Angelle's mine, but the rest belongs to Joss. ---------------------------------------------

Fire....Have you ever noticed that most everything looks better in firelight, where the crackle and dance of the flames illuminates with just a touch of warm glow, shining on the soft subtle tones of things and hiding the imperfections? It's enough to make one sigh and remember how beautiful the world really is.

Unfortunately, no matter how much light or lack there of is around, the guts of a swamp pig are still ugly and stink like the empty bowels of a dead dog roasting on pavement in the middle of a summer squelcher. Hope that's enough description for you.(good thing you weren't eatin', huh?) Anyway, back to the guts of a pig...because that's exactly what I got thrust in my face contained in a box while approaching the fire, with my arm in Mal's.

"Hey, Angelle, heard you're gonna go after that gator Lye done spotted near the fishin' hole. Might need bait so I saved ya the guts from the pig." Remember the backwater inbred joke we have going around now, well, the man before me was the epitome of just that. Bubba (I swear that's what his good momma christened him) had been a bur in my side since the day we both came out squalling. His momma blamed mine for his coming early since the doctor figured she had about another three weeks.

Both of us were healthy as oxes, though I was always better at everything, save for peeing standing up, never did quite get the hang of that one. When the boys picked on Bubba for being big and dumb, I would step in and soon he became the puppy I never did want. Not that he wasn't a totally sweet guy, who despite his mental shortcomings (imagine Jayne without a nasty bone in his body, except toward the pig and that was only because he could wrestle done near anything).

"Well, thanks, Bubba. You always know just what I need."

" 'Course I do. We got that link Needles is always goin' on 'bout." He smiled showing off the few teeth he still had. Swamp pigs can be right ornery when they think you're gonna eat them. "Who's your friend?"

Mal didn't wait a beat, but stuck his hand out and smiled. "Mal Reynolds."

"You own that pretty ship done come in this mornin'." Mal nodded. "Name's Bubba, Bubba Falls. My momma owns the general store so ifn' you need anything, just comin' lookin' fer me."

"Might take you up on that offer when we get ready to leave." "You better. Ain't none better than my momma's. 'Course she is the only." Bubba laughed at his statement, before a loud voice could be heard over the already noisy crowd. "Oh, that's momma callin'. She probably needs help with the kegs. Be seein' ya."

"Bye, Bubba." I called as the big guy began running off in the direction of the shouts. Laying at my feet in that brown box, sticking to high heaven, were the guts and believe it or not, I hadn't an idea as to what to do with them. "So, these will help us get that gator?" Mal jabbed the box lightly with his foot, but just enough to send a waft of air upward, nearly doubling us both over. "Smelled a lot of things, but that there...even after Jayne eats a bunch of eggs, he can't hold a finger to that stench."

"Why don't you go join your crew and I'll put these somewhere until we get ready to use them. If they're out in the open, that stench, which is like honey to that gator, will draw it to town."

"I could help you. Ain't like I haven't done nasty before."

"I know and appreciate it, but it only takes one and I'd rather me than you." I grinned at him, taking in his brown pants that accented all the right places and his dark blue shirt, which when the slight breeze caught it, well, it was enough to make a nun strip down and wanna jump him. "Don't want you to all dirty before the party."

"Could threaten ya again." His blue eyes just caught the flames from the bonfire a few yards off and I swear heaven itself sighed.

I grinned and lifted the box into my arms. "You could, but not sure you want to do that over a crate full of pig intestines and other such parts."

He cocked his head and with that crooked smile I was growing to like more and more, right with that box of foul smellin' luh sah under our noses, he kissed me again. Now, I am not a girl that buys into that whole romance thing. I was born on the universe's largest swamp, but as fas as I could see it, my first kiss with the man of my dreams was in Old Betsy, which is not that bad, but it could have been nicer and then my second is with my arms full of the inside out parts of a swine.

This time, though he did take his time, which surprised me with the wafting stench seeming to fill the air around us. I felt the gentle caress of his tongue against mine and the slight nip of pain as he took my lower lip between his teeth. All in all, one of the best kissed I could ever remember havin', save for the steaming pile of guts only a few feet from our noses, which I best find a place for. Not sure I want some three hundred pound fall back to the dinosaurs tromping around while we were trying to have a party. So, regrettably, I headed to a dark part of the swamp to hide them.

****************************

“Angelle, I'm not sure I can dance.” Kaylee argued with me as I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to the music. I had made it back to the party and had yet, to locate Mal so I decided to get the others involved. River look like one of those little dancers that twirl and spin in the old jewelry boxes, you know when you open the lid. She had all, but waltzed with everyone available, even pulling Cleo up from her seat and my dog, Stitches, who ain't much of a dancer.

