Hi!! Thanks so much for the reviews! Here's a short chapter which is kind of dark, it's rather short but the ending chapters will be longer I promise!

Evening

A frightened cry escaped her lips when she almost bumped into someone.

'Sivella, there's no need to be so jumpy.' Aunt Petulia's friendly voice came. She got a worried look on her face instantly.

'I'm sorry.' Sivella said quickly. A Companion wasn't allowed to be jumpy at all, but then again, it had been so long since everything that had happened that she had used her training. And in truth, she didn't feel like a Companion anymore in such a long time now. She couldn't stop the cold fear that spread through her every time she heard unexpected noises, everytime someone stood behind her. She had to admit to herself that she was afraid, and very stressed.

Petulia sighed as she put her hand on Sivella's arm. 'You are safe here. There is no one here who will hurt you.' She said as she looked deep in Sivella's eyes.

Sivella nodded quickly. It was as if her aunt could read her mind and knew exactly which demons and ghosts Sivella's was battling. Or maybe they weren't ghosts... Because in her mind it all was very real.. 'Yes, thankyou.' She whispered as she looked down with big eyes.

'I came to tell you that Grace just waved. She'll be arriving tomorrow in the morning. She really likes to see you.' Petulia said as she smiled warmly at her niece.

Sivella nodded as her face lit up at the prospect of seeing Grace. 'I like to see her too, she is a very sweet woman.' She smiled.

'Now go to sleep.' Petulia said as she kissed Sivella on her cheek. 'And tomorrow we will talk, if you want to.' She said as she caressed Sivella's cheek.

Sivella sighed as she closed the door to her room. The problem was that she couldn't relax. She was on her guard all the time. Her muscles were tensed always. She walked towards her bed and crawled under the blankets and closed her eyes.

Sivella stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes. She was cold. She looked at the window. It was open. She slipped out of bed carefully, her bare feet hitting the cold wooden floor as she walked towards the window. She didn't remember opening it. She always slept with a closed window.

Again a cold, dreading feeling spread through her whole body instantly. No, she was safe here. This was her aunt's ranch. There was no one around. Inara was here, her aunt, the whole crew of Serenity, Thomas, what could happen? Nothing! She scolded herself slightly. She looked around her room to convince herself. She was still holding her breath in fear as she swallowed. There was no one there. There is no one here. She told herself sternly as she swallowed again, her throat felt so thick. She felt so afraid. She should stop this, she would ruin herself like this. She studied the faint shadows of the curtains, the long mirror and the lonely chair next to her window. She sighed again and closed her eyes shortly. I am safe here. Blake isn't here. And she should really not let that man still frighten her. She turned around as she took in a breath to calm herself as she saw a dark silhouette in the mirror standing behind her. Her breathing hitched as she felt cold hands grabbing her close and something cold against her throat. Her eyes widened in horror when she recognised Blake's face in the mirror. He grinned widely.

'Did you really think I wouldn't come for you?' His low edgy voice sent shivers up her spine instantly.

Her eyes went from his face to the hand and the sharp knife that he held around her throat. This wasn't real was it? This is not real! But why could she feel the texture of his rough hand against her warm skin? Why could she feel the coldness and sharpness of the dangerous knife against her throat?

'I see that my dear friend is here too.' He smiled widely.

Her mouth opened in shock when her thoughts went to Thomas instantly.

'Yes, I mean Tommy.' His eyes bored into her in the mirror. She could see the dark and agressive look in them.

'You've put a spell on him too haven't you?' She felt his warm breath torturing the skin on her shoulders and neck.

The sharp knife pushed harder in her skin.

'It doesn't matter.' He whispered as if he assured her of something. 'I took care of him.' He grinned when he felt her breathing hitch again.

Then she noticed that there was already blood on the knife. And it wasn't hers.

She inhaled in shock. Was it Tommy's? Was that Tommy's blood? Her eyes became watery from unshed tears. Please no... She wanted to ask him whose blood that was but she couldn't, no words would come out of her mouth.

'Did you really think I would let you get away like this? You should have known me better. You're mine, and no one elses.' He stated as he made a fast move with his hand. The knife cut through her flesh before she could even swallow again. He turned her around fast as she grabbed at her throat in shock and with wide eyes. Blood was flooding out and she couldn't breath anymore. She looked at him in horror. This was it.

'I've dreamt of this moment for so long.' He said in delight as he looked her struggling form up and down and smiled in delight.

She looked at the blood that flooded over her hands, she fell on her knees. She tried to steady herself on the bed. She couldn't close the wound.

'Goodbye Sivella.'

