Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just borrow them for fun.

Acknowledgements: A very, very, very special thanks to TZEGHA. She has been my muse throughout the story and her feedback has been priceless all along. Thank you for pushing me to do my best. You are a great beta.

“Stay” – PART II

Silently, sheltered by the penumbra, he had been observing her, waiting in the shadows like a predator pursuing its prey. It was getting late and she had barely moved from the same spot by the outer railing facing the sea in nearly an hour.

He could see her profile from where he was standing under the stairway. She seemed lost in thought, her face grim with tears streaming freely down her cheeks. He wondered why she had been rubbing her right wrist, her face twisted inward with what looked like pain, maybe anger. The cool evening air made her shiver slightly and he saw her wrap her thin shawl around her shoulders.

Unaware of the attentive presence in the shadows, Inara found herself consumed by the agony of her last conversation with Mal. His words pierced through her mind and she was unable to stop their incessant ringing in her ears.

I’ve already let you go.

It was precisely what she had wanted—exactly what she needed. Why did it hurt so much then? Just hearing him say those words had felt like somebody had snapped her last hanging thread making her fall into a dark abyss with nothing to hold on to.

It was the point of no return—the door back to Serenity had been permanently closed.

She turned around with a heavy sigh, her face composed, cool, as if she hadn't been blinded by tears only moments before. It was then when she caught a glimpse of a man leaning against the wall by the stairs leading to the upper deck, quietly and unquestionably observing her.

She began walking towards the stranger who was now moving away, still unable to make out his features in the darkness.

With a mixture between uneasiness and curiosity she followed him, lifting her long skirt in order to pick up her stride, but the figure got lost amongst a rowdy group of passengers that were drunkenly making their way out the sliding doors at the time.

Inara pushed her way past the loud cluster of people with no small effort, yet by the time she made it into the hallway the place was deserted. She kept staring down the corridor breathing heavily, a profound sense of inquietude troubling her mind.

She pushed her unrest aside and decided to focus on surviving the rest of the evening. It was getting late and she had a dinner engagement to attend.

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

The small restaurant that Jason chose was a quaint little Italian bistro that resembled in every way the ancient Venetian style of Earth-that-was. The tables were dressed in red and white table cloths with candle light flickering cheerfully over each and every one. The melodic tune of an accordionist enveloped the place as he walked from table to table picking on the cozier couples to serenade.

They were seated in a private corner table by a virtual window that overlooked a night in Venice. Through the window, lighted gondolas could be seen drifting lazily past through the canal, casting a glow on Mal’s shoulder.

He had not been very talkative ever since they arrived, but was courteous enough as to keep the conversations casual and polite. It was quite obvious to Inara that he was enjoying this dinner just about as much as she was—in short, not at all.

She always had been able to read him exceptionally well, a skill she had perfected over her past year aboard Serenity, but now his facial expressions seemed empty, void of feeling. His eyes belied a tranquility she knew was feigned, still she was unable to discern what lay beneath. They had exchanged a couple of meaningless words while being seated at their table, but she could easily feel the tension between them and prayed Jason wouldn’t notice.

“It all looks… tasty” Mal frowned while he read his menu.

Inara looked over at him picking up on his distress, and realized he probably never had Italian cuisine in his life. She then glanced over at Kaylee who was concentrating deeply, trying to pick an item from the dozens of dishes being offered, equally confused by the strange choices.

“What’s a…” Kaylee paused, trying to pronounce the word correctly, “’p-pizza’?”

“It’s flattened dough. They usually spread tomato sauce over the surface and your choice of ingredients” Inara explained.

Kaylee smiled at Inara in appreciation and, noticing the heightened excitement in the girl, the companion gave her a friendly wink in return.

“This is quite an impressive ship you have here, Mr. Silver” Mal said, taking a sip of his wine after they ordered their meals.

“I’m glad you think so” Jason replied, “It used to be called The Independent but we changed it after we made the purchase. A lot of prominent people who sail with us regularly were commenting on the name.”

Mal’s eyes narrowed regarding the other man with restrained annoyance.

“Seems to me there’s nothin’ harmful in a name” Mal said casually.

“Well, you know how people still get all tied up in knots about The War” Jason responded distractedly, placing his napkin over his lap. “When are people going to leave it alone, already? We won, end of story. No need to rub it in.”

“There’s no winners in battle, Mr. Silver” Mal said somberly.

Jason looked up to meet Mal’s icy cold eyes. To his credit, he held the Captain’s stare without bowing.

“Please, call me Jason” the young man said smiling in an attempt to ease the tense situation. “Are you a veteran of the war, Mr. Evans?” he asked mildly apologetic.

“I was there” Mal responded quietly.

“I apologize if my earlier comment offended you, then. I am grateful that there were people like you willing to fight for the Union.”

