Give and take...that's what it was all about. She could read him...and in his own way, Mal had learned to read her right back. He knew an evasion when he heard it.

"Make ya a deal." he offered, turning to face her. "How 'bout nobody asks, nobody tells, dong ma? I figger it's the only way we'll survive the trip, in the end. Y'know...at least with sanity intact, 'cause be a cryin' shame if we all went home and I'd gone and turned into River 'cause you was askin' me a whole buncha questions I didn't wanna answer..."