A/N: This story is supposed to take place shortly after Serenity, the movie.
I haven't written anything in quite a while and this is unbeataed, all mistakes are mine.

Serenity was flying again, Zoe was shattered, but as she told him, she would hold. The little Albatros was appeased, Jayne had sobered a mite, Simon had finally gotten his wits in order about Kaylee, and Inara was staying with them, for the moment. The sting of the loss of Wash and Book would be with him for a long time, probably wouldn't ever dull, but they were flying.

He looked at River looking out in the black like it was a gold mine, and smiled inside. At least there was that.

"Go, I can manage without you." River said, not looking at him.

"I'm fine, I…"

"Go…" she cut him, then looked at him pointedly "Please…"

Mal shook his head, admitting defeat and made to stand up. "You ring me if anything happens?"

"Nothing will, go sleep, you need it."

"Captain's orders?" he smirked.

"Serenity's…"

Mal smiled briefly and exited the bridge. He checked the empty cargo hold out of habit, they even had a brand new mule, courtesy of an anonymous contributor.

He had a strong suspicion this contributor had something to do with the one that paid for the repairs of his girl, the operative, he reckoned. Miranda had made sure the guy would disappear from Alliance radars, but somehow, Mal knew he would find him again on his path one day. Their story had yet to be concluded. Good or bad? He didn't want to know. He yawned as he reached the door to his cabin.

Mal stepped down the ladder and worked the tense muscles of his shoulders. He started unbuttoning his shirt when he heard a knock.

"Come in?"

The hatch opened and Inara stuck her head inside before going down the ladder.

"Inara," he greeted.

"Mal, I was wondering if I could talk to you…"

Mal sighed, only a few days ago she had told him she didn't know whether she was staying on his ship or not, 'guess he had his answer. "We're coupla days away from Sihnon, that all right? I can drop you off there…"

"There won't be any need for that, Mal." she interrupted him.

Mal raised an eyebrow.

"I came down here to tell you that I resigned my commission. I have some things to do on Persephone, though, my savings to retrieve and a few errands to run… I'm in no hurry."

"Oh… Well this is an unexpected turn of events," Mal bluntly said.

"It was unavoidable."

"I'm sorry, 'Nara, I..."

"No you're not," she smiled, interrupting him. She stepped toward him. "After Miranda… After what happened… Let's say I am starting to understand why you didn't want to live in a world that was shaped by the Unification. My time on Serenity showed me nothing was as perfect as they would have us believe, and honestly, I was fine with that. After all, that was what I sought when I decided to leave the training house, to see something else, to challenge my beliefs… but I never thought… I realized I was living in a bubble. It started cracking when I first stepped onto Serenity's deck but Miranda showed me the gruesome side of it all. I don't support the war or the killing of human life, in any form, but I understand what you did and why you did it."

Mal was happily surprised by Inara's confession. He smiled briefly at her. "Well I'm glad that you do… I know I ain't a saint, I know I hurt you more often than once but… Well I guess what I mean to say is I reckon it may not have been easy for you to come down here and tell me this piece and I thank you."

Inara smiled as well. "I'm glad we're not fighting for once…"

Mal chuckled "That too… So?... What are your plans now? You gonna stay a while longer with us or…"

"You know why I left?"

Mal sighed, "reckon I don't... "

"I couldn't stay and still be a companion... "

"Oh?"

"Nandi… I…"

"I'll never forgive myself for that…"

"No, it's not because of her death… And you're not responsible."

"I should have…"

"Protected her? But you did, Mal… You protected what she created, you protected the girls… No, it's not because she died. It's because I couldn't bear the thought of you with her."

Mal froze, trying to understand all the implications of her words.

She stepped forward. "A companion does not fall in love, a woman does. I'm here to stay, Mal… As long as you'll have me…" she pulled at the strings holding her dress onto her shoulders.

Mal stood there, transfixed at the garment pooled down at her ankles. She wore nothing underneath and she was still stepping forward.

"'Nara…"

"Shhh…" she put a finger on his mouth as she tiptoed to rest her head on his shoulder.