She shouldn't have been so naive. She should have known. She should have expected him.. The pain was excruciating. She couldn't breath, it panicked her. She heard him laugh in the background. Her throat felt awful, she gurgled and collapsed against the floor. Her hand left her throat. She couldn't stop the bleeding anymore. The blood flooded from her, she could see her life slip from her with every drop. A large pool began to form around her face. She saw his black shoes, heard them leave through the window. She closed her eyes as her lost thoughts were of the people she cared for. Thomas, Inara, aunt Petulia...

Mal's room

Mal's door opened and he looked up from the bed and saw Inara. He was reading a book. He swallowed as she looked at him and dropped her black silken nightgown, it pooled at her ankles revealing a red silk neglige.

Mal's throat grew thick instantly. 'You should know that you're doin' a lot to me by just standing there.' Mal mumbled as he eyed her in surprise. What was she planning? They had agreed to take it slow.

'Really?' She asked mischievously as she walked elegantly and slowly towards hhis bed. 'I think that's a good thing.' She said in a low voice as she climbed onto the bed.

He put the book on his nightstand.

She climbed in his lap, both legs on either side of him. He groaned. What was the woman doing to him?!

'I did some thinking.' She said as her hands went through his unruly hair.

He looked up at her and noticed again how beautiful she was. And how warm she felt so close to him.

'Ya did?' He mumbled, he wasn't able to think anymore, very soon now.

She played with the hair on his forehead as she smiled warmly at him. 'I decided to start a new client registry.' Inara said softly as she closed the small gap between them and kissed him.

Inara noticed how he didn't kiss her back. She loosened her lips and looked in his eyes.

'And that's good how?' Mal asked. She could see the guarded expression in his light eyes.

'I am changing my status. I'm going to work as a Companion, but not with the physical part.' She explained as she looked at him with big eyes.

Mal swallowed. 'Which means..' He asked carefully.

'That I'll just be a Companion to my clients, and that I draw the line at engaging in any sexual activity with them.'

Mal held his breath and stared at her. A wonderfull happy feeling spread through his whole chest, he smiled widely and then kissed her hard.

'I know you Mal.' She said the moment they broke apart. 'I know you had a lot of trouble with me bedding my clients.' She said. She looked at him meaningfully.

Yes he had trouble with that, a lot. Always had. But he didn't want to push her away either. So he had chosen to just let it be for the moment, with pain in his heart though. He knew that that was always the point between them, he was too afraid to have a fight with her because of it. So he had chosen it to be the safer and better way to just let it be for a while. To work on a relationship and think about those issues later on.

Inara uttered a surprised cry as Mal picked her up from his lap and placed her on her back on the bed in one swift move.

'I take it you agree with my decision?' Inara asked as Mal began to kiss her arms passionately and his hands pulled her neglige up agonisingly slow.

'Am just makin' sure that you ain't goin' to regret it, is all.' He muttered innocently as he shrugged and revealed her warm skin inch by inch.

He loved the feel of her skin under his fingertips.

She smiled.

'Now, let's see what it is that you like.' He said in a low primal voice. She had always satisfied others, studied what they liked, and now he wanted to satisfy her, find out what she liked instead. And he was going to love doing just that.

Breakfast

Inara looked around her. She felt wonderful and in a weird way, whole. As if she had finally found something that had been missing all this time.

'Is Sivella not up yet?' She asked as she sat herself down. She had been a bit late this morning and had thought Sivella would already be downstairs. She smiled at the memory of why she was so late. It had been very difficult to get out of Mal's strong and warm embrace. Not only because she wanted to stay in his arms, so close to his body forever, but also because when she finally decided to part from him he hadn't agreed which had in the end forced her to pinch him again. He had just smirked at her at that and kissed her passionately again. Which had won her over again and she had agreed to stay in his arms for five more minutes. She was sure that he had kissed every single inch of skin in her neck after that, making her tremble in anticipation. But after a short while she had forced herself to go downstairs and meet the others. She had to practically order him to come with her. Finally they had managed to loosen each other, but later then they were expected.

'No, I haven't seen her.' Aunt Petulia said as she poored coffee in Mal's mug.

Inara enjoyed the soft and warm look on Mal's face. Dear Buddha, how she loved that man. He practically glowed and she was sure that she was glowing too.

Inara stood up as she thought of Sivella. 'I'll go and get her.' She said as she walked towards the stairs.

Inara pondered that Sivella must have slept in. She knocked on her door and heard nothing.

'Sivella?' Still no answer.

'Sivella are you there?' Inara opened the door carefully and saw an empty bed. The sheets were ruffled, indicating that she had slept in the bed.

'Sivella?' Inara asked as she walked towards the bed and looked around the room.

'Sivella!' Inara shouted as she saw Sivella lying on the other side of the bed, on the ground.

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Oeee...... Poor Sivella! What did you think??