"So we'll head to Persephone and see what we can't unload there but, in the

mean time we just need to hold tight before..." Mal was interrupted by a coughing

Kaylee. She had been looking a bit green during supper.

"Li'l Kaylee are you feeling a'right?"

"Shiny Captain. Just a little bit of a cranky stomach. Nothin' worryin' about."

"Maybe, Simon you could give a once over to Kaylee makes sure she ain't

bad off in anyway."

"That's fine captain. If you want Kaylee we can go straight after dinner."

"No! I mean...er....it's really all just shiny. Nothin' wrong here."

"Well, that may be but, you still need to be visitin' the doc." Inara caught the

worry mixed in with Mal's casual demeanor. It had been about a week now that

Kaylee hadn't been herself. In fact, it was only a few days ago that Inara herself had

caught Kaylee asleep in a chair midday.

"Perhaps Mal's right in this mei mei. We'd never want anything to happen to

you," Kaylee stared down at her plate; pushing the protein substance about. She

never was very good at lyin' especially not to her Cap'n' or 'Nara.

"I'm really a'right. Thanks you for beins so sweets." Simon who had stayed

out of things until now decided to pipe in. He could never let one of the crew fall ill

under his watch.

"Kaylee, it will be no problem and it won't take very long for me to make

sure that everything is okay...."

"It's not that! I'm really not gorram sicks!," Kaylee couldn't take it anymore.

The lies and secrets were just too much for her to handle any longer. It just wasn't in

her.

A perplexed Mal stared at his mechanic. This wasn't like her. "What is it

li'l one? What's goin' on?"

The words bubbled up from Kayle