Title: Everyone Knows

Summary: So what exactly is it that everyone knows, Mal?

A/N: I was thinking it was about time to contribute into the Firefly fanfiction... with an obsession meriting my Harry Potter one... (Voldy-who?...) and oh, does that say something. I'm quite proud of the way this one turned out...

::Part 1/2::

"Everyone knows, Mal," River spoke up to the dinner crowd. Oh how quiet the chatter was silenced. Her dull eyes bore into the captain's with their on-the-dot precise sense. Zoe's own dark eyes flitted to Mal's, as did the rest - Inara, Kaylee, Jayne, Simon, and Book. "Everyone knows even if you can't say it yourself."

"The hell is the girl talkin' about now?" Jayne growled as was his normal speaking voice. Growl, grunt, mutter.

To say Mal was startled was a definite understatement.

'River, what are you talking about?" Kaylee asked softly. The mysterious girl gave her an equally engimatic smirk and went back to her meal... particularly the peas. She loved the hard shell, easily smushed... yet seemed so put together. She began to giggle to herself, when most of the crew decided to move back to their own meals. Maybe she was playing a joke on them, teasing them with mind tricks. She was giggling a might too hard...

And yet... Mal still couldn't shake it from his mind. Deep, ploring eyes in his - definite, cutting sort of tone...

Everyone knows, Mal

---

Immediately following dinner, Simon took his sister back to her room to put her to bed. Hesitantly, the doctor asked, "What you were saying eariler, about Mal... is it about -?" It had been floating in Simon's mind for a long time that he finally made to voice his suspicions. Best to get it out now, so he can concentrate on the task at hand.

River sighed, then explained, "You know, Simon. It's something everyone knows even though they won't say it. Some won't believe it, but they know, Simon." That seemed to confirm the subject, but not why she brought it up. Back to delivering the daily medications, he pushed the captain away from his mind.

"Except for Jayne - he hasn't a ruttin' clue," he grimly joked. River loved Simon. He made her happy.

River began to giggle, which seemed the perfect time for Simon to stick the needle that he held between his two fore-fingers, into the crook of her elbow. She stopped smiling. She hated Simon. He hurt her, she thought as her eyelids drifted. When he hugged her, she wasn't sure... but maybe she'd love him again.

--

Wash had a sense of humour - he would be fun to be around, Mal thought. But his first mate, Zoe, (who never before had any interest in men) had stolen their pilot's attention immediately and completely. And his mechanic, well he had gone with little Kaylee - besides his work ethnic (or lack thereof) it was that one cheating move. Double betrayal - on Serenity and himself. So he was fired on the spot. (Kaylee was better mechanic anyways) By Jayne, he had given up. Mal didn't think he could have any sort of relationship with him - other than one of strictly business.

And Simon... oh Simon was too much of a prick to even consider.

It had been so long that Mal began to wonder whether gender really mattered anymore. Hell, he could bed Inara any night if he really wanted to be sure of it. She was likable enough - it was his moral code that really stopped him, thin-lined as it was. He didn't take advantage over woman. There were exceptions to the rules, but this was a different matter. Bottom line, he didn't treat women unfairly...

Everyone knows, Mal

The Great Captain of the Firefly model named Serenity heaved a giant sigh. It wasn't that he aimed to lie to his crew. It just kept things much simpler - 'specially with a shepherd on board. He had a ship to run, and respect to be with-held. If he lost that, he lost everything. Hell, what did a man have when he lost his respect?

A great ruttin' pile of nothing. That's what.

--

"Hey, what does everyone know, Mal?" Jayne found a wonderful time to ask. It was another one of those days - illegal job, once more, and dodging the Alliance. Nothing knew to the crew.

"Ain't nothin' for you to know, Jayne," Zoë sighed, loading her clip - which gave the most interesting sort of "click" as if to finalize her statement with a sharp end-of-discussion period.

"Aw, come on, Mal!"

"Got somewhere to be, Jayne," the captain cut in sharply. "Got things to do, a job to be done. Ain't no time for idle talk." Which it wasn't. No matter how used to the circumstance they were, he still needed Jayne to be alert. Hard to keep his attention span in most cases, but he still tried.

"Review the plan once more, sir," Zoë spoke up. Ah, so loyal to the cause.

"Get the cargo and get the hell out," Jayne grumbled.

"Without being seen," Mal added. "Makes our lives a hell of a lot easier."

"Well, all right then," Jayne muttered, tossing his assault rifle across his shoulders and, with a devilish grin, finished with "Let's be bad guys."

-To Be Continued?-

Call this an introductory chapter and, yes, I absolutely had to use that last line. It's just too epic. If I have any sort of response of interest, then I may continue. (I really should finish the old stuff though o.o;)