The Monkey Chased The Weasel.
Warning: The last part of this chapter contains mild adult references.
Chapter 26: Epilogue. Fifty Shades Of Brave.
Inara...
It didn't take Mal long to sober up some, as he went through the assorted security checks around the ship. He cleared his head some more when he cranked up the oxygen levels on the life support systems that fed the cockpit, while he set the alarms and checked the systems. He had enjoyed a few drinks with Konrad Scott and thought about the conversation regarding his next duty call; Inara.
Mal walked up to Inara's shuttle and stood quietly for a moment just outside the hatch, he was still a little tipsy, but mainly was just gorram exhausted.
Exhausted from being human, from trying to do the right thing, and from being Captain. "Actually it went purity alright with most of mah crew; their responses were positive; their respect forma leadership evident. Well as evident as it could be with this bunch of freaks, some bein' outcasts from the core worlds, the ones that had ta keep a low profile from the Alliance, and the stragglers," he contemplated.
It seemed that keeping a low profile and staying under the Alliance radar was again an objective of this ragtag family. The Operative had suggested as much; after the Miranda incident, that the Alliance would quit pursuing the Tams, but for how long, he couldn't be certain. And now they had Anthony to worry about. The Alliance didn't know about him and Mal was determined that they never would.
Mal hoped that Doctor Ashleigh Harvey could help with that. He appreciated the young woman's resolve, and now trusted her. She could infiltrate the research programs and probably stall any further development of the Reaver studies and screw up any experiments with Bence's immune LgE2 suppressant. She would make sure they never found out about Anthony's existence and Bence's full discoveries.
Mal prayed to all his Wo De Fo Zu; Buddha ancestors, that the pretty doctor could do it, too, and fool the ta ma duh; mother fuckers.
But, doc Harvey wasn't a military medic, or a soldier. And he was; and he made decisions based on the battle in front of him, and the possibility of casualties even if the good guys called it a win. 'It was prolly one of the reasons he'd never advanced beyond Sergeant,' he silently mused as he walked.
The philosophical and ethical circumstances wasn't something' he gave a lot of extra quite pondering on, rather than the simple gorram truth of the right to not be meddled with; manipulated; and the gorram right to freedom. But, the events of the past three weeks; Anthony and the dealing with Reavers , Ashleigh's decision about a cure and the possible repercussions, and finally Zoë's personal conundrum, were all too thick with... All kind of philisophicalities which were much too difficult for this lowly freight hauler's Captain ta get his head around.
"Dao-gao-yee-chi moh-gao-yee-juhn. The solution advances a yard, the problem advances a mile." he whispered remembering the words of his first Commanding Officer. The only thing he was certain of was that if it benefitted the crew, kept Serenity and his family safe, then people had the right to do what they wanted, when they wanted, even if they were little steps.
It's time for some rest, Mal thought to himself. He had one last person to deal with before he could sleep soundly. There was no graveyard shift tonight; no immediate threat from the Niska's or anyone; no ugly ridin' in on us, yet. Which was fine by him. There was no way he was going to get anything but a power nap well after lift-off and once they were in the black.
Mal moved quietly into Inara's shuttle and stopped at the sight. He could hear her singing as she soaked in her large copper tub. This was the second time as in many weeks he had interrupted her bathing routine and one of her only means of relaxation other than meditation. And her meditation was usually interrupted by a very active little boy, or some crisis .
Mal stood there quietly watching from the hatch, her back was facing him as it rested against the high back of the old copper tub. Inara had piled her long wavy hair on top of her head. One stray curl fell from behind her ear and trailed down her back. The companion was humming to herself, filling the coral sponge with the sweet smelling bubbles, as she washed her shoulder blades sending a wave of water and scented froth pouring down her satin skin.
Whether Inara heard his breathing, felt his eyes, or just used her uncanny Companion senses was uncertain, but she smiled."You're making a habit of spying on my bath time, Captain."
"You were supposed to be waiting for me, pondering the nature of yer insubordination, Inara."
"Oh, I've been thinking about it all, Mal, believe me; but I can multitask; think, ponder, plan, sing and bathe all at the same time. And time I have had plenty of, Mal. You sent me to my shuttle like a tao shen; naughty child, nearly two hours ago."
"Shiny, then; so what have you decided?" asked Mal as he moved farther into the shuttle closing the distance between them.
"I have decided nothing, Mal it is you who are dishing out the consequences." Inara stated firmly."But I will tell you; I am not sorry for participating. I am happy the way things turned out, and I feel I contributed to our cause and its outcome for the benefit of this crew..." she paused, "This family." Inara continued to wash herself as she finished speaking."And I would do it again."
"Coulda run a foul lot worse than we did."
"But it didn't," corrected Inara, turning slightly to look at Mal over her shoulder. She turned back when she realised she had nearly exposed her creamy breasts, and calmly continued, not wanting Mal to suspect her, a trained companion, of ever blushing. "Worse, like worse on Miranda? When are we not the underdogs?" Quoting his own words back at him, "When are the odds not against us?"
