A/N: The little upset a few months ago deleted all three of my chapters here, so this is a repost, if anyone remembers me. It took so long because my beta got pneumonia, the holiday season set in, and then I had to get used to dealing with real life again. So, here it is. (Also on the Pit, AKA Fanfiction.net, if you dare travel there. Same title, author Zurmdragon.)

Firefly is not mine.

Dedicated to my dear beta, hoperules.

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I. Rendezvous

Inara had vanished, claiming that this was a private moment.

Intellectually, River understood what a ‘private moment’ was, but the concept hadn’t translated into reality for…a long time. She could hear everything, sometimes, every thought, clean or dirty, twisted or sane. They invaded her very being, often to the point where she couldn’t tell if the thoughts were hers or not. Privacy, for River Tam, was not real.

Besides, she wanted to see how her brother would screw up this time.

The setting was ripe for it: high-class restaurant, expensive food, and best laid plans. It was only a matter of time before Simon said something stupid.

The pair was laughing about something that really wasn’t funny, and then Simon’s face suddenly settled into a sappily serious expression.

“Kaylee, there’s something important I need to say.”

River rolled her eyes. Creativity hit her brother in flashes, and never in the area of romance.

“I know things have been hard. With everything.” He grinned a little sadly. “I mean, Inara had to get us in here quietly, and we can’t get work, and all that happened before...it’s because of me, and I know it. My family thing.”

Kaylee shook her head. “Aw, c’mon. We got through that stuff, we’ll get through now. Everything’s gonna be just shiny.”

“I just wanted you to know it’s okay if you refuse,” Simon said, one hand going to a pocket. River shook her head as he hesitated. He knew, everyone knew, what Kaylee would answer. This would be the screw-up: never even asking.

He visibly took a deep breath and