A/N: Here there be SMUT. You have been warned!
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Chapter 4
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Simon's head had lolled back against the edge of the couch, his eyes drifting shut from fatigue, grief and pain. Almost asleep, he heard the scrape of feet on the decking and looked up quickly, blinking to clear his suddenly blurred vision. Hoping it might be Kaylee, Simon let his disappointment pass as he watched Zoe's white-clad form stride into the common room and then head for his sister's bunk.
The widow the reason Simon had been sitting up in the first place, he positioned his crutch under his arm and met her at River's open door. His sister was sleeping, relatively peacefully, and Simon was grateful for that. Pulling his eyes from her, he regarded Zoe's profile, noting the lines marring her eyes and forehead. Without turning to face him, her gaze still locked on the young reader, she asked softly, "How's she doin'?"
With a small sigh, Simon said, "Okay, actually. I didn't have to give her a smoother." Pausing, he looked back to Zoe and confided in a low tone, "What you said to her out there, it really helped." The older woman met his gaze now, her expression still unreadable. Once Simon saw her eyes on his, he added, "Thank you."
Zoe smiled, a small, tight smile of reassurance and then stepped away from River's door, heading back towards the common room. Simon checked on River once more before closing her screen. Although his side was on fire, the pain from being on his feet for a majority of the day causing a lot of discomfort, he felt he owed Zoe something – an explanation, an apology – and so he followed her, a bit surprised to see her sitting on the couch, regarding him with a steady gaze as he came into view.
Her arms crossed over her chest she told him, "I wasn't just talkin' to her 'fore."
Frowning, Simon sat gingerly on the arm of the chair across from her and admitted, "I don't understand."
With a sigh, Zoe leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her, her gaze to the floor. Simon waited, still trying to determine how best to apologize for being a party to Wash's death, trying best to lessen his guilt as it welled in his chest. His eyes unfocused and far away, when Zoe looked back to the young man she felt a pang of regret. He was so young, so innocent in so many ways, and so hardened in others.
"Simon," she said softly, waiting until he was again looking to her. "What I said before, to River, 'bout it not bein' her fault," Zoe began, reaching out a hand to rest on his knee. "I meant it for you too."
Shaking his head quickly, Simon told her, "That's unbelievably generous of you, Zoe, but I can't pretend that I didn't play a role in Wash's death." At this last word, he again dropped his eyes from hers, shame coloring his cheeks.
Sighing heavily, he was about to say something else when Zoe told him, "Simon, you ain't responsible. Wash always knew how dangerous our lives were." Pausing again, Zoe sat back and regarded the top of Simon's head. He still refused to meet her gaze and so she continued. "When Wash decided to take this job, he wasn't fully aware just how excitin' Mal's business was apt to be." Zoe smiled slightly at the memory, remembering her husband's very colorful words after he'd first been shot at. "'Bout six months after he started, he was shot. It weren't serious an' we were able to patch him up pretty good, but it spooked him."
Simon was looking to her again, his guilt taking a backseat to his curiosity as Zoe told her tale. "We'd just started … somethin'," she admitted quietly. With another faint smile she remembered those early days, the two of them sneaking around the ship like teenagers breaking curfew, trying to hide their kissing and cuddling from Mal. "We din't know what it was, if'n it would turn out to be anythin', but Wash asked me then if I'd ever leave Serenity."
Pausing, Zoe's eyes roamed over the small room, taking in the familiar walls and surroundings. Wistfully, she said, "An' I tol' him no." Her gaze again resting on the young doctor's face, Zoe said, "So Wash stayed. And six months later, we were married."
Rising, she approached Simon and rested a gentle hand to his shoulder. Meeting her deep brown eyes, he inhaled sharply, reading the pain she was trying to hide from everyone. "Simon, if I blamed you or your sis for Wash's death, than I'd rightly have to blame myself as well. An' I know that ain't what he woulda wanted." Moving her hand to cup his chin, Zoe's voice turned firm as she repeated, "It weren't your fault an' I don't want to hear any different ever again."
Swallowing thickly, Simon could only nod once, his eyes locked onto Zoe's. She held his gaze for another moment, her eyes searching his to be sure he really understood. Convinced, she straightened up and moved to leave. Simon watched her go, still dumbfounded, completely conflicted over what to say. As he was about to at least say good night, Zoe turned and addressed him once again.
"One other thing, doc," she said sternly, arms again crossed over her chest in an imposing manner.
With a bit of trepidation, Simon asked, "Yes?"
"Hurt lil' Kaylee an' I'll kill ya."
