Disclaimer: Not mine, just writing for fun.

A/N: Just a little thought of what led up to Simon and Kaylee having their little "date" with the mutated cow fetus! Hope you all like it and please comment!:D __________________________________________________________________________________

“Kaylee! If you don’t get up here now, we’re gonna leave without ya!” The captain’s harsh voice trickled down the hallway and into Kaylee’s bunk as she was pulling on her boots, “I’m comin’ Cap’n!” She took one last look at herself in the little mirror she had in her bunk, running her fingers through her hair, sliding it back behind her ears, and admiring a job well done. She took in a deep breath and smoothed the skirt of her pretty floral dress before climbing up the ladder to face an aggravated Mal. She plastered a bright smile across her face, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. “I love my captain.” Mal’s nose twitched with the smile he tried to suppress and gruffly moved his hand to her shoulder, pushing her towards the stairs to the cargo bay. “Let’s get a move on” Kaylee bounced in front of Mal, her step lightened by the prospect of what could happen that day. Taking the stairs at a breakneck pace, Kaylee flounced down from the last step in front of Inara, her cheeks rosy with the exertion. Inara took Kaylee’s shoulders in her arms, holding her back to admire the lovely young woman with an indulgent eye. “You’ll take his breath away, mei mei.” Her words were not seconds out of her mouth when Simon and River entered the cargo bay. He sucked in his breath loudly as he got the first look at Kaylee in her “Sunday Best”. She had turned from Inara’s hold, her shining, golden auburn hair falling in soft curls around her shoulders to expose the fresh smiling face that made him weak in the knees. He took in the short skirt of her dress, exposing enough of her legs that hadn’t been covered up by her boots to flame something entirely primal in the pit of Simon’s stomach. “Hey, you two!” Her voice lilted across the cargo bay, enchanting Simon’s ears like a siren’s song. River bounded up to Inara and Kaylee, Mal reaching the bottom of the steps as she swung her dress in front them, swaying in her excitement. Simon slowly came up to the quartet, moving to stand between Kaylee and River, secretly wishing he had the nerve to grab Kaylee’s hand in his very own. “You look right fine there, River.” Mal’s complement left a sweet blush to crawl up River’s cheeks as she averted her eyes, shifting her feet beneath her. Inara laced her arm through Kaylee’s nudging her closer to Simon as Mal moved to the cargo bay doors. Wash and Zoe headed down the stairs followed by Jayne, who was not entirely thrilled at their stop, since there would be no time for whoring. “All I’m saying is, if we don’t get a sell this time, maybe we can find a buyer that lives near a naked beach.“ Zoe smiled indulgently as she took Wash’s hand in hers, “We’ll look into it, dear.“ Book was the last to join the crew as they filtered out into the spaceport, coming up behind Simon, startling him a bit with his presence, as he had gone back to spying on Kaylee’s legs while she and Inara had moved forward to exit the Cargo bay doors, River running up to follow beside Inara. “Shall we, son?” Book gave him a knowing glance as he swept his arm out for them to leave. Mal barked out to them before he left for his appointment, another attempt to sell the Lassiter, “Y’all meet back at the post. Got a half hour to yourselves, and Jayne!” Jayne looked back at Mal, confused by being called out as he was making his way to replenish their ammo supply. “I want change.” Jayne turned back around and snarled , mumbling under his breath, “Pi hua.”

