Angelle is mine, the rest is Joss's.

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Tempers...some call it the fuse before the dynamite or the red in front of the bull. All I know is I have a vicious one, courtesy of my father and right now, Mal's Companion was gettin' on my last nerve.

"I can't believe he's still telling me what to do. Like he owns me." 'Nara stomped through her shuttle tossing garments into a large suitcase as I sat listening intently on a leather stool. "Be glad he doesn't try to run your life."

"My father does that just fine." I muttered before she began to rant again. Mostly, it was about the same thing. How could the captain run her life when he wasn't very good at taking care of his own? God, I remember that fight, though it was a bit different with me. He was my father and surprisingly, he did know best.

"Are you even listening?" 'Nara's voice woke me from my trance and I looked up at her. She was beautiful and could even be nice, but right now, I wanted to wring her neck. Not that that I would. It's the assassin in me, I promise.

"Mal ain't that bad. He's just lookin' out for you."

"OH MY GOD!! He has gotten to you, too. I can't believe this. The whole ship is against me. Kaylee hates the fact I'm going to see Atherton and now, even the one who I figured wouldn't be under his spell yet, would take my side."

"Relax. I agree that you need to make the choice as to who you see, but I can also see Mal's point. He doesn't want you in danger and maybe he's plain tired of savin' your ass." Okay, I admit, the last part might just have been slightly insensitive, but please. I have been sitting in the same chair listening to this woman rant for three hours now. My left butt cheek had all, but fallen off and my right might as well 've.

"Of course, you would take his side. You backwater mud slingin' girls are all alike. He bats his eyes and acts like he gives a damn and you all just swoon."

"What did you call me?" I stood and my body immediately woke, though my b