Simon almost choked on a bit of nervous laughter, completely surprised by her abrupt change in topic. His cheeks again coloring red with embarrassment, he said, "Ah, Zoe …" Again grimacing, he told her quietly, "I don't know if-"
"Don't back outta this, Simon," she warned, reapproaching him quickly. With an accusatory finger wagging in his face, she added, "You love that girl an' I know that Kaylee loves you. Don't go hidin' behind this tragedy to avoid her – or protect her."
Pausing again, Zoe lowered her voice and said, "No matter how messy it gets, it'll always be worth it." Simon's head snapped up at this admission and with wide eyes he regarded Zoe's set face. "Trust me," she added and then quickly moved away, ascending the stairs to the galley to leave a stunned Simon in her wake.
Sitting on the arm of the chair for a good long while, Simon was uncertain what to do. He felt unbelievably light, as if the weight of the 'verse had suddenly stopped crushing his chest. He could breathe again, deep cleansing breaths that filled his lungs. And all he could think of was Kaylee. Her smiling face, but more recently the pain in her eyes, and the kiss they'd shared earlier that day.
Rising with newfound determination, Simon almost doubled over as his wounded side reminded him of his limitations. Cursing violently, his heart fell as he realized he would have to wait until Kaylee either came to him tonight or he could see her tomorrow.
As he hobbled back to his room he hoped she would come to visit, as she usually did, unable to feel any disappointment when she did not; he couldn't. Simon was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
-- --
"Can't hide the sunshine."
Kaylee looked up sharply at the sound of the sing-songy voice and felt her cheeks blush. River stood in the doorway to the engine room, her body swinging back and forth slightly as she teased her friend. Hopping down the two short steps and into the room, River approached her and leaned into her face, her eyes big and wide.
"Sunshine's always bright, no matter where it is," she told her, smiling from ear to ear and pressing a kiss to the tip of Kaylee's nose.
Smiling a bit despite her sadness, Kaylee watched River twirl about the room, her arms held out at her sides, her face turned up towards the ceiling. Setting down the part she'd been working on for most of the morning, she asked her, "What's got you so happy?"
Stopping, River turned to face her with a shrug. "I'm alive," she said simply, as if it was the only explanation one should ever need.
But for Kaylee it was only a reminder of what they'd all lost. Uncomfortable under River's intense scrutiny, she turned back to her work bench, again picking up the rusted part and fiddling with it.
"It's okay," the younger woman breathed into her ear. "It's okay to be happy, to want things." Leaning in a bit closer, she added teasingly, "It's even okay to want my brother."
Chuckling a bit, Kaylee lifted her head. It had been two days since the funerals and Kaylee had seen Simon for only a handful of minutes. She wanted to be with him all the time; she really wanted to kiss him again, but guilt over her own happiness, over finally getting something she wanted so desperately, when Wash and the Shepherd had just passed seemed wrong somehow. So of course, Kaylee had retreated to the engine room, her only sanctuary, trying to bury her longing in her work.
Studying River for a second more, Kaylee asked in a whisper, "Is he mad?"
Shaking her head, River grabbed her hands and pulled her off her stool. "No, not mad. Confused, a little hurt, worried. He hasn't kissed a girl for a while. He thinks he might have done it wrong," she confided, her arm wrapped around Kaylee's shoulders.
The young mechanic smiled slightly, thinking that of all the things Simon should be worried about, his kissing ability should be nowhere near the top of that list; that had been the best kiss Kaylee'd ever had. "I don't know what to say."
Smiling to her again, River said, "The truth should do it."
Kaylee turned and gave River another grin and then hurried from the room, wasting no time in getting to Simon's bunk. With a sigh, the younger woman looked around the warm and lived-in room, noting how each inch was so unmistakably Kaylee. It was no surprise to River that her brother had fallen so hard for the young mechanic. She was a ball of sunshine, a force to be reckoned with; unpredictable, loving, warm, sexy … all the things that Simon had never before had. All things he never would have known he needed if they hadn't been forced to flee their old lives.
With a wistful sigh, River sank down into Kaylee's hammock, rocking it back and forth with one foot against the floor. She'd used to feel guilty, knowing that Simon had abandoned his old life, full of money and prestige, for her. She still did, sometimes; but seeing him happy now, with Kaylee, in this new life, made River's heart sing. She had only ever wanted that kind of happiness for him and now, he was on his way to getting it.
Staring up at the lights overhead, River watched one flicker slightly out of the corner of her eye, her gaze transfixed as it blinked every three point nine seconds, if her calculations could be trusted. Of course, she was worried too. Worried that Simon's new life would preclude his old one, would make her inconsequential to him. Whereas she had once been his only reason for being, she was now just a part of his life, and while River knew it wasn't a demotion, the sting of the shift was still with her.
