(All Firefly characters are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and all original characters are mine.)

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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 3

As the girl came towards Mal, he realised that it was Kaylee and she was screaming, not with terror but with laughter. She looked good, her hair and skin glowing and she shrieked and giggled as the man caught her and twirled her off her feet.

“Put me down. I've got work to do, Travis!” she said, laughing.

“I'm your captain and I say it can wait xin gan” he said in a deep melodious voice.

“Yes Cap'n!” Kaylee raised her hand to her temple.

Travis' face grew serious. “How are you feeling, bao bei? Are you okay?”

“I'm fine husband! Stop worrying about us. You heard the Doc, the babe's healthy and I'm good too. In fact, he said we could still have sex” she told her man looking up at him though strands of hair.

“Well then, I think I can arrange for us to stay on rock a little longer, maybe give the others some time off. Have a little off time ourselves!” Travis replied, his face breaking into grin.

“You betcha!” Kaylee stepped up to him, put her arm around his waist, his arm went around her shoulders and they walked back down the corridor.

“I'm glad someone's happy!” Mal said. “But then, lil' Kaylee can make happy out of any situation”.

He looked at the woman and saw she had aged once again whilst he wasn't looking. She was almost glowing and had a smile on her face as she watched the young parents-to-be huddle together.

The smile was gentle and caring and her eyes shone.

Something stirred, low in Mal's body. Longing, wanting, needing. Tianna, how he wanted this woman, to feel her flesh touch his, to see her naked and glorious, to kiss every inch of her body and watch her as she came again and again.

The woman turned her gaze to Mal and he felt the blood rush to his head and then to his groin as he imagined she felt the same.

She reached out her hand to him slowly and he gently took hold of it, curling his fingers around her so that their arms became intertwined. He closed his eyes to savour the gentle, warming glow that enveloped them both.

The next moment the woman's hand was icy cold and Mal dropped it quickly as he opened his eyes, and looked at the woman.

The beauty and goodness that had attracted him so only a few seconds ago was gone leaving only a blank stare looking back at him.

They were in a darkened room, the only light coming in from a large window that spanned one whole side of the room. The window looked into a padded room.

Sat on the floor of the room was a young dark haired man with his back to them.

A hatch on the door of the cell slid open and a tray of food was pushed in. The young man turned to the food and his face was revealed.

It was Simon, as Mal had already guessed but he looked terrible. His hair was flat and limp, his eyes dull and glassy, his face almost skeletal and he was dressed in a loose white suit.

Mal watched as Simon picked at his food for a second and then flung the tray against the door.

“He didn't get River away, did he?” Mal asked, knowing the answer was obvious but not wanting to spend any more time watching this depressing scene.

Her voice was soft as she said “He tried his best, had to make a choice, he rescued his River, still heard her sweet voice. But they didn't get far, were caught by and by. A shepherd he shopped them as they set off to fly. Now River is back with the Docs at her School and Simon is stuck here, his captors are cruel. His body is rotting, his mind almost dead as he ponders the actions and words River said”.

Mal turned back to look at Simon who was now picking at a spot on his shirt.

“How was it that Simon ended up here and not prison?” Mal asked.

“They thought he was crazy when he talked of the things, what they did to River and the pain that that brings, so they locked him away so he'd never tell, of the horrors and bad things that on them befell” the woman said.

“Tzao gao! Poor Simon” Mal turned back.

In the padded cell, Simon lifted his head and looked straight at Mal. “I know you are there. I can hear you whispering about me. Stop whispering!” he said clearly.

There was a sound behind Mal. He spun round and noticed that, at the back of the dark room, there was a figure.

Seconds later a woman stepped into view her face hard and cold and her features set into a permanent scowl. An ID badge on her freshly laundered and starched lapel gave her name as Janet Lewis.

Janet Lewis was as cold a customer as they came, Mal could see that but she also looked as if she wouldn't have much patience.

“I'm here, Mr Tam” she said through the glass. “Tell me what I want to know and I'll get you moved to a more comfortable room, all the luxuries or I could just leave you here in your little padded cell to rot. Your choice!”

“We all live in padded rooms, just some of us don't have a choice about it! Insanity is a state of mind, somewhere to slip away to, visit because truth and reality are not the same” Simon answered.

“Focus Mr. Tam. All I want is for you to tell me why you took your sister. You can do that can't you? Tell me the truth” Janet Lewis's voice sounded almost sympathetic but Mal didn't buy it for one moment and he could tell that Simon (even in his current state) didn't either.

“Told truth, no lying!” said Simon. “You don't believe me, they” he said pointing past Janet Lewis “will never admit to it but the voices, they know it's true”.

“Do you think I give a shit about that gos se story of yours. I want the truth, now!” She was starting to lose her cool as Mal had guessed she would.

Mal watched Simon's face pull into a grin then he stuck his tongue out at her and firmly turned his back on the window.

“Jien tah duh guai” Janet Lewis spat, totally losing her temper. “We'll see about that!”

She stormed out and as she did, Simon started picking at his shirt again.

“We have to leave and in a hurry, can't save him now, of that I'm sorry”. A note of urgency had crept into the Woman's voice and Mal, looking at her, saw that she had aged a great deal more this time and was looking a lot more tired and drawn than she had before.

“Where next then?” asked Mal as he took her hand. He had gotten used to that fact that there was nothing he could do for his crew except get though this and put everything right again.

They landed in a city on the top of a very high building. The place looked deserted and Mal had learnt that all they could do was wait for the action.

Mal's patience was rewarded after 10 minutes of intermittent boredom and watching people in their homes below as River appeared through the doorway and out onto the rooftop.

She was moving at a good speed and was carrying a small silver case.

Mal found himself quite disturbed when she started to unpack the case and assemble a sniper rifle. Who the hell had let her have a gun? That was a really bad idea. Mal knew guns and this was a heavy piece used by professionals and it gave him a very bad feeling.

To be Cont….