http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=11012>Part 1, http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=11036>Part 2, http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=11050>Part 3, http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=11075>Part 4, http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=11188>Part 5

http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=11178&nid=16105>From Bad to Worse: by RiverIsMyGoddess <---companion piece to this

~

“I'm leaning towards the side of believin' you.” Claire was standing outside the small cell she'd locked Mal into.

“Could it possibly be because I'm telling the truth?” He asked without looking up.

“That and everyone's well awares of Frank bein' a wife beater. Hell I wouldn't'a been surprised to see him have a small accident at home. Don't think I'd a brought Anna in for questioning either.” She un-holstered her gun and set it on the table.

Mal raised his head carefully, not enough to see her face. Instead he sat watching her movements, doing his best to keep his mixed emotions from surfacing. “Why you doing this then? My crew won't leave without me. If Anna's going to get away, then sooner would be better.” He could hear annoyance in his voice and he mentally kicked himself for his inability to remain stoic.

“Mal, we stopped Anna on her way to your ship. She was carrying 7,000 on her. She'd cleaned out their savings. Now as I see it you can do one of two things. Call your crew and tell them to leave, Anna leaves with them and every thing's all fine. Or you can refuse to tell your crew to leave and Anna doesn't get to leave, which as we both know is a recipe for unpleasantness.”

Mal continued staring at the wall, utterly confounded by her suggestions. “Either way I'm rotting in this cell. So why should I care?”

“Because you do Mal, I know you. Probably better then any of your so called crew, and you'd gladly sit in that cell and rot, then let Anna and her critters get beaten by that hun dan.”

Ma