River settled onto the plush stool in Inara's shuttle while Inara grabbed her brush and some hairpins. As Inara started brushing the young girl's hair, she tried to conjure up the best way to begin the conversation.

"I know Simon asked you to do this." River relaxed into the feeling of having her hair brushed. "Too embarrassed to tell me himself. I still don't understand."

"Sweetie, I didn't just invite you in here for Simon's benefit, you know I enjoy spending time with you." Inara was so gentle on River's hair that she barely felt the tangles catch on the bristles of the brush. "And, honestly, if you had questions about sex, you should have come to me. I'm not easily embarrassed, and I'm willing to share everything I know. I've even talked Kaylee through a lot of questions in the past."

"Simon's funny when he's embarrassed. Red-faced and wide-eyed. Can't hardly speak. He's such a boob." River went about folding squares of Origami paper into various ornate shapes. She was a bit nervous, and her hands were starting to get restless.

Inara smiled in amusement. "Your brother is amusing when he's embarrassed. But you can't get your questions answered if he's just sitting there stuttering." She set down the brush and started pulling strands of River's hair up, pinning them in elaborate twists to her head.

"Don't understand. I feel. Body lit up in fire. Flames that are never quenched. Don't know how. Parts interlocking, need parts I don't have." A tear spilled down River's cheek. She didn’t understand her body. She did, felt, and said things that she can't explain. When she started feeling arousal, she just tried to believe it was imagined, or she was feeling someone else's emotions. She was almost eighteen now, and the need growing inside her was becoming unbearable.

Inara finished with River's hair and moved so she was sitting in front of her. She gently wiped the tear from River's cheek, taking a moment to choose her words.

"River, once a girl reaches a certain age, her body awakens to