A/N A shorter bit for the first half of part 8... looks like we may be taking a turn more serious as part 8 progresses... part b will be up as soon as I get it writ... many thanks to all of you who are still readin', and keepin' me inspired!

Go back and read the Other Parts: 1 2 3A 3B 4 5 6 7

Choices - Part 8 A by 2x2

Kaylee dashed up the stairs, her shoes clanking on the metal, and hurried into the cockpit where Zoe and Wash waited. “Cap’n ain’t in his bunk,” she said, looking worried.

“Zhòu mà,” swore Zoe.

“Do we know he came back last night?” asked Simon, trailing in after Kaylee , regarding the monitors in concern.

“Serenity says someone came home around eleven last night,” said Wash. “Everyone but Inara and the Captain were on board by then.”

“I’d still like to know why he left the ship in the first place,” grumbled Zoe, an edge of annoyance in her voice to hide her concern.

“Maybe ‘Nara knows?” suggested Kaylee. Zoe nodded, considering.

“Could be,” agreed Zoe if somewhat skeptically. “I’ll speak to her. Kaylee, go round up Jayne, tell him to be ready for trouble. Simon, I’d be right appreciative if you’d find the Shepherd as well.”

“Right,” said Kaylee, echoed by an “Of course,” from Simon, and the two hurried down out of the cockpit.

“Meanwhile, what do I say to our distinguished visitors?” asked Wash, indicating the four men visible on the vid screen.

“Stall ‘em,” said Zoe, just as he knew she would.

“…Right,” Wash groused under his breath. “And, how do I do that, exactly?”

**********

“Oh… that’s…ah, tian a… Mal!” moaned Inara as Mal’s tongue danced around her sex deftly, flicking her sensitive flesh with skillful strokes. He held her down as she arched into him amid their hastily removed clothes and the remnants of their breakfast, her hands grasping the satin of her sheets in tight fists as his mouth worked on her, tension thrumming through her body. Mal moved his fingers within her, curling them up at an angle she seemed to like, pleased with the discovery. She let out a low, keening sound and a hand moved to the back of his head, fingers twining through his hair as she held him in place, her breath coming in quick, staccato gasps as she approached the edge. Just a little more and--

Zoe’s voice suddenly filled the air with a loud crackle. “Inara, this is Zoe. Could you respond please?”

“Whuh?” Mal startled, jerking his head up at the sudden intrusion and wincing as his hair as torn from his scalp by Inara’s fingers. “Yeow!” he yelped, pulling his hands from her to sooth his wounded skin.

“Arrrghhh….” she groaned in frustration, feeling the tide of her impending orgasm ebb and recede at the loss of contact as Zoe’s voice filled the shuttle again.

“Inara? Can you respond?” Zoe asked from the cockpit, exchanging a questioning glance with her husband.

“Oh boy. I think you might’ve just given Inara a case of the ol’ coitus interruptus, and at a most inopportune time, from the sounds of things,” grinned Wash, looking at the vid screen with interest.

Zoe pressed her lips together, frowning in consternation. She considered closing the comm channel, but Inara suddenly appeared, her hair an untamed mess, a sheer dressing gown thrown hurriedly on.

“Yes, Zoe. How can I help you?” asked Inara breathless and seeming somewhat frazzled. She smiled far more pleasantly than she felt but realized some of her frustration must have come across as she saw the other woman straighten into a more professional stance.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had a client,” Zoe said apologetically.

“What? Oh, no, I… I don’t have—” she shut her mouth, not knowing what to say. She swallowed. “What can I do for you?”

Zoe blinked, thrown by the Companion’s unusual ruffled behavior. She cleared her throat. “I’m trying to find the Captain. Wonderin’ if you might’ve seen him last night?”

“Oh, uh…Last night? Um, one moment,” said Inara, unsure of how Mal wanted to play the situation. She turned to him and saw he was already standing, stuffing his pants into his boots, knowing Zoe wouldn’t have waved Inara in her shuttle if it weren’t important. He pulled his shirt on and began buttoning it rapidly as he moved to stand beside her in front of the screen. Inara held her breath as she waited for Zoe’s reaction to seeing Mal half dressed in her bed chamber, but the other woman barely blinked, taking in the situation with her usual calm efficiency.

Wash, however, was a little more vocal. “Hello! Now that is definitely not a client. Wo de ma, what exactly do you think he was doing when--” they heard Wash say suggestively from somewhere behind Zoe before the first mate turned away and snapped at him with a quick jerk of her head. She turned back, facing the screen again, her expression grave.

“Zoe, what’s the problem?” Mal asked, clearing his throat.

