It was simple, in the end.
They stood on the ramp in silence while Wash and Jayne loaded the last of her things into the vehicle she'd hired to get her... well, wherever it was she was going. She had told him her destination in only the vaguest of ways. Something about a friend of hers and a lovely place. "Quite adequate," was another expression she'd used to describe it. He still wasn't sure whether that meant that it was better or worse than she had wanted.
Wash hugged her. "Take care of yourself," he said.
"You too," she said.
Jayne nodded at her. "Inara."
She smiled. "Jayne."
Then they were alone.
They looked at each other.
Silence.
A warm breeze. Bright sunlight.
"Well..." Mal said finally, looking away.
"Yes," she said.
He looked back and nodded. "Best of luck, then."
"Thank you."
"If you ever need anythin', y'know, just--"
"I know," she interrupted, putting a hand on his arm.
They looked at each other. He couldn't read her expression. He wondered if he should hug her, like Wash had, but...
But she was already leaving. Removed her hand, composed herself...
"Goodbye, Mal," she said.
He tried to arrange his face into a smile. "Bye then."
She nodded, then turned away and began walking down the ramp.
He watched.
Halfway down she stopped and looked back, as if she wanted to say something...
Well, he wanted to say something too, it was just...
He waved.
He thought he saw her hesitate for a split second before she smiled again.
Then she went, and all that was left was the breeze and the sun and the feeling that something had not gone quite as it should have done.