Part of her fear was also borne of her new coherence. She could understand things now, like a normal girl, and River had found the transition exciting and unbelievably scary. There was no longer the excuse that she was crazy to mask her insecurities or her vulnerabilities, no longer any reason for her to hide in her bunk or run wild through the ship screaming. There was an expectation now, an expectation that she be 'normal.' But she wasn't and she never would be.
The memories that the Alliance had forced into her brain and the ones that she had gleaned were still with her. They weren't quite as jumbled as before, not quite as loud or forceful, but still there. Most days River could feel them riding the current of her newfound sanity, clinging to the edges so that she could function. Sometimes, at night, they came roaring to the surface and River had to fight for control, had to fight her own mind and the battle was more exhausting then anyone would expect.
With a sigh, she felt her eyes closing now, felt the lull of Serenity's engine spinning away. When she napped it was different, the memories didn't come and so she could easily drift off now, held safe within the ship, her home. But always aware that safety, like her sanity, was relative.
-- --
When Kaylee had seen Simon's door open she had only paused for a second before striding through and sliding it shut behind her. But now, as she stood against it, her eyes studying her booted feet, she felt all manner of rude for simply barging in.
"Kaylee?" Simon questioned softly, rising with some difficulty, but getting on his feet all the same. He was feeling better, the pain in his side not quite as severe. Moving towards her, he stopped and had to stifle a laugh when she lifted her face to meet his gaze.
Her heart sinking at his amused reaction, she asked quietly, "What? What's so funny?"
Collecting himself, Simon reached out a hand to her which she took reluctantly and drew her across the room to his sink. "I'll assume that you haven't looked in a mirror in a while," he told her, watching her eyes widen in horror as she took in her besmirched appearance.
Rubbing at the offending marks harshly, a few tears welling in her eyes, Simon turned her to face him, taking both her hands. "Easy," he told her quietly, resting a hand against her cheek. "You're going to rub your skin raw."
His touch against her face brought a few of Kaylee's tears down her cheeks and Simon finally saw her sadness through all that dirt. "Kaylee?" he asked in a whisper, but before he could say anything further, she had buried her head against his chest, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Completely baffled, Simon simply pulled her closer, dropping her hands and wrapping his arms around her.
Kaylee moved her hands around his back and held on tight for a few minutes as she felt her bawling fit come to end. She felt so ridiculous for coming in here and blubbering, for being so sad in front of Simon when, in truth, he was the best thing she had right now. But Kaylee's heart had felt more pain, grief and loneliness in the past couple of weeks than she rightly knew what to do with. And even a cock-eyed optimist like Kaylee had a breaking point.
As her crying ended, Simon gently guided her towards his bunk and sat her down, turning back to the sink and grabbing a damp cloth. Returning to her side, he sat and took her chin in his hand, tilting her face up so he could gently wipe away the grease and tear stains. Kaylee let him, her eyes never leaving his face as he tended to her, her heart welling with more love for him and her lips dying to once again kiss his.
While he wiped her face, Simon asked quietly, "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"
Sniffling, Kaylee blinked once and answered softly, "It ain't nothin'. I'm sorry I came in here cryin' like a baby."
Pausing, Simon cradled her face and made her green eyes lock with his blue ones. "Don't be sorry, Kaylee, ever. Not to me. We've all been through a lot, more than our fair share." His thumbs gently caressing her cheeks, he added, "It isn't easy. And it isn't a good idea to pretend everything's fine when it's not."
Kaylee nodded once, removing the cloth from his hands and using it to wipe at her own which were still covered in grease. As she rubbed at each finger, Simon watched her intently. "Is there anything I can do?"
With a small sigh, Kaylee didn't look to him until she had finished. Throwing the cloth across the room and into the sink, she finally did bring her eyes back to his and said softly, "I don't think so. I mean, it's sad, ya know? Wash an' Zoe an' the Shepherd an' all them poor people back on Haven …" She trailed off as Hiroko's lifeless form floated back into her mind, bringing with it the sting of fresh tears.
Blinking rapidly, she looked away, her eyes studying a spot on the wall. "I don't know how to not feel sad," she admitted, her voice quiet. "I don't know how to not feel guilty for still bein' here when they ain't." Looking back to him with a forlorn gaze, she murmured, "That's stupid, ain't it?"
Shaking his head, Simon gave her a sad smile, wishing he knew how to help her. His arms ached to hold her, to make her feel better; his body burned with desire for her, his lips remembering of their own volition how good their kiss from just a few days ago had been. But at the moment, all he was focusing on was alleviating her sadness; it was his only concern.
"It's not stupid, Kaylee," he told her quietly, covering her hands with his own. "It's not. It's very common after a tragedy like we've all suffered to feel that way. It's called survivor's guilt." Her eyes widening a bit as he explained, Kaylee turned her full attention to him. Clearing his throat, Simon went on. "It's easy for people who survive an accident while others don't to wonder why. Why they're still here when someone else is gone? Why they were lucky enough to live when someone else died?"
