"Nash... Nash Rawley."
An unnatural silence descended over the ballroom as the small group froze in shock and confusion. Mal's grip on the gun slackened as he blinked down at the young boy below him. The silence only lasted for a moment, however, and the young boy, taking advantage of the groups astonishment, inexplicably slipped his uninjured hand around the Captain's. Before Mal could realize what he was doing, the stranger's finger slid between Mal's and the trigger roughly.
The roar of the shot issued loudly through the room and Mal dropped the gun in surprise as blood and thicker things splattered up towards him.
"Son of a bitch," Jayne muttered as he skittered backwards on his knees to avoid the spray.
The gunshot echoed through the room as a new wave of surprise fell over Serenity's crew and Inara. The silence seemed to stretch on forever until Zoe finally cleared her throat and broke it.
"Sir... this Nash can't be the same man... the man who helped you, who Josephine knows..."
Mal shook his head slowly, a dazed expression in his eyes. "Can't it? He never gave me a last name," he spook numbly. "And why would he, if it was Rawley? Seems too much of a coincidence," he added quietly.
"How did he even get in here with that?" Simon asked, nodding his head towards the discarded gun.
"Yeah," Jayne said, standing up and turning angry eyes towards Inara. "I thought you said this place was safe."
The companion just stared at the large mercenary with wide eyes, at a loss for words for once.
"Ain't so hard," Mal spoke, his voice hollow, "I did it." He jumped to his feet suddenly, startling the others, and began swiping at the globs of flesh that had starting running down the right side of his face as though he would rub his skin raw. The small pieces fell to the floor with an almost inaudible plop.
"Jo, did Nash ever tell you his last name?" Mal spoke with his back to the others but turned around when his question received no response.
"She left," Kaylee spoke up quietly, pointing towards the main entrance, "before he spoke... before he..." Kaylee glanced down at the body on the floor, something she had been trying not to do, and her face went white.
Mal glanced at the doors and back to the others quickly. "Clean this up... he can't answer our questions now," he said bluntly and turned on his heels, trusting that they would do what he said.
He hurried out the doors and into the hallway in search of Josephine, ignoring the curiously shocked expressions of those few who were brave enough to have hovered in the hallway after the commotion.
What was she thinking, running off? What if that boy wasn't alone? With a start the Captain realized he didn't even have his gun on him if there was more trouble and began heading to their room to retrieve it, though he didn't think he would find Josephine there.
"MAL!" Inara's voice called out to him as he turned down a corridor and he faintly heard the clatter of her heels in the distance as she hurried to catch up with him. He ignored her and kept moving quickly as she continued to call out to him.
"Mal wait!" Her voice was much closer now and Mal turned around suddenly.
"WHAT?"
Inara hesitated, not anticipating his anger and stood there a moment trying to catch her breath. "Mal you're a mess. At least clean yourself off first, you're covered..."
Mal touched his hand to his cheek at her words and brought it in front of his eyes, surprised to find it wet with blood. He blinked up at Inara to find her holding out a handkerchief which he accepted gingerly and wiped roughly at his face until only a few red streaks were left. Stuffing the besmirched scrap of fabric into his pocket unceremoniously, he turned again only to be stopped once more by the companion.
Inara stared at him a moment, her face contorted in worry. "Mal... she's scared, please don't... don't..."
"What mustn't I do Inara?" Mal prompted her, his voice suddenly weary.
"Don't forget that despite everything, she's still very young."
"She's seen more than most people her age Inara," Mal said, though he knew at once that the companion wasn't only commenting on Josephine's age.
"I know... just be careful with her Mal."
He stared at her for moment before speaking. "I'll take care of her."
"I never doubted that you wouldn't," Inara smiled at him softly before turning and heading in the opposite direction.
Mal watched her retreating back for a moment, confused as to whether or not he had heard the tiniest amount of regret in her voice.
The Captain sighed deeply and continued on his way. Inara's comments had been eerily similar to his own thoughts. Josephine had survived so much all ready and he couldn't help but wonder what it would take to finally push her over the edge, finally take her to that place that no one would be able to bring her back from. He had to admit that he hadn't expected her to run from the room. After all, it wasn't the first time some one had tried to kill her, and it certainly wouldn't be the last, not if she stayed with Serenity. Mal came to a stop suddenly.
