Author's Note: Try four at posting this, grr.

Anyway, by the request of Leiasky. Gets a bit angsty toward the end.

***

"Hey, you," Simon said softly, sliding in next to Kaylee on the couch. "Can't sleep?"

Kaylee instinctively shuffled closer, rearranging herself in Simon's arms, shaking her head. "Thinkin'."

"About what?" he enquired lightly, determined not to mess this up again.

"Why you left."

Simon froze. "Bao bei..."

"Lemme talk, Simon." She looked up at him, and his expression changed her mind. "Tell me about Pacquin."

"Sweetheart...I...um. Think we should talk this through. To make sure...it...um. Doesn't happen again. I don't think I could...handle it happening again."

Kaylee took a deep breath. "I thought I'd be happy. I used to love to hear your stories 'bout what life were like on the Core, 'til I realized how clean and...perfect it were. I knew I couldn't ever be like that. It didn't bother me none 'til I realized that, given the chance, you'd leave us--leave me--behind without so much as a backward glance. I was so afraid of losin' you that I tried to make myself into one of your Core girls. I knew full well that I didn't fit, but I were so happy to finally be with you that I just kept it up 'til I couldn't anymore. I...River came to my bunk that first night an' just lay there with me. She didn't care if I were green or purple or if I had grass growin' where hair should be or if I were from the Core or some hick backwater planet, she loved me for bein' Kaylee. An' that felt good, Simon. It felt good knowin' that someone loved Kaylee for Kaylee. Who didn't love her 'cause she'd have sex or 'cause their brother said she were easy...or...or someone who didn't wish she were smarter or cleaner; someone proper who didn't say "ain't". She made me feel happy to just be Kaylee."

Simon reached down and wiped away the tears that had started trickling down her cheeks. "I love you for just being Kaylee," he whispered, not trusting his voice for anything louder.

"Really?" Kaylee s