A Mite Unpredictable
Chapter Three
Torrid Love Affair
By RingPrincess

"Mal," Inara said, taking a deep breath. "It's time, time for me to go back."

Mal's eyes narrowed and his jaw tensed as he frowned. "Back where?"

Inara's eyes flicked away into the cargo hold. "To the Companion House."

"I thought you hadn't decided yet." He said as he leaned towards her.

Inara's eyes closed. "I haven't."

Mal thought about that for a few moments. "All right."

Inara's shoulders relaxed minutely. "All right."

"It's a good place to look for a job as any." Mal nodded and turned away.

Inara stayed frozen in place as Mal jogged down the stairs and away. As usual, the things that should've been spoken weren't and the things that should be left alone had bubbled near the surface. If she were a petty woman she'd try to thrust the entire blame on him for the awkwardness of their entire situation. Yet, she couldn't. The tenseness had been there the very day they met, the day she fell in love with the ship and secretly with its captain. She wanted to stay, desperately wanted to be close to him and feared it as well. What she needed was to be fair to her position. She was a Companion. It was what she had trained for and fought to keep. The question was, could she remain true to that position and duty and balance it with her wants. "Torrid love affair," she whispered and gathered her skirts about her and descended the stairs.

"Those are the worst kind," River said from a seat on a box.

Inara's hand jumped to her chest as she started. "River."

River tilted her head and smiled. "And the best at the same time."

Jayne grunted. "And what would you know about that?" He pushed up the weight bar.

River looked over her shoulder at him. "Reading, in books."

Jayne rolled his eyes. "Then you don't know nothing, books." He snorted.

Inara glanced between them. "How long have you two been there?"

River shrugged. "Thirty minutes and fifteen seconds."

Jayne grunted as he lifted the weight bar up and down. "Not much to do in space."

"Boredom, dreariness, ennui." River nodded.

"To understand love you've got experience it." Jayne returned to the former conversation.

River's eyebrows rose and she halfway turned to get a better look at him. "Volunteering?"

Jayne remained silent.

River smiled and jumped off the box and strolled behind the weight bench to look down at him. "Jayne's experienced love."

Jayne racked the bar and glared up at her. "Not your business."

River rested her arms on the bar. "A knife that's so sharp and clean it slices without resistance. Deep pain in the chest, doesn't realize it hurts 'til it's done."

"Ain't you poetical." He growled. "That's in the past."

"Wasn't talking about the cut," River dangled her arm down and touched his chest. "But about love."

He knocked her hand away and slid down the bench so he could sit up without touching River, any part of River. He rubbed his chest and stared at the floor grating.

Inara walked over and laid a hand on Jayne's shoulders. "Love hurts, too." She murmured. "That is the worst type of love."

Jayne looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. He snorted. "I reckon you'd know better than most."

Inara drew her hand back, her eye's slightly wide, lips parted.

"Being a Companion and all, supposed to know about these things." He continued.

Inara's hand dropped to her side. "I suppose." She murmured. "Excuse me." She walked deeper into the ship, following the footsteps of the captain.

River stared after her. "Scared, guilty."

Jayne gripped the edge of the bench. "Inara? Why for?"

"Past, present, future." River shrugged.

Jayne lay back down. "It'll sort itself out eventually. Spot me?"

--

Kaylee smiled. "I think it's all manner of shiny, you invitin' us to visit the Companion House."

Inara smiled back. "It'd relieve the tedium of being aboard ship and," she paused. "I could use the support."

"I bet it's all sorts of purty and shiny inside, like your shuttle." Kaylee nodded with a wistful expression. "All sorts of fancy."

Mal paused as he walked by. "What's this?"

Kaylee grinned. "Inara invitin' us all to see the Companion House when she goes back."

"Hold up, when was this extended. I don't remember any extendin'."

"I was going to do that just now before Kaylee stopped me." Inara stood up. "I haven't made my decision yet and I'd like you all to be there when I do."

