Fic: Firefly-Trapped in Temptation (Kaylee/Mal) Part 1
Title: Trapped in Temptation
Author: Carla
Rating: PG-13 for now
Pairing: Mal/Kaylee
Spoilers: Pre-BDM
Summary: Mal and Kaylee are put in quarantine after being exposed to
a unique virus.
Disclaimer: Not mine, they’re just fun to play with.
Author Notes: I have no medical knowledge, so you’ll have to excuse if I took
some liberties.
“Least they left us some cards.”
Mal pushed off the wall from the observation window, to look down at Kaylee. She was sitting on a bare bunk, her bare feet hanging off the edge and on her face encouraging smile.
“Captain, they said we should know in a couple of hours if you two have been infected.” Zoe’s muffled voice told Mal through the glass window.
Mal sat down next to his mechanic on the small single bunk that adorned the cell. The walls were brown-tinged metal, with a cement ceiling and floor, which left the cell with an even colder feeling. One lone light bulb hung from the ceiling on a string and was gently swaying back and forth, casting moving shadows over the room. It definitely wasn’t Alliance, just some makeshift quarantine cell set up by the local government.
“Wanna play a card game?” Kaylee curled her feet up under her and waggled the deck of cards back and forth. She had a smile on her face but there was no mistaking the fear in her eyes.
Mal took the cards from her and started shuffling, he grinned at her, “Think you can handle a game of Crazy Eights?”
He received a smile for his effort and was relieved he could take Kaylee’s mind off what was really going on, if only for just a bit. While he dealt out the cards his mind wandered back over the events of the day and what had landed them in this situation.
Mal and Kaylee were on one of the border planet picking up parts for Serenity in small store. Kaylee had spent most of the time sweetly trying to convince him to buy the upgraded version of whatever part they apparently needed. Mal had to pull on his last reserves of strength not to cave into her requests, especially with the adorable smile she had given him.
The store had been fairly busy considering its size, with around ten other people in the small confines of the store. Mal was just about to head to the front counter when a loud explosion had gone off, filling the room with a gas. Mal tried to pull Kaylee out of the store, while covering her mouth with part of his coat but the gas had pulled all the energy out of him.
When he felt Kaylee falling, Mal had attempted to pick her up and carry out of the shop but he couldn’t seem to find the strength. He ended up falling to the ground, covering Kaylee’s now unconscious body with his. Quickly after, he’d fallen into darkness.
When he woke he was laying on the floor of this room, Kaylee still asleep on the cot. He’d banged on the door and quickly a small, robust man had come up to the window, a clipboard in his hand.
“Name?”
“What in the hell is going on here?”
The man sighed and explained in a tired voice, “You were involved in a Lylo explosion and exposed to the virus. You must remain here under quarantine until we can tell whether you were infected or not.”
Mal heard Kaylee wake up behind him, so he had tried to keep his voice low, “I ain’t ever heard of a gorram Lylo explosion, so you better let us out of here.”
The man stared up at Mal in surprise for a few seconds, before returning his eyes to the clipboard. “Name first.”
Kaylee moved to the door beside Mal, her eyes questioning, Mal had resisted the urge to slam his fist against the wall in frustration. “Malcolm Reynolds and Kaylee Frye.”
Half an hour later Zoe had shown up and made it fairly clear that this was no joke. He and Kaylee had to stay in the cell until told otherwise, unless they wanted to risk everyone else’s health.
“You know Cap’n considering you suggested this game, I kinda thought you be better at it,” Kaylee shot him a teasing smile.
Mal cleared the cards and shuffled them, “Just lettin’ you win, is all.”
Kaylee leaned closer to him, her voice low, “Doubt that.” She watched the cards move around, biting her lip and finally gathered the strength to ask, “What do you think will happen to us?”
Mal stopped his hands and looked at her, the way Kaylee could wear every emotion on her face pulled at his heart in a way nothing else could. He couldn’t fight the temptation to pull her to him, so he wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her head. “My thinking is that we’ll play a little cards, which you’ll beat me senseless at, get very bored and in a few hours they’ll let us outta here, no problems.”
Apparently she wasn’t as naïve as she sometimes looked, “I think you’re lying to make me feel better but thanks for trying.”
Mal loosed his grip on Kaylee, so he could look down at her, “Now how about I teach you to play Blackjack?”
**
“They were involved in a what kind of explosion?” Simon asked, sitting at the kitchen table aboard Serenity.
Zoe was standing at the head of the table, her arms crossed, “Lylo explosion. Apparently it’s some sort of organization on this planet known for gas bombing. They target innocent civilian areas in a protest against the government.”
It was Book who spoke up next, “It’s contagious?”
Wash stood up beside Zoe, “The contagion can be transferred for twenty-four hours after exposure.” Wash was trying desperately to keep the grin off his face.
“How deadly is it?” Inara asked.
Zoe shot her husband a look and answered seriously, “Not at all and even if Mal and Kaylee are infected, the symptoms should pass in a day or two.”
