“An’ you just left him?” Kaylee gapped at Inara in astonishment. The gentle shudder of the small shuttle as it hit atmo barely registered.

“I had to,” Inara said briskly and quickly went through the pre-entry sequence. A small frown tugged at her lips and she finally sighed her face softening into something like regret. “It… it wasn’t easy,” she said softly. “He’s just so…” her lips tightened and a look of exasperation twisted her lips. “gorram stubborn.”

The curse sounded odd coming from the Companion’s lips, but Kaylee nodded wisely in agreement. If there was one thing the Captain was, it was stubborn. “He gets like that,” Kaylee said quietly. “‘Specially about stuff he cares about. Not that he’d ever admit to carin’ about anything except the ship.”

”Hmm.” Inara made a noncommittal noise of agreement, but the slightly fiery look in her eyes revealed a little more heat behind that bland sound.

“Not that he don’t care,” Kaylee said quickly. “I just don’t think he’s… comfortable ‘bout showin’ it.” She looked at the elegantly dressed woman who was proficiently landing the shuttle. “Know what I mean?”

Inara sighed and couldn’t repress her the eye roll of annoyance. “Yes very much so.” The small craft settled to earth with a small bump and Inara went through the post-landing procedures. She ignored the silent, insistent call that blinked to life.

Kaylee nibbled at a ragged fingernail and then looked at Inara again with anxiety. “You sure he was ok? Now what happened again?”

Inara sighed and thought back to the overwhelming terror she had been put through a week ago. Mal had been on the way “out” when she was coming back from one of her “diplomatic missions.”

Inara motioned Kaylee to follow her into the back of the small vessel. “I’ll tell you while you’re getting ready.” Kaylee’s face paled a little but she set her jaw with determination and began to strip out of the familiar jumpsuit she usually wore. “Sit,” Inara commanded and Kaylee settled nude, and not a little uncomfortably, onto