One day. It had been one day and two hours since Simon had finally given Kaylee the sexin' she'd been waiting over eight months for.

Simon's gunshot wound, Zoe's knife laceration, and Jayne's bullet ricochet had all been patched up by the Alliance and given time to heal. Today they were finally taking off. As Simon and Kaylee put away the rations, supplies, and extra food the Operative had forced the Alliance to provide them, they went out of their way to make "accidental" contact with each other. He brushed his hand up against hers by purposely reaching for the same box she did, and she bumped into him several times just for the chance to make him wrap his arms around her to keep their balance.

"Gorramit you two," Jayne was scowling at them from his bowl of udon noodles. "Nobody really wants to see that shit, dong ma?" Kaylee giggled a bit as Jayne lumbered angrily out of the room toward the cargo bay.

"Maybe we should be a little less obvious before the captain gets back," Simon suggested, gently taking his arms out from around Kaylee's waist, but still smiling down at her as though he had every intention of not listening to his own advice.

"Cap'n don't care about that, Simon. He just wants Serenity back in the air. And since I've done every repair possible to her, she's gonna fly true. Alliance even got us all the spare parts we needed."

She pulled herself closer to him again, gently letting her hips sway and just whisper across his hips, making Simon take an unneeded, shaky breath. "And we've been kissin' in front of him for near a week now. I think he knows we've been leadin' up to gettin' all..." she paused and ground her hips more boldly against his, feeling him harden against her. "friendly with one another."

Simon had to shake his head a bit to clear the image of her lying under him in the engine room -skin damp with sweat, mouth letting out sweet and delicate moans as he pushed gently inside her- out of his mind. Everything about making love to her had been incredible. The only flaw had been when she rolled him over to take control for a second go, and Simon had let his head fall back just enough that he saw River looking down at them inquisitively. He had almost had a coronary at his little sister viewing his most intimate moments. He'd gotten dressed and had a long talk with her in her bedroom about privacy, and proper behavior between siblings in regards to their relationships.

Simon just smiled at Kaylee as he finished unloading the last box of rations and kitchen supplies. "I promise we'll get more 'friendly' as soon as we take off, which shouldn't be long."

"I'm gonna hold ya to that, Doctor Tam," Kaylee whispered gently in his ear. His smile turned into a suggestive grin, which Kaylee returned before smacking Simon's rear and running as fast as she could to the engine room before he could react.

As Simon shook his head and grabbed all the empty boxes to be put away in the storage closet for later use, River came to the dining space for a glass of water.

Over the last two weeks since Miranda, River had only had one panic attack, and even though she still spoke in riddles, she was perfectly fine. Simon had mentioned to Kaylee that even when River was young, she had spoken that way, it had just become more pronounced since her time at the Acadamy.

"Gonna fly today." She said. "Take Serenity high up in the air, till she soars."

"Yeah, I guess Mal is taking the pilot seat now." Simon shook his head a little sadly. He was really going to miss Wash.

"I'm going to help. Teach the captain how to fly." River closed her eyes and swayed a bit, letting herself feel like she was flying in the wind. Her eyes opened suddenly, a bright smile lighting her face. "Kaylee's waiting." River giggled and ran off to the bridge.

*****

Kaylee was in the engine room, making sure every bolt was tightened and that Serenity's air supply was flowing properly through the vents. Simon was watching her intently, a gentle smile on his face. She still hadn't noticed him, which was fine. He was content to just watch for a little while.

"Kaylee, you in the engine room?" Mal's voice came to life through the com next to Simon's head. Kaylee looked up and finally saw him. She smiled and walked over to the com, never taking her eyes from him.

"Yeah cap'n, everything's shiny in here, we're ready when you are." Simon wrapped his arms around her when she'd finished talking to Mal, and kissed her slowly, making her sigh and lean into him further.

"Good job lil' Kaylee, Just double checkin'. We should be ready for take off within the next 20 minutes, so sit tight, and let me know if there's any problems come up while we're gettin' off ground."

Kaylee gently lifted her lips from Simon's and pressed the com. "Shir ah, cap'n." Kaylee turned the com off so Mal didn't hear anything else as Kaylee tangled her fingers through Simon's hair and pulled his head down to hers with just enough force to let him know she was ready to take up his promise to get friendly during take off.

