A/N: Well, I have returned from the "Flan-that-wasn't" and I have so many things/memories/recollections that I want to share. As soon as I can write about it coherently, I promise I will post something.

Here is the final chapter of my current series, Best Intentions. I'm not sure what I'm going to post next and honestly, with the holidays coming and my cross country move right around the corner (I'm going to California, baby!), I may have to just post a few one-offs and save the rest of my series for the new year.

I also am still debating whether or not to write a sequel to this series. I feel it ends in a good place, but there are a few loose ends I could play with ... bwhahaha!

Enjoy and please comment - I know you will - after meeting over 200 Browncoats this weekend I have come to realize that we are one of the best fandoms in the world. You guys are awesome!

And, of course, thanks to Leiasky for continuing to beta even when I know how busy she was - she's more than awesome - she's amazing!

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Best Intentions, ch. 19

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The following week was the longest week of Inara’s life. She had shut herself away from Kaylee and Simon, coming up with various excuses to keep them out. She knew the minute Kaylee had called that the younger woman knew of Mal’s predicament. She had let Kaylee tell her briefly what had happened and then abruptly ended the wave, feigning an excuse.

So now, she moved through her days by rote, her muscle memory the only thing that propelled her forward. She attended an opera one night and cried throughout it, glad that the story was sad and the theater dark. Even if her spies were watching her, there was a legitimate excuse for her tears.

She barely ate, not noticing as her stomach hollowed out from the lack of food. Her skin had stopped glowing and her features were more and more haggard with each passing day. But Inara kept moving forward, knowing that it was almost over, knowing that in just another day she’d be free of the Guild and free aga