Mal's arms automatically came around her waist. They remained silent for a few seconds before Inara looked him in the eye and finished unbuttoning his shirt. She slid both the shirt and his suspenders down his shoulders and then unbuckled his belt and took care of his pants' button.

She pushed him back gently to sit on his bunk and pulled his boots.

Mal steadied her hands as she made to remove the last of his clothing.

He stood up and gently grabbed her face.

"I won't share you, 'nara"

"I choose you, Mal.."

"I ain't a saint…"

She chuckled "I know…"

"You'll be part of my crew, I'll give you orders…"

"You're the captain on board, but in here, you're mine…"

Mal's eyes grew wide then he smiled sexily as he felt her hands on his buttocks, his underwear sliding down to his ankles. "Bossy?"

"I never thought I'd say this Malcolm Reynolds, but you talk too much…"

He kissed her then, long and hard and he laid her on the bed.

He stared at her, tracing her face with his fingertips. "My rugged looks finally got you?" he joked, nervousness seeping through his voice.

"More my traitorous heart…"

Mal kissed her again, cutting her words. "I'm not promising you the ride won't be bumpy…" he kissed her throat.

"I know…" kiss.

"I'm not promising I'll be all roses and sweets to you…" he went down to her breasts and started mapping them with his lips.

"I know…" kiss.

"I'm not promising I'll never be jealous again…" he kissed her belly, drawing a sweet path down to her navel.

"I know…" kiss.

He raised his head and looked her in the eyes. "But I'm promising I'll die protecting you, I'm promising I'll try my best to talk to you nice and quell my instincts, I'm promising I'll love you till the day I die." He rose on his elbows and met her mouth in a hungry kiss. "Because know that I love you, Inara Serra…"

"I love you too, Malcolm Reynolds, petty thief and sour captain, but I've never met a nobler soul…" she gasped as her slid into her in one stroke.

Years of frustration and pent up desires, the heartache of their brief but stinging separation and the recent events made for a desperate friction of bodies, both pouring all that they had and all that they were in their act. There was no finesse in their coupling, just raw emotions and bare souls, until nothing but their mutual moans of release could be heard.

Mal rolled on his back, trying to catch his breath when Inara rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. He dropped a kiss on top of her head.

"I had never made love before..."

He snorted.

"No Mal, I had never made love... I had sex in a thousand ways, but I never made love, companions don't make love, they are experts in the art of love, but they never actually make love, or if they do, they're not companions anymore...

Mal digested her words, then drew her body on top of his and kissed her. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

"Wait, there's more…"

"Oh?"

"Once companions start having… Intercourse, we… There's a device that all companions must wear to prevent unexpected pregnancy…"

Mal frowned.

Inara looked embarrassed but she resumed, "Men don't even notice it and what I am about to reveal is a secret…"

Mal nodded.

"We wear… we wear something that prevents…"

Mal's eyebrows raised cautiously, "Oh, I get it! That's okay..."

"Please let me finish…I took it off… never to be worn again… you're the first… I never had… contact…"

Mal interrupted her with a searing kiss. "So what you're basically telling me is that I deflowered you?" he said smugly, earning himself a slap on his chest.

"Mal!"

He kissed her and rolled until he was poised above her. "I reckon I am unbelievably happy and proud, in some way that you told me this, 'Nara…" Kiss "'n I'll endeavor showing you you need not have any regret 'bout your decision…" kiss.

Inara let herself be engulfed in the bliss his actions elicited.

Sometime afterwards, she woke up, his arm possessively drawn over her chest. She studied his peaceful face. Never had she seen Mal in such a state of abandon, drug induced sleep included - following his multiple close calls with death, and she felt a wave of happiness engulf her as she was responsible for this. The dam around her heart had released an unbelievable flood of what she knew was love. She didn't know how long they had, what would happen to them in this strange kind of home, but she had never felt so at peace and she trusted Mal would make life very interesting.

Oh, there would be fights, for sure, there probably would be tears as well, but the perspective of a future without him was simply unacceptable.

She snuggled more in his embrace and closed her eyes, content, as she let sleep overtake her again. Her life had definitely taken a turn towards adventure… for good.