Inara waited on the Med Center’s landing platform with the grace of a rhino. She had alternated between pacing the length of the deck and biting her nails – she never bit her nails. But couple the return of Mal to her life with Kaylee’s illness and patience was something she had in short supply.

She wished the thought of seeing Mal again didn’t have this effect on her, but she had learned long ago that wishes rarely, if ever, came true.

She heard the distant pop and echo of a ship breaking through the upper atmosphere, and she turned toward the noise, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the rising sun. While it took a full five minutes for Serenity to come into view, she tracked it from the moment she looked to the sky. The ship was as familiar to her as any home, any city, any planet she had every visited and she could picture it just as clearly whether it was in or out of sight.

The rusty exterior looked slightly worse for wear as the firefly transport settled to the platform. Over the whine of the ship’s fading engines, she heard the clang of a door behind her and turned to see Doctor Bernard limp onto the platform. The man was older, easily pushing seventy, but his skill and wit didn’t suffer for it. He was a bent man, his spine having long ago lost the battle with gravity, but his features were alive and his eyes held a spark that Inara had always found mischievous and comforting. He came to stand beside her now in silence. She had already briefed him and he knew what to expect. Inara wished she did.

As the ramp lowered to the deck it was Mal, of course, who came striding down first, River following in his shadow as she was prone to do these days. The two of them had formed somewhat of symbiotic relationship, especially since Wash’s death. The added time the young girl spent on the bridge meant prolonged periods of close proximity to the captain, and Inara secretly wondered if anything Mal thought or felt was hidden from the psychic. She guessed it wasn’t something Mal liked to dwell on.

Followed close behind them were Jayne and Zoe caring the stretcher with Kaylee’s limp form. Simon walked right beside her, holding his red medical bag that had seen better days, and a clear fluid bag that was hooked into Kaylee’s arm through a tube, no doubt feeding her much needed nutrients and vitamins. From what the young doctor had said, Kaylee had been out for close to a week and the prolonged time increased the chance of dehydration and malnutrition.

Just as the group reached them, Dr. Bernard stepped forward and hastened back to the entryway. “Follow me,” he instructed calmly and moving with a speed that belied his age, he led them all inside the facility. It was an older med center, not completely up-to-date with all the latest technologies, but far better equipped and cleaner than Serenity’s infirmary. It would do.

Inara and Mal fell into step beside each other, and walked quickly behind Kaylee’s stretcher. Throwing a sideways glance in Mal’s direction, Inara caught a flicker of a gaze from the captain and then just as quickly it was gone. Blushing slightly at being caught in the act, Inara refocused her gaze fully forward and tried not to react as Mal’s hand accidentally brushed against hers every few steps.

Once they had arrived at the main examination room, Doctor Bernard ushered Zoe and Jayne inside. Everyone else tried to follow, but the doctor held up a hand. “I’m sorry, but it’s going to be awfully crowded in there if you all come along.” He paused as Zoe and Jayne exited the room and joined the others. “Now, please head down to the lounge at the end of the hall. I’ve had the staff lay out some food and drink for you. You should make yourselves as comfortable as possible. If you’d like to be shown your accommodations, Inara can direct you.”

Turning to leave, Simon stopped his colleague. “Doctor, I’m Kaylee’s doctor, Simon Tam. I’d like to come in with you while you examine her. I may be able to provide some insight.” The older doctor eyed Simon for a moment and obviously saw more there than bedside manner. But whether he thought it good or bad, he welcomed the help, “Of course, Dr. Tam.”

With that the two men shut the doors, leaving the others to stand uncomfortable and concerned in the middle of the wide hallway. After a few minutes of strained silence, Jayne looked up and down and started heading in the direction the doctor had mentioned. “Well, no use standing here,” he muttered, walking away. “Might as well get some grub.”

***

Mal had tried to sit with the others and eat. He had managed to choke down half of some sort of stew and get a few glasses of juice in him, enjoying, however fleetingly, two luxuries that had been sorely lacking on Serenity – fresh fruit and solid food – but his overwhelming concern for Kaylee made it impossible for him to socialize.

He wandered back toward the examine room and watched through a porthole-sized window in the door as the two doctors worked in tandem, circling Kaylee’s form with instruments and tools, consulting screens and charts, trying desperately to figure out what was wrong with her. Still restless, Mal headed back to the landing pad and stepped out into Persephone’s fresh night air. Hard to believe it had been over eight hours since they’d set down. It seemed like longer and shorter all at once.

