Angelle is mine, and the rest belongs to Whedon. --------------------------------------------

Hot water...what one gets into when they are in over their head or have bitten off a wee bit more than they can chew...I remembered this as I sat on the top of the bog in the splits trying my hardest to distribute my weight equally to stay above the mud. Had I done this before? Only about seven thousand times. Would I do it again? As long as stupid people continued to let their children play in the bog.

"Gerry, you need to sit still or you'll sink faster." I called to him as the boy stopped squirming. He was about another fifteen feet, plenty of rope and both my father and Mal on the other end to pull once I had him. My weight was one thing to balance, but add squirming ten year old and things would get interesting. I wasn't really interested in eating mud today.

"Auntie Angelle, is that you?" His voice was shaky and I scooted forward, using my hands and keeping my legs in the splits.

"Yes, Gerry. Now, when I get to you, you need to grab my foot, okay?"

"Okay, but what about Moo?" Stupid kid was so like me. Worried more about that damn dog than himself.

"We'll worry about him after. Your mama is gonna kill you, though I reckon she should be the one gettin' her hide tanned." I was close and I could see his blue eyes fall.

"Ain't Ma's fault. I sipped away from her when she was takin' care of Bekah."

"And you brought your sis with ya. It could be her out here and she's just a littlen'." I could feel his fingers grasp my leg as I felt my body begin to sink. Swinging my leg so that I was flat, my hand wrapped tight around the rope as I felt Mal and Dad begin to pull.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Angelle." I heard him whisper, his hands tight around my ankle.

"Best apologize to your Ma and Grandpa. They're the ones who are gonna hear it from Papa Sam." I looked down, my body now covered in mud. "Not an hour home and I'm already covered in mud."

"It's a good look for you." Mal smiled as I felt his hand wrapped around mine and haul me out while my dad grabbed Gerry. I smiled.

"Glad you like it."

"What on earth is goin' through your head, boy?" My father cuffed Gerry on the head, not hard enough to hurt, but enough for him to know he had done a rather stupid thing,

"But, Moo...Papa Sam..he got away and I was afraid the Gator me and sis saw near town would get him."

"What?" I looked past Mal. "You saw a gator near town?" We had tried hard to keep most of the gators a few miles away, since they tended to like to snack on dogs, cows, and children. We frowned a lot on the latter. Most of the healthy adults did just that, the planet plenty big enough and we made sure to keep them fat with p-bellies. It had to be either a young one or an old adult. God, I was hoping for the first. Older gators were a lot bigger and wiser.

"Right over there. In the fishing pool. Saw him about an hour ago." He pointed about twenty five meters away where we had been raising fish for the village. My father looked at me shaking his head and I stopped in my tracks.

"You know this place falls apart without me." I grabbed the rope that we had used for the rescue and began to roll it up. Slinging it over my shoulder, the knife I had used earlier sliced again into my jeans, but this time, I completely removed the legs so that they came only to about mid thigh. My shirt slipped over my head as I handed it to Mal, his eyes looking at me like I was the first woman he had ever seen half dressed or like I was completely out of my mind. I was opting for the last.

"What in the Gorram hell do you plan to do?” Mal looked to me and then at the fishing pond. “Please, in Buddha's name, tell me you're just getting dinner.”

“He's right, Stix. We can get the boys back here in a few minutes and take care of it. The scouts will make sure he don't go no where. You're in no shape to go against a gator without a bigger knife.” My father tossed look toward the pond before turning back to me. I nodded, but still kept a hold on my rope as we began to walk away.

“We still didn't find Moo.” Gerry whined, but my father slid his arm around the boys shoulders.

“She had a smart daddy. Bet ya she's waiting for you right now with your ma and sisters.” Sam had a way with people and not just adults. He was more than just the Swamp King, my father genuinely loved his people.

“You were going after that thing alone.” Mal whispered gently as I slipped the shirt back over my shoulders. “You're so kind of crazy girl.”

“It's what I do, though Sam's right. I'm usually better prepared.” I could tell by the way he looked at me, Mal wanted more.” I was born here. I learned how to cross the bog without sinkin', learned what plants were edible and what were not, and most of all, I learned how to fight, not with men and swords and guns, but with the kings of this swamp land. You see if that gator gets past our scouts, it can lay waste to the farms on the outer edges of our land and even into town.”

“So you risk your life for them, even though you could easily get help. ” He looked into my eyes and I stopped walking. My father looked back at us and out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him smiled, before continuing on.

“ These people are not soldiers, at least not all of them. Some are just like Simon and River. Running from their pasts and wanting only to start a new life where the Alliance or whoever will leave them alone. Instead, they land here, in a hostile and unforgiving planet, where monsters lurk and even the ground tries to swallow you up. My dad and the Bayou...it's hope for them and protection.”

“And you would die to keep that alive.”

“Better to die for something I believe in than to live and believe in nothing.” I began to walk away, but I felt his hand on my shoulder.

“You would have made a good Browncoat, Angelle.”

“Thank you. Might have won then.” I teased and he shook his head as we continued down the pathway. I hadn't forgotten about the gator and when no one was watching, I'd be back to make sure it stayed gone.

* * * *

“Mal, thank God you're here. These folk are all manner of crazy.” Jayne ran toward us, his hand resting on the but of his gun. “That woman over there with River, she thinks there's nuttin' wrong with Moonbrain.”

“Cleo thinks everyone is perfect. Well, except the Alliance. They're purple skinned demons from the fifth dimension.” They both turned to stare at me. “What? She believes she is the reincarnated Egyptian queen and I, for one, ain't arguing with royalty.”

“Told ya, Mal.” Jayne gave me a weary look and then walked away toward the local bar.

“She really believe that.” Mal motioned to the black haired woman, who sat talking with River.

“Yup. We're a colorful bunch.”

“ Hunh? Guess my bunch will fit right in.” He shrugged as we continued toward the middle of town. Eyes followed us as I could feel the whispers spreading. Sure, I had a boy or two in town that had tried to court me, but Sam's girl kept them at bay. She wasn't the kind to settle down or to let some man into her heart. No, her heart belonged to the swamp, the planet she called home, and that was suppose to be enough. So, why was it as I walked beside the hero of my daddy's tales...our hands slightly brushing together, did I find myself wanting more and wishing that he wanted the same? Damn it, I hate it when my father's right!