Now: Mal still couldn’t believe it, even as he swam around in it. It glittered all around him. He couldn’t really call it glittering, more like… shimmering. It was the most amazing thing. And they picked the perfect night to come to it. Both moons in the atmosphere were shining down on the two of them. They were the only ones in this sea of tranquility …actually, more like a lake. Of course, they were the only ones, cause who’s stupid enough to come out in this kinda weather. It was thirty degrees on this rock, but once she saw it when they set down, there was no stopping her. But, the lake was heated, due to the geothermal rock from the volcanic activity. Luckily for them, the volcanoes haven’t erupted in the last few years, and weren’t scheduled to do so for another few. So, meanwhile, he enjoyed the view, and the lake.

***

Before: She watched him. How could she not. He looked so handsome as they walked down to the water. He was shivering, yet, tried to stop it. He was trying to be the ‘man’. She shook her head and stifled a giggle.

“Trust me Mal, you’ll enjoy it.”

“Yeah, sure. It’s only 20 degrees out here, and I’m shocked the water ain’t frozen yet.”

She gave him a quizzical look, and told him to trust her. They reached the shoreline, and she walked right on in.

“Are you daft?” He asked as he rushed in after her. After all, the water must be like ice. As he took a step in, he felt this immediate warmth come over him. “Oh… wow.”

She turned and gave him one of her smiles, that so quickly could bring a man to his knees, and he found himself following her.

***

Now: He saw her swimming away from him, and thought this might be a good time to have a talk.

She had headed to shoreline, where she could stand and rinse out her hair, and as she came out of the water, and looked at where Mal was to call him up there, she couldn’t find him. She looked all around and started to trot up and down the shoreline. She called out his name, to no avail. Oh go se. Nothing could happen to him. She wouldn’t allow it. Not after all she’d been through with him. She ran back into the water, and swam back to where she left him, and dove down deep trying to find him. Still nothing. She was starting to panic, and swam back to the shore. She was reaching down into the bag to pick up the radio to call Wash and Zoe when something grabbed her from behind. They fell to the ground, and rolled a few times. She was grabbing anything she could to throw at the person that grabbed her. Finally they stopped, and he pinned her wrists to the ground. She opened her eyes to find Mal. She wrestled her wrists free and started smacking him anywhere she could find. One hit landing right across the jaw, and she flinched.

“You stupid hwoon dahn! Wuh de tyen, ah, Mal. I should kick you in the pei gu! How dare you do that to me!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it was stupid, I’m sorry.” He got on his knees and sat her up. “I’m sorry ‘Nara.”

“You should be.” She shook off the sand, that even managed to find its way into her cleavage. “I thought you were dead. Don’t ever do that again, you hear me-”

A little boy came up to Mal and grabbed his neck. “Daddy, daddy, do that again. It was funny.” The little boy giggled and squealed with delight as Mal took him up in his arms, and started tickling him.

“Oh it was eh? I think you’re momma might disagree.” He gave a wink to Inara, and she grimaced.

“And little man, what are you doing out in the cold?”

“Aww Mom!” Mal chimed in, only to get a grimace headed his way., so he lowered his gaze. “She’s right Cordon, you better get back inside the ship. I don’t want you getting sick.”

Their son gave them a sad look, and then smiled and rushed back inside the ship.

“Good, now we’re all alone again.”

“Yes, and I need to finish smacking you for scaring me like that.”

“Is that an offer? Cause, I need a smacking right here…” as he pointed to his pei gu, she proffered.

***

Before:

“Mal… I’m…” There was no use in delaying, so she spit out the word that had been haunting her for a month.

His reaction was delayed, and he tried to form his mouth around the word, but kept stuttering. “Ohhh… you’re uh…um pr… preg… pregnant?”

She nodded.

“Ohhh. How long have you been…err… known?” His stomach just did a triple flip, and he was on the verge of puking his breakfast. He tried to rationalize it in his head, but… pregnant, now? None of the crew even knew they slept together that ONE time. And that was… 2 months ago. She had to have known, and been hiding it from him. It’s not like anything had happened since. They just avoided each other. Pregnant? Just great.

“Um, about a month. I’ve been deciding what I’m going to do, but I just wanted to tell you… I’m keeping him.”

He was all set to get pissed at her, then heard the ‘him’. “Him? It’s a he? How can you tell?”

“Um, well… Simon did some scans, and-”

“Wait… the crew knows!”

“Just Simon… Mal, wait…”

Mal started to walk off, letting his anger seethe from every pore in his body. He felt Inara’s hand on his arm, begging, pleading for him to wait, and he quickly spun around, and she bumped into his chest. She inhaled his scent, just like that night.

“Mal, I had to talk to somebody, and he was a DOCTOR last time I checked.”

“Yes, a doctor that knows I got you pregnant!” He said the last a little too loudly, and just in time for Zoe to hear as she stepped into the cargo bay.

“Oh… uh, I’m just gonna head back to… to… anywhere other than here.” Zoe responded to the both of them looking down at her, and made a hasty getaway.

***

Now:

She watched him. His brows creased, as he held her in his arms, languorously letting the smallish waves lap over them. He was thinking, and she loved watching him think. Most times, it was while they were in bed, and he was up all night thinking on how they’re gonna be fed that week. But this was different. One of the rare few times he thought about stuff that happened in their past. On things he did wrong, and wished he could take back.

“What are you thinking about?”

“About how I should have never let you go back to Sihnon after you told me you were pregnant.” Then he smiled. “And how I rescued you from that life of luxury.”

“‘Rescued’ me?”

“Yes, rescue you. Have I told you lately that I love you?”

“Only about three hundred times today… but, I’m striving for five hundred.”

“I love you ‘Nara. I’m sorry I wasn’t there before. I should have been there.”

“Been where?”

“Cordon’s birth. My pride kept me away from you and my son. It won’t ever happen again.”

She saw a fresh tear trickle down Mal’s cheek, and reached up to touch it with her thumb. She cradled his face in her hands, not believing that he got this emotional. She thought of that night four years ago, remembering…

***

Before:

She cradled her son in her arms, and let the doctors finish their work. She never thought that she would be having a child. And she tried to rationalize her feelings for Mal in her mind. It was lust not love between them. That’s all it ever was. If it was love, he would be here with her, holding her in his arms. She heard a commotion outside, and the sound of metal clanging, then the doors burst open.

“Sir, you’re not allowed to go in there.”

“Like hell if you’ll keep me from my son,” Mal said as he bust through the door.

She looked up at him, and he stared back at her. “They don’t like it when you bust in here.” Two security guards had come in there and grabbed each arm and tried to haul him out. “Will you tell them it’s ok?”

A man appeared at the doorway, with blood trickling down his temple. “Miss, this man tried to get in here, but you can rest assured that we will take-”

“It’s ok, he can stay.”

The man wasn’t too happy about that, and the guards gruffly let him go. As they left the room, Mal pulled up a chair and tried to speak, but the words eluded him. “So…th… that’s him?”

She laughed and nodded, and he sat there for the rest of the night just playing with his fingers.

***

Now:

“Have I told you lately that I love you?”

“Just three hundred and one times. I’m still striving for five hundred.