Again, please let this play out to its end before getting too mad. There's a lot to go. At least 8 stories with multiple chapters in a lot of them. This one has at least 5 chapters.

Review and let me know how you think its going. Guess how it will all turn out or let me know what you'd like to see.

Most of the story is written, I'm just tweaking and adding and editing things until the day I post.

This hasn't been an easy story to write but I hope I'm treating the characters with the same amount of respect as I am trying to treat the subject matter.

As always, please read the warning contained in Chapter 1 as the subject matter might be offensive to some.

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Chapter 3

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Kaylee couldn’t sleep. She lay beside Simon, her head on his uninjured shoulder, watching him, listening to his steady heartbeat. Silent tears crept down her cheeks as she tried to push back the fear and anxiety in her heart. It was only Simon lying beside her. Sleeping. He wasn’t even moving. But Kaylee couldn’t close her eyes without feeling strong, rough hands pin her in place. If she closed her eyes, she could see their faces, hear their voices. At least with her eyes open she could look at her husband.

But even that handsome sight did nothing to calm her trembling hands and her thudding heart. As she looked around the room they’d shared for over a year, it seemed too small all of a sudden, claustrophobic. She had dimmed the lights to make it easier for Simon to sleep, but she couldn’t extinguish them completely. The shadows moved and everywhere she looked she felt terror creep down her spine.

Unable to breathe, she quickly pressed a kiss to Simon’s cheek and slid out of bed. She dressed hastily and padded out into the common room making sure it was lit well enough. She wandered for a long while, her journey finally stopping in the cargo bay. She stared unblinking at the pile of crates she had been held against and shivered. She concentrated, her hands shaking for the effort, but her mind was blank. She finally decided that perhaps there was just nothing further to remember. Tears slipped down her cheeks and when she heard a noise, her head snapped around the bay, staring frightened into the darkness trying to see who was there.

Inara stood at the top of the metal catwalk looking down at her with sad eyes. In the darkness, Kaylee couldn’t tell if she’d been crying. When Inara beckoned her with an outstretched hand, Kaylee bounded up the staircase and into the older woman’s arms.

“’Nara –“

“Shh, in my shuttle,” Inara said with a finger to the mechanic’s lips.

Once inside, Inara shut and locked the doors and settled beside Kaylee on the couch. Inara glanced at the bed, once again covered with silk sheets. It held no visible sign of the blood that had been spilled earlier that morning. But Inara would know. She would always know. She hadn’t been able to sleep either, and she had foolishly sent Mal away. It was luck that she’d found Kaylee in the cargo bay when she had.

Kaylee sobbed beside her and Inara pushed her hands through the girl’s stringy hair, waiting for her to speak. She’d curled her legs beneath her and clutched one of the plush, silk pillows to her chest. When Kaylee didn’t speak, Inara began with a somewhat safe topic – asking how Simon was doing.

“He was in a lotta pain earlier. He took somethin’ for it that knocked him out.” Kaylee had no trouble talking about Simon and Inara went with it, hoping to get the girl to open up more about what had happened. A hard sob shook her shoulders suddenly and Inara simply wrapped her arms around the girl.

Kaylee tensed for a brief moment but then melted into Inara’s arms. All of a sudden, the floodgates opened and the words started spilling out of Kaylee’s mouth in a quick, steady stream. “I don’t know what happened, ‘Nara. I can’t remember. Simon an’ I were all happy layin’ in bed sexin’ and then –“ she hesitated, a tremor racing down her spine. “I don’t remember. They, or both of ‘em, hit me. When I woke up – I just don’t remember!” she cried, her voice sharp and anguished.

Inara held Kaylee tightly, rubbing comforting circles on her back. Her voice was muffled by Inara’s chest but she had no trouble hearing and understanding Kaylee’s words.

“I washed it all off in the shower, but Simon an’ I – “ She glanced up at her best friend, fear mingled with hope radiating in her eyes. “– we’d just finished and –“

Inara simply nodded, understanding what Kaylee was trying to say, and allowed her to continue. Inara had her own theories of what had happened, but she didn’t want to voice them. Not yet. Kaylee would remember on her own – eventually. Or she wouldn’t. Perhaps there was truly no more to remember. But that Kaylee was having doubts now, probably meant there was something there that her mind had protectively sequestered away.

Kaylee sobbed and glanced down at her hands. “It hurts. My body hurts. Not just the bruises. An’ there are lots of ‘em. It’s just like – it knows somethin’. But I don’t think –“ She glanced up at Inara again, her eyes wide with fear. “I would know wouldn’t I? If they’d done it to me?”

