Mal Love Bots for Sale! (4/?) Word Count: 1,063 per Word Rating: NC-17 Author’s Note: For damiarvn, srichard, obsidianagirl. All whom I just adore. Summary: First a little more confusion, then the question will be answered. Is it Mal in River’s bed at night or is it the Bot! Short chapter to get us to the good stuff!

*************************** After watching Mal and River flirting all day long, Simon was determined to make one last attempt to keep Mal from River’s bed.

After spending some quality time with Kaylee in her bunk, Simon took up vigil in the common room.

After a few hours, Simon could feel his energy level dragging. In desperation, he went to the kitchen in search of a cup of coffee. He abhorred what passed for coffee out here in the black, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

A half-hour after he returned to his surveillance, Mal walked in.

Smugly satisfied, Simon stood to block his way.

“Doc.”

“Out in the cargo bay, I don’t want River to accidentally overhear this conversation.” Simon gestured for the Captain to precede him.

Mal turned and walked into the cargo bay. Leaning against a crate, he looked Simon up and down.

“I got to give you credit for trying.”

“Trying what?”

“Keeping me away from River. Too bad you sleep rather soundly. Leaving your door open didn’t help at all.”

Simon felt his rage start to simmer below the surface.

“Sleeping in front of her door was a decent idea, but I just stepped over you. Now last night, that rudimentary alarm you rigged up would have been good, if you hadn’t left the wire out in the open. I just taped it up and the wire never moved as her door slide open.”

Simon just gapped in stunned rage at Mal’s arrogance.

“You bastard. How can you live with yourself? She’s just a little girl.”

“You know, I’m getting right tired of reminding you that she’s of age to do anything she pleases, and there’s not a thing one you can do about it.”

“I could have her declared legally insane.” Simon bluffed.

Mal’s eyebrows rose in disbelief at this. Never mind they both knew if Simon did that that River would come under Alliance radar and Simon would never do anything to cause that to happen.

“I’m sure that will make you popular with your sister.”

“That’s between River and me. I want you to leave her alone.”

“Since when have I taken orders from you on my ship? Never. Besides, can you guarantee she’ll leave me alone?”

Simon’s shoulders slumped in defeat. There was nothing in the ‘verse that he knew of that could keep River from getting what she wanted.

“Just be careful with her.”

“I protect me and mine.”

“I know that. Just…she’s a gift. The damage done by those bastards will cause her to deal with things differently than you or me.”

Mal stared at him for a long moment before placing a gentle hand on Simon’s shoulder.

“She is a gift, one more precious to me than you’ll ever known. Trust me when I say I will never intentionally hurt her.”

Relieved, Simon just nodded before turning and going back into the common area to sit and dwell on what had just happened. He heard the stomp of Mal’s boots as he walked up the stairs and out of the cargo bay.

Picking up his coffee, he took a drink to steady his overwrought nerves before sitting back to stare at the ceiling.

* * * * * Kaylee woke early to an empty bed again. She had been seeking Simon’s body in her sleep and fell out of her bed to land with a jarring thump on her floor.

Frustrated by Simon’s absence, she dressed quickly and went in search of him.

Kaylee was just about to open Simon’s door, when she heard River moan and then gasp. Worried that something was wrong, she turned and opened River’s door.

The view that greeted her eyes was unexpected and a shock. River lay naked on her back, legs wide open with a nude Mal licking at her pussy.

Kaylee stood there stunned, unsure what to do, when she heard someone calling her name.

“Kaylee, where are you girl? Serenity’s engine is makin’ all kinds of weird noises again.” Mal’s angry voice echoed into the dorm area.

Confused Kaylee looked from the cargo bay back into River’s room and back again, then a big grin bloomed over her face.

Shutting the dorm room door, she called out as she entered the cargo bay. “Coming Captain.”

Simon awoke to the sound of Kaylee’s voice yelling something to the Captain.

He dressed hurriedly. It was his turn to make breakfast.

* * * * River was the last person to enter the dining room. Everyone else had already begun eating.

Kaylee taking note of her arrival, waited until River had placed a heaping spoonful of scrambled eggs in her mouth before asking, “So River, you gonna tell everyone what you got in that crate or can I?”

River’s eyes widened in fear and then narrowed in anger at her brother. He’d told her secret and he’d promised.

She tried desperately to swallow her food with a throat that had suddenly gone dry, when Kaylee cheerfully blurted out. “River got herself a Mal love bot and has been using it.”

River looked stricken. Darting a quick glance at the Captain, she noted the irate look on his face and darted from the room, overturning her chair in her haste.

Simon had choked on his eggs at Kaylee’s announcement. If River had a bot then who was it in her bunk with her the last five nights?

Simon turned confused eyes on to Mal, who returned them steadily.

“Aww Mal, you wouldn’t let me keep Mr. Universe’s love bot, Lenore, how come crazy gets to have one and I don’t?” Jayne whined.

Mal just shot Jayne a look that quickly silenced the mercenary. His focus returned to the Doc and they shared a silent understanding.

“I didn’t mean to upset her. I’ll just…” Kaylee said as she started to rise from her seat.

“Let the captain handle it.” Simon interrupted as he put a restraining hand on her arm.

Kaylee resumed her seat and glanced from Simon to Mal. Realizing that there was more going on here than she was aware of, she resumed eating. She’d get it out of Simon later. “Zoë.” Mal looked briefly at her.

“Sir.” Zoë’s eyes responded in the affirmative after sussing out what was going on.

Satisfied that the crew and the ship would be taken care of, Mal rose from his seat and went to chase down a distraught albatross.

Zoë’s concerned gaze followed him out the door before turning to glare at Jayne.