Finally Wash couldn’t contain his laughter and had to hold onto the back of the chair, so he wouldn’t fall over. Zoe slapped him lightly on the shoulder and he stopped laughing long enough to utter out, “But it’s funny and I have jokes…”
Simon stared strangely at Wash and turned his attention back to Zoe, “Then why such the tight security?”
This time a smile did cross Zoe’s lips, “It’s sort of a hassle for everyone if the infected get out before the contagion has run its course. It’s…a hormonal thing…”
“Mal ain’t gonna cry or nothin’ is he?” Jayne rudely asked.
Zoe’s face was serious again, “That’s all we need to talk about over this. We still have some work that needs done.” With that Zoe left the kitchen, Wash finally followed behind her.
“So many jokes.”
**
“So how long exactly were you planning on playin’ me for?”
Kaylee giggled, “Well, technically, you never did ask if I already knew how to play. You just assumed I couldn’t.” Her finger was poking him lightly in the thigh emphasizing every word.
Mal threw the cards on the bunk and stood up to stretch his legs, “I’m getting a little tired of you beating me, little Kaylee.”
Kaylee stood up next to him, stretching her arms above her head and Mal’s attention flashed to the rise of her shirt, more specifically, the slit of skin just above her cargo pants. Without even his notice, he felt his hand reaching towards the pale skin, just to feel the softness. At the last minute Mal reached his hand away, abhorred with himself. He was fully aware that Kaylee was a very good looking creature but he’d always managed to file that behind the idea that she was in his care, his responsibility.
Although if he was entirely honest with himself, it wasn’t the first time he’d mixed up that order before. But with her enormous brown eyes and her perfect pink lips and…he definitely needed to sit down.
“Thought you said you were lettin’ me win,” Kaylee teased at him, unaware of his sudden discomfort. “Sides’ you think I grew up with all them brothers and never learned Blackjack?”
Mal tried not jump when Kaylee sat back next to him, her arm brushing his, her hip only a few inches away. He could feel her comforting heat radiating off her and suddenly he was desperate to lose his coat. Standing up again, he pulled off his coat and threw it in a pile on the floor. When he sat down he was several inches away from her, although it was tough on the small cot.
“What do ya figure we might be infected with?” Kaylee was trying to sound unworried but her voice betrayed her.
Mal noticed the hitch in her voice and had to quell the impulse to wrap his arms around her again. “Not sure but Zoe didn’t look too concerned so I’m sure it can’t be too bad.”
Kaylee looked up at him with knowing eyes, “Cap’n, when’s Zoe ever looked concerned?”
Mal opened his mouth and then shut it again, knowing she was right. “Well I think she might be a mite concerned if you were in any trouble. Me, she expects to be but you’re somethin’ special.”
Kaylee’s worry slid away and was replaced by a huge grin. Soon after it was replaced by a huge yawn, “Think it’d be alright if I could take a little nap? Considerin’ we’re outta card games for you to win at?” She smiled at him, while poking him in the ribs.
“Think that’s a fine idea,” Mal agreed a yawn breaking out across his face. He stood up off the bed, intending to make one of the cement floor.
Kaylee laid down on the cot and moved to the front edge, “You don’t gotta sleep on the floor, lotsa room up here.” Her offer was all kindness and innocence.
Mal was going to decline but she was giving him a look that was so enticing the words just wouldn’t come out. He climbed over her, placing his coat underneath their heads as a pillow. He was facing her back but made sure there was still some space between them, although the cot didn’t allow for much. He stared at the back of Kaylee’s head for awhile, before finally letting sleep claim him.
**
“Hormones?” Simon was charging up to the flight deck, quickly approaching Zoe. “I looked up Lylo explosions on the Cortex, it’s not some tiny hormonal thing. You’re just leaving her in some cell with him after they’ve been exposed to Pheromiam?”
Zoe sighed, the last person she wanted to deal with was Simon, “It’s out of my hands. The township is responsible for the victims of the bombs, they have their own protocol.”
Wash turned from the consol, “Why are we not finding this funny?” He was only responded with glares from both parties. “Okay. But they should be fine, they’re both adults. I’m sure they can handle it. Now can we get back to the laughing?”
Simon ignored Wash, “There’s a reason it’s illegal. It completely removes a person’s inhibitions, while increasing their sex drive tenfold.”
Zoe smiled understandingly at Simon, “So does a good bottle of Kaylee’s homemade wine. It can’t make them do anything they don’t want to do”
“It’s not like Mal will jump on her and kill her,” Wash offered and then he paused for a moment, grin crossing his face. “He may jump her but…”
Simon was not amused at all, in fact he was becoming increasingly more worried. “Why not separate them, put them in separate rooms.”
Wash jumped quickly on this, “Well apparently they become fairly aggressive alone, one guy tried to break the glass with his head. Also, there was an interesting event involving one girl and the door knob that-“ Wash stopped when he saw the look Zoe was giving him, “…that needs not to be told again.”
“Fahng-sheen Simon, nothing will happen.”