The characters do not belong to me - thanks Joss for letting me borrow them for fun. A very special thanks to TZEGHA for her invaluable input and support. She trully deserves a lot of credit for this one.

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“Stay” – PART I

So it was over.

He painfully realized this as Serenity carried them to their next destination. The hum of the engine was the one thing he could always count on to relax and unwind. The spots of silver light that flashed in the distance were all that could be discerned amongst the utter and complete blackness outside—cold and lonely as he stared out the cockpit window. The steady vibration allowed his brain to concentrate, assigning his emotions backstage pass.

Space, this vast stretch of nothingness not unlike the void his heart felt at that precise moment.

He drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes, and held it until his lungs started to protest, then exhaled slowly—the lump in his chest seemed to ease for now. He shifted uncomfortably in the pilot’s chair. His muscles were stiff from lack of movement, so he stood up to stretch his long legs rubbing his neck as he walked around the helm.

How long had he been hiding here? He impatiently checked the navigation route for the twentieth time that night, anxious to get to their destination and to put this whole thing behind him.

He could hear the voices echoing through the insides of Serenity, from the kitchen all the way to the helm. The laughter, excitement and quiet conversations of his crew could be heard as they shared this moment, lost in their own little celebration. The echoes bouncing off the metal frames of the ship were carried by a ghostly hand and made his ears ring with an anxiety that could not be relieved. He could much less show the others.

Refusing to be a part of it, he cowardly retreated to this safe haven to be alone. No matter how many people came into his life or shared his experiences, the constant irony was that loneliness would always remain his only companion.

But it was the other ‘companion’ who kept swirling into his mind.

Even now, during his inner struggle for composure, he could hear her laughter, soft and smooth, so eternally classy he was hypnotized by its timber—his own personal mermaid leading him to damnation. She came into his life unannounced and her graceful demeanor took him completely off guard. Gracious as a swan and lethal as an arrow, her royal-like ways had managed to make him feel alive again. One arched-brow look from her, a disparaging comment aimed at his ego or her always on target comebacks made his heart feel the sweet pain he had come to crave.

He found himself smiling bitterly at the memories.

He should have never gone to that brothel. He should have given Inara some lame excuse, apologized for the lack of time or the scarce resources to pull off such a job. But no, he had to be the gorram knight in shining armor and charge in with his ‘army’. He had to find comfort in Nandi’s arms only to fail her the following morning, driving Inara even further away.

Nandi had known. She had known about his feelings for Inara and he should have realized that Inara, being trained as a companion, must have known as well. His desperate attempts at indifference had not gone unnoticed by her—she actually knew.

The job—he desperately tried to concentrate on the task waiting for him at the water planet of Iberia. He needed to have a clear mind for the sake of his crew.

They hadn’t had a decent job since the one they pulled off with ‘what’s her name’, and being able to sell the infamous ‘Lassiter’ had become a mission on its own. Then the ruttin’ bounty hunter had his crew more than a little on edge for the past couple of weeks. They needed work--fast.

He had been thanking the powers that be about his most recent contact—a certain MJS who was more than willing to pay good money for a legendary stone. Their mysterious client had used one of the local kids at Persephone to hand him the written details of the assignment and the location where the drop off would take place. Mal did not like this person’s cryptic ways, but he had no choice but to accept the job given their current circumstances, not to mention the payment he had taken in advance.

“Cap’n?”

Kaylee’s voice made his mind swirl back to Serenity with a jolt.

“Hmm?” He turned around to see his young mechanic, a plate of chocolate cake in one hand and a napkin in the other.

“I… um, I thought you might want some cake” she said shyly, conscious of her intrusion.

He was about to wave her off with a dismissive gesture of his hand when he caught a glimpse of Kaylee’s expectant face. Reaching out instead to take the plate from her hand, he tried to put up his best front for her.

“Xiè-xie.”

He forced a smile and dug the fork into the cake. He could not bring himself to take a bite, though. The lump in his chest had suddenly returned and he felt nauseous.

“Are you gonna join us?” she asked with a small voice.

“There’re things that need to be done first, mei-mei. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he replied softly, with a half smile.

“It’s just that ‘Nara…”

“I said I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he cut her off curtly in mid-sentence, punctuating the last few words.

His features turned harsh, the smile now vanished from his face. A pang of agony was threatening to consume him, his composure now wavering. Kaylee dared not push the matter further: she simply broke eye contact and turned around to leave silently.

As she stepped out of the helm, she muttered:

“You could at least share her last dinner on Serenity with us.”

Mal saw her disappear down the hallway and slumped back down on the pilot’s seat, leaning forward and burying his face in his hands. The sinking sensation was suddenly overwhelming and he could not bear to face his crew just now. He took in a shaky breath and held it in hoping it would do its magic but failing miserably to ease the pain this time.

None of it means a damn thing, he thought clenching his jaw tightly.

*********

Mal had been out all morning—running errands, he had said. He came back as Inara’s limo-shuttle pulled beside Serenity, and saw his crew gathered around her, gloomy smiles on their faces as they said their last good byes. He had discreetly approached the group, leaning silently against the mule that was neatly parked next to the limo-shuttle. Zoe walked over and leaned against the mule next to him, offering her unspoken support without even making eye contact.

“Kaylee’s gonna miss her a lot” she said to him in a monotone after a beat, “we all are.”

Mal got a glimpse of Jayne’s austere face as he shook Inara’s hand. The tall man was looking at the floor, deliberately avoiding Inara’s face and shifting from foot to foot nervously.

Zoe knew how much Mal hated farewells and was certain that he would find some feeble reason to escape into the nearest locale just to avoid this moment. She was determined not to let him do such a thing. Her silence was pointed, so he reassured her:

“I ain’t goin’ anywhere,” he muttered.

