From Beyond

[meatbabies]

The crew will see them slinking off, disappearing around hallways--shifting shadow shapes and the backs of heads ducking around corners. They're always people they think they know. Dead loved ones, perhaps, or loved ones they're not sure are dead or alive. They lead crew members into dangerous places, sudden drops, parts of Stacy where things can

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[almostluver]

Inara's lips pressed together in annoyance and she had to bite back the snarky remark. Of course it was just like him to try to play off being shot like it was nothing. She wanted to tell him off, but really, what would that accomplish? Nothing but make him irratated right along with her.

So she said nothing, and managed to regain her placid expression. "Of course you won't," she said, her voice calmer than it had been moments before. "Because you're too stubborn to die here." She was being slightly sarcastic, but it was probably true. Mal had to be to most stubborn man she knew. And that was saying a lot.

Slowly helping him to his feet, Inara's eyebrows furrowed again, and she looked up at Mal. Why did he have to say such things? She was there with her hands, shawl and now her clothing covered in his blood and he was talking about how it was funny not ever getting use to it?!

She drew in a deep breath. She wasn't going to snap at him. She was going to remain in control. She looked up at him again. "I know you didn't. It's the loss of blood that's making you think that way." It probably was.

Inara began to carefully steer him down the hall, hoping she was taking him in the right direction. "Let me know if you need to rest, OK?"

[am_alwaysfree]

Hm. Maybe he'd said the wrong thing. Mal shook his head slowly, thinking he knew what was bothering her. "You know what I meant. Didn't mean it was somethin' to laugh at, only that you shouldn't worry."

"I'll make this up for you later, once I've gotten this taken care of," Mal said, noting the blood on Inara's clothes. "And I will be gettin' you another shawl."

He fell silent then, as he continued walking with Inara's help. The blood loss was beginning to affect him, sapping his strength, but even so, he made himself keep up the banter so as not to worry her. "Can't be that much longer. I'll be fine, Inara."

Never mind the fact that he was starting to look pale, and he began stumbling occasionally as he walked.

[almostluver]

"You don't make it easy not to worry about you," she murmured. It was probably the closest she'd ever come to truly admitting to him that she did worry about him, and the minute she'd said it she'd wished she hadn't. Though it was possible he wouldn't remember her saying it later or if she had to she could simply make light of those words.

"Mal," she sighed, though knew this was an argument she wasn't likely to win. While she could be stubborn, he was probably more so. "If it'll make you feel better, very well. You can get me a new shawl." That was about as much as she was going to concede on that matter. She smiled though, she couldn't help it. At least he was being stubborn, it meant that he was likely to be alright, right?

She stumbled alongside him, trying to support his weight as much as she could. She wasn't the strongest woman, and Mal was obviously a lot bigger than she was. But she was somehow managing. "Perhaps it's time you start thinking about dieting," she teased lightly, her grip around his waist tightening a little more.

[am_alwaysfree]

He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that; even though he was acting like nothing was wrong so as to not worry her, he hadn't actually expected her to be worried. "Thought you'd be angry instead of worried," he admitted. "Wasn't like I got hit defendin' your honor." And that was as close as he'd come to admitting that maybe the reason he got shot was because of his own recklessness.

"But this..." Mal paused and nodded at the gunshot wound. "It comes with the job. That's what I meant when I said you get used to it." Though he understood that wasn't the case for everyone, just the people who actually live that way. "And I am gettin' you that shawl."

For whatever reason, the shawl was important, and he couldn't just drop the subject. "Dietin'? You think it's that bad?" He couldn't help smiling at that thought. "If this's gettin' too much for you, just say somethin'."

Blood loss or not, the last thing he wanted was to knock her over or otherwise hurt her because of their size differences.

[almostluver]

"Well I should be," Inara agreed, wondering why she wasn't. Maybe it was because she didn't know exactly what was going on or how he'd managed to get himself shot. This time there'd been no one around. So how was she suppose to get mad about that?

She swallowed and shook her head. While he might have gotten use to it - it wasn't something she thought she ever would. She had truly been terrified when she'd seen the blood begin to spread across his shoulder and then as he fell to the ground. She'd been scared that she'd lose him. But that wasn't something she could admit and it was probably something he didn't want to hear.

"Of course it's not getting to be too much," Inara insisted stubbornly. "And even if it was, I'd drag you to the medlab before I even thought of giving up." She looked up at him for a moment, a teasing smile forming on her lips. "We'll be there soon. Don't worry so much."

[am_alwaysfree]

Mal laughed then, more to take his mind off the throbbing coming from his shoulder than because he thought something was funny. Inara's continued pressure had helped slow the bleeding down a little, but it hadn't stopped completely.

Of course, Mal wasn't worried; he'd seen more serious injuries than this before, and had pulled through just fine. But just in case... He turned slightly to glance at Inara, his expression completely serious. "Don't go tellin' Kaylee about this. She seems to have enough on her mind, and I don't want to be addin' to that." Even if she didn't, he still really didn't want her knowing he'd gotten hurt again.

