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

Something on her right alerted her, and she turned to meet this new threat head on. Nothing living could have survived what had just taken place, at least nothing fully human. This one though, smelled not of the fight or the enemy...this was the scent of something different...of tobacco and gun powder, not lasers and purple. He had also not been touched by the explosion. "Are you purple or brown?" A voice spoke, her vision still a bit blurry from the fire before and the smoke, but a few meters off, she spied movement.

"I'm neither." She replied. "But, if one needs to know. I belong to a Browncoat."

"Belong?" He replied, but after a look to her beaten and bloody form, he didn't press further. "You caused that mess, didn't you?"

"I threw the grenade, if that's what you're getting at." She didn't really have time to talk as her head turned again toward the unit and Mal.

"You're not going to get on that transport like that. No matter how sneaky you are." The man stated and Cat, eyes slightly improving stared down at her very naked form, the fire burning the material off of her as it would have her flesh had she been normal.

"I don't have much choice." She replied back, another look to the small medical ship starting to land. Something hit the back of her head and when she reached up, what she held shocked her. It was a button up shirt, still warm in places.

"It'll be big on you, but at least it will get you on board." He then, slid of his pants as well, standing in what looked to be a pair of long underwear, though still not focused enough to tell. She caught his pants and belt as Cat just stared at him, his one arm held close to him as she realized he was crippled. It lay useless and was in a makeshift sling.

"Why?" She managed as her long legs slipped into the cargo pants, the waist not as big as he figured and pulling the belt to its last hole, they would hold.

"Way I see it, you're not one of them." He pointed at a dead Alliance soldier. "And your face says someone over there means a lot to you. Might be the one wounded, I don't know and really don't care, but, well, at least, then you got a chance to see if he's alright."

Her beautiful green eyes chose that moment to clear enough to see the man before her, standing in a ragged white shirt and brown long underwear, his clothes gracing her body now. His brown eyes were as hard as hers, but there was something there that hid behind them, and for a moment, Cat bowed her head in respect. "Thank you....from the 57th Overlanders."

"You're welcome, 57th." He almost smiled, but stopped, running a hand through his short cropped brown hair, a set of metal tags jingling on his neck. Bowing back though harder to do with the useless arm in a sling, he motioned toward the west as she tossed a look toward the people pouring from the transport. "You best go."

"Gone." She replied, but looked back once more at him. "Thank you."

He nodded bending down to light a cigarette off the burning debris of a dead body. By the time, the man had finished, the mysterious woman was no where to be seen. Finally smiling, he whispered. "Anytime, Babe."

+++++++++++++

Mal lay on the cold hospital bed, the doctor's having removed the bullet before leaving the ground. It was safer that way and as eveyone knew, easier to do when not trying to break amto. Three of his lay on beds around him, each with their wounds needing to be mended. Nothing quite as serious as his and for that he was glad. None of his men had died, at least none of his orginal unit. There had been at least one casulaty.

Zoe and the others had ended up on another ship. They were headed to the base, away for a few moments from the fight as he recovered and to get new orders. Something had changed in the war, not that they had said much to him with the drugs knocking him flat on his ass. Still, his thoughts weren't on that right now or the slight pain he felt the meds hadn't dirven away. His mind had slid yet again to her....

Zoe had whispered what had happened knowing that not everyone would understand why the strange woman had become a trusted member of his unit. Of course, what she had done for them spoke volumes, though he wasn't sure he'd gotten the entire report right. Still, he knew she was dead. In a way, he left relieved for the tortured soul that had haunted him for the last few months. She was out of place, and not quite sure where she truly belonged in the whole of reality, Had they continued down the path that had begun, Mal didn't know where it would lead and in a way, wasn't sure he wanted that for himself or for her. At least, it hurt less thinking that instead of how much he'd miss her..

He planned on settling down once this thing was over, back at his ranch with his mom and raise a family. There were several women that had been more than willing and most were quite the lookers, if he remembered right. It would be good to see his mom and the horses again. His pale blue eyes closed as he thought of the smells of fresh hay and even of manure. So maybe he didn't miss shoveling that so much. There was still a feeling deep inside that made him truly wonder if he'd be happy with that or if the world of stars would call to him again like it had only a few nights before, his arms around... A touch on his arm caused him to open them half expecting to see the doctor or nurse come to give him some medicine again. but what he saw made something take a deep breath. "Cat?"

"Shhh." She smiled tossing a look over her shoulder. "Not so loud."

"You're alive." He reached out to find her hand and when she squeezed it in affection, every other thought he had about her not being around vanished. Her face was that of an angel's, at least as far as he was concerned, even though her long red hair wasn't quite as long now. Instead, he could see the singed tips and still smell the smoke on her clothes. Except, those weren't hers or at least not the ones he had seen her in before.

"Can't get rid of me that easy.." She cast a look around and then walked away from him, letting go of his hand for only a moment, but in that moment, Mal thought he had dreamed her. Still, Cat returned with a chair and sat down next to him, knowing within a moment she'd have to flee back to her hiding spot.

"What you did..." He paused as a wave of pain rocked him, the drugs slowly working through his system. Cat's hand found his again and he tightenrd his grip on it, channelling every bit into the touch. Bones could be heard cracking and he stopped afraid of hurting her, but she didn't release his hand. "I'm sorry."

"I'll heal. If it helps, I am here."

"I am beginning to understand that more and more." He spoke through gritted teeth as she allowed him to bear down on her hand again, this time without the worry of any permenant damamge. Cat didn't even flinched.

"It's what one does to protect her pack."

"It could have killed you." He breathed when the feeling subsided and the drip of morphin fell from the IV in his arm.

"Not hardly." She laughed and flexed her hand inside of his, popping the newly healed knuckles. "If it had, though, it still would have been worth it."

"You're one of a kind, my beautiful Cat." He smiled weakly.

"That's what they tell me. Not quite sure it's good thing."

"You are."

"Three months ago I had a gun pointed at your head." "If I remember right, so did I." His hand released hers and went to touch her face lightly, the movement straining, but she welcome the touch, her cheek leaning into it. "But, neither of us followed through."

"You should of."

"If I had, I'd be dead right now as well as my entire unit. If the Reavers hadn't taken us out first..." He sat his hand back down as hers engulfed it again. "You're where you need to be, Cat. Where I need you to be."

"You need your rest, Sergeant. Need to save your strength."

"You never answered me."

"We were interrupted, remember?" She smiled reaching to place the thick brown blanket over him.

"Ain't no one awake here, but you and me...so what is it? You gonna stay with me when this is over?" Cat could tell he was straining to stay alert and focus. Instead of answering, she kissed him gently.

"Sleep, my Alpha." She whispered, leaning her head against his and breathing in his rich scent, thoughts resting on the words he had just muttered.

"Will you be here when I wake?" He was almost asleep, eyes shutting, but trying hard to remain in hers.

"I'll never be far." She smiled and gently nuzzled his cheek listeing to the noises outside of the room, knowing it wouldn't be long before someone would come to check on them. Still, the presence of him near her made her feel alive in ways she had never felt and as his heart and breathing slowed to singal he was asleep. Mal still wasn't out of the woods, yet. Infection killed more soldiers than anything else. She had seen it so many times and it worried her. It was the one enemy she couldn't protect him from. --------------------------------------- AN:Can anyone tell me who is the stranger at the beginning?! :)