Inara was now standing at the bottom of Serenity’s ramp hugging Kaylee good-bye with a lump in her throat. Kaylee had been crying since the companion’s transport shuttle had arrived, and was holding on to her tightly in one last hug. Inara felt her eyes begin to water, but kept her composure for the young mechanic’s sake. The companion kissed her forehead tenderly and rubbed the girl’s back in an attempt to comfort her.

She gave one final squeeze to Kaylee and then turned to Mal who now stood close to the ramp, with his thumbs resting on his belt holster in his typical Captain Reynolds stance. He gave her a crooked smile that looked more like a smirk while he glanced down at her. She was just inches from him, her composure unwavering.

Neither of them could bring themselves to speak first and simply stared at each other.

“Well,” he finally said in a matter-of-fact tone “’Guess this is it.”

She nodded silently, looking up at him.

Her expression was a perfect mask of placidness, and he kept trying to find the smallest trace of uncertainty in her poise, hoping to find the faintest hint that she might just reconsider her decision in a last minute whim. Deep down he knew this was for the best, but letting her go was harder than he had imagined.

“This past year’s been…”

He looked down at his boots while he tried to find the right word.

“It’s hard to find good ambassadors these days” he finally said.

He wanted to say something meaningful to her, something that she could take with her wherever she went, but his mind refused to cooperate leaving him with empty last words instead.

Her smile broadened slightly at his last remark.

She leaned forward to embrace him briefly in one last, friendly hug. His hands wrapped around her back involuntarily holding her softly as she whispered a barely audible ‘good bye’ in his ear. He wanted to tighten the embrace, to hold her in his arms just for a while longer, just for a bit longer…

When they finally pulled apart, neither of them dared to speak. Their eyes locked for some time, a world of unanswered questions reflected in them. Mal was the first one to look away, redirecting his stare towards the impatient shuttle pilot who was fidgeting next to the ship’s door nervously.

“Your shuttle’s waitin’” he exhaled, speaking in a low voice.

After a polite nod he turned around and started addressing his crew.

“Ok people, y’all got jobs to do ‘round here, so off you go.”

They all slowly started dispersing, their figures disappearing inside Serenity as they stepped into the ship to follow their Captain’s orders. Inara herself started walking the opposite way, her feet heavy but her head high, and her stride firm.

Serenity cast a shadow over her frame as she approached the shuttle, protecting her from the beaming rays of the twin suns scorching the docks at midday. The heat outdoors was infernal, yet she found herself shivering with every step she took. A part of her was being left behind; she painfully realized when she stepped into the shuttle.

She did not look back as the limo hovered away from the docks.

*****************

The crew of Serenity was sitting quietly around the kitchen table. There was a palpable void inside the ship ever since Inara’s departure that morning. None of them had talked about it extensively, opting to keep the subject buried for now.

Kaylee had spent the past two hours in the engine room, fiddling with a silver comb the companion had given her as a gift earlier that year. Her mind was filled with a thousand memories while she rocked back and forth in her hammock. She had refused to eat the ration Simon had brought to her in an attempt to ease her pain. The girl had just looked up at him with sad eyes and taken the plate from his hand with a forced smile.

Now she had joined everybody else in the common area at Mal’s request. They were looking at each other silently--sympathetic eyes were set on the young girl—while Mal finished pouring himself some coffee. The Captain sat down at his accustomed seat heading the table, and took a sip of the bitter liquid before he began speaking.

“Our goal is to snatch the Tara” he said. “It‘s one of the three original stones that were auctioned after the Buddhist temple of Wat Thai was destroyed in the war…”

“A rock?” Jayne interrupted incredulous. “How’re we gonna get ‘coin’ outta stupid rock?”

“This one’s bein’ carried as part of a private exhibit durin’ a five day cruise aboard The Majestic, which is leavin’ port tomorrow and sailin’ to Ibiza Island” Mal continued completely ignoring Jayne’s previous comment.

“An ocean cruise ship?” Simon asked impressed.

“How are we gonna get in?” Wash countered, “Those luxury liners are booked months in advance and they are not exactly affordable vacations.”

“Our contact, MJS, has three passes ready for us to pick up at the check-in counter” Mal continued. “We’ll be posin’ as wealthy ranchers on our honeymoon. Myself, my lovely bride and a helpin’ hand will be expected to arrive at the docks at noon and will be boardin’ the ship promptly at thirteen thirty.”

“Jayne” Mal turned to the tall mercenary who was leaning back against the chair frowning, “you and Kaylee will be coming with me on this one.”

Kaylee’s face lit up with a smile.

“I get to go on a cruise?”

“Lemme guess, I get to be the helpin’ hand,” Jayne growled.

“K-“ Simon cleared his throat stammering, “Kaylee is going as your bride?” he frowned slightly, shifting in his chair.

A twinge of jealousy was clouding the young doctor’s mind as his eyes moved nervously from Mal to Kaylee. He saw her looking at him, pleasantly surprised at his subtle objection and unable to hold back a faint smile. Simon swallowed, slightly embarrassed about his blunt reaction, and bit his lower lip blushing slightly when he felt everybody’s eyes set on him.

Mal gave them both an amused look while he sipped his coffee; it was nice to see Kaylee smiling again—leave it up to Simon to lift her spirits.

After a short pause, he continued with his briefing.

“Zoe, I need you to take over Serenity while we’re gone,” Mal pointed out.

They would need to stay as far away from this job as possible without leaving planet. The last thing Mal wanted was for Serenity to be tracked near the place where the heist was taking place, especially with a couple of fugitives on board.

