The room glowed gently, the light from the panels carefully enveloping everything it touched. There were the colorful hangings on all four walls, the bed covered in bright, cheery blankets, and the pink cake layered dress hanging at the foot of the bed. There was also Kaylee, sitting cross-legged on her coverlet and tinkering with what could conceivably have been part of Serenity. The expression on her face was a strange note of discord in the otherwise peaceful room, with the muted sounds of living drifting down and the tinkling of music emitting from the music player. Slowly, though, she seemed to relax into the comforting environment. This was how Simon found her a moment later. He seemed hesitant, for a moment, to descend the ladder into her warm little world. She heard him, though, and as she caught his eye he climbed down the rest of the steps. Kaylee turned her back to him as he reached the floor, seeming to put all of her attention into the mechanism in her hands. Simon said nothing, instead drawing closer to her quietly and watching her work. Kaylee was, in the end, the one to break the silence. She turned to him quickly, abandoning all pretense. “You shoulda told me,” she said, accusing. Simon barely responded, merely nodding slightly and saying quietly, “I know.” “I mean,” Kaylee continued as she rose and began pacing about the small bit of floor space in her room. Simon remained still and watched her move. “This is kind of big.” “I know,” Simon repeated. “You were engaged! There was a whole nother woman--,” Simon stopped her here, stepping forward and gently taking her by the arms. “No, no!” he said quickly. “It’s not like that.” “Then what’s it like, Simon?” Though Kaylee was not standing still, she didn’t seem much more calm. Simon released Kaylee and sank down onto her bed. After a moment, she followed his lead. “Honestly,” he said with a sigh. “I haven’t thought about it much since I’ve been on the ship. There was River, at first. But then, there was you. It never even occurred to me that there could be anyone else after that. I had never loved Krys, but you…” Simon paused and looked at Kaylee then, and it seemed that under Simon’s words she was finally softening. “There never could be anyone else,” he finished. “I love you.” At this, Kaylee relaxed back into Simon. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. “Aw, it’s okay. It just took me a bit sideways is all. I’m not angry or nothing, and I don’t hold nothing against her. It’s just good to know everything.” As a new thought occurred to her, she turned quickly to face him. Nuances of worry crossed her features. “This is everything, right? There’s not something else? I’m not going to find out that she’s your cousin or something?” Simon couldn’t contain laughter as he responded. “No, no. That’s everything.” “Okay, then.” With a grin, Kaylee curled onto her side and lay back once more, using Simon as a pillow. Simon propped himself up against the wall as he held her, his hand sliding automatically through her hair as he leaned down now and again to press his lips to her forehead. Sometimes she would turn her head and intercept his kisses with some of her own, but for most of it they just relaxed peacefully, enjoying the closeness of the other’s presence. The ship moved on and everyone else continued living, but for now that mattered little to the two in the crews’ quarters. In their warm little bubble of contentment, all that really mattered was each other.