based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon --------------------------------------------

"They will all die, Cat." Falcon growled, his bloody jaw dripping as he laughed. His dark eyes stared at the woman, who with long strides fell upon him and the door, barely dented by his frame. He dodged her next attack, sending her against the door in a thud, but unlike him, it didn't even phase her. Cat's mind was somewhere else entirely.

"Pray they don't." She moved with purpose towards him.

"And why is that? I can finally have you all to myself." His eyes reflected the lust he had for her, but what he saw staring back scared even him.

"Oh, that you will have." She snarled, her long fangs filling her mouth. "Mal keeps me human. Ski keeps me sane. Without them, I am more dangerous then every one of these foul creatures that you have sent to kill them and you combined."

"I'm better than you." He yelled at her, but she only laughed.

"They said that to you because you're obedient, not stronger, faster, or deadlier. They created you to fix the mistake they made. Not to better your body or reflexes, they wanted control." Her long legs closed the gaps between them.

"But, I had you before. I tortured you, beat you...I raped you and you were powerless."

"Oh, yes, you had your fun because of my fear of what they would to Mal and Zoe. They threatened to kill them if I didn't do exactly what they said, but not anymore. Now, it's just you and me." She smiled, her green eyes glowing brightly. "And now it's time for me to do what I promised to do a long time ago."

"And what is that?" he snarled at her, steadying himself as she approached.

"Rip off your bloody wings." Cat let her tongue slide across her long fangs. "Here, birdie, birdie, birdie!! Kitty wants to play."

******

"Okay, Reynolds, any bright ideas now?" Ski spoke over his shoulder as Mal leaned against him. Back to back, the two cast a look over the advancing group of deformed monsters as River held tight to a knife she had found.

"Only one. Don't die." Mal smiled as Ski shook his head, cocking the large shotgun in his hand.

"Wished I found my shotgun." Ski grumbled as something thudded against the big door followed by another slam. "Sounds like Cat's having fun."

"Is that your take on it?"

"Trust me. As attached as you are to her and she is to you, you'd know if she was in danger."

"Strange, I was gonna say the same about you two." Mal pulled the hammer back on the pistol in his hand.

"You know, Captain, for a man who has been through a war, captained a ship, and have followed a crazy half woman half beast through hell and back, you're really not that smart." He could hear the man chuckled behind him.

"Been awhile since someone talked to me the way you do."

"You're not my captain and kind of glad to say you never will be." Both of them shared a look over each other's shoulder before looking back at the enemy.

"Why aren't they moving?" Mal asked as Ski shrugged.

"Waiting for the order." River moved toward them so she was closer. "And for the rest of the guests."

"What guests?" Mal muttered as Zoe and Jayne appeared from the shadows, the creatures literally making a path so that they could gather together. As soon as they did, the path closed. "Now if that ain't disturbin'."

"You three, okay?" Jayne whispered tossing a look around the room. "Guess we didn't miss the action, yet, huh?"

"Where's Cat?" Zoe asked, looking around and then looking toward the big metal door that echoed as something slammed into it again.

"She is otherwise engaged." Ski smiled as River drew closer to them.

"He's keeping them at bay."

"Well, we figured that out, Moonbrain." Jayne grumbled, "Now, care to tell us why?"

"If she kills him, they will attack and are ordered to rip us apart." River's eyes looked to each of them in turn. "And by my calculations, without Cat and the number of bullets in each of your guns, they will overtake us in thirty-three minutes."

"Thanks, River."

"And we will be dead in..." "Enough." Mal commanded as the young girl closed her mouth.

"Can Cat kill that brute?" Jayne asked, his grip tightening on Vera.

"Can and will." Ski mumbled."Unless we can get a message to her."

"There is only one who can do that." River looked to Ski, but he shook his head.

"I already tried. She's either knocked out or ignoring me. My bet's on the latter. This hatred for that beast has been brewing for awhile." Mal looked at him curiously. "I saw what he did. If it were me in there, the man would be dead already and I'd make it as painful as I could."

