Once dinner was over Zoë excused herself and she and Mal headed down to the cargo bay to check on their supplies. Jayne headed after them to go and work out some more. River and Kaylee settled down on the sofa to play cards. Simon headed in the direction of his room after looking longingly at the two younger women but turning away shyly.

Inara walked Alana back through to the shuttle slowly while supporting her arm. Once inside the shuttle Alana flopped down on her front on the bed and sighed. Inara poured herself a bowl of warm water and then slipped off her gown and began to have a sponge bath. As companions neither women were shy about their own or each other's bodies so Alana half watched Inara's ritualistic movements as she bathed and then rubbed lotion into her arms and legs.

"Going back to what you were saying earlier, before dinner, I mean. I understand exactly how you feel because often I feel the same way; it's one of the reasons that I left the companion house. I wanted to be able to have more control over the choice of my clients. Out here in the black I am a rare beauty and have many offers of business but if often find more and more excuses to avoid engaging with them. I have had some bad experiences since I left but on the whole I like the freedom, and the privacy, that this life style provides. But you are right; sex is always fun but it's so much nicer to be romanced and to flirt. It's like a dance and that's the trouble with being a companion; the music has just got to the end when you are ready dance so you have to move to the tune in your head."

"Is there someone you wish you could 'dance' with? I mean on ship?"

Inara smiled coyly but turned away to pour away the bowl of water and pulled on a robe. She walked round to the other side of the bed and slipped under the covers next to her friend.

"There is someone but nothing could ever happen between us, it would be... Impractical. Besides which I would be breaking one of the first ground rules that I set down when I join this crew. It could not... Should not ever happen. Life would become too... Complicated."

"Such is the life of the companion. Now I know you know how I feel. I decided to leave the training house because I had an affair with a manservant. He was fired, sent away, and I was punished. It was then that I realised I wanted more freedom than that place would ever allow me. I took classes in flying which built upon the knowledge I had had from before I was sent there. When I was younger I was forever flying the family shuttles and tinkering around with them. It had been my dream when I was growing up to work on a ship, to even possibly have my own but when my father was killed that dream died too. That is until I met you and found out that I could have a life that was more than the training house. I wanted more than those four walls and you proved that it's possible but as I considered freelance work I realised that if I left I would never, could never, go back to that life. When you spoke with me about this ship I knew it was the place I wanted to be, it was the life I wanted and although I've been through the ringer to get here I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Good night Inara, sweet dreams."

"Good night dearest, sleep well."

Inara extinguished the light, although a soft glow shone through the curtain that hung over the door to the shuttle. Inara and Alana dropped off to sleep quickly. After what felt like a few hours Alana rolled over and then suddenly jumped up and out of bed at the pain that now shot through her back. She found herself wide-awake in the small hours of the morning and pulled on her dress to go for a walk. She slid open the door to the shuttle and stepped out, closing the door quietly behind her. She decided she wanted to go and have another look at the bridge without an audience. She walked, stepping quietly in her bare feet, along the corridor and up the steps. She walked past the crew bunks and up onto the bridge. She expected the pilot's seat to be vacant but instead she was slightly surprised to find Jayne sitting there.

"Oh, Jayne, I'm sorry, I didn't think there would be anyone up at this time."

"Oh, hey Alana, it's you. I'm always wakin' up early. Are you ok?"

"I rolled over and the pain in my back made me wake up. What are you doing up here?"

"I find it relaxin' to watch the stars... And this is one of the most comfy chairs on ship!"

She laughed and he laughed with her, surprised at how at ease he felt with her. She sat gingerly on the edge of the co-pilot's chair and winced as a jolt of pain shot down her leg.

"Still hurtin' you, huh? When d'you get your stitches out?"

"I think the doc is planning on taking them out tomorrow, certainly the ones in my back, not so sure about my leg yet though."

He nodded and put his feet up on the edge of the control console while stretching his arms up over his head and yawned deeply. Alana leaned her elbows on the other console and rested her head on her hands. The stars stretched out in front of the windows and the two of them sat in silence for some time. After about an hour Jayne shifted in his seat and realised he had dozed off to sleep and Alana had draped a blanket over him before slipping off the bridge. He frowned, feeling confused, about her and the way he felt when he was around her. She was different from any other woman he had ever come across. She was one of the most beautiful women but also very strong and brave. She was companion trained but no longer a companion so he was fuzzy on where she stood about relationships, although her conversation with Inara before dinner had cleared up some of his confusion. He felt drawn to her but doubted she felt the same way. He shook his head, stood up and muttered to himself. "I'll be in my bunk."

***

The next morning Alana lay on her front on the examination table while Simon carefully removed the tiny black stitches from her back. He had decided to leave the stitches in her leg for a few more days. When he was almost done Kaylee came bouncing into the infirmary grinning widely.

"We're tryin' to get a game going, you two gonna join in?"

"I guess so, Alana, do you feel up to a bit of exercise? We're just about done here, I'll just strap up your leg again so you don't wrench it or anything."

"A game of what? Hey, I've just realised that I can wear proper clothes again!"

"Yes, you most certainly can, I'd actually recommend you wear something you don't mind getting hot and sweaty in. The game is basically... Well we get into two teams and try to get a ball through a hoop, which is hung from the middle of the cargo bay. That's about it really, there don't seem to be any hard and fast rules, you do what you have to, to make sure your team scores the most goals. Why don't you go and get changed and we'll meet you in the cargo bay."

She smiled and nodded. She tested her leg as she got down off the couch and was pleased with the improvement in the strength. She walked up the stairs and through to the shuttle.

***

The crew hung around in the cargo bay waiting for Alana to come down. River lay flat on her back on one of the high gangways singing an odd melody. Inara sat on one of the stairs watching the others messing about. Alana emerged from the shuttle wearing a pair of dark blue cargo pants and a tight black vest top, which hugged her curvaceous body and a pair of work boots. She had tied her long fair hair back in a ponytail, which hung down her back between her shoulders. Everyone stopped what they were all doing to watch her descend. As she walked past Inara they clasped hands briefly and smiled at each other. Alana stepped down onto the cargo bay floor and looked around at the rest of the players. Mal stepped forward and put his arm round her shoulders.

"Ok, Alana, you're on me and Jayne's team. Zoë, Kaylee and Simon are the other team. The aim is to get the ball through that hoop up there, ok?"

She nodded and Mal grabbed the ball and threw it up in the air; the game had begun.