“Sir, we’ve got company outside. Lawmen, askin’ to see you.”

“Zhen dao mei. Alliance?” asked Mal, pulling his suspenders up hurriedly.

“Local,” said Zoe with a shake of her head.

“Well, at least that’s somethin’,” he muttered as he tucked his shirt in. “Any idea what they want?”

“’Fraid not, Sir.”

He sighed. “I’m on my way.” He flicked off the communicator and turned back to Inara. “Yí hàn—” he started but she shook her head with a wry smile.

“It’s all right. I’ll survive.” She turned and brought his gun belt to him, reaching around him to buckle it on. He watched her, amused and aroused at the same time and she smiled up at him from under her dark lashes, straightening his shirt collar and smoothing a hand down his chest. “Play nice,” she said, and he grinned, giving her a quick kiss that soon expanded into a longer one. Inara groaned in frustration again as she tasted herself on Mal’s lips, feeling the heavy need that still sat coiled in her belly and she cursed Zoe’s timing, only half in jest.

“Mmmmm. They can wait a little longer, can’t they?” Mal asked as their lips parted, sliding a suspender off his shoulder. He kissed her again and she seriously considered dragging him back into her bed, but at last she pushed herself away from him with great force of will, smiling wistfully.

“Go on, take care of this,” she whispered. “I’ll see you after, and we can pick up where you left off,” she said meaningfully. He grinned and gave her another kiss, this one quick and sweet. “’As quick as I can,” he said and then backed out of the shuttle, pulling his suspender back up as he turned and descended the stairs to the catwalk.

Kaylee slowed as she came down from the front hall, her eyes going wide as she saw the Captain leaving Inara’s shuttle. She hurried up to the hatch where the Companion was standing just inside, watching him leave. Kaylee’s mouth dropped open and she covered it with her hands in gleeful surprise as she saw her friend wearing nothing but her hastily thrown on robe of silk.

“’Nara??!” she said, her voice full of incredulous delight. Inara smiled, her eyes still on Mal as he reached Zoe down on the cargo bay floor below, and Kaylee let out a shriek. Inara’s smile grew wider as she flicked her gaze to the young mechanic, dropping her eyes as she felt a happy blush steal over her face. “Really!??” Kaylee squealed. Inara nodded, a laugh bubbling from her lips at the look of excited joy that effused the younger woman’s face.

On the cargo bay floor below, Mal glanced up at the sound and smiled, catching the knowing look on Zoe’s face as he dropped his gaze back to his surroundings.

“Sleep well last night, Sir?” she asked, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth as she fed two shells into her weapon.

Mal gave her a look and nodded. “Very well, thank-you Zoe,” he said, eyes twinkling. “What sleep I got, any rate,” he added, unable to keep the slow grin from spreading over his face.

Zoe smiled warmly. “I’m glad,” she said, giving him a firm nod of approval. Mal smiled back at her, grateful.

“So’m I,” he said.

They both turned as Jayne came hurrying toward them, weighed down under several large guns, ammo belts and other various weapons of destruction, huffing with the effort.

“I’m here, I’m here,” he panted, letting his gear slide down to the floor at their feet with a loud clank and taking Vera in hand. “What is it? What’s goin’ on?” he asked, breathing hard.

“Wo de ma he ta de feng kuang de wai sheng dou, what kind of a war you expectin’ to fight here, Jayne?” asked Mal with a smirk.

Jayne looked himself and his gear over, finding nothing amiss. “What? Kaylee said there’s trouble.”

“Well, that there is, of a sort. Zoe, what’re we walkin’ into?”

“Local Law. Four men, three of ‘em armed heavy. The other looks to be in charge.”

“What did you do to warrant theirattention?” Book asked, coming into the hold briskly, rolling his sleeves up as he walked. Mal turned to face him.

“That is what I aim to find out,” he replied a bit tetchily, feeling a reprimand within Book’s question. The man always had a way of making Mal feel as though he’d been found out at something he shouldn’t be doing, even when the Shepherd wasn’t trying. And considering what Mal had just been doing, today he felt it doubly. Book merely raised his eyebrows, neither backing down or accusing, and waited, at the ready. Mal shook his head and turned back, giving a nod to Zoe. She hit the switch that lowered the cargo ramp and moved to stand behind Mal at his right, Jayne taking up position to his left as the door began to open.

* * * * *

Chinese Translations: Zhòu mà = damn Zhen dao mei = just our luck yí hàn = /regret/pity/sorry Wo de ma = mother of jesus Tian a = god Wo de ma he ta de feng kuang de wai sheng dou = Holy mother of God and all her wacky nephews

Go to Part 8B