*Disclaimer- These characters don’t belong to me. I know that, you know that, and hopefully all the brilliant people who brought them to life know it, too.*

A/N: This is my first fanfic posted ever, so any feedback’d be appreciated. Even revered. I’ll give you a bright shiny nickel…

--- He hadn’t been this scared since she got shot. Jumped to her revenge, as it were, would’ve killed that Alliance mole.

**The look in her eyes, that one painful gasp, it cut into him, surprised him by how much it hurt.**

She was just so… good.

**Crouched looking’ down thru that window, almost forgot to breathe. Lil’ Kaylee, on that table. Wasn’t right.**

Anybody but her. Mal, Zoe, Wash, any of these people he’d been with for months, he’d fight beside ‘em, he’d watch their backs, but if anything happened, when it came right down to it, probly wouldn’t affect him much. They were just his partners in crime.

Maybe they thought they were noble, still fighting in that gorram war that to them, would never be over.

He didn’t have any grand cause. And there was no honor among thieves.

But Kaylee, pure, cheerful Kaylee… of all the people in the ‘Verse. He’d never known how much it could hurt, to see someone else in pain. He’d never thought about her much at all, really.

**Now…**

He was no coward. He was as fierce as they came, mostly because he knew it, knew his strengths. He wasn’t some gorram pretty boy doctor, he couldn’t fix a ship if his life depended on it, but he could take out almost anyone needed taking. He didn’t scare easy.

But ever since that day, ever since that boy and his crazy sister brought a mess of trouble to their corner of the sky, he couldn’t get it out of his head.

**That noise she made, the disbelief in those eyes. Going into shock. Lying on that table.**

The girl had probly never put an unkind word on anyone didn’t deserve it. And he was hit so hard when she froze, **hand covered in blood.** The strangest feeling. Rage, sure, and fear, but also… wantin’ to protect her.

**That was new.**

He didn’t give a Fed’s ass about anyone else. That’s what made him the best. That’s why it caught him off guard.

And Kaylee, she was so much better. He was rough, and impatient, was great at sayin' the wrong thing- great with a gun, too, but that was it. Even that was off, anyways.

She was so bright, all kinds of shiny. Living in a whole ‘nother world, one he couldn’t find his way to with a full map and Wash at the controls. One he’d never taint by dulling the shine.

Sure she wasn’t fragile and helpless, sure he knew she was strong and smart, not “Lil” at all. But things had gotten all turned around, and now he was more terrified than the day he first figured it out.

**Was ready to take him down, right then, didn't even think. Didn't need to. All that mattered was her.**

He didn’t want to ruin it, was afraid he’d cross some line that would bring down the ‘Verse as they knew it, and he wouldn’t do that to her. She deserved her world. Clean. Simple.

**Never really thought about her at all.**

Now, that was all he did.