Can't Say No To

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based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon

His eyes had grown accustom to the dark, the only light that seem to pour in was the colored beeps from machines he wasn't sure did anything. Noises filled his ears, but most of them were as foreign as the last week seemed to be. Was it not but a few years ago, that all he wanted was to fly his ship, do the job, and get paid? His only concern had been his crew and whether or not they would live long enough to eat. Now, well, now was something he was beginning to think would never end.

Scratches at the door made him reach for a gun that wasn't there and instead, Mal grabbed the only thing he could find laying on the floor. It felt like a rock and that was good enough for him. Taking a stance to meet whatever was coming, he prepared himself for a fight, shifting to protect his damaged side.

"Reynolds, you in there?" A familiar voice, one that even Mal was glad to hear echoed through the tiny room.

Parched throat made his voice turned to gravel as he answered. "Never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice, 'Ski." He almost whispered the next part." Cat there, too?"

"Honestly think he'd come and get you if I wasn't. Hold tight, we've almost got this lock." The sound of his lover brought a mixture of emotions. Could he really face her after what he had done?

With a pop and a creak, fresh air poured into the small room as well as a beautiful green eyed woman. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her to him as she merely kissed him. Dropping the rock in his hand, Mal held her tightly, not quite sure he would ever let her go, even when his hand met the gunshot hole in her tank top.

"Cat, I... oh god, Cat, what did I do..." He breathed in her scent as the words he wanted to say just jumbled.

"What you had to, nothing more." She spoke against him, her soft voice barely audible.

"But, I shot you."

"And 'Ski here st