A/N: Here it is, friends - the end of the Right To Love series! I certainly hope you like it and it lives up to all your expectations.

Previous Chapters: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16

Link to prompt table

A final thanks to Leiasky for all the help, plot ideas and beta-ing. You are irreplaceable!

And please, please, please leave me a comment ... how else will I know to keep posting?

*** The Right To Love - Chapter 17 - The End (Prompts 96-100) ***

096. Sky

It had been a while since the crew of Serenity had seen sky. They hadn’t alighted on any planet since Greenleaf, and now, a month later, they were all feeling just a might twitchy to again get out. So, Mal finally relented, in truth needed the respite as much as the rest of them, and allowed River to land them on Silverhold.

With happy laughter and light steps, Simon and Kaylee bounded off the ship first, Jayne close on their heels as he headed into town for some much needed whoring. River followed soon after, arm in arm with Zoe as the two women were going to gather supplies together. Mal and Inara were the last to leave. Inara was still a bit sore from her wounds, but moving much better and so as she laced her arm through Mal’s he knew it was because she wanted to, not because she needed to.

As they walked on the small pebbled path from Serenity’s berth into the town proper, Inara watched as Mal’s eyes, as blue as the sky above, sparkled a bit. Studying him, she asked softly, “What are you planning?”

“Shen me?” he asked, turning a wicked grin in her direction.

Knowing that something was up, Inara asked him again, “What are you planning?”

Chuckling lightly at the accusatory and slightly hesitant look gracing her features, he took her hand from his arm and kissed it lightly. “Nothin’ bad, I promise you.”

Narrowing her eyes at him, she said disbelievingly, “Uh huh.”

With a small sigh, Mal knew there’d be no way he could keep it a secret for another minute. Pausing on the path, he turned her to face him and said, “All right, if I tell ya want I’m plannin’ then that means you gotta help.”

Frowning, Inara asked, “But it’s not bad?”

His face again breaking into a wide grin, Mal pulled her close to him and said, “Not a bit.”

Resting her hands lightly against his chest, Inara stared up into his loving eyes and felt her heart melt all over again. Ai ya, who was she kidding? “All right,” she relented with a sigh. “I’ll help, if you tell me what’s going on.”

Smiling even wider, Mal again laced her arm through his and began. “Well, see, Simon came to see me about three weeks ago …”

***

“Come on, we’ve got to hurry.” River tugged at Zoe’s arm, trying to forcibly drag her back to Serenity, but with the load of packages in her arms it wasn’t quite possible.

“What’s the rush, Albatross?” she asked, slightly amused at the girl’s insistence even as she struggled to balance the box in her arms.

Turning to her with a roll of her eyes, River said, “Things are planned. We have to be there.”

“What things?” Zoe asked, still confused.

Smiling slightly, River simply quickened her pace and said quietly, “You’ll see.”

***

Kaylee and Simon were strolling down the planked sidewalk, hand in hand, when Kaylee caught sight of the old-time marquee. Clasping his hand tightly, she turned to him and cooed. “Oh, Simon, let’s go see a movie. I ain’t seen a movie in forever.”

Simon smiled at her enthusiasm, but grimaced when he saw the show time. There was no way a two-hour movie was going to fit into his plans. Pulling her to him, Simon kissed her long and deep, not normally prone to such public displays of affection; but he was desperate, he had to take her mind off of it.

As they parted, a wide smile on Kaylee’s features, she fluttered her eyes open to him and said, “Or, we could just go back to the ship?”

Smiling at her, Simon wrapped his arm around her waist and said, “Maybe later. I’m kind of hungry.”

“So am I,” she told him wickedly, stopping him in the middle of the street and planting a big, passionate kiss on him. Ai ya, what had he done?

Using every fiber of strength he possessed, he pulled back from her and allowed his cheeks to flush. “Kaylee, don’t you think this is a bit too public?”

Delighting in that blush that she had caused, Kaylee told him, “Well, then, why don’t we go somewhere private?” Leaning in for another kiss, Simon thought fast and pulled her along.

“All right, I know the perfect place.” With a squeal of delight, Kaylee followed him easily and Simon prayed that everything would still come together.

097. Water

Simon knew the layout of Silverhold probably better than he knew the layout of any other planet. He had been studying maps for the past few weeks, doing his best to get his bearings so that when they landed he’d be able to put his plan into motion.

So he knew exactly where he was taking Kaylee, even as she continued to question him. As they’d made it to the edge of town and Simon had headed in the opposite direction of Serenity, Kaylee had paused for a moment, her confusion all over her face. “Ain’t we goin’ back to the ship?”

