“What are you doing here?”

It wasn’t quite the welcome Mal had been expecting. Inara’s eyes were blazing with a bit of anger that made him uncomfortable and her arms were crossed defiantly over her chest as she glared at him.

Glancing behind him to the empty hallway, Mal turned back to her with a confused look. “Me? You’re talkin’ to me?”

“I thought it was too dangerous, Mal.” Inara wasn’t sure why she was so angry; in truth, she was relieved to see him standing on her threshold, but that only made her more upset. She could handle this, she didn’t need him to rescue her or anyone else.

His cheeks coloring slightly at her accusation, Mal lowered his voice and said, “I needed to make sure we could get to the Core on some legitimate business.” Frowning, he added, “’Course, we still landed under a fake alias, but ya know, it ain’t ever gonna be perfect.”

Even while her lips threatened to turn up into a smile, Inara still glared. “It’s okay,” a small voice said from behind her. Turning, she was not surprised to see River standing there, her hopeful eyes locked firmly on Mal. Stepping aside, Inara watched with a bit of relief as River launched herself into Mal’s arms, hugging him fiercely.

“I told Simon Daddy would come and take us home,” she whispered, so grateful that Mal was there.

Squeezing her back, Mal whispered, “Yeah, well, I can’t go flyin’ without my albatross.”

The two held the embrace for a few moments and then finally, Mal pulled away, feeling a bit uncomfortable at such an overt show of affection. Keeping her hand firmly threaded in his, River tugged him inside, proudly announcing to Kaylee, “Look who’s here!”

With sad, woeful eyes, Kaylee looked to him and then returned her gaze to her lap. “Hey, Cap.”

Frowning, Mal moved from River’s side to Kaylee’s and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “That’s all I get?” he asked, his tone full of mock hurt. “’Hey, Cap?”

Shruggin