TITLE: "HOPE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "DOING THE MATH"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY "The Captain gets some limited but unexpected

help. River and the others put the revised plan into operation."

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.

"HOPE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

He couldn't get over the creepy feeling that he was being watched. Pain and weariness dragged at him but something kept tugging him back, railroading his wandering awareness into a spike of conscious thought that kept him from drifting back into the black. There. He wasn't imagining it. Something had touched him. With a cold realisation he forced his eyes to open, his sluggish brain only slowly focusing on the myriad of hands that were touching him. Reaching out and ghosting over his body. It took more of an effort to realise he was naked. He opened his mouth to speak, to question their motives, but only a slow moan of pain leaked out between bruised and bloody lips.

The hands paused. Faces gathered close, too many to differentiate but one thing struck him solid as a rock. Each face could have been a mirror to his own. Battered and bloody but retaining a tiny thin shred of compassion. Humanity. Concern. Malcolm Reynolds marvelled at the mercy of strangers, blinked against the sudden threat of tears. Gorramit, not only his body was betraying him, his emotions were too. He hated the weakness but could not fend off the tears. A slim long fingered hand reached out and gently touched his face, careful not to hurt him. He closed his eyes as a stranger wiped away his tears. The hands, t