Zoë & Jayne

He takes her up against the hard walls of a passenger bunk, as she asked. The pain of betrayal burns her heart as her request comes barely days after her sweet husband's demise. Zoë bites her lip and prays as Jayne spills hard inside her. She hopes that he can give her a child with his blue eyes and her smile. Zoë knows they will all pretend its Wash's.

Jayne & River

Jayne doesn't know how he managed to come under the thumb of this deadly slip of a girl. He does know that shit will hit the fan when everyone finds out that she's finally taken him up on his threat to show her just how manly he is despite the fact that, as she so lovingly says, "Jayne is a girl's name."

When he finally slips into her, after hours of dangerous foreplay, he finds out her secret. As her maidenhood tears and a few tears slid from the corners of her eyes, Jayne breaks his rule and presses his lips to hers. Something inside him knows that after this, there will never be another, only him and his crazy River-girl and he is content.

Mal & Kaylee

Mal's left eye twitches for days when he finds out that Simon has broken up with Kaylee. Mal's desire to see the young doctor dead and in pieces is stalled by his very pregnant first mate when she points out that they have near to more jobs than their tiny crew can handle so they will need Simon's surgical skills in case things go south, as they usually do. Mal finds momentary satisfaction in breaking Simon's nose, but feels fleeting guilt when the doctor tells him that Kaylee was in love with someone else.

Having not seen hide or hair of his perky mechanic in several days, Mal seeks her out in order to get to the bottom of the situation and find out if there's murdering to be done should they find a new doctor. He is not prepared for what he finds.

She's easy enough to spot when he enters the engine room, even in the artificial darkness of Serenity's night. Kaylee is lying in her hammock, with a leg thrown on each side with her teddy bear adorned coveralls zipped all the way down to places that make Mal feel like he's going to that special hell just for imagining his sweet little mei-mei has them.

He grows uncomfortable and guilty as Kaylee's breathing hitches in the dark and he realizes exactly why he has earned the nickname Captain Tightpants. Mal swallows as he watches Kaylee's hand inch towards her special hell places and he thinks about leaving.

He's a sick, sick man for watching his mei-mei like this. A taunting voice in the back of his mind points out that she isn't his mei-mei at all.

Mal's pulse picks up a notch when he hears her moan something that sounds a little bit like his name. It happens again, and it is most certainly his name. Mal is dizzy and presses himself to the wall for support. As Kaylee's breathing gets faster and she continues to call his name, Mal wonders why he isn't a puddle of mush on the floor. Kaylee cries out "I love my Captain!" in a desperate throaty wail and Mal's knees finally give.

With his forehead pressed to the cold floor, Mal can barely comprehend as Kaylee removes herself from the hammock and kneels in front of him. Her fingers under his chin force him to look into her eyes. "I really do," she says, "and I've tried so hard not to."

Mal swallows loudly and manages a dazed version of his signature smile. "I love you too darlin'."

Simon & Inara

The only one left for Simon is Inara. He drinks tea while she touches herself and he wonders how things ended up the way they did.