"You aren't going to break me, you know" River teased, kissing Inara gently. "Remember how I saved you all from those Reavers?"

Inara grimaced. "I'd really rather forget."

"Understandable, it was a bit disgusting" River agreed. "But you're missing my point."

"That I'm not going to break you?" the older girl questioned teasingly.

"Precisely" River kissed her so sweetly Inara's head swam.

"You learn way too quickly" the Companion groaned, delicately removing her hands from under River's dress as she came back to herself. She couldn't quite remember how they'd gotten there in the first place.

River grinned. "Isn't it fun?" she questioned impishly.

"Yes" Inara agreed. "That's the problem."

River sighed and rolled off of her. "You worry too much."

"I care about you"

River reached over and tucked a piece of hair back in place. "I know you do. But I want this."

"I want this to go right." Inara informed her. "I don't want to screw it up. You aren't one of my clients. We aren't operating on a schedule."

"I'm ready. "

"Well, I'm not!" The Companion got off the bed and started pacing around. "Aren't you listening to me?"

River slid her arms around Inara's waist. "In more ways than one." She turned the Companion around. "You aren't taking advantage of me" she smiled. "Look, 'Nara. I'm sorry for pushing you. I've just wanted this for a long time."

"Me too" Inara murmured, kissing her forehead. "So can't we wait just a little longer? Please?"

"'Course" River rested her head against Inara's chest and listened to her heart beating. Hadn't they waited long enough? She knew Inara was afraid the relationship wouldn't work out, but still. "I should get back to the bridge" She pulled away. "Mal's getting grumpy."

"And I should screen some clients now that we're actually heading into more civilised space." Inara smiled and stroked River's cheek. "I'll see you later, bǎobèi."

River grinned evilly before pulling Inara into another head-swimming kiss. "See you at dinner" she threw over her shoulder as she fairly skipped out of the room. Inara couldn't help but laugh.

She was flipping through vids of potential clients when she heard a knock as her door was pushed open. Inara turned, smiling. "River, I thought..." she trailed off as Zoë made her way through the door. "Zoë! What a pleasant surprise." Inara stood and made her way over, taking Zoë's hands in her own. "May I offer you some tea?"

"That'd be nice, yes" the First Mate agreed as Inara ushered her towards a seat.

"And to what do I owe this visit?" the Companion questioned as she moved around preparing tea. She knew that Zoë didn't make purely social calls.

"I think you know why I'm here."

Inara forced herself to chuckle lightly. "I'm afraid I don't"

"How's about we drop the niceties?" Zoë's voice grew accusatory as she spoke. "Something's going on between you and River."

Inara smiled sweetly. "I'm very fond of River" she agreed. "She's been spending a lot of her time here lately."

"The way you two look at each other? Don't you lie to me: I know love when I see it" Zoë shook her head. Inara poured boiling water into the teapot, choosing to say nothing. "Have you even thought about how the Cap'n'll take this?"

The Companion laughed darkly. "Of course you would come here because of him."

Zoë glared. "I came here because I care about this crew - you and River included. I'm just saying it'd be better if you told him straight out is all, instead of letting him find out other ways. You've taken enough of his pride."

"Excuse me?" Inara demanded, eyes flashing. "We agreed when I decided to stay on Serenity that we would leave all that behind us. I did. If anyone's damaged Mal's pride, it's him. He just can't let go of what's past." Her voice softened slightly. "But he's my friend. It is not my intention to hurt him. If you think its best that I talk to him about what's going on, then I'll discuss it with River."

Zoë stood. "I'd appreciate that. This crew's broken enough." She turned to leave.

"Won't you stay for tea?" Inara questioned, gesturing to the tea tray in front of her.

"If it's all the same to you, I won't. Thank you."

"All right" Inara agreed. "Well, thank you for discussing your concerns with me. I appreciate your candid approach."

Zoë nodded, walking away. At the last minute she stopped. "And Inara?" The Companion looked up from the tea she was pouring for herself. "I am glad to see you and River together. We all deserve some happiness in this life." She turned and left the room before Inara had a chance to reply.


