Standard disclaimers apply. Firefly, Serenity, and the original characters are not mine. This was written for fun, not profit. Two new characters are mine, but Joss can have them if he wants because they really want to come out and play.

Archiving: Just let me know where.

Rating: NC17 for adult situations and language.

Pairings: Kaylee and Simon

Chinese Translations: juh jen sh guh kwai luh duh jean-jan – this is a happy development. Liúmáng – bastard wuh de tyen, ah – dear God in heaven

ENGINE ROOM LATE EVENING

MAL: (Under his breath, a little stunned, but recovering) Oh, juh jen sh guh kwai luh duh jean-jan (Aloud, trying not to look at them) Eh hem, engine room's a bit public. There are several perfectly good bunks on this boat. May I suggest you find one?

Simon half-hears Mal, his eyes open over Kaylee's shoulder, and he sees him standing in the door. Simon looks, for a moment, like a small animal caught in a trap. Before he has time to let go of Kaylee, or even move his hands, he registers Mal’s words and the look on his face - which is discomfort rather than anger. His look of panic is replaced with comprehension. He realizes Mal is serious, and isn’t planning to stop them.

SIMON: (Blank surprise) Yes, right. We’ll do that.

Kaylee buries her head in Simon’s shoulder and giggles.

Mal turns and heads back down the hall, where he runs into Wash and Jenny, who are carrying cups of tea and a plate of horrible-looking cookies.

HALL BETWEEN ENGINE ROOM AND DINING ROOM

WASH: (Concerned) Is she all right? We brought cookies.

JENNY: (Guilty) I feel like this is all my fault.

MAL: (Bemused, turning them around to face back toward the dining room) I suggest we all just head on back. Kaylee is just...

KAYLEE: (Off camera) Lets out a small laugh of delight that ends with a gasp

SIMON: (Off camera, but clearly audible) So I should stop that then?

KAYLEE: (Off camera, pleading) Oh no, please don't.

WASH: Oh.

JENNY: (Amused) I see she's in good hands.

MAL: So to speak. Things seemed to be progressin’ rapidly, so I suggested they find a more appropriate place, which I am thinkin’ will be Kaylee's bunk. I think Simon understood me, though he was more ‘n a little preoccupied. So we might all want to clear out of the dining room to give ‘em some space.

Mal reaches for a cookie and takes a bite. He makes a face and puts it back on the plate. They head back into the dining room where Jenny packs her notes, then down the stairs to the passenger dorm, Wash and Mal carrying Jenny down the stairs.

WASH: You really think it'll get that far? This is Simon we're taking about here. (He gives Mal an “are you okay with this?” look. Mal ignores it.)

JENNY: I'm surprised it didn't happen a long time ago. Simon never lacked female companionship when I knew him.

WASH: Simon? Our Simon? He's freely admitted he's lousy at talking to girls.

JENNY: (Smiling and wiggling her eyebrows) That’s probably because he didn't need to. They talked to him.

ENGINE ROOM

Simon has leaned back into the hammock, but is still mostly upright. His shirt is on the floor, and Kaylee's is completely undone. She is basically on top of him and their kissing is passionate. Her hip grind has become more intense and he is responding, his hands on her hips, pulling her lower body down against him. She pushes up off him, hands on his chest, bliss and desire on both their faces. Still straddling him, she smiles seductively and reaches down to the top button of his pants. His hand comes off her hip and stops her.

KAYLEE: (Slightly confused) Huh? Hon, I thought....

SIMON: (Trying to concentrate) Oh no, I'm right here with you. I, well...Mal's right. The engine room is a little public. This hammock affords some interesting possibilities, but I guess I always pictured this, us, the first time, in a bed.

KAYLEE: (Teasing and no longer confused) Oh, so ya given this some thought then.

SIMON: (Coyly) Well, the idea seemed to merit careful consideration, so I'll admit I have devoted some time and, um, energy to imagining the possibilities.

KAYLEE: So where did you imagine us making love?

SIMON: Well, as my imagination is most active when I'm alone in my bunk, I always pictured it happening there.

KAYLEE: I guess I didn’t think you were the imagnin’ sort, Dr. Tam. Not very appropriate.

SIMON: (Laughing) Will you please let that go! Seriously Kaylee, I’m not Book. I didn’t take Holy Orders. Believe me, I’m a normal guy who thinks about the same stuff as, well... Jayne I guess. I just don’t talk about it at the dinner table.