“We’ll have to keep communication to a minimum,” he said. “Wouldn’t want any chance encounter with the Alliance. Iberia is crawlin’ with feds and they’ll be keepin’ an eye on a transport ship like Serenity. You’ll need to lay as low as you possibly can so as not to attract any unwanted suspicion.”

“There is an abbey far enough from here where I’m sure we’ll be welcome to stay,” Book offered in his usual gentle tone. “No questions will be asked while we stay there and Simon and River won’t have to be confined to the ship.”

Mal nodded to the shepherd in consent and appreciation.

“Sir, what do we know about this MJS contact?” Zoe asked leaning forward, her tone concerned.

Mal turned to her, understanding where her doubts were coming from. He could read Zoe like a book and could tell she did not much trust this plan, much less the elusive contact who hired them. They just exchanged a look that told her they didn’t have much choice given their recent dealings. They needed money to keep them afloat and could not be particularly choosy at this point.

“We don’t know much, that’s true, but he’s paid us 2,000 credits in advance to pull off this job, and the rest will be paid in full after we turn the rock over to him.”

“How much?” Jayne inquired this time.

“8,000” Mal replied calmly, observing the astounded reaction from his crew.

They all fell silent for several minutes, not quite believing their ears.

“I’m gonna go pack!” Jayne exclaimed excitedly, breaking the silence.

******************

Tall pine trees spread across the grounds of the estate stretching high into the sky while the smallest branches at the top danced to the tune of a silent breeze. The sweet smell of their green needles and fresh bark was intoxicating. A German shepherd came to run behind the limo-shuttle, following the trail of dust the vehicle was leaving as it silently hovered over the unpaved road and crossed the opened gates into the courtyard.

Inara got out of the shuttle and looked up at the tall mansion. Coppery tones were bathing its impeccable white walls with the setting of the suns in the horizon. She could make out the last rays of the second sun, dying slowly behind the nearby hills. It looked just the way she remembered it: the Spanish tiles on the roof, the bright stone walls with the wooden trims and the large windows with the colorful flowers decorating the windowsills. Silvery smoke was escaping through the chimney and she could smell the subtle scent of burning wood coming from the inside of the house.

Before walking towards the short set of steps leading to the big rustic doors in front of her, she turned around to face the shuttle and saw the German shepherd approaching her in a joyful trot, his long tongue was sticking out of his snout in a frantic pant. He looked like he was smiling as his big brown eyes looked up at her in adoration.

“Rommel!” she exclaimed crouching down beside him and patting the big dog’s head.

The German shepherd was wagging his tail incessantly, remembering the companion’s unique scent. His tongue reached out to lick her cheek before she had time to pull away.

“Is there anything else you need, ma’am?” the chauffer asked unloading the last suitcase and placing it carefully on the ground.

She dismissed him after a generous tip and the vehicle left just as silently as it had arrived.

Inara began walking towards the door, Rommel in tow. She could hear the sound of the running fountain from the corner of the patio, a relaxing sound echoing across the open spaces of the courtyard. Her feet paced slowly over the cobble-stoned floor that grinded softly under her step. The smell of Honeysuckle was getting stronger as the day grew older, cuing in the crickets and their rhythmic tune.

She turned when she heard a mellow voice behind her.

“I thought I heard Rommel’s tail wagging uncontrollably. He hasn’t done that since the last time you were here.”

She spotted a handsome young man smiling at her. He was coming from the shuttle ports to the left of the courtyard.

“Jason!” she smiled joyfully as she approached him.

He looked at her through his long lashes, his eyes cheerful, and his smile turned into a full fledged grin. He was wearing swimming trunks and a casual shirt. His brown hair was damp and fell loosely over his forehead—she remembered swimming was one of his favorite sports.

His upper body was well built, with wide shoulders and lean muscle that had resulted from years of competing in swimming tournaments. His shirt clung to him and clearly defined the shape of his toned chest. Then her eyes traveled down to his legs and a jolt of pain and regret filled her memories.

The hovering chair he was bound to came to a stop, and he looked up at her, his deep green eyes trained on her face. He took one of her hands in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“It’s been a long time, bao bei,” he said softly.

“Too long,” she replied sincerely.

“I received your wave,” he told her as his lips turned into a crooked smile. “You didn’t even need to ask. You know you are welcome here any time. The furniture and the rest of the things you sent are already upstairs and Mike can help us take the rest of your suitcases up to your room.”

She nodded at him in appreciation.

“We have a lot to catch up on,” Inara said placing her free hand on top of his.

“We certainly do! Did you know I took up cooking lessons?” he informed her as he led her into the house.

“You? Near a kitchen? I shudder to think!” she chuckled.

“You’d be surprised! I made this mouthwatering lemon meringue that is getting great reviews—from Rommel, mostly, but still.”

They joked and laughed as they entered the house. The halo of the moon cast a silver gleam on the roof top giving way to the first night starts which were emerging shyly, one by one.

The house was decorated just like a typical Mediterranean farm house from Earth-that-was. There were big cozy rugs over terracotta tiled floors, wood and leather furniture at every turn and tall ceilings with wooden beams going across. Holographic photos of the family were on display throughout the different rooms, mostly of Jason and his uncle, but she recognized a couple of them that had been taken while she had been here last time. The equestrian style was ever-present—pictures and figurines of horses could be found all over the house.

Jason loved horses, Inara remembered with nostalgia.

“You must be exhausted. Are you sure you don’t mind me hammering you with a yaoguài of questions about your exciting life in outer space?” he asked her.

“Not at all,” she replied. “Life is far from ordinary in the rim.”