Smiling at her, Simon thought for sure the anticipation might kill him. “No, not yet,” he said, and with a small tug on her hand, drew her along a seldom used path.

As they rounded the final bend, Simon prayed he’d memorized those maps right, but as the large lake, sparkling crystal blue came into focus before them, a few small cottages dotting the shoreline, he knew he had. Pausing, Kaylee beside him, he looked for her reaction and smiled as her eyes lit at the sight. Turning to him, she breathed, “Simon, it’s beautiful.” Frowning a bit at him, she asked, “How’d you even know this was here?”

With another wide grin, Simon wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Because I’ve been planning a bit of a surprise.”

“For me?” Kaylee asked, delighted, her eyes shining even brighter. As Simon nodded, she questioned him, “What is it?”

Kissing her lightly, he said, “Follow me,” and she did so willingly, her hand fitting snugly into his as he walked along the path down toward one of the cottages; the one he’d rented. Stopping in front of the door, he took a deep breath and then looked back to Kaylee who was now more than confused. “I thought the cap’n said we only had a few hours?”

Grinning a bit sheepishly, Simon told her, “Well …” And the rest of his statement was cut off as the door was flung wide and Kaylee’s mother, Ellen stood on the opposite side. “Baby girl!” she exclaimed joyfully, moving forward and embracing her daughter in a huge hug.

Kaylee’s eyes again wide with shock were now overflowing with tears as she hugged her mother back. Stepping away from her, she asked, “Mama, what’re you doin’ here?”

Grinning to Simon, Ellen said, “Well, this here fiancé o’ yours thought maybe me an’ your pa needed to be here.” Ushering them inside, she moved them quickly to the back of the cottage, pausing as Kaylee asked her, “Be here fer what?”

Her smile even wider, Ellen swung open the back door and said, “For yer weddin’ o’ course!”

And with even wider eyes, Kaylee studied the small area out behind the quaint cottage. The trees were decorated with white flowers, streamers and bunting, causing the whole yard to look as though it were covered in snow. There were a few rows of chairs lined up, with a petal strewn aisle leading to an arbor, adorned in blue and white flowers through which the blue water of the lake could be seen. The crew was already there, Mal, River, Zoe and even Jayne having shown up, all standing with varying degrees of happy grins on their faces.

Her eyes filling with tears as her father came into view, Kaylee hugged him quickly and then raced back to Simon. Squeezing his hands tightly, she breathed, “You did this?”

Resting a hand to her cheek, he said, “I had help. Your mother and father were invaluable to me these past few days, making sure everything here was set-up properly and Mal was a great help too. Apparently he knows a few people on Silverhold, called in a few favors.”

With another squeal, Kaylee threw her arms around her soon-to-be husband and held him tight. “I can’t believe you did this,” she told him.

Leaning back from her a bit, he said, “I hope you’re not upset. I know it’s all a big surprise, but I thought-“

Kissing him again, deeply this time, all of Simon’s concerns about his forthrightness vanished as Kaylee squeezed herself to him. “It’s perfect,” she told him as they parted. “Although,” she said, with a glint in her eye. “I seemed to remember somethin’ about lettin’ me be in control of this weddin’.”

Smiling at her, Simon touched his forehead to hers and whispered, “How about you get to be in control of the wedding night?”

Giggling at him, Kaylee pressed her mouth to his and murmured, “Oh, you are gonna be sorry you said that, Simon Tam.”

Chuckling, Simon hugged her once more, before Ellen finally interrupted. “All right you two. You gonna get married or hug each other all day?” As they backed out of each other’s arms, she shoved Simon off towards the small den at the back of the house. “You go get ready in there. Kaylee an’ ‘Nara an’ I got our work to do in the bedroom.”

With one last look at her soon-to-be husband, Kaylee turned and hugged her mother as the excitement of the moment flooded through her. “Oh, ma,” she breathed. “I din’t never dream I’d be this lucky.”

“Well, I did, baby,” Ellen told her. Blinking back a few tears, she said quietly, “I’m jus’ so glad you’re happy. That Simon’s a good man.”

“The best.”

Both women turned at the sound of Inara’s voice and Kaylee rushed into her friend’s arms. “Ain’t it shiny, ‘Nara? I mean, who’s ever heard of a surprise weddin’ ‘fore?”

Smiling at her friend’s delight, Inara said, “Well, then what are we waiting for?”

Looking down to her coveralls, the realization that she didn’t have a dress finally hit her. “But whatta am I gonna wear?” she whined, her eyes again setting on Inara’s face.

