Kaylee sat on the couch in the common area, legs draped across the cushions and reading an old leather-bound book the Shepherd had loaned her. She'd given up on the words - much too flowery and prosaic for her tastes - and focused on the pictures that showed up every few pages.

She thought she'd gotten a pretty good grasp on the story when Simon showed up. She lifted her feet and he sat, letting her put them on his lap. "Good book?"

"I'm just readin' the sex parts," she said, idly flipping to the next page.

Simon's face seemed to elongate, his eyebrows reaching for his hair and his jaw sliding lower and lower towards his shirt collar. But all he said was, "Ah."

Kaylee snickered and said, "I'm just looking at the pictures."

"There are pictures?" he asked.

She turned the book and showed him the latest one; a man was standing by a stream, looking into the distance with a concerned look on his face. Behind him, a horse stood on its last legs, looking more like the idea of a horse than an actual animal. "Looks sad."

"Shepherd says it's an allegory."

"I suppose he would know..."

Kaylee turned to the next page, jumping as the sound of shouting voices suddenly reached their cozy nook.

"I ain't saying you haveta stick to your shuttle..."

"Well, it sure sounds as if I am not welcome in the dining area."

"Everyone on this boat is welcome to--"

Mal and Inara's argument reached them before the actual people did. Inara led the way down the catwalk, studiously ignoring the man chasing after her. "Then why must I abandon to my quarters just because--"

"You're stinkin' the place up!" Mal snapped, following her without a pause. "Whatever fruity potion you got on ya is making the entire place smell less than inviting to the rest of the crew. So when you're in a get-up to meet a client or whatever you call 'em..."

"There are thousands of ships that would eagerly pay me to take up residence, give them the respectability you don't even realize you have!"

"Respectability?! If that's what respectability smells like, I want nothing of it!"

The last of their argument faded as they got farther and farther away.

"Lao-tyen," Kaylee sighed, shaking her head. "If it ain't one thing, it's another."

"If it's not one thing, they invent something," Simon corrected.

"Why do you suppose they're always screamin' and yellin' at each other like that?" Kaylee asked. "It's a ruckus and it ain't doin' no one a bit of good."

Simon sighed. "Some people just can't show emotion."

"Hear that?" Kaylee asked, pointing up. "Echoin' off the walls and ceiling? That's emotion. Loud, grating, non-stop emotion."

Simon smiled. "That kind of emotion they understand. Fighting. They don't understand..."

"What?" Kaylee asked, smiling herself now.

"Love. Some people have a hard time expressing love."

Kaylee looked down at where Simon's hand was resting on her bare ankle and smiled. "Some people, huh?"

"Yes," Simon said, making a very strong effort not to look her in the eye.

She grinned brightly and looked back at her book. Under her voice, she said, "Least we don't go screamin' 'round the ship at each other..."

Simon snickered.