"Once we get down there. We got us a schedule to keep without taking side trips to-" Mal trailed off.

"Go on, say it." Inara's voice tensed.

"Anyways, we got us a tight schedule. Tight." Mal said side stepping the issue.

"Change it." Inara crossed her arms.

Mal blinked. "What did you just say to me?"

"Change it." Inara bit out.

"I don't take orders from nobody, especially from those who are still guests on my ship."

"Well, I'm starting to reconsider staying. You can't have lined up a job in the last ten minutes since I requested going back, so any schedule you've cooked up must be a ploy to avoid saying good-bye to me. Since you did that so well last time."

Neither noticed Kaylee stand up and leave the common room.

Mal closed the distance between them. "In case you haven't noticed good byes aren't something I'm good at."

"Well, I'm glad the Wave finally came in."

"And leavin' last time was your decision, not mine." Mal's hands clenched into fists. "I don't want to stand in your way or influence you in any way when you make this decision."

"I'd prefer it if you did." Inara glared. "Go on Mal, influence me."

They stared at each other. Mal's jaw worked back and forth. Suddenly he spun on his heel and stalked out of the mess back to the bridge.

"Coward," Inara muttered.

Mal froze and like a fool he turned back around, strode across the room and grabbed her waist, crushing her lips with his. He tore away, "Invitation accepted." He gasped and retreated.

Inara's fingers brushed her lips and she collapsed onto the chair behind her. "Torrid love affair." She whispered.

--

Sheydra stood tall and statuesque on the terrace to the House, waiting for them sun glinting off her blonde hair. Arranged behind her in neat rows were robed students. All whispered fiercely to each other at the sight of Serenity's crew behind Inara.

"There's the pirate," one voice carried on the wind.

Inara's graceful walk faltered for a split second. Mal reached out and touched her elbow and she tried to discreetly shake him off.

"Pirate?" He murmured into her ear with a grin.

Sheydra saved Inara from having to make an answer. "Inara," she said, holding out her hands. "Welcome back."

Inara grasped them with a smile, succeeding in shaking off Mal, who stepped back. "Sheydra." At Sheydra's pointed look at Mal and the others, Inara let go of her hands. "I promised Captain Reynolds and his crew a tour."

Sheydra's eyebrows flew up and a ripple of murmurs went through the students. "Captain Reynolds," Sheydra held out her hand.

Mal bowed over it. "Any friend of Inara's is a friend of mine." He smiled.

Inara stiffened but pressed on. "His first mate, Zoë."

Zoë nodded.

Inara turned to Simon. "Dr. Tam."

Simon bowed. "Please, call me Simon."

Kaylee tucked her hand through his arm but didn't stop smiling or gawking. Her eyes came to rest on Sheydra for a moment. "Oh, I'm Kaylee."

"Best mechanic in the 'verse." Simon smiled.

"He's sweet, ain't he sweet?" Kaylee grinned up into Simon's face.

River brushed past Sheydra and the pupils into the terrace, spinning about, the folds of her midnight blue gown brushing her thighs, her hair tucked on top of her head with only a few tendrils left to soften her face, which was alight with a large smile.

Simon started towards her but Kaylee stopped him with a hand on his arm. "River," he said instead.

Kaylee clutched his arm tighter. "She ain't harmin' nothing."

River spun again and stared at the view.

Mal cocked his head. "I suppose it was worth it to see the smile on albatross' face."

River rolled her eyes. "Look, look and see with your eyes, captain." She held out her hand.

"I'll see it soon enough."

River shook her head in disappointment.

"Ah, you're no fun." Jayne said and pushed past them.

"Jayne, mind your manners."

"I got the lecture." He said as he turned to look at River was seeing. River grabbed his hand and pointed to the distance. "What am I looking at?"

"Depends on how far you want to look." River leaned back into him. He glanced down at her and back out to the mountains cloaked in clouds.

Sheydra smiled. "The view is quite lovely."

