Title: All a Flutter Rating: R Synopsis: Kaylee and Inara go shopping and their men are not happy they want to go alone.

Timeline: 6 months after wedding, 5 months after All good things must come to an end

Notes: Next part of a series beginning with : And So It Begins, Kiss Me, Coming Together, Tell Me, What’s Proper?, Tears , Peekaboo, Impatient, Waking Up is Hard to Do, The Talk, I See You, Exhaustion, Moving Day, Celebration, Surprise , Vacation, Reunion, Manipulation, Baby Talk, A First Time for Everything, The Way It Is, A Special Day, Girl Talk, The Gift, Breaking It In, Making Plans, Friends and Enemies, Where I Belong , Private Time , All good things must come to an end, Moving On, Questions and Answers, The Secrets That We Keep, Revelations, All a Flutter

Disclaimer: This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the Serenity movie or Firefly series. I make no money from this. Only done for fun – and a desperate craving to have more stories told about this wonderful ‘verse Joss Whedon created.

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Simon tightened his arms around Kaylee as she tried to sit up. “I don’t want you to go alone.”

Kaylee pressed a kiss to his bare chest and inhaled the musky scent of their sex from his skin. “I ain’t been off the ship in weeks and I’m goin’ crazy.” She pressed her body as close to him as her rounding belly would allow. “’Sides, I have some things I need to get.”

“I want to go with you, then.”

Kaylee at once bristled and brightened at his possessiveness. “Sweetie, I know you’re worried, but, we can’t just live in fear that somethin’ bad’s gonna happen all the time.”

Simon raised an amused eyebrow. “We live in fear every day that something bad is waiting for us right around the next corner.” He flattened one hand over her gently rounding belly. “I just have more than you and River to worry about now.”

Kaylee’s irritation melted at the adoring look in his eyes. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, the kiss lingering a bit longer than she intended as desire flared between them. But she had an agenda today. There was something she wanted to pick up if she could find it. And the station was large enough that it shouldn’t be too difficult to locate it. She and Inara would find it. The former Companion knew all the right places to look.

“Me an the baby’ll be fine, Simon,” she tried to reassure him. “’Nara and I just have a few places we want –“

“And I can’t go?”

Kaylee found it irritating that she couldn’t be angry with her husband when he pouted so cutely at her. The hand resting on his chest slid down between lithely–cut muscles to tease him. She bit her lip excitedly when she heard him inhale sharply through quickly closed lips. All she had to do was distract him for a few moments and she could make her escape.

“‘Nara and have some things we need to get.” Kaylee kissed him and slid out of bed as quickly as she could before his eyes uncrossed and he realized what she was doing.

“That was a dirty trick.” Simon rolled onto his side and scowled at her.

Kaylee bounced happily around the room, grinning back toward the bed. “I know, sweetie. I promise I’ll make it up to you. But ‘Nara an I don’t have much time and we want to find –“ she trailed off with a coy smile. “You’ll see.”

When her back was turned to him, rummaging through a drawer for clothes that would fit, Simon slid quickly out of bed and wrapped his arms around her.

Kaylee sighed and leaned back against his chest, goose bumps pebbling her skin when she felt his hands slide down to protectively cradle her rounding belly. She tilted her neck as he nuzzled her hair out of the way and placed a gentle kiss there, his lips trailing up to her ear to briefly nibble on the lobe.

“Just be careful, ai ren, please.”

~*~

“Can’t believe we’re just gonna ignore all these leads,” Jayne grumped as he watched the information scroll past him.

“Not the right time,” River said, never removing her eyes from the Cortex screen.

“With two new babies on this boat, ain’t never gonna be the right time.”

River turned and looked at him, square in the eyes. “You’ll get your chance to squish some heads.”

Zoe looked down at the girl. She’d been doing better in the last few months. Not speaking so cryptically as had been the case right after Kaylee, Inara and Simon were attacked. But she was also a bit more withdrawn, even more so when there was talk about the coming babies. Which made Zoe nervous and more on edge.

She was drawn from her thoughts by Jayne, still complaining about the lack of urgency in matters concerning Adeli Niska.

