Chapter 10
Two hours later, Inara left her shuttle and made her way to dinner. She wouldn't give Mal the satisfaction of having her hide, unable to face him. She had nothing to feel guilty about. Their kiss was nothing but a temporary aberration. A wonderful, intense, mind-blowing aberration.
"I'm over it, I'm over it, I'm over it," she kept whispering to herself as she dressed for dinner. Her eyes were still a little puffy, but so was the rest of her face, so she figured that no one would notice much. Allowing her skin to heal meant wearing no make-up. Apart from some rouge on her lips, a light shade of coral, which was more natural than the redder shades she usually wore, Inara wore very little else.
Entering the kitchen and makeshift dining area, she noticed everyone was already at the dinner table. Zoë and Wash sat together on one side of the table, along with Jayne and Book. Kaylee, Simon and River sat on the opposite side. Saffron sat absurdly close to Mal, who was at the head of the table.
Inara glanced the Captain's way when she entered, but quickly looked away again; missing the fact that he was covertly watching her intently. Usually seated at his right, she chose to sit as far away as she could possibly get, and in her determination to reach the other end of the table, didn't see the telling look of misery that temporarily crossed his face.
Smiling at Kaylee, she chose the other end of the table and sat down, uttering a general, "Good evening everyone," and not making any special effort to acknowledge the Captain – or his 'wife'.
Mal in turn didn't really see Saffron and her fawning at all. His attention was fixed on the Companion sitting at his table, the same woman who he had been kissing passionately but a few hours ago. 'Ta Ma Duh! What was it with women?' he thought in frustration. 'He could never figure them out!' Mal sighed inwardly. 'Who in the 'verse was he kidding? He could never figure out one woman. Inara.'
"We're making good time Mal. Another day and we'll be in Persephone," said Wash, cutting into the protein on his plate.
"A welcome sight to some no doubt," said Mal sarcastically, pushing the blocks on his plate around, having no appetite for them.
Inara bristled but said nothing. Instead, turned to Kaylee and said, "Kaylee, do you have any plans when we reach Persephone?"
Kaylee blushed, "Well," she looked at Simon and he nodded slightly, "Simon and I were thinkin' about goin' out for dinner. Nothin' fancy," she rushed to add, "but just some place off Serenity for a little while."
"Dinner?" asked River enquiringly.
Simon looked a little awkward and said, "River-"
"How would you like to spend the evening with me River?" Book asked, winking at Simon.
"An old man?" asked River, and crinkled her face.
"Feng Le here sure has your number Preacher," said Jayne, chewing on the corner of a protein block like it was as tasty as a piece of real meat.
"I'll have you know Mr. Cobb that age is more than one's outside appearance. It's about how you feel on the inside," Book said.
Jayne snorted, "Whatever Darriel. Why's it old folk always wanna be spoutin' off 'bout how they're feelin' like young 'uns. Truth is, ya 'aint. Old is old Preacher. And loony brain here agrees."
"River didn't mean any disrespect Book," Simon piped up. "She just lacks a little… tact sometimes," he finished apologetically.
"Looks like she managed to learn something from the Captain after all," said Inara pleasantly.
"Oh ho," said Mal, putting down his fork and the pretence of eating "At least I have some traits worth learnin'. What'd you teach her? How to be a tease?"
Saffron asked, "She's a tease?"
"No!" Simon interjected.
Inara huffed, ignoring Saffron and responded to Mal. "Tease? Companions aren't as tawdry as the usual company you keep Mal," she said, glancing briefly at Saffron, "we don't tease," she finished.
Saffron said, "So… I'm a tease?"
Mal responded to Inara, "I would disagree with that there statement," said Mal. The Captain and Inara glared at each other from across the distance of the table.
Wash leaned over to his wife slowly, afraid to break the spell, and whispered, "What am I missing?"
Zoë whispered back, "everything it would seem."
Wash looked at her, confused, "Shuh Muh?"
Zoë kissed his cheek and said, "I'll explain later Honey. Let's just say that this has been comin' along for a lengthy while now."
"Mal, what would make you think you were qualified to judge whether – distasteful as the word is to use - I'm a tease or not? The last time I checked Captain, my services as a companion was not open to you, or any member of your crew, therefore rendering you incapable of being the judge of anything," Inara said, outraged.
Mal stood up, unconsciously seeking the advantage of height. His movement meant Inara stood up too, both not wanting the other to get the upper hand, "Are you forgettin' my knowin' of a first hand account of you kissin' a female member of my crew?"
Jayne's ears perked up, "I-nara kissin' another woman? And you saw this Mal?" Jayne practically drooled.
"Shut up Jayne," said Mal and Zoë simultaneously.
Wash looked at Book and mouthed, 'kissing?'
Book stood up and went round the table to get River, thinking that the direction of the conversation was not something River needed to be hearing. "Let's go River. No time like the present to start hanging out with the Old Man," he said wryly.
Inara on the other hand remained silent. She knew Mal was referring to her supposed kiss with Saffron.
"Nothin' to say then?" taunted Saffron.
Looking at Mal, Jayne asked, "Who'd she kiss?" Looking around the table, he smiled happily and asked, "Kaylee aint it?"
