AN: It's been ages since last I wrote new chapters of fics so quickly. Your comments really keeps my spirit up!

*** Examination ***

Simon was rummaging through the infirmary, trying not to make it look as he was just keeping himself busy. He had half-circles under his eyes from staying up the whole night, going through the aspect of emotions from letting the news completely sink in. He was very nervous about seeing Kaylee today.

It was always tricky to find the right things to say. If his heart could speak its business, he knew he would have had no troubles, but his head, when it came to girls, particulary this girl, there was enough confusion to compete with Rivers head at times. When he saw her, would it be allright to kiss her? Was kissing her yesterday allright by her? Did she believe his actions yesterday were about the baby and not her? Would the captain throw him into an airlock for getting his mechanic pregnant?

The last part for some reason didn't scare him as much as the others. He believed it to be a possible punishment, but he was more worried about where he and Kaylee were. Mal could do whatever he wanted and falling out with Kaylee would still scare him more.

He was so deep in thought and inner rambling that he jumped at seeing Kaylee observing him from the doorway.

- Hey, he said, approaching her. - You feeling allright?

She was smiling, something that wasn't a rarity in her case, but it still made his head spin. He was right by her, his eyes was peering into hers. He was drowning in those eyes. And it felt like the most natural thing in the 'verse to lean in for a kiss, so he did. She tasted like strawberries. He knew very well there hadn't been any of those on board for a very long time, but she still tasted like strawberries. He heard himself sigh as they parted, which made him blush.

- I.. ah... um... I'd like to examine you.

- Examine me, Kaylee asked, letting out a giggle.

- The baby.... to see if.... you're teasing me, aren't you?

- A little bit, she admitted.

She had been nervous coming to see him, but that kiss had reassured her that things were going well. She hoped up and laid down on the examination table. Simon was trying to calculate how far along she had to be.

- This, he said, placing his hand on her stomach. - This happened in Canton, right? I mean, I don't remember much, but I just want to make sure I... ah... haven't... courted you at an other time as well...

- Courted me...?

She couldn't help, but let out a laugh. She felt a bit bad doing it, but he had been on this boat for months and she still couldn't get used to all those fancy words he used. She was afraid she maybe had offended him for the first time, but he soon joined her in the laughter.

- I know, I am problematic with words, I'm sure if I had said it in my old world I would have gotten laughed at as well...

- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh.., Kaylee said, finally being able to calm down. - But yeah, that's pretty much when it happened.

- So that'll make it two months now, if I'm not calculating wrongly.

Kaylee fell silent, thinking back. When she had discovered her pregnancy she had been four, almost five weeks along. Then two weeks later she'd been sick...

- Almost nine weeks, she concluded.

Simon grinned like a lovesick schoolboy. When he had been in his bunk after tucking her in, he had been terrified. Of how a tiny, innocent baby would depend on him, when he felt he couldn't properly take care of his almost adult sister. Of how his being a wanted fugitive most likely would put Kaylee and the baby in danger. But whenever he was near her, those fears turned into excitement.

- Allright, if I can just feel your stomach, see if everything's in order.

- You can know that? From just feeling?

- You are being examined by one of the best doctors from Capitol city.

Kaylee smiled and unbuttoned her overall. Simon folded the overall down and pulled her shirt up, leaving a natural curvy stomach. It would be another month before her pregnancy would show, now what he was seeing was Kaylee's normal tummy. And it was perfect, womanly curved, natural, like the woman it belonged to. He pressed his hands gently down. Everything felt like it was supposed to be. He hadn't much experience with examining pregnant women, bue he knew enough to get around. He softly stroked her tummy and Kaylee started giggling.

- What, he asked.

- That tickles...

He bent down, took her face in his hands and kissed her. Her hands immediatly went up to his shirt to pull him closer. After a couple of minutes, her neck started to hurt, so she let go of his shirt, to push herself up to a sitting position. Her hands returned to his shirt and started unbuttoning it. He gave a throaty sound and deepened the kiss even further. He started kissing the end of her mouth and further down her chin, before he found a sweet spot on her neck. Kaylee sighed as he hit it right on, and it took her a couple of minutes to notice the captain standing in the doorway, his brows risen. She yelped and Simon lost contact with her throat.

The two sprung appart quickly before Simon even detected that his shirt was halfway unbuttoned and started buttoning it. Kaylee was quickly closing the straps over her overall, she was deep red, almost matching Simons blush.

- Is there something wrong with your bunks...?

Simon let his stare drop to the floor. He felt like a teenager caught by one of his parents, not that this wasn't a close situation. The captain was the authority figure on the ship, but neither him or Kaylee were exactly teenagers. They were adults and shouldn't need to answer to him. Yet he just couldn't get himself to meet the captains stare or answer his very simple question.

- I think I hear Serenity calling, Kaylee muttered, hurrying past Mal.

She hadn't meant to leave Simon to fend for himself, but she shock of seeing the captain at the entrance had made her feel queasy and she needed to hurry to not throw up on the floor, especially not in front of the captain who yet wasn't aware of her situation. The Captain and Simon was now alone in the room.

- You hurt that girl, you and me'll be havin' a talk, Mal said, narrowing his eyes at Simon.

- I... ah.. um... I'd never intentionally hurt Kaylee, Simon started.

He felt like an idiot, stuttering like mad. He really felt intimidated by the older man, who regarded the mechanic as his little sister. When he tried picturing what he'd do to a guy if he caught him kissing River, he felt even more vary.

- I care for Kaylee, love her even, Simon continued. - Trust me when I say I wouldn't dream of hurting her. Especially not now.

He bit his lip, when he heard himself saying it. This was not how he wanted the captain to know. First off he wanted whitnesses to asure that he would actually live to see his baby. But if the captain asked what he meant, he would have no other reply. Mal's eyes narrowed at him.

- What'd you mean 'specially not now?

- Kaylee's pregnant, Simon croaked.

- Suo-yo duh doh dhr-dang, Mal groaned. - See... this is why I don' like shipboard romances...