Title: For the Job: chapter five Author: bookishtype Characters: Mal, Inara, River Rating: G Word Count: 461 Written for: Several ways to break a promise

Mal had had a confusing week, what with the job and Inara. He didn't know what to think. He wondered long and hard on that scene with the old man and Inara and it made his head turn. River didn't help either every time she found him sitting thinking about it, she would whisper "funny ol' man" at him and giggle like she was making fun of him.

The rest of the crew believed that Inara was in mortal danger in the job and that Mal had rescued her at the most timely of moments and proceeded to bash in the head of this man. The story was in fact started by him but Jayne didn't know better, and Inara certainly didn't correct him. And River, well, she just kept repeatin' her little phrase. So when they had returned to Serenity and the crew was filled in on the job, Kaylee plopped a kiss on his cheek and said "I love my captain" and grinned. Mal smiled inwardly, he liked that bout Kaylee. She looked up to him like he was her big brother.

The medical supplies were dropped off to a couple of buyers on the outer planets at the end of that week, and Mal was glad to see them gone. He could finally put this whole weird job to rest. Their money from the supplies was divided equally between them. Jayne grabbed the money and muttered something about a saloon girl and Kaylee, which made Mal look at him twice. River took her share silently, but the look in her eyes said something else entirely. All that was left was Inara's take, the crew voted unanimously that she should be given something for being placed in that position and that seeing as Mal was the one who asked her to help out, he should give her the money. He looked at the money in his hand and sighed. Here goes nothing, he thought and started up the stairs towards Inara's shuttle.

He could hear her talking as he neared her door, not wanting to disturb her by knocking, Mal decided to simply simply slip in and leave the money on her table. He shook his head at his own thoughts, now if that didn't sound like a whore thing to do, he didn't know what did. He brushed past the drapes the table was right there, heer voice sounded out,"Told you i wouldn't break a promise Grandpa and that i would keep in touch." He was reaching towards the table, Grandpa, Mal thought, Inara's never mentioned him before, he looked up to see her talking on her vid to the old man from the job last week. He froze mid-lean, his jaw dropping,

"We stole from your GRANDPA!!!"