Capture
Inara finds her capture in Mal's bunk!
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Inara and Kaylee entered Serenity with about 5 lieutenants after being released from the Alliance med-tent. Inara sent Kaylee to the common room to see if there was anything left of it while she lead the 5 men to the bridge so that they should free Wash, Inara cried silent tears in the process but she just couldn't let go until she was alone. She had to be strong for the others and comfort them.
When Wash was put on a stretcher and covered by a white sheet, Inara headed to the common room to find Kaylee sobbing as she hugged her knees. She went to her and held her tight.
"It ain't fair! IT AIN'T FAIR!" she sobbed.
"I know meimei. I know." she soothed.
"Wash and the shepherd had no fault, they didn't deserve to die. Everyone's broke and Zoe will never see her husband again." she managed. "Now Simon's got shot because he was tryin' to help us - to help ME! And now he could die as well as the captain."
Inara felt sick at the words. She couldn't bare the thought that she would never see Mal again and that they'll never have their chance. She needed to find something to distract her while she waited for news.
"Meimei, why don't we try to straight out some bunks before Serenity goes to the repair yard? You can do your bunk and Simon's while I can do Zoe's and Mal's"
Kaylee nodded and they got to work.
Inara started with Wash and Zoe's bunk. She made the bed and sorted the clothes after she folded them so that Wash's clothes would be ready in case Zoe wanted to send something to his Family.
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After the bunk was in order, she met Kaylee who had just finished hers and was heading to Simon's.
"Your bunk ready, meimei?"
"Yeah..." there was an uncomfortable pause. “How was Zoe's bunk?"
"It certainly wasn't fun putting Wash's clothes in one side and Zoe's in another." Inara sighed, eyes glittering with tears.
"'Nara I'm so sorry - I-"
"It's ok Kaylee. I'll just go and do Mal's bunk."
With that, they parted and got to work again.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inara grimaced as she entered Mal's bunk; there was a disaster to say the least. She started with the books, then the bed and clothes then...all the things on the floor which once were on the desk.
Everything was normal until she was sorting the captures. Some were of ranches, horses - but one of them was a little bit more interesting...and apparently it had been played quite a number of times - Why did Mal keep a capture of her?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It's been a week since Inara found the capture in Mal's bunk, the event played like a film in her mind as she thought about the reasons and surprisingly, none of them were bad. She only hoped Mal wouldn't be angry with her if he finds out, only she knew that the small flame of hope will find itself blown away again. She told him she didn't know whether she'll stay or not but she guessed it greatly depended on whether he wanted her or not but one thing was sure, she couldn't live a life of a companion again - not after what Miranda showed her about her beloved guild believed in.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One evening after dinner, Mal decided to head to Inara's shuttle and see what the hell was going on with her, he knew what she'd been through and he'd told her that it really meant to him. But now, she hasn't talked to him since she told him whether she'll stay or not - now she seemed to have a problem with him, she was avoiding him as hell but pleaded with her chocolate eyes.
He stood at the entrance to admire the view a bit. She was sitting crossed-legged on the couch, reading. 'She must be the most beautiful creature in the whole damn universe' he said to himself.
She lifted her tired eyes from the text; she jumped with a gasp and dropped the book.
"Sorry 'Nara, didn't mean to frighten you."
"It's ok Mal" she smiled, a bit embarrassed by the situation "Did you need something?"
Mal shoved his hands in his pockets "Uh, Yeah...um" he sighed. "What's your problem with me?"
"What?! Why would you think that? I didn't do anything-"
"That's it, Inara! You don't do anything when I'm around...you don't talk to me, you're avoiding me and I don't know why..." he finished miserably "What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Ah hell, Inara, do me the favor -"
"Did you miss me?" she asked barley a whisper.
Mal almost flinched. She had taken him by surprise and he had a feeling that this time he couldn't let his foot in his mouth. "Well, Kaylee -"
"No, Mal. I meant you."
Why was he believing that his answer would be deciding if she stayed or not? Serenity needed her; the crew needed her - Gorramn it! He needed her! So much, it was almost hurting.
He knew he wouldn't screw this up with words as usual, so he did a thing he never thought he'd do. He took her in his arms gently and kissed her so tender, they almost melted. When the need for air came, they parted but Mal still hadn't released her yet as he saw tears streaming down her face.
"Aiya 'Nara. Tell me I didn't screw this, please."
She shook her head, was she really afraid of his reaction after telling him this?
"I need to tell you something, Mal."
He sat and pulled her in his lap as he rubbed her back so soothingly, she was tempted to fall asleep.
"Remember when I told you that it was I who ordered your bunk before Serenity was repaired?"
"Yeah, and that really means-"
"I saw that you had a capture of me and I didn’t know the reason. That's why I was avoiding you, to try and figure out a valid reason without being disappointed." She admitted, waiting for the scorn but when it didn't arrive she looked up at him.
He kissed her, this time long and hard. "Well, I knew that now and I really hope you're not disappointed." he grinned and she smiled genuinely for the first time since Miranda.
