CHAPTER Six

Disclaimer: see part 1

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He’d never dreamt that waking up in her arms would be like this… Silent, they were both dressed, and it was awkward. He’d cried himself to sleep last night, soothed by her whispers, comforted by her gentle touch. She didn’t ask questions, although he was sure she wanted answers. Maybe it was time he started talking. Someone had to know the truth…

She kissed his forehead when she saw his eyes open, and she smiled.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hey,” his voice was hoarse and his throat still hurt from the many sobs last night.

“You feeling better?”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You can’t always be the strong one.”

“I try to be,” he said with a weak, but proud smile.

Another kiss on his head.

“Want to talk about it?” Her voice was soft and the look in her eyes almost like that of a mother… No… a lover. Only they can have passion and compassion combined like that in one glance.

Mal swallowed hard. He wanted to talk. Tell someone. Tell her. He just wasn’t sure he could. He had kept the secret for so long now, not even sure the words would be still there…

“It happened after the war,” he started, “We lost, so many died. I didn’t know what to do, where to go. The only place I’ve ever known was home, and that’s where I returned to. Ma always said to me in her letters she wanted me back. The ranch was gonna be mine one day, had to be there to learn the trade, not be off fighting a war we’d never win…”

Mal stared into the distance, letting the memories come back as he told Inara about Shadow and his life on the ranch. She didn’t interrupt, feeling he needed this. She just combed her fingers though his hair and listened intently at the stories he told her about being a young boy surrounded by fields and horses and how he went away to fight the good fight…

“After it was over, I came back… Got a ride on a transportship from Boros, dropped me off in the same docks as we’re now. Didn’t waste any time in the city and I came back