Title: In Hindsight Clear

Author: AgentOmega

Genre: Drama.

Rating: K.

Pairings: Mal/Inara.

Location on Firefly Universe Timeline: During the BDM, just as Mal is about to head into the lift and glances at Inara. Mal/Inara ‘shippers, you know the moment I’m talking about.

Spoilers: Generic spoilers for the series, and slightly more specific spoilers for the BDM.

Summary: Mal and Inara share a timeless moment in the face of almost-certain doom.

Disclaimer: The people, places, and plentiful paraphernalia you know and love/hate are the property of their respective owners, namely Joss Whedon, his associates, and any groups which control or are controlled by said individuals. No profit is made by the author of this work of fiction from the creation or distribution of said work, nor is any infringement intended. Plagiarism is considered a serious criminal offense, and punishable by law. Please ask before redistributing this work.

Length without header: 1 page(s) at 12-point Times New Roman font; 212 words; 1,087 characters including spaces.

Feedback: Some authors don’t care about feedback. I am not one of those authors. Giving feedback tells me that you took the time to read it and cared enough to comment on it. Receiving feedback is a wonderful thing, and every author should experience it.

Notes: So, I was re-reading the third installment of Biggrstaffbunch’s “This is Your Brain on Drugs” – which is fantastic, by the way – and my muse just jumped out and bonked me over the head. This is the result, and if you’ve read the abovementioned chapter, you can probably see where the idea came from. Special thanks to Biggrstaffbunch for getting my muse to do something productive, and as ever, to ValerieBean for her continued support and beta work.

They have rarely seen eye-to-eye, and even more rarely have they agreed. It is their way, opposites attracting, but never touching.

For each of them, it is the life they have chosen. It is who they are, who they were meant to be, and neither can accommodate the other.

But as he turns to leave, they lock eyes for a moment, and in that single ephemeral eternity, they speak volumes as one.

I never wanted it to end this way between us... never wanted to let so many chances pass us by.

But I did, and here we are, out of chances... here we are, out of time.

I'm sorry for all the things I said... sorry for all the things I didn't say.

I shouldn't have been so proud... shouldn't have been so stubborn.

I should have told you how I felt... should have held you close and never let go.

If I could do it over again, I'd have done things differently... I'd have made every moment count.

I love you... goodbye.