Dont' own em

I think this is how things should have gone.... But I still love you Joss.

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"Stand down." the man's voice choked for air. "It's finished... We're finished."

Alliance surrounded the few remaining members of the firefly's crew. It was all a blur in Malcolm's eyes. River was grabbed by a few men. Mal watched them as he fell to his knees on the ground. Inara lept for the young girl but another man grabbed her as well. Alliance officers stood over him and the rest of his incompacitated crew. Mal didn't hear the men talking to him as his eyes scanned the faces. Within moments he was being carried from the small hallway.

"Wait!" Mal yelled finally. "My crew I can't leave 'em. Let me go." He tried to stand up but the men pushed him back down.

"This is for your own good son." The speaking man's face was hiden by shadows.

"Don't!" Mal tried to protest as the man injected a medication into his arm. Within seconds the captain faded into darkness.

When the captain woke up he was alone in a strange infirmary his wounds were patched and he suspected he was slightly doped by the small lack of pain. Mal had begun to sit up when a doctor in Alliance attire entered, looking at the chart in his hands.

"Malcolm Reynolds. You have an amazing medical chart." the young man scanned pages in front of him. "Your doctor gave us some of the information. The rest we were able to track through some wartime medical records. You're a tough man."

"It's Captain." Mal responded unemotionally.

"Beg your pardon." The man smiled slightly as he checked the monitors beside the captain's bed.

"Where's my crew?" Mal asked finally.

"We've been ordered to give your crew the medical attention they need and then return you to your ship." the man sighed as he pulled a stool up next to the bed. "Ms. Frye was struck with poisen darts but fortunately you have an excellent doctor on your crew who counteracted the effects. The doctor suffered from a bullet to the abdomen. He's in recovery with Ms. Frye and his sister at the moment. The sister managed to only recieve a few scrapes other than that she's prefectly healthy. Unfortunately Mr. Washbourne did not make it. There was nothing could have done for him."

Mal nodded as tears stung his eyes. "An' the rest of em?" he choked out.

"Mrs. Washbourne refused attention. However her injuries were quite severe. Again your doctor acted quickly and bandaged the wound which prevented infection. She will heal but we had to restrain her in order to give her proper attention. She fought against us. Hard. She's unconcious at the moment. A precaution done for her own good." Mal nodded at the young man again. "Mr. Cobb recieved a bullet to the shoulder. He assured us that it was a small injury compared to other past ones. He tried to get away to check on your other crew but we restrained him. Which unfortunately wasn't enough to hold him down. Currently there are several officers trying to tranquilize him and-"

"What about Inara? Miss Serra?" Mal interrupted the man without remorse.

"She has not spoken to any of our men. Miss Serra has shied away from the doctors, refusing to let them look her over. As far as we can tell she's alright. Just very frightened." As the man finished, he began rechecking the machines attached to his patient. "You suffered the most significant damage Captain. We would like you to stay overnight for observations. However we cannot force-"

Mal interrupted agian. "Send her in please."

"Miss Serra?" asked the doctor, slightly confused. At Mal's nod he spoke again. "Of course. I'll be right back."

Mal laid back in the bed. The pain was slowly returning to his battered body. As pain ripped through his abdomen Mal took in a sharp breath. The door to the infirmary opened suddenly. She walked in with her head down but as the door closed behind her she lifted her face to meet his.

"Oh Mal..." she breathed as she rushed to his side with tears in her eyes.

As soon as she began her approach his eyes checked scanned over her body in search of any injuries the doctor may have missed. "You alright?" Mal put his hands on her shoulders so he could get a better look.

"Yes, Mal I'm fine." she took his hands and laid them on the bed. To Mal's surprise her hands stayed above his.

"Are ya sure? Did they hurt ya when they grabbed you. I shoulda been quicker and stopped them but I-" Mal was hushed by a finger on his lips.

"Shh. Mal, I'm okay." Inara traced her thumb over Mal's calloused hand. Her voice was shaky and this unnerved him. Mal reached forward and lifted her chin with his hand. Her eyes were rimmed with unushed tears.

"What is it?" his tone was soft and compassionate as he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Mal.. That moment before you got on the lift," her breath hitched as her tears began to pour down her soft cheeks. "I-I thought it was the last time I'd-" her body shook as she began to sob. "And there was so much I wanted to say and never thought I get that chance."

"Shh, bao bei. It's alright." Mal pulled her close as she let her barriers fall as she began to sob against his chest.

"I can't do it anymore. I can't be a part of something that causes people so much pain. The Alliance. The Guild. There connected and I can't make it part of my life." she looked up into his saddened blue eyes. "I can't ever leave Serenity again. And most of all I can't keep doing this with you. I just want to stop hiding and fighting. I'm just so tired, Mal."

With both of his hands cupping her angelic face Mal bent down and placed a chaste kiss to her lips. "C'mere." He slid over and made room for her in the bed. They laid there for a while. Her head resting in on his chest. His hand stroking her hair.

"Where do we go from here Mal?" Inara asked as she turned her head to look into his eyes.

"When this is all over?" she nodded. "We heal. We mourn. Then we live."

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I hated this. But couldnt get it out of my head. I think its SO anticlimatic and just plain sucks. It's not what you were expecting I'm sure. I think I did a sucky characterization job too.