Hi everyone! I read that not everyone knows the story that was going around on the Training House in the tv show. I remembered that it wasn't actually in an episode but it was on the extras of the Serenity Dvd. Inara and Sheydra had a talk in the Training House where Sheydra confronted Inara with these stories that were going around. Inara reacted shocked (Because she didn't know about them in the beginning). And ofcourse denied something like that. Hope that explains enough!

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Inara's shuttle

Inara sighed as she busied herself with folding her blankets again and again. She clenched her teeth as she remembered sitting outside in the large garden of the Training House. She was pondering things, thinking about things. About the girls. About giving lessons again, about being back in the Training House. Then Sheydra had come. Inara had explained that the girls here were different. Less controled then her year had ever been. And somehow Sheydra had implied that Inara knew about wild love. "After all, it's you who had a wild love affair with a torrid Pirate." Inara remembered being so shocked that she had blurted out a hard "WHAT?!" At that. "A WHAT?! With a WHO?!"

"It's the talk that is going around the dorm rooms."

She didn't exactly remember what she had said after that word for word. Just the need to tell Sheydra that this was not true. That Mal wasn't a Pirate who had come to burge in the Training House to save her. And that he had made love to her many times in a Burning Temple. Hot and very long love. Sheydra had just smiled knowingly. Which made Inara even more upset.

Guestroom

Mal stalked through the halls checking on everything when he walked into the guestroom. It wasn't that cold here at all! He thought angrily. As if he would let his guests stay in a co….' He froze in one place instantly and stared in front of him.

'I'm s-' He began.

Sivella stopped bathing herself and looked at the floor. It was too late now and she knew it. Her back was to the captain but she knew it was too late to cover herself up. She took the sponge away from her shoulder and placed it in the bacin. As she collected her thoughts in these few seconds.

Mal's mouth fell open as he saw the dark angry bruises and numerous deep cuts and gashes on the Companion's back. Next to the little bassin on the ground lay white bandages, covered in fresh blood.

Sivella put her sari over her breasts and softly turned around to face Mal.

'-S… Sorry.' Mal stammered. Where did the woman get these wounds from?

'No, I am sorry.' She said in a calm voice. A voice he instantly recognised. Inara used that tone and voice so often too.

'I shouldn't have been in here, bathing myself. I thought- I thought no one would come in here.'

'Yes, about that.' Mal said as he scratched his head shortly. He didn't know how to handle this situation. A fancy woman like her, being mutilated like that. Did someone do this to her? It seemed that way. And why was she bading in here and not in Inara's shuttle? Was it her client? He felt anger building up in the pit of his stomach. Which ever man could do such a thing to her? Or to any woman? He hated men who abused woman.

'I thought you baded in Inara's shuttle.' Mal uttered with a thick throat as he looked away from her to not stare.

Sivella looked at the floor. 'I usually would but… Under the circumstances..'

He suddenly felt angry at her. Her being in this state was one thing, but her not telling anyone, not even going to the doctor was another.

'You mean the circumstances of the skin almost being torn of your back?' He said bluntly.

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. 'No. The circumstances of Inara and you trying to tear each other apart has something to do with it too. I gave her some time alone.'

'We have a doctor.' Mal offered ignoring her remark. So she didn't tell Inara? That would be the reason why she was so secretly bading her, in this 'cold' guest room.

'No, I don't need a doctor, thank you.'

'That must be a Companion thingy.' Mal said thinking of the many times Inara had said something like that. 'Look this is none of my bussiness but does 'Nara know?'

'It's complicated.'

He crossed his arms in front of his chest. 'Yep, it always gets that way somehow. Are you in any trouble?'

'No.' Sivella said as she shook her head. 'It's taken care of.'

Yes he had heard that before too.

'Look, I know you don't think much of Companions..' Sivella began as she stepped towards him. 'But we do know how to look out for ourselves.'

If a client would EVER do something like that to Inara he would kill him with his bare hands. He clenched his teeth in anger at the thought alone.

'Do they also teach you in that school of yours that it's not a shame to get help?'

'We do help each other. That's why I'm going back to Sihnon now.' She measured the man, could she be certain that he would not tell Inara? At least she had managed to manipulate him into forgotting his question by using her bright skill of talking. He probably wouldn't ask again. So she wouldn't have to tell Inara, neither would he.