Walking toward the edge of the platform, he sat on an empty storage crate and gazed into the night sky. Persephone was almost in the heart of the core and therefore its sky was filled with thousands of millions of constellations. But a prime location meant prime real estate and so the lights of even the smallest city all contributed to the masking of Persephone’s stars. But Mal just stared into the haze, trying to picture the patterns he knew.

He didn’t hear the door whisper open and he didn’t know how long she had stood there, watching him watch the empty sky. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Inara’s soft voice startled him something fierce. Trying not to hyperventilate, Mal turned to look at her and a sheepish grin crossed his features. “Jeez, Inara, you could scare a man half to death, sneaking out here like that.”

Smiling her own sheepish grin, she took a few steps forward and said, “My apologies. I had no idea the great Captain Reynolds could be so easily startled.”

Mal thought about replying with a witty retort, but truth be told, he was tired of that phase of their relationship. He had missed Inara since she had left and he didn’t want to fall into their old pattern, at least not so easily.

“Look, ‘nara,” he started, rising to stand in front of her.

Raising a hand, she refused to let him continue. “I know this wasn’t your idea. I figured that out the moment Simon called me. It’s fine, Mal. You know I’d do anything for Kaylee,” she told him, her gaze drifting over his shoulder. “I love that girl.”

“You and me both,” Mal whispered, turning to follow her distant look. Just past the horizon, he could make out a brighter bank of lights – a city. “Is that New Athens?”

“Yes,” she answered. “That’s where my apartment is. It’s really quite lovely.”

Mal turned back to face her, recognizing the strain in her voice. “Is it,” he studied her carefully, trying to determine how much he could push. Finally, he asked, “So you’re liking your new home then?”

She smiled thinly. “Yes, of course. The restaurants are wonderful, the museums breathtaking and I have a steady stream of respectable clients. What’s not to love?” Her flip tone belied her unease. Something about this place was not sitting right with her.

“Inara, come on,” Mal said, taking a step closer. “It’s me, remember; Mal? The guy who can take you from fine to furious in 2.8 seconds. Who do you think you’re foolin’?”

She studied him for a moment trying to look shocked at his assessment, but very quickly gave up. “Fine,” she told him, sighing and sitting on the crate he had found. “I hate it. Are you happy?”

Mal came to sit beside her and thought for a moment how best to answer the question. Finally, he said quietly. “No, Inara, I’m not.”

Inara glanced to him sideways and caught him looking at her as well. But unlike this afternoon, Mal did not look away when their eyes met. Reaching out a hand, he brushed some of her dark curls behind her ear and let his hand rest a moment on her cheek. She closed her eyes at the touch, reveling for just a moment in the feeling it evoked. God help her, and him, if he was just toying with her emotions.

“I am definitely not happy,” he whispered, inching closer until she could feel his warm breath on her face. She opened her eyes and could only see his lips, could only hear his breathing and could only feel the heat of his hand on her cheek, of his mouth just an inch away.

Giving in, Inara crossed the minute distance between them and pressed her mouth to his, pushing any reservations from her mind. He slid his hand down from her cheek to the back of her neck and kissed her hard, bringing his other hand around to capture her in an embrace. She let him pull her close and kept kissing him, only caring that it felt good and it felt right.

When they both pulled away, they leaned into each other, letting their foreheads touch, unable to give up all contact. “Mal, I—” She tried to say something, something coherent that would let him know this was what she had wanted, from day one, from their first meeting. But she couldn’t form the words and he wouldn’t let her say them anyway.

“Shh, don’t,” Mal admonished, raising a finger and pressing it to her lips. “Let’s not ruin this with talkin’, all right?”

She smirked at him and wrapped her arms around him, shivering in the cold night air despite herself. He felt the shudder and pulled her close, and they were kissing again and everything else, the rest of the world, the rest of the ‘verse just went away – for them both.

***

Simon waited impatiently for his most recent test to finish. He watched the screen intently, hoping his will to get the results as quickly as possible would spur the equipment to work faster than it was capable. Of course, it didn’t.

Simon was beginning to lose hope. He had been slowly spiraling into despair the last few days on Serenity as Kaylee’s condition didn’t improve. Now, on Persephone, with another more experienced doctor and access to some of the best medical technology around, he knew almost exactly as much as he had on board the ship. And that was not good.

