A/N: Okay, so Leiasky, Leighkohl and I all thought we'd write our takes on a "missing" scene from the end of Serenity when we see Simon and Kaylee in the galley. This is mine!

Both of theirs are up on the site, so be sure to read them too: We Work Before We Play, Parts 1-3 & Later, Parts 1-2.

Hope you enjoy!

***

Kaylee hefted the latest load of foodstuffs that the Alliance had given them across the counter to Simon. With that swai grin she now loved even more, he took it from her, his hands ghosting over hers as they switched holds on the box. Blushing, although she had no idea why, it wasn’t as if they hadn’t done a lot of touching earlier that day, Kaylee turned back to the galley table, filled with more food to store as Inara entered, a smile on her face.

“Hey there, ‘Nara,” Kaylee said brightly, greeting her friend with a wide smile.

“Hi,” Inara answered, seeming to pull her mind from a far-off place. Glancing over to Simon she saw that the normally shy doctor was not paying a whit of attention to the task before him, but instead staring dreamily at her young friend. Deciding to save him at least a little embarrassment, Inara inclined her head in his direction and said, “Simon.”

Jumping at the sound of his name, the blush that crept up Simon’s neck and to his face made Inara smile – same old Simon. “Inara,” he muttered quickly, immediately turning back to empty the box before him.

Shooting Kaylee a knowing grin which the mechanic returned in megawatts, Inara moved towards her friend, taking her by the elbow and pulling her out of the room. Once they were a few paces from the galley, she whirled on Kaylee, her eyes twinkling. “Spill.”

Kaylee smiled again and giggled, pretty much telling Inara everything she needed to know, but she still would not be deterred. “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ ‘bout, ‘Nara,” her friend answered coyly, batting those unbelievably green eyes at her and trying vainly not to burst.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Inara gave Kaylee her best ‘You-know-exactly-what-I’m-talking-about’ expression. “Oh yes, you do,” she said. Leaning into Kaylee, she whispered, “You didn’t, you know? Did you?”

Kaylee could not contain herself a moment further and she blinked rapidly as happy tears clouded her eyes. Grabbing her friend’s hands, Kaylee squeezed them intently even as she squealed. “Mmm hmmm,” she breathed, unable to form a thought, let alone words.

Swallowing her own happy tears for Kaylee and for Simon, Inara rested a light hand against her friend’s cheek and said, “I am so happy for you, mei mei. Truly.” Glancing past Kaylee’s shoulder, Inara caught a glimpse of Simon from inside the galley. He had ventured near the hatch apparently curious as to where his helper had gone. At Inara’s quick gaze he immediately returned to his work, trying to appear as though he had never stopped. Returning her grin back to Kaylee, she added, “For you both.”

“Oh ‘Nara, it’s so great,” Kaylee said, her voice an enraptured whisper. “I mean I thought it would be great. Actually, I pretty much knew it would be great, but this …” She let the thought die on her lips, unable to finish it. She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing Simon’s bare and sweaty chest as he pulled her close; the feel of his mouth on hers as they’d both given in to passions they’d been trying to keep hidden; the feel of him pressed against her, wanting her, crying out her name …

Another, more urgent flush rising on her cheeks, Kaylee opened her eyes and licked her lips. Giving her friend a quick peck on the cheek, Kaylee said abruptly, “Sorry, ‘Nara, I gotta go.”

Inara watched with amazement and glee as Kaylee spun around and practically sprinted back towards the galley. They could use some of that happiness on board, especially now.

As Kaylee reentered the room, she scanned the small space quickly, looking for Simon’s yummy form. Not seeing him, she felt a pout form on her lips, as she circled back towards the kitchen and called out, “Simon?”

“In here, Kaylee.” His muffled voice came to her from behind and she looked to see the door to the storage room open. Squealing with even more glee, Kaylee entered the small room, shutting the door behind her. Peeking around a set of shelves, she saw him there, storing more cans of foodstuffs they would no doubt be very grateful for when they were back to molded protein. Actually, truth was, Kaylee was very grateful for them now.

“Whatcha doin’,” she asked innocently, trying to affect her most nonchalant tone. Glancing over his shoulder and grinning wickedly at her, Simon turned and in one swift motion captured her in a strong embrace.

“Waiting for you,” he whispered against her cheek, pressing light kisses there that trailed down her neck and to her shoulder. She sighed against him at his touch and let her hands work up his strong back, feeling all the muscles there that she now knew existed – and wanted to see again.

“Why, doctor Tam,” she said in mock surprise, returning some of his fevered kisses to any bare skin she could find. “I am shocked at your behavior.”

“Oh really,” he murmured against her skin, tickling her with his breath and causing Kaylee to giggle. He loved that sound, especially when it vibrated through his lips.

“Okay, well, not that shocked,” she told him, running her hands through his hair, and bringing his mouth up to hers. She crushed her lips over his, not even pausing as she pushed her tongue in his mouth. She felt him respond immediately, all over and Kaylee decided to make it just a bit more uncomfortable for him, when she pressed her hips against his already aroused midsection. As she felt him groan into her mouth, Kaylee knew, she had him.

“I’m more surprised I didn’t think of it first,” she whispered in his ear, as he made short work of her skirt and was about to lift her top off when the sound of the door opening made them both freeze.

Holding their breath in the unbelievably uncomfortable position they were in, both Kaylee and Simon said a silent prayer it wasn’t the captain. But as the voice let them know who it was, it was actually worse, for Simon anyway.

“Found you,” River’s voice sing-songed to them. While Kaylee for some reason Simon could not comprehend seemed to find this humorous, he found it quite humiliating.

Recovering first, Kaylee gave Simon a quick kiss and whispered, “We’ll finish this later,” and then straightening her clothes and her hair, rounded the corner and asked River brightly, “Did you need us, sweetie?”

“No, Captain does. Something else just fell off his gorram ship and he says that if she crashes, it’ll be your fault, again.” River stated this in that obnoxious, I-know-it-all way that Simon had begun to despise when she was three. But he tried to quell his anger, knowing that at the moment, he was more upset she had interrupted an intimate moment with Kaylee than anything else.

With a muttered curse under her breath, Kaylee stepped around the girl and headed for the engine room, certain that’s where the captain would already be, looking for an excuse to yell at her again.

Simon waited for another five minutes, taking a few deep breaths. Luckily, his interlude with Kaylee had not gone quite that far and he was able to control himself, choosing to dwell on all the ways he could kill his sister for her unbelievable timing. When he finally felt calm once again, he moved to leave, River in his path.

“River,” he exclaimed, slightly startled. He had not known she was still standing there. “Are you all right?”

She nodded and continued to gaze at him with those big brown eyes. Finally, she grabbed his hand and said quietly, “I’m happy for you.”

Simon was slightly taken aback by this admission; he had felt for sure River would say something to embarrass him as that always seemed to be her way, especially when girls were concerned.

“I, well,” he stammered for a moment, not certain what to say. Finally he placed both hands on her shoulders and said, “Thank you mei mei.”

She nodded again and then turned to go. Pausing once in the doorway, she looked back to him with that knowing grin once again and said, “Don’t have sex in the engine room tonight. It’ll hurt.”

All color draining from Simon’s face, he stood dumbfounded as River skipped away, apparently not at all effected by the fact that she had just spoken so plainly with her brother about his sex life. Feeling as though this whole afternoon might require some serious therapy, Simon again counted to ten before exiting the room. Trying to focus his mind on anything other than Kaylee, Simon set to working on the kitchen, wishing he could think of a way to nullify his sister’s psychic abilities, at least a few hours at a time.