“You don’t think me or Simon woulda thought o’ that?” Ellen asked, a slight bit of hurt in her tone.

As Kaylee turned to face her mother, more tears fell as she saw her grammy Frye’s wedding gown hanging on the closet door. It was the most cherished thing in the Frye family, besides the honeymoon cottage and Kaylee couldn’t believe it was here, for her. “I can’t wear that,” she said softly, moving forward to finger the delicate lace.

“Yes, you can an’ you’ll look like a shinin’ beauty too,” Ellen said firmly. Nodding to Inara as her daughter stood transfixed by the white dress, she said, “C’mon ‘Nara, we gotta get my baby married.”

098. Nurture

Kaylee stood at the end of the aisle, her eyes focused only on Simon as he stood about eight feet from her, silhouetted by the setting sun and the orangey-blue water of the lake. Her eyes already filling with tears of joy, she took her father’s arm and started down the aisle as a lone fiddle played the wedding march.

This was more than unbelievable, it was incredible. Even as Kaylee felt the swish of the dress against her legs and remembered how Inara had arranged her hair so beautifully, she still could not believe that this morning, she had woken up as Kaylee Frye and tonight she would go to sleep – well, maybe not sleep, as Simon had left her in charge of the honeymoon. But by that night, she would be Kaylee Tam.

As they reached the end of the aisle, Kaylee smiled to her father and kissed his cheek, not at all surprised to see a few tears in his eyes. “You gonna be okay, baby?” he asked her softly.

Smiling her biggest and brightest grin, she told him, “Daddy, this is the best thing that coulda ever happened to me. You gotta trust that.”

Squeezing her hand, Hank nodded once in Simon’s direction and then placed Kaylee’s hand gently in the younger man’s before moving to stand beside his wife. Kaylee’s eyes followed him, more tears coming as she saw her mother’s already reddened face, a handkerchief held over her mouth as she cried tears of joy as well.

With a deep breath, Kaylee turned her big eyes back to Simon and found that everything else, in this moment, faded away. She heard the preacher start to talk and heard the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, but all she cared about was Simon.

He was her whole world. She loved him, and he loved her in a way Kaylee had always dreamed that she would find, but never truly believed existed. And maybe that was because her relationship with Simon had always been different than anything else; more special, more intense.

Certainly the way they lived their lives added its own amount of drama to their situation, but that wasn’t what kept them together. No, Simon and Kaylee had actually built something, something solid, and while she would never let Simon live down how long it had taken him to notice her, she was, in a small way, grateful for those months they had danced around each other.

Those months of holding each other at arm’s length had given Kaylee a chance to really know Simon, to know who he was as a brother, a doctor, a man, and eventually, a lover. It had given them time to understand just what it was they each wanted and if that was something they could find in the other. It had given them time to uncover that innate attraction and watch it, cradle it, nurture it, until it grew into what they had now; unmitigated love.

With a blush, Kaylee realized that the preacher had asked for her vows and she had just stood there staring. As Simon squeezed her hands, and smiled at her, that swai grin, Kaylee took another deep breath and began.

“Since I didn’t rightly know this mornin’ I was gettin’ married, I’m hopin’ you can forgive me if this ain’t the best.” She said this first part quietly, really directing it just to Simon and he nodded once, so she continued, a bit louder this time, so everyone could hear her.

“Simon, I don’t rightly know how to tell you what I’m feelin’ at this moment. For a real long time, I thought that maybe we’d never get here, that maybe we was too different an’ them differences was gonna drive us apart, instead o’ bring us together.” Swallowing hard as she felt the lump in her throat rising, Kaylee knew she was never going to finish without breaking down, so she stopped fighting it and just spoke from that one true place, her heart. “But I gotta tell you somethin’, lovin’ you an’ bein’ loved by you has been the greatest, scariest, sexiest, most wonderful thing I’ve ever experienced. I wake up every mornin’ excited, ‘cause I know that each day will be better than the last. O’ course, they ain’t always,” she confided, her voice lowering a bit. She watched as Simon’s face sobered at this admission and she knew he was also thinking of the past few months and all they’d suffered. “But even on the days when things is bad, I know that I got you to see me through it an’ that makes it okay.”

Kaylee sighed a bit and paused as she felt Simon brush a hand against her face, taking a few of her tears onto the pad of his thumb. Bringing her eyes back to focus on his face, she said finally, “I promise you, Simon Tam, that I will love you, with everythin’ I am, with everythin’ I have until the day I die. You have my heart, the whole thing, no strings, no nothin’, it’s yours.”