"No. I'm most certainly not." she muffled against his neck before he pecked her on the nose and they both fell in a very deep sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
[leftpointy]/lj-cut[rightpointy]
[leftpointy]lj-cut text="Capture"[rightpointy]
Inara and Kaylee entered Serenity with about 5 lieutenants after being released from the Alliance med-tent. Inara sent Kaylee to the common room to see if there was anything left of it while she lead the 5 men to the bridge so that they should free Wash, Inara cried silent tears in the process but she just couldn't let go until she was alone. She had to be strong for the others and comfort them.
When Wash was put on a stretcher and covered by a white sheet, Inara headed to the common room to find Kaylee sobbing as she hugged her knees. She went to her and held her tight.
"It ain't fair! IT AIN'T FAIR!" she sobbed.
"I know meimei. I know." she soothed.
"Wash and the shepherd had no fault, they didn't deserve to die. Everyone's broke and Zoe will never see her husband again." she managed. "Now Simon's got shot because he was tryin' to help us - to help ME! And now he could die as well as the captain."
Inara felt sick at the words. She couldn't bare the thought that she would never see Mal again and that they'll never have their chance. She needed to find something to distract her while she waited for news.
"Meimei, why don't we try to straight out some bunks before Serenity goes to the repair yard? You can do your bunk and Simon's while I can do Zoe's and Mal's"
Kaylee nodded and they got to work.
Inara started with Wash and Zoe's bunk. She made the bed and sorted the clothes after she folded them so that Wash's clothes would be ready in case Zoe wanted to send something to his Family.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the bunk was in order, she met Kaylee who had just finished hers and was heading to Simon's.
"Your bunk ready, meimei?"
"Yeah..." there was an uncomfortable pause. “How was Zoe's bunk?"
"It certainly wasn't fun putting Wash's clothes in one side and Zoe's in another." Inara sighed, eyes glittering with tears.
"'Nara I'm so sorry - I-"
"It's ok Kaylee. I'll just go and do Mal's bunk."
With that, they parted and got to work again.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inara grimaced as she entered Mal's bunk; there was a disaster to say the least. She started with the books, then the bed and clothes then...all the things on the floor which once were on the desk.
Everything was normal until she was sorting the captures. Some were of ranches, horses - but one of them was a little bit more interesting...and apparently it had been played quite a number of times - Why did Mal keep a capture of her?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It's been a week since Inara found the capture in Mal's bunk, the event played like a film in her mind as she thought about the reasons and surprisingly, none of them were bad. She only hoped Mal wouldn't be angry with her if he finds out, only she knew that the small flame of hope will find itself blown away again. She told him she didn't know whether she'll stay or not but she guessed it greatly depended on whether he wanted her or not but one thing was sure, she couldn't live a life of a companion again - not after what Miranda showed her about her beloved guild believed in.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One evening after dinner, Mal decided to head to Inara's shuttle and see what the hell was going on with her, he knew what she'd been through and he'd told her that it really meant to him. But now, she hasn't talked to him since she told him whether she'll stay or not - now she seemed to have a problem with him, she was avoiding him as hell but pleaded with her chocolate eyes.
He stood at the entrance to admire the view a bit. She was sitting crossed-legged on the couch, reading. 'She must be the most beautiful creature in the whole damn universe' he said to himself.
She lifted her tired eyes from the text; she jumped with a gasp and dropped the book.
"Sorry 'Nara, didn't mean to frighten you."
"It's ok Mal" she smiled, a bit embarrassed by the situation "Did you need something?"
Mal shoved his hands in his pockets "Uh, Yeah...um" he sighed. "What's your problem with me?"
"What?! Why would you think that? I didn't do anything-"
"That's it, Inara! You don't do anything when I'm around...you don't talk to me, you're avoiding me and I don't know why..." he finished miserably "What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Ah hell, Inara, do me the favor -"
"Did you miss me?" she asked barley a whisper.
Mal almost flinched. She had taken him by surprise and he had a feeling that this time he couldn't let his foot in his mouth. "Well, Kaylee -"
"No, Mal. I meant you."
Why was he believing that his answer would be deciding if she stayed or not? Serenity needed her; the crew needed her - Gorramn it! He needed her! So much, it was almost hurting.
He knew he wouldn't screw this up with words as usual, so he did a thing he never thought he'd do. He took her in his arms gently and kissed her so tender, they almost melted. When the need for air came, they parted but Mal still hadn't released her yet as he saw tears streaming down her face.
"Aiya 'Nara. Tell me I didn't screw this, please."
She shook her head, was she really afraid of his reaction after telling him this?
"I need to tell you something, Mal."
He sat and pulled her in his lap as he rubbed her back so soothingly, she was tempted to fall asleep.
"Remember when I told you that it was I who ordered your bunk before Serenity was repaired?"
"Yeah, and that really means-"
"I saw that you had a capture of me and I didn’t know the reason. That's why I was avoiding you, to try and figure out a valid reason without being disappointed." She admitted, waiting for the scorn but when it didn't arrive she looked up at him.
He kissed her, this time long and hard. "Well, I knew that now and I really hope you're not disappointed." he grinned and she smiled genuinely for the first time since Miranda.
"No. I'm most certainly not." she muffled against his neck before he pecked her on the nose and they both fell in a very deep sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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