Mal nodded in acceptance, his eyes were still serious but he forced a tight smile and let the assumption slide.

“Besides” Jason continued still looking directly at him, “I am a firm believer certain things are well worth fighting for.”

Mal gripped his napkin tightly, taking his frustration out on the soft fabric. Inara looked at him with unreadable eyes and in turn, he deliberately pulled his eyes away to stare out the virtual window, pointedly refusing to look at her.

He could not wait to get out of there and should have never accepted the invitation, it was a mistake.

He sighed, his mind drifting to the events that had taken place earlier that evening, not really listening to what Kaylee was saying at that moment. She was talking to Inara about some vest she wanted to get somebody over at one of the souvenir stores downstairs.

At least one of us is having a good time, he thought. He wished he could see her just as happy again on Serenity.

Their meals finally arrived and they kept the conversation casual while they ate. Kaylee fell in love with pizza and vowed it would be the only thing she would eat during the cruise.

“So, it must be a big responsibility to captain a boat this size” Mal stated leaning back into the chair.

“I suppose so” Jason replied with a shrug, “Although I believe with the current technology a ship can practically captain itself!” he chuckled.

“Huh” was the extent of Mal’s response.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong” Jason continued, “Captain Huang is doing a great job. I’m just saying, it is merely a formality to have a captain on board, the crew knows what to do. But it is an old tradition, plus the guests love having their picture taken with him.”

“Who’d like some dessert?” Inara interjected with a soothing smile afraid that Mal would just leap across the table in an attempt to strangle Jason.

Mal held Jason’s cheerful stare with cold eyes and a polite smile playing on his lips while he clenched and unclenched his jaw fighting for control. He was about ready for the dinner to end in order to get the hell out of there.

“Do they have strawberries?” Kaylee asked, understanding the companion’s attempts at distraction.

They ordered dessert and some after dinner liquor. Kaylee and Inara had taken control of the conversation, making small talk and silly little jokes, effectively dissipating most of the tension in the air by the time their orders arrived.

Spotting the seemingly happy couples, the accordionist came to their table and kneeled between Mal and Kaylee while he played a romantic tune. They looked at each other, the sheer absurdity of their situation finally cutting past the mounting tension in Mal, and he found himself able to join in Kaylee's smile.

Amused by the musician’s attempts at steaming up the ambiance Kaylee pulled her chair closer to Mal’s, wrapping her arm around his waist. Her hand came to rest on his thigh, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Playing along, he embraced her, kissing her temple and whispering a 'let’s not stay for much longer’ in her ear.

Jason glanced at Inara with a broad smile, rejoicing at the sweet affection of the couple sitting across from them, and brought her hand to his lips kissing it gently. She smiled back at him, her eyes lingering over his face briefly before leaning forward for a tender kiss.

“If you only knew what you do to me” he whispered close to her face.

Their brief exchange did not go amiss by Mal, who turned away with a grim expression on his face.

“This place is so cozy” Kaylee complimented once the accordionist left their table.

“One can get used to this life” Inara agreed.

“I’m sure!” Jason smiled. “Especially considering where you have spent this past year.”

“And where, may I ask, did you spend this past year, Ms. Serra?” Mal inquired, searching her eyes—he could not wait to hear this.

“She went sailing on one of those small transport ships” Jason cut in. “What was it?”

“A firefly” she said quietly, not really wanting to dwell on the subject.

“That’s it!” Jason said clicking his fingers. “I knew it was some kind of bug.”

Mal looked at him with a grim smile on his face and turned calmly to Inara.

“How did you like it?” he asked searching her eyes.

“It was quite an interesting experience” she replied with a firm voice, looking directly at him. Her eyes were harsh. “It is not every day that you get to sail in a tin can ship and eat molded protein lost in some remote planet that has never heard of running water.”

Kaylee’s smile faded slowly throughout the companion’s speech.

“Sounds like a dreadful experience” Mal replied evenly, holding her stare.

“I’m surprised she lasted that long in that wreck” Jason added, amused by the tale.

Inara remained quiet but held Mal’s inquisitive stare. She had struck a nerve and she knew it. It was exactly what she had intended by her earlier comment, then why did it feel like somebody was squeezing her heart to a pulp? She swallowed hard, hoping to ease the crushing sensation on her chest.

Kaylee felt distraught. Had Inara really hated her life on Serenity that much? She always looked like she belonged, like she was happy there. It turns out she was just putting up a companion’s façade in front of her.

The young girl regarded her across the table with sad eyes but said nothing. Inara flinched inwardly when she caught a glimpse of Kaylee’s expression and her heart sank. She wanted to get back at Mal for his earlier behavior, but it was never her intention to hurt Kaylee in the process.

