Title: Fated

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Kaylee has waited long enough.

Author’s Notes: Sequel to Torn

TamSibling wanted this companion piece so, here it is. Enjoy.

Timeline: During 'Serenity' the movie.

Disclaimer: This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the Serenity movie or Firefly series. I make no money from this. Only done for fun – and a desperate craving to have more stories told about this wonderful ‘verse Joss Whedon created.

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The small rocket had long since been cast into the air, its small, metallic body having already exploded into beautiful, if not far too short, rays of multi-colored fireworks. All that glowed overhead now were the twinkling of the stars on this clear, dark night.

Tomorrow they would be leaving this desert world, going back to Persephone where they could obtain the parts needed to repair the ship. They’d landed here only by the grace of the Shepherd’s God and Kaylee’s truly magical talents with anything mechanical.

They’d been sitting there for hours, simply enjoying the cool breeze, the comfort they could bring to one another by their closeness. Simon leaned heavily against Book’s stone gravemarker, Kaylee cuddled against his uninjured side. His arm curled gently around her waist, his hand resting in her lap as he enjoyed the feel of the breeze as it tossed her hair against his cheek.

Kaylee held his hand tightly, remembering, mourning those they had lost. The tears had long since dried, leaving salty traces along her smooth cheeks. She leaned her head against Simon’s shoulder, breathing in the musky scent of him combined with the slight scent of antiseptic that always seemed to permeate his skin.

They hadn’t said much, simply walked, and limped, out to the three solitary grave markers long after everyone had returned to the ship. There was something peaceful there, something that made Kaylee feel safe and calm. Kaylee’d felt a pull to go back after everyone had returned from the graves but she hadn’t wanted to go alone. Despite the confidence of feeling Simon’s hand in hers during the funeral, they still hadn’t really had a chance to sit down and talk about what happened during the Reaver attack.

Now, as they sat among the stones marking their friends’ final resting place, they said very little, each lost in their own thoughts. She snuggled against Simon, her limbs chilled due to the nighttime breeze, but her body flushing with warmth where it touched him, she let her mind wander back to the day they’d all nearly died. She shivered as she recalled the paralyzing fear she had felt when she thought they were going to die along with the overwhelming elation when Simon had admitted to her the one thing she had waited eight long months to hear.

]i]‘My one regret in all of this, is never being with you.’

Simon’s arm tightened around her and he dropped his cheek to the top of her head, comforting her with his presence, knowing no words could do it for him – even if he was good at expressing himself with them.

“Did ya mean what ya said?” The words slipped out before Kaylee could stop them. And while she hadn’t meant to bring up the subject quite like that, her whole body tensed nervously as she waited for his response.

Her voice had been so soft, and the wind so strong, he barely heard the question. And after sitting so long in silence, it took another few moments for him to decipher what she meant.

He reached around her with both arms and hugged her tight, despite the way his wound still pulled painfully. “Every word.”

Simon could feel her relax in his arms, sinking back against him as if a great weight had just been lifted from her shoulders. He knew she’d doubted that he’d meant what he’d said. Simply said the words to encourage her, give her an added determination to fight, a last admission just before they died horrible, painful deaths. But he just hadn’t found the right time to talk to her about it. They’d all been so busy with repairing Serenity, with their own healing wounds, both emotional and physical.

“River’s doin’ better now,” Kaylee said, her eyes firmly fixed on the sky above them. Her body still trembled with excitement and nervousness, thinking that even though he’d meant what he’d said, that things would not come easy for them now. It never had.

“So much better,” he smiled into her hair. “The change that’s come over her has been amazing.” For someone who had never been good at reading Kaylee’s moods, or words, he knew exactly where she was going and he waited patiently for her to continue.

“That’s good.” She snuggled closer, if that was at all possible, and smiled contentedly when his arms tightened around her.

