A/T: Disclaim a whole lot. I didn't come up with these characters and I am not making any money from them or this story. A/N: *Edited to change St. Albans to Newhall since it justslipped right by me that St. Albans was an ice planet.

"Sweetie, don't get upset. It just takes a little patience, and...creativity on your part." Inara reached her arm to circle around Kaylee's shoulders and pull her close as they walked out of Inara's shuttle.

Kaylee sighed, "I know, Nara, I just get so tired of doin' all the work."

"Well, maybe we can find you something pretty in Newhall. A little shopping to get your mind off of the whole thing." Inara flashed a bright smile and Kaylee couldn't help but smile broadly right back. Kaylee and Inara made their way down the catwalk and toward the kitchen.

Most everyone was already settled in their seats passing around the food. Mal at the head of the table as always, looked up at them as they entered and grinned. "Well, ladies, glad you decided to join us. Not up to any mischief I hope." Kaylee grinned at the captain, "No, cap'n, just havin' a little girl talk." Jayne grunted and dove into his food barely looking at anyone. Simon looked at Jayne with distaste and then looked over at River who was on his right. "How are you doing, River?"

Today hadn't been the best of days for River. Most days she was quite enough and only spouted her disjointed vernacular in small doses, but today she seemed to rant every few minutes. "It's not associated. Parts can be parts…and whole can be whole…the whole can’t sustain without the parts…need bonding agent..” She continued to mutter inaudibly, rocking slightly back and forth, seeming to use her fingers for reference. Simon stroked the back of her head and sighed, and Mal eyed River carefully.

“How is she, son?” Shepherd Book asked of Simon, his voice laced with concern. “I’ve given her what I can today. She doesn’t seem to be responding to any of the medications I’ve tried. I had thought she was becoming more lucid, but-” At that point Jayne belched loudly and Simon turned and glared at him as he opened his mouth to speak. “Jayne,” Mal interrupted, “best be getting the gear ready. Mule won’t run ‘less it’s prepped.” Mal stood from the table and took his plate over to the sink. “Zoe, you go ahead and contact Thayer. Tell him we won’t be long and to have that merchandise ready. Wash, you get this bird landed somewhere outta the way.” “You think we’re gonna have trouble?” Wash asked, already knowing the answer. “I just got me a notion to not stick out is all.” Mal turned and left the dining room. As everyone else started to disperse, Kaylee asked Simon, “Simon, weren’t you hungry, you didn’t even touch your lunch?” “Oh, “ he said as if he hadn’t even noticed it was a meal time, “Um, I’ve just been preoccupied with River today.” “If you want I can save you a little something, case you do get hungry.” Kaylee’s voice was full and hopeful, wanting to help Simon. “No, thank you.” Simon said as he quickly walked away to follow River out of the room. Inara touched Kaylee’s shoulder as walked by, and when she reached the door she turned around and with a little glint in her eye said, “How about we work on that creativity.” Kaylee cocked her head to the side and raised one eyebrow. “Whatcha got in mind?”