"'Nara said it was just their time," Kaylee interrupted, her voice still low. "She said that everythin' happens for a reason, even death." With teary eyes, Kaylee asked urgently, "But how can that be? There ain't no reason that Wash should be gone, leavin' Zoe to be a widow. There ain't," she finished with a strangled cry, another sob rising in her throat.
As a few more tears fell down her round cheeks, Simon scooted towards her, his hand resting against her face. Pulling her towards him, she fit snugly into his chest and Simon closed his eyes against the perfection of her body against his. She felt so right in his arms and while his heart broke to see her in such pain, Simon was just glad that she had come to him, that maybe he could finally help, finally be the strength for her that she had always been for him.
Leaning back against the head of his bunk, Simon pressed a few kisses into her hair as she cried, her tears wetting the front of his t-shirt. Snuggling in tighter to his chest, Kaylee inhaled deeply and took in that familiar Simon smell, slowly waking to the fact that he was holding her, that she was resting in his arms and it felt so unbelievably right.
It was impossible for either of them to know how long they sat like that. It could have been hours or maybe just minutes, but finally Kaylee lifted her head to look at him, meeting his intense gaze. Biting her lip with a bit of nervousness, she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his, kissing him gently. Pulling back a bit, Kaylee smiled slightly to see that Simon's eyes were now filled with desire, his concern quickly fading away in light of her nearness, of their closeness to one another. Shifting a bit closer to him, Kaylee was about to kiss him again, when Simon beat her to it, his hand resting against the back of her head and drawing her mouth to his.
As his lips worked over hers, his teeth gently pulling her lower lip into his mouth where the tip of his tongue could run along it, Kaylee sighed against him, her hands resting on his chest. Feeling her body light with desire as Simon's tongue entered her mouth, Kaylee returned his embrace, meeting his passion with her own. Pressing against the back of her head even more firmly, Kaylee moaned slightly as Simon crushed their mouths together, kissing her as if she was his only connection to life.
Leaning back from him a bit, Kaylee smiled coyly as her lips traveled along his cheek to his ear. She blew gently against it, smiling even wider when she felt his entire body shudder. Dragging her tongue along the edge of his ear, Kaylee finally brought her teeth to his earlobe, nipping lightly at the flesh there as Simon let a small groan escape his lips.
Moving his hands from the back of her head to the tops of her shoulders, Simon dropped his mouth to the base of Kaylee's neck and began his own exploration of her skin there, his tongue and teeth nipping at the sensitive flesh. As Simon's mouth found a particularly sensitive spot, Kaylee felt her head fall to the side, giving him better access. With a sigh of content, she let the sensation of Simon's mouth on her skin wash over her, her hands moving up and around his neck, her fingers sliding through his hair as he continued to kiss her.
Deciding he'd had enough of that particular spot, Simon's mouth traveled up the long column of her neck, kissing every piece of flesh he could find, before his mouth again met hers. Kaylee was panting a bit as their tongues again met and Simon felt the burning in his groin increase tenfold as she breathed heavily into his mouth. Shifting, Kaylee sat up on her knees and quickly maneuvered herself into his lap, her body pressing against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss even further. Simon's strong hands had moved down her arms and around to her back, holding her tight against him.
Feeling her body pooling with barely contained desire, Kaylee reluctantly and with great difficulty pulled away from him, her head resting against the top of his chest as Simon's fell back against the wall. Trying to catch their breath, neither one spoke for several minutes, their brains still a bit hazy from the passionate contact and the closeness of the other.
Recovering first, Kaylee placed her hands on Simon's cheeks and tipped his face to meet hers. Leaning towards him, her lips barely brushing over his as a tease, Kaylee murmured, "I think it's only fair to tell ya, you're a damn good kisser."
Laughing, Simon kissed her lightly and said, "You're not so bad yourself."
She smiled, her eyes twinkling, some of her previous grief forgotten as she began kissing him again. It was a long afternoon for the young lovers as they continued to kiss and caress, Simon's injury the only thing keeping them for going any further. But for the moment it was more than enough.
-- --
Diego Sanchez was not a heartless man; mean maybe, hateful, definitely amoral, but heartless? … not quite. He had little patience for idiots and even less patience for criminals who weren't good at what they did. Diego had learned long ago that ethics and morals simply got in a man's way when he was trying to make a living.
Which made the list of destroyed bases and outposts all the more puzzling; Diego had very little in common with any of the others. The Cortez boys were a small time, low level bandits who kept their own corner of the world terrorized, but who were by no means a threat outside of their system. Whitefall, Patience's territory, was a slightly different story. That old lady sure was ornery enough, but it seemed that once she got her little corner of the 'verse to call her own, she'd gotten a bit soft; hell, Diego wasn't even sure she'd shoot him again if she saw him.