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Inara had excused herself from the group, leaving to find Mal and join him in his effort to unload the Lassiter. Zoe and Wash had headed off on their own, wishing to explore the bazaar by themselves and Shepard Book had offered to escort River to the stand that sold ice planets, her fascination with the food evident in her wide eyes as she had watched a small child pass by with one. That just left Simon and Kaylee alone. Together. A prospect that made both of them a bit giddy, though Simon was still a little anxious to let River out of his sight. He ushered Kaylee around the bazaar, gently guiding her with his hand at the small of her back. Her smile edged at the sides of her ears as she spied a booth that held some interest for her. “Would ya look at that!” she squealed with delight. Simon stared out to watch a man hold up a blazing torch, spitting across the flame to lick out at the audience before him. After garnering their attention, he then took up a sword and began swallowing it down his throat. Kaylee gasped at the sight, taking Simon’s hand in her own at the shock of it all. He squeezed it gently, pressing his other hand against her back a little more. She kept her eyes glued on the spectacle, but Simon couldn’t tear his own away from her beaming face. She took a deep breath when the performer pulled the sword out of his mouth, appearing to be unscathed by the stunt, then turned her gaze to Simon. He blushed at being caught in his moment of enthrallment, turning down his face before bolstering himself enough to face her. “Are you hungry? Maybe you would like to get something to eat, maybe...an ice planet?” Kaylee shook her head, her hair falling out from beneath her ears to swing gently over her shoulders. “Nah, could never get the hang of them. Kinda messy,” Kaylee replied, fidgeting with her hair as she placed it back behind her ears, “Sides, I wanna look for-Oooo! Would ya take a look at that!” She grasped Simon’s hand tightly, pulling him towards another booth. Launching herself through the crowd, she dragged Simon behind in her excitement. He almost slammed into her back when she stopped full force in front of the vendor selling fruits. Her eyes perused the goods being offered and settled on a bunch of fresh, bright red strawberries. “You’ve got a good eye, miss.” The small Asian man sidled up next to her as she pulled Simon forward to admire her find. Her eyes coveted the expensive fruit, but when the man gave her a price, her face was crestfallen. She sighed and walked a little away, to look at the next booth. Simon pulled out all the money that he had in the ‘verse, all of twenty bits. The vendor looked at Simon , then Kaylee, and then back at the strawberries. He plucked the biggest one of the bunch and held it up to Simon, “Eight bits.” Simon nodded his appreciation to the man, counting out the money and exchanging it graciously for the strawberry. Kaylee was admiring some trinkets and baubles when Simon came to stand next to her, his hands behind his back, keeping the fruit a secret, at least for the moment. “Find anything interesting?” Kaylee shook her head despondently, turning her full attention to Simon. He reached up his hand, holding the strawberry before her eyes. They widened with pleasure and her breath hitched in her throat as she tentatively reached out to pluck the strawberry from Simon’s hand. “Oh, Simon!” When the words fell from her mouth, Simon felt his heart tighten in his chest. They were breathy and exhilarating, all he wanted were to hear those words uttered in a whole different circumstance, but he would take what he could get. When her lips met the fruit, her eyes closed with exquisite bliss. Simon watched her pensively, breathing in through his nose and out his mouth. After one bite she looked at him, sated and ecstatic. “Thank ya, Simon.” He turned his eyes down to the floor, “Your welcome.” When he raised his head again, she had grasped his hand, tugging him along as she made her way over to the next stall, devouring the fruit with unadulterated abandon. The barker was tempting the crowd around him with the cadence of his voice. His words flowed like a halting song, a rush of information timed to coax and attract. His head was covered by a ragged black top hat with a disgusting little skull in the back. He wore an enormous fur coat, adding to his girth, while he waved his cane dramatically at specific intervals. “Proof of alien life!” That was all Simon heard before Kaylee turned pleading eyes to him, charmed by the prospect of seeing another being. He smiled adoringly, again placing his hand at the small of her back. “You know it’s a hoax.” “Maybe...maybe not.” Simon guided them forward to pay. “Two brave souls! Come along then,” he waved his cane at them to proceed to the closed door. It slid open with a creaking whine, behind it, an inky darkness. To the right stood a thoroughly bored young woman with shocking platinum hair, tangled and weaved into a great heaping pile on the top of her head. She wore far too much make up and her clothes hugged her voluptuous form , flesh folding over the sides of her skirt and bulging from underneath her velvet halter top. “Two of ya? That’ll be six bits each.” Kaylee began to reach into her pocket for the last of her money, but Simon closed his hand over her wrist, gently restraining her hand. He pulled out the last of his coin and deposited it in the young lady’s hand. The last of the last he thought to himself. “Ya got five minutes.” Kaylee gave Simon a lingering look, heating up his entire body underneath the scratchy wool of his sweater. He pulled on the collar of it with his left hand, Kaylee squeezing his right, her thumb caressing the inside of his wrist, raising his temperature to new heights. Five whole minutes alone. This thought raced through Kaylee’s mind as she began to concoct many a scenario of what could possibly happen. She gave Simon a seductive smile in the dim light that filtered from the crack of the door. The blonde pulled back a thick black curtain, mysterious blue light enticing them through the folds of the fabric as an exotic, bubbling noise pierced their ears. She gave them an apathetic look, waving her hand nonchalantly, gesturing for them to enter, her voice not holding one ounce of genuine sincerity, “Enjoy.”