Make a Wish: Chapter 4

The Consequence of Wishing

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Inara found Kaylee in the engine room, and wasn’t a bit surprised. The ship was quiet, the rest of the crew, including Simon, out either on the job or gathering supplies. The two women had been left in charge and while Inara had hoped to book some appointments knowing that at least Mal would not be barging into her shuttle, she’d found herself highly distracted.

Rapping lightly on the side of the hatchway into the warm room, Inara got Kaylee’s attention from where the girl was curled up in her hammock. “Oh,” she said lightly, stretching her arms over her head as she blinked some sleep from her eyes. “Hey ‘Nara. What’s up?”

“Not you, apparently,” her friend teased, grinning at Kaylee as she descended the few stairs into the room. Noting the tired look on the younger woman’s face, Inara asked quietly, “Are you feeling all right?”

Nodding once, Kaylee swallowed thickly and fought the truth from bubbling forth. She didn’t feel all right, hadn’t for some weeks now actually, but she wasn’t going to tell Inara that, especially when Kaylee feared what the reason might be. “Sure, ‘Nara. I’m shiny.”

As if to prove her point, Kaylee worked herself out of the hammock, standing too swiftly and swaying unsteadily on her feet. Only Inara’s steadying arm allowed her to stay standing and with a heavy sigh, she sank back into the hammock.

Breathing in deeply through her nose and releasing the breath through her mouth, Kaylee waited until she felt the room stop spinning before giving her friend a sheepish grin. Returning her look with a disapproving stare, Inara frowned and said, “Why don’t you tell me the truth?”

Sighing, Kaylee closed her eyes again and tried to quell the fear she felt racing up her spine. Breathing deep once more, she looked to Inara and asked quietly, “Do you got any supplies on your shuttle?”

Frowning deeper, Inara asked, “What kind of supplies?”

“Like female ones,” Kaylee elaborated. “Tests and the like?”

Understan