Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss

Rating: R

Pairing: Jayne/River; Mal/Inara; Simon/Kaylee; Zoë/Wash’s memories

Beta: My magic beta lady – Ceslas

Notes: Final chapter – The plan is for the Mal/Inara storyline to be completed in their own story

http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=13869>Back to ch - 11 Dark And Fearsome Places

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Inara was almost to the stairs by the engine room when she heard Simon close the hatch to Kaylee’s bunk. She froze with one hand gripping her flashlight and the other flat against the bulkhead. She knew that if she were smart she’d keep right on going, but she also knew that there was one thing that needed to be done before she crawled into her solitary bed. In the past she wouldn’t have questioned herself, but lately she was doing things that defied explanation. A quick internal check didn’t give her any answers.

Turning on her heel she headed back the way she’d come. Back, three-quarters of the length of the ship until she was at the hatch of the first bunk on the starboard side. Kneeling she knocked quietly and snapped off her light. Moments later Malcolm Reynolds’s head and shoulders popped up. He was blinking sleep out of his eyes, his hair was mussed and Inara was caught completely by surprise at the sight of him half-dressed; at least she hoped he was dressed on his bottom half.

“’Nara?” he whispered and wondered if he was still dreaming.

“I need to talk to you for a minute.” She shivered at the sight of him.

“Com’on.” He gestured for her to follow him down the ladder then stopped. “Did the Doc say it was okay you for ta be climbin’ ‘round like this?”

“Wo hao,” she rolled her eyes. “It’s been two and a-half weeks since he did the repair. I’m fine.” In all her time on Serenity, she could count on one hand how often she’d