Mal stood on the ramp admiring the rich green surroundings. He turned away from the beautiful sight as a shuttle invaded the scene a few hundred yards away. "Tell 'Nara her clients here."

"Yes, sir." Zoe said as she made her way over to the comm.

"Lets keep runnin' through tomorrow. Never dealt with this one before we don't want to be takin' advantage of. Dong ma?" Mal said to the rest of the crew working in the hold; the Doc with his sis in the infirmary, Jayne liftin', and Kaylee and Zoe doin' various jobs.

"What's this guy's name 'gain, sir?" inquired the first mate returning to Mal's side.

"Vick." he said curtly. "Badger said he had a rough life which don't rightly make a person all soft 'n fuzzy."

"Aww shucks." said Jayne setting the bar down above his head. "I been lookin' for a snuggly teddy bear." said Jayne sarcastically while picking up and cocking Vera.

Inara walked languidly over the catwalk and down the metal steps. Her silk dress pooled at her ankles. Although the cargo hold lights were dim, the metallic purple of it shown like midnight. Mal thought she looked regal, like a queen or a duchess, with small flowers in her hair and gentle curls at her shoulders. Mal's breath caught in his throat. He suddenly forgot how to breathe. 'A queen.' he thought 'What the gorram hell is she doing livin' on this piece of go se ship?'

"Jayne, close your mouth and please use Vera as your form of transportation on your way to hell." Inara said continuing her smile and pleasantry. Simon stifled his laughter, from the infirmary door, at the tiny woman's threat to end the mercenary's life. He deceased abruptly with the aid of a strong punch from Kaylee.

"Client's here." Mal said, finally able to get out some sort of vocalization. Inara nodded avoiding his gaze. Mal met the man at the bottom of the ramp. "Welcome to my ship, Serenity. I'm Captain Reynolds." Mal attempted to sound pleasant all the while gritting his teeth.

"I'm Marcus Alexander Stein." The well-built man offered a kind, strong hand. After a few too many seconds without a response from Mal, Inara stepped in pushing Mal behind her.

"Marcus dear. Welcome. It's been far too long." She kissed each cheek once. Mal shifted his weight with his discomfort.

"Cheap Show." Mal muttered loud enough for only Inara to hear, and turned to marched up the metal stairs. Inara looked to her right and saw the quick stab of pain as their eyes met; his guilt and pain pouring into her brown spheres. The loud pound of his boots filled the room until he stepped into the hallway on his way towards the common room.

"Well, Marcus. Shall I give you the grand tour?" she asked, linking her arm with his.

"By all means my dear." he replied.

Inara showed her client the engine room, passenger dorms, galley, common room and the cockpit. The last of which she had hoped to run into the captain. Marcus didn't notice the searching glances Inara gave as they entered each room. Inara gave up her search when she found the cockpit empty except for a few lone dinosaurs placed delicately on the ledge of the consol.

"And this is my shuttle." she said with grandeur.

"You have done marvelous things with it my dear." He said, sitting on her plush couch without invitation.

"Would you like some tea?" Inara asked slightly put off by the fact that someone other than Mal was being rude in her shuttle.

"No, thank you." He said.

Inara was not impressed by his disrespect and disregard for proper etiquette. "How about a message then?" She suggested.

"That would be nice." Marcus replied.

"Please remove your clothes and lie face down on the bed. There's a towel over there if you wish to have some cover." she pointed to the table near the end of the bed. "I'll be right back."

In all her years as a companion she had never forgotten anything during a session with a client. She cursed herself silently for leaving the little bottle of scented oil in the pilot's chair of the shuttle's cockpit. Inara moved away from the waiting man and slipped through the cockpit curtain. She gasped slightly upon finding Mal sitting in the pilot's seat with his eyes closed and hands over his ears. If he was surprised to see her when he opened his eyes he didn't show it. He opened his mouth and silently spoke "I'm sorry." She can see from the hurt in his eyes and the little part of her that wasn't livid or panicked wondered how long he was planning to leave his presence unknown. He pushed the bottle into her palm and as soon as her hand touched it's surface he gripped her hand so tightly she couldn't pull away and she knew he was begging her "Don't go."

Inara hesitated, she desperately wanted to explain to him. To make him understand. Any second her client could come and sweep aside the curtain to find out what has been keeping her, but she just stood looking at Mal.

Suddenly it was simple. Inara leaned in and quietly pressed her lips to his. His eyes flutter closed and she can felt his pulse quicken against her palm, now resting on his neck. For a moment they were still, barely breathing, squashed close in the tiny cockpit. He reached his hands around her waist and pulled her into his lap. The space around them fades away until it is only them.

Finally, Inara pulled away, resting her forehead against his, breathing slightly heavier, hands trembling as she began to unbutton his shirt.

"Inara?" a questioning voice asks from the other side of the curtain.

"Ta ma de." Mal utters quietly as she began to leave his lap.

"Coming!" She shouts through the curtain. Turning back to Mal she mouths "I'm sorry." She walked back through the curtain holding onto his hand until he finally lets it fall on the other side of the curtain.

"Where's your bathroom? I'd just like to tidy up a bit." he asked rising from the bed with the towel wrapped around his waist.

"Right through there." she pointed.

"Thanks." he said kissing her on the cheek as he left. As soon as the door clicked she pushed aside the cockpit curtain and pulled Mal to her lips. She continued to kiss him through her words.

"Mal... You have to go... He'll be back soon." She whispered desperately.

"'Nara, please... Don't do this." he responded to her plea with one of his own. The water turned off in the next room.

"Xin gan, we cant do this now. Please just go, Mal." Their last kiss was held with fierce passion as they moved backward towards the shuttle's hatch. Tears flowing shortly from Inara's eyes but stopped by Mal's hands on either side of her face, caressing and kissing. As the door of the bathroom began to open she pushed Mal through the hatch and watched him disappear as she closed the door.

"Inara?" she spun around as he spoke. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, wiping the tears from her face.

She gave him a quick smile. "I'm fine. Just caught something in my throat is all." she took his hand and walked towards the bed. "How about that massage now?"