Like a switch had been tripped, the remaining walls Mal had built up between him and River Tam so long ago had stripped away. They never really spoke of that night in the galley, other than a quick "you okay?" from Mal at breakfast the next morning when no one else would overhear. She nodded without speaking and gave him a shy smile, and that was the end of it.

And she was okay. River hadn't shown any other signs of distress. Her smiles came easily and her laugh was infectious. He knew that didn't mean all her problems were solved, but he ferverently hoped that she could begin to better deal with her ghosts.

Staying up with River into the night went from an occasional indulgence to an almost nightly occurrence. They would sit on the bridge, staring out into the black. Some nights they would talk endlessly. Others, they would just sit in contented silence. Sometimes, Zoe sat up with them too. River always gave up Wash's seat to Zoe on those nights and pulled a chair from the galley to sit in herself. Zoe would sit and idly play with Wash's dinosaurs, still keeping watch. River would quietly listen as Zoe and Mal relived old war stories and laughed with them, happy to be welcomed into this rare intimacy shared between the two friends.

Mal found himself developing an almost secret language with River on jobs. A simple hand on his arm, or a quick glance spoke volumes to him of her assessment of the lay of the land. It was an asset that gave his crew a distinct advantage in all situations. Mal occasionally worried he relied on River's skills too much. He wondered if the rest of the crew's instincts were growing lax with a reader there to pick up the slack, his own instincts included. But she was so deeply entrenched into their lives and work that he usually didn't allow himself to dwell on these thoughts for too long. It was like imagining Serenity without Zoe, or Kaylee. That just didn't work.

And if he occasionally felt his gaze linger on her, or hold her hand a little longer than strictly necessary, well he didn't allow himself to dwell on that too long either. Nothing had happened between them since that night in the galley when they had shared a kiss. He didn't think much on that though, and he found his memories of that night on Paquin so long ago also fuzzy and abstract in his mind.

From Inara, there was nothing to report. Kaylee had taken to asking lately if Inara might think about returning. She missed her friend a great deal, and they didn't get to contact her as much as she would have liked. Mal was stubborn on this point however. Although it felt like a lifetime ago, in truth it had only been nine months since the events on Regina with the Operative. The man had told them then that they'd be safe for a spell, but he had been certain the day would come when another assassin would come after River. And Mal intended to be as ready for that day as possible. Inara would stay in Madrassa for the time being.

His instincts were proven right one day. He was standing up on the walkway of the cargo hold, watching the crew's own unique take on basketball being played. Zoe and Simon were teamed up against Jayne, and Jayne was clearly at the disadvantage, Simon having gotten a lot better in the last couple of years.

"You going to play?" River asked, coming to stand beside him.

"Thinkin' about it," Mal replied, contemplating.

"Jayne looks like the odds are stacked against him," River observed. Mal snorted.

"Man like Jayne should always have the odds stacked against him. That should be some kind of law of the Verse, don't ya think?" River laughed easily. Mal was about to head down when Kaylee's voice buzzed out of the comm system.

"Mal, Inara's sent a wave, and's askin' for you," Kaylee's voice was cheerful. Mal turned to River.

"Looks like you'd better go join instead, albatross, give Jayne a leg up." He said, already heading to the bridge to check on the wave. As casual as Kaylee made it sound, Inara hadn't asked to speak to him specifically that often over the last few months, and he had a feeling it wasn't just a social call.

Inara explained she had received a package addressed to her with no message or indication of who it could be from. It was a sword, she told him. A beautiful, ornate sword, the kind that was for display rather than use. It's sharp edge however showed it's utility as a deadly, albeit beautiful weapon. On the side of it was engraved a forest scene, with deer, rabbits and other woodland creatures. Down the middle, cutting through the scene was a large rushing river.

"It's for her," Inara said with certainty, meaning River. Mal agreed. So the operative knew Inara was there and had reached out to her, and indirectly, to River. Mal felt a sense of foreboding. He thanked Inara for contacting him.

"How are you doing?" She asked him after they had discussed the weapon. "It's good to hear your voice." Mal smiled back.

"You too Inara." And it was. The old pang of sadness and hurt had been replaced with a sense of melancholic nostalgia. As they shared pleasantries back and forth, Mal mused that whatever had been between him and the companion was truly over, he knew that. He was glad. It would make things that much better when she was finally back home on Serenity.

xxxx

He showed River the pictures Inara had sent him that night. She looked at the sword, running her fingers down the screen as though she was really touching it.

"We both think it's for you," he told her. "What with the river going through the middle of it, seems pretty plain I guess." She nodded agreement.

Mal's thoughts were racing beside her, River could tell. His thoughts swirled below the surface of his mind, into regions she refused to penetrate. It was odd, the more words and truths she shared with Mal, the more tempting it was to peruse all the words left unsaid that he may have. But a man shouldn't have to fear a person knowing his innermost thoughts, and River allowed Mal his privacy, just as she allowed it to everyone else. And thoughts weren't actions. It's what was said and done that was more important. It didn't mean she wasn't curious though. She snuck a glance in his direction. He seemed frustrated about something.

Finally, Mal sat up in his chair and turned toward her.