“I can’t wait to hear all about it,” he grinned as they reached the downstairs lounge.

An older man in his early eighties sat reading a newspaper and smoking a pipe. The lit fireplace cast a faint glow on the man’s face, showing his slight frown as he reviewed a hologram of a new power plant in development.

Inara recognized him as Arthur Decker, Jason’s uncle. He was in very good shape for his age, his silver hair perfectly groomed and his reading glasses making him look like a very distinguished gentleman. He raised his eyes as he heard them approaching, and set the newspaper on a side table.

“Inara, dear!”

Mr. Decker stood up immediately and walked over to embrace the companion lovingly.

“We have missed you around here!”

“It is really good to be back, Mr. Decker,” she replied taking the arm the older man was offering her.

“Please, you know you can call me Arthur. You look too thin,” he mentioned disapprovingly. “Come, you must have something to eat. What? They don’t feed you out there in space?”

Jason smiled broadly, amused at his uncle’s concern over Inara’s health. The companion glanced over at him while she was being ushered to her place at the small table and Jason winked at her, shrugging as if to say ‘may as well do as the man says’.

“A swimming costume and a short-sleeved shirt is no attire for tea time, young man,” the older man scolded.

“You know I don’t care for those chun rules,” Jason shrugged indifferently, receiving in turn an exasperated look from his uncle, who sighed in resignation.

“So, Jason, have you told Inara about that little boat of yours?” Arthur said pouring some cream into his tea.

“Not yet,” he replied smiling wickedly.

She looked intrigued.

“I have a surprise for you, bao bei,” he said in a low voice, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “How would you like to go sailing with me tomorrow?”

*******************

The ship was as big as a city, Kaylee thought as she stared up in awe at the gigantic cruise liner.

The twin suns were beating down hard on the docks and the mild ocean breeze did little to cool down the stuffy air. She shielded her eyes with one hand and kept ogling the ship’s metal structures with great interest. The one thing that struck her the most was how such an incredibly heavy object could just float in the water without sinking. Flying, breaking atmo in a spaceship was one thing: the engine thrusters and anti-gravity fields allowed the aircrafts to float in the air and to shoot into space. But this was completely different—this ship was just floating in the sea, stopped in one place. It was truly amazing!

“Remember,” Mal told her sternly, “I’m Mr. Evans and you are my newlywed bride, Mrs. Evans.”

Mal was worried that her amazement might make her slip.

“This is so exciting!” Kaylee exclaimed. “No wonder they call it The Majestic. It’s, well… ‘majestic’!”

“Do I have a ‘special’ name?” Jayne asked resting all their bags on the ground.

“Yeah, you’re Jayne,” Mal replied squinting due to the suns’ brightness. “That’s special ‘nough.”

A metallic female voice announced the ship was ready to be boarded over the intercom, and a large number of people dressed to the nines stood at the boarding ramp, fanning themselves with company brochures or shading their bodies with colorful parasols. Slowly, the lines started moving as the crew of The Majestic directed them to their cabins.

***********************

From the distance, somebody watched the three of them board the ship. They were finally here and everything was going according to plan. It was just a matter of time now.

*************************

“Mr. and Mrs. Evans,” a pretty, young woman in uniform greeted them. She checked their boarding passes. “You will be staying in our honeymoon suite.”

Kaylee was unable to hold back a “shiny!” which made Mal smile down at her and place his right arm across her shoulders tenderly, slipping into his role with ease. She turned to him with a toothy grin and kissed his cheek.

They proceeded to their assigned quarters.

Jayne had been given a cabin in one of the lower decks where the help’s quarters were located. He was actually glad. He didn’t want to mingle with all those stuck up, fancy-‘pantsy’ rich people on the upper decks. He started unpacking smiling about the kind of ‘dough’ they were going to make on this gig and his mouth started to water.

As he kept unpacking a woozy feeling overcame him. He felt the room spinning so he staggered unsteadily trying to stand up straight, and kept staring at the walls of his cabin which seemed to be slanted for some odd reason. He slowly walked towards the bed with wobbly legs and lied down on his back staring at the ceiling. That position only made the situation worse, he felt the tightness in his throat and closed his eyes swallowing hard and breathing heavily through his nostrils.

Shortly after, he found himself rushing to the bathroom, barely making it in time to lose the hefty breakfast he had enjoyed earlier that morning.

*********************** The honeymoon suite was unlike anything Kaylee had ever seen before.

It was at least four times bigger than Serenity’s living and kitchen area put together: it had a bathroom twice the size of her own room with a bath tub one could swim in. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the round king size bed in the middle of the room. It had the most beautiful patterned covers she had ever seen with matching drapes covering the windows. An enchanting Chinese melody lingered in the air, a perfect compliment to the serene and relaxing ambiance.

She peeked out the window and saw nothing but ocean, a deep turquoise color she had only seen in her dreams—it took her breath away. Pulling herself away from the incredible sight she kept exploring the rest of the room, taking in every little detail with renewed amazement.

At the other side of the room sitting in the living area, Mal was checking inside one of the suitcases looking for something and slightly frustrated, completely ignoring the fancy surroundings.

He pulled out the weapons they had brought and placed them on top of the coffee table. Only certain guns were allowed aboard the cruise ship, small pistols and low caliber handguns, so they had complied with the rules just not to cause any trouble or raise suspicion of any kind. He had had to use his stern, captain voice with Jayne, who had complained about leaving Vera behind all the way to the docks.

He was making sure the guns were in good shape when he realized that Kaylee had been unusually quiet for some time. He turned to her and saw her pale face, staring at the weapons uneasily. It suddenly dawned on him that his young ‘bride’ had been haunted by the use of guns ever since the Niska fiasco.

