Title: A promise to oneself Author: bookishtype Written for: Several Ways to Break a Promise Characters: Inara POV, Mal, River, Jayne Rating: PG Word Count: 459 Author Notes: second instalment that continues the story beginning with “For the Job” @ http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=9880

Inara sighed. She shifted around her shuttle, the saloon dress fitted her snugly, pushing her breasts high and cinching her at the waist. It was ridiculous. Why she agreed to this was beyond explanation and now that they were landing planet side to complete the job made her even more anxious. Slutted up to the eyeballs looking like some cheap-yet expensive-looking whore and being expected to act like one was something Inara promised herself she would never do in her term as a Companion. But here she was promise broken, pacing her shuttle as Mal and River piloted and Jayne sat back checking his weapons he’d brought with him. This had better be worth the trouble Inara thought, all those years of training on manners and style – all thrown to the darkness for this job.

Inara sighed again. They had landed and the Captain and River were heading towards her. She stopped pacing. Mal stopped in front of her, “Ready to do some whorin’”, he asked, smirking as she noticed his eyes glanced quickly across her body, she felt awkward.

Breathing in deep “Yes Mal”, she replied with some contempt in her voice, “I’m ready for the whoring”, Mal chuckled at her response and walked out the shuttle door. River passed by her and then slowed and looked back, “she doesn’t know how beautiful she is” and followed Mal out the door. Unsure of what River meant, Inara shrugged off the words, she went to reach for her shawl but was hindered by Jayne who stood next to her, saying nothing.

Inara paused and sighed, “look, can we just get this job done with, the faster I can get out of this dress the happier I will be”, she snapped at him and reached around to grab her shawl, the strap of her dress fell down her shoulders. Jayne reached out a finger and guided it back up, but he didn’t stop there, his finger traced her collarbone and then dipped down to follow the front of dress that was taut across her breasts. Her breath caught in her throat. She was surprised, Jayne never paid her any attention and here he was caressing her breasts? She looked at his face, he was almost mesmerised, lost, “Jayne”, she whispered. He jumped and looked directly at her, his face returned to its usual stiff determination, “C’mon, Mal’d be worried what happn’d to ya”, as he put his gun into his hip holster and motioned her to move out the shuttle. Inara furrowed her brow and simply put the shawl across her shoulders. She turned and headed for the door, as she stepped over the threshold she realised something. When River spoke to her before, she was actually talking to Jayne.