I should have known better, she scolded herself.

Oblivious to the mood change in the air, Jason broke the uncomfortable silence.

“If you like art and jewelry, there is a wonderful exhibit on board that you shouldn’t miss” Jason informed them. “Inara is dying to see the latest art work. I promised to surprise her with this one particular piece I know she’ll love to see. You should join us tomorrow for a private tour.”

Mal was about to decline his offer. There was no way he could take another socializing session with Inara and the man who, as he now realized, was undeniably her lover. On the other hand, what a great opportunity to scope out the security around the Tara! They were here to do a job and that should be his first and utmost priority.

“Great!” Mal accepted forcing a smile.

Absolutely shiny, he thought sarcastically.

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

After the dinner from hell, Kaylee went to check up on Jayne and Mal decided to go out for a walk around the deck. He needed the exercise, he needed fresh air, and he needed to strangle someone…

A sinking sensation had been bothering him all night and his mind was reeling about the job and about Inara. His feet carried him instinctively to one of the late night lounges, where he found a secluded place at the end of the bar and ordered a drink. Not only did he want to get drunk tonight, but his desire to just forget the last several hours was his prime motive for downing the first glass of many to come.

It wasn’t like Inara had left him for some snob whoo-dahn like Ath. Jason seemed like a decent enough guy and she seemed happy with him. The realization struck him with a jolt. He remembered the way she had smiled warmly at Jason during dinner, and the way she had faked every smile she had sent his way instead. Sure, she was still angry about their earlier fight, but the front she was putting up for him was enough to know she had made her choice—a choice that she had obviously made without hesitation.

This assessment wasn’t going to make the job tomorrow any easier. He had been presented with a golden opportunity to check out the stone, and he had to keep a clear mind to determine the best course of action. It seemed easy enough—go to the exhibit room, analyze the size, weight and positioning of the rock and the security around it, fine tune the plan and ignore Inara and her lover in the process.

Easy-peasy, he thought smiling bitterly despite himself.

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

Inara needed to talk to Mal. Shortly after they had gone their separate ways that evening, Jason was called in to attend some problem that had arisen at the Casino, so she decided to go up to the honeymoon suite in search of Mal. Despite her insistent knocking nobody answered the door.

She never meant to go as far as she did during dinner. It was rare for her to lose control in such a manner, yet tonight her lack of restraint had managed to hurt not only Mal, her initial target, but also Kaylee. How could she have been so careless? Guilt and regret were all she could feel as she wandered through the corridors thinking of what she might say to Mal once she found him.

She was on her way downstairs already when she bumped into Jayne and Kaylee, who were coming out of the round-the-clock pharmacy. It shocked her to see Jayne so pale—he looked like he was about to pass out. Kaylee had her arm around his waist trying to support him as best as she could. They almost lost their balance a couple of times as they walked towards the elevators on the deserted deck.

“Kaylee?” she called out.

Both Jayne and Kaylee turned around when they heard Inara’s voice from the top of the three step stairway to their left.

“Inara” Kaylee acknowledged wearily, mildly surprised.

She was not sure whether she was ready to face Inara just yet after the companion’s recent comments at the dinner table. The way Inara had so easily desecrated Serenity, and their way of life was something that would take Kaylee some time to get over.

Inara walked over to them, having as much trouble meeting the girl’s eyes as she approached. Kaylee looked down at the floor avoiding her eyes, fidgeting out of nervousness or maybe trying to better support Jayne’s weight.

“Kaylee, tonight at dinner…” Inara began.

“I need to take Jayne to his cabin” Kaylee interrupted shyly, raising her head to look at Inara.

She was obviously not ready to talk about what had transpired during dinner. Inara could understand her hesitation; after all she had a right to be hurt by her words. The companion searched Kaylee’s eyes looking for a trace of understanding. She hoped Kaylee would find it in her heart to forgive her one day, a possibility that at the present moment seemed remote.

Inara’s attention shifted to Jayne, who had been witnessing their exchange with a frown, but had said nothing. He kept rocking back and forth from heel to toe as if trying to find his balance. His strong arms were wrapped around Kaylee’s shoulders like a life line and he was breathing deeply through his nose.

“’Nough girl talk!” he snapped. “Can we get this show on the run?”

“How much did he have to drink?” Inara asked Kaylee, moving over to Jayne’s side and helping the girl steady his big body.

“I ain’t drunk!” Jayne snarled.

“He’s been seasick ever since he boarded” Kaylee sighed.

“Gorram boat won’t stay still! Can’t even keep damn whisky down to take care o’ the problem!” he growled visibly annoyed. “I’m tellin’ ya, this ain’t just boat sickness, I think I was poisoned!”

Both Kaylee and Inara regarded him pitifully with sympathetic expressions on their faces.