Mal got a glimpse of her lush figure and it was pure delight to his eyes. He also caught Inara's fiery expression. Still, he needed to make his point. "You can stand still and shoot, pull one from a hidy ho.. Ahh.. place and surprise afeng le lao gohng; crazy old man, but you try hittin' a movin' target a angr..."
"Guess I'll have to learn," interrupted Inara, smoothly and calmly never stopping the movements of her sponge.
There was no more talk for a moment. Inara could hear the Captain signing and rustling about at the door. She took it to believe that Mal was contemplating her suggestion. Mal was right; it wasn't like she had never handled a weapon a small one hidden in the ready of a unsavoury client, though that very rarely occurred. A companion was expensive, and clients were thoroughly checked out before appointments. But, she had only her instinct to go on when she needed to use a large weapon in a combat situation. "So will you teach me, Captain?"
"Guess I will," he sighed." Here, move forward," ordered Mal.
"Why you gonna wash my back again, Mal," she smiled and shook her head slightly, as she shifted forward to the lower end of the slipper tub.
"Might jist do that and then I'm ponderin' about you washin' mine for me, while I decide on yer fate," he said.
Mal's shirt, pants and boots suddenly landed in a pile next to the tub. Inara turned to peek down at them, confusion written on her pretty features, then she almost jumped out of the tub, as the Captain stepped into the tub and sat behind her, squeezing his long legs on either side of her hips and his feet meeting hers at the end.
"Mal what the... You're naked...I.."
"Water looks so relaxin'. It's warm and smells damn inviting. Always bathe nekkid; family tradition ya know, old tradition iffin I remember right with lots of different folks and cultures."
"Mal don't be..."
"Shush now; you seen me nekkid afore. Thought it was funny that time Saffron left me buck natural on..."
"You were wearing your boots, though that's not what I was laughing at."
"Face the front, now; pretend you can jist follow my orders. This is part of the consequences for worrying and annoying me. First, I wash your back, take in the sights of your beautiful skin; unblemished, trying ta forget the nightmare image I near had; afeared of you getting yerself hurt." Mal tugged on the knot of her hair, let it down and towards him. His kissed the back of her head, drawing in Inara's scent.
Inara tingled from the kiss and the warmth of his breath. She leant back into him, loving the strong wall of his chest. "You're feeling very brave tonight Mal." she whispered.
"Nah, I'm just feeling kind of truthsome right now cause of some notional sayin' Konrad put in mah head...'Take care of how you spend your time before you eventually die.' Figure it's about not lettin' things go unsaid, and ... Un-done."
Inara turned sideways a little, enough as the width of the tub allowed; with one of her long awe inspiring legs and her beautifully rounded buttocks just barely emerging from the milky water; and then she shifted a little more pressing one of her breasts up against his chest. "Un done ; you mean dealing with the last of us wayward crew members?" she asked a hint of sarcasm in her voice accompanied by a flutter of her long eyelashes.
"It's what I had in mind, ceptin my scenario's jist changed a mite. Can't be thinking of a punishment spankin' with you looking at me like that, smelling like a prayer, and nekid in my arms."
"Well Mal you may be right, it wouldn't be much of a punishment, if I enjoyed it now would it?"
"You're playin' me here; using some of them wiley companion techniques on me. Here I was appreciating yer using the word 'crew' in reference ta yerself," he smirked playfully, before using the one arm he'd had resting on the side of the tub to slap her exposed buttock. "Ming ci; brat."
"Ow!" squeaked Inara, and even though the sound of the smack was worse that it's bite, she quickly turned back to sit in front of Mal.
Mal let her settle back in the tub again and ignored the water splashing over the sides, "Well that's what my crew get for disobeying orders."
"I'm crew Mal," stated Inara sincerely."You know it; I feel it; everyone sees me as a crew member; have been since Miranda. I once left for a reason and came back for another one, then stayed for a even bigger one."
"Family," whispered Mal.
"Yes, and you. You told me staying was the good answer."
"I... it was, and I shoulda let yer know exactly why, but I was still drawin' the lines, between crew and family, still do and..."
"Not sure where I fit?"
"Sometimes, yup. I want yer staying safe and being close, then not; fer fear you'll be hurt... Like Zoë."
"But, Wash had the time of his life, the love of his life for a long time... Take care of how you spend your time before you eventually die; it's a good notion."
"Maybe, it's a truth, but until now I always figured things like that don't mean nothing out here, out there," he said indicating the shuttle's porthole.
"Well it does; it has to," Inara said softly, sadly and almost like a prayer.
"We're sounded a mite morbid here and philisophicalitizing too much on things." Mal said, shaking his head, then declared, "No more, sides this waters getting cold."
Inara reached for a soft towel from the floor next to the copper slipper tub. She pulled it up and in the same fluid motion, drew her slender body up into it. Mal closed his eyes as she stepped out of the tub, and sank down into the rising water, to mellow in the last of its warmth, and scent.