“It's easy, Kaylee. Dancin' like sex, find your rhythm and carry it 'til the end.” I could tell she was nervous, her pretty eyes glanced to and fro lookin' at the people gathered, the ones already dancin' and the one for whom she was most nervous seein'. “Simon ain't goin' see you any different.”

“What if I make a fool out of myself?”

“Way I see it, Kaylee, Eventually, it's gonna happen. Happens to the best of us. Here at least, you're in control of it.” I smiled at her. “Besides, you can always blame it on bad moonshine.” Her lips split in a grin. “Come on, Serenity's keeper, dance with this backwater inbred.”

Finally, she allowed me to pull her into the firelight. The music was nothing more than handmade instruments played by men as old as the dirt under our feet, but I will say this, age had made them good. Taking a few tentative steps, Kaylee looked to me as I let my hips glide from side to side. She grinned and copied my movements as River walked over to join us.

From my right, a voice spoke and as I turned to its source, there stood Zoe. “Alright, Sis, you lead and we'll follow.”

“Sure about that?”

“I followed Mal into battle, ain't anything as bad as that?” She laughed and I nodded.

“Okay, here we go. We start with a bit of that stuff called belly dancin'.” I smiled as the girls from Serenity and I began to dominate the dance floor. With full hips and flat bellies, our bodies swayed to the music, hair and eyes playing with the firelight like stars on a dark sky. Kaylee, her smile full of life, was definitely not makin' a fool of herself as she first thought, but had caught the eye of not only her precious doctor, but a few other men as well.

“Okay, girls, let's add a little more to the mix. Follow my lead.” With a step forward and a thrust of my hip, I let my head fall to my knee and then come back up, my hair moving like liquid fire. Letting my arms become almost like the waves of a beach, thrown to and fro with the swells of the musical ocean, the rest of my body turned cobra as it swayed lustfully, making love to each and every note. My eyes shut as I could feel the air around me deepen in heat, the smoke from the fire wrapping around me and my girls like a sensual lover.

When I let myself see what was before me, I noticed that each of my girl's had partners now. Kaylee had her Simon, the look on his face was definitely not one of her and fool...Zoe and Gunner, though I saw the pain in her eyes, I could also see rays of hope...River and Jayne, though I could tell the big merc was slightly intoxicated from too much moonshine...and me, well, I didn't need a partner, even though I figured there were a few who would have filled the position. Just what might they be waiting for.

“Looks like you're alone on this dance floor.” A voice beside my ear spoke.

“Danced alone before. Ain't no big.” I smiled, but didn't turn, I knew who it was and what he wanted.

“Tell you this right now, boa bei. Your days of dancin' alone have come to an end.” His hands, strong and warm, touched my hips, catching the bare skin my shirt allowed to show. Like a warm blanket on a cold night, I felt his muscular body against mine, as my hands traveled up to wrap around his neck.

Letting the music carry me, I rubbed against him, my back and firm ass grinding into his middle, the button on his pants not the only thing hard on his person. I could feel his hands on my stomach and working their way up, but instead, I turned, letting them slide to my back. His blue eyes were almost haunting in the fire, and I wanted nothing more than to worship his lips with mine.

“You're killin' me.” He whispered hungrily in my ear, but I only licked my drying lips and spoke back.

“Oh, Captain Reynolds,” I growled. “I haven't even begun, yet.” I heard him groan as my body continued its descent down his, and then back up. I felt his arms tighten around my waist as he pulled me tight against him, my body betraying to him just how much I wanted him.

“Ange, is there somewhere we can go? Away from this crowd?” He muttered in my ear, his lips brushing against the lobe.

“We've got a gator to go after.”

“Oh, this won't take, but an hour or two.” He growled at me as I let him nuzzled my neck. Throwing my head back, I allowed his soft lips to tease at my pulse and where my neck met my chest.

“Think I could find somewhere.” I spoke and he stopped for a second, as I raised my head back up to stare at him.

“Well, now, what're we waitin' for?” He grabbed my hand and lead me away from the crowd and into the darkness. “Now, where?”

“Sure about this?” I asked him and got my answer when he grabbed me and split my mouth open with his, tongue finding mine and making them dance like we had just done not seconds before.

“You find that room and I'll show you how sure I really am.” He was hungry, as so was I, but not for food and drink, but for someone, anyone to hold and know you weren't alone. Of course, the hot, sweaty sex that would come from such a union was a definite plus.

“Come with me.” I reached for his hand and was welcome by the heat of it. If I had been smarter, we would have kept going, but the quiet air around erupted in the squalls from our watchtowers. I knew the alarm, the sound of it and as Mal looked at me in question, I shook my head. “It's the gator. Alarms tell us it's on the move and headed for town. Seems like this...”I stumbled for the words. “..we'll have to wait.”

Mal shook his head and reached for the pistol at his side. “Story of my gorram life.”