Disclaimer: Okay, so none of these people are mine . Whatever, Joss. We both know the truth.

AN: I just finished my long, arduous Life's Too Short, so now I'm gonna do a bunch of short pieces for a while unless someone asks me for a sequel. I have another long piece in mind, but... I'm kinda lazy, so... I'm digging myself into a hole, here, aren't I. Just read. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! I'LL LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!

‘When I was just a little girl,

I asked my mother, ‘What will I be?

Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?’

Here’s what she said to me…’

Inara had not been prepared for Serenity. She could admit that now. For once in her entire, preplanned life, Inara Serra had been taken completely and utterly by surprise.

Although she was a little taken aback by the fact that ‘surprise’ wore suspenders.

She remembered first walking aboard, entering that cold, colorless shuttle. She remembered it as if it were yesterday.

Hmm. Should I rent this? Overwhelming yes, I think. I need this. Merciful Buddha, but I need this. Although… if I do… this man, this Malcolm Reynolds, is going to be trouble. I don’t think I like that mocking note in his eyes. I don’t particularly like being mocked… And look at those suspenders! Ooh… look at that smile, right there, he doesn’t want to smile, but he is… and those hands… bet they’d know their way around a woman… no. Stop. Stop right there. No relationships with the crew. Especially not with this scruffy captain with his gorgeous eyes and adorable, little-boy smile. Oh, wait, he’s talking. Oh, really? You think so? Okay, give a little pause there right after ‘because you want me’. Let him stew in that! Wait, too long of a pause, back on track. He’s going to rent me this shuttle. I can already tell. And he does want me. I can tell that, too. Not that anything’s ever going to come of it. Did he just insult me? Oh, I can tell this is going to be a fruitful and lucrative business arrangement.

Now, though, she found it hard to believe she’d been so cavalier about it all. She