"You'll have to enlighten me later on to how you can warn her and exactly what you meant by that last statement." Mal looked at him with his cold blue eyes. "But, as for now, we're back to getting that damn door open. Any suggestions?"

******

Cat slammed into Falcon hard, driving him and her into the door again, this time their weight denting the metal. She felt his ribs cracking, but the healing current that ran through her ran though him as well. Still, he did cough up some blood laughing at her. “What's so funny, Bird?'

“You are.” He gasped. “So prideful, yet so stupid.”

'Cat,' a voice called in her mind. She knew it was Ski, but at this point in time, she didn't want to listen to anyone.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” she spoke to Falcon as the voice hit her again.

'Damn it, bitch, listen to me.'

'No.' She thought back trying to stop Ski from distracting her and concentrate on exactly what Falcon had going on in his twisted head.

“Seems like your mind is wandering. Tsk, tsk, never lose focus on your enemy.” Falcon rammed her in the ribs that had only just healed and Cat yelped in pain. “Seems like your boys did my work for me.” He drove another fist into her ribs.

'People are gonna die, Cat.' Ski's voice filled her head as the backwash from her pain slammed into him. 'I can see that you're busy.'

'Really. I figured the no would have been clue enough for you.' She snapped back at him mentally as she grabbed at Falcon's shoulder length hair. Pulling him to face her and letting the blood that he had drawn drip in his face, she growled with animal passion. “You'll soon regret that.”

“Not as much as you will.” He grinned up at her.

Cat shook her head. “What the hell does that mean?' 'Babe, you can't kill him.' Ski called as she wrinkled her nose at her prey before replying back.

'The hell I can. You saw what this asshole did to me.'

'You kill him and you'll kill all these people you claim to love. I can get out of this, but not with all of them. Want to chose who you want me to save?'

Her body language spoke volumes that even her mind could not convey. “You son of a bitch.”

“I see your men have figured out my ultimate plan. Ain't it grand? You kill me and they kill your loved ones. You stay here and I will have them escort your people back to their ship. Oh, but we both know that your captain would never leave you here.”

“If he knew what danger his crew faces, he would.”

“You've always been a bad liar.” Falcon smiled at her as he felt the hand clamp to his hair releasing him.

'Tell Mal to leave. They'll let you pass. You go too...' She thought and waited for an answer all the while studying the monster before her, the one that had finally caught her. Shaking her head, she muttered to herself. “I should have come alone.”

'I've got a message from your captain, Babe. He says the same rules apply here as they did in the war and I tend to agree with him.'

“No one gets left behind...damn it” Cat looked at the metal door and then let her mind slowly call upon the only thing that was gonna get her through it all the while knowing it would also want to destroy Falcon. 'Ski, I'm gonna need your help.'

'I don't like it when you say that.'

'Neither do I.' Her mind hissed as the gorgeous woman fell to her knees, her body contorting in pain.

******

“Oh, shit.” Ski whispered beside the crew as Mal looked at him, knowing he was communicating with his Cat and even though he hated the idea, at least she knew they weren't going anywhere without her.

“What now?”

“She plans on busting through the door the only way she knows how.” Ski stared at him as the realization slowly dawned on Mal.

“Zoe, you and Jayne get back as far as these damned souls will let you. River keep your mind open and let us know when something changes.” Mal commanded.

“Yes, Sir.” Zoe rushed back as Jayne followed, but not before passing a grenade to his captain.

“Might not knock down that door, but it could help loosen it a bit.” He muttered. “Or slow down whatever might come from it.”

The monsters seemed to move a bit as Zoe got close to them, but only a bit as their numbers only permitted so much. Mal flashed Ski a look and then braced himself for what he knew was going to emerge from that door. In a voice that he wasn't quite sure was Ski's, the man beside him whispered. “Remember right between the eyes.” ========================================== Feedback please...i know you will and I thank you for ever kind word and suggestion.....