Simon looked from Inara to Kaylee and raised his eyebrows.
Kaylee saw his look and scowled at Jayne, "No, you Ho Tze Duh Pi Gu! Are you crazy?!" she said vehemently before realising how it sounded. Looking at Inara she said, "Not that kissin' you would be – it's just that I aint – I don't got feelins runnin' that way-"
Inara smiled, and put a reassuring hand on Kaylee's shoulder, "Its ok."
Kaylee smiled back gratefully.
Jayne in the meantime was staring at Zoë lecherously, "The soldier and the whore," he said salivating. "I woulda loved ta see that."
Wash looked at Jayne and said, "My wife did not kiss Inara!" He paused a second before turning to Zoë and asking, "She didn't, did she?" he asked. "Not that I'm opposed to that, but I would have liked to be around to see it… maybe…?"
Zoë smiled at Wash dryly, "sorry to disappoint you Honey, didn't happen."
Jayne stomped his foot. "Gorramit! Well if it aint Kaylee, and it aint Zoë, then who in the spichter of hell was it?"
"Shut up Jayne," said Inara ungraciously.
Jayne's eyes lit up, "You didn't kiss… Nah, you wouldn't…" Jayne lowered his voice and whispered fast, "You didn't kiss that little crazy from the bughouse did you?"
"Jayne!" exclaimed Wash, Zoë, Mal, Inara and Kaylee.
Simon on the other hand said, "You really are a piece of…" Simon struggled for a word, "Feh Wu!" he settled.
"Junk?" said Kaylee. "Simon, was that the best you could come up with? Junk?" She moaned. "He just accused Inara of kissing River - your sister."
Simon wiped his face with is hand.
"Stop it! All of you! Just stop it! There was no kissing!" Inara said, mortified that her personal life was the topic of discussion.
"Oh ho, there was kissin' alright!" Mal quipped back.
"Will you give it a rest Mal?!" Inara exclaimed. "Wuh De Ma, what's wrong with you?" she asked passionately. "Is it your plan to see me humiliated before I leave this ship? Is that what you want?"
Everyone had gone silent.
"'Nara, I-" Mal began, feeling really guilty.
"No! No more! I can't take this any longer. What happened to us? Can't we even talk anymore? We always had our differences Mal, but I could call on you," her voice faltered, "in a heartbeat," she swallowed, "if I ever needed help. That's the kind of man I thought you were."
Mal went on the defensive, the only ammunition he had left. Inara was slipping away from him and he didn't know what to do about it. "Well, maybe you were wrong! Maybe I aint what you thought I was. Maybe I can't live up to whatever it is you think I oughta be!"
For the second time that day, tears shimmered in the eyes of the usually controlled Companion. This time though, they never spilled over. She turned her back to her friends, took a moment to compose herself and then turned back. She needed to get off this ship.
"In a day it won't matter anymore Mal. I'll be off Serenity, and you can go back to being who you want to be," she said and rushed out of the room.
Silence reigned until Jayne asked, "So she didn't kiss anyone?"
Kaylee scowled at him darkly before transferring her gaze to Mal, holding his. "How could you Captain?"
"What?" snapped Mal frustrated.
"Nothin'. Nothin' at all," she said, rushing after Inara.
Wash looked around the room and said, "I urm… think I need to check our co-ordinates. Don't wanna enter the Persephone like we usually do…" He laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten the dark mood, "Hot and on the raggedy edge…"
Zoë shook her head in the negative and the pair left the room, followed by Simon and Jayne, who couldn't have looked more disappointed at having his fantasy thwarted.
Mal was left with Saffron.
"She didn't-" Saffron began.
Mal held up his hand and shook his head. Looking at her briefly he said, "I don't wanna be hearin' anythin' you have to say right this minute."
"Too bad!" she said aggressively. "I've been seeing nothing but you moping around here since we got Inara back on Serenity. Wasn't that what you wanted? I mean, we all risked our lives to get her and you're standing here ruining every minute you have left with her."
"What do you care?!" Mal snapped back.
"I don't! I really don't! But you're pathetic. And I hate that."
"Get out," he said with no emotion left.
Saffron wanted to say more, but realised she'd be wasting her breath. The game just got old, and she was tired of playing. Lao Tien Fu, she couldn't wait to get off this ship!
Turning towards the exit she left, but halted at the door and said, "She never kissed me Mal."
Mal looked at her then, confused, and asked, "What?"
Saffron rolled her eyes; she couldn't believe she was doing this, "She never kissed me. She kissed you. That's how the serum knocked her out."
"What?"
"Have you lost your common sense? I never kissed her."
"You mean…"
"Yes, you're an Pi Gu," she said before leaving.
It took a minute for Mal's brain to process what Saffron had said. Inara hadn't kissed Saffron. She'd kissed…
Mal's eyes widened. She kissed me. She had kissed me.
Glossary:
Ta Ma Duh – Dammit
Feng Le – Crazy
Shuh Muh? – What?
Ho Tze Duh Pi Gu – Monkey's ass
Wuh De Ma – Mother of God
Lao Tien Fu – Oh God
Pi Gu - Ass