“What do’ya mean ya don’t like dogs?” Kaylee asked completely bewildered.

“I just-- I had kind of a bad experience with one growing up that’s all.” Simon sat on the floor across from her watching her play with the puppy in her lap.

“So you won’t even give’em a chance? One bad experience and you’re done for life? That’s dismal.”

“Well, no, I suppose-- ”

“Good.” Kaylee stood and walked the two steps across her room to him and plunked Lil’ Captain in his lap.

“Oh, Kaylee, I don’t think-- ” Simon stammered raising his hands above his head out of the way of the dog’s mouth.

“Don’t be a ‘fraidy cat, he won’t bite.” She rolled her eyes.

“I’m not afraid. Just . . . cautious.” Slowly he lowered his hands carefully resting one on the puppy’s back. When Lil’ Captain just continued to lie there Simon hesitantly scratched his back.

“See.” Kaylee gushed, “He likes you! You two are so shuai together. Oh, where’d I put my capture?” She rummaged around searching intently. Depositing the dog on the floor Simon stood quietly and captured Kaylee’s hands in his own.

“Bao bei, I appreciate your need to fix things you think are broken but some things just take time.” He blushed and glanced away from her intent gaze. “And I admit that some things have taken much longer than they should have.” Simon looked back and met her gaze. “Like this.” Leaning in he captured her mouth with his only to be interrupted by Lil’ Captain’s loud barking.

“Hey! What’s goin’ on down there?” Mal called down from the hall.

“Lots, Cap’n, lots.” Kaylee replied, but the spell was already broken.

“Alright, just remember we need everyone bright eyed and bushy tailed when we make landfall tonight so don’t go and do anything too exhausting.” With that he went on the rest of his way to the cockpit to check in with Wash.

“Well, yes, I had better, uh, go recheck our medical supplies and check on River.” Simon took a step back from her and nearly tripped on Lil’ Captain. Falling backwards he grabbed onto Kaylee only resulting in pulling her with him onto the bed.

“I had hoped we’d end up here after all.” Kaylee giggled as Simon apologized profusely and disentangled himself from her. “Ah well, maybe next time.” Still smiling she followed Simon up the ladder, Lil’ Captain tucked under her arm, then headed to the mess to get the dog a treat for a job well done. Things were shaping out to be mighty interesting with a puppy on board.

~

“Wash, how we doin’?”

“Just shiny, Big Cap’n.” Wash replied with complete sincerity.

“Wash.” Mal raised his voice in warning.

“I mean no disrespect, ‘sir’, but we do have to have some way of making it clear who we’re talking to,” pause, “or about.”

“Behave yourself, husband.” Zoe entered the bridge almost silently and came to stand behind the pilot’s chair, one hand resting on Wash’s shoulder. He patted her hand reassuringly.

“You know me, hun, always with the behaving.” He pushed a few buttons and checked the data. “We’re right on schedule, Cap’n, be landing on Harvest around 20’hundred hours give’er’take.”

“Good. Lemme know if that should change.” He turned and left before he said something he might regret later.

“Right’o.”

Wanting some alone time to think up a plan Mal headed down the hall to his bunk and nearly ran headlong into Inara. He looked at her sullenly still not over how she’d made a fool of him.

“Mal, I--” she hesitated, unwilling to look at him.

“What, ‘Nara? What?” Mal asked suddenly fed up with everything. With the charades and the pretense, he stepped forward and grasped her shoulders trying to get her to meet his eyes. “I’m sick of all this run-around. What do you want, Inara?”

To be continued . . . .