"I worry," Mal confessed. "You seemed so sure of him on Regina. I believe you of course," He added hurriedly. "It's just, well, you were shot, Darlin' and that doesn't do a a person a hell of a lot in the way of thinkin' clearly. You didn't have a lot of time to get into his head the way you do. And before, with Miranda, you barely spent any time with the man. If he comes to us with some plan, as I'm certain he eventually will... River are you sure we can trust him?"

Ah, this. She knew he had doubts about the Operative and that eventually they'd talk about this. She closed her eyes and allowed her perfect memory to wash over her.

"I remember that day," She said softly. "The day I faced the Reavers on Mr. Universe's moon." Mal nodded grimly, remembering staring into her warrior face, standing alone amoungst countless dead monsters. Then the soldiers arrived. How he'd watched her hand tighten, almost imperceptivity on the weapon she held, ready to give everything she had to defend her crew, before the Operative had ordered his men to stand down. How Mal had breathed a sigh of relief at that moment that he didn't have to witness her go up against that many guns. To this day, Mal did however sometimes wonder who would have come out on top in that fight, he surely did.

"He was broken," River continued, startling Mal out of his reverie. "Broken by what he'd seen happen on Miranda. He felt everything he'd ever known, the ideal he spent his life upholding was a sham. He thought he was on the right side and it turned out he was wrong." She looked to Mal. "How would you feel if everything you'd ever believed in, ever fought for, was a lie?" He blinked back at her, and she knew that idea was just about the worst thing Mal could think of happening to a person.

"Pride," She whispered. "The worst of all the deadly sins, and his sin. Pride in himself, in his work, in the people he worked for." She stared out into the black.

"That boy on Regina," She said, "The one who shot me. I've thought about that a lot."

"I thought he was interested in you, that's why he paid so much attention." Mal mumbled. River could tell he was a little embarassed to even admit noticing that boy's interest in her the night before, but she ignored it.

"I did too," She agreed. "He was so intent on everything I said, every little move I made, I thought exactly the same thing." She shook her head. "It wasn't that at all though. He was focused entirely on me, so he could shut all his own thoughts out. He didn't think on his plans for the next day, didn't think of anything at all. It was odd, now that I look back." She shivered, remembering the intensity of his mind. She had, even that night known his intentions towards her weren't quite right, the way he stared at her, took in everything she said and turned it around in his mind, deconstructed it. But he was Monty's crew, and just a boy. Nothing all that strange about a young boy being besotted by a girl his own age.

She smiled ruefully. "I was just blinded, thinking he was attracted to me. Conceit. So I really didn't delve into his mind at all. I ignored him. Now I wish I hadn't, I don't know what I would have seen if I had made an effort to get into his head. He couldn't have hidden from me if I had gone into his mind." Of this she was sure.

"That's not conceit, you can't go around thinkin' everyone's an assassin, you'd drive yourself crazy... again." Mal assured River with a slight smile. Then, more gently, "But how do you know the Operative isn't pulling the same kind of trick on you?"

"Because he's an open book, entirely." River's voice was sure. The Operative was an entirely different case. She tried to articulate that difference. "That boy was a shadow. He kept his mind carefully blank, because you can't lie with your thoughts, unless you believe your lie. You can only keep your mind clear and not think them. Like a meditation. He was meditating on me that night, hoping I'd pass over him, and I did. He was testing me. The Operative though, he gave all his thoughts freely to me, like putting your hands up to show you aren't armed. I saw all of his intentions." She put her hand on Mal's arm and looked at him intently. "He has a clear mind. Before Miranda, he believed his lies with perfect clarity. That made him dangerous. Now he knows those lies for what they are and that what makes him our ally. We can trust him. I'm sure of it."

Mal searched her face for a moment and thought on what she said. Finally, he nodded, satisfied..

"Well that's good enough for me." He said. "Because eventually, he'll be back, and we'll have to deal with all this. Together."

Together. She liked the way the word came out of his mouth. All gruff and sure. "Thank you, Captain."

"Promised to protect you, and I will," Mal shrugged as though that was all there was to it. "Don't mean you'll be sittin' sidelines. 'Spect you'll have to do some of the heavy liftin' by yourself anyhow, so don't go thankin' me too hard just yet." He stood up, put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm goin' to get me to bed, little one," He yawned. "Don't stay up too late now, you hear? Pilot needs her sleep so she don't crash my boat." She shook her head.

"I won't." She promised. Mal nodded, his hand was still on her shoulder. She felt the weight of it, the warmth of his hand transferring into her skin and she closed her eyes, her own hand going on top of his. She felt him hesitate as he watched her. Now that he was leaving, he didn't want to go.

"I'll say goodnight then." He said, a bit hastily. Before he could think too hard about it, Mal leaned down and kissed her, very lightly on the corner of her mouth before leaving the bridge. It was over before River could react. She felt the lingering of his touch left over like a brand. He seemed to be searching inside of her for something, the way he looked at her. But that too was over before she could ponder it.

"Sweet dreams, Darlin'."

She stayed a while longer, after Mal left. She rested her fingers on the spot where he'd kissed her and looked at the stars, her own thoughts swirling up all around her.