Hi everyone! Sorry that it took me so long to update, but I already had a few versions written but wasn't happy with them, but anyway I was happy with this part, which is short but I liked it this way.. More to come!!

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Inara's shuttle

This kiss felt so right. From all the men she had ever kissed, it had never felt like this. So right. But still, she stepped away from him, from his warmth, from his hug, her lips leaving his. She could see light worry pooling in his eyes the moment she broke the kiss so abruptly.

She turned around and walked towards her dresser. She tried to focus on her breathing, to get control over herself again.

'Inara?' She heard Mal ask softly behind her.

Inara licked her lip and turned around as she faced him. She put her hand on the table behind her as if to balance herself. Or to have something strong to hold on to.

'Mal-' She said as her big eyes looked up at his face. She saw him swallow.

She saw how he braced himself, like he always did when they were insulting each other. She realised that he thought she was going to right now. She took a step towards him as if to assure him that she wasn't, she left the hold she had on the table for what it was.

'Mal, I-' She paused shortly. 'As much as I like kissing you, there are some things-' She began.

'Things?' Mal interrupted softly. He just wanted to know what was on her mind, he wanted to know it right now because he was afraid, afraid that she would pull back again. Afraid that they would do their eternal dance again, of fighting, insulting, fighting, insulting, but never coming really close to each other..

'Yes, things that we should be aware of.'

'Such as?' Mal asked.

Inara's eyes wandered to her bed and she walked over there gracefully and sat herself down on the edge.

'You know what I mean Mal.' She said softly after a short pause as she tilted her head slightly.

He put his hands in his pockets and he swallowed again. 'Got a few ideas an' all but it'll help if you just spoke your mind, that'd be easier 'cause can't look in your head an' all.'

Inara nodded. 'Yes.' She looked at her silk blanket and let her fingers touch it softly. She was afraid that if she would say these words, that she would drop a bomb that would explode immediately on the both of them.

'My work.' She said as she looked up at him again, bracing herself for his reaction. She had the idea that she didn't need to give a further explanation.

'Your work.' He repeated dumbfoundly.

'My work.' She repeated as her eyes searched his face. She saw his adams apple doing overtime, swallowing so many times as his eyes wandered through her shuttle.

He looked away. And then scratched the back of his head. 'It's still the same, ain't it?' He finally said.

'Yes it is.' She said softly. 'I have got my clients, and I know..' She paused momentarily as she stared at her lap. 'Let's say that I know what you think of my work.' She finally finished as she looked up at him.

In a few paces he stood in front of her with his long legs and lowered himself softly next to her.

'It's my work Mal, I can't stop. I won't.' She said as she looked him in his eyes and then stood up to make more room between them. To have space.

'Never?' His voice came.

She hadn't thought of that question to come out of his mouth. She turned around towards him. 'Well, someday, I won't always..'

'But just not now.' He said as he stood up quickly.

Her eyes grew big. For a moment she was afraid that he would be angry, that this was the point where there would be a big fight again. And finally she was the one to swallow before she gave the dreaded answer.

'Just not now.' She repeated as she looked at him sternly. She braced herself, she even caught herself not breathing anymore. She felt that something would even break inside of her if he would push her away. Somewhere in the distance she felt tears forming..

Mal shrugged as he put his hands in his pocket's again. 'That's what we agreed on didn't we?' He asked as he looked at her.

It took her trouble to not let her mouth drop open. He just shrugged!? She was speechless.

'We'd take it slow. Slow is slow.' He stepped towards her and looked deep in her eyes.

'This is really important to me.' He said as he took both of her hands. And he wasn't going to mess it up. 'I know I ain't the easiest person in the 'verse, am probably the most difficult person if they'd make it a contest, but I'll do anythin' to make this work.'

Her breathing hitched. She felt so touched by his words, and the tears finally formed behind her eyes but for an entirely different reason now.

He smiled slightly as he softly wiped away a tear that loosened itself from her eye with his tumb.

'You're a special woman 'Nara.' He said with a kind expression on his face.

She just looked up at him with the biggest eyes he had ever seen on her. He cupped her chin with his big hand and then bended forward slowly to place a tender kiss on her purple painted lips.

'Well what do ya know? I seemed to have made the trained Companion speechless.' He said with a smirk. 'That'll be the day!'

'Ouch.' Mal groaned instantly as he rubbed over the now tender spot on his arm. 'Woman! Keep your nails to yourself.'

She raised her eyebrow at that. 'Maybe you should keep your comments to yourself.' She said as she closed the gap between them quickly and crushed her lips against his.

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AND??? What did you think?? I'm really glad with your comments!!