The majority of this piece took me a lot longer then I expected...I needed very much to have this conversation between Jo and Inara and there to be an understanding when it was over...I couldn't move on with the rest of the action or plot until this happened. It just so happened Mal stuck his nose in at the end...Men. Anyway, I like how it turned out...I think it will make things smoother for me as this unfolds. So enjoy and feedback is always welcome! Jenna AKA: JMacleod

Adelai Niska did not consider himself to be a stupid man, but he was asking himself how smart his latest selection of bounty hunters had been. He glowered at the man standing before him; he had never been able to find anyone quite like Crow. He sighed, "You understand that she is to be found, yes? You also understand that this is not meaning there is a choice!" He bellowed loudly. He felt his face flush, as it turned quite red with his rage. "She is little girl, how hard could it be to locate one stupid little girl?" He crumpled the most recent snapshots he'd been given of Autumn before she had managed to get off world on Boros.

"I'm sorry sir, there where no security holos of who she met. We're still working to find out who it was; we have a handful of people left to question. We will find her given just a little more time."

"You are running out of time…if I am not given some piece of information soon that I find useful, you become no more useful to me…" He saw the man swallow hard and waved him away…"Go…now, before I change mind." He snarled.

The man nodded curtly before turning to leave…Niska could not withhold his rage any longer, picking up a glass on his desk he hurled it at the nearest wall feeling only slightly mollified as it shattered loudly. "I will kill her when I get my hands on her…" He muttered to himself, "No one tricks Adelia Niska …no one!"

Back aboard Serenity

It had been a long day and after some dinner, and some talk of their current situation most of the crew scattered. Jo had conceded to River's request to hold the bridge for one more night before turning the late shift over to she or Mal. Mal had disappeared too to spend some time with Zoe discussing things Jo assumed he'd rather she didn't overhear…things he probably suspected would worry her. In any other circumstance, she would have been upset with him. Tonight she was grateful for some quiet time. She sat now at the dining table a mug of rapidly cooling tea in front of her. She sighed as she passed the time letting her mind wander into the past. She had been honest with Mal when they talked about where they'd been, and what they'd done over the last nine years. But her encounter with Niska, and the loss of a good friend at his hands had been somewhat darker then the other topics they'd covered. She'd kept a lot of the darker times to herself…she'd made some enemies over the years and she had been loath to frighten Mal as to who they where or why they might like her less then alive. But from what she'd gathered from the crew, he'd done about the same…ironic that Niska had turned up on both their lists, Jo wondered if Niska had made any connection between them yet, knowing if he didn't know already he soon would.

She sipped at the tea and made a face…"Cold…" she muttered as she put the mug back down. She glanced up to find Inara standing in the doorway, a look of apprehension on her face. She cleared her throat, "Would it be alright if I made myself something hot to drink or would you rather I come back later?" She asked Jo.

"Help yourself…you don't have to ask…Mal told you your welcome here, that hasn't changed Inara."

Inara nodded before moving forward and into the kitchen area. Jo watched her for a moment as she located everything she needed with ease. It made sense since she'd lived aboard Serenity longer then Jo had that she'd know where everything was, but it made Jo slightly sore all the same.

Jo pulled her legs up onto the chair and wrapped her arms around them putting her chin on her knees as she stared into her mug again letting her thoughts wander once more. She looked up when she heard the chair across from her slide backward as Inara seated herself.

The other girl was putting her mug down when she glanced at Jo and stopped mid-motion, "I'm sorry…do you mind? I can leave if you'd like."

Jo knew the look on her face had to be registering a slight amount of shock. She schooled it quickly and shook her head, "No, sit…it's fine." She watched Inara nod and take her seat lifting her mug and taking a sip. They shared a long silence neither sure of what to say or how to break it. It was Inara that finally did. "He's changed."

The simple statement set Jo on edge; she knew Inara was referring to Mal. "Changed how?" She asked quietly waiting to see where Inara would take this.

"For the better, he's…content, happy…things he never was when I was onboard. It's a wonderfully huge accomplishment, for you and for him."

"How much do you know about him?" Jo asked her quietly.

"Only as much as he'd tell me, and that was never a lot."

Jo nodded, "He's very closed mouthed, always has been ever since I've known him."

"If you wouldn't think it'd be too forward, how long is that?"

"Since we where kids growing up on Shadow."

"Oh." Inara said, understanding dawning, "I thought you hadn't met until you where much older."

"No…we've known each other most of our lives…our families wanted the marriage…it was good business my father said, as it turned out it wasn't such a chore since we seemed to grow tighter together as we got older. The war tore both our worlds apart…I understood why he had to go, hell if I'd been old enough I probably would have tried to go to…" Jo sighed and shook her head.

"What happened?" Inara asked her.

Jo stared into her tea as she spoke, "I spent one night with him before he left. The day he shipped out my parents sent me off world. It was too late when I found out the Alliance had destroyed that wonderful place we had both called home. Both our families died trying to protect what was there's from those Bastards." The pain was surprisingly sharp and Jo wiped her tears away angrily, bothered some by the fact that this woman was getting to see her cry.

"I'm sorry." Inara said softly.

Jo shook her head, "Don't…I'm fine, it's only I haven't recalled that for quite a while. The nine years we've been separated made us different people. Strange how our lives stayed so linear…" Jo shook her head, "I love Mal…he didn't think I would, said he was different. That the person I knew before was dead, and that he was someone else now. What he didn't realize, and I think he's still realizing is that it was the same for me. What we both discovered was in truth we're still the halves of the same whole."

Jo heard Inara sigh and looked up at her. "I hope you know how lucky you are?"

"To be his wife?"

"Yes, but not just that…it's more that you see him like no one else ever will, because he'll never share that side of himself with anyone. Maybe if he had…" Inara shook her head and Jo finished the unspoken thought.

"You'd be in my place?"

They stared at each other then in silence until Inara finally nodded. Jo finally shook her head, "I'm sorry…not in the long run."

Inara nodded wiping away her own tears, "I know."

"It's my turn to be truly sorry, I'm sorry to be the cause of any pain for you. But know this…I love him…I have since I was very young…I would give my life for his, I'm hoping honestly for eternity…but I'll take as long as this Verse will give us."

Inara nodded again, "I'm glad you found each other Jordona…I really am."

"Thank you," Came the quiet response.

Mal had heard most of the conversation as he'd been frozen in place outside in the corridor, he'd listened as Jo had recalled their history for Inara wincing as he heard the pain lace her voice as she told about the loss of their families. What shocked him was that Inara had openly admitted to Jo she'd been as interested in him as he'd been in her at one time. What hurt was that Jo had stated the truth, any relationship between them would never have lasted…they where as different as much as the same. There would have been no 'long run' for them…not like what he had with Jo. He sighed, and then smiled as he thought about what he'd heard Jo tell Inara, she'd give her life for his and she wanted eternity...with him of all men. He turned then and headed to their bunk, he'd be waiting for Jo to join him. And as far as Inara…'Best let it go'. He thought to himself. They both knew anything that might have been had long ago passed. He'd always help her and he'd always call her friend, but that's where it would end.