And with a small sob, Kaylee leaned forward and kissed him, not even caring as the preacher tried to part them, with a little clear of his throat. She was going to kiss this incredibly swai man before her before they did anything else.

When they parted, Kaylee gazed into Simon’s shining eyes, and all she could think to murmur was, “I love you,” before again straightening, looking to him expectantly.

099. Dance (Writer’s Choice)

Simon didn’t feel nervous and that was what shocked him most of all. He had expected that on his wedding day, he would be quaking in his expensive shoes, sweating profusely, anxiety-ridden. But he wasn’t, and as he watched Kaylee walk towards him on her father’s arm, he felt any residual tension ease out of him.

His heart was still beating a bit fast, but how could it not? Kaylee was beautiful; the dress her mother had brought fit her perfectly and was obviously a family heirloom. The style was older, but not dated and Simon watched as she glided towards him, her face glowing with one of her big grins, her eyes wide and bright. He found himself returning the smile and realizing that nerves weren’t even an issue; he was just excited and elated – Kaylee was going to be his wife.

Watching the tenderness with which Hank gave Kaylee away made Simon’s heart hurt for just a moment. His parents should be here as well, but there was still too much between them, too much that had happened and Simon had only considered inviting them for a fraction of a second. Besides as his eyes roamed over the very small crowd he realized his family was already here: his sister and the crew. He was surrounded by love and that was all that mattered.

As Kaylee finally turned to face him, her eyes resting on his face, he smiled wide at her, and felt his heart pound. This moment, he had been anticipating it for … well, for a long time truthfully and now it was here. As the preacher began to speak he thought of all the obstacles they had overcome, all the dancing around each other they had done, all the times Simon had been stupid and pushed her away and he realized that while it had been painful and frustrating at the time, it had been necessary too. They needed to know this was real, that it was worth all the effort they were putting into it, and that it would last. And Simon knew now, at this minute, that it would. He wanted Kaylee to be his forever and he was standing here in this beautiful spot with the most beautiful woman to profess just that.

Kaylee began her vows asking for his forgiveness as she didn’t have anything prepared. Simon felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that springing the ceremony on her had probably been a tad unfair, but he’d wanted to do it for her; he’d wanted to show her, unequivocally, that he was ready to be her husband.

“O’ course, they ain’t always,” Kaylee was saying and Simon watched as her eyes dimmed a bit at the memory. He felt his own face fall as well, knowing that she was thinking back to the past few months and all they’d suffered. “But even on the days when things is bad, I know that I got you to see me through it an’ that makes it okay.” As she admitted her belief in him, in them and their love, Simon smiled back at her, hanging on her every word.

When she gave him her heart with no demands, Simon thought for sure his own would leap for joy. All he’d ever wanted was Kaylee’s heart so he could protect it and care for it, because it was more precious to him than any thing in the ‘verse.

He was slightly surprised, but not at all upset when Kaylee kissed him and he could only grin against her mouth as the preacher cleared his throat uncomfortably. But Simon knew trying to convince Kaylee not to kiss was like not asking for presents at Christmas; it just didn’t happen.

As she pulled back from him and smiled again, Simon felt his first stab of nervousness as he realized it was his turn. Returning her grin, Simon cleared his throat, and holding her hands in his own, his blue eyes locked on her green, he began.

“Kaylee, you asked me once when it was I knew I wanted to marry you.” She grinned wider at the memory and Simon felt his nerves vanish. “And I told you it was from the minute you asked me to dance. That wasn’t my finest hour,” he added quietly, dropping his voice a bit. “I didn’t behave very well, and I didn’t know what would become of me, but I knew, the minute you smiled at me that I would die a thousand times over to see that smile again.” He watched as Kaylee bit her lip to keep more tears in. She had been crying steadily throughout the ceremony, but Simon watched as she actually faltered this time and he feared for a second he’d said something wrong.

Stepping closer to her, he took her gently by the shoulders and when she again brought her eyes to his face, she smiled and he knew everything was all right. “I’m not sure how I got lucky enough for someone like you, someone so full of love and caring and energy, to love me, but Kaylee, I promise you, that I will live everyday of my life insuring that I am deserving of your love. And I promise to never give you cause to doubt my devotion or love for you.”

Taking her hands in his, Simon held her gaze steadily as he said, “Kaylee Frye, I promise you that I will take care of your heart, which you have given so freely to me. I will shelter it and protect it and nourish it every day of my life. All I ask is that you care for my heart in the same way, because it’s yours, Kaylee. It has been for quite some time and it always will be.”