'Well ya know, with me not bein' civilised and all, I'd like you to get help right now anyway.' He said repeating Inara's earlier statement. He turned around to walk away.

'Those weren't my words. And I think you know Inara didn't mean them.' Sivella said.

'Maybe you don't know Inara that well.' Mal stated as he looked at the white wall in front of him.

'Maybe you misread what she says.' Sivella said defending her.

'And here I thought both of you were experts in reading. Ain't my kind of thing. I like things to be clear. Clear as crystal. Not complicated.' He turned around towards her again.

'And somehow they are complicated.' Sivella confronted him.

Mal looked down on her. This woman was very bright and seemed quite smart.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest again.

'They seem to be yep.' He paused shortly, studied her. 'So can I safely say that you will tell Inara about your wounds?'

Sivella's eyes grew big. So she hadn't managed to manipulate him at all. This man was full of surprises.

'You're very perceptive captain.' She said with sparkling eyes.

'Let's just say I'd had my training with another one of you on board here for over a year getting off and on my nerves all the time.'

'Which surprises me.' She stated as her eyes measured his intently. 'Inara is a very sweet, warm and friendly woman. You seem to be able to get the worst out of her.' She said challenging him.

'You didn't answer my question.'

'I would rather not.'

'Would rather not what? Answer the question or tell Inara?'

'Both.'

'I don't need to pry in your bussiness but I ain't gonna keep secrets that aren't mine to keep.'

Sivella sighed. 'Inara has enough on her head already, she doesn't need to know something that is no longer of importance anymore.'

'If it weren't of importance you wouldn't be washing yourself in this 'cold room' here, but in the luxury of the shuttle, which you are used too.' Mal stated.

'Wow, a Pirate Captain and also smart. I should remember that.' She said.

He kept looking at her, wanting an answer.

Sivella sighed. 'I don't see how this is your bussiness.' She said.

'Don't want nobody hurtin' on my boat. You made it my bussiness the moment you stepped on Serenity.' Mal answered, and he had a nagging feeling that there was trouble to come.

Hurtin?' If only he knew who was hurting right now in her shuttle.

'I am not in pain.' She said.

His eyes went to the bandages on the floor.

'Don't pity me.' She warned with anger in her voice.

'I ain't pitying you.' He stated as he raised his hands. 'One of your clients did this to you?' He asked urgently. He just wanted to know. There was anger in his eyes.

She tilted her chin defiantly at him and just looked at him, trying to stare him down.

'Men shouldn't treat a woman like that. They should be punished for that.' Mal explained between clenched teeth.

She just kept looking at him.

Mal stepped further towards her. 'And is he?'

'Is he what?'

'Punished for what he did.'

She didn't answer and looked away.

Mal knew the answer right there. He worked his jaw.

'If anyone would ever do such a thing to Inara-' He began as he clenched his fists.

'They won't.' She said in a very sure voice. She looked up at him again. 'You won't let them.' She smiled sadly. 'And she won't let herself. She is too smart.' She said it as if it were a certainty.

'And you aren't?' Mal countered surprised.

She looked away again at that.

'No, I wasn't.' She answered bitterly.

'You are going to Simon.' Mal said matter of factly.

'No!' Sivella said sternly. 'I will not. I payed you to bring me to Persephone. And that's all that will happen.' She looked angrily at him.

'Okay, but you will tell Inara.' Mal said finally, he could see it was no use in convincing her or telling her to do anything.

She sighed out loud. 'I'll tell Inara, but not tonight.' This way, she didn't promise anything.

He nodded as he turned and left.

Inara's shuttle

Sivella had left Inara alone for half an hour and then made her way up to her shuttle. She sighed as she stepped in and saw Inara busying herself with her clothes.

'I am so sorry Inara.' Sivella said with compassion in her eyes. 'I didn't know bringing up these stories was such a heated subject for you at first.' She sat in front of Inara's dresser to take off her make up.

'Heated? No It's not. It's just complicated. And you knew fully well.' Inara said as she took a new blanket out of her cupboard.