They both laugh and he slides his hand down and tucks his fingers into the front of her pulled down coveralls, pulling her back toward him.

SIMON: However, right now I’m thinking my bunk is probably less than soundproof....

KAYLEE: (Sexy and seductive) Ummm, so you think I'm gonna make you scream, do ya.

SIMON: (Looking up at her with a mischievous smile) I am positively counting on it.

They go back to kissing, but Simon pushes her away gently after a moment with a look of mock concern.

SIMON: (Very playful, a naughty gleam in his eye – he’s loosened up considerably) But I’m being selfish. This isn't supposed to just be all about my fantasy of our first encounter. Have you given this any thought?

KAYLEE: (Starting out sexy and ending a bit puzzled) Yeah, but things are startin' out so different than I thought, that, well... it ain't like I expected it to be so the stuff I imagined ain’t... I thought you were, um, are you...?

SIMON: (Smiling and laughing) Oh, so you're wondering if I'm a virgin. Gee, I don't know, what do you think?

KAYLEE: (Embarrassed) Well, I thought you might be, but now...well, you know how to do stuff, where all the good spots are, and you seem really, I don't know, confident, so now I ain't so sure.

SIMON: (Coyly sexy, suggestive grin, running his hands over her body and making her shiver) I am a doctor, so I do know a thing or two about anatomy. Besides, you'd be surprised how much time rich, bored, unsupervised teenagers spend making out at parties. But as to the status of my virginity, I guess I'll let you figure that out for yourself.

Kaylee smiles and leans back into his arms.

KAYLEE: I’m thinkin’ I need to collect s’more data.

She kisses him deeply, running her hands all over him and giving him a good grind that makes him gasp. She speaks, her lips against his cheek.

KAYLEE: (Sexy laugh) We are just so pathetic.

SIMON: (Befuddled with desire and confused) Huh? Why?

KAYLEE: (Kissing his face and mouth between phrases) Spendin' every evenin’ together for months, getting soooo close, then goin' off to our separate bunks and, ya know, "imaginin'" each other before we go to sleep.

SIMON: (Filled with desire) Oh God, Kaylee. Have you any idea what it does to me to know you think about me while you’re in bed?

KAYLEE: (Mock innocent) No. Why don't you show me?

Simon pulls Kaylee to him kissing her hard, his hands everywhere. Pulling at her clothes he sits up and and leans her back into the hammock so her legs come up and wrap around him.

WASH AND ZOE’S BUNK

Wash and Zoë come down the ladder and go about getting ready for bed, talking about Jenny and Tom.

WASH: (Perturbed) If that liúmáng did anything to get Jenny into trouble I'll kill him myself.

ZOE: Honey, since when have you ever worried about her not being able to take care of herself, and why are you mad at him? I’m sure he didn’t plan this. He’s your best friend.

WASH: Which means I know he's not nearly good enough for my sister.

ZOE: Now you sound like the Captain.

WASH: Well now I know how Mal feels. Why couldn’t have stuck to investigating slavers and drug dealers. Why did he have to go after Blue Sun?

Zoë takes Wash in her arms and hugs him.

ZOE: Because he cares, just like you care. Jenny wouldn’t love him if he looked the other way. Just like I wouldn’t love you if you weren’t always trying to do the right thing.

The begin kissing and Zoë pushes Wash back onto the bed.

ENGINE ROOM:

Simon and Kaylee are tangled together in the hammock. They are still mostly dressed, but the disarray of their clothing suggests that hands have been in “inappropriate” places.

SIMON: (Breathing heavily into Kaylee's hair) Kaylee, please, let's go to your room.

Without taking their eyes from each other they untangle themselves from the hammock, hastily pulling on the few clothes they have shed.

HALL OUTSIDE KAYLEE’S BUNK

Simon takes Kaylee in his arms and looks into her eyes.

SIMON: (Suddenly serious, but smiling) I love you. I love you so much. If you want to stop now, while we can still go back, just tell me. It will be okay. We can go slowly if you want to.

KAYLEE: (Incredulous) You think I wanna stop now? Are you crazy?

SIMON: (Looking sheepish) No. It's just that with the blood flow restored to my brain I realized I'm not prepared for this, if you take my meaning. I guess when I packed to run away from my life I didn't count on finding someone I'd want to make love with.

