Disclaimer: All rights to Joss the Boss and Mutant Enemy.

Ok, ok, I'm sorry it took so long! I was deathly ill... well maybe not deathly but it did hurt to move. Anyway, I'm back and here is the new installment.

***

She looked so beautiful, the red and orange light from the paper lanterns filtered through her cascading chocolate hair, making it seemingly glow as it pranced about her head. Her dark blue skirt flared out around her, flowing with her fluid, graceful motions. Sweat was glistening on her skin, shining with the autumn colors.

The dance seemed to come as naturally to her as breathing came to everyone else. In general, she was good at everything she did, but dancing, she didn't just dance- she became the dance. Every motion, every part of that perfect body was dance. Her life was a dance, she was merely the motions.

The people dancing around her could barely kreep up, in fact many just stood back and watched her, watched the master at work. By the time the dance ended and she stood breathless in the town square, no one else was dancing, but rather watching her.

Her face flushed into a rosy red blush and she quickly withdrew. A new song began and the dancers returned to their dancing, a few calling for her return, but she would not oblige them.

Instead, she slipped onto the empty spot on the bench next to him. "Might perty dance, darlin'." Mal told her.

She blushed again, "I hadn't realized... I got carried away..."

"Ain't nothin' to be ashamed of, in fact, it's somethin' to be rather proud about. You'll have to dance for me again sometime." he said smiling, taking a drink of the wine he held in his hand.

River reached over and took the cup. "Hey!" Mal whined, "I was drinkin' that." She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose at it. Then she gingerly placed her lips to the cup and sipped carefully. "Whoa!" he said, taking the cup back, "You're a bit young for alcohol."

She stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to chuckle. "It's not good for you anyway." she replied, "Kills bra