AN: This is my first Firefly fic, not to mention K/S fic. This is the first place I'm posting it, I really hope you guys like it.

*** Thousand Pretty Dresses ***

Inara was just stopping by the engine room to say bye to Kaylee. It was time for her yearly check-up as a companion and Wash had told her they were touching down at Ariel in less than an hour. Surprised to say the least, she found the young mechanic on her stomach on the cold metal floor, drying off what looked to be some of todays breakfast in reverse from the corner of her mouth.

Worry washed over her as she bent down putting Kaylees head in her lap. Her dress be damned, Kaylee was more important than even the finest silk in the 'verse. Before either of them could react the last remains of breakfast found its way to Inaras lap. As a shock to her previous action Kaylees eyes started to tear up.

- I'm so sorry, 'Nara, she sobbed. - I ruined your pretty dress...

- Shh mèimei, Inara whispered. - It's allright, I've got plenty.

Kaylee felt her friends hand search her forhead.

- I can't feel any fever, Inara muttered.

- Don' think I'm sick, the girl answered and sighed. - Think it's somethin' way different.

That called for a gasp from the companion. When she managed to gather her thoughts, she had one question on her mind.

- Who? Surely the doctor haven't.., she rambled and paused as Kaylees eyes said it all. - When? And why didn't you tell me sooner? You usually come to me when something significant happens or don't happen with him. Why'd you keep this so close at heart? It's not like you.

- T'was when we were doing the mudder job, we was celebrating in the bar an' all, bit tipsy... or full blown drunk we were. Simon tol' me I was pretty with those cute boyish eyes of 'is an' then stuff started happenin'

- In public even, the companion said, grinning.

She was well aware of Kaylees lack of shyness, in one of those days back when she had been new on the ship the two of them had gotten to know each other over a bottle of sake. Kaylee would have needed none to tell, but even with her profession she had, Inara was a bit less sharing with new people that weren't her clients. But the conversation had started to lean to the topic of sex, she didn't remember who had asked first, but Kaylee had ended up telling her the story on how she first had come on Serenity. Since that night they had been closer than anyone else on the ship, sharing pretty much everything, so on Kaylees side she wasn't surprised about her adventure being public, but having gotten to know the doctor she simply couldn't picture him doing a thing like that.

- An' we fell asleep all snuggled up, next thing we knew the captain was wakin' us and Simon started ramblin'. Didn' even remember us doing anything.

- Did you tell him?

- Tried to let it slip casually, but he jus' sounded so shocked I let him think I was jokin'.

- You got to tell him, especially if you want to check if this is what you think it is.

- I can't do that, what am I gonna say, you don' remember this, but we had sex some weeks ago and now I might be pregnant?

- The Kaylee I know wouldn't never have a problem speaking her mind.

- She didn' hear 'im say "I would never, not with Kaylee... never with Kaylee".

- I'm sure he didn't mean it like that. But if you don't wanna go to him, you could always see a doctor at Ariel. There's a really nice facility there, or you could get a test.

- Don' have the credits for it.

- Then I'll tell you what. Focus on tuning whatever on Serenity that needs tuning, have some tea to calm your stomach, I have a really nice herbal one that'll do you good. When I come back I'll have a test with me. You can come to my shuttle and take it there.

She leaned over and pressed a kiss on the mechanic's temple.

- I got to go now, we're almost there and I can't go to my appointment with this dress.

- Still very sorry 'bout that, Kaylee muttered.

- Don't be, you're worth way more than a thousand pretty dresses. And don't you forget that.

Before she turned to leave she received one of Kaylees well known light-up-the-room smiles.