Fanty and Mingo were jokers, always playing their likeness of one another to unsettle their partners. And the others, a list of about five or six, were much the same: marginal criminals with spotty track records and nowhere near the caliber of Diego's operation. Plus Haven, a colony of miners and ex-Browncoats that had never actively done an illegal thing to speak of.
With a sigh of disgust, Diego flipped off the screen, sitting back in his chair. His mind immediately drifted to his brother, Marco. The younger man had always been smarter and more handsome than his older brother, but that hadn't stopped him from worshipping the ground that Diego walked on. Their whole family had hoped that Marco would take his smarts and do something productive with his life, not enter into the family business. But with pride a bit of his heritage's machismo, he'd signed right up.
Diego had been thrilled of course, but he'd never told Marco that. Together the two of them, the Sanchez brothers, became a synonym for unpleasantness and a bit of crime. Extortion, slavery, smuggling, gun running, illegal transport – there wasn't anything that a buyer couldn't ask of them that they wouldn't try. And they'd been rewarded handsomely.
Of course, they had their Alliance run-ins, but Diego had learned whose palms to grease and when, learned how to secure the best fake ident cards and ship documents in the 'verse, getting him out of most checkpoints unscathed. And when he couldn't talk his way out, he fought his way out. Diego Sanchez still believed that almost all of the 'verse's problems could be solved with a gun.
Looking up as his door chimed, he called, "Yes?"
Entering with a stony expression on his angular features, Rodriguez extended a data stick to him without preamble. "I think you'll wanna see this, sir."
Frowning at him, Diego took the offered information and plugged it into his terminal. Watching with growing interest, Sanchez listened intently.
"Parliament continues to deny that the Miranda broadwave, broadcast almost two and a half weeks ago, holds any validity at all. From his offices on Londinium today, Prime Minister Dresden made the following statement –
"I am disgusted that this false and violent recording has been broadcast to so many. The parties responsible should be ashamed for propagating such lies and are currently being tracked by the Alliance so that they may be captured and made to stand trial to answer to the charges of treason and murder. If anyone has any information regarding the whereabouts of the firefly-class ship, Serenity, you are urged to contact your local authorities."
Flipping off the screen, Sanchez sat back, a small whistle escaping his lips. Staring for a moment, he finally said, "Mal and his crew did all that?"
Nodding once, Rodriguez told him, "Word is Mal an' his crew were bein' chased by 'Liance 'fore this." Pausing as he waited for Diego to put the pieces together, Rodriguez only continued once his boss's eyes were on his face. "Like say, three weeks ago."
"If they were looking for Mal, what the hell they hit us for?" Diego asked angrily, sitting forward, his eyes burning.
Shrugging once, Rodriguez told him, "I don't know, but maybe somebody else does."
His chest heaving as some of the mystery surrounding his brother's death started to make sense, Sanchez ordered, "Get Patience on a wave. I wanna see what that old hag knows."
-- --
Kaylee wiped her arm across her brow, wishing it wasn't so gorram hot in the engine room. She'd had to pull the environmental systems off line to do one final diagnostic and it was taking longer than she'd anticipated. She'd already stripped out of her coveralls, opting for a pair of cargo pants and a tank top and she was still sweating. With a sigh, she again tried to concentrate on her work, doing her best to ignore the beads of sweat as they dripped down her back.
"Ahem." Turning abruptly at the noise, she smiled wide when she saw Simon standing in the doorway. With a grin of his own, he entered the room and approached her, walking without any kind of limp. Pressing a quick kiss to her lips, he asked, "How's it going?"
Frowning, she told him, "Hot."
Returning the grimace, he said, "Yes, I noticed that. It's pretty warm throughout the rest of the ship as well." Looking to the engine as it sat idle, he asked, "Is everything all right?"
Nodding once, Kaylee rose from her seated position and moved past him to replace one of the last parts she'd been working on. "Oh yeah, just needed to do one final check 'fore we put her back in the air." As she leaned forward and plugged the part into its hole, stretching even farther to attach it, she grunted with the effort.
Simon watched her, his mind filling with a bunch of thoughts that had absolutely nothing to do with the ship, the engine or anything else that did not involve Kaylee. As he looked to her now, watching the way her backside curved as she leaned into the big machine, he felt a shot of desire race to his groin. Shaking his head quickly and trying to concentrate on anything else, he heard her annoyed exclamation.
Stepping up to her side, he asked, "Can I help?"