Without wasting another moment, Simon pulled Kaylee to him and kissed her, his arms wrapping around her back and pulling her tight to him. Sighing into the embrace, Kaylee wrapped her own arms around his neck and vaguely they heard the preacher announce them man and wife, heard as their few guests rose to their feet, applauding, heard as the fiddle began the recessional. But it was a long time before Mister and Mrs. Simon Tam let each other go.

100. Destiny (Writer’s Choice)

Inara watched with happy tears as Simon and Kaylee continued to dance and laugh into the night. The stars had come out to wish the happy couple well, and their twinkling light overhead only added to the merriment. It had been a glorious day and Inara knew she would remember it forever.

She sat now, in Mal’s arms, her head resting against his shoulder. They were both full and warm from the food and wine they’d had and it was with contentment that they watched the newlyweds and the rest of the crew revel and party.

A sudden thought striking her, Inara asked quietly, “Mal?”

“Hmm,” he murmured, his cheek against her hair, his arms around her.

Not turning to face him, she watched as Kaylee laughed as Simon spun her. “If someone had told you, years ago, that you would be here, at this very moment, what would you have said?”

Slightly puzzled by her question, Mal answered honestly, “I woulda tol’ ‘em to get their head examined an’ walked very fast in the opposite direction.”

Inara laughed slightly, not at all surprised by his answer. She had figured as much; Mal was not a man who put much stock in things like fate or destiny. He preferred to believe in hard and fast rules, guns, coin, luck. Nebulous concepts like kismet didn’t belong in his line of work, and in actuality, clinging to such beliefs could get him killed.

Tightening his arms around her, Mal asked, “What would you have said?”

With an enigmatic smile that Inara had not had cause to use for quite some time, she turned to him and answered, “I would have said, ‘I know’.”

Furrowing his brow at her, Mal asked quietly, “Is there somethin’ you wanna tell me? You ain’t a reader like River, are ya?”

Smiling even wider, Inara told him, “No, Mal, I’m not, but this moment isn’t about seeing the future. It’s about knowing that, no matter how bad things get or how off kilter they seem to be, everything will work out.” Turning back to look at the happy couple who were again lost in each other’s embrace, Inara added quietly, “I mean, look at them. Months ago no one would have believed we’d be here now, but we are.” Her eyes again sweeping to his face, she held a hand to his cheek and said quietly, “Because it was meant to be.”

Grinning at her, Mal leaned down and touched his lips to hers lightly. “I don’t know much about meant to be, darlin’,” he told her, again pulling her against his chest, and holding her tight. “But I think I’m startin’ to understand just a bit about happy ever after.”

***

It was late and Simon and Kaylee were finally alone. Everyone had left, the Fryes heading back to Serenity with crew for the night until their transport came the following morning. The newlyweds were safely ensconced in the cottage, the doors and windows shut against the cold night air.

The young couple’s heads were spinning just a bit from the wine they’d had to drink and the intensity of their emotions. Despite their desire for each other, despite their need to consummate what was now a marriage, they stood instead in the middle of the bedroom, staring at one another in silence. They both remembered Simon’s promise from earlier in the day, about Kaylee getting to dictate their wedding night, but without speaking they each knew this wasn’t about one of them or the other, it was about them both, equal parts. That fun could happen later, tomorrow, every day and night for the rest of their lives. But tonight the young couple would spend exploring all that their relationship meant.

There was barely any light in the room, only the moon casting a glow through the curtains. With sure hands and no words, Simon and Kaylee divested each other of their fancy clothes, leaving them in puddles on the floor at their feet. With tender eyes and gentle caresses they began to love each other, Simon gently pulling Kaylee towards the bed, where he stroked and petted her skin with a touch that was at once soothing and electric. Kaylee felt herself let go, felt as her mind and her heart surrendered total control to this man, to her husband, in a way she never truly had before.

Returning Simon’s touches with her own, Kaylee’s hands and fingers rubbed and caressed his body, allowing Simon to relax in a way he never had been able to before. It was about more than feeling, more than sensation, more than sex at this moment; it was about them, what they meant to each other. It was about the love they had just professed that day in front of family and friends. It was about the future they would share, the future they would create and it was about everything they’d weathered to get to this point.

It was about knowing, at that moment, that luck or chance had not played a part in anything they had found, anything they had been given. Both Simon and Kaylee had lived their lives to reach this perfect moment – because they were and always had been each other’s destiny.

*** The End