The elevator doors finally opened and they both settled Jayne firmly against the wall inside it. Kaylee gave Inara a tight, grateful smile avoiding her eyes.

“Have you seen Mal?” Inara asked softly, standing in the way of the sensor to keep the doors opened.

“He was in one of the downstairs lounges last time I saw’im” Kaylee replied scanning Jayne’s key card through the digital panel, staring at Inara defiantly as a clear indication that she did not want to converse any further.

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

It took Inara scouting through two entire decks before she finally spotted him. It was well past midnight and most of the guests had retired into their quarters by then.

His shirt was unbuttoned at the neck, and his jacket was forgotten on top of the stool he was leaning against. His hair was tousled, and he was already sporting a slight five o’clock shadow. He seemed to be deep in thought, staring intently into a glass filled with some coppery liquid.

Her eyes lingered over his form as he hunched over his drink. She began doubting herself, wondering if talking to him right now was really a good idea. He hadn’t seen her yet and she could just turn around and let things be between them.

No, I must do this.

The place was nearly empty at that late hour and she swiftly approached him, moving fluidly across the room.

“May I sit down?” she said softly, getting his attention.

He raised his eyes to look at her, but did not move. He regarded her with a blank expression, blinking heavily once as if to make sure she wasn’t just a vision. He took in a deep breath and gestured for her to take a seat. She delicately propped herself on one of the stools.

Her mind was still reeling, still wondering what she could possibly say to him to mend things without further hurting each other in the process. It was always a task to keep their badgering in check, especially when raw emotions were so close to the surface.

“I’m sorry about what I said during dinner” she finally said softly, testing the ground.

“Which part?” he asked hoarsely without looking at her.

She sighed and began fiddling with a coaster, focusing on the object to avoid looking at him. After a beat, she found the courage to speak.

“You know I really loved Serenity, and traveling with all of you.”

“Loved.” he mouthed with a half smile.

She closed her eyes at her inadvertent choice of words, astounded by her own admission.

“Where’s your friend?” he asked sardonically, punctuating the last word.

She watched as his eyes searched the room, as if he expected Jason to walk through the door at any minute. Inara thought about her open display of affection towards Jason in the restaurant and a wave of regret enveloped her.

“I know what you are thinking” she stated. “He’s an old friend, Mal. He has always been there for me up until…” she could not bring herself to complete the sentence.

He looked at her with one arched brow, waiting for her to finish what she was about to say; when she didn’t, he probed in idle curiosity, “What happened to him, anyways?”

She had just noticed how his speech was slightly slurred.

“It was a riding accident” she replied.

A detectable sadness had crept into her eyes and voice. “We went into the woods. My horse… she suddenly went wild. Jason tried to calm her down” Inara swallowed hard recalling the painful memory. “His own horse stepped into a fox trap. It fell on top of him and his spine…” she paused and took in a deep breath. “There was nothing the doctors could do to repair the damage” she concluded rushing out the words.

Mal was staring at her unblinking. The dreamy look in his eyes was lost, now replaced with a mixture between bewilderment and incredulity.

“And now you feel you owe him something” Mal stated somberly.

“You know me better than that” she replied turning to him.

She was disappointed by his refusal to even acknowledge her apology. He had not made it easy on her to begin with—his demeanor had been anything but encouraging since she approached him.

He remained quiet. His attention was now on the near empty glass and she wondered what was going through his mind. She desperately waited for him to say something.

He didn’t.

“I don’t want us to part like this, Mal” she admitted, hoping he would at least look at her. “I never meant to hurt you.”

He simply curved his lips into a sad lopsided grin before he began speaking.

“I’ve sat here for God knows how long, tryin’ to convince myself that it is all over” he started, “Tryin’ to let it… sink in.”

His tone was low and distant, and Inara could hear his words now clearly slurred.

“Durin’ dinner I realized that you… belong here, in the sophisticated life of the Core. You deserve somethin’ better than Serenity, Nara, better than...” He bit his lower lip before he added in a wistful tone, “You might find this hard to believe, but I truly want you to be happy.”

He gulped down the remainder of his whisky and inhaled deeply, “All I keep doin’ is hurtin’ you.”

His hand reached out to touch her bruised wrist that was resting on the bar, and began tracing his index finger delicately over the darkened skin.

“Just tell me why” he continued, raising his eyes to meet hers. “I need to hear you say it. Why did you leave, Inara?”

“Mal…” she began saying tenderly, pulling her hand away.

“No, ‘Nara” he cut her off, pulling her hand towards him carefully. “No runnin’ away this time.”

“I-I needed some space…” she stuttered taken off guard by his persistence.

“Sure you did” he retorted angrily, letting go of her hand. “And you told this Jason guy your dire need for space before or after you jumped into his bed?”

