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

She lay under the stars, an ocean of twinkling and sparkling that defied logic, a beautiful, but deadly place right now to be with the plague of war and the dark shadow of the Academy. A noise from the direction of camp alerted her, but only for a moment, the smell of him allowing herself to lower back into the scent of the green grass under her.

"Lying down on the job, huh? Ain't like you." He smiled and sat down beside her, Cat letting a smile grace her soft face. In the last week, things had definitely improved between them, more as though they were friends or even something more than...instead of her jumping at every order shouted. She had mellowed to almost human, though certain things still alluded her. Her protection of the unit hadn't waned either and though they hadn't suffered a really bad attack in awhile, Mal knew they were die one any time. Still, as he sat down in the grass beside her, this moment didn't feel like war. In fact, one could say he was a might nervous.

"Enjoying the sky while I still can." She whispered, her ears picking up the sounds of the world around them.

"It's a might pretty tonight. Always thought of gettin' a boat if I make it through this war. Sail her through the black, make a profit...maybe even start a family." The last was quieter than the first part, but Cat's ears had no trouble picking it up.

"Family..."She repeated it. "You would make a good Captain...father. Care for your people even more than yourself. That's what it requires."

"What are your plans? After this?"

"There is no after this. I will always be at war. Either with myself or the ones that own me."

"Ain't owned, Cat. Nobody is." He touched her arm and she sighed.

"I told you I'm not like you." She sat up and looked at him, green eyes covered in the long red hair. Mal brushed it out of her face and then drew some pieces of grass from the strands. "They'll hunt me down eventually, regardless of how your war goes."

"Then come with me. Get lost in the black and they won't even find you." He spoke it before thinking, but then if he had, it might have come out slightly different, but the thought still would be the same.

"You don't know what you're asking, Mal. I'm not the woman you need, not by a long shot." She went to stand and he caught her hand.

"Maybe not, but you are the one I want." Cat heard the words and something inside her seemed to warm and knot. Somehow this wasn't suppose to happen, somehow the feelings she was trying hard to process weren't feelings at all, but something more powerful.

"What?" It was the only word she could think of, the only word her highly advanced mind could find in her vast knowledge to deal with the emotions running through her heart.

"I said I want you, Cat. Don't want you to go after this. Stay...with me." He moved closer to her face, his gorgeous blue eyes something she could spend years exploring. His lips kissed her, something he had done many times before, and when his hand slid into her hair, drawing her closer, Cat didn't resist.

When they broke contact, the cold air rushing around them, she took a breath before speaking. Words caught in her throat as a smell in the air made her reach for his hand. "They're here. The Alliance...they're here."