River slipped into the seat beside Inara in the empty galley. "You're angry" she whispered softly, her hand sneaking into Inara's under the table. Inara nodded. River smiled a crooked smile. "Don't be. Your anger will only hurt you." Inara snorted. That was for sure. She'd wasted an entire afternoon when she should have been screening clients thinking of ways to tell Mal about her and River without him hating her forever, throwing her off the ship, or both. "Can I help?" River asked curiously. She often wondered what type of people wanted to sleep with her Inara.

That sparked a smile. "Screen clients?" River nodded. Inara examined her lightly as she stood to start dinner. It was her turn to cook. "It really doesn't bother you, does it?" she asked incredulously, looking through the cans on the counter. "That I'm a lowly whore"

River shook her head, gathering plates. "I find the concept intriguing. Getting all gussied up like you do just to take it all off again so you can have sex with someone you don't even know." She looked up at Inara, grinning cheekily. "What are you going to make?"

"What do you want?" Inara held up two cans. "Tofu or chicken?"

"Tofu" River decided, placing dishes at various intervals around the wooden table.

Inara drained two cans of fluid and started exploring the drawers for spices. "It isn't just about making love, River. At least, not to the Companion involved. It's about connecting with another human being on an intimate level, even if just for a few hours."

"Hmm" River pondered this as she set dishes on the table. She supposed it made sense. After all, Inara seemed to make quite a bit of money off of her sexual encounters. More than anyone should pay for sex, anyway.

"Do you mind if I tell him?" Inara questioned her out of the blue. River looked up from the table.

"Who? Mal?" Inara nodded. "No. So long as it's made clear I'd prefer he doesn't tell Simon."

The Companion sighed. "He'll probably tell him just to spite me."

"What exactly did Zoë say?" River asked curiously. "I know what she thinks, but..."

"That this crew is broken enough. That I've taken enough of Mal's pride" Inara seethed. "As if it was my fault that he can't let go of what's past."

"Hush now" River came to her, taking the spices from her hands and setting them on the counter.

"It just makes me livid" Inara murmured, burying her face in River's neck.

"I know" River whispered, stroking the older woman's hair. "It's alright. We'll tell Mal. He'll see its better in the end."

"Will he?"

River sighed. She didn't really know. Mal was still very much in love with her Inara. Perhaps the logic of how much easier this would make things wouldn't prevail with him.

"Watcha making?" Kaylee's voice questioned from where she leant against the door. They sprang apart and River held up the can of tofu.

"Tofu and..." she searched around for the other can, reading it quickly "green beans" she finished.

"Why don't you measure the rice, River?" Inara suggested evenly as she picked up a clove of garlic and a knife.

River nodded, moving to do so. Kaylee sauntered into the kitchen, all smiles. "Can I help?" she offered.

"Why don't you tell me about your day?" Inara suggested, crushing the clove of garlic with the flat of her knife.

"Well, apparently we get a vacation while you're visiting clients" Kaylee informed her, pulling herself onto the countertop. "Just a few hours, I know, but nonetheless." She gazed into space. "Free time in the core" she murmured hazily. "What should I do?"

"The spas on Ariel are very well known" Inara slit open a hot pepper and cut out the seeds. "There is a Japanese onsen I'm particularly fond of just outside the capital"

Kaylee looked wistful. "I wish I could afford somewhere like that" she looked over at River. "What are you going to do?"

River laughed. "What? You think Simon would let me planet-side unattended?"

"We could ditch your dear brother" Kaylee suggested cheerfully. "I could attend you. We could explore the market."

"That would be nice" River agreed.

A plan formed itself in Inara's mind as she dumped tofu into the frying garlic.


"I have a surprise for you"

River took the envelope from Inara's gloved hands. She hadn't seen this coming, which confused her. "What is it?"

"Look and find out."

River pulled the slip of paper out and read the top. "You're sending me to the spa?" she asked, her face betraying a mixture of confusion and fear.

"You and Kaylee. A proper girls day out." Inara caught sight of River's face and chuckled. "It's only hot water, River. Don't look so panicked."

A small "oh" of understanding escaped River before she shook her head, looking into Inara's face. "I can't, 'Nara. It's too expensive a gift."

