"Almost isn't near good enough," Mal said tightly. He wanted more things to destroy, more things to punch and beat into submission; it wasn't supposed to happen like this. If anyone was gonna go down it was supposed to be him. Anything to keep the crew safe, keep Serenity in the sky. His own flesh and blood and bones were the sacrifice, he'd paid it once to Niska and he'd have done it again and again to protect the people who'd put their trust in him.
He stiffened at the gentle touch to his shoulder, but he didn't shake her off. "My crew, my responsibility."