Two to Tango, Three to Waltz ---------------------------------- based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon

Gunfights were something Cat never quite liked, mostly because it was usually 'Ski who she was covering and guns and bullets were more 'Ski and Mal's specialty. Not that she wasn't totally apt with a firearm, it was just she didn't care for them. No, her monster and strangely, Cat herself loved the up close and personal of the blade or bare hand, clawed if you wanted to be technical.

The other problem with guns was they needed ammo and sadly, without it, the gun was pretty much useless. "Mal, how much?"

"Down to my last two...no, make that one bullet." He leaned beside her, his back to the terminal they had found to hide behind. "Any idea?"

"Looks like we have about twenty left. Damn bullet proof armor." She slipped down and empty the casings from her gun.

"What now, bao bei?" He whispered to her as Cat turned to face him, her breath caught in her throat.

"Last time, you called me that was the night..."

"I asked you to come with me and fly. Guess I'm asking you again."

"Only you would get romantic in a gun fight."

"Don't know if I'll survive the next hour so i want to know. Will you, bao bei?"

"We know you have no more ammo. If you come out now, with your hands raised, we will spare your pitiful lives." A voice echoed over the room.

"Hold on." Mal yelled, but a shot echoed into the terminal and sparks rained down on them both.

"We the Alliance aren't trained to wait." The troop responded as Mal and Cat stood, the captain's eyes holding hers.

"How 'bout trained to die?" A voice responded as their soon to be capturer lost his head, the blast spraying over the group around him. As the headless body slipped to the ground, Cat could see 'Ski standing cigarette in mouth and smoking shotgun in hand. She smiled and flipped her phone off. “Heard there was a party and you forgot to invite me?”

“You're late.” Cat yelled as he threw her some more ammo for both Mal and her guns.

“Been here sooner, but the children wanted to come. Hope you don't mind, but we kind of locked Kaylee, Simon, and that companion in the ship.”

“We?” Mal asked as Zoe, Jayne, and River emerged from behind 'Ski. Zoe slung her shotgun to her shoulder and took out another of the troops as Jayne did the same. River, though, you could see the similarities between Cat and her, as she slit the throats of two Alliance before they even could register she was there.

“We, Captain.” Zoe spoke, but didn't smile. She hardly did anymore, after the things she'd seen, what she had been through. Instead, she kept to herself unless it was Mal and did what a good second did, kept the peace and protected what was hers. Another loss this close to the last might drive her to an edge she would not be able to come back from. “Ya know this won't sit well wit them folk,” Jayne sputtered, dropping a right arm into the helmet of the soldier closest to him.

“And that changes our status with them how?” Zoe chimed, her gun muffling her voice a bit as she blasted another round off.

“Just sayin' is all.” The big man replied as Cat slammed the bullets home and began her assault on the rest of the group.

“Handy idea with that phone of yours.” Mal smiled, letting her answer go until she was ready to give it.

“I knew we were low on ammo. Besides, if we had been in a scrap and I didn't invite ...” She had almost said husband but stopped. “Ski, I would have never heard the end of it.”

“How did he know where to go?”

Cat drew in a breath before this answer, one that was hard to give without explanation, and that she had no business giving. “He followed my scent.”

The moment the statement left her mouth, she wished she had come up with something, anything better. Mal just turned as a bullet nicked the wall behind him. “Come again?” Salvation came in the worst way possible as the subject of their talk cut a path to them. Shot gun in one hand and passing the cigarette to Cat in the other, she took it and breathed deep. It did nothing to calm her, but gave a whole new subject to the conversation.

“Smoke, too.” Mal frowned.

“Babe don't smoke. She just likes a taste now and again, 'specially when she puts her foot in her mouth...” Her partner grabbed the stick and frowned, “What did ya say? Because I told you I don't believe in divorce.”

“You can smell her?” Mal shouted as the last of the troop fell from a loud blast. Jayne whooped and blew on the end of a very large gun shouting 'that's my Vera.'

“Seems my wife has been talking out of turn.” 'Ski glared at her, but in a way, he couldn't be mad. It was the truth, after all. “I got a good nose and Cat's got a unique scent.”

About that time, Jayne and Zoe walked over and had heard some of the discussion. Jayne took a gander at Cat's attire and then at 'Ski. “That scent be blood?”

Cat glanced at her partner and then back at the crew. There was a dead silence between them all, only the sound of sparking wires could be heard. Finally, Jayne cleared in throat, stroked the gun, Vera again, and spoke. “So we going back to the ship? Kinda dangerous to leave Simon and Kaylee by themselves.”

River, who had been examining the bodies, came strolling over and stood next to Cat. “Blood has a very coppery smell. Sister and Stinky Man reek of it.”

“She's just such a darling,” 'Ski replied, eying Cat again as he ruffled River's hair. She stuck out her tongue.

“Just wanna see my boat,” Mal announced, a bit distant and weak sounding. He started walking toward the entrance, but staggered. Cat was to him before he hit the ground. She dived to catch him, her body twisting so his head fell into her lap.

The smell of cooper reached her nose and the enhanced senses took over. Her hands flew over his body as she slid his shirt open to reveal a wound to the gut. Thankfully, the bullet had missed any vital organs, but it had not found an exit. The longer it remained the more dangerous it would become. Tears fell from her eyes as she damned herself for not seeing it sooner. He had begun to pale early on, but she was too busy explaining that she didn't let it bother her.

She tossed a look to 'Ski, who acted without thought. Reaching for his phone that he and Cat used to communicate, he handed it to Zoe. The dark skinned woman stared at it a second and then left with Jayne hot on her heels. “Little Bit,” 'Ski called to River, who looked at him a moment and then smiled.

“Yes, Stinky Man, I can do that.” She giggled and skipped off for an undisclosed location.

“Someone's got to go for a bed. We can move him as far as the bottom of the steps, but too much jarring and too much loss of blood.” Cat was never like this. This man had reduced her to a woman, full fledged with tears. 'Ski had seen everything now.

“Relax, Cat. I've got this." He looked down at Mal. "We've both survived worse.”

“And we're normal?!” she shouted. 'Ski sighed and turned from her. Her voice came in a whisper to his ears. “That was uncalled for. Thanks for staying. Hell, thanks for coming.”

Her partner turned and placed a hand on her shoulder. “And miss a gunfight.”

She placed her hand on his and they laced their fingers together for only a moment, then the moment passed. “We need to stifle the flow of blood and see what we can do to stabilize him enough to get him down the stairs.”

“I'll see what these bodies can give us.” 'Ski pulled off his jacket and threw it at her. “Use it for a pillow. There are a lot for bodies and not much time.”

She folded it and shifted so Mal was comfortable. She whispered into his ear, his eyes closed, even though she knew it was not a good sign. “Please don't go. I haven't answered that question, yet.” ------------------------------------------------

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