“Come here, mei-mei,” he gestured, gently indicating her to approach him.

His hands were busy cleaning the chamber of a gun. She hesitated for a second and then sat down beside him on the couch. He regarded her sideways, faking unawareness and waiting for her to relax.

“Here, hold this,” he said handing her the smallest gun.

She froze momentarily and then carefully took the small weapon looking at it intently, as if it was going to go off on its own any minute now. Mal waited patiently until she familiarized herself with the object.

“We never did talk about what happened at the sky plex,” he began softly.

“I-I figured you wanted to forget ‘bout that,” she said in a small voice.

“I don’t want you to be brave for me, lil’ Kaylee. If there’s somethin’ on your mind that you need to talk ‘bout I want ya to tell me.”

She shrugged, not looking at him. He patiently waited for her to gather the courage to talk to him, he knew she would eventually. They remained silent for a while. She watched closely while he cleaned and polished the chamber of the guns.

“I failed you back then” she finally said.

The words sounded strangled and her voice cracked slightly.

Hearing her say those words made Mal flinch inwardly. He placed the gun he was handling on top of the coffee table and wrapped his arm around Kaylee’s shoulders. He pulled her close to him and she leaned against him, sorrow clouding her features.

“I’m so sorry, Cap!”

She started sobbing against his chest.

“I wanted to be brave for you, but I couldn’t…”

“Shhh, bì zuî mei-mei” he soothed. “You could never fail me, ya hear me?”

She wrapped her arms around him and silently cried while he stroked her back tenderly. He whispered at her reassuringly, his cheek resting on top of her head. He felt his heart sink with every sob. He frowned and rage cursed through his veins just thinking about what he was going to do to that whoon-dahn Niska once he got his hands on him.

They held each other quietly for a long while, weapons forgotten on the small table. There was a knock at the door and two seconds later Jayne came in, looking pale and clammy. He saw Kaylee curled up in Mal’s embrace, tears streaming down her face, and glanced at Mal with a blank expression on his face.

“What’s with the little one?” he asked.

Mal gave him a glacier look warning him to back off, to which the other man responded with a frown sitting down on the armchair by the couch.

He picked up a gun from the coffee table and started fiddling with it and studying it intently. He was feeling a little better after his stomach had been turned inside out, nothing else to expel, but there was a funny smell in the honeymoon suite—very much like Inara’s shuttle—that was making him queasy again.

Jayne took in a deep breath and concentrated on the gun he was holding which he found to be incredibly effective in taking his mind off his troubled stomach. After he had analyzed every crevice of the gun, he exhaled audibly.

He gave Kaylee a fleeting glance wondering whether it was safe to speak yet. The girl was still sniffling, her face buried against the Captain’s chest who kept stroking her back silently. Jayne busied himself with the gun in his hand, waiting patiently as not to invoke Mal’s wrath which could be easily unleashed when protecting the young mechanic.

Minutes later, Kaylee sat up and drew her legs up against her chest wiping her cheeks with her hand quietly. The mercenary looked at her with a pronounced frown.

Somebody needs to toughen up this kid, he thought.

“So when are we snatching the rock?” he asked when he figured it was safe to speak.

His voice was tainted with a trace of exasperation and he was obviously tired of the silence.

“Goin’ in is a two man job,” Mal explained. “I need you to guard the door while I work ‘round the show room. We’ll need to check out the security systems and the positionin’ of the rock before the night in question.”

Kaylee sat up and looked at Mal.

“What do I have to do?” she asked rubbing her eyes.

“You will have to be my little genius and tap into the security codes,” Mal said kissing the top of her head.

“I think I can do that,” she smiled weakly.

****************************

The temperature was deliciously pleasant on the Delhi deck. Inara’s white sleeveless dress was swaying in the soft breeze, cooling her skin under the intense suns. Jason sipped at his drink admiring her as she in turn admired the immensity of the ocean.

“Your idea of ‘going sailing’ is seriously underrated,” she told him with a grin.

“It is a boat, isn’t it?” he replied taking a sip of his drink.

“I had never sailed on a cruise ship before, you know that?” she admitted.

“There is a first time for everything,” he conceded.

“It is a lot like being out in the black.”

Jason stilled, his thoughts turned inward and his eyes became distant. His mind slipped elsewhere momentarily before he focused a smile of confusion on Inara.

“The black?” he asked her questioningly.

“That’s what Mal called it, when we traveled,” she explained smiling sweetly at the memory. “Once we broke ‘atmo’ we were ‘out in the black’.”

She was silent for a while, her mind drifting back to her days aboard Serenity. She had loved that ship, that life, like no other. So many firsts had happened while she sailed on it. The first time she ever held a gun, the first time she had ever eaten a protein ration, the first time she had flown a ladybug shuttle, the first time she had really fallen in love…

“Do you miss it?” Jason asked gently, sensing her nostalgia.

His stare was lost in the depths of blue that stretched for miles and miles, just like his need for her.

“Once you’ve been in Serenity…” she let her thoughts trail absentmindedly, and then smiled at him warmly.

“If you need time for things to go back to the way they used to be between us then I can wait,” he offered kissing her hand tenderly. “You are worth it.”

“Serenity can definitely change a person” she told him not looking at him.

“Are you ready for a refill, qin ài de?” he asked her deliberately changing the subject.

“Absolutely,” she smiled tuning to him.

He took the glass from her and led her to the swimming pool area. A group of kids were busy playing with a beach ball. They approached the wet bar, where Jason placed both empty glasses and waved at the bartender, who was making small talk with somebody and politely pulled away when he saw them approaching.

“Jason!” he greeted with a broad smile.

