Disclaimer: Firefly and these character belong to Joss Whedon. But they seem to be occupying my every waking thought.

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In the Doghouse

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Used to have a dog back on Shadow. Powerful ugly creature he was, with a massive head and heavy body.

Not sure where he came from but he kind of attached hisself to me. Followed me everywhere, grateful for any scrap of food or attention. Used to lie under my bed at night. Sometimes he was good to have around, but mostly he was just another thing on my mind to worry about.

Cos he was all kinds of stupid. He'd dig up crops I'd just been planted and bring 'em back to me. Drop 'em at my feet and sit there, lookin' up at me, waggin' his tail. So pleased with himself. Then when I yelled at him, his ears'd go back and his tail'd slide between his legs. But I could tell by his blank expression he had no idea why I was mad.

He'd kill chickens and eat the whole bird – beak, feet, feathers an' all. Then spend the night howling with indigestion. But he never did learn his lesson. Next chance he got, he'd be doin' it again. Damn near totally untrainable. Only way to keep him in check was to keep him fearful of a beatin'.

He was mean too. Bit a lot of folk. Probably should've jus' shot him. Except he was the best watchdog you could wish for. Fearless, too. An' he looked the part. With him at your side, even the nastiest son-of-a-btich was gonna think twice before messin' with you.

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I can't eat this go se protein mush. Ain't never very appetizing, but tonight it makes me heave. Fact that li'l Kaylee made it special for “the hero of Ariel” only makes it stick to my gullet all the more. She brought me a bottle of her engine still firewater too, which, I guess, means Mal ain't told her about ... about what happened. Yet. It burns as it goes down, but that feels good. An' I mean to drink me the whole bottle. Dull the pain some.

My gorram head hurts. Not enough I get beat up by the Feds. No, Mal gotta hit me in the face with a wrenc