Title: If There'll Be No Tomorrows
Author: Secret-Agent-Omega
Genre: Drama
Rating: K.
Pairings: Mal/Inara.
Location on Firefly Universe Timeline: During the BDM, after the crew sets course for Miranda and Mal takes refuge in the shuttle.
Spoilers: "Heart of Gold"; the BDM.
Summary: An alternate ending of the deleted scene entitled 'Mal and Inara Quiet Moment' on the "Serenity" DVD.
Disclaimer: The people, places, and plentiful paraphernalia you know and love/hate are the property of their respective owners, namely Joss Whedon, his associates, and any groups which control or are controlled by said individuals. No profit is made by the author of this work of fiction from the creation or distribution of said work, nor is any infringement intended. Plagiarism is considered a serious criminal offense, and punishable by law. Please ask before redistributing this work.
Length without header: 2 page(s) at 12-point Times New Roman font; 331 words; 1,843 characters including spaces.
Feedback: Some authors don't care about feedback. I am not one of those authors. Giving feedback tells me that you took the time to read it and cared enough to comment on it. Receiving feedback is a wonderful thing, and every author should experience it.
Notes: Personally, I would have left most of the deleted scenes from the movie where they belonged – in the movie. However, this scene stood out most prominently, because it seemed like a conversation that Mal and Inara should have had. Originally this story was conceived with more detail, but I decided that focusing on the dialogue was far more interesting.
If There'll Be No Tomorrows
By Secret-Agent-Omega
"If
there'll be no tomorrows,
There's nowhere I'd rather
be,
Than easing all your sorrows,
And holding you close to me."
- Secret-Agent-Omega
Somewhere in the depths of space, a sapphire-blue planet wrapped in ivory clouds orbits a pale yellow star.
Gliding silently towards it through the endless night, a small, red-streaked silver ship trails glowing wisps of vapor from its bulbous tail.
Aboard the ship, two figures sit on a cot, cloaked in shadow and stillness.
A man's voice breaks the stillness, rough but pained:
"Why did you leave?"
A pause. A woman's voice replies, gentle but sad:
"Why didn't you ask me not to?"
A pause. The man, his voice far away and wistful:
"If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it's yours…"
A pause. The man continues, wistfulness gone and replaced by a broken-hearted tone:
"I tried to tell you the truth, but you didn't want to hear. You wanted to leave. I thought… I thought if I let you go, if I waited long enough, you'd come back. You're worth waiting for… you always were."
A pause. The woman, softly with her own hint of wistfulness:
"I wasn't ready for the truth. I… I couldn't stay here, knowing how you felt… afraid I might feel the same way."
A pause. Then, more hopeful:
"But I'm here now."
A pause. The man, cautiously:
"If we get through this… if we survive… what will you do?"
A pause. The woman, thoughtfully:
"I'll go back to the Training House, if I can…"
A pause. The woman continues, now slightly suggestive:
"Unless there's a reason to stay this time."
A pause. The man, questioning:
"What if…"
A pause. The man
continues, bolder now:
"What if I asked you to stay?"
A pause. The woman, with a hint of pleading:
"Would you ask?"
A pause. The man, with a hint of desperation:
"Would it make a difference?"
A pause. The woman, almost breathless:
"Yes."
Silence. Then:
"Please stay."