Inara kissed her lightly. "Trust me, River. I have more than enough money to send you and Kaylee for a day at a Japanese onsen. We don't get many luxuries on board this ship, so you two enjoy this, all right?"

River bit her lip and nodded. "Have you told Kaylee?"

"Kaylee is getting herself cleaned up appropriately as we speak." Inara smiled. "You should have seen her face! Such wide eyes I haven't seen on our beloved mechanic in a long time."

River grinned. "We'll try and behave ourselves, promise."

"Yeah, right." Inara rolled her eyes. "Well, I must go. I'll see you this evening."

"Have fun" River teased.

Inara started to leave the room. "Don't you get into trouble!" she called over her shoulder.

River laughed and followed her out of the room, going to find Kaylee.


"Promise me we can eat before we leave" Kaylee pulled off her robe unceremoniously and slid into the warm water with a moan of pleasure.

"I promise" River conceded, draping her robe over a chaise longue before joining Kaylee in the water.

"I can't believe Inara did this for us" Kaylee commented lazily, dunking her head under.

"We don't get holidays very often" River pointed out. "I guess she just wanted us to get to do something fun with our time here."

"Well, this certainly qualifies" Kaylee grinned, moving to sit under a stream of steaming water that was falling into the rock pool. "I've never seen anything like this"

River frowned, thinking. "I used to swim, but not in pools like this."

"I wish I could swim. No-one learned where I come from"

"Simon hates it." A corner of River's mouth crooked up. "He says he doesn't understand why someone would spend time in cold water for fun."

Kaylee chucked. "Well, cold water maybe not, but this is divine" She ducked her head under the water again and moved back towards River. River could see she was trying to be stealthy and let her think she was getting away with it, only moving out of the way when Kaylee tried to push her head under the water.

Kaylee pouted. "'S no fair if you use your powers against me"

"Oh?" River grinned evilly, diving towards her older friend and tickling her sides mercilessly. Kaylee shrieked and River pulled away, noticing the looks they were getting from other patrons.

"No fair" Kaylee giggled.

River yawned. "Think we'll have time to go shopping after?" She wanted to buy something for Inara to say thank you.

Kaylee shrugged. "I don't care, really. I can't even remember the last time I got to spend as long as I wanted soaking in hot water." She looked over at River. "Why? Was there something you particularly wanted?"

River decided she might as well be truthful. It wouldn't seem odd to be buying something for Inara after her surprise for them. "A gift for Inara"

Kaylee nodded. "That's a good idea. Maybe we can go in on something." River didn't respond. Perhaps she should have stayed quiet. Kaylee looked confused. Had she said something wrong? "Or...did you want to buy her something just from you?" She said slowly, watching the other girl.

River shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "It's fine."

Realisation lit up Kaylee's face. "You like Inara!" she charged the younger girl, clapping her hands in delight.

Panic fluttered across River's face "I just...She's so kind to me...I feel...I should get her a gift on my own" she stammered. Kaylee shook her head, a grin still wide across her face.

"You and our glamorous Companion, who woulda guessed" She examined River with interest. "Well, she certainly has a soft spot for ya, so who knows?" Kaylee chuckled. River slowly turned pink as the blonde hit closer and closer to the mark. "You certainly stay with her..." Kaylee trailed off, her smile disappearing as understanding sunk in. "God." She looked at River in shock. "But...You..."

"Please don't tell Simon" River blurted desperately, grabbing her friends hand in her own. "Please?"

"You `n Inara?" Kaylee wondered out loud, processing the information. "Well, I don't suppose it's much different than me and Simon..." she eyed River "She is a fair bit older 'n you, though."

"Not so much. Just a few years" River argued, sighing in frustration. She wasn't that young, for goodness sakes!

A smile made its way onto Kaylee's face as the shock wore off. "You little minx, River!"

River relaxed a little. "You won't tell Simon?"

Kaylee shook her head, and then laughed. "He'd flip! His genius little sister sleeping with another woman. And a Companion at that!"

River joined her in her laughter. Kaylee's amusement was infectious.

They played in the pools for a while, being cautioned more than once by pool attendants that they were being disruptive, but not really caring.