"Not if she stays with me, you mean," Mal muttered to himself as he ran a hand over his forehead. Trouble seemed to follow him around even before Simon and River had come aboard. He'd even been accused on more than one occasion of seeking it out, and the worst part was, he was starting to believe it was true.
Mal shook his head swiftly as though trying to rid himself of these thoughts before continuing on his way. When he arrived at their room he wasn't surprised that Jo wasn't there, but he removed his jacket and slipped his holster over his shoulder, not caring that it was in plain sight. He continued down the hallway to the main entrance, not really knowing where he was going but trusting that his gut instinct was leading him in the right direction.
He stepped out into the cold night air and stopped, his eyes scanning the distance. A dim light emanated from the stables and he hastened in that direction.
Mal grabbed the lamp that he had seen from outside and found her in the last empty stall. The light was so dim that if it weren't for the stark whiteness of her dress he didn't think he would be able to make her out. Josephine sat on the hay, hugging her knees to her chest and rocking gently back and forth.
The Captain breathed a sigh of relief that at least she was here and not taken as he had feared. It appeared the boy had been sent alone.
He brought the lamp closer until he could see her better but she made no indication that she knew he was there. He gasped lightly when he noticed she'd been hurt. The blood from where the bullet had grazed her was dripping steadily down her arm and onto her white gown, streaking it crimson in places.
"Josephine?"
She didn't respond and Mal kneeled down in front of her, setting the lamp to his side. "Josephine?" He reached out to grasp her shoulder and stop her rocking but she scooted back from him suddenly.
"Don't touch me!"
Mal let his hand fall to his side, unable to hide the hurt in his voice. "Qing... I would never hurt you."
"He said that once too..."
Mal flinched at being compared to that tamade hundan, but reached out towards her again. "Jo..."
"You looked like him," she whispered, cutting him off.
Mal's arm froze in the air and he cursed to himself silently. He hadn't even thought about it at the time, about what it would look like to her.
"I'm not him."
Mal's eyes widened when she began to sob heavily at his words. He scooted closer to her and she let him pull her into his arms. Josephine buried her head against his chest, wetting his shirt with her tears, and Mal rubbed small circles into her back, letting her cry until there were no more tears and the numbness took over. When she had finished he pulled back to examine her arm more closely.
"You're bleeding."
Josephine looked down in surprise as though she had forgotten. The blood had seeped into the fabric of her gown and already begun to dry an ugly rust color. "Oh diyu... I've ruined Inara's dress."
Mal smiled sadly. "I don't think she'll care. We've got bigger problems." He ignored her questioning look and instead went to work tearing two long strips off the hem of the damaged dress, the fabric yielding with surprising ease.
Taking her arm lightly in his hands, he used one of the pieces as a makeshift rag, wiping the area around the wound until it was free of blood. It was unattractive and red, but nothing more than a small scrape.
"You'll be fine," Mal said quietly, more to himself than her, as he began to wrap the other piece of fabric around her arm tightly. "Josephine... I need to ask you something..."
She sniffled and watched as he turned the ends around each other, securing the bandage with a steady knot, and waited for him to continue.
"Your friend Nash, did he ever tell you his last name?"
Josephine stared at him in confusion before shaking her head. "No, why?"
"That kid... who... well he said he was sent by a Nash Rawley..."
She flinched at the name and her eyes widened in surprise. "You think they're the same person?"
"I don't know." Mal finished with her arm and looked back up at her.
"Why would he try to help me only to try to kill me?"
"I don't know."
Mal watched as Josephine's mouth curved in confusion. "And you think he has something to do with Bryce... with Bryce Rawley?"
The Captain shook his head and repeated what was fast becoming his mantra. "Wo bu zhidao. But maybe you do. Did he ever mention any relatives?"
"Only his father... I think his name was Kristof though... not Nash." Josephine fiddled with the makeshift bandage on her arm. "There was a room, one of the ones we weren't allowed in, sort of like a gallery I guess... nothing but photographs and portraits. The first time I tried to get out I got lost and wound up in there. They were mostly just of Bryce's father, but there were some others... none that resembled the Nash I know though."