Inara stroked the trouble girl’s hair gently. “The mind is a funny thing, Kaylee. It has a protective defense mechanism. Perhaps the stress and trauma over what happened is preventing you from remembering or – “ Inara didn’t want to say it and give the girl false hope but the trust and optimism in Kaylee’s eyes forced her to continue. “ – or it never happened in the first place.”

Kaylee’s voice was small as she whispered, “or it did and I just don’t want to admit it.”

~*~

“Who did this?” Mal paced the bridge with Zoe standing on edge in the doorway. It was early, but he hadn’t slept. No one had. Except maybe Simon, who only did because he’d been drugged. “I wanna know who sent those men to attack the women on this boat.” It had only been less than a day and Mal was already frustrated beyond all means of calming him. “That’s why the job was so easy. Those men would have taken everyone out and waited for us to return.”

“It’s likely, Sir.”

“Told you he was no good. Didn’t listen to me.” River’s head popped up from the lower stairwell, her eyes red and bloodshot. It was clear that she’d been crying.

Mal was not in the mood for her word games. Inara had been hurt, more than she was willing to admit, and his little Kaylee – “River if you know something, you best be telling me now.“

“Doesn’t mimic his animal counterpart. Is not short and heavy.” She cocked her head to one side, remembering. “Well. Short, yes.”

Mal shook his head. He really was not in the mood for River’s games.

“Carnivore. Likes to dig.” River met Mal’s eyes unblinking. “Will never be able to dig far enough to escape.”

“Ni ta ma de tian xia suo you de ren dou gai si!” Mal spat, clenching his fists. “Badger!”

Zoe shook her head. “He’s not that crazy, Sir.”

“Just a puppet. Strung along like a little rag doll. Bounce. Bounce. We all fall down.”

Zoe narrowed her eyes at River. She briefly wondered why it didn’t disturb her that she understood exactly what River had said. “He set up the job. Someone else sent in the men.”

River nodded.

“Ai ya tian a,” Mal spat. “Who did it, River? Who was behind it?”

River shrugged. “Shrouded in misty fog. Can’t see the beginning. Can’t see the end. Pain and heartache. Can’t see a light.”

“Gimme a gorram face then!”

Zoe tensed, sensing Mal’s irritation.

“Can’t see a single face in a den of thieves.” River glanced up at Mal.

Mal swore in a long string of Chinese that made even Zoe’s eyebrow quirk. “You know. I’d really taken a kindness to the fact that you been speakin’ right normal-like for the last year. Why’d you have to go cryptic on us again?”

River tilted her head, looked at the ceiling, and then smiled at him.

“Bloody hell!” Mal turned on his heal and stormed off the bridge, Zoe staring after him with an unreadable expression.

River glided to a stop beside Zoe. “Can’t help them now. Can’t help any of them.”

Zoe stared down at the younger girl, her gaze hard, her hands clenched into fists at her side. “Yes we can. And we will.”

~*~

Kaylee woke with a start, feeling the unfamiliar surroundings immediately. That she hadn’t gotten much sleep was easy to determine. She and Inara had talked well into the morning hours. She trembled when Inara’s gentle hand touched her shoulder and she turned teary, sleepy eyes on her friend. “’Nara?”

“Hi sweetie, I –“

“Simon!” Kaylee sat up abruptly and looked around the shuttle. He would be worried if he woke and found her gone. She tried to push herself out of the bed but her stiff muscles protested.

“He’s not awake yet, sweetie. Remember he took some medicine for the pain and it put him to sleep.”

“He’ll be worried if I’m not there, he –“

“Kaylee, stop. He’s fine. He will be fine. You need to lie down and rest.”

“Can’t rest. Keep seeing it in my head.”

Inara nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She knew what it was like. She knew every feeling, every emotion – it had happened to her. But it hadn’t happened to Kaylee. The more times she said it to herself, the more likely she was to believe it.

“But I don’t see it all!” Kaylee continued as tears fell down her cheeks. ”Don’t remember everything!“

Inara closed her eyes and pulled Kaylee’s trembling body into her arms. The girl wanted to struggle but she had no strength. As she held the sobbing mechanic, Inara relived the events of the past twenty-four hours. In hindsight, she shouldn’t have let Kaylee bathe. She should have told her she needed to let Simon examine her. But – what would it have done, really? Just confirmed something Kaylee wouldn’t have wanted to know? Maybe it was better that she didn’t remember.

~*~

“He ain’t takin’ my waves, imagine that.” Mal slammed his fist into a nearby console and then swore when he pulled it back and clenched it in pain.