Simon considered his next words very carefully, knowing that his past ability with them had been less than award-winning – especially where Kaylee was concerned. He’d had a lot of time to think while he’d been recovering from his injury. Kaylee had come to see him when she could but she’d been kept busy with the repairs to Serenity. But now, they had some time to discuss the future – their future.

River was better. In the days since the information about Miranda had been broadcast, her psychotic episodes had been far less frequent. Of course, she still spoke in riddles, but Simon suspected that was part of her normal bratty personality messing with her brother’s head. He still needed to care for her, but as she had proven, her aptitude for learning new skills was astonishing, and keeping her busy with the repair of the ship had shown Simon that he needed to give his sister some space to grow.

Which, in turn, gave Simon the ability to pay more attention to Kaylee. Something he had wanted to do for a long time, but his dedication to his sister’s health had sapped his mental, and even physical strength, leaving no room for a relationship with the bubbly mechanic. He didn’t feel he could give Kaylee what she wanted then. Now – he was ready to take that step. He only hoped she would let him try.

Throwing caution to the wind, he lifted one hand and slid a finger beneath her chin.

As she shifted slightly to look back at him, the moons and the stars their only source of light, Simon knew, no matter how long it took or how long he had to beg for her forgiveness, he would try. She was worth his every effort. The shadows danced across her face but the brightness of her eyes drew him in like a moth to a flame.

“Thank you for waiting for me,” Simon said softly, his breath warm against her cheek.

His eyes held hers, inviting pools of deep blue that caused her to lean forward almost instinctively, uncaring if she found herself drowning in the azure depths.

Kaylee smiled, a warm and genuine smile that sent his heart thudding against his ribcage. “’Course I did. Ya asked me to.”

Simon exhaled a breath that he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He hadn’t been sure all those months ago if she’d heard him. She hadn’t responded to his plea and he had taken great care to keep her at a distance, to not encourage her when he still had River to look after. Looking back on all the time they’d spent together, time getting close, he knew he’d hurt her when he pushed her away and he regretted it now. But lack of experience and fear for his sister had prompted him to do what he’d done. Maybe he could make up for it now. If she would let him.

“I rather think I begged,” Simon admitted with a sheepish grin that made Kaylee instantly want to wipe off his face with a kiss. “No, I definitely begged.”

Kaylee’s lips curled into a smile and she giggled as he drew her closer, their lips almost touching.

His eyes held hers, searching for permission that he knew she’d given long ago, but that he, for all of his stubborn propriety, wanted anyway to receive.

“Don’t make me beg, Simon,” Kaylee whispered as his mouth gently covered hers in a slow, sweet kiss that sent chills down her spine.

The very air around them sizzled as her soft lips moved against his. When he lifted his hands and slid them around her cheeks to deepen the kiss, she leaned heavily against him. All pain in his abdomen forgotten as the scent of her hair, her skin, the taste of the dried tears on her cheeks, drove his need to connect with her on a level he thought they would never reach.

“Not yet.” Simon whispered against her cheek when they finally parted for air.

Kaylee blinked, confused for a moment, until she realized that he was responding to her comment about not making her beg. Her eyes lit with a mischievous gleam as she rested her hands against his chest and pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Need ta heal up quick, Simon,” Kaylee said, her hand sliding over to rest gently over his injury. “Then we’ll see just who’ll be beggin’.”

Simon laughed, his eyes dancing as he took in her angelic face and her bright, expressive eyes. He kissed her once more, unwilling to let her go for one moment, until a bright streak sailing across the sky caught his eye.

Noticing his attention waver, Kaylee turned and looked up, smiling as the light from the falling star trailed a bright path across the sky.

“Make a wish,” Kaylee exclaimed as her eyes followed the star until it disappeared behind a large mountain range far into the distance. She didn’t notice Simon’s eyes as they watched her, darting from her own happy gaze to her smooth, lush lips, until she turned to him when he’d grown suddenly silent.

“Already did,” he whispered and pulled her into his arms for another long, toe curling kiss.

END