Simon kissed her back lovingly, letting his tongue gently dance through her lips to meet with her own. Kaylee made a soft moan and pulled him closer, making the kiss more intense, but still just as sweet and slow. She wanted him again. She had spent the night in her own bunk, while he stayed in his to watch over River a bit more, even though it had become obvious that River had almost completely regained her sanity.

Now Kaylee had Simon all to herself again, and she couldn't help the shiver that ran through her body as she thought of the last time they'd been alone in the engine room. She held him close, keeping one hand still woven in his dark hair, while the other slid around his neck.

"Baobei," Simon whispered against her lips. "Kaylee, we still haven't taken off."

"What's your point?" She murmured back, gently nipping his bottom lip after she spoke. She vaguely heard the sound of metal tearing outside behind the engine, but it didn't quite register. "I can't go another second without--"

"What was that?!" Mal's voice came through the com again, breaking the spell between Simon and Kaylee. "Kaylee, did another part just fly off my ship?" Kaylee got a very annoyed look on her face before answering.

"Uhm... I think it was a small piece off the rear hull cap'n. It didn't breech Serenity, and I think the part was more decorative than essential."

"Well, it better be. When we get off at Persephone, you're the one that's checkin her out, dong ma?"

"Sure thing, cap'n, and we have some spare money, if I can find a replacement part cheap enough, I'll get it 'kay?" She let the button on the com go so she could hear Mal, but he couldn't hear her. Then she slid her hand down the front of Simon's pants and gently stroked him through his boxers, smiling as he bit back a moan.

"Alright, Kaylee, but you better pray it ain't a part of much importance, 'cause we may have some spare money, but not enough for a real part, maybe just some sheet metal."

Mal turned the com off and went back to checking their course plan, and re-checked their ETA. "What do you think little albatross?" He said, looking at River. "Is that girl doin' somethin' I wish she weren't with that brother of yours?"

River looked over at Mal with a curious face. "Not yet, you keep interrupting." She pushed a couple buttons to help maintain auto pilot. "They did things yesterday though. I saw."

"What?! Simon let you watch? Ta ma duh hundan!"

River regarded Mal's cursing calmly. "No, he was humping Kaylee. He didn't let me see. He just didn't know I saw until it was too late."

"Little one, I don't need to hear that, ever again." Mal was trying desparately not to have any mental pictures accompany River's words. He did not need to be seein' his mechanic being bedded by his medic inside his head. He'd already watched their tongues get entirely more acquainted than he'd wanted to be aware of since the good doctor had healed up. He did not need to think about them gettin' fleshy with one another. Then he thought of something he really did not want to think about.

"However if somethin' does happen I need to know about, I am tellin' you as your captain that you are obligated to tell me," He looked River square in the eye. "Now I care about Kaylee a great deal more than needs knowing, so if that boy hurts her, I'm gonna be very put out."

"Simon loves her. No part of his heart could cause her pain. She makes him happy. I've caused him pain." River let a small shadow pass over her eyes. "I want him to be happy."

Mal's brow furrowed a bit. That poor, torn up girl. Everything the doctor had given up to keep her safe and make her whole again, and never once had he complained. He had been angry with the Alliance, yes, but he had never shown any regret for his decision to devote his life to caring for his little sister. He missed working at the major hospital on Osiris, but that life had meant nothing to him if the cost meant he could not share it with his sister.

"You listen to me, little albatross, you never did nothin' caused your brother pain. It has become quite obvious to me that he would not give up these last eight months for the world, if it meant not takin' you away from those go tsao de ehmo." He looked at her a little sternly. "You are his world little one, and so is Kaylee, much to my dismay." Mal sighed a bit in resignation. "You both make him happy."

*****

"Kaylee... God." Simon bit his lip and let his head fall back. After everything had been sorted out with the captain, Kaylee had pushed Simon behind the engine where things were a little more secluded and dropped to her knees. Her lips were currently wrapped around him, tongue dancing across the sensitive underside. She was going to get her sexin', gorramit, no matter how many interruptions Mal tossed through the com. And from the way Simon was trembling, hips beginning to thrust gently, sex was definitely inevitable.

Simon couldn't think. All he could do was surrender to the way Kaylee's mouth felt around him. Her soft, wet tongue tracing patterns across his sensitive skin, her lips wrapped so tightly around his cock he thought he might burst. He threaded his fingers into her silken hair and held tight, head tilted back and resting against the wall behind him, his hands trembling, and his knees beginning to buckle.