“He can’t hide forever, Sir.”

Mal ignored Zoe and turned to River. “Set course for Persephone. If he won’t take my waves, then he’ll just have to talk to me face to face.”

River didn’t move a muscle. “Won’t be there. Knows you want him.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet he does,” Mal sneered and began pacing in the confined space.

“Sir?”

“What?” Mal glanced up at his first mate, irritated.

“I think you need to stop and think about this.” There was no delicate way to put it, and she didn’t even try. “We can’t go waltzing in there and demand to know who was behind the attack.”

“And why not?”

Zoe just stared at him. He was smarter than this.

Mal swallowed hard, grousing at having to admit his plan sounded foolish. But, damnit he was mad. Fightin’ mad. “Fine. You’re right. His men would cut us down ‘fore we got close.” He took a deep, deep breath, trying to calm his shaking hands. After a long moment, he leveled a stern look at her. “What do you suggest?”

“I got nothin’ yet, Sir.

Mal rolled his eyes. “Fine bit ‘o help you are this morning, Zoe.”

Zoe inhaled slowly. She knew his irritation was not truly directed at her. “Yes, Sir.” She was, frankly, surprised he had not hit anything sooner.

“We need a plan. I ain’t lettin’ this go.”

“No, Sir.” She hadn’t told him she was ready to rip the throat out of everyone involved and then impale them on a spit, watching happily as they died slowly and painfully. It would do no good. For him, or the rest of the crew. So she kept her anger bottled. It would come in handy when they finally caught up with that little weasel.

Mal turned and snapped on the ship wide com. “Everyone, listen up. Meeting in the galley in ten minutes. We got things ta discuss.”

~*~

By the time everyone made it to the galley, longer than 10 minutes had passed. Mal stood at the head of the table and looked around it at his battered crew. Inara sat on one side of Kaylee, Simon on the other, surrounding the disturbed mechanic with their love and support. Zoe and Jayne were tense as they waited for him to begin and River sat at the end of the table all alone with her jumbled emotions.

“We’re headed for Persephone. I want a plan in place before we get there.”

Kaylee leaned stiffly against her husband, who wrapped his uninjured arm around her and pulled her close. She trembled as nausea so dizzying she had to close her eyes swept through her body. Just the thought of those men made her sick to her stomach. Inara shifted closer, holding the troubled mechanic’s hand.

“I mean to find Badger and squeeze the life out of him until he tells us who was behind this.”

No one protested but Kaylee looked down at the table and bit her lip.

Jayne rested clenched fists on the table. “I’m ready to split some heads.”

“I’m with you, Sir.” Zoe nodded, voicing her support. She knew whatever the plan she would follow her Captain to its end.

“Mal –“ Inara began, her voice soft. “Are you sure this is a good idea? Going after Badger –“

Mal stared at her, his mouth agape. Of all the people he thought would object to this plan, he didn’t expect it to be one of the crew who had been attacked in the first place. “Inara –“

“We’re all alive, Mal.” Her voice took on a slightly hysterical edge. “If you go charging after Badger now, it’s likely someone will die.”

“Yeah, that little weasel.” Jayne growled, his jaw set, but amended his comment slightly. “After we get some information from ‘em, that is.”

“You would prefer we just lick our wounds and slink away?” Mal’s voice was firm, disbelieving. He wouldn’t do it. Not even for her.

Simon’s eyes regarded Inara carefully and then he looked down at his wife. He had never seen her so frightened and it angered him more than he wanted to admit to see her this way. He found himself agreeing with the Captain. “I’m with you, Mal.”

Inara’s head snapped toward Simon, her eyes burning. She hadn’t expected the doctor, one dedicated to saving lives, to be so eager to rush in and take one.

Kaylee pulled herself away from his chest and gaped at him. “No.” She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.

Simon glanced down at his wife. When he reached his hands toward her face, he noticed how she flinched. He bit back the loud string of curses that flew through his head. That someone had frightened his Kaylee in this way, had violated her personal space and very nearly her body angered him more than he ever thought he was capable of feeling. He brushed away the tears that fell down her cheeks. “Bao bei – “

“You can’t go.” Kaylee’s voice broke. “’Nara’s right. We ain’t dead. We’ll be ok.”

Zoe eyes were unblinking as she said simply, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

Simon glanced at Zoe, understanding, then at Mal. “We can wait and plot. We don’t need to rush.”

Mal nodded, and turned to Zoe. “What do you have in mind?”

TBC

Chinese Translations

Ni ta ma de tian xia suo you de ren dou gai si - fuck everyone in the 'verse to death Ai ya tian a - merciless hell

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