Havin the ship for himself always gave him that special outstanding look. On the ship, on the crew. A strangely growing crew which he most times understood better, when they were away. Except for the shepard maybe. Or River, of course - but nobody understood her, so that won't count.

He found himself at her door again an immediatly tried to excuse - Captain has to check his ship from time to time, so he straightly walked over to the other shuttle. Which surprisingly was in a good state. Before he could continiue his investigation, he heard the crew enter. Kaylee tried to persuade Jayne of something, that surely was nice and naive like herself; and Jayne replied with something rude, which the shepard of course told him was not the right way to talk to a girl and it would have led to a longer discussion if not the doctor and his crazy sister stepped in - somewhat in a hurry.

"Sorry, we're late." a confused doctor said.

Mal ignored him, hell knows what it was now they run away of, he wanted to get on himself. "You're all just right for tonight's deal" he told them from the gallery, "let's get this cargo sold." As they all got started, Inara entered quietly, slipped to her shuttle, but he saw her. He pretended to have something important on his mind as he slowly wandered her way.

She didn't hear him, when he came in. She just wanted to get these clothes of and wash this guy away. Yeah, a companion is to chose its clients, but sometimes... well, she chose, but you never know whats in these guys minds. Lots of guys get rude sometimes, but there are rude guys and the ones that make you feel guilty of what you are.

"Since when you are so silently? Well, you are always silent, but,... " There was something around her that made him do the sillytalk, he got something around 16 years old when she was near. "Not now." She sounded tired from behind that curtain. "What do you mean ,Not now', Darlin'. You, I'm countin on you; at least, we're gonna dance tonight" and he smiled somehow proud about his own joke. "Mal..." H