Firefly and Serenity are copyrighted materials of Mutant Enemy, Universal Pictures and Twentieth-Century Fox. This is a fan story intended for entertainment purposes only. No monetary payment has been received or will be accepted in connection with this work, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended or should be implied.
Back Where She Belongs
Prompt: Phobia
Inara was startled to see, of all people, Kaylee in the dining room this late. The mechanic sat at the table, staring into a cup of tea that had clearly gone cold some time ago. She was so still that Inara would have thought her asleep -- or at least lost in thought -- but Kaylee looked up at her entrance and smiled a greeting.
Selecting a mug and tea bag, Inara started heating up more water. "Has it gone cold?"
"Yeah."
Inara crossed back into the dining area and picked up Kaylee's mug. "What are you drinking?"
"Just the regular green tea." Based on the smell, she took sweetener in it, too.
Opening the appropriate cabinets, Inara selected both canisters and dropped the tea bag into the mug. The ritual was automatic, but gave her something to look at as she commented, "you're up awfully late."
"Yeah, just listenin' for trouble in the engine."
"From the dining room?"
Kaylee dropped her eyes to her empty hands and didn't answer.
The hot water kettle began to steam and Inara removed it from the burner, pouring into both mugs. Turning off the stove, she said nothing as she brought both mugs to the table and slid one over to the other woman. "Can you really hear the engine all the way up here?"
"Oh, yeah. Can hear all the way through her, you know what to listen for."
"But isn't it best in the engine room?"
Kaylee's lips twitched. "You ain't goin' to give that up, are you?"
"It's not like you to not be in the engine room."
"Somethin' goes wrong with Serenity's front parts, you can't hear it over the engine noise from there."
Inara was a pilot herself. "There are plenty of alarms. You'd know."
"I wouldn't know know. Serenity'll tell ya what's wrong before it goes wrong 'if you just pay attention."
Inara reached out her hand and laid it over the other woman's. It was slightly cool under her touch. "Kaylee, why don't you want to go back to the engine room?"
"I didn't say I didn't want to go back there. It's just...easier to hear more from here, 'specially if the trouble ain't from the engine proper."
"Including someone accessing the hatch without permission?"
Kaylee looked away.
"You never did tell us what Early did to you back there."
"Yeah I did. He scared me. Tied me up. Made me tell him where River sleeps. But he didn't never touch me and he didn't never hurt me."
"Sweetie, there are ways to hurt someone that don't require them to touch you."
"Well, he didn't, okay?"
Inara paused, thinking. "Do you know what a phobia is?"
"Yeah, a fear."
"Not quite," she replied. "It's a fear that grows so irrational that it interferes with someone's ability to function. In most people they start after something that's reasonably scary happens, and then things build from there until it's too much."
Kaylee thought about that for a second. "Are you sayin' I got a phobia?"
"I'm not a psychologist. But I have to admit it looks like one."
"Well, I don't. I'm just bein' cautious, that's all."
"So why don't you go back to the engine room?"
Kaylee looked at her mug. Turned it around in her fingers, moving the handle opposite her hands. Turned it back and threaded her fingers through the handle. "I guess I am scared."
"Do you want me to come back to the engine room with you?"
Kaylee looked shocked. "Inara! Engine room's no place for someone all pretty and fancy like you!"
"As long as I don't actually work on the engines, I should be okay." Inara laughed. "Do you think I've never seen an engine?"
"Well, no, I know ya have, but..." Kaylee trailed off.
Finishing the last of her tea, Inara stood and tugged Kaylee to her feet. "Come on. The longer you avoid it, the worse it gets. I won't leave until you tell me it's all right."
Allowing herself to be pulled along, Kaylee muttered again. "Ain't right to drag someone along don't belong there, just 'cause I got a phobia."
"Kaylee." Inara pulled her around to face her. "You belong in the engine room with Serenity's heart. Don't you?"
"Yeah, but --"
"Then we're going to get you in there and and I'll stay until you can." Inara smiled. "That way things will be back the way they belong."
Kaylee hesitated at the threshold. "Are you sure? You don't mind?"
"Yes, I'm sure. No, I don't mind."
Taking a big breath, she stepped into the engine room. She looked around and smiled shakily. "Hey, Serenity. You miss me?"
Somehow, the beating engine seemed to reply. Inara stepped into the engine room behind Kaylee and smiled. "Why don't you start by introducing me to this part of Serenity?"