Dropping her hands, Kaylee looked back to him over her shoulder and cocked an eyebrow. At the unspoken question, Simon replied, "Tell me exactly what to do and I'll do it." Holding his hands out in front of him, he told her grandly, "I am at your disposal."
Unable to keep the wicked grin off her face, Kaylee turned into him and leaned close, pressing her lips to his. "I like the sound o' that."
Chuckling, Simon wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, their lips meeting and their mouths opening as their tongues plundered each others' mouths. They had become quite adept at kissing over the past week as Simon had continued to heal and Kaylee had spent just about every moment, when she was not in the engine room, in his bunk. Simon wanted her, badly, and he knew she felt the same; it had been getting harder and harder for both of them to stop themselves from going any further the longer they touched and held each other.
Reluctantly, Simon pulled away with a groan and told her, "We have to work."
Sidling up to him, Kaylee wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I was workin'."
Smiling to her, he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose and said, "No, really work. On the engine."
Pouting, Kaylee sighed and said, "Okay, fine." Her face again lighting with eagerness, she asked quietly, "But we'll finish this later?"
"Oh definitely," Simon told her, his voice dropping an octave or two as his desire again spiked.
Satisfied, Kaylee turned back to the engine and started giving instructions. Simon dutifully followed every one, handing her tools, holding parts, offering his height and strength when she needed it. Kaylee tried not to concentrate too much on Simon's built physique, but she found it nearly impossible to take her eyes off of him as he finally shed his shirt, the garment almost completely soaked through after they'd been working for an hour.
Licking her lips in anticipation, Kaylee turned back to her work as Simon continued with his own and told him, "Now you're just torturin' me."
Glancing to her and then down to himself, Simon smiled wide, not at all hating the fact that he was making Kaylee a little hot and bothered. She definitely did it to him, it was about time he got to return the favor. "Yes, well, I'd hate to do that," he told her dryly, waiting for her to turn and shoot him one of those twinkling looks; which she did.
The two of them could only keep up the charade of working for another few moments. Kaylee slowly began to drift towards Simon, using the excuse of needing … something as she approached him and leaned over where he was crouched at the base of the engine, her body brushing along his bare back. With a barely audible sigh, Simon braced himself against the equipment, waiting for her to straighten up and go, knowing if she didn't do so quickly there'd be no way he could refrain from kissing her again.
Smiling as she noticed the effect she was having on him, Kaylee carefully picked up the part she'd been reaching for and turned, walking a few steps away to where he could see her and began tinkering. Simon's eyes glued to her every movement he felt the heat of the room and the heat in his groin burn with a newfound intensity. Ignoring him for only a few minutes, Kaylee finally said, "Somethin' wrong, sweetie?"
Knowing that she was playing him, Simon did his best to tear his eyes from her and answered in the same unaffected tone, "No, nothing."
"Hmm, that's good," she murmured, hiding her smile as she again studied the part. Fiddling, Kaylee began to hum softly and again smiled as she heard Simon groan across the room. Looking up, she asked, "You sure you're okay?"
Meeting her playful gaze, Simon straightened and leaned against the ladder next to the engine. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
Cocking her head to the side, Kaylee set the part down and walked towards him, her hips swaying a bit and causing Simon to grasp the ladder, his knuckles whitening as his eyes swept up and down her form. "Not yet," she told him coyly, wiggling her eyebrows. "But I could be."
And without another word she moved towards him, pulling him into a kiss as her arms wrapped around his neck. Simon dropped his tool to the decking, encircling her with his strong arms and holding her close. Their mouths again working over each other, Kaylee sighed into him, and Simon felt his longing for her increase tenfold. Only aware of Kaylee and the exquisite feelings she was inspiring in him, Simon gently guided her to the floor.
Kaylee lay back against the metal, thankful for its coolness. Looking up into Simon's hungry eyes, Kaylee felt her body pool with desire, her need causing a powerful ache to radiate from her middle and seep up into her limbs. Pulling him down on top of her, Kaylee thrust her tongue into his mouth, her fingers dragging across his back as he met her passionate kiss.
Working his hands up and into her hair, Simon kissed along her jaw and down her neck, again finding that perfect pulse point and biting softly at the skin there. Kaylee mewled in his ear at the touch and Simon felt his body respond even more, felt his growing arousal as it throbbed painfully with want. Running his hands over her breasts as he continued to nibble at her skin, Kaylee arched into his touch, his fingers rubbing through her shirt and causing her nipples to harden.
Kaylee allowed her head to fall back as Simon's mouth worked farther down her chest, his tongue licking at one sensitive nipple through the thin material, causing her to moan from the sensation. Opening her eyes to watch as he loved her, Kaylee caught sight of a curious gaze hanging impossibly above them. Her eyes widening as she recognized the face, Kaylee tugged gently on Simon's hair and murmured, "Sweetie?"
