Disclaimer: Characters are the property of Mutant Enemy, as always thanks for letting me play with your toys.

Author's note: The guilt about the last chapter taking so long has meant that this one took less time than any of them. It helped that this time I knew where I was going, rather than having to figure that out the hard way. As a ploy to beg for forgiveness, I hope it works :)

Things Fall Apart – Chapter 12

There was the sound of booted footsteps coming down the corridor, and then hurried conversation just outside the door. A few seconds later, several sets of feet walked away. After that, there was silence.

Inara and Mal looked at each other and back at the door. The silence stretched. Mal stood up and studied the door speculatively, wondering if he’d be pushing his luck to try it again. He almost laughed. Since when had he started thinking of the fact that the ‘verse hadn’t managed to kill him yet as luck?

“Mal, do you think it’s wise?” Inara asked softly.

Without looking at her, he shook his head slowly and said, “Nope. But I ain’t in the habit of lettin’ that get in the way.”

The corridor was empty. Both Mal and Inara stared out the doorway for several seconds in stunned silence. Mal quickly stuck his head out, ready to snatch it back in again if anything moved. Nothing did.

“Well I’ll be….” He murmured. He gestured to Inara. “I think they’ve gone.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, taking a few steps over to the doorway to have a look herself.

“Only one way to be.” Mal stepped out into the corridor, and when he didn’t die he looked both ways and frowned in confusion. “Which way is it to the airlock?”

Inara followed him, poised to bolt at the slightest sign of movement. “That way leads back to the theatre. We can get back to the banquet hall from there.”

They looked at each other, both silently acknowledging the likelihood of getting even that far. Mal wanted to say something comforting, but he was suddenly and uncharacteristically afraid to tempt fate.

“Well, w