“This is not about Jason, it’s about your need for control” she accused indignantly, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. “You just want everybody to dance to the Captain’s tune and the fact that I broke away from your flock unnerves you.”

“When did I ever tell you who to do your companion business with?” he snapped defensively.

“Would you like the dates on every single time or just the times that resulted in a swordfight?” she answered sarcastically. “Besides, I’m not Jason’s Companion. He’s a good friend and I choose to be with him. He needs me, and I am here for him.”

“You’re still his whore!” Mal spat enraged. “The worst kind. The kind which is willin’ to sell her heart for an easy life!”

Inara stared at him silently with a grim expression on her face. She felt her composure wavering and an overwhelming desire to slap him across the face. How could he be so insensitive? She came to apologize to him for her behavior during dinner and he was treating her like dirt.

“I should’ve known better than to seek your forgiveness, Captain Reynolds” she said tersely.

She stepped down from the stool and turned away. Before she could even take two steps, she felt a strong hand on her arm, holding her in place firmly.

“Inara” Mal called softly, his features contrite. He gently forced her to turn around.

She faced him, her head tilted up to meet his eyes, sheer fury blazing out of hers. The deep emotion she saw in them astonished her. Behind the mist caused by the alcohol, lay a profound sense of shame and regret. He was open to her, no masks or fronts in his expression. He silently pleaded for her forgiveness louder than any words could have shouted. Flustered, he opened his mouth to say something but no words were uttered.

Inara’s features softened as his arrogance turned into agony. He was looking at her through heavy eyelids and a serious expression on his face. His eyes were slightly glassy, but that did not take away from the intensity of his stare. Her breath caught in her throat when his right palm came to rest softly against her cheek and his knuckle trailed gently down her jaw line. He stepped forward, tenderly cupping the side of her neck, his lips parted.

Panic overwhelmed her when she finally realized what he was about to do, and she froze unable to move as he bent down to touch his lips to hers in a firm yet tender kiss. Fire exploded somewhere within her and she felt her body begin to tremble from shock as well as fear. She could taste the tangy taste of liquor in his mouth, adding to the heat of his actions.

Before she could get a hold of what was happening, she found herself responding to the kiss tentatively, unable to quell the irrefutable desire that was building inside of her. Her lack of control was unprecedented, and it scared her more than she cared to admit.

When her mind finally grasped at some remote trace of reason she placed her palms on his chest, pushing herself away from him roughly and breaking the kiss abruptly. She immediately missed the warmth of his body the moment they broke apart, and she fought her need to fall back into his embrace.

Inara looked up at him with wide eyes, her chest rising and falling noticeably and her cheeks burning with shame. She took a couple of steps back before turning around and rushing out of the lounge. Mal saw her run out but did not follow her, leaning against the back wall for support instead. He licked his lips, tasting her in them still, and closed his eyes while he realized the monumental mistake of his actions. He sat in stunned stillness, letting the weight of what he had just done sink in. Staring blankly at where Inara had been sitting just moments before, he only stirred from his reverie when a patron he hadn't even noticed scraped a chair across the floor on the far side of the bar. When he looked distractedly towards the noise, the bar was empty. ****************************

Mal walked silently into the honeymoon suite. He found it difficult to move around the dark room, especially in an inebriated state.

After bumping his shin against the coffee table—causing him to swallow a nasty curse—and tripping over the rug a couple of times, he stumbled upon the edge of the bed and sat on it carefully. He waited for a bit, listening to Kaylee’s even breathing, and sighed relieved that he hadn’t woken her.

Slowly he began undressing, too drunk to care what he might say to Inara tomorrow when they met at the show room. He knew he had screwed up in a major way.

It didn’t matter how much he tried to forget the feeling of her soft skin under his touch, the image of her form, so close to him, had been burned into his brain. He could still taste the sweetness of her lips shyly moving over his own… had she really kissed him back? He tried to replay the moment in his head, but his memory was too hazy, and his eyelids too heavy to fight unconsciousness. As soon as his head came to rest on the pillow, he succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

Instinctively, Kaylee rolled over to his side seeking his warmth, cuddling against his body where she remained for the rest of the night.

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

The following morning Jayne was feeling well enough to venture from his quarters, so he decided to take Kaylee to the virtual shooting range. He had not been able to drink or eat anything since last night, but he was feeling better than he had ever since they boarded. Maybe he would try to eat a bite later just to see if he could keep it down.

To keep his mind off his growling stomach, he had decided to drag Kaylee out of the swimming pool under an ulterior pretense before leading her straight to the practice range. She was now angry at him, leaning against the far wall of the chamber.