Inara moved past her. "Come on, I'll show you the rest." She linked her arm with Sheydra's.

"Ooh," Kaylee hurried after her. Simon shook his head and the crew trailed in Inara's wake. Mal paused on the threshold.

"River, Jayne, you coming?"

Jayne rolled his eyes. "I've seen one room, why do I need to see the rest? Not like I'll be usin' any."

"View satisfies." River added.

"Stay out of trouble. We're guests." He didn't wait for their answer.

The students filed out after them, a few pausing and hiding in the corridors to watch them. River stepped away from Jayne and basked in the sun coming in through the open space. Jayne crossed his arms.

He cleared his throat. "The dress looks right nice."

"Of course, you chose it." River's eyes opened and she slowly turned.

His blue eyes traveled down her figure. "Made for dancin'"

"Does Jayne know how?" River took a few steps.

"There ain't no music." Jayne told her as he gently cupped her waist in one hand and entwined her fingers with his with the other.

"Yes, there is if you listen." She whispered. "Wind, water, birds, bodies, hearts, blood, breath." Her eyes locked with his. "Boy, girl, man and woman."

Jayne grinned and spun her about. "I'll pay better attention next time." They slid across the floor, staring into each others eyes as they effortlessly went through the steps. He flung her away from his body holding onto her hand and snapped her back the next moment, wrapping her body around his. River's eyes sparked. Jayne leaned down. "Sheydra's right about the view, lovely no matter where you look."

She giggled as he spun her about on one toe. She flowed back into the steps of the dance as they moved around the room, spinning, twirling, turning to music only they could here. "Not fair to borrow other people's words."

"If you hadn't noticed yet genius. I'm not a man of words or letters." Jayne frowned as he pulled her close again.

"Man of action." River nodded.

"That's right." Jayne spun. "Now let's hush and just dance."

--

Sheydra had gone to get the students for their next lesson. Mal paced the room as Inara slowly walked the perimeter, her gaze far away. She paused next to the Buddha and mechanically selected an incense stick and lit it.

"Mal," She said.

Mal stopped.

"I-" She bit her lip. "I-"

Sheydra entered the room, a group of students behind her. "Inara, Captain Reynolds, you must see this."

"Mistress Inara, is she your student?" One of the girls came forward, eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears. "Is she why you went away?"

"What?" Inara turned. "Who?"

Mal frowned. "A student?"

Zoë turned from contemplating the window, eyebrow raised. "Sir?"

Sheydra shook her head. "They think the girl we left in the vestibule is your student."

"River!" Inara gasped.

Simon sat up. "What? Mei-Mei?"

Kaylee giggled. "I always said she was a real beauty."

Simon gave Kaylee a long look. "Yes, the academy did call once." He murmured. "She turned it down. She didn't think the curriculum would be difficult enough."

Inara rigidly kept her composure as a few of the students bristled, although, she wanted to laugh. "You said we should see something."

Sheydra nodded.

"Everyone wanted River on account of her IQ and natural talent." Simon sighed. Kaylee placed a hand on his arm. "It was hard for her to choose a course without any idea of where to go, without any parental expectations. I was the one with the clear future, become a first class doctor." Simon laughed without humor. "Come on, let's see what trouble she's stirred up now."

"But be quiet." Sheydra placed a finger to her lips. "Not that I think they'd notice."

Exchanging confused glances they headed down the halls to the vestibule of the house. Before they reached the room they gathered on the walls to watch. The style of the dance changed from a languid, graceful waltz to something more primal, passionate.

"Oh my," Inara breathed.

Jayne kept his fingertips to her waist, moving to the side so her body was slightly off centered to his, her leg in between his. They walked backwards then forwards, River spun and then slid one leg out to the side, Jayne's hand still holding her she leaned back, eyes hooded. He forced her up and back to his body, spinning her about. Back to chest they moved to the right slowly, then she spun to face, wrapping her leg about his waist. He picked her up and set her down on the other side and they began again, steps interlocking.