He was a man in his mid forties with pleasant appearance and eyes as blue as the ocean. His face was round, his pigment tinted red from years of too much sun. His hair was a coppery brown, with strands of white staining each side. He spoke with an exotic accent that Inara could not place and his radiant smile could brighten the entire deck.

“And, who’s the lovely lady?” he added with an arched eyebrow.

“Arlo, my man! How have you been? Let me introduce you to my good friend, Inara.” Jason said placing his hand in the small of Inara’s back.

“My lady,” Arlo said, taking Inara’s hand and kissing it lightly, letting his lips linger a little longer than expected.

The bartender turned back to Jason, an expression of underlying approval on his face.

“What can I get for ya! That you don’t have already, that is.”

Jason chuckled at Arlo’s blunt remark and took the drink menu from the counter.

“I still can’t believe this whole ship belongs to you,” Inara said sitting on one of the stools “Do we have to call you ‘Captain’ now?”

Jason thought about that for a second, “It does have a nice ring to it… On the other hand ‘Your Royal Highness’ will suffice,” he smiled jokingly, earning a soft slap in the arm from Inara.

“It was actually a present from my uncle,” he continued, indicating to Arlo a particular drink from the menu. “Some people don’t know what to do with their money so they use their nephews for spending practice. He has been very generous since I got out of the hospital, showering me with gifts, but this is a little over the top don’t you think?”

“Yeah, how can you stand being you?” Arlo said teasingly as he mixed a frozen drink.

“Can you imagine if I had become a paraplegic? I would have my own planet by now,” he chuckled turning to Inara.

She looked at him, not really amused. His smile faded slightly but his eyes kept sparkling. She turned away from him, concentrating on a small girl who was getting out of the pool to chase the bouncy ball that had leapt out.

“Hey,” he called her attention with a soothing voice.

She glanced at him, forcing a smile.

“That’s not the smile I have come to know and love,” he said calling her bluff. “Don’t make me tell you a joke; you know how I always mess up the endings.”

Her smile became more genuine.

“I feel a little tired,” she said. “Would you accompany me to the cabin? I’d like to lay down to rest for a bit.”

He smiled, offering her his elbow. They took their drinks from the bar thanking Arlo and headed towards the luxury cabins.

**************************

Jayne leaned over the Delhi deck, watching as the ship cut through the mass of water, splashing it outward with its passing. He had been nauseous at first, feeling a little queasy and clammy, by now though, he had thrown up the contents of his stomach for the past two days and was looking greener by the minute.

“Jayne?” Mal called from behind him. “Any reason why you failed to mention that you and sea boats don’t mix well?”

“Wô hên hâo, I’ll be fine. You guys go ahead,” he replied unable to take his eyes off the sea.

“Maybe if you go to your cabin and lie down you’ll feel better,” Kaylee suggested innocently.

“No!” Jayne replied in a flash. “No way, I need air! I said I’ll be fine, stop pesterin’ me already!”

“Well, you better find the infirmary and get well soon. There is a job to be done,” Mal stated, regarding Jayne’s greenish face and almost feeling sorry for the poor man.

Mal and Kaylee joined an organized tour of the ship, scouting the decks and analyzing the surroundings before pulling off the job. They had to listen to the tedious ramblings of the tour guide about the history of the ship and all the prominent guests they had had throughout the years. Kaylee’s interest was peaked when the guide covered the particulars about the engine and breakthrough technology used in the ship.

During the tour, Mal had a distinct impression somebody was watching them. It was a gut feeling that he had developed during the war. Despite his restlessness, he decided to put his paranoia aside and concentrate on getting the rock.

They wandered away from the group once they reached the private exhibit area that was near the art museum. They casually started walking down the hallway, leaving the rest of the guests behind, engrossed in the paintings the art museum had to offer.

“The security ain’t that tight” Kaylee observed. “Spy-cams can be easily hidden, but they still need a nearby receptor, and I ain’t seein’ any.”

Once they reached the door they found a motion detector on the ceiling and side walls, and a warning sign on the door that read: Do not enter, private exhibit.

They turned their head towards each other with a knowing look.

“Ok, let’s time it” Mal said retrieving a stopwatch from his pocket.

They started heading back to their cabin casually, without rushing, so they could measure the longest time it would take them to get to the honeymoon suite from the exhibit. A couple more runs would have to be made before the night of the job. This was just a worst case scenario test.

They were already strolling down the hallway leading to the honeymoon suite, key card in hand, when Mal looked up to see a couple coming from the opposite way of the corridor. The young man was on one of those hovering chairs that could only be found in the Core, and walking by his side was… no, it couldn’t be.

“Inara!” Kaylee’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the companion standing not even twenty feet away facing the door to a cabin on the opposite side of the hall.

As if sensing their eyes, Inara looked up to see Mal and Kaylee staring back at her. She stopped in her tracks, blood frozen in her veins and unable to hide her surprise. She was about to say something when she heard Jason’s voice at her side.

“You must be the honeymoon couple,” he greeted with a smile.

Mal walked briskly towards them. Part of him was still in shock from seeing Inara, and part of him was afraid she was going to completely blow their cover.

“Hey there! We sure are” he replied immediately, “Sorry if we was starin’ back there, didn’t mean ta be rude. I am Pierce Evans and this here is my lovely bride Kaywinnit.”

Kaylee followed him, smiling at Inara and too stunned to make any comment. She hoped she would be able to spend some time with her during this trip. This was such a pleasant surprise!

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jason Silver and this is Inara Serra,” Jason replied stretching his right hand for a handshake.

Mal shook his hand firmly, locking eyes with the man to whom Inara had ran to.