He knew how much the girl despised the sight of guns. She had seen her leave the common area of Serenity every time he or Mal decided to inspect or clean their weapons there. She would not say much, just make some lame excuse to leave and then disappear for hours after that.

He did not know what had gone on between her and Mal yesterday in their cabin during the tear fest, and he didn’t much care. He decided at that moment to make it his mission to rid this kid of her fear of guns. No member he sailed with would be skittish around weapons, no matter what Mal let her get away with.

“See? Nothin’ to be afraid of” Jayne said pointing towards the set of guns neatly placed inside an open casing.

Kaylee remained silent, looking at the floor and refusing to cave into Jayne’s plan. She had told Mal earlier that morning that she wanted to skip the private exhibit. She had not told him Inara was the reason behind her decision not to join him, although she knew the Captain well enough as to detect a flare of sympathy in his tone while he had suggested she should relax by the pool.

Now Jayne had dragged her here against her will. She leered at the nasty weapons in the casing with a pout and her arms defensively folded over her chest. The truth was, it wasn’t so much the guns that scared her, but the ease in which the sight of them transported her back to that dreadful night at Niska’s skyplex. The sheer terror she felt when the three armed men closed in on Serenity, being petrified and unable to react had been the theme of many of her nightmares recently. If it wasn’t for River… If it wasn’t for the others… the Captain would be dead, and it would have been her fault.

She was so submersed in the dreadful memories that she jumped at the sound of Jayne’s exasperated voice.

“We ain’t leavin’ here ‘til ya shoot some” he warned.

“Aren’t you gonna practice?” she asked, still fighting him on the issue.

“It ain’t my demon to fight” he answered firmly.

Kaylee bit her lower lip and looked at the casing dubiously.

“M-maybe if I see how you do it…” she suggested.

Jayne gave her a lopsided grin and nodded in agreement. He then extracted a gun from the casing and expertly put it together in less than a minute. He positioned himself in front of the target and emptied the chamber.

Kaylee stood behind him, hands covering her ears protectively, not so much for the noise—the gun was just making little popping sounds—but in an attempt to deal with the sight of the target being ripped to pieces with every shot. She forced herself to keep her eyes open, yet she flinched every time Jayne pulled the trigger.

After the first round, Jayne looked proudly at his score and then turned to her smugly.

“See? Nothin’ to it” he pointed with a smirk.

Kaylee tilted her head to the side in puzzlement. “Wasn’t you s’posed to hit that target?” she said pointing at the virtual figure flashing in front of them.

Jayne frowned, scrutinizing the virtual screen and discovering with dismay he had been shooting at the wrong target all along.

“Gorramit!” he growled in disgust. “Ruttin’ pills are just messin’ with my brain!”

Kaylee smiled at his reaction, seeing his pride fading in a matter of seconds. She wondered why his guns and his aim were so important to him.

“It’s no big deal” she soothed, trying to comfort him, “This was just a practice run.”

He turned to her with a frown on his face as he scratched his head. Two fingers moved absently over his scalp, holding the gun tightly with that same hand.

“That don’t happen” he stated clearly confused. “Not to me. In real life you don’t get practice runs, little one, best you remember that.”

“Maybe we can come back later…” she said hopeful.

“Nope!” he cut her off. “Your turn.”

Kaylee froze. She had a sudden urge to run, to get out of there, away from the guns. She put a hand over her chest, gripping the soft fabric of the t-shirt firmly to keep her hand occupied, and took a couple of steps back.

He eyed her critically and concluded “You need somethin’ light, somethin’ you can handle. Here, try this one.”

Jayne shoved a smaller pistol into Kaylee’s hand brusquely. Her fingers curled around the cold metal instinctively, making her feel aghast. She was about to put it back down when Jayne grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stay put. He must have seen her terror reflected on her face, because he relaxed his grip on her wrist at once.

“Just hold it!” he ordered gruffly.

She complied—simply holding the small firearm with respect—and found herself slowly growing more confident. The weapon did not feel so foreign in her hand after a while. Jayne waited patiently while the girl got a feel for the firearm. After what seemed like an eternity, Kaylee loosened the grip on the gun and handed it back to Jayne with a shy smile.

“There, held it already” she mumbled. “Can we go now?”

“What the hell are ya ‘fraid of?” Jayne demanded, snatching the gun from her hands.

Her only answer was a slight shrug of her shoulders. She was staring down at the ground while she played with a lock of her hair distractedly.

“Fine!” he sighed in resignation. “C’mon, I’ll treat ya to lunch.”

“Meals are complimentary on board” she pointed out while she watched him snap the casing shut.

“Yeah, I know” he smiled.

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

“Where is your lovely wife?” Jason asked when Mal walked into the show room.

