“Inara, I’ve apologised. I’ve said I’m sorry. Why do you keep pushing me away?” Sam stared at her, his dark eyes entreating her.

“Because you ran! You saw something out here that you didn’t like and you ran.” Inara faced him, her anger almost tinting the air red between them.

“You know why.”

“No, I don’t.”

“I explained.”

“And I let you go.”

He released her arm as if it was red hot. “Inara …”

“You made the decision. Perhaps you ought to stick to it.” She lifted her chin defiantly.

“So that’s it? I just walk away? Go with Serenity and get back to my normal life?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what you want.”

“Yes.”

He took a deep breath and held it for a long moment before releasing it slowly. “I see. Fine. Now at least I understand.” He walked to the door. “You’d better use this room. I’ll find another. I wouldn’t want to … inconvenience you.”

“Thank you.”

He had turned the knob, opened the door, half-stepped out into the corridor when an enormous crash of thunder roared overhead, and the banked anger inside him broke. “No!” he shouted, turning to her again. “That isn’t good enough!”

She took a step back. “What? Why?”

“Because this isn’t what I want.” He advanced into the room. “I want to take you! Make you love me!” He laughed bitterly. “But I can’t.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Because of what you went through! I can never … I would never force myself on you. But I don’t know how to tell you how I feel.”

“Just tell me.”

“You don’t understand. All my life I’ve lived by my own rules, by a code that … I’m a therapist, Inara. I know this is wrong, what I want, but I …I’m losing you before I ever had you. And I should be emasculated for even thinking like this. For wanting to … to make you want me.” He shook his head. “See what you’ve made of me?”

“Sam, stop this.” She hardened her heart. “This is pointless.”

“I’m offering myself to you, Inara! What are you afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid.”

“Yes you are. I can