Author's Notes:

I think there's ten. Well, nine and an epilogue, but that's closer to ten. This turned out happier than I had expected, which I chalk up to the fact that I finally recieved my Ryan Adams CD and most of the songs are amazingly upbeat. La Cienega's still my favorite though. Anyways:

You know the drill. Feedback at kaylee@kikiroxxorz.com is appreciated. Also, for timeline purposes, I am George Lucas. I worked backwards. This takes place immediately preceding the first part. So, I suppose, you should read them:

2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 6, 7, 8 if you're new to the series.

A somewhat happy ending. Weird? I think so.

Warnings, etc:

Warnings from the previous La Cienega Just Smiled stories:

Read with caution. There's some topical matter, namely who's paired with whom, that might be offensive. Feedback is always appreciated (kaylee@kikiroxxorz.com). This gorram story is growing exponentially—every time I write one chapter, another one follows it in my mind.

Any problems can be directed to my dear and fluffy muse, Ryan Adams. He sings, I write.

"Now I hold you close in the back of my mind, feels so good, but damn, it makes me hurt

I’m too scared to know how I feel about you now

La cienega just smiles and says “I’ll see you ‘round.”

Now I hold you close in the back of my mind

Raise my glass cause either way I’m dead

Neither of you really help me to sleep anymore

One breaks my body and the other breaks my soul

La cienega just smiles and waves goodbye."

~Ryan Adams, La Cienega Just Smiled

This one takes place 24 days after part 7.

***

I was wrong.

My brother has been gon an insubordinately long time, fourteen days. I was wrong about everything, so it's all my fault, technically. And since it's all my fault, it's up to me to make it right. It is going to hurt, especially if it goes wrong again, but this is what I need to do in order to have Serenity back, because without Her, I have no reason to be alive.

***

Most days now, Mal wishes he could move in