Jason and Inara turned to face him from the corner of the small room. Inara was standing behind Jason’s chair, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders, gently rubbing the nape of his neck with her thumbs. She locked eyes with Mal briefly, her calm expression turning taut at his sight. She stiffened her back almost undetectably, but it was enough for Mal to sense her discomfort. He wondered whether his own chagrin was equally apparent to her, so he tried to put her at ease by relaxing his stance and smiling brightly at them. Looking around the room with keen interest, he noticed the front door was the only way in and out of it.

After a brief pause, Mal answered easily, “She decided to go for a swim and get a little sun. You know women.”

He took a few steps towards them, deliberately ignoring the Tara stone that was being displayed in the center of the room. He made a mental note, five paces from the entrance to the rock.

“I sure do” Jason smiled, taking one of Inara’s hands with both of his over his shoulder. “Feel free to look around. All the objects on display are collector’s items.”

Mal closed his eyes the moment he turned his back to them, pretending to concentrate on an old rifle hanging from the wall. One kiss, that was all it had taken for him to damn everything to hell, he thought somberly.

The job, he reminded himself, concentrate on the job.

He was surprised at the lack of security guarding the actual show room. There was only an electronic code at the door that Kaylee could easily bypass and a couple of cameras that could be programmed to play the same image continuously in a snap.

Looking around the room, he casually contemplated of all the gadgets with faked interest, jewelry and artifacts on display. They dated as far back as the Middle Ages, and from what he read on the digital tags next to each object, it was quite a collection of oddities. He noticed the size of the air vents, appearing too small for an adult to squeeze through, and too high for a micro camera to pan over every angle of the room.

With a deep breath, he turned around to face Inara and Jason. Inara could not bring herself to look him in the eyes—could he blame her? He tried to read into her actions, the way she had thrown a fleeting glance his way, quickly redirecting her attention to an ancient entertainment device in the shape of a box. He detected the tension in her stance, the shadow of a frown playing on her forehead, and he concluded she was ashamed. The thought of having been kissed by a ‘petty criminal’ probably repelled her. Not for the first time, but never with such intensity, had Mal realized the vast width of the gap between their worlds.

The job, he reminded himself yet again, diverting his eyes to the show case to the left of Inara. If things went right on Kaylee's end, this could be as simple as him walking in, slipping the stone into a bag while Jayne kept watch outside, and strolling right back out. He smirked to himself, and just when are things ever that simple? His smirk faded gradually, his eyes unfocused on the artifact in front of him as his thoughts drifted right.

“Anything here interests you?” Jason asked out of the blue.

“Shenme?” Mal asked confused, his mind still on Inara.

“I know the history behind every single piece on display” Jason informed proudly.

You probably do, Mal thought sourly.

“What ‘bout this one?” Mal inquired walking towards the Tara stone. “She stands out.”

“She does, doesn’t she?” Jason agreed, glancing at the green stone which was protected inside an electromagnetic urn.

The protective field surrounding the stone made it look fuzzy from the outside, but its intense color could easily be appreciated.

The stone was shaped like a woman looking skyward. Mal noticed the figure had a third eye on its forehead. Her arms were extended downward at a forty-five degree angle in a gesture of supplication and her palms were open. Her features were soft, exuding femininity, and her enigmatic smile hid the secrets of truths never told. She had an additional eye on each of her hands. It was no taller than two feet, but it had a powerful presence in the room.

‘So that’s the famous Tara stone’ Mal thought.

It was actually quite ugly and the fact somebody was paying good money for it was beyond him. Her multiple eyes seemed to follow his every movement, judging him for a crime he had yet to commit and he felt impelled to look away. He carefully evaluated the field protecting her—a transparent shield, present yet unyielding.

“It’s a strange piece” Mal said. He then whispered its name, which was written below it, “Tara.”

“Hmm?” Inara hummed raising her eyebrows, thinking Mal had actually called her name.

“I was referrin’ to our guest of honor here” Mal answered looking directly at her, secretly enjoying the ease in which his presence was putting her on edge. “Many would pay good money to have her.”

“She doesn’t come cheap” Jason nodded with a grin. “The Buddhist goddess Tara is one of the few female figures within Buddhism. She has been a praised and respected deity for centuries. Believers attribute a range of enlightened powers and qualities to her.”

“Such as?” Mal asked genuinely curious.

“The power to make one see one’s inner truth” Jason answered in a serious tone bordering on mystical.

Mal turned his head from the urn to look at Jason, wondering if he believed in such a crock. A smile crept into Jason’s face slowly, and he glanced back at Mal with a smirk.

“Yeah, it is one ugly specimen” Jason chuckled “It was presented to our family as an appreciation gift and people seem to be taken aback by its history, so we keep it around.”

Jason seemed lost in thought for a few seconds, regarding the stone as if in a trance. “Some times a simple ‘thank you’ can do a better job, don’t you think?” he finally chortled.