Zoe couldn’t resist asking the resident psychic. “And will I get my chance as well?”

River’s eyes lifted slowly upward and a small smile crept across her face. “You will be there at the end.”

~*~

“Cap’n still wanderin’ around in a daze,” Kaylee giggled as she and Inara walked along the metal corridors of the space station they would remain docked with for the next day as they re-supplied and Mal spoke to a contact about a job.

“Yes. He is. I’m not quite sure I believe it myself,” Inara said with a small smile as she absently rubbed her stomach.

“Can’t believe he ain’t asked ya ta marry him yet.”

Inara gaped at the mechanic in a very unladylike fashion. “I’d tell him no.”

Kaylee stopped and regarded her friend with wide-eyes. “Why not? It’s about time, you know.”

Inara smiled somewhat sadly. “I don’t want to marry him just because he feels he has some old-world duty to make an honest man of himself because he got me pregnant.”

“Oh.” Kaylee nodded, understanding.

“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same.”

Kaylee considered this for a moment before answering. “Naw, I wouldn’t accept a proposal just ‘cause the baby’s daddy felt bad ‘bout knockin’ me up.”

Inara smiled, knowing Kaylee would understand. She wasn’t certain if she was ready to take that final step. And her baby really shouldn’t weigh into a marriage decision anyway.

The ladies continued their shopping, stepping into various shops to peruse items. Kaylee purchased two new pairs of pants, since hers were becoming far too tight to comfortably work in. Inara’s gowns, luckily were of the appropriate style where they didn’t tighten in all the wrong places. Still, Inara purchased a few other clothing items and they continued on their way.

When they reached the old bookstore, Kaylee’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, I hope they have something!”

“I’m sure they will, sweetie. Every expectant mother, and father, should have this book.” Inara’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

Kaylee bounced into the small store and right up to the counter while Inara stood to the side and perused the shelves lined floor to ceiling with books.

After a few minutes, Kaylee returned to Inara’s side, smiling excitedly, her eyes dancing. “Got it!”

“Excellent, ready to go back now?”

“Yep. Simon’ll love it.” Kaylee leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially in Inara’s ear. “He really does love to experiment.”

Inara’s laughter echoed off the metal hallways as the two made their way back to the ship.

~*~

Mal and Simon were waiting with crossed arms when the women returned from their shopping excursion.

“We aren’t that late.” Inara rolled her eyes and took Mal’s arm.

“Yes you are,” Simon offered to take Kaylee’s bags and she gave him all but one of them with a happy smile. He leaned over to try and peek into the one she kept but she made sure to close it from his prying eyes. Simon scowled at her.

“I was ready to go look for ya,” Jayne called down from the catwalk above them, holding Vera like one would cradle a newborn.

“I’da let ‘em too,” Mal confirmed and Inara scowled at him.

“Really you two,” Inara shot an irritated look back over her shoulder at Simon as well. “We were fine.”

“Can’t blame us for wanting to keep our ladies safe.” Simon draped his free arm around Kaylee’s expanding waist.

Mal and Inara continued up to their shuttle while Simon and Kaylee returned to their room.

~*~

“So what’s in the bag?” Simon slid the door shut behind him and leaned back against it with a curious grin.

“Oh, just somethin’ for later.” Kaylee pulled out a small, keepsake trunk from the closet and unlocked it. She smoothed the bag over her item and then placed it in the trunk, making quite sure Simon noticed her locking the contents within. When she stood, she stared him down, “Open that chest and you can spend the rest of my pregnancy bunkin’ with River.”

“I see.” A grin tugged at his lips as she sauntered toward him and took the bags from his hands.

“Got a few clothes too ‘cause my pants ain’t fittin’ too good no more.” She turned around to put the garments in their shared chest of drawers. Her eyes narrowed at his look. “Don’t worry. I didn’t spend to much. Next job we should be able to have enough saved to buy your fancy medical thingie.”

“Ultrasound,” he corrected with a grin. “Yes. I’d really like one.”

“Well, you said the babies were fine listenin’ to ‘em the old fashioned way.”