"Jayne," Mal barked, stepping into the room.

They froze for a few seconds, and then gradually moved apart. River's hand still inside Jayne's from the spin they had just executed. Brown and blue eyes locked.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Mal continued.

Jayne stiffened, his entire posture straightening. His eyes left River's and stared over her shoulder, boring into Mal's. He brought River's hand to his lips in an absent minded gesture that looked natural. River's eyes closed, body trembling. His goatee tickled her skin even as the softness of his lips made her tingle. Waves of emotions attacked her, Mal's anger, Inara's shock, random confusion, and Jayne's rage.

"Answer me, Cobb." Mal said.

Suddenly Jayne's rage snuffed out like a candle and River's eyes fluttered open as she gasped at its loss. He dropped her hand as slowly as he picked it up, looking at it. His eyes closed slowly and his shoulders dropped. He took a deep breath. "Sorry, River." He muttered, spun about and left.

Simon rushed up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mei-mei?"

"I'm still waiting to hear what this is all about."

River didn't turn. Tears edged her eyes. "Dancing, dancing like birds. Soaring on clouds of own making, reaching the mythical number nine. Wind in our face, feathers in our hair, but there was a hole in the middle. Not staring at our feet so came tumbling down past the silver lining."

"My mercenary does not dance." Mal pointed after Jayne.

River shook her head. "Didn't ask, wouldn't tell. Secrets, so many secrets." She clutched at her head. "Tigers we can't get off. Not mine, not mine. Got enough, don't want more."

"Birds then tigers," Mal looked at Simon. "Can you make your sis talk a little less confusin'. I thought she was getting better."

Simon shrugged.

River shivered. "Mending, slowly mending, hard to tell what's mine and what's not especially with all the shouting. Jayne doesn't shout. Why doesn't Jayne shout?" She looked over at Simon. She rolled her shoulder and Simon's hand fell away. "You shouting now. Confused, scared." She leaned into his face. "Afraid of me," she smiled. "As it should be." With these words she ran to the door, pausing at the entrance for a second. "They got far enough."

"And on that note," Simon ran his fingers through his hair. "I am so sorry, Sheydra."

"River's a reader." Kaylee said quickly.

Sheydra's head tilted back. "I see."

Inara glided across the room and stood next to Mal. "I want to stay."

Mal's head whipped about.

"Given what we just saw. I think you need me." She placed a hand on his arm. "So, is my shuttle still open?"

"Your shuttle, aren't you sayin' my shuttle?"

Inara tilted her head. "Exactly."

--

Jayne sat on the ramp of Serenity, head in his hands.

"Doesn't help." River said as she stopped at the bottom. "They talk around the girl, not to the girl. They act like the girl isn't there hearing what they say about her, confusing, morbid, creepifyin', crazy, not real, a fanciful marionette without the strings." He looked up. She continued. "Sometimes they remember. They don't talk at me but to me. Most of the time they tell Simon to shut me up or make me better as if he had control over what I do. I don't always have control over what I do, why should Simon." She took a few steps forward.

"I'm guilty of that too. Guilty of that more than most." He said.

"Getting better, trying to treat me like a real girl." She tilted her head. "Woman." She corrected.

He swallowed and looked at his hands. "Well," he shifted.

"Thank you," River knelt in front of him, placing her hands on his. "You've more reason than most not to like me. Have tried to get rid of me more times than I can count even in the last few months. You've always been afraid of me, the others, not so much and are only beginning to realize they should be. If they think about it at all."

"Got plenty of reason," he muttered, looking into her eyes, big and brown still wet with unshed tears.

"Don't care why." River shook her head. "I know too much already. Something should remain a mystery."

He nodded, eyes wide.

"Thank you for the dance." She smiled and squeezed his hands before getting up and walking into the ship. "Do it again sometime, maybe something different."

Jayne watched her go over his shoulder until he could tell she was lost deep into the bowels of the ship. He sighed. What was it Inara'd said. "Torrid love affair."

--