**********

Jayne, Zoe and Mal were in the cargo bay loading up the mule with various supplies and River stared down at them from the catwalk. “Girls givin’ me all kindsa willies Mal. I’m thinking we outta look to fixin’ that, ‘fore she gets it in the wacked up brain o hers to do some damage.” Jayne punctuated his sentence by slamming shut the rear hatch of the mule. Mal looked at Jayne and then at River. And then out of the corner of his eye he saw Inara and…Kaylee? come out of her shuttle. Inara, as always, looked stunning but Kaylee, well, Kaylee was dressed up her own self. She was wearing one of Inara’s dresses, it was a pale pink, but it was far from the dress she had worn on Persephone. It clung to her body in all the right places and flared out in all the others. It looked to be made of a very fine silk. Inara had curled her hair and swept it up into a very attractive bun, letting a few tendrils fall free. Kaylee had even managed to not only be grease free, but she was wearing makeup. “Well, now.” Mal said and raised his eyebrows. At his staring Jayne and Zoe looked up at the women as they walked down the stairs. Zoe smiled and Jayne leaned into Mal, “Definitely ain’t no sheep.” Mal walked over to them as they met the cargo bay floor. He crossed his arms and cocked his head. “Now who is this Inara, and where is lil’ Kaylee?” Mal couldn’t fight the grin that spread over his face. Kaylee smiled from ear to ear, “Whaddya think, cap’n? Ain’t it just the purdiest dress?” She twirled a little and did a little curtsy. “Dress is fine enough lil’ one, but I don’t think it’s the dress folks’ll be lookin’ at.” Kaylee ducked her head and blushed deeply. “What you wearn’ something like that for?” Jayne asked confounded. “S’just Newhall.” “Nara says a lady don’t need an occasion to look pretty.” Kaylee huffed and poked out her chin. “Well you certainly look beautiful Kaylee.” Zoe wasn’t one for compliments, but the look on Kaylee’s face would have made her say again in a heartbeat. “What do you two ladies plan on doin’ in such pretty fits?” Mal had a hint of skeptism in his voice. “Just a small shopping trip, Mal. Nothing to worry over.” Inara lightly guided Kaylee around them and towards the cargo bay doors. “Oh, Nara, I forgot to check the port press regulator! It’ll just take a minute.” Kaylee moved out of Inara’s grasp and started to climb the stairs rapidly, looking a little awkward in her lavish dress. “Be…careful, Kaylee.” Inara yelled up to her. Her words falling on deaf ears. As Kaylee rounded the corner River watched where she had just been and smiled.

*********

Simon had been looking for Kaylee. She hadn’t been in the engine room or anywhere else he had looked for her for the past hour. He had intended on asking her if she would mind watching River while he went into town for some medical supplies. Knowing that she couldn’t stay out of the engine room for long, Simon went to check again and when he reached the door to the engine room what he saw made his jaw drop. Kaylee was there standing on her tiptoes fiddling with some controls high up on the ceiling. His eyebrows shot up of their own accord and he stared up and down the length of her. She was wearing a very fitted dress and her hair and her eyes and her…with the…and…wow. Simon shook his head and blinked rapidly walking towards her. He reached out his hand to touch her shoulder but she quickly moved from him and hefted up her skirt so she could squat down and mess with the controls. Simon’s eyes widened unbelievably big and his eyes practically glued to her bare legs where she had moved her dress up. He stood frozen in place unable to move or have any clear thought process whatsoever.

*********

In her haste to not keep Inara waiting, Kaylee fumbled with the controls, making sure that everything was set as it was supposed to be. Sure is a pretty dress, but I wouldn’t mind a little breathing room. As she stood and turned quickly she smacked head on into Simon. Simon stumbled back and caught himself on the engine. “Ow.” Kaylee said matter of factly. “Uh…um...I was just…I wanted….I wanted to see what you were up to.” Simon said lamely. Kaylee tried not to laugh at his obvious discomfort. “Oh. Inara and me are going shoppin’.” Simon cleared his throat and tried to regain some semblance of propriety. Without thinking he said, “And you need to look like that to go shopping?” “Like THAT?” Kaylee’s face contorted in confusion and then anger. “What do you mean like that?” She crossed her arms in front of her and looked up at him expectantly with her lips pursed together. “That not what I…I wasn’t trying to say…what I mean to say is-” “Let me stop you there, Simon. If you don’t like the way I look that’s fine, but at least keep it to yourself.” She pushed past him and left the engine room quickly. Simon’s face scrunched up in confusion and his mouth lay gaping open. He thought to himself, I am just not good at this. He moved his thumb and forefinger to pinch the bridge of his nose and then ran his hand through his hair.. Not good at all.