He was a good-looking fellow, he thought, but again all the clients he had seen her with had been handsome in some way. A yearning sensation stirred within Mal, so overwhelmingly constricting it threatened to choke him.

Jealousy.

He never thought himself capable of such bitter feeling, yet its crushing pressure was impossible to ignore. Was he a client of hers or just a friend? Either way he felt the rush of envy pulsing fiercely through his veins.

“How do you like your stay so far?” Jason asked curiously.

“It’s… wow! This is really somethin’” Kaylee chirped in excitedly.

“There ya have it” Mal added with a lopsided grin that didn’t reach his eyes.

Inara raised an eyebrow at them, amused at the act they were putting up. She and Mal exchanged a brief glance that spoke volumes. She knew they were up to no good, and he knew she would play along anyway.

“I am glad to hear that. I always make a point to dine with the honeymoon couple while they are aboard the ship,” Jason said lightheartedly.

“We wouldn’t wanna impose…” Mal started, trying to back out.

“Not at all,” Inara interjected with a sardonic smile, speaking for the first time.

If he wanted to keep up the act, she was going to make him work for it. He looked at her, surprised at her willingness to go along and gave her a half smile that indicated his uneasiness to involve her in this. She held his stare in defiance, daring him to turn the invitation down again.

The slight tension between them did not go amiss by Jason, who witnessed their silent interchange quietly.

“It would be our pleasure to have dinner with you, Mr. Silver,” Mal said with a grin.

“Excellent” Jason stated pleased, “How about tonight at say… nineteen thirty? We can meet at the Bali Lounge.”

This Jason fellow was different from the others, somehow. Mal could not tell exactly what set him apart from the rest, but he definitely had a distinct air about him. Could it be that he…? No, don’t go there, he told himself.

“We’ll be there,” Mal replied already pulling Kaylee away towards their cabin.

She followed him waving at them.

“See ya tonite!”

Her lips curved into a toothy smile while Mal dragged her inside by the arm. He opened the door to their cabin and they both disappeared inside.

Once inside their suite, Mal let out a heavy sigh. What was he thinking accepting an invitation to dinner from Inara’s lover? Was he her lover? What was she doing here anyway? His jaw tensed and he clenched his hands into tight fists as he paced slowly back and forth in front of the couch.

Kaylee was sitting down on the couch, watching his movements in silence while he kept cursing in Chinese under his breath.

“So, how long did it take us to get here?” she finally asked.

*****************************

The water felt deliciously warm against her skin, and the bath salts she had poured over the tub filled the bathroom with the sweetest smell.

Still, despite the luscious setting, Kaylee had not been able to relax. Mal had been on edge since their chance encounter with Inara and his mood was sullen. She had been hiding in the bathroom for the past hour leaving him alone to vent his obvious frustration. She wondered what was really going on between them.

I have never seen this side of him, she thought tracing patterns in the bubbly water.

Kaylee was very surprised to see his vulnerable side, especially since he had not bothered to hide his anger ever since they had stepped inside the cabin.

How could he not be happy to see her?

Her mind filled with glee when she thought about Inara’s proximity—she could hardly believe they were both in the same ship! Not even two days had gone by since she had seen her last, and she already had a ton of things to tell her.

She was lost in thought when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

“You ok in there?” Mal’s voice came from the other side.

His tone was subdued, much calmer now.

“Shiny, Cap!” she replied shifting inside the bathtub.

“You’ve been in there for over an hour! There’s only one bathroom, ya know,” Mal complained, his voice growing impatient.

“Oh, sorry” Kaylee said, sitting up inside the bathtub, “do you need to come in?”

“It’d be the civilized thing to do for me to shower and change ‘fore puttin’ on these fancy clothes. Wouldn’t want to embarrass Inara’s client over dinner,” his tone was dripping sarcasm through the door.

Kaylee stepped out of the bathtub splashing water all over the floor.

“How do you know he’s her client?” she replied drying herself with a towel rapidly.

“What?” was the muffled response from the other side.

She placed a couple of towels on the floor to absorb the overflow of water that had spilled out, and a minute later came out clamped in a white towel around her body and another one clumsily wrapped around her head.

“I said how you know he’s her client?” she repeated.

She kept trying to readjust the towel on her head the way she had seen Inara expertly do once, yet the towel just kept falling awkwardly to the side.

“He seemed real nice and handsome!” she commented.

“Yeah, quite a catch” he muttered sarcastically.

“Bathroom’s all yours, Cap” she gestured with a smile walking past him, and sitting on the bed.

“It’s ‘bout time!” he mumbled walking in and turning on the shower without even bothering to close the door behind him.

Kaylee walked over to the closet to retrieve the brand new dress they had bought for her just for an event like this one. It was long and sleeveless, with big pink flowers decorating the white fabric. Her sandals matched the color of the flowers perfectly and River had given her a pink bow to put on her hair that looked great with the outfit. After applying some make up the way Inara had taught her on several occasions, she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

“Shiny!” she exclaimed.

Kaylee heard the shower go off and a low, irritated curse from inside the bathroom.

“What have you done with all the towels?” Mal called popping his head out the door.

Kalyee picked up a damp towel from the bed and rushed to the bathroom walking inside and draping it playfully over Mal’s head. She started giggling when a somewhat aggravated, very naked Mal pulled the towel down making his hair stick out in all different directions. He rolled his eyes at her.

“Real funny!” he growled.

She winked at him grabbing a bottle of perfume from over the sink and exited the bathroom. She was happy to see his mood had mellowed down and he was back to the ‘mean old man’ he believed himself to be.

