Once You Lose Your Heart.

Simon opened the door to Kaylee's bunk, smiling fondly at the bright lights and colourful sign. Climbing down the ladder as quietly as he could, so as not to wake her, he slipped off his shoes and quickly undressed. Glancing down at her sleeping form, and brushing a wisp of stray hair off her face, he crawled into bed beside her. Relaxing against the pillows, he felt Kaylee shift a little towards him, curling one arm over his chest. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple, and then regretted it when she began to stir.

"Bao bei?" he whispered, wondering if she would wake.

She let out a contented moan and her eyes flickered open.

Simon winced. "Sorry bao bei, I didn't mean to wake you…"

"S'okay," she muttered sleepily, leaning up to kiss him. "You just come to bed?"

"Mmm hmm," he assented, stroking her hair.

Kaylee pulled a face. "What can you possibly find to do all the time? No one's been hurt in ages."

"Two days," Simon amended.

"Two days," Kaylee corrected herself. She paused. "Well, two days is quite a long time for us."

Simon chuckled softly, pulling her closer. "I was talking to the captain," he told her.

"Oh." She paused. "Were you fighting?"

"No!" Simon told her indignantly, and she giggled. "What do you think I am?" Simon teased, bringing his face to hers and kissing her gently.

"Well…" she giggled some more.

"Huh," Simon said, trying to sound offended, "I see."

Kaylee kissed him once more and he smiled. She snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes again.

"What was you talking about?" she asked sleepily.

"You," he told her, torn between staring at her and allowing his own tired eyes to close.

"Me?"

"He wanted to know if I love you," Simon said, his voice taking on a tender tone.

He watched the smile grow on her face. "And what did you say?"

Simon moved his face closer, so his breathe tickled the skin behind her ear as he spoke. "I said yes."

"Good," she said, sounding content. There was a pause. "Was this the whole 'Do-you-love-her-or-will-I-have-to-throw-you-out-the-airlock' conversation?"

"No," Simon answered, chuckling. "He was asking me how I knew."

Kaylee's eyes flew open. She raised her head, staring at him in awe. "Really?"

Simon nodded. "I think we may have been unknowingly talking about Inara."

Kaylee's shocked expression changed to one of amusement. They had talked before about their suspicions concerning the captain and Serenity's resident companion.

"That's funny," Kaylee said, "I was in Inara's shuttle before…"

"Yeah, that is funny," Simon agreed sarcastically, eyes twinkling.

She swatted his arm. "Shut up. I mean, when I was there, she was asking me the same kind of thing."

Simon expression was blank. "Shah muh?"

"Simon!" she cried, struggling to keep her voice down, "Pay attention. This is important. Inara was asking me how I knew I was in love. She was asking me what it was like to hear the words."

Simon smirked, leaning his forehead against hers. "And what is it like?" he asked, huskily.

She smiled against his lips. "It's fun."

"Fun?" He sounded offended again, and she laughed.

"You're missing the point, Simon!"

"Okay, okay. So Mal and Inara have serious issues." He observed Kaylee, amused. "Are you planning on interfering?

"No," she reassured him, and snuggled back into his chest. Contentedly, Simon closed his eyes.

"I'm planning on us both interfering," Kaylee continued, her words vibrating against his skin.

Simon sighed. "Of course you are."

She replied by kissing his chest softly, and Simon shook his head fondly.

"Love you, Kaylee."

He felt her smile against his skin. "Love you too."

Inara was sitting in the galley, quietly sipping tea and involuntarily thinking about her conversation the previous day with Kaylee, when he entered. With a barely discernable nod in her direction, he moved to the kitchenette and rummaged around for some form of edible breakfast.

"You're up early," she noted.

Mal paused in his actions and looked over at her. "What? I'm always up at the very crack of dawn, doin' capt'ny things, I'll have you know."

Inara raised an eyebrow. "At the crack of dawn? We're in space, Mal."

He shrugged.

"So where are we headed?" Inara asked.

"Ain't rightly sure just yet," Mal replied, moving to sit beside her. "Why, are we anxious to line up some clients?"

Inara rolled her eyes. "You know I haven't taken on any clients since … I came back."

"Right. I forgot. Taking a little extended leave?"

"I'm merely exploring my options," Inara said stiffly.

Mal pause, looking surprised. "Options?"

Inara lowered her eyes. "Mal…" she began, her voice taking on an entirely different tone.

"Captain, need you on the bridge," River's voiced piped through the comm., startling them both.

With one last, unreadable glance at Inara, Mal stalked from the room.

"Damn," whispered Kaylee, who had been watching the pair, hidden from sight in the hallway leading to the engine room.

Simon stood beside her, looking torn between amusement and exasperation. "So, what's your plan?"

Kaylee looked at him sceptically. "Hasn't being on this boat taught you anything? Plans never work." She winked at him. "Much better to just … wing it."

"You two can come out, you know," Inara called, not even turning.

Kaylee froze. Musing that it might be un-gentlemen-like of him to let her take all the blame, Simon prodded her towards the galley, following resignedly.

The couple entered the room, looking guilty. Inara smiled at them. "I appreciate the thought, Kaylee, but I don't need an intervention."

"You don't?" Kaylee said, looking non-plussed.

"No." Inara smiled at the puzzled expression on her friends face. "I did listen to what you said to me yesterday. And I can assure you, I know what I'm doing."

Kaylee blinked. "You do?"

Inara laughed softly. "Why do you think I came back?"

With that, she stood up gracefully and left the room, heading towards the bridge after Mal.

Kaylee and Simon exchanged similarly stunned looks. After a moment, a smile grew on Kaylee's face.

"Looks like you won't have to be interfering after all, sweetie," she told Simon brightly.

He pulled her closer, kissing her gently. "Good. I can think of a few things I'd much rather be doing."

Giggling, Kaylee pulled away.

"Not so fast … this just means we can get to work on River and Jayne."

"What!?" Simon exclaimed. She grinned wickedly at him, and darted out of his grasp. He chased her as she ran back to the engine room, giggling madly the whole way.

On the bridge, Inara stood a little behind Mal, watching as he debated with River over plotting their next course. His eyes darted over as he spoke, just for a moment, and he smiled as she met his gaze. Inara smiled back.

Kaylee had told her there was no point in waiting, that once you knew you loved someone, you should tell them. But Inara would wait. She knew she and Mal had many bridges to cross, but she had made up her mind. This time she wouldn't run away.

So much had passed between them since they had first met. She knew it would be foolish to assume that they could just confess their feelings and fall easily into a relationship. For them, nothing would be that simple, at least not for a while.

It might take baby steps for them to get there, but they would. She would follow Mal, because that was what you did, once you lost your heart.

Fin

Just in case anyone is interested, here are the lyrics to the song this fic was named after, Once You Lose Your Heart, from Me and My Girl. I sang this for my grade one singing exam (ah, memories) and I think it's appropriate. :D

Once you lose you heart,

Once somebody takes it

From the place it rested in before

Once you lose your heart,

Once somebody wakes it

Then it isn't your heart anymore

It's gone before you knew it could ever go that way

And now you must pursue it forever and a day

Once you lose your heart

Once somebody takes it

There's one thing certain from the start

You'll find forever

You've got to follow your heart.