Disclaimer: Joss is God and I am his prophet. Well, one of 'em, anyway. So, I get no cash off a this. Enjoy. A/N:Right, I TRIED to post them at the same time, I really did!!! But, then, my computer crashed... damn the Bloodhound Virus!!!!

Pale white skin. Her skin had never been pale, it had always been tan and beautiful. Just another part of her that he had loved. But, now, her hand looked pale and dead. He had looked into her open eyes just as the light left them. They were still brown... but clouded over in death. Somewhere far away from himself, he heard footsteps come over. He saw a booted foot enter his view. Mal's foot. He took her hand, gently kissed it, then crossed it over her chest. Then, the other. Finally, he ran a hand over her face, closing her eyes. Gently, Mal kneeled down and looked into Simno's face. His eyes held in them hate and pity and loss and life. Simon's blue eyes were dark and dead. He had nothing to live for. Not now. Mal spoke. "You was the one what knew her best. Where do ya think we should bury her?" Simon could see that Mal was hurting inside; it pained him to say those words, to speak of kayle as if she were some doll. From somewhere deep inside, Simon found the strength to speak, but even then it was cracked, as if he had not spoken for many years. "Her... her home planet. H-h-her parents... deserve to know. They... they should... be there, when...when we..." he let the sentence trail off into oblivion. he could not say the words, those two spiteful, hatefull little words that admitted to her death. "Bury Her." Those words that sealed her fate and his doom. *** He slowly made his way through her room. When they had finally gotten together, she hadmoved into his room, leaving hers abandoned, still with that pretty sign hanging up. "Kaylee's room," bedecke din flowers and little birds. Some of her stuff was left there. Simon was the one to find what was to be buried with her. A teddy bear in her closet. A pressed flower from a book. A small recording device, that held a single message. A message that she had replayed over and over again. And... Simon picked up the small book from the bottom of her drawer. It was two days since she had died. Now, she lay preserved in a small coffin. Just a few more hours, and they would be at her home. Simon had never been there before. They had made some plans, of seeing her old home, her Ma and Pa, her brothers... she weren't gonna see them no more... The book was small, not but a few inches across. It had "Kaylee's Diary" written on the light blue cover in large, flowing letters. He couldn't help himself. He opened it, slowly, reverently. March 6. Hello again, its me! God, what a day! Serenity's been acting up again, but it ain't nothing too bad. But that ain't the big news at all. Ya see, Simon, that cute doctor I'm always writtin' on, he KISSED me!!! Yep, it was on Canton, see, and he- Simon slowly turned the page. So, he had kissed Kaylee on Canton. But then he had hurt her again, like he did so many times before. Like this time... except this time, he had killed. Niska had pulled the trigger, but he had aimed the gun. He shot her. He couldn't save her. He slowly started to read from this new page, a few dozen pages ahead. April 12. Oh, I feel sad. Ya see, its Tracy. Well, he was this guy what came onboard a few days back. We all thought he was dead (Well, he did come in a coffin!!!!), but he weren't, and when he woke up, we started becoming friends. Ya see, me an' Simon were havin' a spat right then. I guess it was kinda my fault, cuz I know that he meant well, but he can't seem ta own up to his feelin's for me. Oh, well, he'll come 'round. Anyway, Tracy, he becomes a friend, but then we started ta get chased by feds. And Tracy got shot by the Cap'n, so he gets a gun and takes me hostage! But, the Cap'n saves me by shootin' Tracy... before he died, he said that he was sorry. That- No. Too much pain. Too many memories there. The good and the bad. But he couldn't help it. He turned few more pages, leafing through them until- No. It couldn't be- But it was. May 1. Miranida. May 1. I shouldn't be this happy. Wash, Shepard... they're both dead. I shouldn't be this happy. But I am. Ya see, it's Simon. He's owned up!!! Yep, he told me he loved me, or close enough. But he got shot... but he's comin' back today!!! I don't feel like 'splainin' on what happened... not yet. But I will, when I can. If all goes well, I won't be able to write in ya for a bit. Yay for me!!! Simon let the book fall from his hands, falling like his hopes and dreams. It fell onto the warm floor without a sound, pages bending against the metal. Slowly, softly, tears fell onto the book, wetting the pages. It didn't matter. Because Kaylee was dead. And if she was gone... then he felt no need to live anymore. River was fine, and safe here. She loved this ship, and it loved her. She would be fine without him. *** Mal looked at Inara from across the little table that was there, fidgeting uncomfortably. They said that men don't cry. Everyone from on Shadow. Malcolm Reynald's was a man, through and through. But he still cried. Kaylee was dead. And, God, if there was any mercy at all in this 'verse, he was gonna tell Inara this, once and for all. He coughed to clear his throat. He had tried to say this once before, but had failed. Miserably. "'Nara, I've been thinkin', and I've come to a decision. 'Bout us. And-" She held up one hand, silencing him. "Mal, wait. I... I too have come to a decision. And... I'm leaving. As soon as I see Kaylee properly buried, I will leave. Mal, theres nothing left for me here." Mal's world shattered around him in that cruel, timeless instant. "Nothin'?" Inara looked sadly at him. "There once was something there, but... it took too long to blossom." At her cryptic words, Mal stepped closer and took her hands in his. "Are ya sure?" Inara leaned closer for a moment. Then, she stepped back, smashing Malcolm Reynald's world into dust. Without a word, she walked out of the shuttle, leaving Mal staring gormlessly at the wall. So much lost... If you had been faster, you could have told her. Told her what? Everything. But, now, it's too late. For the third time in six years, Malcolm Reynald's world was shattered. But, this time, there was no rebuilding it. *** Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please leave feedback, it makes me happy in a very glum and messed up world.

-Danny