Josephine looked at Mal curiously. "Why are you asking me this... why not ask the boy?"
Mal flinched slightly. He had been waiting for this particular question. "I can't... he's dead."
Jo's expression changed from curious to horrified in an instant. "Mal he was just a kid..."
"I didn't kill him, he killed himself," Mal said quietly, "after he answered me."
She stared up at him for a moment, trying to read his expression. "Would you have killed him?"
Mal stared at her and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, afraid of how to answer. He didn't want to frighten her anymore, but he didn't want to lie to her either. "If I had to," he answered soberly after a long moment.
The Captain waited for her to say something, to shout or scream or hit him after his answer, but the silence and sadness in her eyes was somehow worse. It was as if all at once the fight had gone out of her. Any light that had been left after Rawley was done with her had faded... because of him. Mal cursed himself silently, suddenly understanding her earlier comparison.
"Come on," Mal said, unable to tolerate the silence anymore. He pushed himself up, pulling Josephine, who's expression had glazed over some what, with him.
She allowed herself to be led back into the training house and to their room easily. She had gone numb, shut herself down somehow, forcing Mal's words from her ears. She didn't protest when he stripped off the ruined gown and cleaned the blood away with warm water from the lavatory.
Mal pulled one of his own large button down shirts over her head and pulled back the covers of the bed, helping her in.
She turned on her side, waiting to feel the familiar dip of the bed as he slid in next to her. But it never came. It wasn't until the room went dark and she heard the door open and close again that full awareness began to return to her. She turned her head into the pillow as fresh tears, tears that she should have long since run out of, coated her eyes once again.
The only saloon on the small moon of Revel was bustling, busier than Tawny and Abel Miller, the old couple that owned it, had ever seen. A wealthy Alliance official had opted to retire in the quiet farming community, and with him came a multitude of hearty young men and women to erect his plantation.
Every evening for the past week these workers had shown up, eager for a release after a hard days labor, and Tawny watched with appreciation as the throng buzzed around her. She set the drinks she'd been carrying in front of a particular rowdy group of men before shifting the tray to her other hand and forcing her way back to her husband at the bar.
"Might want to thank about gettin' some help in here, this lot may be here a few more weeks," she addressed her husband while he loaded her tray back up with ale. "I'm getting too old for this." She glanced down at the refilled tray. "And where is this goin'?"
"Back room," Abel grunted bluntly.
Tawny frowned and glanced towards the wooden door at the far end of the room. Another much smaller group had arrived in town just after the workers and had taken up lodgings at the local inn. The group consisted of about five average looking middle-aged men, and they too showed up almost every night. The only difference being that their leader, a short thickset man with a bland face, requested a private room to drink in. The old woman made her way hesitantly towards the room with her tray. These men were polite enough it was true, but Tawny couldn't help but notice that every time she entered the room all conversation stopped and she couldn't shake the thought that they were up to no good.
She paused outside the door and leaned forward, listening to the muffled voices issuing from within. Sighing deeply, she pushed the door open with her foot and stepped inside. Five pairs of eyes turned her way. Three of the men were seated and looked slightly uncomfortable while another tall blond man stood angrily in the middle of the room. The stout man was leaning easily against the table and looked relieved that she had interrupted what ever had the blond man upset.
Tawny set the drinks on the table next to the short man.
"Thank you," he smiled at her before turning to the angry man in front of him. "Charles, pay the woman."
The blonde man, apparently named Charles, stood stunned for a moment before rustling through his trouser pockets and laying a few bills in her hand. She nodded and hastened for the door, shutting it swiftly behind her.
Charles watched the old woman leave before turning his attention back to the man leaning against the table, now sipping on a drink.
"I don't understand what we're doing here Nash," he began, not forgetting his anger. "We should be on Persephone. Where is the money you promised us?"
"In time Charles, I need more time," Nash spoke quietly.
"What time? You're brother is dead..."
"He was no brother of mine," Nash spat bitterly. "Just because we shared the same father doesn't make someone a brother."
