TITLE: "THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Zoe/Wash, Kaylee/Simon.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: Sequel to "ADRIFT".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: None. All Firefly stories archived at Fireflyfans.net

SUMMARY: "Inara returns to Sihnon. River tries to make the

Captain comfortable until they can reunite with Serenity."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Sihnon. Beautiful, elegant, the ultimate jewel in any crown. At its' heart if not its' core lay House Madrassa. Untarnished by age or the elements, as pristine and perfect as the day it was built. A place loved and cared for in every individually fashioned inch of her. A physical manifestation of everything it represented to the point where anyone looking upon it for the first time gazed in wonder. Inara felt that welcome sense of peace and familiarity wrap around her the moment she arrived, the years rolling back so seamlessly it was almost as if she had not left at all.

Smiles, polite laughter and hugs suffused with the happy chatter of voices missed but not forgotten. The House Mistress did not meet Inara herself and for that she was grateful. It meant she could immerse herself in the well wishes of those who meant it without having to stand on ceremony while her actions and words were picked clean like meat off a bone. That would come later no doubt. For now she was happy to embrace the brief distraction of coming home while ignoring the tiny voice she tried so valiantly to pretend she could not hear reminding her that it would never be home again.

* * * * *

It was a beautiful lull. The voice light, inherently musical eve