She wrung her hands distractedly, not meeting the Companions eyes. She wasn't really hiding anything...just not telling all of the truth. Okay, so in some circles, that was considered lying. So what? Wasn't like she was in that circle or anything!!! Inara tried, and failed, to hold Kaylees gaze. In the end, she decided to simply talk to her without the benefit of eye contact. "Mei-mei, whats wrong? You seem...put out." Kaylee finally looked at her best friend. "Oh, its nothin', 'Nara! I'm just shiny!!!" She plastered on a lackluster smile for Inaras benefit. The Companion didn't buy it for a minute. "C'mon, Kaylee. I know theres something really wrong here. And, if you wont tell me, then I can't help you." She continued to look sternly at her. She din't like to be stern with her, but sometimes you needed to be a mite harsh. After another minute of fidgeting, Kaylee finally gave voice to her fears. "Oh, alrigh', 'Nara. Its Simon. He...he...he ain't touched me at all for the two weeks he been up. I know that he shoulda been restin', but...well...he ain't what he used ta be. Hes...changed. And not just by his scars. The way he is...oh, I dunno. Maybe I'm just bein' selfish. But...he, I...oh, I feel all confused!!!" Inara smiled thankfully. Yes, there was a rift between Simon and Kaylee, and no mistake. But those wounds could heal clean. Not like the scars Simon now sported on his body... "Well, yes, you have a right to feel scared. But, Kaylee, give him time. He'll come around. He did it before, he can do it again." "Last time, he took eight months!" Inara smiled mischeviously. "Yes, but that was before you had sex with him." The girl laughed in disbelief. About time, too! A dour Kaylee was no match for a happy Kaylee. "'Nara, your horrible!" The older woman laughed. "Yes, I am." Kaylee lapsed into a fit of giggles. After about five minutes, she sat back and wiped away tears of joy from her eyes. And good riddance. Though everyone agreed their last mis-adventure had been too close, no one had laughed for the month they had been running. But then, there hadn't been much reason to laugh, whatwith Simon bedridden and all. Her laughter rang through the enclosed shuttle, which was mostly just a rather huge bed with satin and silk sheets. Kaylee sat back, gasping. "Oh, thanks, 'Nara. I-I needed that! Ooh, thats lots better. So-o-oooooo...how goes fishin' for a Cap'n?" Inara looked at her for a moment. "What?" "You heard me! I told you about me'n Simon, you tell me 'bout you'n Mal! C'mon, s'only fair!" Inara sighed. Gorramit! She had her on a technicality. Their girl talks followed a set, Hammurabian code: A story for a story. It was a sacred law, to break it meant ostracization from the shuttle! Damn! Oh, how it peeved her to be so beholden to her on that count! She sighed again. "Well...he kissed me." "WHAT!!! Well, c'mon, tell me all about it! Oh, this oughta be good..." Smiling over their shared fortune, Inara told her story. And, wonders, it was all true!!! *** Three hours later, Kaylee came out of the shuttle, done sharing her stories with Inara. There was a rustling of clothes from the shadows, and someone stepped out. Kaylee turned, and found... Not Simon, as she had expected (or, hoped? The two were one and the same, now). Cassandra. Lily white bitch. "Hullo." Kaylee looked on her coldly. "Hello, Kaylee." She smiled nicely at her, but her eyes betrayed. Framed by golden blonde locks, they two chips of freezing blue ice. Tchenwanh. "I just want to tell you something-" "Lissen, 'Sandra, I ain't got time for this. I heard the engine rumblin' a ways back, and I think that its somethin' serious. So, if you'll excuse me..." Cassandra cut off her escape. "Listen. I was thinking...why don't you leave Simon alone? I mean, its obvious that he wants something...more than what you have to offer. So, unless you want to hurt him more-" She was cut off by a slap to the face. Kaylees hand left a welt across her right cheek. "You BITCH!!! WHORE!!! You leave Simon ALONE!!! I swear, if you do ANYTHING to him, I'll...I'll..." Cassandra smiled smugly at her opponent. "You'll what? Slap me again? So crude...I would expect some poor country hick backbreed to do something so crude. Face it: Simon doesn't love you. If he did, he would comfort you in someway, don't you think? Its really for the best if you leave him. Let him be free, and love someone...more deserving. Like me." Still smiling, she turned on her heel and walked away, too tight clothes straining against her valuptuous body. The embodiment of desire. If Kaylee had had a bat, she could have bludgeoned the Aryan bitch right then, she was so angry. She had always expacted. But...to see it for what it was, in the open... Kaylee had to find Simon. Now.