Sivella sighed at that and sat on the bed. 'Yes I did.' She admitted ruefully. 'But I didn't know it would get this far.' She hadn't known that it would end in a fight. That hadn't been her meaning at all. ' I just…. I just wanted to tease you. I didn't know it was this serious.' Sivella said.

'It isn't that serious.' Inara countered without looking at Sivella.

Sivella scraped her throat in a distinctive way to show she didn't agree. 'Whatever you say.' She said in an offer for peace. 'I am sorry that it ended in a fight.'

'It's okay.' Inara sighed. 'We fight a lot actually.' She said with a nervous smile. 'That's nothing new..' She explained softly as she thought about Mal. But this time, she had so hoped that they wouldn't… It really felt like they were back to square one. She felt stronger this way, but was this what she really wanted?

'We just… Don't get along a lot of times.' She explained softly as she felt a pang of hurt go through her. And a lot of times we do… She swallowed and tried to get it away. We really do. She thought of her sitting with Mal, drinking of her tea. Them laughing. Talking. It was possible. Wasn't it? Yes, it sometimes really was.

Sivella studied Inara's eyes and face shortly. They had talked so many times sometimes days after days on their waves these lasts years. Sivella had already guessed that Inara cared deeply for the Captain. And that guess had been proven to be right the moment Sivella had seen the two interact with one another. It showed in everything, even when they didn't talk or didn't seem aware of each other. She just wanted Inara to see that, to take that step. That step that she herself hadn't taken… Sivella swallowed, she didn't want to think about herself. I ran away. She thought bitterly. She pushed those thoughts away and focused solely on Inara and her urge to get them together. She wanted Inara to have just that, even though she couldn't herself.

'I am sorry about that.' Sivella finally said.

Night

Blood, blood everywhere, on the floor, but what almost made her choke was the red colour of blood on her hands. She looked at both of her hands in shock,

BLOOD

Blood everywhere

And a warm body

She felt it against her, warm and heavy

Slowly slipping to the ground, away from her

With a sickening thumb

Sivella's breath caught and she opened her eyes quickly. She exhaled and sat up in the bed. When she recognised the shuttle she calmed down a bit. Her breathing was still difficult. She looked at her hands in the darkness. Nothing. There was no blood. She felt awful. She moved backwords to lean against the headboard of the bed. She watched Inara's sleeping form.

Blood, blood everywhere. It was horrible.

She stared in the distance and looked at her hands again as a single tear left one eye. Breathe in, breathe out. Just keep breathing and everything will be okay.

She wanted to wash her hands again, and again. But she had already done that so many times. And it wouldn't go away. The blood wouldn't dissapear.

There was no blood anymore on her hands, she could see her flawless skin.

She looked at Inara again and sighed. She caressed Inara's dark long hair. She slowly slipped under the blankets again and crawled over to Inara. Inara was lying with her back towards her. She nestled herself against Inara's back. She sighed. Yes, this gave her some comfort. Tears began to flow freely from her eyes now. No one knew. She had lied. The Guilt knew nothing. But they knew. And they wouldn't stop until they had found her. She crawled closer to Inara's warm, sleeping body. Inara, her best friend, she loved that woman so dearly. But soon, she had to leave her too.

They would kill her. They would kill her this time. And she had almost never been afraid in her life. But she was now. Inara had seen it well. It was pure fear that had her trapped. Because she knew they wouldn't be merciful. Her death would be as painful as possible. They would make sure of that…

Morning

'Are you still angry with me?' Inara heard Sivella ask from the other side of the bed. When she looked at her friend she saw that her eyes were staring at the ceiling.

'I wasn-' Inara began but stopped. She had to get used to being around someone who could read her that well. It was a long time ago that she had seen her fellow Companions who could do that.

'Only if you'll bring those stories up again towards Mal or anyone else of the crew.'

'I won't, I promise.' Sivella said.

'But I can bring them up towards you?' She heard Sivella ask mischievously. Before Inara could answer Sivella turned towards her now, leaning on one elbow as she smiled.

'I really liked those stories though.' She tried.

'O please! Spare me.' Inara said in a heated tone. Who ever had even come up with these stories, she could hurt them severly right now!

'I like the one you told at dinner with the rose. Very romantic. Is that a new version?' Sivella teased.