"Hmmm," was all Simon could answer, his mouth still working diligently over her skin.
Yanking a bit to get his attention, Kaylee said more forcefully, "Sweetie." When he finally looked to her and saw the concern in her eyes, he asked softly, "What is it?"
"We ain't alone," she told him quietly and nodded once above them.
Turning, Simon caught sight of his sister's curious gaze and was instantly horrified. Anger he had never exhibited towards River rising in him, Simon glared at her. "River!"
"Blocking the ladder, Simon," she told him, not at all affected by his obvious ire. Pointing to the metal steps, she said, "I can't get down."
With a sigh, Simon sat up and offered a hand to Kaylee who took it, trying to hide the small grin on her features. She wasn't really all that bothered that River'd been peeking; she suspected the girl would be a little curious, but Kaylee knew for Simon, it was the height of unacceptable. Kaylee was trying to be cognizant of that fact, but she was finding the displeasure coloring his features just a tad amusing.
Stepping far out of the way of the ladder, Simon pointed to it and glared to his sister. "Go."
With a sigh, River alighted down the metal rungs and was to the engine room door in seconds. Turning to face them both before she left, she confided, "Trust me, I didn't really want to be here for that either."
As she skipped away, Simon dropped his chin to his chest and muttered a violent curse, which instantly made Kaylee lose it, her carefully constructed barrier crumbling at the expression on Simon's face. Clutching her stomach as she doubled over in a fit of giggles, Kaylee felt tears of laughter forming that she could not hold at bay. Turning to her, Simon asked, "And what is so funny?"
It took Kaylee several moments to catch her breath and when she finally did, she was still suppressing a few laughs. "Nothin', honey, jus' the look on your face …" She trailed off again as more laughter consumed her and Simon found he could not avoid laughing with her. He supposed in the grand scheme of things it was a little funny.
Moving towards her, Simon wrapped his arms around her waist as Kaylee wiped at her teary eyes and took a few more deep breaths. "Oh, that was funny," she told him, looking to him with one of her trademark smiles. Noting the seriousness on his features, Kaylee sobered instantly, painfully aware of what River had interrupted between them.
Cradling her face in his hands, Simon leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. "I really want to get out of here," he murmured against her mouth before kissing her again.
Moaning as her body remembered the passion he'd so recently inspired, Kaylee murmured back, "Me too. My bunk?"
Shaking his head, Simon continued to kiss her and said against her mouth, "I was actually thinking I could use a shower."
Her eyes lighting with delight, Kaylee pulled away from him reluctantly and reached for his hand. "Well, then Doctor Tam, we'd better go make sure you're clean," she told him, pulling him along.
Unable to do anything else, Simon followed, the two of them barely making it more than five steps before Simon had grabbed her from behind and spun her around, crushing his mouth to hers. Kaylee answered his kiss with her own, rubbing her body against his and burning as she felt his need growing hard against her thigh. Tugging on his hands, she continued to pull him towards the shower room by the passenger dorms. They had to stop at least three more times on the way, as their hands and lips refused to be deterred from their mission.
Pushing open the metal door, Kaylee had barely closed it again, before Simon had her pinned against it, their mouths clinging to one another. Running her hands up his back, Kaylee kissed him deeply, her tongue exploring his mouth, her lips working over his. Panting as he pulled away and again lowered his head to her shoulder, Kaylee ran her hands through his dark, soft hair, slightly damp from sweat.
His arms around her waist, Simon bit down just slightly on Kaylee's neck, knowing he was leaving a mark and not all that concerned. He wanted her so much, he didn't know how he'd waited this long. As she continued to kiss him, her hands running along his shoulders and down to his waist, Simon groaned against her, his whole body throbbing with need, his pants getting uncomfortably tight.
Resting her hands on his chest, Kaylee met Simon's desire-filled eyes and smiled slightly, pushing him back. Grabbing at the hem of her shirt, she pulled it up and over her head, discarding it on the floor. Simon's eyes widened at the sight of her bare chest exposed to him, and instantly he reached out a hand to cup one of her breasts, kneading the flesh gently, the pad of his thumb ghosting over her already hardened nipple. Her head falling back against the door at the touch, Kaylee felt her body burn as Simon lowered his head and drew his tongue in a slow circle around the nub before biting down, ever so slightly, and sucking gently.
Wrapping her arms around his neck again, Kaylee pushed him back and into a shower stall, reversing their positions so he was pressed against the cold wall. Bringing her face close to his, Kaylee's eyes lit with barely contained passion as her tongue darted out and teased him, running along the edge of his lower lip before probing his mouth and then pushing through as she pressed her breasts against his chest. Running her hands down his sides as she continued to kiss him fervently, Kaylee cupped his arousal through his pants, smiling as he moaned into her mouth.
