Legacy-Betrayal Ch.6 - Mal/Inara

[druinsanity.livejournal.com]

Title: Legacy - Betrayal
Authors: druinsanity and bashipforever
Summary: AU Takes place two and a half years after the end of the series. The movie never happened, but if you’ve read the comic book Those Left Behind, it did. Everything Inara has worked for in her life is finally happening but an old friend shows up, making her doubt everything she’s wanted.
Pairing: Mal/Inara
Rating: PG-13 - R
A/N: The title comes from an Emily Dickenson poem. This is a WIP but it is being updated daily so you shouldn’t have to wait for too long for updates.
A/N2: This is the sequel to a trilogy in this series. Please read Legacy before this to fill in any blanks. This second part is a month after the ending to the first.

You left me, sweet, two legacies,-
A legacy of love
A Heavenly Father would content,
Had He the offer of;

You left me boundaries of pain
Capacious as the sea,
Between eternity and time,
Your consciousness and me.

Ch.1 Ch.2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5


CHAPTER SIX

Inara woke with her chest aching. It bordered just on the edge of real pain. She tried to take a deep breath and the ache burst into full-fledged pain. She furrowed her brow and turned her head before opening her eyes. A smile spread on her lips in spite of the pain. Mal was sitting next to her with his forehead on the back of her hand, his hand holding hers.

"Hey...was afraid you'd be gone when I woke up," she whispered. It was barely a whisper, almost just a soft exhalation of breath.

Mal lifted his head surprised to hear even a whisper from her. He'd been sitting next to her for an hour and knew they had to be nearing Haven. "Doc will be able to look at you soon." It was the first thing that came to his mind to say; even though there were a million things he could have said.

He ran his thumb lightly over the back of her hand. "If you're in pain, I know how to give painkillers. Alliance fixed you up real good."

"You're hurt," she said as she reached up slightly to touch the bandage on his eye.

Mal shook his head, his hand resting over hers. "Ain't nothin' but a scratch... not worth the worryin'."

Inara nodded, knowing that he'd been in the alliance prison because of her, in the position to be hurt because Simon couldn't help her. "Sorry," she whispered and took a breath, pain arcing through her again. "Painkillers...please."

Mal nodded and went to one of the drawers where he pulled out a hypo spray that would dull the pain. He pressed it to her neck and it went in with a woosh. "Nothin' to be sorry about. You're alive and ain’t no apologizin’ to be had about that."

Inara sighed softly. The pain relief was almost immediate. She knew as it took effect she'd get even groggier and probably silly. "Sure you're okay?" she asked, needing to make certain.

"Shiny. You're the one needs worryin' about." Mal said quietly, not willing to tell her how he felt like his whole life had been turned upside-down. In the cell, he'd remembered everything from the last time they'd had him for months. And all he'd been able to care about was that if he made a ruckus, they wouldn't let him out. He'd never get to know if Inara made it or not. He wouldn't get back to Serenity this time. They’d hurt his crew. A million different scenarios had gone through his head and he knew he'd already had all the luck he was going to get. He had to make his own now.

He saw Inara watching him and shook his head, sitting back in the chair by the bed. "M'fine 'Nara. You will be too." He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, his head bowed mainly to avert his gaze from hers. "Was worried about you... What I get for teachin' you to shoot."

"Don't think that way," Inara told him quietly. "I need to know how to shoot and I still want to learn...just perhaps when River isn't around." Inara didn't ask why River had shot her. There was little rhyme or reason to why River did anything. Now that the painkillers had kicked in, it didn't hurt to talk or breathe, but her voice was still a hoarse whisper. She squeezed his hand slightly in his. "I'm glad to be home. Thank you for helping get me out."

"Got yourself out, darlin'." Mal’s gaze went back over to Inara from the tops of his eyes. "I got no say on an Alliance station."

"Yes, but you carried me out," Inara told him. "And you let me come home. I was afraid..." she shook her head. "I'm just glad to be home and I'm glad you're here."

"Lots of things to be glad about." Mal nodded. "I only carried you from the cargo hold to the infirmary though." Was cuffed up until then. He knew her memory was blurred and hazy from the medications she’d been given. "M'glad we're home too."

"Wanna be back in our bed with you holdin' me," Inara whispered. The painkillers were beginning to slur her words slightly.

"Sounds nice, but we need to keep you in here where these machines can watch over you." Mal squeezed Inara's hand lightly.

"Stay with me?" Inara asked. "Even if the drugs make me silly?" she half giggled. The room seemed to slide sideways

"Nothin' wrong with silliness at the opportune moment." Mal said, his fingers running lightly over the knuckles of the delicate hand he held.

Her brow furrowed at the answer. "Didn’t say you'd stay," she pointed out to him. "Have to stay, remember? Everything..." she sighed and rolled her head to one side, closing her eyes. "Been in love with you for so long, Malcolm Reynolds," she said in a slurred voice before turning back to him and smiling a little silly at him.