KAYLEE: (Just as sheepish, but grinning) S’okay. When we started gettin' closer a coupla weeks ago Inara noticed and passed me some, um, supplies.

Simon smiles and smoothly opens the bunk door, gesturing for her to go first. Jayne, coming around the corner, sees them and is surprised, pained. They don’t see him.

KAYLEE’S BUNK

Simon takes the last two steps down the ladder and turns into Kaylee's arms; they kiss passionately as she leans back and seals the door. She steps back and unbuttons his shirt, kissing his neck and chest as she strips the shirt from him. He reaches out and begins to unsnap her shirt, but she stops him, holding up a finger and waving it back and forth

KAYLEE: Uh, uh, uh. It's my turn.

Kaylee begins kissing his chest, slowly working her way down, licking his nipples and nibbling, eliciting gasps from Simon. She continues kissing and licking her way slowly down his chest and stomach, pausing to tongue his belly button as she kneels in front of him, her fingers in the waist band of his pants. She looks up into his eyes as she unbuttons and unzips his pants with her teeth and fingers.

JENNY’S BUNK

Jenny is sitting on the bed with her notes spread out around her. River is sitting on the floor with a large computer tablet and several disks.

RIVER: This database is interesting. You can quantify culture, but you can't. So much to interpret. He loves you, you know...

JENNY: (Confused) What?

RIVER: Simon. He loves you. Not like he loves Kaylee. It’s different, but it was confusing him. Not anymore.

JENNY: I know, but it’s not something we talk about. Lots of students have little crushes on teachers, but he got over it a long time ago and we’re friends. Do you think you can get a handle on that data with just the numbers, or do you want to wait until I transcribe the notes?

RIVER: Numbers make sense. I'll run some graphs. He doesn't know you know.

JENNY: And he never will.

River looks up in the general direction of Kaylee’s bunk and shivers a little.

KAYLEE’S BUNK

Simon is pressed back against the ladder, naked, almost unable to stand.

SIMON: Uhhhh, wuh de tyen, ah, Kaylee.

Kaylee continues, carefully, judging his reactions.

SIMON: (Gasping and biting his lip, barely coherent) Stop…Stop, please. Not this way. Not the first time.

Kaylee leans back, smiling up at him. He looks into her eyes, his fingers along her cheek. He reaches down and pulls her up to him. He kisses Kaylee and scoops her up into his arms, and heads for the bed. He lays her gently on the bed and moves over her, kissing and undressing her. She rolls slightly, reaches into a small, decorative box beside her bed and pulls out the supplies Inara has so kindly given her.

PLATFORM BETWEEN SHUTTLES

Mal is standing, casually leaning his elbows on the railing, looking down into the empty cargo bay, and sipping the last of his beverage. Inara walks up and stands next to him. INARA: You are unusually quiet and contemplative this evening.

MAL: (Stealing a sideways glance at her) Life just takes some odd twists and turns is all. Jenny ‘n Tom, our solid citizens, in a peck of trouble. Me relyin’ on your clients for help. Seein’ Kaylee and Simon like that. (Shakes off the image)

INARA: Are you upset that Simon and Kaylee are together? You have made your views on shipboard romance quite clear, but you must have seen this coming.

MAL: Not upset, no. I figured it’d happen eventually. Just thought she’d be the one makin’ the moves. And I’m mor’n a little surprised it went from kissin' to undressin’ so quick. I always pegged the doc for the "long courtship" type.

INARA: (Wistful, not quite clear if she’s talking about Kaylee and Simon or Mal and herself) Love is quirky, Mal. Circumstances have been, well, difficult for them. Many false starts. I just hope they make each other happy.

River walks quietly up the steps to the platform and joins them unnoticed.

RIVER: (Smiling blissfully) They are.

Mal and Inara start and turn.

INARA: River, honey, Simon is...

RIVER: (Running right over her, serene) Happy. I can feel it. Before it was like being outside just before a thunderstorm, all crackly and electric. Now it is like the ocean, waves of happiness. No thinking, just feeling. It’s spilling out of her room and filling the whole ship.

They look at her incredulously. She drifts away. Mal and Inara look at one another, serious sexual tension.

MAL: (Voice slightly choked, but smiling) At least she's got herself an honorable man.

INARA: Serenity seems to attract them.

On this Inara turns and leaves. She brushes past him lightly, causing Mal to swallow hard.