Life's Too Short- Part Seven

These characters aren't mine. Bummer.

Author's Note: for you Silee fans, sorry for cutting off their scene so soon. Keep in mind that this was originally a Mal/Inara fic, and if I do get to writing a real sex scene, it's probably gonna be between them. ;) Oh, and comments make me write faster!!!! Hint hint wink wink nudge nudge....

Kaylee, who had changed out of her new dress and intosomething of Inara’s, took the Companion’s place in front of the wave screen with alacrity. “Oh, honey, are you ok?” Simon tried for a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, bao bei. No thanks to our ta ma de de hun dan of a Captain,” he said, unable to stop himself. Kaylee looked a little taken aback at the curses. “’Nara said everyone got back fine.” “Zoe was winged, Mal almost got his head blown off, and River killed ten people.” Kaylee clapped her hands together and clasped them there, a well-it-could-have-been-worse look on her face. “But no one was really hurt. How’s River takin’ it?” Simon gave a little laugh. “Oh, she’s just dandy. Actually, she’s doing a lot better than I expected.” He wasn’t just talking about the events from earlier, and both of them knew it. “She seems to be maturing, and fast. It’s as if she’s suddenly hitting mental puberty.” Kaylee perked up. “Yeah? Learning from her big brother, mayhap?” She smirked at him. Simon shook his head and smirked back. “Actually, she’s been asking some… rather odd… well, just the other day, she wanted to know what… that is, how…” This was ridiculous. He had to stop trailing off like that! He was sleeping with her, for goodness sake! There was no reason to feel awkward. No reason at all. Still, he was glad that he was alone in the bridge. Mal, in an oddly good mood, had allowed Simon ten full minutes to talk to Kaylee. “Mmm, what did she ask you?” Kaylee was grinning, and she looked so sweet that Simon wished she were really right in front of him so he could kiss her. “She wanted to know how one could reach climax without a partner physically present.” Kaylee burst out laughing, and then fell quiet. Her smile turned naughty. “Well, looks like we’re in a situation an awful lot like what she was talkin’ about. I’m a little fuzzy myself on the how of that particular thing. Wanna find out?” “How can you think about… that… when our LIVES are in danger?!” “Better than panic. I love you, Simon, and I wanna be with you as much as I can before anythin’ bad happens. ‘Sides, I know Cap’n and Micah’ll clear things up straight away.” “I love you too, Kaylee, but- We don’t have much time.” She licked her lips. “Mr. Top Three Percent, complainin’ about time restraints? Thought you could deal with any situation, right away.” Simon opened his mouth to protest. They only had seven more min… and then his eyes locked onto her slender fingers, which were undoing the buttons on her creamy silk blouse, and he forgot why exactly he had his mouth open. * * * * * * The plan was to fly around Whitefall without leaving atmo, and then to make a run for it on Inara’s signal. Jayne was happy. He’d gotten to shoot people, and River was too busy flyin’ the ship to muddle up his thoughts. Any more than she already was, o’course. Mal was happy. He and Inara had a date, which implied more intimacies, hopefully without an audience. River was happy. Simon and Kaylee were losing themselves in that elusive state that she didn’t fully understand- yet- and Jayne’s simple thoughts were soothing beneath her own. In fact, the only one who wasn’t happy was Zoe. She caught up to Mal as he was leaving the kitchen area. “Sir.” He slowed and looked over his shoulder, giving her his customary crooked smile. “Yeah? What’s up?” Zoe folded her arms and stood, feet apart, staring at him coolly. “We’re just going to sit here.” Mal stopped walking and swung around. “Ain’t exactly sittin’. Flying, more like.” “And wait for Micah Hughes to rescue us.” “What? He’s rich, influential, and he wants to help us. What’s your issue?” Mal knew perfectly well what her issue was, as it would ordinarily be his issue too, and was actually a bit amused by the complete switch around of their view points. Usually, she was the one taking the rational way out while he made crazy plans. Not that he was gonna admit that in the near ever. “Just that we’ve never hid behind someone else like that before.” “Hell, Zoe.” Mal ran a hand through his hair, his good mood fading. “What do you want me to do? We’ve got no way outta this, we don’t take his offer. Now, I know I ain’t one for runnin’.” She raised a brow. “Okay. I know I ain’t one for takin’ the easy way out.” Another brow. “Well, I know I ain’t… I ain’t… Damn it, Zoe, what ain’t I?” “You really want me to answer that, sir?” “On second thought, no. Anyways, as I was sayin’, ‘s a good idea.” She didn’t look convinced. Mal stepped towards her. “I like to think I’m not a complete fool, Zoe. Like to think I learned somethin’ over the years. Since Miranda.” She straightened a little. Mal spoke quietly, the way he did when he was in full captain-mode. “There is no way out of this scrape without some kind of help. I won’t- I won’t risk you, or anyone on this here ship, in some desperate attempt at escape written and orchestrated all by my lonesome. Don’t wanna go through those consequences