Mal couldn't help but lift the corners of his lips in a small smile to return the one Inara gave. "And see, that's why you're not perfect. Know the old sayin', nobody's perfect? Been tryin' to find out what your imperfections are and the like... finally found one. Lovin' a misbehavin' sky pirate like me."

Inara giggled at Mal's comment and pointed to her nose. "Freckles 'cross it." Then she pointed to her lips. "Top lip uneven...jus' a lil. An' the doctor said there'll be scars on my back...bullets."

Mal sobered at the mention of the bullet scars. He dropped his gaze for a moment then looked back to Inara, shaking his head. "Still ain't seein' the imperfections... perfect in every way, 'Nara." He reached over and brushed her hair back away from her forehead.

"S'good. I like you nearsighted...or farsighted which ever it is," Inara giggled. She reached up and touched the bandage on Mal's eye. "Like all your scars. Badges of nobility...like the knights in shining armor in fairy tales. Think that makes me the damsel in distress?"

Mal shook his head. "Damsel ain't a word I'd use to describe you... too cliché. And on a most days you ain't in distress." 'Cept when you're around me.

He bowed his head, eyeing Inara's hand in his. "Guess I ain't the knight in shinin' armor. Metal never looked good on me anyhow."

"S'okay. I prefer your brown coat," Inara told him drunkenly. "You look...like a pirate in it. Always preferred pirate stories to knight stories anyway."

"We're much more pretty on the eyes. Ain't so covered up in all that steel." He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Must've missed becomin' a pirate... ain't quite rememberin' it."

Inara giggled at the comment and turned slightly on her side so she could see Mal better. "Think it has to do with the ship an' the cargo and the commandeering of other ship's cargo on occasion. But you're a good pirate...no rapin' an' pillagin' for you," she wagged her finger at him which made her burst into another eruption of giggles. "Well...you can pillage me..." Another fit of giggles.

"Maybe when you're more in one piece. 'Sides, if I was to pillage you right now, you wouldn't be rememberin' it." Mal said, a corner of his lips lifting in a small, half-grin. "Like it when you remember it."

"Oh alright," Inara mock pouted "But only if you promise," she giggled again then sobered slightly. "Being shot isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was more worried about you...I don't remember very much but I remember they took you away from me when we got there."

"Couldn't have me runnin' about free... ain't civilized." Mal said, a hint of dark bitterness lacing his tone. He drew a deep breath. "Bein' shot ain't always the end of it all, 'less you're hit in the right spot. Someone's watchin' out for you, darlin'."

"M'glad..." Inara said lazily. "Not ready to be reincarnated yet. Might come back as a beetle an' it'd be awful hard to find you then."

"Beetles ain't pretty enough a creature for you." Mal said lightly

"Doesn't work that way," Inara answered. "You get reincarnated into somethin' that's befittin' the life you lived. Sometimes it's another person; sometimes it's an animal. If you've lived good enough you get to move onto a higher plane. Hope I don't come back as a snake," she half mumbled and reached out, holding onto both of Mal's hands. "You're so far away."

Mal stood up from the chair and sat on the edge of the bed. He wasn't one for caring about preaching and religion and the like. At one point, he had, but it had been so long ago and it was nothing like what Inara was talking about. "Don't wanna hurt you."

"Not goin' to hurt me," Inara told him. "Just want you close. Still afraid I'm going to wake up and you'll be gone and I'll still be in the guild house." She was no longer talking about the hospital or even being shot. It wasn't a fear wrought by being shot. It was a fear she'd held onto for a long time.

Part of Mal wanted to believe that she was better off here, but the other part knew that she was better off far, far away from him. Guilt over what had happened washed over him. He should have seen that River had a gun… should never have been so distracted. The bullets should have gone in his back and not Inara's. "I'm here, 'Nara..." He whispered.

"Just stay with me," she whispered, her fingers closing over his as her eyes slipped closed.

Wash's voice came over the com. "Landing on Haven now." The landing gear could be heard descending from the ship as Wash slowed Serenity and let her down easy on the planet.

Inara opened her eyes again when Wash's voice faded. "Are we staying for a little while or going back up when we pick up Simon and River?" she asked. Truthfully, for the first time Inara was a little afraid to have River on board. There'd been no provocation for River shooting her, no warning, nothing at all. She knew next time it could be Mal or Kaylee, either one would be completely devastating to her.

"Ain't rightly sure yet..." Mal answered honestly. He didn't know how the doctor would feel about traveling with the poor condition Inara was in. And he wasn't leaving her on Haven.

"Okay," Inara half smiled at Mal. "Doesn't matter. 'Long as I get to stay here..." she furrowed her brow. "Only not here the infirmary here. More our shuttle here...Simon needs bigger beds in the infirmary so you can lay down with me. You look tired."

