The next few days, things were quiet. River seemed fine, although she hadn't started back on duties yet at Simon's insistance. Mal didn't mind complying and Zoe and him took over the flying.

There was a sense of strong community on board, the way that usually happened when the crew had been through a close call of some kind. Simon doted on River even more than usual, monitored how much she ate, how much she slept. Kaylee and Simon were even more affectionate with one another if that was possible. It was downright nauseating for everyone else. Zoe and Mal stayed up more than one night in the galley, reliving old stories with one another. Inara cut into the cooking rotation by making something special for the crew every night, utilizing what few ingredients they had like a genius.

Even Jayne was different. In the past, every time River had posed a threat to the crew, he had been the first to advocate dropping her and her brother on the next planet, regardless of where. But Mal hadn't heard anything like that yet. To his surprise, he heard him instructing her on weapons one day in the galley as he walked by. He stopped in the doorway but went unnoticed by the pair.

"Now I know you probably know most of this, what with you being a genius and all, but my Daddy always taught me there's a difference between knowing the mechanics of how to use a gun, and actually feelin' the weight of it in your hands." Jayne was actually letting her handle Vera, of all his guns, Mal marvelled. River's sling was folded over the chair next to her. Hopefully, the Doc didn't catch her without it. Jayne continued on, "The way I see it, you need to be practicin' with lots of different guns, so you when it comes time you need them, you'll feel . Can't be letting that moonbrain of yours gettin' in the way no more. Next time someone tries to kill ya, you'll be ready, dong ma?"

River was obedient, hanging on to every piece of advice Jayne dealt out. Mal shook his head, thinking wonders would never cease as he kept walking, leaving them to their lesson.

Inara had cornered him two days after they left Regina on his way to the bridge.

"Inara, I really have a little more on my mind than talking about getting you to the Core," He said impatiently.

"Mal, give me a little more credit than that," Inara was wounded. "I just wanted to see how you're doing. We've all been so worried. None of us are really sure what's going on." Mal looked at her guiltily for assuming Inara was thinking of herself. He also realized he hadn't really sat anyone down with anyone other than Zoe or River and discussed the plan, or lack of plan, such that it was. He made a mental note to get everyone together after supper that evening.

"Sorry, 'Nara. I didn't mean it like that." He invited her to follow him onto the bridge. She lowered herself into the chair opposite him, quiet as he inputted some course corrections. When Mal was done, he reclined back in the chair and heaved a deep sigh.

"Even if you didn't come to talk to me about everything we discussed before all this went down, we do need to discuss it." He remarked, glancing in her direction. Inara nodded.

"Inara, I'd be lyin' if I told you I'd been thinking much on all this the last few days, but I did turn it over a bit in my mind when we were on Regina." He turned to her. "But we can't be sailing into the core right now, we've got to stay under Alliance radar."

"Mal, I know, things have changed now, I never expected-" Mal interjected before she could finish.

"No, I know too, Inara, you're not expectin' that anymore, what with everything that's happened." He filled her in on the story the Operative had told him days earlier, the same story he'd be relaying to the crew later that night.

"So you see, it's really going to be business as usual around here, 'cept I'll be hugging the border and Rim a little harder than I was before, stay off the grid. The operative said it was hard for him to keep track of us, which I take as a comfort, seein' that likely means it's a challenge for the Alliance too." Inara nodded, not seeming all that surprised by the whole thing.

"But." Mal added after a moment. She looked him in the eye, waiting for him to go on.

"But?" Inara prompted.

"But. I think we should get you off the ship and back to Madrassa," He said, referring to the Companion house on Sihnon.

"Mal," Inara protested, her eyes filling with tears. Again, Mal stopped her. He reached for her hand.

"It's not what you think, I'm not trying to send you away," Mal said gently. "This is the best decision, for you, and for all of us. You do need to go back to work, Inara. I've always known you would, though I confess, I hoped you wouldn't. But that ain't your fault. Getting you off this boat will keep you safe. Safe to do your work in freedom and peace."

"I don't want to leave," Inara said. "I can wait, I don't have to work right now, with everything else that's happened." Mal raised his hand.

"I'm not saying I want you to leave," He assured her. "Whatever we are, you and I, you're family, Inara." He echoed the words that he had said to Monty a few days earlier, and felt the truth of them. "You're part of this crew, no less than anyone else. And you're going to go back, do your work at Madrassa, but you're going to remain part of this crew, and while you're there, you're going to work for me too." Inara opened her eyes, startled.

