It had been a cheap trinket, really. Not much more than cut glass. But it had caught Mal's eye at the market. He'd hesitated, knowing that she'd probably received much fancier jewels from much wealthier men. But Inara's birthday had been approaching, and he didn't want to be empty-handed.

She'd held it up, letting the little bit of heart-shaped glass wink in the lights of the mess.

He'd so wanted her to see that it wasn't just a piece of cheap glass. That it was his way of trying to tell her how he felt.

But the words just never quite made it out.

She'd thanked him. Even kissed him on the cheek for it. But he could never recall seeing her wear it.

And now, Jayne dropped the same necklace into Mal's hand, telling him that he'd found it behind the dresser when he was cleaning out the shuttle after she'd left.

He clutched it tightly enough for the glass to shatter, cutting into his hand.

And staring at the blood starting to well up in his palm, he figured it really was the shape of his heart after all.