Inara sighed wearily and took the paper from Mal. "If that was true, Mal, they would contact me in person. Is this some kind of joke?" She scanned the page quickly to confirm what he had just told her.

The writing was scrawled messily in Wash's handwriting and although Inara didn't suspect that the pilot would play a prank on her like that, she didn't doubt that Mal might somehow have managed to get him to write it. Perhaps he threatened to dump him in the hold for a month or make him bunk with Jayne for a day or two.

That'd be enough incentive for anyone to write a note like that.

Or maybe Mal had threatened to dump him at the next port of harbour. It wasn't as if it hadn't happened before, but it was somewhat less likely. Mal actually liked the pilot some, which put him at an advantage in that department.

"You think this is a joke?" Mal shook his head, frustrated and stared at Inara as if she was a child incapable of understanding the message he was trying to put across to her. "If this was a joke, do you think I'd be this happy about it?"

Inara glowered at him and remained silent. There was no way that she would give in and resort to playing the Captains' game. No way.

"You tell me!" she shot back, defiantly. Apparently her resolve wasn't as strong as she'd thought it was – she found herself almost ready to give in and let her frenzied, uncontrollable impulses take over.

"Jus' did," Mal retorted, incredulously. He rolled his eyes and moved closer to the uneasy Companion.

"You just did?" Inara asked. "Would you care to repeat yourself then?"

"Sure!" Mal let a lopsided grin slide onto his face and watched the Companion as he spoke. "The Guild don't want you anymore. They fired you. And I'm glad."

He paused, satisfied, as his words finally sank in and Inara slumped down on the edge of her bed, stunned. "Really?" Her tone had softened considerably and hinted that she'd chosen to believe him finally.

"Yes, really. You're one of us now," Mal confirmed. He took another few steps forward, until he was close enough to Inara that she could feel his breath on her face.

"One of you?"

"One of us," Mal nodded and edged closer to her, gazing into her brown eyes with an intense passion that she had never encountered while she had been with any clients.

"So that means –?" Inara gestured meaningfully with her hands, pointing at first herself and then at Mal.

Mal nodded. "Yup, sure does!"

He closed the gap between them, his lips crashing into hers with the intensity of a meteor hitting the atmosphere. Inara kissed him back, hard. Her arms pulled him to her and once again, she was amazed that it had taken them so long to show their feelings for each other.

Wuh de tyen, ah! This time let it be real! Her thoughts were desperate, but soon forgotten.

Mal pushed Inara up against the wall and she groaned pleasurably as he began to kiss her neck. He trailed the kisses down her stomach, unbuttoning her blouse slowly as he went. She was in total ecstasy.

"Mal!" Inara groaned into his chest as her blouse fell to the floor.

A loud banging noise suddenly caught her attention and she glanced up to see Mal, standing no more than a metre away. An amused expression was plastered on his face and Inara blushed as she realised what he must've heard.

She let her gaze wander over the floor as Mal moved over and sat on the bed next to her. For a moment or two, they sat in silence. Then, Mal spoke up.

"I think you got some explainin' to do."

Chinese Translations

Wuh de tyen, ah - Dear god in heaven.