I dont own 'em, Joss does, He's a god. I make no money from 'em.

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"Come in!" Inara said from where she sat praying to Buddha. She turned to see Mal using all his strength to take the few paces into her shuttle. "Mal!" she yelled in exasperation, running over to help him sit on her lush bed. "You're too weak to be walking around the ship. Zoe is still in command so just take your time healing."

"I'm no so sure. I hear that Zoe's been spendin a lot of time with Jayne." he said searching her eyes for some hint that meant it wasn't true.

"Really? Well, that's something new." she said smiling a little. "Like I said I spent most of the last week with you. I didn't allow myself to be near the crew." he nodded. "So what did our good doctor say?"

"Well, he said I should be fine. He mentioned some big fancy ass words that I dont quite care enough to know what they mean. He told me my wound'll heal with time." Mal was absent mindedly rubbing his hands together on his lap.

"'Nara, I-I don't know." he said vaguely.

"Don't know what, Mal?" she asked with a laugh.

"I'm not sure all my wounds will heal."

Inara stood quickly and looked down at him. "Why can't you just say what you mean?"

"'Nara I'm jus' tryin' to be honest with you. You're a companion, it's the life you know, the one you love but everytime a new man walks in or you walk out I-" he paused. "I fall apart." he put his head in his hands.

"Mal, you know we could do this. You and I. Us? Just tell me what you want. No more dancing. The straight truth." she pleaded.

He looked up into her eyes. "The truth?" she nodded. "I just want you 'Nara." he placed his hands on her hips. "Only you." he pulled he against him and into a passionate kiss. She pressed into him until he laid down on the bed behind him. They kissed and caressed. Hnads bunching silky fabric and hair.

"No." she said suddenly pushing him away.

"'Nara. I'll be ok. 'Sides what the doc dont know cant-" he was cut off.

"No. I mean we cant. Not here." she said.

"Why not?" he asked slightly confused.

"Your not my client. I'm not servicing you in anyway. And I refuse to be with you for the first time in the place I conduct business" she paused. "affairs."

He smiled at her eagerness to treat him like anything but a client.

"Mal, I have a confession." he sat still expecting the worst. "You're kind of my-" her voice shied away. "first."

He raised a questioning eyeborw at her.

"Well not technically of course." she covered her laughing with mock anger at his stupidity. "But my real first time was right out of schooling at the training house. I've never been with anyone who wasn't a client."

If it was possible he had just fallen in love with her more.. He stood carefully and grabbed each side of her delicate face with his rough hands. He wiped away the few tears that stained her gorgeous features with his thumb. He deeply kissed her slightly parted lips before pulling away completely. "Gimme forty-five minutes. Then come to my bunk." He flashed her a quick smile before disappearing behind a velvet curtain.

She stoof, suddenly alone, wondering what had just happened.

~

"I'm so happy the cap'n ok." cheered Kaylee as she climbed into the bed next to Simon.

"Yea, me too. I wasn't positve he was going to recover. He really should be resting." Simon said.

"Oh hush." she slapped his chest playfullly. "Let 'em be. They got lots of makin' up to do. It's the least they deserve."

"But his health should come before sex." he said picking up a datapad to scan.

"So hs health should come before makin' love to 'Nara?" she asked.

"Yes." he stated. "But I didn't say love, I said sex."

"Ok. So lemme get this straight. You think a man's health should come 'fore doin' whatever with his woman even after they've almost been ripped apart?" she asked again.

"Yes I do bao-bei." he said giving up on the datapad and turning to kiss her.

"Oh no, no, no you don't." she haulted him. "If you care at all bout your health you best be not tryin to make love to this woman tonight." she said pushing him off the bed and onto the floor with a thud. Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Ai ya, Kaylee." he said standing up. "I'm just worried about the man'd health! Why are you getting so worked up over this?" he asked as confused as a man could be while talking to his woman.

She put her head in her hands as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Simon. I guess I'm just tense." she lifted her tear stained face and set on the brightest smile she could. "Let's just forget it. I'm fine."

"Ok. If you're sure." Simon said reluctantly. "As long as I can still make love to you and stay in good health." he smiled.

"Mmm, alright." she grinned. "But you aint gonna be too healthy when I get through."

~

"Hey, River." Zoe said as she stepped onto the bridge.

"Hi." replied the dark haired girl from the co-pilots chair.

"Quiet tonight, aint it?" asked Zoe, resting her hands on the back of the pilots chair.

"Everyone's making up. They're not thinking, just doing." she said never removing her eyes from the controls.

"Ah." said Zoe, needing no further explanation. It wasn't long before her mind traveled to how she left things with Jayne. "Uh, I-I uh have to go." Zoe stuttered fleeing the bridge. "I know." said River as she got up and moved into the pilot's seat. She gently laid her hand on the crest of a plastic stegosaurus. "Don't worry Wash. We won't forget and neither will she. She just needs to heal."

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TBC- more Mal/Inara, Kaylee/Simon, and Jayne/Zoe goodness. Pretty much a happy go lucky chapter comin.