"M'fine, 'Nara. Get some rest later when I'm needin' it." Mal knew that he needed to sleep. Jail cells weren't exactly comfortable... especially Alliance ones.

Simon hurried into the infirmary followed by Book. "How is she?" He immediately started inspecting her vitals and the wounds on her back.

"Been talkin' for awhile. Probably needs some rest." Mal explained.

"And what happened to you?" Book asked, already knowing.

Simon narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "They did that to you?"

"Ain't nothin'. Zoe fixed me up." Mal said, standing up. "Got a few things to do. Don't be leavin' her alone. I'll be back later."

Book watched as the captain noticeably retreated into himself. He hadn't just been hit a few times. He knew the Alliance too well... more than he liked.

"We won't captain." Simon said, watching the captain's retreating back. He glanced at Book and turned back to Inara. "Are you in any pain?"

Inara shook her head at Simon's question. "M'shiny. Mal gave me some painkillers. All fuzzy feelin'," she slurred her words and gave Simon a lazy smile.

"Hello, Shepard..." she smiled and waggled her fingers at him. "Don't need a Shepard do I?"

Book's smile grew slightly. "No. I don't think you need a Shepard. I'm just here to check on you. In fact I think I'll leave you in the doctor's capable hands for the moment." He looked to Simon who nodded at him. He reached out and patted Inara's hand then went out the way Mal had gone, following him to the cargo bay.

Simon nodded, glad that the captain and Zoe had at least a basic medical knowledge. "Good, he knows how to do that." He leaned over to inspect the wounds on Inara's back and began to change out the bandaging. "They did well at the hospital. I'm sure you were treated with care."

"Hated it. They were mean to Mal," Inara answered with a sigh. "Glad they let me go early."

Simon nodded. "Yes I can see that they hit him. It’s easy to understand how he would have been disruptive with everything that had happened." He disinfected the wounds carefully, and then turned to get more bandages out of the cabinet.

Inara winced slightly at the antiseptic stinging the wounds. "I'm worried about him," she said quietly.

"What worries you?" Simon asked as he reapplied the last of the bandages. "Having you here with him has done wonders for his psyche... I mean at least what we see. I know he goes off alone a lot but... do you think he needs mood enhancers?"

"No..." Inara shook her head. "I don't. Mal… Mal has to figure out things on his own, he has to...I don't know. My head is all fuzzy and confused. He can't blame River. He won't an' he can't blame me...Jus' leaves him to blame. Like Atlas with the world on his shoulders."

Simon raised an eyebrow at the comparison, realizing how fitting it was. "Inara... I want to apologize for... for what happened. I know I didn't do it personally, it's just... It's River. She can't even explain it in her head."

Inara shook her head at Simon's apology but she couldn't bring herself to say it was okay. The truth was it wasn't okay. She had scars scattered across her back and always would. River scared her. It scared her that next time; she would shoot someone in the head rather than the back. "She's getting worse," she whispered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear her.

"She is..." He said simply. There was nothing more to say. It was the truth.

"I'm sorry," Inara whispered. She couldn't imagine how Simon felt. She had no siblings and the family she had left she cared very little about. She was silent as Simon finished up treating the places on her back.

**

Mal started up the steps towards his and Inara's shuttle when he noticed Book following and watching him. He rested a hand on the railing and looked at him, "Ain't in need of no preachin', Shepard." He said.

"Didn't come to preach to you, Captain. Just came to see how you were doing," Book answered and leaned on the railing.

Mal smirked lightly and shook his head. "Thank you preacher, but I'm just shiny. Reckon it'd be nice to get out of these clothes I been wearin' for five days though." He knew that he looked a mess. His shirt was un-tucked and half open from the manhandling. He was covered in bruises. "Ain't as bad as last time. They didn't have long enough." He said almost in a whisper, knowing that scars on the outside were nothing like scars on the inside or the guilt he felt over what had happened to Inara.

"Not that they needed long I'm sure," Book said quietly. He straightened up and nodded. "I'll let you get changed and cleaned up then. We've got a couple of real bathtubs and shower stalls in Haven if you'd like to use one. My house is open to you."

"I'm alright..." Mal said more for himself than anyone else. It surprised him yet again that Book could always see into the thick of things. He hesitated and then turned and started up the stairs. "No thank you, preacher. I long for the familiar." He said over his shoulder before disappearing into the shuttle.

Book watched as Mal disappeared into the shuttle and sighed. He’d never seen such a contradiction; so strong and yet always running. After sending up a silent prayer, he shook his head and walked heavily down the stairs back into the cargo bay and to the infirmary.

Comments

[deadpoetwoffie.livejournal.com]

you people are great.....

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awww thanks!

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Awww thank you!