TITLE: "FINAL ASSESSMENT"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Mal/Inara.

RATING: NC-17. Series **CONCLUSION**

STATUS: SEQUEL to "LOOSE ENDS"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "Gradually everything gets back to normal again

with the realisation that nothing will be the same."

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.

"FINAL ASSESSMENT"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

It was an odd sensation for the Companion. She was sitting in the commons area with Kaylee and the whores in the padded armchairs and sofa set aside for relaxing. Carla was cradling baby Zack, Emma holding one of the twins - Christian - while Evie played with Lucy. Anna rocked a quietly sleeping Trisha while Kaylee did everything but salivate at the babes. Had she not thought it would upset the mothers she would have insisted on holding first one then the other but Inara had quietly suggested waking them when they were dropping off to sleep was a recipe for disaster. Plus she privately did not know how it would affect the Captain's mood having four wailing babies on board. Carla watched the way Inara looked at them, as if measuring and weighing them in her mind before speaking. It did not annoy or offend her. She had spent her whole life being looked down upon by better than the Companion but that was not what Inara was intending in her estimation. 'Course it was only a theory.

"Don't know how to thank Mal enough, comin' along when he did." Carla said in seeming innocence.

Kaylee beamed. "Yeah, the Cap'n may act all kinds of grumpy an' stern but he ain't nothin' but a big gorram softie at heart ain't he 'nara?"

For a moment it looked as if Inara would no