"But you're a Rawley! The last. Everything that was his should be yours, why aren't we collecting? Instead you send my only son to that... that whore house... on some ridiculous mission..."
Nash pushed himself away from the table angrily. "Caleb is young and innocent. Do you think any of us would have been able to get in there? I've explained this to you, but apparently you're too thickheaded to understand." Nash turned his back on the others and folded his arms over his chest. "My 'brother', as you called him, was arrogant enough to believe himself immortal. I knew he wouldn't have a will, I thought it would be easy..."
"But?"
"But I overlooked something," Nash continued as he turned back around suddenly looking tired. "Persephone law dictates that in the absence of children, all assets pass to the surviving spouse."
"So...?" Charles paused in confusion.
Nash cried out in exasperation. "So, everything goes to his wife! Everything, even if it was a sham of a marriage."
"And so Caleb is to what...? Kill this woman?"
Nash sighed before answering. "I kept us out of anything messy for a long time Charles. I convinced those fops Fanty and Mingo to contact Bryce, alert them to Serenity's whereabouts and everything unfolded perfectly. I practically delivered Josephine back to him, knowing full well that that Captain would go after her. Malcolm Reynolds killed Bryce Rawley, I've kept the blood off our hands... but not anymore. It's time to take matters into our own hands. I never wanted her dead, but she's standing between me and what's mine..."
"Ours," Charles added quietly.
"Ours," Nash agreed, walking towards Charles and grasping his shoulder lightly. "I expect to hear from Caleb any day now. Don't worry friend... I'm sure your son is fine."
Josephine woke to the soft early morning light issuing through the large room's only window. Groaning wearily she turned on her side and groped for the familiar warm body next to her but her hand found only covers and pillows. She sat up quickly in the bed, ignoring the sharp pain in her arm, as the events of the previous night came rushing back to her. Her eyes roamed frantically over the semi-darkness of the room for any sign that Mal had been there, and to her dismay, there was. She jumped out of the bed to turn the lights on and make sure what she was seeing was true. His things were gone.
"They've left me," she whispered. Josephine's hand flew to her mouth, unwilling to believe she'd just thought that. They couldn't... he wouldn't... she thought as she hurried to get dressed. She flung open the door to their room and spilled out into the hall, unsure of exactly where she was headed. She stood in the hall a moment, panic beginning to over take her at the thought of being left. Josephine forced herself to take a few deep breathe's before heading in the direction of the training houses main doors. She would go see for herself. Serenity would still be there. The ship would still be there. She would make it, even if she had to run all the way through the forest to find it.
As she got closer and closer to the last turn before the doors would be in view, voices floated out to her and she quickened her step.
She stopped in surprise when she found all of Serenity's crew in the entrance way, carrying bags and speaking quietly to each other. Jayne and Zoe were speaking briskly to a young man who soon followed them out into the early morning sun, Kaylee was all but falling asleep on Simon's shoulder as they stood together, and River was sprawled out on the floor with her eyes closed.
Her eyes found Mal in the corner, speaking quietly to Inara, but he looked up as she arrived and walked quickly over to her.
"I was just coming to wake you..."
"Mal what is going on?" She stared up at him, noticing the dark circles beginning to appear under his eyes. "Have you been up all night?"
"We all have," he said turning to glance behind him briefly. "Getting things ready... we're leaving."
"Now?"
"In ten minutes exactly." Mal reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. "No questions now, please. Do you need help getting your things together?"
Josephine shook her head and Mal turned her around, giving her a gentle push in the direction of their room.
"Hurry."
Josephine walked briskly back towards her room, forming a mental list of everything she had with her, not wanting to leave anything behind. Leave anything behind... She stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway as the oddest sensation washed over her. She'd been so relieved to find that they hadn't left her that she hadn't realized what exactly she'd be leaving behind. Mira and the other women... they'd finally been making progress and she'd promised to help them. How could she leave them now?
She turned her head back towards the entrance hall where she had left the others and found herself at a loss. She couldn't leave the other wives, but how could she leave Serenity? How could she leave Mal?
"I love him," she whispered suddenly, surprising herself, as everything became so clear.
