TITLE: "A DIFFERENT EDEN"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: RIVER/MAL.

RATING: NC-17.

STATUS: New. SEQUEL to "A SPECIAL HELL"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "River and Mal get closer while others plot to part them."

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.

"A DIFFERENT EDEN"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Her mind awoke seconds before her body. She loved this. Lying sated and content in the warmth of his arms, so happy just to be this close. He was still sleeping though he had woken once or twice in the night she had eased him back into a trouble free sleep that made her heart lighter than air. He was so gentle, his passion deep but not overpowering. A tenderness to him that strangers never saw and friends only rarely. Every journey into the heart of him was a voyage of discovery into herself. A smile graced River's lips before her eyes opened to gaze on the object of her affection. As if she was the alarm that woke him he stirred from his sleep and smiled back. "*Ni hao ma, bao bei*?"

"*Hen hao, ni ne?*"

"Like a baby."

That made her laugh quietly and her humour was another gift to him that he was so glad he had opened. He felt as if every moment spent with her was something so precious and wondrous he could not bear to squander it with anything less than happy thoughts. His smile widened as he realised he was delirious with joy. She knew, even if she could not see it in his face nor read it in his eyes it was in his heart. His mind. He really was hers and nothing in the 'verse could make her happier. Except the one tiny problem of his idea of being honorable and such like. At times the Captain had an almost archaic sense of ch