Angel of the Morning _________________________________________________ based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon

'Ski seemed to just stare at the young girl before them, almost waiting for her to ask for more. She had been well taken care of, but he could not get past the fear in her eyes. Amazingly, she did not fear him or the monster he had become, but instead something that haunted the walls around. "How can you help? Simon asked, voicing everyone's concerns. She was probably no more than eleven, but even now you could see the resemblance between Cat and she.

"I can help her body heal faster." Her voice whispered as Batha walked up and let the young one pet her, the girl's laugh almost infectious. "I knew you hadn't gone far."

'She made me promise. Even though, she does not remember." The giant cat purred, 'Ski shaking his head to clear it.

"My name is Kitty. And before you ask, I am a project, but not the one you think I am." She turned to 'Ski. "She is not my mother, but we share DNA as I do with Falcon. My parents were a mix of both of their parents."

"Now there's a good talk show for ya." Jayne whispered, thinking back when programs like that use to flood the airways before the Alliance took the reigns.

“So, if you don't mind us asking,” Mal began, feeling a bit odd talking to an eleven year old that seemed more in tune with life than most adults he had met. “What exactly are you...”

“You are stumbling with words.” She smiled. “I know who you are. You are her Sargent. The one she came here to protect. Mal is your name. She cried and screamed it sometimes when Falcon would...” Suddenly, the eleven year old was just that and buried her head in the large panther's fur. She sobbed for a minute, but before anyone could get to her, she stopped and composed herself.

“I was created at first as just another experiment to duplicate what they had done with Projects Cat and Falcon, but it failed. Instead, the Academy learned I could heal. Not like some magical power, but I could tap into the healing part of the brain and make it faster. Now, on a human that's quite cool, but on Cat and Falcon, well, let me just show you.”

She walked toward the fallen Cat, placing her hands on either side of the warrior's temples. Her green blue eyes echoed Cat's, but if you looked deep enough, you could see much more blue and her red hair was streaked with blonde. Her tiny voice spoke to 'Ski and Mal. “Remove the knife when I nod and hold your hand over the wound. I can heal, but I cannot make her restore the blood she has lost. That will be up to her.”

'Ski felt Cat's heart begin to race as his thoughts turned to the fact that again he had almost lost her and somehow the thought was not getting any better. Had this woman become so much a part of him that losing her would almost kill him.

Mal was furious, more so than he had been in awhile. By the way the knife had gone in, he knew 'Ski had something to do with it and, far be it from him to tell Cat who she could associate with, this guy rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe what made him the maddest was deep down inside, he knew Cat loved them both for completely different reasons and what was worse than that might just be, he knew exactly how she felt.

Kitty dug deep into Cat's mind as the beast fought to surface. Even in the state she was in, the tough woman reigned in her other side as the young girl set to work doing what she did best. Even though healing took so much out of her, Cat touched 'Ski's mind gently.

'Not your fault.' It was a whispered hush, like a still voice in the midst of a crowd, not all of the words heard, but enough to understand.

'Just come back. Your captain is breathing done my neck and I'm thinking of retrieving my knife only to plunge it somewhere else.'

'Always a way with words.'

'Next time, leave me or kill me. Risk your life again for me, Babe and I'll...'

He could hear her laugh, the same one she had always soothed him with, no matter how bad their situation. 'Nine lives.'

'You've used those and another twelve or so besides that.' He felt her smile before his brain flashed in pain and the link was broken. An audible scream escaped her lips as blood spat in a spray. At Kitty's nod, 'Ski pulled the knife as Mal's hand clasped over the newly seeping hole. Cleaning off his knife, 'Ski stared at the blade a second, it reflecting his face as he glimpsed nothing more than the same man he always seemed to see, one he was neither proud of nor deserving of what the creature laying before him had given up time and time again. One day, she would do this and there would be no out, 'Ski finally having to watch as she died.

Mal felt the hole closing under his palm, a feat that had he not known what she was, might have worried him a bit, but Cat was something of a miracle in and of herself. Her eyes fluttered as he used his other hand to wipe the blood from her lips. He wanted to kiss her, to make sure again she was real, but at the same time, he longed for his boat and the heart he longed for there.

Cat hated pain. Even though, it was something she had lived with her entire life, she secretly wished one mission wouldn't end with her getting shot or stabbed. Hell, with a fist fight would be a dream come true. Her eyes opened and the two reasons that would never happened stared at her. Mal and 'Ski, the men she loved and the ones who could turn even the most peaceful talk into an all out brawl.

“Said to leave me if anything happened. Don't you men ever listen?” she murmured.

“Nope.” 'Ski smiled lightly grabbing her one arm as she struggled to stand.

“And don't plan on starting any time soon.” Mal smiled grabbing her other.

Cat let them help her up and as she brushed off the dirt from Mal's coat and her legs, she noticed blood on brown. Shaking her head, she slipped it off and handed it to its owner. “I'm sorry, Mal. I didn't want to return it to you bloody.”

“Ain't nuttin' it hasn't seen before and likely will see again when time comes?” He smiled at her, the same smile that won her heart so long ago.

“Thanks, Mal.” She returned the grin as Kitty ran into her arms and hugged her tight, the air driven from her lungs.

“Cat, you're alive!”

“Of course, I am. Think a knife to my chest is going to stop me.” She grinned ruffling the girl's hair. “So it was you who contacted me. I thought your signature was familiar.”

“I couldn't let Falcon know I was still alive. They told him I was moved to protect me. He did a lot of damage after you escaped.”

“Ya, well, they actually stunned me and drug me out of here. I wouldn't have left without you otherwise.”

“I know. I heard you tell Batha to watch over me. It was the only reason she stayed so close.” The panther's ears perked at her name as River stared at the two girls.

“You were born here?” she whispered to Kitty and the young girl turned toward her.

“Yes. I was created here and I remember when they brought you here for a little while, but you fought so hard against their mods that they opted to take you to the School instead. We don't have any 'Machines' here.” The little girl trembled at the thought of those horrible creations.

“I don't remember much.”

“You weren't really conscious much. They kept you really drugged, reprogramming you so many times and doing such nasty experiments on you that I was amazed you're still breathing.” She turned to Simon who was listening intently. “ I tried hard to smuggle her in food and water as much as I could, but they were watching my every move. Honestly, I think they were hoping to break her the old fashioned way for Falcon. I am surprised she's still human.”

“Do you know exactly what they did?” Her brother felt almost humbled by this brilliant child..

“Almost. They let me have the run of the place because of my uncanny ability to remember just about anything. If you let me come with you, I can help you undo some of the damage, but not all.”

“Well, I reckon that we have no other choice then.” Mal smiled since the decision to take her with had occur some time before they had even left Serenity.

“Whoopee!!” The young girl screamed, dancing around all of them like a school girl.

'Ski looked to Cat in that moment and smiled. “She might be smarter than all of us put together, but the way I see it, she is still a little girl.”

“One who had to grow up way too fast.” Cat placed on hand on Batha's back as she buried it into the luxurious coat. 'Thanks for protecting her.'

The large panther purred loudly and over it, one word could be heard. 'Family.'

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