Disclaimer: Firefly and all related elements, characters and indicia © Mutant Enemy Productions and 20th Century Fox Television, 2003. All Rights Reserved. All characters and situations—save those created by the author for use solely on this website—are copyright Mutant Enemy Productions and 20th Century Fox Television.

Notes: Thanks to sffan, Heather, Pip, Nefert11, and TaraLJC for super shiny betas! And my gratitude goes to everyone who quelled my fears at attempting NC-17 and supported me in the writing of this...

And to Tara, as always. This one's for you! A very, very belated happy finishing Lex Tallionis and happy Birthday. And thank you for letting me borrow cousin Mac:)

This story is set in Tara's version of the 'verse, and I borrowed some things (with author permission), but AU (maybe) of some events in Lex Talionis... So while this story stands alone, some things may make a bit more sense if you read her stories first (mainly That Old Yeh Shen Story and Lex Talionis).

Starlight, Starbright

by liquideyes

"Ain't this place romantic?"

"Only you would find romance in a hayloft!" Mac sighed and then giggled. Kaylee and her cousin lay side by side in a pile of sun-warmed straw, exhausted after working all afternoon in the barn with the horses.

"Oh, come on Mac, ain't this just as shiny a place for a tryst as you can think? All private, an' the like..." Kaylee grinned.

"But what about the horses?" she asked.

"We've seen them in season. 'Sides, not like they can see us up here. They ain't gonna squawk!" At twelve years of age, and living practically next door to her cousin's family farm, Kaylee knew all about the facts of life. "Only place better would be right 'side an engine, thrummin's so loud, you feel it's the only place in the 'verse..."

"Until someone walks in!" Mac giggled again.

"That's the one problem I can see. It's the same way with all the places that got machines, people always about. And I can't see a way of fixin' that, so hayloft it is."

"You ain'