based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon __________________________________________________

Mal watched as the spear hit Cat, her body dropping down to one knee as she pulled it from her own leg, blood staining her black pants shiny with a coating of her own blood. Using the spear like a cane, she hoisted herself up, and thrust the spear into the abdomens of the closest two. "Jayne!" She called out as the merc fired over his shoulder blowing the head off the nearest.

"What?" He shouted over the noise, tossing a look her way.

"I need a grenade."

"I ain't got none."

"Jayne, damn it, this is no time to lie. I can smell them on you. Pass me one now." The merc looked at Mal, who glared at him slightly before Jayne reached under his shirt and lobbed the small cylinder over the heads of the advancing onslaught.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mal called as Cat headed for the opening.

"I need you to get to the ramp doors." She moved, but not as graceful as she usually did, her long leg still spilling blood over the ground.

"Why?" He moved behind some crates and then to more as Cat mowed down anything coming toward them.

"There is no way we can beat them. We kill their soldiers and they will blow up Serenity." She looked at him as they came together near the opened doors.

"So we stand here and fight, pray they flee."

"You really think they'll go peaceful, surrender....I wouldn't." She snapped a Reaver's neck that came near them.

"You ain't going, Cat. We are doing this together."

"I've never belonged here, Mal, not really and all that I love is at stake if I don't try and stop it from the inside."

"I'm not letting you go." He moved to reach her, but she pulled away moving toward the opening doors.

"I love you. You taught me that emotion and now, I know exactly what it means. River will take care of what's left here and Kaylee will get you separated once I disable the ship." She shook her head barely missed by Jayne's bullet as another died. "This is what I was made to do, Sargent Reynolds. To die to protect the ones I love."

"Ain't closin' the doors." He shook his head as she looked toward the darkness, the world suddenly in slow motion.

"You will to protect your crew as I will to save them." Her eyes glowed and she smiled. "It's been a honor to serve with you, Sir, and a pleasure to love you. Say goodbye to Kitty for me." Cat bolted into the Reaver's hatch, a shadow of a panther following close behind. Mal watched as she disappeared into the darkness, hissing erupting as he slammed home on the button. Metal doors shut, River screamed, and the others watched, Jayne killing one more before realizing just what had happened. In an instant, both Cat and her panther were gone.

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"I can't do it." Kaylee was crying. "I won't until we know she ain't alive still."

Kitty sat in a chair, her arms wrapped around the small legs. She rocked back and forth, tears flowing down her face. Jayne tried hard to console her, but there was nothing he could say that would bring her out of the state she was in.

"River, what do you hear?" Mal turned to the young woman, who was still covered in blood, the same that had turned the Bay a crimson.

"Nothing, but ghosts." She muttered, her brown eyes haunted.

"How long do we give her, Captain?" Simon spoke what they all were thinking. "It's been three hours and we've heard nothing."

"We give her as long as I gorram think is necessary." Mal shouted, louder than he even thought possible.

"And if she's dead?"

Mal was at his throat before anyone could stop him. "You don't know what I've seen with her. She's unstoppable."

"Mal, let him go." Inara's whisper was calm, though even she was worried.

The captain released the doctor, his blue eyes holding something only one of them had ever seen before and Zoe knew why. He wouldn't give up until he saw a body. Cat was more than just his heart, she was his responsibility. "She would want us to honor her sacrifice, Sir."

"Never leave a solider behind." He mumbled walking toward the front of the cargo bay, stepping over bodies as he did.

"You can't be seriously thinking of opening those doors." Simon cried, but Jayne glared at him before walking over to Mal with Vera in hand.

"I'm behind you, Mal."

"I'm coming, too." Kitty, first words spoken after hearing the news ran and grabbed Mal's hand. "And don't you dare tell me no...if Cat's wounded, I can help and I've seen worse than this."

"Kitty, that's not a nice way..." Zoe chastised, but Mal raised a hand.

"She's right." He leaned down to Kitty though as she smiled smugly. "But, you stay with Zoe or Jayne. I ain't losing anyone else, Dong ma?"

"Yes, Daddy Mal." She grinned with that sparkle, even though you could see the sadness in her face.

"Kaylee, you make sure when we come back Serenity is ready to go and Simon, prep your table. Ain't sure what will happen."

"Yes, Cap'n." Kaylee called grabbing the good doctor before another word of how dangerous it was would be muttered.

"Mal." Inara spoke gently as Mal turned. "Bring her back for all of us."

"I'm gonna do my very best." He smiled at her and touched her hand as she nodded. "We ready?"

Everyone nodded, but the calvary wouldn't get to come to the rescue as a pounding on the door made them all jump. "Do we open it?" Jayne whispered.

"River, what do you feel?" "More ghosts." She whispered pressing her face against the metal.

"We were going in any way, Sir." Zoe spoke as Mal looked at her, seeing the button held tight in her hand. He nodded as she pushed it.

Slowly grinding gears announced that the doors were responding. When the opening was big enough, Jayne pressed in to have a look right as a Reaver emerged from the hole. It reached for the merc as Kitty screamed loud. It wouldn't get far though as something grabbed it and pulled the monster back in. Blood splattered across the opening and a growl erupted from the other side before Batha, wounded, slid between the doors.

Kitty ran to the cat throwing her arms around as the clothes she was wearing became drenched in blood from the big panther, whose purrs echoed over the walls. "Cat?" Mal asked Batha as it blinked once and then looked toward the opening.

"You should be proud of me...this time I knocked." She emerged, covered in more blood and limping, but it was Cat. Mal ran to her and enveloped her in his arms, kissing her mouth as if he never wanted to stop.

"You scared me, Solider." He replied as she smiled, touching his face.

"Scared me, too." She kissed him again. "But, when it was over, I followed my heart...and it led me back home."

"You always belong here, Cat. Always." His lips found hers as he drank her in, a small pair of arms wrapping around them both.

"You made it. I thought you were..." Kitty cried, tears pouring from her face.

Cat ran a hand over her head."And miss one of your parties, Killer? Never."

"I take it my grenade came in handy." Jayne spoke moving a foot like a little boy does when not sure what to say.

"Couldn't have done it without it." Cat smiled and reached into her pocket, handing it to him as he looked at her oddly. "It was my good luck charm."

"Well, then keep it." He smiled and walked away grabbing Kitty as she screamed in glee.

"Glad to see you back." Zoe spoke and Cat nodded.

"You were all gonna come even after I told you not to."

"Never leave a man behind." Zoe smiled, "And I owed you....a couple."

"I don't count, never will, never have." Cat smiled and Mal bent to pick her up, heading for the infirmary as River headed to separate from the smoking disabled Reaver ship.

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To be concluded....