"That's right, didn't think I'd let you go, so easily, did you?" Mal gave her a weak grin. "The operative found you there before, as a way of getting to us. All I need you to do is be there, put yourself out in society, so he knows you're back. I have a feeling he'll contact you again, the way he did before. I think he'll know that's why you're off the boat. And when he does, you can send us a wave and I'll come for you." Inara nodded slowly. It made sense. It was a good plan. There was still one missing piece of it though. She was afraid she already knew the answer, but she had to ask.

"And us?" She whispered.

"Uggh, Inara, this ain't easy to say," Mal sighed. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for what had to be done. "You were right when you said if I love you, I gotta love all of you, Companion and everything."

"And you don't," Inara finished for him.

"But I do." Mal insisted. "I surely do, 'Nara. And there's the spot of truth in all this that's makin' what I gotta say so hard. I realized it don't matter. You workin' and us together, it just don't fit together in my mind. I know myself. I might be able to accept it for a few months, maybe years. As I know that jealousy will eat at me, eat at us. I'll only wind up resenting you." He stroked her arm. "And I love you too much to let myself wind up hatin' you."

Inara looked at him, accepting the shape of things. It wasn't any less than she had expected. In truth, it was more.

"When will we head to Sihnon?"

"I just put the coordinates in but a few minutes ago. Should be four days at most," He answered. Inara blinked.

"So soon."

"So soon," He agreed. "I'll get you to Bernadette, we'll have to book passage for you to get from there to Sihnon. I don't want to head any closer than that to the core, for all the reasons I've already told you about."

Inara nodded and the two fell into silence, contemplating the changes to come.

"It was wonderful, Mal, you and I. It truly was." She said softly, her voice tinged with regret.

"That it was, Inara, that it was."

They sat with hands entwined, enjoying each other's company in way that would be over after today, both lost in their own thoughts.

xxxx

Inara got off the Serenity, as planned, on Bernadette. It was five days after her and Mal's conversation. The goodbyes were tearful. Everyone sensed that things had ended between Inara and the Captain too, although this was never actually explained. She looked around her shuttle one last time before headed to the cargo hold, wondering when she'd see it again. Mal had invited her to leave most everything she didn't need on board.

"That way it's still home to you, when you get back," He'd said with a rueful smile. "I'd feel better knowing part of you still thought of Serenity as home."

"I'll always think of Serenity as home," Inara replied. "I don't need to keep my belongings here to feel that. After all, this is where my crew is." They shared a long look, but didn't embrace. Their goodbyes had been said.

Mal looked on as Inara hugged everyone else. Kaylee had tears in her eyes and she handed Inara something wrapped.

"It's not much, 'Nara, but I got this for your birthday a month ago, been excited to give it to you."

"Thank you Mei Mei," Inara smiled. River came up to her next. She pulled the reader in for a hug, careful to avoid putting pressure on her arm. "You take care of everyone for me, you hear?" River smiled.

"They'd all be hopeless without me." She joked. Inara laughed.

Jayne came next. He grunted out something like a goodbye, looking down at the floor. He was surprised when Inara threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. When she let go of him, Jayne was at a loss for words and walked off, shaking his head.

Zoe wrapped her arms around Inara in a brief hug.

"Won't be the same here without you," Zoe told her. "We'll miss you, I'll miss you. Keep in touch." Inara promised she would. She let go of Zoe and Simon rounded off the goodbyes. She smiled and opened her arms.

"Marry her, will you?" She whispered to Simon. Simon broke off and looked at her. His surprise melted into affection.

"I will," he promised. "But not until you can be with us to celebrate."

"Well you don't have to wait for me to get engaged, Simon." Inara smiled. "I need some good news to look forward to." Simon grinned back and gave her a conspiratorial wink.

Goodbyes said, there was nothing left to do but disembark. Inara looked around Serenity one last time before taking her bags and handing them to the taxi driver who would take her to her transport ship. She got into the back of the taxi and waved up at everyone one last time. She caught Mal's eye and he nodded to her, raising his hand.

"Safe travels," She called. The taxi started up and began it's short journey.

Mal watched until it the vehicle shrunk into nothing but a speck in the distance, and a little while after. Then he shook his head, looked back to his crew who were waiting on him.

"Close her up," Mal instructed to Jayne and Kaylee. "River, get us out of here."

"Where to, Captain?" River asked. Mal shrugged and smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

"Surprise me."