Disclamer: No infringment of copy right was intended. Everything firefly comes from the mind of Josh Whedon...

Rated: PG

Comment: this is my first fanfic and i would love any helpfull criticism. It start were the show left off, Enjoy!

*LEAVING*

Inara loved Serenity. It was no longer just a ship to her it was a home that housed the only thing she had close to a family anymore. The thought of leaving her…...

“Inara we have to talk”, He strode into her shuttle in the same manner he always did. With complete ownership and without invitation

“Mal I don’t remember hearing a knock at my shuttle door?” crossing her arms.

“That’s because I didn’t, are you aware of today’s date?”

“I do own a calendar Mal”

“Well just for curiosities’ sake, what day have you marked to tell the crew that you’re leaving? It is Monday and you are leaving Sunday.” He crossed his arms as well and by doing so, illustrated to her, he was looking for a fight.

“I was planning on bringing up the subject tonight at dinner in fact. This isn’t easy for me Mal”. He wanted a fight but she was not going to give him one. She saw the change in his blue eyes, they softened, and before she could look any deeper he turned away. Just when she thought he was leaving….

“It’s best that your leaving should’ve never brought you on in the first place. Women like you has no business in are business and the sooner you leave the better”. Malcolm Renolds was a man of many faces but he had never shone her one this clearly before. And his coldness struck her like a knife to the heart and she struck back before she could calm herself.

“Well now that you’ve said what you came here to say, allow me to be equally blunt. I may sleep with people for money but you are the only whore between the two of us! Your honour and loyalty are for sale to anyone with cargo, you steel, lie and cheat in every job and then have the AUDASITY to call my profession dishonest. The only truth Mal is that you’re not free. You’re a petty thief that’s for sale just like everyone else!” Mal had gone pale with either hurt or anger. Inara couldn’t tell which.

“Sticks and stones”, he said in a dead tone. “You know there’s plenty of room in the air lock? Some of this shinny stuff could be unpacked a might early when your not looking.” At this point they were both twisting knives; she would not allow him to intimidate her.

“If you want to help then you can stand up, walk to the door, open it, walk though it and close it behind you!” she was yelling at him now. “I have an appointment to keep. And it doesn’t include you” they kept eye contact for only a second.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to steal anymore of your time.” And as the door slammed shut Inara’s heart hit the ground.

* * * *

As soon as he slammed the shuttle door he wanted to hit something. Hard, he was so angry at her, the words that came out of her mouth. They kept running through his mind “petty thief”. And “WHORE” was what he got to call her! Who does she think she is? Who does she think she’s talking to? He had the right mind to throw her out the nearest air lock, a week left of rent be damned! That selfish…….

“Fong luh Chunren swashi limang! Why must he make everything so hard, talking to him is like trying to walk over razor blades in bear feet! She could not allow herself to stay angry, Talmus Zan was a regular client and time in the country side would be a good place for her to gather her thoughts. Mal could just…..

“Lick a dead dog’s dick!” Jayne always loved that saying but, loved the look on the Doc face even better. Taking that fehn hu down a notch was becoming the best part of his day.

Jayne had a talent to shock and appal in 10 words or less. Before Simon couldn’t fully contemplate the horrific words to come out of his mouth, Mal entered the mess hall, and he was wearing his mood on his sleeve. Even Kaylee avoided eye contact. “Well Inara is away, she said it was a short appointment and would be back before dinner”, Wash was not prepared for the glare Mal gave, if looks could kill he would be plenty dead. “SsOo… I’ll be in my chair”, he gave kaylee a questioning eye roll before leaving and was gone.

Kaylee couldn’t stop herself; she hated to see the cap’n looking so old. He was wearing that worry on his face far too often lately and she would not have it. So she flashed the most contagious smile, “Book said he might get a hold of some tomatoes from the local abbey, aint that shinny cap’n?”

“All kinds of shinny mei mei”, he smiled only with the corner of his mouth and walked away. What was wrong? He’d been havening these episodes since…almost a mouth ago. Poor Cap’n, it’s like he’s lost something. She wondered what Inara was doing right now?

* * * *

Most of the time Inara met Talmus in his city apartment, she had only seen pictures of his country estate. It was large, over 1700 acres of willow trees and green fields and breeding horses was one of his most talked about hobbies. He had on occasion, occupied her for days but, due to his current schedule, today would be a short visit. She didn’t mind, although older then most of her clients she still enjoyed his company. His landing pad was all clear for her arrival so she set down and lit some incense. Once presentable she opened her shuttle doors only to be greeted with something unsettling. “Were is Jacob?” The man standing outside of her shuttle was not her clients trusted assistant and no replacement had been mentioned in the communication she had received. The man in front of her was wearing his tie back wards and was not greeting her in the most respectable fashion.

“He’s sick” and that was the end of his explanation. The hairs on the back of her neck were up and it didn’t help to notice that shutters to the estate were closed up tight. Stay com Inara.

“Well do tell your employer that I am waiting for him in my shuttle”, she closed her door and locked it behind her. She knew there were others, what they wanted she didn’t know but wasn’t going to stay to find out. She quickly went through lift off procedures and started her engines, only to hear the worst sound she will ever hear in her life, silence. The ship was not responding to any of her attempts, she was grounded. And they were at her door. She was reaching for her distress beacon when she heard the sound of buckling metal. She kept a small pistil in her side table, but the door gave way with a pop and they let there selves in.

To be continued……..