A/N: Get out your hankies, folks. This one ends sad and I make no apologies. My only defense is - "Everyone else is always doing it!" *stamps foot like a petulant child*

Thanks again to Kaynara for beta-ing and lending her Mal/Inara expertise. And thanks to everyone for all the nice, shiny comments on part one. Here's hoping you like part two!

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What’s Fair – 2/2

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Taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders, Inara answered her door, one of her pristine smiles plastered on her face. Opening her mouth to greet her guest, she was stopped as Simon held up a hand and spoke first.

“Before you say anything,” he told her, stepping inside the cottage. “I didn’t tell Mal a word. He figured out all on his own that maybe we needed to come see you.”

Smiling, this time the expression reached her eyes. Simon was a dear man and good friend, not to mention an outstanding doctor. She’d had no doubt that it had not been his slip of the tongue that had encouraged Mal to take this little outing, but rather the man’s overactive imagination at getting a call from her physician. Laying a hand to his shoulder, she assured Simon, “I know that. I should have suspected that there was nowhere I could run that Mal wouldn’t find me.”

Simon’s bemused expression slid off his features as he studied his friend intently. In just the month she’d been gone, he could already see the effects of her illness taking hold. She was holding herself rigidly, as if afraid the wrong move in one direction or the other might cause pain. Her perfect face was creased with new wrinkles, and not the ones caused by laughter or smiles, ones instead caused by worry and pain. “Didn’t you want him to?” Simon asked knowingly, startling Inara with his insight.

Avoiding the question and the uncomfortable answer, she cocked an eyebrow at him and moved slowly to the sofa. Sitting gingerly, she said, “I see that being with Kaylee has given you a good deal of insight into relationships.” Watching as Simon’s face li