Damn woman!' He snapped as his fist hit the cold wall. She would have been hurt! She might have been hurt! Maybe it would be best to go to her and just have it over with.

Medical Bay

Inara watched Simon come in the medical bay.

'I am going to check some vitals.' Simon said as he walked in. 'You can go for a moment and maybe drink something Inara. You've been here for hours.'

Inara looked at Sivella and nodded shortly. 'Maybe just a few minutes.' She said as she walked out.

Simon nodded and focused his attention on Sivella.

The Bridge

Inara sighed softly as she saw Mal sitting on the bridge. His feet dangling in the air. She remembered the time they had been sitting there looking at the cattle. Those had been nice times. She moved herself gracefully down the ladder. She went to sit beside him. He only looked up when she already sat.

'Simon is with Sivella.' Inara said.

Mal look up at her and nodded as he took a sip of whatever he had this time in his mug. Sivella. He had been thinking about her a lot too. He kept looking down at the ground in the distance. As if there was something to see there.

Inara sighed inwardly. It was nice to take a small pause from everything that had been going on these last hours.

'How's she doin'?' Mal asked.

'I am not sure. She hasn't been consciouss anymore.' Inara looked up at him. Her eyes stood tired and sad. 'As well as can be expected I think.'

'That's a lot she went through.' Mal said as he looked in the distance in thought.

Inara nodded.

'I still can't believe everything that happened, everything she went through. And that she did this all alone.' He looked up at Inara. 'Would you- If anything like that would ever happen, you wouldn't-'

'What?' Inara asked carefully as she raised an eyebrow.

'-Alone, you wouldn't handle it alone would you?'

Inara looked away and swallowed. She wanted to tell him that she wouldn't. But she could understand Sivella's need to arrange everything by herself. 'It's difficult.' She answered.

'I still don't understand what's so difficult in gettin' help. You'll just have to give me the sign and I would-' Mal stopped suddenly. He would move heaven and earth for her. He looked at her. 'I mean- I would, if you were- I would always-'

Inara nodded with a slight smile on her face as she looked at Mal. 'I know.' And again she wondered about how sweet this man could be. She had discovered months ago that he had a good heart somewhere under that sometimes hard exterior. And now she could add to that, that his heart was warm. Somewhere deep inside of him, that was.

'Just must be awful to go through that all alone. And for a moment there I really thought she was some sort of evil woman.' He took a swig of his drink. 'All the things she said to you… She can be quite convincing.'

Inara nodded. 'Yes, she can.' She said as she thought back at how hurt she'd been.

'She hurt you because she wanted to keep you safe.' Mal said slowly as he thought about this. Maybe if- If he could just explain to her, no she would still be unforgivably angry. He swallowed as he heard her move and saw her stand up.

'I am going back to Sivella.' Inara said with a tranquil expression on her face as she looked down at him.

Mal opened his mouth. Say it, say it! The words wouldn't come out. She smiled softly at him and turned away.

'Inara!' Simon called from up the ramp. 'Can you come here for a moment?' Simon called from the medical bay.

'Is something wrong?' Inara asked worried as she hurried towards him.

Simon shook his head. 'Don't worry. She just woke up. But she keeps pinching me and even slapping me when I want to touch her. I need to examine her to know where she has pain.'

Sivella can slap again? That gave her some hope. Typically Sivella.

'It's not my meaning to touch her if I am not inclined to do so-' Simon began to defend himself.

'Simon, I understand.' Inara said as she put her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. 'She can be a difficult patient.' Inara whispered.

'I gave her a sedative for the pain. But it has side effects, some patients act as if they drank too much. Alcohol I mean. But she is just so… Stubborn, if I may say so.'

Inara gave Simon a reassuring smile.

