POV: figure it out

If I told you that Malcolm Reynolds loved someone, would you believe me?

If you hear me out, you just might.

It all started a few years ago, pretty soon after Wash's funeral.

Zoe was pretty broken after that, but she never admitted it. Even though her husband had died, she still wasn't going to let any of us see her cry.

River had gotten used to the pilot's chair and Mal often went out on the bridge to check on her. He still wasn't sure if River was crazy… or a traitor… or both.

Kaylee and Simon were dating by then and thought nobody knew about it. But we knew.

Jayne was, well, Jayne.

I did some redecorating in my pod, and I've had a few customers. We landed on Whitefall for a couple days, and business was pretty good out there.

I started realizing some irregularities in Mal's behavior. I know he never really approved of my profession, but he started making excuses to cancel my clients. Kaylee had her suspicions but I never thought it could be true.

Then last year I overheard him talking to Jayne. I didn't hear all of it, but I definitely heard "Inara," "I don't know," "confusing," and then a long string of obscure swearing.

I started picking up on subtle hints from Mal. He started hanging around near my pod more often than usual, and that's weird for someone who's against the, ahem, 'whoring' thing.

He also stopped calling it "whoring." He actually referred to me as a "companion."

I don't know how I didn't realize it sooner.

We didn't see much of Zoe unless she was on a job. But she didn't talk to any of us.

Simon and Kaylee told us they were together, surprise surprise.

Jayne never changed.

River was training our new co-pilot, Cayden. And he reminded me- reminded everyone- of Wash. Zoe never went up on the bridge after Cayden came along.

Mal got a new girlfriend named Kate, but I think she was just there to make me jealous. Poor girl.

Kate ended up ending things with Mal later that year, mainly because he was half a galaxy away.

Mal needed a shoulder to… well… whatever the Malcolm Reynolds equivalent to crying is. I was that shoulder.

We talked all night and as we were watching the stars, I fell asleep on his shoulder. I woke up in the middle of the night, and Mal's was the first face I saw.

His lips were so close to mine, and it was just so easy…

That was the first man I have ever… pleasured… who hasn't paid me… and the last.

We haven't told anybody yet. It's been exactly one year since that night. We've been planning a way to tell them.

River and Cayden have been together for a few months too.

Simon and Kaylee are getting married, and they have a six-month-old daughter named Destiny.

Jayne left the ship to fly solo for a while, but he's been back for about a month.

Zoe left last year, but I don't think she's coming back. I'm second in command now.

I really think this thing with Mal is going to work out.

Do you believe me yet?