TITLE: "HANGING ON"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Canon pairings

RATING: G.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "HELLBOUND"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: None. All "Firefly" stories archived at Fireflyfans.net

SUMMARY: "The details of the plan slowly come together

meanwhile River tries to reassure the Captain that help is

on the way."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"HANGING ON"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Hurt and dizzy the Captain was barely hanging on to consciousness but there was some satisfaction in pushing the blue gloved *hundan* to near breaking point. Mal knew it was foolish but what the *diyu*, it wasn't as if they were going to say sorry and release him. Leastways not still breathing. He knew why Brak had wanted him. Had a good measure of what drove the man but the Hands of Blue? Only thing he could think of was River and Simon and he'd be damned to all nine hells before he'd give them up. Even if it was just River, the girl had been tortured and experimented on in ways that sickened him beyond belief. No. That steel core that made him fight when all was lost, the stubborn determination that drove his broken and battered body to rise from his knees no matter how many times he had fallen, was what separated the men from the boys. The true heroes from them as bandied the word around like some talisman but had no more likelihood of earning it than flying.

Mr Brown stared at him. No actual emotion on the man's face. Maybehaps he was just catching his breath. Had to wind a fella to beat a bound man near to death. If he didn't hurt so much he would have made a quip but the Captain was too weary, his energy leaking away quicker than water down a drain. A lon