Author’s Note: I’m really sorry for not updating for so long. It’s March break and I got so sick that I had to miss the last days of school and 2 weeks of work. Also I know you guys told me to be nice, but I wasn’t, because I’m a big angst fan. So I apologize ahead of time for anyone who ends up hating me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly/Serenity, nor any of the characters or events that compose them. And if I did, I would be fired for never updating and they would be given to someone more worthy anyways.

Learning to be Patient

Chapter 3

Guilt

Kaylee sighed with discontent and placed a hand upon her hip, “Compression coils are costing an arm and a leg these days,” she grumbled to herself as she walked down and oversized aisle in a store that specialized in selling engine parts.

“Anything I can help you with, Miss?” the clerk asked kindly from behind the large wooden counter. He was an older gentleman, who looked as if he’d been running to store since it opened. He wore a soiled, dark green top, with a beige pair of pants.

“Nah, I’m just browsing,” she informed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and smiling as brightly as she willed.

“Girl like you shouldn’t be hanging around these kinda shops on Tempest. You ought to be out enjoying the finer things in life,” he pointed out with a gentle smile that made his eyes disappear in wrinkles.

“I was thinking of that,” She divulged as she stopped at the end of the aisle to talk, “But I ain’t cut out for that kinda stuff.” She’d convinced herself that’s what it was, she looked down to her clothes, her arms and overall soaked with dried engine grease that wouldn’t come out, her hair hadn’t been brushed in almost a week and her big boots clonked on the hollow floor leaving a track of dried mud.

“Well neither am I,” the man informed, “But I still treat myself and my wife to an evening out once a month. It’s nice to give yourself little rewards, especially when you work hard,” The wrinkles of wisdom devoured his eyes once again as a smil