"A captain could get use ta this kind of soakin', perhaps this should be yer punishment. Yer hafta tend ta my aching body fer a month. I could take a long soak, and then yer could massage my sore limbs."
"You pampered, I'm..."
"Shocked? Plumb surprised my own self," he chuckled, "though I could get a mite used ta it."
"I'd be happy to give you a massage Mal; they've been working wonders on Anthony," said Inara, as she wrapped a beautifully embroidered Tung dynasty robe around herself. She then went to sit down at her dressing table, but had to gather the bundle of figurines, that Anthony had left scattered on the bench, to make room. She tossed them into a colourful wooden box that sat on the floor next to the table. Kaylee had found the box at a scrap yard and she and River had painted it in rainbows and monkeys.
Mal opened his eyes at the sound, "Hmmm," he mewed from the tub. "Little Britches been in ta say his gnights?"
"Yes River, bought him by hours ago," mumbled Inara from under a towel as she dried her hair.
"He look good... Different ta you?"
"Fine; played for a while with his dinosaurs," she said, tossing the towel and flicking her hair back.
"Been finding them things all over the ship tonight. Givin' me the spooks a bit. You know being they first belongin' ta Wash's. Didn't think Wash had that many."
"Well there are plenty of them for him to play with. He is a happy little boy, Mal. I'm glad too; that scene in the cargo bay had to be scary for him, watching his father..."
"Wasn't his father no more."
"No, you are. I've never seen you hold someone or something so tight."
Mal watched Inara, as she now threaded her fingers through her hair, untangling the knots and spreading the waves of her dark hair, to Mal it look like fairy's breath. She looked at him, and smiled, expecting a response.
Mal suddenly re- focused. "I didn't want him seein' that. Youngin's shouldn't hafta believe in tiansha de emo; goddamn monsters."
"Well he didn't, thanks to you."
"And River."
There was silence for a while, as Mal closed his eyes again and this time, Inara watched. Taking in his muscled torso, surrounded by a few fine hairs that looked almost golden as they floated around his perfectly formed nipples, her mind wandered. She tracked the dip of his sternum; the axis of his ribcage down to the milky water's edge that lapped at his hips and disappointingly hid a major proportion of his body, until his bent legs emerged from the bubbles; where his square and mountainous knees broke the surface and put a stop to her bai rih mohn; daydreaming, wishful thinking. "I should have stayed in there with him.
"Thought that water was getting cold?" she quipped.
"It is, and I need it. Stop brushing yer hair like that, and I mite jist get me a chance ta get out with my dignity. You miten' be laughing this time, I ain't wearing mah boots."
Mal Inara shook her head, "Thought your eyes were closed. Here's a warm towel," she said tossing him one. "Then I really need to get some sleep, Mal." I'm such a coward; no it has to be his move, she mused silently.
Mal caught the towel and held it up in front of him as he stood. He wrapped it around his waist loosely and stepped out of the tub. "Well, that's fair, I guess, but you done promised me a massage?"
"Oh I didn't think I promised; I thought I offered."
"Shiny, I'm taking the offer up now," he said and moved closer to her. Mal gently took her fingers and untangled them from her hair and kissed them.
Inara's heart fluttered again, not ever imagining that Mal had such a soft touch; that a gentle touch with his lips on her fingers could be so genuine and...
She never finished that thought, as Mal leant in closer and transferred his warm lips to hers. They were slightly opened in wonder and Mal took that as an invitation and deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue through to taste her mouth. Inara, accepted his offer, and pressed her body against his, feeling his dignity, hard and aroused against the top if her thighs. That notion pulled at her very core, and like the strings on a marionette it motivated the rise of her arms to embrace his neck.
Inara's gown fell open as their kiss ended and their foreheads met, taking in fresh air. Mal moved his hands down her naked curves; unhurriedly. "I want to stay, can I?"
"I would like that," whispered Inara, "Very much."
"Let me show you how very much, Inara..."
Chuàngyèban shìbúshì méiyou mócā pāoguāng, yě méiyǒu yígè rén wèijīng shěnpàn wánměi
A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man made perfect without trials.
A Chinese proverb.
THE END.
A.N. Well thank goodness, it's only been close to two years writing this story. Special thanks to MissGuenever who had betaed this from Chapter ten onwards. Thanks also to Ashleyder1 and CigarsAllAround for convincing me to write the end I always had planned, though I would have liked it be more explicit, so note to Miss MissGuenever, I think I've compromised. Truth is I've written this chapter four times, and I just can't write a good romantic sex scene. I still may try one of these days, maybe I'll make it a sealed one shot.
There were plans for a sequel to this story, but this has been such a long hall, it may never eventuate. I wanted to space jump ahead and planned a plot about Zoë's babies and the Alliance scientists creating their own little Reavers. I've also had a couple of Firefly challenges thrown at me, that I might just take up. They'll be one shots until I get my head around a few things.