Later, River wandered inside with Kaylee so the mechanic could sample from the wide choice of tasty morsels available at the buffet.

"Seriously, River. You have to try this one!" Kaylee presented her with chopsticks holding some kind of confection. River opened her mouth obediently. It was good, but she didn't understand Kaylee's obsession with food at all.


Back in Inara's shuttle, River settled the white stargazer lilies she had found into a vase and removed the bright yellow stamens from the ones that had bloomed already. She knew they wouldn't last long in space, but they also felt like the right gift, and so she had bought them anyways. Her instincts usually guided her truly.

She smiled as she recalled Kaylee's reaction earlier. If only her brother would take things like that, it wouldn't be a problem to tell him. She glanced at the clock Inara kept on the bedside table. 1400 hours. Inara wouldn't be back for a while yet. River padded to her own room to find her sketchbook. She would sit in the sun and draw.


"Hey bǎobèi" Inara came up the ramp and sat beside River, leaning her head on the younger girl's shoulder. River stopped drawing and snaked her arm behind the Companion's back.

"How was it?" she questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Tiring" Inara yawned.

"Now here's touching little scene" Mal announced his presence sarcastically.

"What do you want?" Inara didn't move from her position.

"Nothing, nothing" Mal looked over River's shoulder at the sketch of the freighter she was drawing. "I didn't know you were artsy" he stated conversationally.

"Rendering reality onto paper isn't art" River informed him, examining the image. "There's no imagination involved. It's a structurally and proportionally accurate translation of a three dimensional image onto a two dimensional plane."

Mal grunted. "Alrighty then. Inara, you were meant to tell me when you were back on board."

"I was on my way" Inara murmured into River's shoulder.

"Whatever. Let's get this bird in the air. River? I need you on the bridge." River sighed and stood up, taking her sketchbook with her. "Inara, you stay here. I need to speak with you."

Inara's gaze slid to River. River was frowning. She didn't like what Mal was thinking. It was sweet he was being all protective, but had everyone on Serenity forgotten that she could care for herself? She sighed and continued her way to the bridge.

"What's this about, Mal?" Inara asked quietly, moving to stand up. "I don't appreciate your tone. You have no right to order me around."

Mal ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I think it's sweet you've taken such a shine to River and all, sending her and Kaylee off to that pool thing."

"Onsen" Inara interjected.

"Whatever," Mal stated firmly. "The point is I don't want you giving her any ideas."

Inara frowned. "Ideas."

Mal looked uncomfortable. "She's an innocent girl, Inara. Letting her sleep with you? Touching her like that?" he gestured in the direction they'd just been sitting. "It don't seem right is all. I don't want her getting the wrong idea."

Inara took a deep breath and moved in closer. "For starters, Malcolm Reynolds, who the hell do you think you are?" Inara glared up at him. "Second of all, River is not an innocent girl. She has been through more than any of us. And third, did you ever consider that I might be doing those things with River because she wants me to?" She turned and started stalking away from him into the interior of the ship.

Mal stood stunned on the walkway for a moment. "Wait. What?" he called belatedly.

Inara paused at the bottom of the stairs and sighed. "I'm sorry" she admitted. "That wasn't how I meant to tell you. I got angry."

Mal moved towards her. "Tell me what?" he questioned slowly.

Inara looked at him sadly "I'm with River, Mal." She gestured helplessly, afraid of his reaction.

"You're sleeping with her?" Mal demanded.

"I'm in a relationship with her." Inara clarified sternly.

"She's...how old are you?" Inara opened her mouth to answer. "Never mind" Mal turned away and then whipped around again. "She's about half your age, Inara!" He proclaimed, looking scandalised.

"She is not! How old do you think I am?" she demanded suspiciously, crossing her arms.

"That's not the point." Mal informed her.

"Alright..." Inara turned and started up the stairs. "Oh!" she paused, and Mal looked up to find a slightly awkward look on the Companion's face. "Um...Could you not tell Simon? " She requested. "Please?"

As soon as Mal gave her an acquiescent nod, she turned and hurried the rest of the way up the stairs.

Mal shook his head in disbelief "Sure. Why not. I can not tell Simon you're bonking his little sister." He muttered, going to close the doors. "Women."