Disclaimer: I own squat, they all belong to Joss Whedon…more's the pity really, I'd happily take these two off his hands!
Rating: PG (friendship with a hint of slash, if that's how you've a mind to read it)
Kaylee's POV during the scene in the BDM just after Inara has been 'rescued' by Mal…This is version 1 of 2, which I'll post as a second part to this…I couldn't decide which version I preferred so figure I'll just post both.
Constructive criticism always welcome, flaming etc is not.
Kaylee clenches the padded arms of the chair she is in with increasingly white tinged knuckles, as the voices of those around her continue to rise in argument. Her innocent brown eyes widen in shock and fear unsure of how events are going to play out but wishing fervently that they would and get it all over with, the anger and tension of her friends, whom she also consider to be her family, is starting to make her feel somewhat nauseated and she swallows reflexively. If she could persuade herself to give up the death grip on the chair she would leave the room, but she knows that that won't change what's happening here in front of her, and that she needs to know the outcome anyway, hiding away in the engine room tinkering with Serenity might calm her down, but it won't stop the fight.
Without warning Inara's gentle hand reaches out and clasps Kaylee's overall covered shoulder in a gesture of support and comfort which makes Kaylee feel warm and tingly, and most of all, feel safe. Inara's home and she realises that whilst Inara has yet to speak to her since she's been back, her lowly little grease streaked self hasn't been forgotten by the unfathomably beautiful and glamorous Companion, which doesn't really surprise her, Inara has always been there for her. Out of all her family, Inara's probably the only one who truly understands her and knows how these little 'family spats' unsettle her, so does her best to offer calm, has always done so right from the moment they became friends.