Inara saw Kaylee walking to the other walkway as she entered the medical room. Kaylee seemed deep in thought and had her tools in her hands. O, yes, she had almost forgotten about the shut-…. She looks so bad! All that blood, all these wounds, she is so pale, she looks so frale… Inara masked her shock instantly. She didn't want Sivella to see that, it wouldn't help her.

'Sivella.' She said sweetly as she walked towards her friend as she instantly forgot about all the other things around her.

'Inara.' Sivella said as she swallowed. 'You came.' She uttered weakly with surprise in her voice.

Inara took Sivella's hand. 'It hurts me to see you like this, in so much pain.' Inara said softly.

A tear left Sivella's eye. 'I am so sorry..' She uttered with a hoarse voice. 'I am so sorry for what I did to you.' She uttered weakly.

'Shh..' Inara said as she caressed Sivella's forehead and forced her gently back on the table.

'I hope you will find it in you to forgive me some day.' Sivella said weakly as she had to cough again. Even her throat hurt.

'Shhh….Just rest. Don't worry about anything anymore. Everything will be fine. We will talk later.' Inara convinced her. 'And let Simon do his work.'

Sivella sighed. 'I am allright now. I really am. I just need some sleep.'

'He just needs to make sure that you are allright everywhere.' Inara said as she scanned Sivella's body quickly.

Sivella looked away. 'I am fine.' Her stubborn reply came.

'If you're fine then you can stop pinching Simon. Let him do his work.' Inara urged.

'He puts needles in me, I don't want that.'

'I just explained to you that that was a mild sedative. It will make the pain less.' Simon began.

She breathed in to collect energy before a snappy reply came over her lips.

She muttered as she gave him an angry look. 'It doesn't help me, so please go away.'

Inara opened her mouth to say something but Simon was quicker.

'The moment I touch her she cringes in pain.' Simon explained to Inara.

'I am still here… Able to hear you.' Sivella told Simon in an agitated tone with her eyes closed now.

'I don't understand why you are giving me so much trouble.' Simon exclaimed. 'And you are certainly more energetic then a few minutes ago before I gave you the sedative, so it does help.' Simon tried to convince her.

'That isn't about you.' Inara whispered to Simon. It had nothing to do with Simon, Inara thought as she looked back at Sivella who had her eyes closed now. She remembered that Sivella didn't even want her to see her wounded back, that would probably mean that she didn't want anyone to see her like this at all. She could understand in a way. Beauty was a very important thing for a Companion. Companions were trained to take the deepest care for themselves and their bodies. It was their temple. Inara pushed away her tears as she looked at her friend. She couldn't even imagine how Sivella felt about herself right now.

A few minutes later

'Do you think we can move her to my shuttle? I rather have her there.' Inara said as she looked around the sterile medical room.

Simon nodded. 'Yes, that can be arranged. She'll be warm there, and she has enough room to lie still there.'

Inara nodded.

'Maybe Mal can help?' Simon suggested.

'Yes.' She said without taking her eyes off Sivella who had her eyes still closed.

'The sedative makes her so drowsily that she probably needs some help to walk. And it can also effect her behaviour. So you're warned.' Simon said as he smiled.

Inara looked at Sivella's silent form. 'That won't be a problem. She won't slap me.' She quipped as she looked at the serene look on Sivella's face.

A few more minutes later

'I can do this alone thankyou.' Sivella said as she got up slowly with Inara on one side and Mal on the other.

'Let us help.' Inara said as she took Sivella's arm.

'I am not ninety years old Inara.' Sivella's stubborn voice came again. She closed her eyes the moment she moved. That still hurt.

'Don't got all day woman.' Mal said shortly as he took her under her knees and her shoulders and lifted her up effortlessly.

'Ow.' Sivella uttered in surprise.

Inara raised an eyebrow.

'That's friendly.' Sivella muttered as she swallowed. 'You're so strong!' She suddenly blurted out as she began to laugh uncontrollably. She nestled herself contently against his chest after that.

Mal looked at Inara with surprised eyes. 'She's tired, and she got a sedative from Simon.' Inara explained.

