Thanks for waiting patiently! Here, at long last, is more.

Chapter 10

Inara was still smoldering from Mal’s authoritative brush-off as she left her shuttle a few hours later and headed for the kitchen to make a cup of tea. She was mentally running through all the choice words she was going to throw at the captain the next time she saw him, knowing he would give as well as he got so she needed to be prepared. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t immediately notice how quiet it was as she stepped into the dimly lit kitchen, but she stopped short at the sight that met her eyes.

Sitting at the table, shoulders slumped and head in his hands, was Mal. He looked so lost and defeated, so tired and forlorn, Inara’s heart broke and all her angry words melted away. Tenderly, she went up to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, not surprised at the tense muscles she could feel there.

“Hey,” she said softly, rubbing at the tight muscles, “you’re exhausted. Why don’t you get some rest?”

“Can’t sleep,” Mal muttered, not meeting her eyes.

“Shepherd Book piloting?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you can rest for a while,” Inara urged. “Stay there,” she added kindly. She squeezed his shoulder once more and then went to the stove, filling the teapot with water and putting it on to heat. Silence reigned as she worked, Mal not speaking and Inara using the time to collect her thoughts. When the tea was done, she filled two cups with the steaming liquid and brought them to the table. She set one in front of Mal and kept the other, sitting down next to him.

The man stared unseeing at the beverage for several seconds before shaking his head and turning to the companion.

“I’m not really a tea kind of guy,” he said, a limp half-smile crossing his face.

“It’s just an herbal tea that calms and sooths. It will help you relax. Besides, I promise not to tell a soul, your reputation is safe,” Inara answered, a compassionate, friendly smile on her own face. “Just drink it, Mal.”

“Yes