Disclaimer: I just love this little Verse that Mr. Whedon and friends created and own. I am so happy I can sneak in and visit. It's very fun!

The Butcher (2 of 4)

The Companion and Preacher slowly walked back to Serenity. Simon stayed at the house overnight so that he could watch over his patients. River had gone back to the ship with Kaylee and Wash soon after dinner. The evening was marginally cooler than the day. Inara produced a fan from some hidden pocket, flicked it open and began to fan herself as they stepped off the front porch..

“Our young Doctor did some amazing work today.” Book observed. “As did you. Simon said you were invaluable to him today.”

She was too exhausted to blush at the compliment, but the fan paused for a beat. “I really didn’t do much more than follow Simon around.”

“You did much more than that, my dear. You have a wonderful touch.”

“Thank you.” She sighed. “I don’t understand why they had to do so much killing. These people were unarmed and helpless. It’s so senseless.”

The Preacher shook his head slowly. “I wish I could answer that, Inara. Only God knows what goes through the minds of such men. I just hope Mal and the others are very careful. The housekeeper told me there are about a dozen of them.”

“He’ll be careful. Mal may like to project he’s hard and wild, but…” Her voice trailed off.

I believe he can be as hard as he feels he needs to be. He just doesn’t like then need to be.” He spoke softly. The conversation was going the way he wanted it to. Something was wrong and he wanted to fix it if he could. In the weeks since Nandi’s death there had been a perceptible change in the way Mal and Inara talked to and looked at each other. The change in Inara had been greater than that of the Captain.

Mal had become more deferential towards her and something new would creep into his eyes as he watched her. Book saw it when the younger man thought he was unobserved. It was a look of sorrow and loss. The expression would be there