Life's Too Short- Part One

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, this 'verse isn't mine, though I'm happy to play here. Comments make everybody write faster!!! :)

He hadn't meant for it to happen. Well, okay, he had. But not like this! In fact, Mal wasn't quite sure what had happened at all. He had an inkling that it was River's fault. She was sneaky like that, and had had an inordinate amount of interest in his and Inara's love lives. Or lack thereof, when concerning each other. Still, he didn't know how she could have managed to get him lying on the floor at the foot of the stairs leading to the bridge, with the lovely Companion herself sprawled across his lap. Not that he was complaining, o' course. “Mal?” Inara tried to sit up, but fell back with a moan. Her head slammed against his knee, and she winced. Mal caught her shoulders and carefully lifted her into a sitting position. “Sorry, 'Nara,” he managed, knowing full well she wouldn't be happy about his thoughts. Although her head had felt mighty good in his lap.... But she was putting a hand to her temple, leaning against him without really noticing it. “My head!” “You want I should fetch the doc?” “No,” she murmured. Then, Inara realized that she was sitting on the floor with Mal, leaning against him, his arm around her shoulders. Her heart sped up and she scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain it brought to her skull. “Easy, bao bei, that's my foot you're trampin' on-” He broke off with a hiss as she jumped backwards and off said foot. “What did you call me,” Inara asked, trying to regain her composure. Why was it that this man could get under her skin with such ease? And how had she tripped and fallen on him? River, Inara thought. “Huh?” “You- Nevermind.” Idiot man. She swayed for a moment, then swallowed. “I'm sorry for falling into you,” she said calmly. Mal got to his feet. “Yeah, me too. Bit odd, though- I thought they taught you grace in Whore Academy.” His tone was joking, but her back straightened and her eyes were icy when he met them. “Yes, well, I thought your years of petty thieving would have honed your reflexes a little more.” She regretted the words the moment they were out, but wouldn't take them back. It always came to this. “Learn somethin' new every day,” Mal said, and strode away. Inara rolled her eyes, wishing with all her heart that she could love someone else. Anyone else. Jayne, for crying out loud! “C'mon, Mal, you sayin' we can't even have one night? I wanna get sexed up!” Oooh. Maybe not Jayne. But anyone else! She shook her head, hearing the echoes of Mal's voice yelling at the mercenary down the hall. Then, Inara stepped up to the bridge. River was seated in the pilot's chair, one hand lightly caressing the plastic dinosaurs that no one had the heart to remove. Without turning around, she said, “Tried to knock sense into you. Did it work?” “River, sweetie, you can't... the Captain and I....” Inara was grasping for words that wouldn't come. River spun the chair around, and she was smiling. It nearly melted Inara's heart to see that smile, so free. Since Miranda there had been precious few smiles like that on board. It had only been two months since both Wash and Book had died, and everyone was still feeling it. River was getting better, though. The weight of the Alliance's secret was off her young shoulders, and it showed. “Both wanting. Why not act? Sooner or later, going to happen.” “I'm a Companion. He's... well, he's Mal. It would never work.” She wasn't sure why she was speaking so freely to River, but it was easier than speaking to anyone else. River never seemed to judge her. “Don't know unless you try it,” River said somewhat cryptically, and turned back to the panel of switches and lights. “Wash wanted it to happen.” “What?” “He thought you'd help Captain Daddy. Help him heal. I tend to agree.”

“River!” She turned from her post in the pilot's chair. Mal sat down in the copilot's place and looked at her. She raised a brow. Her hair was tied back with a red ribbon, probably Kaylee or Inara's, like he'd seldom seen it before. She almost never wore it down these days. Once, he even caught Jayne braiding it, which was something he never thought he'd see and never really wanted to see. Things were changing on Serenity. And some weren't. “You can't just mess with people's lives, Albatross.” “Meaning what?” “Don't get that innocent look with me. You made me fall with Inara.” “Didn't make you fall. Already fallen. I made her trip.” “I ain't got time to puzzle out what you're talkin' about. Just stop it with the matchmakin'!” “Two by two,” she sang. “Every one a match. Simon and Kaylee, making music in the kitchen-” “Making music in the- Oh. Oh! Wo de ma, girl, I do not need to hear that!” His thoughts went from 'he better not hurt my Kaylee' to 'oh god, they were doing it by our food!' “Captain Daddy, you and Inara are dancing. Been dancing for a long while. It's near time to stop the dance.” “Go se, River, I don't got any clue as to what you're meaning here, but-” “Go find her. Make things right. Life's too short for ifs and maybes,” she said, and the words echoed in Mal's head. What he'd said to Inara before she- “She ain't thinkin' on leaving again, is she?” “Too short,” River repeated, turning back to the consol. Damn it, that girl was proving to be quite a nuisance. Mal stood. “Got captainy things to do.” “Yep.” “I'm not leavin' cause you said to.” “Nope.” “Gotta... gotta go... do some real important... stuff.” “Yep.” “You just... uh, stay here and mind the ship.” She glanced at him over her shoulder, then rolled her eyes and shook her head as if he was a small child that needed oh-so-much looking after. Moonbrained girl, he thought with a smile, and headed off to find Inara. TBC :) Next- Mal and Inara have a friendly, heartwarming chat and Jayne gets a surprise. Next one will be lots longer, I promise!