They were both already dressed and ready to go shortly after. Mal was adjusting his tie in front of the mirror, God he hated formal wear, while he reminded Kaylee not to slip during dinner. He knew how involved she could get around Inara, but they sill needed to keep up their act.

“…and absolutely no tech talk tonight” he warned her. “You’re supposed to be a wealthy farm lady, dong ma?”

“I know!” she exclaimed slightly exasperated after his third reminder.

Kaylee felt relieved when she heard the knock on the door. Maybe now the Captain would lay off her back and take his frustrations on Jayne. She went to sit on the couch while Mal opened the door, expecting to see their ‘helping hand’ standing in the hallway.

“Inara?”

Mal was taken aback by her sudden visit.

“You look…” he began.

He was halfway through the sentence while she walked into the cabin with a firm stride. He closed the door behind her, turning as she went past him.

“…great” he finished.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded placing her hands on her hips and looking up at him accusingly.

“Hi, Inara,” Kaylee said sweetly from the couch.

“Hi, sweetie,” Inara replied, softening her tone when addressing the girl.

She turned back to Mal with an icy stare, raising an eyebrow.

“We are on our honeymoon. Haven’t you heard?” he said jokingly.

“I am serious, Mal,” she replied, her tone far from amused.

Mal turned to Kaylee who could already sense a fight brewing.

“Kaylee, go to Jayne’s cabin and tell ’im we won’t be meetin’ him tonight,” Mal ordered.

“Tianna! Jayne is here too?” Inara asked alarmed.

Kaylee rushed out the door to follow the Captain’s orders. As much as she would love to spend some quality time with Inara, she did not want to be in the middle of their war when the fireworks started. She hated conflict, and she could sense they were warming up to one of their heated arguments.

She strolled down the hallway towards the elevators hoping the Captain wouldn’t prevent her from spending some time with Inara by having an explosive fight.

Please, don’t let them ruin the whole thing, she prayed scanning the room key card over the elevator’s panel.

******************************

“Where is… what’s his name?” Mal asked once Kaylee had left the cabin.

“Jason” she replied. “He had some business to attend to. Unlike other people he earns an honest living.”

“Ouch!” he said with a smirk placing his hand over his heart in a wounded gesture.

“Don’t worry” he continued sensing her distress, “We won’t stand in your way. You go ‘bout your business and we’ll go ‘bout ours.”

He walked over to where she was standing and faced her with a faint smile playing on his lips.

“That’s hardly comforting,” she sneered.

Mal regarded her with a lopsided grin, wondering how could he have ever let her go and amazed at the fact he wasn’t on his knees right now begging her to stay with him. He had to let her go, it was what she wanted—what she needed—yet, his current restraint was shocking his own self.

“He’s a very wealthy man,” he stated, his voice low.

“Your client?” she inquired, folding her arms.

“Your client,” he replied softly looking down at her through heavy lashes.

“I’m assumin’ from his comment that the ship belongs to him,” he continued cocking his head.

She blinked seeming surprised by his blunt assumption.

“He is not my client” she informed him sternly, “He‘s just a good friend.”

“A good friend who you happen to sleep with,” he stated casually deliberately testing her. “Never had such great friends myself.”

She just frowned refusing to take the bait, her eyes downcast and her mouth set in a thin line.

Mal contemplated her reaction, wondering whether her earlier statement might have been true, and they were in fact just good friends. He began walking slowly towards the window with a sudden need to keep a physical distance between them.

“Do you…” he started asking, all traces of sarcasm or irony gone from his voice.

He paused as he stared out the window, his back to her. His eyes were set on the silver crests of the waves bathed in the late evening lighting, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

“What?” she probed gently, her features softening.

He turned around to face her but could not bring himself to meet her eyes—his head low—concentrating on some imaginary object by his feet.

“Do you love him?” he breathed almost inaudibly without looking at her.

His words were thick with emotion. She was standing in the middle of the room, frozen. A sudden sense of fear started building in the pit of his stomach, raw and sharp. She was now looking at him, her expression a mixture of panic and wonder.

“You mind telling me what type of business you have here?” she pressed, deliberately changing the subject.

“How’s that any of your business, again?” he replied sharply, wounded by her evasiveness.

“Mal, I’m asking you as a…” she began.

“As a what?” Mal cut her off curtly shrugging in a matter of fact way. “As a businesslike relation? ‘cause I don’t recall us bein’ anythin’ more than that.”

“That’s not fair” she replied in a childlike way, her eyes sparkling with suppressed emotion.

“Fair” he echoed in a low voice—he saw past her cool exterior and found the young girl beneath it. “Life ain’t fair, ‘Nara, best get used ta that.”

“I forgot” she snapped at him annoyed, “The implacable petty thief would rather act upon his own selfish interests and go about his business regardless of who might get hurt in the process.”

Selfish. The word rang in his ears loudly, insistently. A jolt of burning rage overtook him and his features turned harsh. She couldn’t possibly know what letting her go had taken out of him. She couldn't possibly know how much all he had wanted to do was beg her to stay, but how even more than that, all he wanted was for her to be happy."

She turned to leave but he grabbed her by the wrist brusquely, forcing her to turn around.

“Don’t you *ever* accuse me of bein’ selfish!” he hissed in between clenched teeth.

“You’re hurting me” she breathed looking up at him furiously.

Her futile attempts to free herself only managed to make her distress worse. He had a tight grip on her; cutting circulation of the blood and making her wrist throb in pain. She always thought of Mal as dangerous when it came to intimidating his opponents—even Jayne feared the Captain—but he had never directed his rage against her.

“Let go of me!” she ordered, her voice strong despite her fear.

He looked straight into her eyes and snarled his lips close to her ear as he pulled her closer:

“I already have.”

(End of Part I)