Inara felt … odd. Something was wrong. Perhaps it was just the feeling of Serenity sitting on the ground rather than flying through the black. But that wasn’t unusual. Sometimes there were days when they were waiting for work, waiting for payment … just waiting. But this …

She pressed the com. “Kaylee, is there anything wrong?”

It took a moment for a flustered mechanic to answer. “No … no … nothing’s wrong.”

Inara smiled. “Then I’m sorry for interrupting you.”

“Why’d you think there was?”

“Just a … it’s nothing.”

“Oh. Okay.” Kaylee switched off the com and turned to Simon who was leaning against the engine housing, his chest naked. “Think she’s okay?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?” He reached for her but she danced away.

“Because it ain’t usual for her to ask.”

“I mean, if there was a problem with the job, they’d let us know, right?”

Kaylee paused in the doorway. “I guess.”

He crossed his arms across his bare chest. “So why don’t you come here?”

“Well, might be because you’re a mite greasy.”

“So are you. And it was your idea for me to take my shirt off so I wouldn’t get it dirty.”

“It’s too fine to get all mucked up from Serenity’s parts.”

“How about if it gets all mucked from your parts?” He smiled a little.

“Why, Doctor Tam, I don’t know what you mean.”

Suddenly he was all seriousness. Standing up straight he lowered his arms, and she could see a faint pink flush across his chest. “Kaylee, there’s something I want to say. Something I’ve wanted to say for a long while, but I was afraid.”

“You? Afraid?” She tried to make it a joke, but the words stuck in her throat. Was this it? The moment he was going to say he’d decided to take his sister and leave, go back to the Core where he belonged?

“Me. Afraid.” He took one step towards her. “Kaylee, I care about you. And I’m terrified I’m going to say the wrong thing, put my foot firmly back in my mouth. You make my mind crazy, turn it all around, and the words seem to get mixed up. Rem