"Baobei... Please." He could barely make out the words. He wanted desparately to tell her he was about to break. He was throbbing in her warm mouth, trying so hard to hold back. He gave up on attempting to tell her what he wanted and just grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, breathing ragged and shallow. She kissed him softly and drew back before he could lure her in for something more passionate. Kaylee ran to the com and pushed the button.

"Cap'n? You need me to stay in the engine room still?" She hoped to whatever god she could think of that he didn't.

"No, lil' Kaylee, we should be good for now, but I will call for you if I need ya. Where you gonna be at?" Mal mentally smacked himself in the head for asking a question he really didn't want answered.

"Just a little tired from doin' all the extra repairs today and yesterday, gonna go nap in my room."

Well, Mal thought, at least she made up a reasonable lie. "That's fine, then. I'll try not to have any emergency malfunctions."

"Thanks, Cap'n." Kaylee ran back to Simon who was grinning and pulling up his pants, grabbed him by the hand, and practically skipped to his room.

*****

"Finally, no more interruptions!" Kaylee's eyes were bright and mischievous, while Simon's were dark with passion. He cleared the small space between them and pulled her to him. Kaylee gasped suddenly before Simon covered her mouth with his with a fevered kiss. Kaylee's hands moved blindly over Simon's back and arms before tugging his sweater up over his head. Their lips crashed back together before the sweater even hit the floor, and Simon worked the zipper of Kaylee's coveralls, and wrapped his arms around her waist to lift her feet out of the pantlegs.

Kaylee grinned to herself mid-kiss, and playfully pushed Simon onto the bed. His look of shock made her giggle. "Now, Doc," she grinned even more, before slowly pulling her shirt over her breasts, then over her head, tossing it to the floor. "I think it's time you learn how much fun you can have bein' improper." Simon's eyes glazed over as her body was slowly exposed. Kaylee turned around and took even more time sliding her thin panties down her legs, making Simon strain through his slacks.

Slowly she walked toward him, then crawled up his body until her eyes met his. He had never seen Kaylee smile so devilishly, and he tried to bring his hand to tangle in her hair, silently begging for contact. Kaylee took Simon's hand and held it tight to the thin mattress. "No touching yet. Just feel." Simon opened his mouth to respond, but shuddered intensely instead, as she lowered her head to lick his neck with the tip of her tongue.

Once Kaylee had found the most tender spot on his neck, she sucked at it gently, grazing her teeth over it until Simon moaned. When Kaylee was completely satisfied that he had lost all ability for conscious thought, she released his wrist, and moved her lips down to his chest, alternating between sucking, biting, licking and scraping her teeth over his skin. The more Kaylee worked his body, the more Simon's control broke. Each lick or bite was another thread that snapped, each pull of her lips another splinter in his propriety.

"Kaylee... Baobei." Simon barely managed to get out the words before Kaylee trailed down even lower, nipping at the soft bit of skin above his navel. His last coherent thought was that he wouldn't be able to take this much longer. Then all thought and intelligable language stopped as Kaylee licked down just below the waist of his pants, looking up at him with an almost sinful gleam in her eyes. As she slowly undid the fastenings of Simon's black slacks, she gently latched onto the sensitive skin slightly lower than where her tongue had ventured. The sensation, accompanied by her maddeningly slow teasing, caused Simon's hips to surge up as he let out almost inaudible moans.

Kaylee was seriously enjoying this. Her sweet, proper Core doctor was laying above her, losing layer after layer of control. Knowing it was all from her attentions made it wickedly satisfying. She turned her concentration to the task of removing Simon's slacks and boxer briefs, letting them fall unceremoniously to the floor. When she took her lips from his skin, she giggled quietly at the dark markings she'd left, before gently swirling her tongue down to his inner thigh. Simon groaned, praying to the gods for Kaylee to touch his straining erection.

She knew exactly what he wanted, but she continued her relentless teasing. After she felt pleased with how he'd responded to her attentions on his right thigh, she moved on to his left, stimulating the over-sensitive flesh with her mouth and hands. Kaylee felt his length brush her cheek as it suddenly twitched, making her look back up at Simon's face. He was slowly thrashing his head from side to side, eyes screwed shut. She could barely make out his lips moving, forming silent entreaties to the air.