**********

Kaylee made it down to the cargo bay in record time. “Mei Mei what’s wrong?” Inara asked worried about her. Kaylee upset was not something Inara liked to see. Kaylee shook her head and tried to smile. “I don’t wanna talk about it. Can we go now, please.” Inara eyed her warily and said “Are you sure, honey? You don’t look like-” “No, I’m shiny Inara. Let’s go. After all, I got all dressed up.” Inara could tell that the last sentence was said with not-so-well concealed sadness. She knew it wouldn’t take long for Kaylee to tell her everything, she just had to wait for Kaylee to be ready. Which in Kaylee’s emotional turnover rate would be in about five minutes. They made their way out of the cargo bay the same time that Mal climbed up into the mule with Jayne and Zoe. Jayne smiled and loaded his gun. “Let’s go get rich.” No sooner had the mule pulled out of the cargo bay than Wash walked up into the now empty room. “Where’d everybody go?”

Shepherd Book walked into the cargo bay slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Need anything in town? I should be able to pick up a few things after I drop off the post.” “No thanks, shepherd. I’m just going to sit here and pine for my wife.” Wash said with a huge smile on his face. Book nodded and walked past him, but he could have swore he heard Wash say “…would have been nice if she said goodbye…”

**********

River sat on the couch across from the infirmary with the most intent and far away look on her face. “River,” Simon called to her from inside the infirmary. “I think this one will help with the nausea.” “It’s cold…so cold. Taste of metal…metal and more…metal makes her nauseous. “River stood and walked into the infirmary.

**********

“Kaylee, sweetie, Simon just has trouble. He has so much to worry on.” Inara tried to console Kaylee as they walked through the shop full of wonderful fabrics and various odds and ends. “I know, Nara. S’just sometimes I feel like givin’ up is all.” Kaylee ran her fingers delicately across a lush dark green fabric. “This one sure is beautiful, ain’t it?” As Kaylee ran her fingers across the fabric Inara noticed the two men at the counter staring intently at Kaylee. “Sure is.” They meandered throughout the store for a little while longer and Kaylee noticed a store at the end of the block set back a ways that was more mechanically inclined. She looked at the store and then at Inara. Inara noticed her looking and smiled. “There’s another store that I’d like to go see. Why don’t you go have a look in that one?” Kaylee brightened and said, “Thanks Inara, I won’t be too long.” Inara headed for the store that was about three blocks in the opposite direction and Kaylee walked towards the store that was all full up of goodies. There was one salesman in the store and he was preoccupied with another customer so Kaylee was more than happy to peruse at her leisure. There were various parts of shapes and sizes littered across two large tables and there were parts hanging from the walls. Kaylee made a mental note to ask if he would deliver several parts to Serenity. Don’t wanna go messin’ up Nara’s pretty dress. After about three minutes a group of four or five men walked in, looking all manner of intimidating. Kaylee was used to big burley men, but this lot just screamed trouble. She looked to the salesman as he said, “Yeah, I’ve got that one round back, here I’ll show you.” The salesman and the customer walked out the back entrance to the store. Kaylee decided it would probably be best to go check on Inara. As she moved to leave the store two of the men blocked her path. “Well, what’s a pretty thing like you doin’ in this kinda ‘stablishment?” Kaylee tried to move around him, “Excuse me, please.” She was getting a little more than nervous. The biggest of the two moved aside and in a faux gallant manner outstretched his arm and bowed slightly to allow her to pass. As Kaylee exited the store she could hear the salesman around the side of the building. I got time to ask him now. Might as well. She moved around to the side of the building and she saw his back as he rounded towards the back of the building. She followed him quickly, but when she reached the back of the building no one was there. Kaylee scrunched up her face and turned to leave. As soon as she turned she saw the group of less than respectable men. She felt a lump rise in her throat. The largest one, who looked to be the leader, smiled in a way that sent shivers up her spine. “Got to thinking’ you might make some fine company.” Kaylee’s eyes widened in fear and she started to shake.

To be continued in the next installment. By all means, comment, comment, comment. I welcome any suggestions for editing, or plot bunnies…etc. Please.