She turned and all but ran back to the entrance hall, skidding around the corner. The others appeared to be waiting for her and Mal looked up, giving her an odd look at her empty hands as he walked over to her.
"Where's your stuff?"
"I'm staying here." Mal looked startled and opened his mouth to speak, but Jo stepped closer to him, pressing a hand to his lips. "I'm not finished here Mal... I need to stay with the others."
Mal stared down at her, a myriad of emotions playing across his face. "But... it's not safe here."
Josephine sighed in exhaustion and looked at the floor. "I'm so tired Mal, tired of running. Tired of letting other people save me." She paused a moment and looked back up at him. "It's time to save myself."
Mal put his hand on her uninjured arm and led her a few feet away from the others, so as not to be overheard. "I... need you..."
Josephine's eyes widened at the meekness of his voice and the lost expression in his eyes. She closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against his chest. She felt his arms enfold around her back and began to cry for the third time in less than twenty-four hours, oblivious to the small group behind them.
"Part of me wants more than anything to give myself to you," she spoke through the tears, her voice slightly muffled. "To let you take me over completely. It would be so easy to be yours, and I know if I asked you'd take care of me forever... but I need to stand on my own. Yin qi jing huang duoshao wo xuyao ni."
Mal pulled her closer, resting his chin against the top of her head. "Yin qi jing huang duoshao wo ai ni," he whispered softly.
A strangled sob escaped Josephine and she raised her head to Mal's, capturing his lips with a reckless sense of abandon. She ran her tongue against the seam of his lips until he opened to her and she thrust inside, caressing the roof of his mouth, the back of his teeth, and then finally his tongue. She tasted him as she ran her hands over his face, attempting in the few minutes they had left to memorize ever inch of him. Giving herself something to remember while she was being strong, while she was staying behind.
She pulled away after a long moment and rested her head back against his chest, the frantic beating of his heart matching her own breaths, until she was calm once again.
Josephine let go and stepped away from him abruptly, afraid that if she held on any longer she wouldn't be able to let him go. She stared into his eyes for a moment, her chest tightening painfully.
"Tell the others..." Jo trailed off, unsure of what to say.
Mal nodded and smiled sadly, taking one last long look before turning and walking back to the others.
Josephine stood rooted to the spot, still unable to walk away, and watched as he picked up a few bags and motioned the others out. The others gave her questioning looks but followed their Captain out into the sunlight and the waiting carriages.
She didn't know how long she stood there but jumped when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Josephine turned to find Inara smiling softly at her.
"Come on..."
Jo let herself be led down the steps and into the soft grass in front of the training house. Inara raised her hand to the sky and she followed it with her eyes until they rested on the tops of the trees in front of her.
She gasped as Serenity suddenly loomed into view like some giant bird above the trees, surprised at how quiet it sounded. The great ship looked magnificent as it hovered just over the trees, the glass glinting in the sunlight as though winking at her, before turning and shooting off into the distance.
She smiled as she imagined Mal standing proudly just behind River at the helm and whispered softly...
"I love you... and I'll see you again."
THE END... for now...
A Note From Me:
OK... so it's 7:51 am. I've been up all night. I have to go to work. Screw that, I haven't called in sick all year... I'm due.
I began this at the end of last October... so a few weeks shy of a year and I can't believe it's done.
The ending isn't the happiest I know... and very sappy, so I apologize if it isn't to your liking. I also left many things wide open because I've already been planning a sequel... but I need to hear from you. So please, please let me know what you think. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Do you want to see Mal and Jo reunited? Do you want to see Kaylee and Simon get married? Do you want to learn more about Mira and the other women? Do you want to know more about what is going on with Nash (or more importantly: did anyone even remember him from his two previous appearances)?
Gahh... I'm rambling... can you ramble when your typing? Oh nevermind.
Thanks again to all that read and reviewed this story; you kept me going when I would have otherwise given up.
Oh and in case your interested, here's the (very loose) translation of the last two Chinese sentences:
Jo says: "Yin qi jing huang duoshao wo xuyao ni" - "It scares me how much I need you"
And Mal responds: "Yin qi jing huang duoshao wo ai ni" - "It scares me how much I love you"