Disclaimers : Everything belongs to Joss, except for one character of my creation.

**Mousing over the Chinese should reveal the English translations on most browsers. If not, translations follow the story.

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The pain was excruciating, unbearable, and the only thing he could do was scream. His hands were tied, his feet were lashed, and there was no way to get free. So he screamed, and screamed, and screamed some more— because not screaming wasn’t an option.

Then, through the screams, he heard another voice. A soft voice, a woman’s voice, saying his name, again and again. There had never been a woman’s voice before. Then, just as inexplicably, hands on him—gentle hands, not the hands inflicting the pain. The pain was there, but it was fading, and the gentle touches were becoming more prominent. Then his screams were fading, too, and the female voice saying his name became louder, until it was the only voice he heard.

“Mal! Captain! Mal !”

When he began to come around, he was sitting up in bed, and he could feel her beside him, one arm around his shoulders, the other stroking his cheek. She was saying his name again and again.

“Huh?” He fumbled on the wall beside him to turn on the light. The familiar surroundings of his quarters came into view. He was on Serenity , where he belonged, and he was all right. But what was she doing in his bunk?

“Why are you...? How did you...?” he stammered in his confusion.

“You were screaming,” she said. “I heard you from the galley.”

He rubbed his sweaty face and pushed damp hair away from his eyes, bringing her into focus.

“Sorry about letting myself down here, but—” she continued; but before she could finish he slumped against her, letting her support him while he finished gathering himself.

“Was it the same dream?” she asked.

He nodded, not quite truthfully.

“The torture?”

He nodded again. That much was true. He sat up straight