“Any idea how much these stones go for?” Mal inquired after having gathered enough information to perfect the final plan.

“I’m not really sure. I am guessing they can get quite pricey in the black market, but it is not like we are intending to sell it or trade it anytime soon.”

Mal nodded with a smile he couldn’t repress. His smile faded when he saw Inara looking at him unwaveringly as he turned around. Her eyes conveyed a silent question, maybe a warning—she suspected something was up. Mal gave her a curt smile, feeling suddenly very uncomfortable. This time it was him who broke eye contact and began walking slowly towards the door.

“Thank you for the lovely tour. You don’t know how much I appreciate it” Mal finally said smiling at them, hands stuck inside his pant pockets.

“I’m sure I do” Jason replied kindly.

Inara was now looking at him with a serious expression while she followed his every movement all the way to the entrance.

She suspects something, he realized with dismay.

“I’m sure you two wanna be alone. Besides, there’s a lovely young woman waitin’ for me by the pool, so if you’d excuse me…” Mal said, heading out the door.

“Give our regards to your young bride for us” Jason told him cheerfully as he walked out.

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

Once the tour was over, Jason waited a couple of seconds after Mal left before pulling Inara down on to his lap with a firm tug of her hand. She let out a surprised gasp, holding on to his shoulders for balance even though his arms had her in a tight grip.

“Whadda ya know” he said with feigned surprise “We seem to be alone in a cozy room without a chaperone! What ever could we do” he whispered, nuzzling her ear.

“Jason” she moaned in pleasure.

Hearing her say his name in such a manner encouraged him to trace her jaw line with butterfly kisses, and then her neck, and her chin until he found her mouth and deepened the kiss.

She smiled against his mouth and responded to his touch, running her fingers through his hair at the same time as he caressed her back.

He broke the kiss gently and looked into her eyes with a serious expression on his face.

“Stay with me” he said softly.

“I’m here” she smiled “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You know what I mean,” he continued seriously, “I want you to stay with me after the cruise. I want you to be with me and nobody else. I love you Inara.”

She looked him in the eyes and saw the intensity of his feelings reflected in the depths of green. She had seen that look on other people’s eyes in the past—desire, and sheer lust no doubt. But there was something else in his expression, a particular feeling she could not make out, and it terrified her. Mal’s kiss had also terrified her the night before, more than she could ever have imagined, but this was different.

“That is quite an offer” she smiled caressing his cheek.

“You don’t need to give me an answer right away. I understand you having to think about it” he told her kissing her hand and giving her a brief, gentle squeeze.

She was still smiling but did not speak; instead she leaned down to kiss him again, their initial passion returning with each passing second.

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

He was already by the elevators when Mal realized he had forgotten his key card at the exhibit room.

He let out a silent curse and traced his steps back to the show room, taking note of every turn and step on his way and committing it to memory. Glad to see the exhibit was still open, he picked up his pace and stopped on his tracks before making it through the door. Unseen, Mal quickly stepped to the side and leaned against the wall outside, feeling as if his chest was being crushed by an incredible weight.

He never thought the sight of Inara kissing another man would have such an effect on him. His knees were getting weak.

Still in shock and with his mind reeling, Mal walked shakily down the hallway all the way back to the elevators. He waited in the small deserted lobby and closed his eyes, resting his back against the wall with his head tilted towards the ceiling. Swallowing hard, he inwardly cursed, “Qingwa cào de liúmáng!”

He took in a deep breath, his resolve building inside, and squared his shoulders as he stood up straight.

He stared blankly at one of the pictures on the wall. He could still see Inara sensually running her fingers through Jason’s hair while his hands caressed her back. Mal frowned, pushing those thoughts aside and tried to concentrate on the surreal colors of the painting instead. It was just an explosion of reds, bright yellows and magentas. The fury of those tones mellowing down into cooler shades of blue and purple on the edges. He found himself mesmerized by it.

A vivid picture of the Tara stone popped into his head. He wasn’t sure where the thought came from—it just planted itself in his brain. She kept looking at him with five judging, penetrating eyes. He was suddenly filled with a sense of dread and unease.

Don’t look at me like that, he thought, talking to the Tara in his mind. I’m steppin’ aside. She can go ahead’n… Whatever makes her happy. I ain’t gonna stop her.

Mal let out a nervous chuckle at the notion of talking to a mythical figure inside his head. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to end up sounding like Jayne with his ‘conspiracy theories’.

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind of that piercing stare, but the image persisted and so did his restlessness. He’d had hunches in the past; still, this went beyond a simple bad feeling.

And then he understood.

“No,” he whispered this time with a firm voice. “Inara can stay. Tomorrow night, you’re coming with me.”

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