again.” Zoe narrowed her eyes. “That true, sir?” “It surely is. May my soul rot in the Valley if I lie.” “Thought you didn’t believe in souls anymore, sir.” Zoe believed in souls. She’d once thought hers would indeed roam Serenity Valley forever, until Wash came into her life. And left it. She still believed in souls, only that she no longer had one. He’d taken it with him months ago. Mal chewed on his lower lip, unconsciously glancing towards the door that led to where Inara’s shuttle was normally docked. “May be changin’ my position on that particular matter,” Mal allowed. “May be that you should,” Zoe replied. * * * * * * Jayne found himself in the bridge without any clear idea as to how he’d gotten there. Just wandered around and there he was. There she was, too. Sittin’ in Wash’s- the pilot’s chair, calm as you please. “Hello, Jayne.” “Hey there,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “How’s she holdin’ up?” River turned her head to look at him. “Fine. He’s helping me fly.” Jayne swallowed. He missed the little man, though he’d never admit it. “Good. That’s… that’s good.” “You need more sleep, Jayne Cobb.” Jayne blinked. She was looking at the controls again, her profile all solemn an’ prettiful with her- stop it. Stop it right there. “Why?” “What?” River smiled a little, and Jayne cleared his throat. “I keep you awake. Make you burn inside.” “Make me- you moonbrained girl, stay outta my head!” She still wasn’t looking at him, and Jayne was surprised to find that he wanted her to. “I can stay out of you, but you don’t want to stay out of me.” His mouth fell open. That was… hell, that was almost as crude as he was! And it was turning him on. “That ain’t- I don’t want-“ Moving with almost eerie speed, River flicked a switch and stood, finally facing him. Her face was clean and clear, her hair pulled back. “You do want. And so do I. Want to know, to feel. To understand.” “Ain’t about understandin’, girl.” “I feel them.” Suddenly, her face was filled with a strange mixture of horror and longing, anger and hopelessness. “I can’t stop feeling them. Simon and Kaylee, the Captain and Inara. Thoughts and deeds. I can’t- I can’t keep it out! They get inside me, make me feel ghosts. Then it goes away, and I never understand. Never reach it.” Jayne was reaching for her before he could stop himself, dragging her into a rough embrace. Just holding her. It felt good. Better than he’d expected. He was all macho movements and careless love, but with River it was different. He couldn’t place why, but there it was. “’S okay, River,” he told her, for the first time calling her by her real name. “Would you make me feel?” He knew somehow that it wasn’t an invitation, but an honest question. She could be so gorram young sometimes, and it tugged at places in his chest that he’d forgotten about. “Hell,” Jayne said through a suddenly thick throat. “Hell, River. I’d make you feel. Go fly the gorram ship.” He pushed her down in the pilot’s chair and almost ran off the bridge before something else happened. * * * * * A date. He’d asked her on a date. Inara almost giggled. It was so stupid to be so happy when Serenity was in danger, but she couldn’t help it. She was terrified for Mal and the others, but terror seemed so tame next to the torrents of love and excitement filling her now. She’d never been on a date before. Oh, her clients had taken her places. Dinner, parties, balls, operas, anything and everything. But never a date. It seemed so right that Mal was her first, in so many ways. Her first real source of annoyance, her first captain, her first love. Her first… no, it couldn’t be. But there was no other term for it at this stage of their relationship. Inara could barely THINK the word, let alone say it, but… her first boyfriend. Merciful Buddha. Her boyfriend. Mal was asking to court her. Date her. She couldn’t get past it. It wasn’t so strange, and it shouldn’t have felt so incredible. But Inara was a Companion. She’d been bought, enjoyed, appreciated, proposed to, and given countless gifts. But she had never been a woman, nervous to pins and needles over a simple, no-strings-attached dinner date offered by the man she loved. It was an interesting experience, her analytical half noted. It was gorram wonderful, her freer, newly discovered Serenity-self shouted. * * * * * Where should he take her? A fancy restaurant? No. Mal would feel too out of place. A bar? Hell, no. Why had that even popped up? Inara Serra, in a bar. A diner, he decided. Somethin’ she probably wasn’t used to, but would have nice atmosphere an’ would be fun. Maybe some dancin’. Good, close dancin’, not the formal kind. He’d enjoy that. Mal wanted to twirl Inara out and spin her back in close, to feel her nest into his arms and sway to the beat of a good old fashioned song. He also wanted to tear her clothes off and take her against a wall, or on her soft red sheets, or even in his narrow bunk. But that could wait. It would have to wait. He was gonna take this slow. Step by step. She deserved that. She deserved to be courted. She deserved better than him, too, but she wanted him. For some strange reason, she wanted him. An’ that was enough for now.

TBC: Next: finally, the big space... thingy... and Mal and Inara are reunited. Oh boy. So are Kaylee and Simon, of course...