Mal knew this discussion was brewing. There was a time when he woulda backed away from it, made some excuse about Captainy things needed doing just to avoid it.

Her.

Them.

Truth was, he was bone weary of doing the dance.

"So what's it gonna be, Inara? You stayin' or goin'?"

"Mal, I told you. I don't..."

"Not an answer, Inara. No more games. No more lies. No more dancin'."

He was half hoping she'd haul off and smack him one. Least then, she'd have given him an final answer.

But all he got was her standing there, looking scared and small, biting her lip.

"Gimma an answer, Inara. Yes or no. Because I can't...we can't...keep doing this. Tears us both up too much."

She didn't even have it in her to protest that she wasn't as raw and bleeding as he was. That this moment wasn't about her leaving the ship, but about her leaving him. "I don't want to hurt you..."

Mal shook his head. "Darlin', you can't promise me that. Any more than I can promise it to you. This ain't about tomorrow. This is about here and now. And right here, right now, you gotta call it."

"It's not that simple."

"See, I'm thinkin' it is. Nandi was right about one thing. You and me, neither of us like comlications. So I'm makin' it real easy. You foldin' or you stayin'?"

For the first time, he got a genuine smile out of her. "You never were good at a poker face. Which leads me to think, Captain, that maybe I should stay in the game."