Simon couldn't think, couldn't even feel any of his surroundings beyond Kaylee's sweet touch. For all he knew they were floating weightless out in the black, amongst all the glittering stars and planets, burning an ecstacy hotter than any sun. He almost didn't even realize he was mouthing words. Suddenly he found a small fraction of his voice, and was able to murmur to the heavens. "Wo bu gai ta. Ren ci de Fo zu, I don't deserve her."

Kaylee felt a small tremor up her spine at Simon's words, and a small tear fell from her eye. Even she couldn't wait anymore. She slowly licked the flat of her tongue up the full length of him, then gently slid up his body. "Of course you do, Simon." She breathed deep and slow, her lips millimeters from his. "Ain't nobody better for me. Let me show you." And, without pause, she slid him completely inside of her.

Simon practically cried out, he was so pent up. He grabbed hold of her hips and arched up into her. Kaylee's eyes closed in pure bliss, letting another shudder run through her body. She started moving slowly above him, just rocking her hips. She couldn't believe the intense pleasure coming from such effortless movement. Within moments, she was gasping and whispering Simon's name. Simon was already way past that. He wanted to yell out her name, but instead he bit his lip and groaned, not wanting any of the crew to ruin this moment. Simon rolled his hips up with every rock of Kaylee's, unconsciously increasing their pace as he felt waves of heat flood his body.

"Kaylee... close... can't." Simon's eyes rolled up as he felt the heat converge in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't going to be able to hold it in for much longer. Kaylee grinned to herself and took his hand, guiding it to her delicate clit. As Simon's fingertips urged her closer, she started moving faster, harder, forcing both of them to the edge. Their breathing started to match up, and both of them stayed right at the peak longer than they had ever experienced, before dropping blindly into their orgasms. Slowly they re-emerged, exhausted, and smiling contently at one another. Kaylee lay down, resting her head in the crook of Simon's neck, closing her eyes.

"I love you xin gin." Simon kept smiling, running his fingers delicately through Kaylee's silken hair. He kissed the top of her head, listening to her breathing. She wasn't even awake. It didn't matter though. He knew with every part of himself that she loved him back. He pulled the blankets over them, and closed his own eyes, drifting off languidly.

*****

Kaylee woke up and stretched out, stopping short when her elbow accidentlly smacked Simon in the chin. He groaned at squinted, opening one eye to look at her.

"Oops!" Kaylee giggled and gently kissed where her elbow had hit. "Sorry, sweetie." Simon just smiled and held her a little tighter, before looking at the timepiece he had sitting next to his bed. "We should get up and go to dinner, Baobei." He yawned and gently slid out from under her to grab his pants. Kaylee grumbled a bit and scratched her head before sitting up and putting her shirt back on and finding a pair of his sweatpants he had laying around. Simon arched an eyebrow at her in amusement as she slid her legs into the pants. "My coveralls are all greased up. Don't wanna wear em to dinner. Plus your sweat pants always looked so snuggly and comfy." Kaylee grinned sliding them up her backside, then laced her fingers in his and basically skipped out of his bunk and into the galley.

River was putting serving bowls on the table, before sitting down, grinning at Simon. "I made soup. There's noodles in the other bowl." Somehow, River's words didn't seem to match up with what her eyes and smile were saying.

"Just say it, Crazy. Your brother's got a hickey the size of Higgin's Moon." Jayne looked over at Kaylee. "Good job, lil' Kaylee. Ya made the Doc look all uncivilized and properly sexed." Simon wanted nothing more than to melt into a puddle under the table. His face was burning, and he was trying not to squeeze Kaylee's hand too tightly. Kaylee just threw her napkin at Jayne.

"Be nice to him, ya big meanie." Kaylee looked at Simon and couldn't help but grin. He was so cute when he was blushing. She kissed his cheek gently, then grabbed the bowl of noodles and started serving herself. As the food went around the table, Simon slowly gtopped blushing, thankful that all attention had turned away from him. He looked up to hand the soup bowl to River and saw that she was still grinning at him.

"What's so funny, mei mei?" And as her grin widened, he suddenly realized he didn't want to know.

River giggled. "Just be happy no one can see your other hickey."

Dong ma? = understand?

Baobei = precious

Shir ah = affirmative

go tsao de ehmo = dog humping monsters

Ta ma duh hundan = mother humping bastard

Wo bu gai ta = I don't deserve her

Ren ci de Fo zu = Merciful Buddha

xin gin = sweetheart

mei mei = little sister