Medical Bay

Mal was lying on top of Inara on the table. He suddenly lifted himself up on one arm and quickly jumped off her and to leave a few meters space between them. Inara looked up at him, leaning on her elbows and panting hard. Mal tried to steady his breathing.

'S better to put some space 'tween us.' Mal clarified, before he couldn't hold himself anymore. He needed one cold shower, a VERY cold one. Gorramit.

Shuttle 2

Sivella stared at the screen in front of her and then she looked in Sheydra's light, wise eyes.

'Why didn't you come to me before?' Sheydra asked in a sweet voice.

Sivella looked away shortly. She had woken up half an hour ago and had found the bed empty. She wanted to go back to sleep but she couldn't stop thinking about the many things she had to do and had ran away from for days now. One of those things was contacting Sheydra. She couldn't hide forever. So she had crawled out of bed slowly and made her way towards shuttle 2. All the while wondering where Inara was. Was she making some tea in the kitchen perhaps? Nevertheless, Sivella didn't want to be disturbed and wanted to talk to Sheydra alone. Her hands had trembled the moment she had turned on the screen. She had felt an unsettling feeling in her stomach which she knew was fear.

Sheydra studied Sivella's bruised face. She noticed the scar that ran over her left cheek and she felt for the young Companion.

Yes, why didn't she come to Sheydra before? The woman that she had known for such a long time. The woman that was House Priestess of House Madrassa. The woman she should have trusted.

'I felt ashamed.' Sivella admitted as she faced Sheydra again. She didn't need to put on a mask for Sheydra. She didn't feel like acting as if everything was okay, that everything was under control while it really wasn't.

Medical Bay

Inara sat up straight. 'What you said..' She began as she stared at her fingers. 'Are you sure-' She looked up at him. He was buttoning his blouse up and put a hand through his dishevelled hair. She felt afraid again. She hated that feeling.

'What we are doing.' Inara started as she gracefully slit off the table and adjusted her nightgown in the process easily. 'Is it right?' She asked.

He stopped putting his blouse in his trousers and stared at her. She looked so vulnerable. So small all of a sudden.

'Right?' He asked.

Shuttle 2

'There will be a hearing. You know that don't you?' Sheydra asked in a sweet, soft voice.

Sivella looked up. She had just explained everything to Sheydra. She knew Sheydra had already heard most of what had happened from Inara. But Sheydra wanted to hear everything herself, and Sivella could understand that.

Sivella nodded.

'Edward and Rogan Blake will be there too. Can you face them?' Sheydra asked.

'I'll have to.' Sivella stated as she tried to ignore the sick feeling that spread through her tummy.

'We also found you a witness. Grace Blake, the woman that you brought David and Mary to. She will vouch for you.'

Grace. Grace was the sweetest woman she had met on Sandria. The woman who was Edward and Rogan's sister but because of a big fight wasn't in contact with them anymore. The night that Sivella had decided to take Mary and David away she knew that if she took them to Grace that they would have a warm and loving home.

Medical Bay

'I mean, the right way.. I don't have a lot of experience with this...I mean-' She gestured from him to her. 'What we do is fight, not this.' She explained. She had never ever thought in her whole life that she would have a talk like this. Yes, she had fantasized about meeting one man, the man that was it for her. And then maybe, have children after a long time, start a family of her own. But it had never been difficult in her fantasies, not like this. She would know instantly that she wanted that man, he would want her, there would be no difficulties at all.

Inara saw something as fear shine in his eyes suddenly.

'I mean, I liked it.' She quickly clarified.

'The fighting?' He asked surprised and a little hurt.

'No, the kissing.' She said impatiently as she walked towards him. 'But things don't change. I am still a Companion. Nothing changes Mal, we are still the same.'

'What 're you sayin'?' He asked.

Shuttle 2

Sheydra noticed how Sivella didn't make eye contact, how she kept looking away. As if she hadn't heard her last comment.

'Grace told me everything. Everything that happened, how you helped them.' Sheydra said as she studied Sivella long. She recognised the hesitance in Sivella's eyes. The fear.

Sivella looked up and nodded. 'I want them to pay.'

'And they will.' Sheydra assured her. She would make sure of that. No one was allowed to do this to a Companion, or to any woman. And they would certainly not get away with this.

Medical Bay

'That it's difficult Mal.' Then her eyes turned emotional. 'We're both- so different.' She swallowed. She didn't know if something could grow out of this... If they could really be.

'I've never... I've never been in a commitment like this, not like this. We always end up hurting each other somehow. And I...'She looked away. 'I don't want to hurt you.' And I don't want to get hurt...

'I'm willin' to take a chance. It don't matter none to me that we're both different. And if you hurt me...' He began as he took the last step towards her. He looked down at her. 'You'd better find a very good way to make it up.' He said as he wiggled his brows.

She rolled her eyes as she turned away from him. 'I was serious.' She said softly in a sad tone.

He took her upper arm. 'Me too.' He stated softly as he looked her in her eyes. 'Difficult or not, hurtin' or no hurtin', I don't care. This is what I want. I want you. I've always wanted you, I ain't given' that up 'cause of fear.'

Her breath hitched momentarily at his clearification.

'I hope you won't either?' He stated insecurely.

A tear left her eyes.

Shuttle 2

Sivella stared at the empty screen now. She felt so weak. Getting up from bed had taken her so much trouble. She felt a bit dizzy. She had to support herself on the table as she stood up.

Medical Bay

's a good thing to take time.' Mal said when he saw Inara's hand tremble slightly before she quickly covered it from him. 'It don't matter you don't have experience with commitment. I'm no expert either. We'll learn. We've been through so many things. I'm willin' to take a chance.'

She nodded as she looked up at him with big eyes.

'You willin' to take a chance too?' He asked. He felt his heart beating in his throat.

His eyes stood so vulnerable. She couldn't stop herself anymore and closed the gap between them to kiss him passionately. When they came apart she breathed a yes against his lips.

He smiled as he bended forward and placed a warm, passionate and long kiss on her lips.

'We should get back 'fore the crew wakes up an' all.' Mal said after a few minutes.

Inara nodded as she placed her hand on his chest and closed her eyes momentarily. She wanted to remember this moment for ever. He took her hand and kissed it.

He left her trembling as he left the medical bay first.

When Inara walked through the hallway towards her shuttle she planned on having some rest or if it was possible, sleep for another hour. She heard the other shuttle door open and saw Sivella stepping out. She still wore her nightgown and she looked tired. Sivella looked up and when she noticed Inara she halted shortly. Inara braced herself for what was to come. How would Sivella react? After everything that had happened between them yesterday, their fight. The two woman walked towards each other after the short pause and only then Inara noticed that there stood no curiousity in Sivella's eyes.

'I just waved Sheydra, I should have done it earlier.' Sivella explained as they were still walking towards each other. Her voice sounded soft, tired.

She almost sounded beaten. It worried Inara. Inara noticed how there was no teasing streak in Sivella's eyes, no anger from their fight from yesterday.

'Sivella?' Inara uttered worried as she saw something change in Sivella's eyes. She didn't recognise that look as a part of Sivella. It was a look of emptyiness.

'I shouldn't have forgotten that she would support me. I seem to forget that a lot.' Sivella tried to laugh but her laugh faded suddenly very fast as she stopped walking.

Inara raced the last few paces towards Sivella when she saw her eyes roll away and she fell backwords. Inara was too late to catch Sivella.

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Hope you liked this chapter! Sorry for the long update, but had to make some changes, please let me know what you think! Thanks!