Running her hand along the length of him, Kaylee continued to kiss him, not needing to look as she unfastened his pants and pushed them down to his ankles, underwear and all. Simon kicked the material away, having already shed his shoes and now stood naked before her. Kaylee leaned back a bit, her eyes widening as she saw his burgeoning length, her core again throbbing with want as she imagined the feel of him inside her, the intensity of his thrusts, the power of his release … Wrapping a hand around him, Kaylee pulled slowly as she again kissed him, this time a long, lingering kiss that turned Simon's knees to jelly.
Pressing into her, Simon cupped the back of Kaylee's head in his hand and drove his tongue deep, trying to taste every part of her. Reaching a hand down to her waist, he ran a hand between her pants and her skin, feeling the dampness of her panties and knowing she was good and ready. Moving both of his hands to her waist, Simon trailed kisses down her chest, pausing to lavish each of her breasts with a bit of attention, before he made it to her belly button. Kneeling in front of her, Simon kissed along her stomach, her skin smooth and soft as his hands worked at her pants, pulling the material down her legs. Doing his best to contain his desire as he wanted to make this last at least a little longer, Simon slowly pulled her pants off her body, taking care to untie her boots and throw them aside. When she was bare to him except for the lavender pair of lace undies she was wearing, Simon looked up to her face, catching her large green eyes as they gazed down at him with want and yearning. Holding her gaze, Simon ran his hands up her legs until he reached her thighs, moving his fingers around to tease her, his light touch working over her unders.
Gasping as his thumb and forefinger circled her most sensitive spot, Kaylee fisted her hands in Simon's hair. She wanted him, she wanted him inside her and she wanted him to stop this torture. Looking back up to her, Simon smiled slightly at the look of pure hunger on her face. "Simon." His name was a breathless whisper on her lips and he felt his length throb almost painfully in anticipation. Rising slowly, Simon kissed her again, their tongues entwining, as he reached behind him and turned on the water.
As the warm stream beat down on them from above, Simon wrapped his fingers into the edges of Kaylee's panties and pushed them down. She took care of discarding them out of the shower stall and then looked back to him, her hands coming up to rest on his face. Pulling her close, Simon kissed her slowly, passionately and Kaylee whimpered into his mouth, feeling as though she might explode if he didn't take her now.
Pushing her back until she was pressed against the cool shower wall, Kaylee held Simon's gaze for a moment as he gently reached around and lifted her, being sure to position them both at the right angle. Wrapping her legs behind him, Simon braced one arm on the wall by her head and then brought his lips to hers as he slid into her.
Kaylee gasped at the feel of him, at the fullness as he entered her, her body stretching to accommodate him. It had been quite a while since she'd been good and sexed by a man and Kaylee felt her body unraveling quickly as Simon started to move within her. She did her best to return each of his thrusts, her precarious position not making it that easy. But Simon's hold on her was tight and she knew he would not let her fall.
Simon knew his end would come quickly; it had been too long since he'd been with a woman and the anticipation of this moment was already too much for his body to handle. Wanting Kaylee to come first, Simon kept one arm firmly around her waist while he dropped his other hand to where they were joined and touched her, rubbing urgently against her. Her head fell back against the wall as his ministrations and his increasingly quick thrusts brought her close. With another few snaps of his hips, Simon swallowed her cry with a kiss, groaning against her as his own release thundered hotly into her.
Both of them shaking and weak, Simon knew he wouldn't be able to balance her for long. Sinking down to the floor of the stall, Simon sat with her in his lap, his spent length still buried deep, and Kaylee rested her head against his chest, even as the water continued to run over them from above. Pressing a kiss to her temple, Simon wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.
"That was amazin'," Kaylee murmured, her body spent from such an incredible coupling. Turning her lazy gaze to him, she smiled and said, "You are amazin'."
Studying her face, Simon pushed some of her wet hair from her cheek, his fingers running along the edge of her hairline and down her neck. Kaylee's eyes fluttered shut against the soft touch and another contented sigh escaped her lips. Pressing another kiss to her forehead, Simon murmured against her skin, "You are amazing, bao bei."
Grinning even wider at the use of the endearment, Kaylee snuggled in tighter to his chest, sighing again as her movements caused his length to twitch a bit inside her. Listening to the sound of the water as it fell around them, Kaylee wondered if there was a more perfect moment. Guessing that the swai man who held her so close now would see to it, as would she, Kaylee waited only a few minutes more before turning a mischievous look on him.
Noting her expression, Simon let some of his trepidation show as he asked, "What?"
Her eyes sparkling, Kaylee pressed her swollen lips to his and murmured, "Let's go again."
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