Inferno – Chapter Ten

I own no rights to Firefly, and claim none. I write only for the fun of it, and because I miss Firefly.

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Serenity glided gracefully onto the landing pad at Guilford’s. Inara had become an accomplished pilot, Mal decided, watching from his mule. As the ramp came down, he drove over to the ship, and dismounted.

“Hey, Sheriff!” John called, waving. “Glad to see you!”

“Any problems?” Mal called out. John shook his head.

“No sir. Miss Inara took right good care of us!” Mal smiled at that. His smile grew as he saw Inara coming down the steps.

“Hey you,” Inara smiled, and Mal wrapped her in his arms, kissing her soundly. Inara’s arms circled his neck, as she kissed him back just as soundly.

“Missed me, I see,” Inara smirked when they parted.

“I miss you every second you’re not with me, woman,” Mal told her, and Inara felt her face warm. Mal had become a real hand with words in the last year or so.

“I missed you too,” she admitted.

“Rough trip?” Mal asked.

“No, just long,” she assured him. “Everything went fairly well. We had that trouble with the coolant mix again, on the way home. But Holly says he thinks he’s got the cause isolated, and he’s going to fix it before we sail again.”

“Good man,” Mal nodded. “The others work out okay?”

“Perfectly fine,” she nodded. “Good men. Well mannered, and hard working.”

“Nothing like me, then,” he smiled, and she laughed.

“No, nothing like you, my pirate,” she kissed him again. Taking his hand, she started toward the stairs.

“Where we goin’?” Mal asked. Inara looked at him over her shoulder.

“I missed you,” was her only explanation. Mal smiled as her words sank in.

“Oh, well,” he smirked. “If you missed me. . .”

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Jayne and Liam ducked back inside the door, Liam yelping in pain.

“Okay, kid?” Jayne asked, and Liam nodded.

“Grazed me,” the younger man said, looking at a wicked burn across his upper arm. “Likely live, though,” he grinned up at Jayne. Jayne winked at him.

“Good man.” He