TITLE: "DISINGENUOUS"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Zoe/Wash. Kaylee/Simon. Mal/Inara.

RATING: G.

STATUS: Sequel to "THE APPLE AND THE TREE".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "Inara has to face her demons sooner than she

expected. Captain Foster makes his decision. Natalie and

Paul get closer while Kaylee and Simon grow further apart.

Then River calls them all together and drops a bombshell."

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.

"DISINGENUOUS"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

It was not often that Inara felt utterly isolated, so cut off from the human condition that every thought, every action, felt as if it was remote, pre-programmed. It wasn't but the illusion was born of a multitude of things, not least her own errors in judgement at times of vulnerability. Whenever the past became too heavy a burden to carry she absolved herself in the present and the careful, pre-planned steps she had taken to get here. Now she was reviewing that path, her almost messianic devotion to the Guild and her Companion status. Deep down she knew that did not make her better than anyone else just subject to different addictions. Not the sex, the money, nor even the prestige of her position but the ease with which she could enter any society and exit at a time of her choosing unscathed. Or so she had thought.

Inara eyed the folder with a sigh then made sure that her door was locked before addressing the heaviest burden of all. The pages of flimsy were all encoded to her DNA. Pressing her thumb to the top right hand corner of the first page the transparant sheet came to life, words and pictures detailing everything s