He'd overslept. Overslept on a sea of satin sheets, with his body wrapped around a fallen angel.

Worse ways to wake up, Mal supposed.

It had finally happened. He and Inara had finally taken the tumble together. Several times over, even. It was more than he'd imagined it would be, and he'd worked up a pretty vivid imagination when it came to her.

He had himself a dim recollection that at one particular high point, that pesky L-word mighta slipped out of his mouth. Not that he didn't actually mean it, but more that he wasn't sure he was ready for it to be out in the open.

It was undiscovered country for him.

Her lashes fluttered open. She looked at him, a bit afraid that he would bolt.

"You're here?"

A question, rather than a statement. As though she was surprised he'd stayed the night. Did any of her clients actually stay the night, unless they'd bought her for an entire weekend?

"Where else would I be, darlin'?"

"I thought...you'd have things to do. Captain-y things."

"Well, I suppose there prolly are. But Zoe or Kaylee ain't hollerin' for me at this very instant, so I don't see any reason not to be here."

She blushed, and Mal grinned, knowing just how far down that blush actually went.

"Mal, I wouldn't blame you if..."

He frowned.

"If I just up and left? Like all your other fancy gents? Tossed some coin on the table, buttoned up my pants and went on my merry. Because if that's what you want, Inara, I think I hear Zoe hollerin'."

She huddled in the bed, hugging her knees.

"That's not what I want." Whispering so soft, he almost didn't hear.

"Then what do you want? Because I know what I want."

She sniffed a bit, looking like she might cry. Mal hadn't known angels could shed tears.

"You're not the first to tell me you love me, you know. But I don't think any other man has said that to me and then stayed the night."

He lifted her chin with his finger.

"Ya thought all I wanted was a tumble? Hell, if all I wanted was the release, I know how to do that my own self. Had more'n my fair share of practice at that."

"Did you mean it? That you love me?"

He brushed her tears away with his thumb.

"Cross my heart and hope not to die."

She rewarded him with a small, if somewhat watery smile.

"And now that you have me?"

"Guess we're stuck with each other. Cross we'll hafta bear."

At that moment, River's voice crackled through on the intercom.

"Captain, we've got the new course plotted."

Under most circumstances, he'd have gone to the bridge to double check her calculations. Not that the girl had ever been wrong, but he was a belt-and-suspenders kinda guy when it came to these things.

He hit the button on the intercom.

"You double-checked your math, little one? Don' want us flyin' into a moon by accident."

River's voice held a bit of that teen-genius superiority.

"You'll be the second to know."

"Well, carry on then. Let me know when we get into the world. I've got some other...uhhh...Captain-y things need doin'."

He slid back into the bed where it was warmer.

"And just what sort of Captain-y things?" Her mood had improved considerably, as she arched an eyebrow at him.

He rolled her underneath him.

"Oh, new terrain to explore. Uncharted territory and all that."

"I thought you covered that ground pretty well last night."

"'s always undiscovered country, darlin'"