Then, just as he was wondering when in the world they were going to reach the med bays, he spotted them just ahead. Now if he could just hold off the slight feelings of dizziness and weakness that were threatening to send him crashing to the ground again. "Looks like we're almost there," he said, even though he figured she could see that for herself.

[almostluver]

"I won't," Inara agreed softly. She knew Kaylee would be mad if she didn't tell her about it, but it was something that Inara was willing to risk. Mal hardly asked anything of her, so she supposed she could give him that much. Besides, last thing either of them needed was an overly worried Kaylee - mainly because Mal was going to be fine.

Her gaze moved to Mal's face for a moment, and her heart just about sank to the pit of her stomach seeing how pale he was. Readjusting her grip on him once again, she tried to quicken their pace to get them to the medbay's doors even quicker. "Good, now keep walking," Inara instructed, her eyes narrowing a little as she focused on getting them to their goal.

"Don't you dare pass out on me, Malcolm Reynolds!"

bah, sorry for all the edits; I got nitpicky.

[am_alwaysfree]

"Good... That's real good, Inara," Mal said, appreciating that she wasn't protesting. "Thanks. That means a lot." He would tell Kaylee eventually; just not right now. He didn't want her seeing him like this either. Once he'd gotten taken care of and was back on his feet, he'd tell her what happened.

But he barely registered Inara's warning not to pass out, as that very thing had just become hard, if not impossible, to do. "Sorry, 'Nara, that's easier said than done." He felt weakness settling in as he tried to keep walking. "Didn't mean to... make you angry," he managed to say as he sagged towards the ground, doing what he could to keep himself from losing consciousness.

It's OK! <3

[almostluver]

"Zāogāo, Mal!" Inara cried, sinking down to her knees with him. It was automatic, she didn't even think as she did it, nope. She just automatically pulled him closer to her so he was leaning against her. Her hand was still pressing her shawl against his would, but the pale pink piece of fabric was now stained a deep red from his blood.

She grabbed his chin between the fingers of her free hand and turned his face a little so she could look down at him. "You keep your eyes open, do you hear me? Don't you dare close them!" Her gaze moved to the door of the medbay which wasn't more than a few feet away. Someone had to come out!

"Help!" She yelled out. "I have an injured man out here!"

She closed her eyes for a moment, whispering a quick prayer under her breath. He had to be OK. Swallowing she opened her eyes and looked down at Mal again. "You're going to be OK. Mal, you have to be OK."

<33

[am_alwaysfree]

Mal's lips moved as Inara pulled him closer; no sound came from them, so he paused for a few seconds and tried again. He remembered the woman he met when he first arrived on Stacy; she said something about visiting the medbays so she could get his records. Maybe she was in there now, but his mind was blurry and her name escaped him. He let out a frustrated sound.

But even though he was having to fight to not pass out, he thought that if he was going to go, in a lot of ways, this wasn't so bad. He was glad Inara was there next to him, and that he wasn't alone. Maybe his belief that everyone died alone wasn't so accurate after all, although he knew he couldn't say that to her.

"Looks like I ended up worryin' you after all," Mal finally said, his voice reduced to almost a whisper. The funny thing was, Mal wasn't someone who ever regretted anything, but right now, all he was thinking about was how much he regretted coming up with the arrangement he had with Inara.

It probably was the blood loss talking, but he hated how that arrangement made him feel like a liar; and unless he wanted to go back on his word, he couldn't really do anything about it. But still, he couldn't keep himself from saying, "'Nara... got somethin' to tell you later, all right? Somethin' important."

<33!!

[almostluver]

She blinked rapidly and leaned her head to the side, hastily brushing any traces of tears that had just formed in her eyes. Thing was, he didn't just end up worrying her. She worried about him more than she let on. Here, at first, she hadn't thought there would be so much to worry about. He wouldn't be off smuggling, and getting shot at by crazy people. Obviously she'd been wrong, because he had been shot.

He might really die. Over what? She didn't even know! And that frustrated her. "Don't be silly. I'm not worried." No, she was scared. Scared he might really die.

She managed a small smile, let go of his chin and soothed his hair off of his forehead. "You can tell m-"

Though she never got to finish her sentence as just then a tall redheaded doctor rushed out of the medlab and immediately began to check on Mal. She said something to Inara, but Inara couldn't even concentrate on it long enough to hear. She was focused on Mal and a couple of medics hurried out and lifted him up onto a stretcher and quickly moved him back into the medlab with the doctor following right behind them.

Inara stayed there on the ground for a moment, looking down at the spot where Mal had been. He was going to be OK. She had to believe that. Had to. Slowly she shook her head and slowly rose to her feet, and wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress before moving over to the doors of the medlab to keep watch.