Mal nodded, he understood.

Mal carried her to Inara's shuttle. He carried her up the stairs and Inara caught a glimpse of Sivella's face. She gave Inara a very satisfied, mischievous smirk. O, no. Inara thought. What had Simon said about that sedative again?

'Are you okay?' Mal asked.

'Mmyes.' Sivella purred from his arms.

Inara raised both of her brows at that.

'Where can I put her down?' Mal asked when he came in Inara's shuttle.

Inara was distracted because she saw Sivella feeling Mal's bicep.

'Uh-' She began as she fluttered her eyelids in astonishment. Was Sivella actually feeling his biceps?! She thought as she walked towards her bed. She opened the blankets. 'Here will be fine.'

Mal looked down at Sivella when said woman placed her flat hand firmly on his chest.

'Yes that feels good. Thought it might.' She remarked.

Inara stared with big eyes at Mal.

'Uh-' Mal said, he wanted to take Sivella's hand away from his chest, but obviously his hands were filled with other Sivella-parts he couldn't let go off at the moment. He didn't know how to act with the beautiful Companion in his arms, touching him and Inara staring at them. He swallowed.

'Sorry Inara, just trying out your pirate if you don't mind.' She laughed.

'I like taking disadvantage of the situation, you know that I am really an evil woman.' Sivella explained weakly in a mild teasing way. She still felt tired. But not tired enough to let her hand 'accidentally' roam over Mal's flat stomach.

Inara raised an eyebrow in surprise. She should have known. Sivella had always put on a happy face or made jokes or teased people when she felt awful inside. She had told Inara long ago that that helped her to deal with problems. Sivella had gotten drunk once and Inara should have remembered that that way of her would come up, even now. Mix that with her brutality and you could better hide. Sivella had managed well to control that side of her and push it away far when she had gotten further in her training at House Madrassa. But it all seemed to be coming back quickly now. Maybe that was normal too, Inara pondered sadly. Sivella had other things to deal with now then to think of her training.

'You've got a very firm nice chest and arms.' Sivella remarked as Mal let her sink in the bed slowly. 'And your stomach is just-'

'Sivella!' Inara scolded.

'What? It's true! You should try being in his arms, very cozy and warm and muscular.' She mumbled drowsily.

'I am so sorry.' Inara apologised to Mal again. Why didn't that sedative make Sivella sleepy and most importantly: SILENT?!

'She is apologising for me? You don't have to Inara. She's just jealous that she isn't the one in your arms. But that will change soon, right?' Sivella smiled as she buried one side of her face in the pillow. Sivella cringed in pain and moved her face to the side where there were less bruises. 'Right?' Sivella urged.

Dear Buddha! Inara thought in horror.

'Well, I hope you will feel better soon.' Mal muttered quickly as he put his hands in his pockets and tried to ignore Sivella's comments and question.

'Inara is very nice, she can be very caring too, she knows exactly which places on the human body can give you intense pleasure. Mark my words: INTENSE PLEASURE! Especially with men. Especially with a man she likes.' Sivella began to rant. It sounded as if she had no knowledge what she was saying and to whom anymore.

Sivella turned her face to Mal nonchalantly. Which indicated Mal that she really was affected by the sedative. He had noticed that she had let go partly of her stern training in her posure before, but this was too much, even for her.

'And given the fact she likes you- Well, you know where that can only lead to….'

Inara felt herself flush. This was not acceptable! She was not to flush!!

Mal swallowed. 'If ya need anythin' you'll know where to get me.' He said quickly as he began to walk away from Sivella.

'She doesn't know what she is saying.' Inara explained again as she quickly followed Mal to the door.

'It's true! She is an expert at-' Inara quickly closed the shuttle door behind her and leaned her back against it. She was relieved that the door blocked anymore of Sivella's comments. Eventhough they had dissapeared from the room she could still hear the faint muttering of Sivella's voice.

