The first night, Mal had spent tucked in next to Zoe, both of them fully clothed. Just so she wouldn't be alone in the bed that should be for two. He didn't sleep, keeping an eye on Zoe, just as they had done for each other during the war.

The second night he spent letting Kaylee drone on at him about buffer panels and grav feeds.

The third night, he spent showing River everything she already knew about flying Serenity, just to keep both of them distracted.

The fourth night, he stayed up playing cards with Simon and Jayne, just so that none of them would have the nightmares.

By the fifth night, Mal was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep. He knew every creak and groan Serenity made, so his eyes snapped open wide at the soft knock outside his door.

Inara.

Outside his bunk.

Outside his bunk, which was a disaster zone.

Mal madly scrambled to stuff some of the dirty laundry off the floor and into a duffel bag. As he made a vain attempt to straighten the desk, he called up, "Yeah, 's open!

He caught himself staring as her bare legs started to descend the ladder. Even in her satin shortie pajamas.she looked more like a scared young woman than a high-class Companion, he thought.

He cleared his throat nervously. "Uhhmm, something you need, Inara?"

She looked nervous as she blushed a bit. "I can't sleep."

"Doc should be able to help with that," he said, perhaps a bit more gruffly than he intended.

She looked down at her toes, unable to meet his eyes. Mal could sense her rapid breathing, and his heart rate kicked up in time. Finally, she looked up at him. "How are you doing, Mal?"

That question rocked him back a bit. "Fine. Just dandy. I've got a creepy-genius teen-ager flying my boat, my mechanic has decided to take up with my medic, and I haven't slept in five days. Other'n that, I'm right as rain."

She smiled gently. "So not so good?"

Mal laughed sharply and shook his head. "Not so good."

She stepped closer to him, enough so he could smell night-blooming jasmine and