The instrument on the console finally beeped, signaling it was done and Simon quickly analyzed the data. Skimming the report, his heart sank again, this time to his toes. Glancing across the room to Kaylee’s motionless form, he’d had about all he could take.

“Gorramit,” he yelled, knocking a tray of instruments to the floor and causing a loud clatter of metal on tile. Turning in a rage, he found more he could knock over and he did with a vengeance, taking a cue from River’s first few months on the ship, when she had been prone to sudden and violent outbursts. He didn’t care about the noise or the mess or the inconsiderateness of destroying an examine room donated out of the kindness of friends. The only two people he cared about in the ‘verse were in this building and one of them was lying not three feet away from him, dying. It was more than he could handle.

“Are you finished?”

Simon stood in the middle of his mess, panting heavily with exertion and pent-up rage. Turning to face the wizened doctor, he saw the older man standing calmly and regarding him with the look of a disapproving advisor.

“There’s nothing,” Simon told him coldly. Picking up the latest results, he thrust them in the man’s face. “Nothing again. We’ve got nothing.” His voice had risen in volume again and started to crack and Simon wiped his face fiercely to keep the tears away.

“I can see that, son, but how exactly do you think tearing up my infirmary and breaking my equipment is going to help us get anything,” the older doctor asked, setting down the results and resuming his look of disapproval.

Simon knew the man was right and that he had behaved inappropriately and it only made him feel worse. Sinking onto a stool beside him, Simon let his head fall into his hands. After a few deep breaths, he finally looked back up and said, “Doctor Bernard, I’m sorry for my behavior. But –” he broke off as he looked past the doctor to again focus on Kaylee. “I can’t fail her,” he whispered, never letting his eyes leave her form. “I love her.”

Doctor Bernard didn’t say anything and Simon was grateful for that. He had never admitted out loud to anyone his feelings for Kaylee. The last thing he could take at the moment was chiding or criticism.

Walking toward him, Doctor Bernard placed a gentle hand on Simon’s shoulder and said, “Son, you haven’t failed her yet, and you’re not going to. There is something medically wrong with that girl and we will find it. But first you need some food and some sleep.”

Simon looked up at him in alarm, ready to protest. He stood quickly, too quickly; he swayed for a moment on his feet, waiting for the dizziness to pass. “See, you just proved my point,” the doctor said good-naturedly. Taking Simon by the elbow, he steered him toward the door. “Go get some food and get some rest. If you are back in this room in less than four hours, I’ll just make you leave again.”

Simon was in the hallway, fighting to stay with Kaylee. “But I really think—”

“Don’t test me boy,” the doctor warned. Looking past Simon’s shoulder, he gestured someone forward. Turning slightly, Simon should not have been surprised to see his sister there.

“Young lady, this man is your brother, correct,” the doctor asked.

“Yes, my older brother. He takes care of me. He takes care of everyone,” River said proudly, linking her arm through Simon’s.

Smiling kindly, Bernard muttered, “Yes, I can see that. Well, now we need to take care of him. I want you to see that he eats and sleeps. Can you do that for me?”

“Sure,” River said brightly, immediately steering Simon toward the lounge. “Come on, Simon. You have to keep up your strength. They have fresh cammaberries,” she finished in a whisper.

Simon was still very unhappy with this new arrangement, but he could see by the determined look on the doctor’s face, he wasn’t going to win the fight. “You’ll let me know if there’s any change?”

Nodding, the doctor called, “Just get some sleep boy. You’ll be more use to me once you’ve rested.”

Simon watched Bernard turn back into the room and let his sister drag him further away from the love of his life – his love who might be dying.

***

The console in the sheriff’s office beeped twice, indicating an incoming call. While Marshall should have been excited at the prospect of a little crime in his sleepy ‘burg, he really just felt annoyed. He’d been in the middle of a perfectly good nap.

Rubbing his eyes, he flicked on the comm screen and said, “Sheriff Marshall here. Go ahead.”

“Marsh, you bastard, how’ve you been?”

The voice that greeted him took him completely by surprise. Blinking quickly to bring his eyes into focus, Marshall stared hard at the screen. “{Well I’ll be the son of a monkey,} Marcus, what in the ‘verse are you doing callin’ me?”

“Well, Marsh, it just so happens I know of some criminals in your nice little town and they come with a hefty reward.” Marcus flipped a switch off-camera and abruptly his image was replaced with that of an Alliance issued arrest warrant. Seeing the reward amount flashing on the screen got the local sheriff’s full attention.

“Tell me more.”