'She likes to talk a lot.' Mal commented who could also hear that Sivella was still talking, to no one in particul now. It made him wonder what else Sivella had to tell….

'She usually isn't like this. Well… Obviously you know that because you met her- I mean the first days you met her, not when she- I mean in the market place-' She was stammering again! This was awful! She collected her thoughts quickly. 'It's the sedative, she is just blurting things out. Simon said you could see it as her being drunk.'

Mal nodded. He still had his hands in his pockets. Inara noticed that he looked sad. As if there was something on his mind. 'I've got some things to do. If you need anythin'-' He didn't finish his sentence.

She nodded. 'Thankyou.' She said sounding sincerely.

He turned around and began to walk away.

'Ow 'Nara!' Kaylee said as she almost bumped into Mal because she was so deep in thought.

'Kaylee.' Inara said as she stepped towards her.

'About the shuttle..' Kaylee began.

Inara looked at her friend. She had forgotten momentarily about her shuttle. With everything that had been going on since she had seen Sivella in that worse state. She had only been able to think about that and nothing else.

Kaylee looked at Mal. 'It just broke down.' She explained him. She looked at Inara again. 'I don't understand nothin' 'bout it. There was nothing wrong. Just the switch stood the other way.' Kaylee said.

Inara got a dry feeling in her throat instantly. This couldn't be…

'What switch?' Inara asked carefully. She didn't know if she wanted to hear the answer, if she could bear the answer…. A paranoid feeling washed over her quickly and everything came back to her again. Everything she had felt the moment she had been trapped in her own shuttle. The helplessness, feeling so powerless, the fear for Sivella, anger, not being able to do what she wanted to do….

'The switch with which you can turn everything off in the shuttle, it's off for shuttle 2 because no one uses it. It spares electricity an' all.' Kaylee explained. She looked at the beautiful Companion and found something she didn't understand. Inara had her eyes directed at Mal and there was blind fury in them. Kaylee had seen Inara being angry before towards Mal but she had always managed to keep her emotions under some sort of serene mask. But now…. Kaylee looked up at the captain who stood on her other side, he seemed to be looking down at Inara. He stood frozen.

'You did this?' Inara asked in a stern voice.

Mal crossed his arms in front of his chest. He swallowed. He didn't know what to say. Couldn't say anything. He knew that if he would open his mouth she would be so angry. Nothing would calm her. He didn't want her to be angry. He wanted her to understand.

He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Inara took a step towards Mal. If this was true… If it was true what she was thinking then she wanted to hear it from him, right in her face. 'Answer me.' She said coldly.

He had had his reasons at the time, they were good reasons. So he put a stoney expression on his face as he looked down at her. 'Yes.' He said honoustly in a stern voice.

Inara's hand flashed through the air quickly and slammed Mal's face hard.

Kaylee inhaled in shock when she saw the Companion hitting the Captain and when she even heard the sound of Inara's flat hand connecting with Mal's cheek. His face slapped to the other side because of the force. He quickly turned back to face her. He tried to look unfased but his cheek had turned red instantly.

'That's enough answer for me.' Inara snapped as she gave him the coldest look Kaylee had ever seen. She felt so much anger that it would be better to leave and make the distance between him and her as large as possible before she would lose control and maybe even attack him.

Kaylee didn't understand, she looked from the captain back at Inara who was up the stairs now and hurried to her shuttle.

Mal felt his cheek sting. She had hit him before, that was the time when she came to save him and Zoe from the sheriff. But that hit wasn't hard at all. But this one… It was filled with hatred and an immense anger.

'What did you do now?' Kaylee asked shocked.

She received a very angry look from Mal.

'Woow.' Kaylee said as she put up her hands. 'Just askin' is all. Just askin'.' She defended herself.

His nostrils flared as he turned around and marched off in obvious anger.

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Hope you liked it! Please let me know what you thought!!