“Yes. They are.” Simon’s eyes swept down her body, glowing magnificently five month’s into her pregnancy. He didn’t think he could ever be more in love with her. But seeing her body change before his eyes, seeing the baby growing within her, their baby, had caused a lump in his throat on many a funny occasion.

He slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, cherishing the way she leaned her weight back against him. The soft sounds she made now when he held her, when his hands covered hers, or simply just cradled her growing belly, made his heart swell with more love than he ever thought himself capable.

Simon buried his face in her neck and simply held her, swaying slightly, enjoying the feel of his wife in his arms. Beneath his hands, he felt a small flutter, the tiniest of movements that he had never felt before. He gasped and met Kaylee’s astonished eyes in the small mirror that rested over the dresser.

“Was that –?” Kaylee looked down at their joined hands, resting intertwined over her growing belly.

“The baby,” Simon said with a disbelieving whisper. “Our baby.” Simon couldn’t keep the goofy grin from spreading across his face.

They waited for another few minutes, hoping to feel it again, but it didn’t happen and Kaylee’s eyes soon filled with happy tears. She whirled in Simon’s embrace and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“That’s our baby, ai ren,” Simon said around the lump in his throat. An overwhelming feeling of love flooded through him and he bent his head to kiss his wife, drawing her trembling lips against his.

Kaylee clung to him, kissing him hard, wanting to feel closer, closer than they were right now. As they kissed, she pushed him toward the bed and giggled when his legs hit the side and he had no choice but to sit down or fall over.

His eyes twinkled with mischief as she flattened her hand against his chest and pushed him back. Kaylee licked her lips, eyes sweeping appreciatively down his body. When she reached out and stroked him through his pants, she was rewarded with a long, low moan. “Wanna see if we can make ‘em move again?”

Kaylee straddled him and wiggled her eyebrows when Simon laughed. He slid the zipper down the rest of the way on her coveralls and rested his hands flat on her rounding stomach. Kaylee’s heart lurched as he dropped his eyes and spoke to her stomach. “I’ll apologize right now, little one, for all of the jostling you receive before you’re born.”

Kaylee swatted playfully at him but returned her hands to rest over his. “Ain’t just my fault, you know?”

Simon gaped at her and then grinned wickedly, his blue eyes twinkling. “It most certainly is. You were plenty sex crazed enough before you were pregnant. Now – I’m lucky if you let me out of bed long enough to take a shower!”

Kaylee’s eyes widened into large saucers and she stared down at their joined hands. “Don’t listen to him baby. Your daddy inhaled too much medicalwhatisits when he was in school becomin’ this prissy, uptight doctor.”

Simon laughed and rolled her onto her back, fastening his lips to hers once again.

They missed dinner that evening, but it didn’t matter, no one expected them as soon as Inara told the crew that Kaylee had bought something to be shared only with her husband.

~*~

Mal laughed silently as he watched Inara ready herself for bed. In the months they’d been together, he never asked, never wondered, at this ritual that she completed before turning in for the night. It was endearing and amusing all at once.

As the low light danced over her smooth skin, he noticed an internal radiance that had only grown as the months passed. He couldn’t fathom how an already stunning woman could grow even more beautiful but she had as their baby grew within her.

Mal was drawn out of his reverie as she talked about her shopping excursion with Kaylee.

“Oh, Mal, don’t say anything. She was so happy.”

Mal shook his head, not wanting to think about Kaylee and Simon. “I’m past teasin’ lil’ Kaylee about her sexual exploits.”

Inara raised an amused eyebrow, not believing him for a moment.

“Hey!” Mal extended his arms. “I don’t wanna hear ‘bout what her and the doc do behind closed doors.”

Inara’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Or anywhere else!” Mal exclaimed loudly.

Inara slipped the silk nightgown over her head and slid between the sheets, instantly molding her body to his. “Let’s not talk about Simon and Kaylee, tonight, hmm?”

Mal’s mouth quirked as he rubbed work-roughened hands over her belly. His heart thudded against his chest as he confessed, “never thought I’d want kids.”

Inara relaxed against him, enjoying his gentle touch. A tremor of desire shot straight through her when he leaned forward and whispered, “until I met you.”

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Chinese Translations:

ai ren - sweetheart

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