Inara smirked and rolled her eyes. 'You know fully well why I made that version up. Mal doesn't need to know about those stories.'

Sivella looked at her friend with an arched eyebrow.

'And why would that be?'

Inara sighed. 'I don't want to give him any ideas! And as if it isn't worse enough that the girls are spreading such rumours!' She said heatedly.

'And where do those ideas come from one wonders?' Sivella answered with a mild sarcastic and teasing undertone as she let herself slip on her back again and stared in the distance.

'They come from nowhere.' Inara said heatedly.

Sivella sighed out loud and put a hand over her heart. 'I'd like a Pirate Captain to sweep me off my feet and make love to me in a burning temple many times. How romantic would that be!'

'Sivella!' Inara scolded lightly with a dark frown in her brows. 'Are you telling me that you are actually encouraging those misjudged stories?'

Sivella smiled at her friend. 'Oh Inara! You're the hero of those girls!' She said as she leaned on her elbow again to stare at Inara who still was lying on her back.

'I already told Sheydra how ridiculous that is. It's not a good example.'

Mal didn't want to- They always had something to disagree on. Maybe that was a sign that there could never be anything between them. She had tried. She had tried for once to act on her feelings for him. That kiss… It had been wonderful…

'When we were still young girls, we would have loved to hear stories like that. And now you are the lead in most of them!'

'That was different then. It wasn't real then.' The moment those last words left her mouth she already regretted them.

'Ahhhhhh, and it's real now?' Sivella said with wiggling eyebrows. She got a pillow in her face as an answer.

'Heey!' Sivella muttered in defense as she held her arms in front of her face to protect herself. 'Agression is not a usefull skill for a Companion, therefor you shall never show it towards anyone.' Sivella repeated out loud in a old voice.

'I see you remember the House Mothers words very well.' Inara teased.

Sivella laughed out loud. 'Ow come on! You have to admit that it's interesting that you're tensing up Inara, the moment the word love stories and Mal come up.'

'It's just very annoying! That's why I tense up. And the more Mal knows about this, the more he'll use it against me. Because that is what he does. That man lives to make my life miserable.'

Sivella smiled again. ' And what a job that is!'

'Sivella!' Inara scolded.

'Your life is such an adventure! Have you bedded him yet?'

'I don't service crew.' Inara snapped shortly. She scolded herself again. She shouldn't have snapped, now Sivella knew… Ooo! Who was she fooling? Sivella could read her like a book. Just like she seemed to be able to read everyone. Inara gave her friend an angry glare for that.

'Hmmm, I wasn't talking about servicing him darling.' She flashed a smile at Inara. 'I bet he'd like to service you though.' She offered mischievously.

'Sivella stop this!' Inara finally snarled as she went to sit and looked for another pillow in the large bed. There was none in sight so she took the blanket of her bed and threw it towards her ex-roommate.

'Auch! You take in the heavy artillerie!' Sivella said muffled from under the blanket.

Inara laughed out loud.

'No Inara seriously.' She said as she put the blanket on her lap and looked at her friend.

'It might take some of that tension away, because that isn't angry tension, it's sexual tension sweety.' She said in a matter of fact way.

'Sivella stop it. I don't want to hear no more.'

'But then again, who am I to tell that to a highly trained Companion like yourself, you already knew that. Or maybe you have your head too high in the clouds already, so you can't see clearly anymore.'

'I am not listening anymore.' Inara stated as she took her favourite book from her nightstand and sat herself comfortable against the headboard of her large bed with every intention to block out further talk of the woman beside her.

'-Can't keep control anymore. That's a struggle.'

She heard Sivella say far away in her mind. Inara's hand froze above her book instantly. She stared at the page in front of her. Control. This was, what she had been fighting for so long. This was what made her so afraid. Maybe Sivella knew more about things like that then she pretended to do. Because everything her friend had said had been exactly right.

Then she felt something soft in her face which shocked her. And the laugh of Sivella rolled through the room.

'I had you right there! Your senses are really getting slow! I knew you were always the older one but now it begins to show too!' Sivella teased mercifully.

'I am not older! Just a month you little witch!' Inara snarled as she took the pillow. 'I'll show you who is really old!' She promised as she tried to hit Sivella with it. But Sivella already had her own pillow to protect herself.

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