The traditional obligatory offering to Boss Joss. Love his work, got bored, and decided to run with it!

This is a story co-written with a very good friend of mine, aka DeanWinchester here at FF.net. Action adventure, some family drama, and humor. Simon/Kaylee and Mal/Inara galore! Jayne/OC as well. Also, River getting to be a teenage girl in later chapters!

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As morning came on board Serenity, Inara shifted in her sleep, the cool, over processed air in the Mal’s room causing her to shiver. The movement made her suddenly aware, despite her half-consciousness, of the heavy weight resting along her body. With a quiet sigh, and the hint of a smile, she glanced down to see the captain lying against her in a deep sleep, his cheek resting heavily against her chest in the tangle of sheets intertwined between them.

Her lips quirked up in a dreamy smirk. Many nights had drifted by much this way. And to tell the truth, Inara wasn't minding it one bit, really. Shifting very carefully as to not wake him, Inara brushed away the covers shielding the man's face from her sight, until his cheek finally rested upon warm skin, and she could see him more clearly. She lifted a hand, gracefully running her fingers through the warm coarseness of Mal's hair.

Mal wasn't going to deny that he was enjoying this secret thing they had going on. It was nice to not go back to his bed each night and be alone inside it. Granted it was way more crowded than it ever had been it was still a good thing if you asked him. One Inara was far more graceful than most of the women that had been in this bed. Which was...well, one. That probably wasn't the best way to look at things, so he brushed that thought away.

He was sleeping himself into a silly stupor at the moment. Using her as a lovely pillow. It wasn't until he felt fingers combing through his hair did he realize he was partially awake. He didn't want to admit it he was trying to fall back asleep. Though the lack of movement in the belly of