Note: Story isn't over just yet, got another couple of chapters left.

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Mal leaned his head back against the consoles and squeezed his eyes shut. Shit. What was it about this 'verse that seemed to only grant him five minutes to catch his breath in between catastrophes? He stood and spoke into the tiny camera.

"Uh, sir? I'm gonna have to find the captain, I can't authorize that on my own," said Mal with his best insecure grin. It didn't take much acting at that very moment.

"You will immed-"

"I'll be right back, I'll let 'im know you're in a real big hurry." Mal clicked off the feed and the screen went black.

"Okay, Kaylee. We're about to break atmo, it's all we gotta do. They can't follow us off planet, they ain't feds, just local cops."

"I can't do that," she whispered. "Don't know how."

"Well, you been doing shiny. This won't be no different," said Mal firmly.

Kaylee shook her head. "Mal, I can't do it. I do something wrong, we all burn up. It's not just flying, it's entry angles and calculating trajectories and burn rates and-"

Mal cut her off. "Fine." He grabbed the microphone above his head. "I need Wash on the bridge, ma shong. You get up here too, Zoe."

A few seconds later Simon's voice came across the system. "Uh, captain? Wash has a serious head injury, he's in no shape to be walking up there."

"Well, grab him by the ankles and drag him up here then!" Mal roared. "I don't care what you have to do to him, get him on the bridge!"

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As Wash and Zoe made their way upstairs, Book emerged from the shuttle. "I'm afraid I brought trouble with me," he told Simon. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Well, assuming we don't get blown up, I'm going to need to get Jayne into the infirmary. Care to give me a hand?"

Book nodded, and together he and Simon carried the still unconscious Jayne into the infirmary, carefully placing him on one of the beds. A boom echoed through the ship, and Simon grabbed a bag of IV fluids, hooking Jayne up to a drip and ignoring the distinct possibility of their impending explosion. ___________________________________________________________________

Wash staggered dizzily onto the bridge, supported by Zoe. Kaylee jumped out of the pilot's seat, gladly surrendering control. Wash scanned the console, taking stock of the situation and trying to force his spinning head to focus. He glanced up at Mal. "We running?" he asked.

"Like little girls," Mal replied. "Fast little girls. We get out of atmo, they lose their jurisdiction."

Mal looked on in alarm as Wash's head sank to the console, his grip slackening as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness. He grabbed Wash's hair and pulled his head upright as the disoriented pilot cried out in protest.

"Listen to me," he growled fiercely. "You snap out of it and fly this ship, or I'll make you wish you were back in that arena." He released Wash roughly, pointedly ignoring the glare Zoe was sending his way.

Mal turned and strode wordlessly out to his locker, where he withdrew his gun and holster, strapping them to his hip. Catching Zoe's eye, he waved her over to him.

"Wash!" called Mal as the still stormy Zoe joined him, "turn the video feed back on." He yanked Zoe's gun from her holster and threw it on the ground before spinning her around gently and putting his gun to her head. He held it there as he shoved her forcefully through the door onto the bridge.

He glared into the tiny camera at the officer who was now close to yelling in anger at having been cut off and ignored. "That was just a warning shot, but we will shoot you down if you do not heed our commands, now! Turn around, and pro-"

Mal cut him off. "Do that, and you'll be be blowin' up a perfectly innocent crew," he said, grabbing Zoe's shirt and jerking her to her knees in front of him. Keeping the gun leveled at her head, he addressed her, threatening "Make any sudden moves, and I'll blow you up."

Mal glanced back up at the screen. "Now you folks back off real nice and quiet like, or I'll start shootin' folk I don't need." He waved the gun at Kaylee, who was standing frozen in confusion.

"You! Get over here and tie up your -" Mal fumbled his words, his fuzzy brain not functioning as quickly as it should, "your - captain!"

Kaylee's jaw dropped as she stared at him, her face reflecting a mix of shock and amusement. She glanced around the cockpit for something suitable to use, struggling gamely to keep a straight face.

Mal realized what he'd said and bit his lip in a futile attempt to keep from laughing at the expression on Kaylee's face, quickly reaching to cut the feed. The instant he did so, he dropped the gun and leaned on the console, giggling uncontrollably.

His erstwhile hostage got to her feet as Wash struggled to maintain his own composure, snickering as he flew rapidly away from the planet. Zoe looked at them incredulously. "How many drugs are you two on?" she asked.

Another wave of laughter ensued, and Mal gasped "Too many for me to be playin' criminal mastermind, that's for damn sure." The laughter proved contagious as Zoe found herself chuckling along with them.

Wash floored it, taking the ship nearly straight up as the boom of weapons fire shook the walls around them. Zoe and Mal stood at his sides, clinging to anything they could get their hands on as the windows flared orange around them.

Then, suddenly, blackness and silence surrounded them, and the four occupants of the cockpit breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"Where to?" asked Wash.

"Anywhere not here," replied Mal. "Preferably where we aren't wanted for anything, if such a place still exists."

"Boros is fun," suggested Wash. "Not so big on the bloody death as sport, and more importantly, we have enough fuel to get there."

Mal nodded, and Wash set the autopilot before slumping forward, his head resting on the console. Zoe moved closer and gently rubbed his shoulders and back, encouraged by the contented groans that issued forth. Mal stood, looking out at the stars and relishing the quiet vastness of the open space. He glanced over and saw Kaylee standing to the side, looking at him with worry crossing her sunny face.

He waved her over. "Come here, little Kaylee," he said, wrapping her in his arms. It hurt, but he didn't care in the least. He felt her body shake as she tucked her head against his chest with utmost gentleness. Mal gazed down at her, wondering if he'd stay sane without her to remind him that love and compassion still existed.

"Cap'n, are you really gonna be all right?" she asked, her voice shaky. Sweet, fragile little Kaylee, holding his nightmares at bay. He reached down and kissed her on the top of her head, and she pressed herself closer to him.

"I been hurt a lot worse than this." He was quiet for a minute. "Little Kaylee, listen to me. Bein' back on Serenity again, this is -" he hesitated, rolling the words around in his head to make sure he meant them. "This is a miracle. All my wildest dreams just came true."

She raised her head, searching his eyes and smiling up at him in relief. Mal rubbed her shoulders affectionately and let her go, turning to Wash and picking up a plastic dinosaur, tossing it in the air.

"Hey! Take it easy on Steggy, you monster," glared Wash in response.

Mal grinned and replaced it carefully. "You okay, Wash?" he asked quietly. Wash nodded soberly, and Mal placed a hand on his shoulder. "We made it."

Wash nodded again, a hint of a proud smile on his face. "Okay, then," said Mal. "This monster is gonna go get himself tended to."

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