The heat of re-entry glows forge-red outside the shuttle's windows. They've come home to Persephone, as much as any moon like this can be home. Inara should be booking clients, making plans for trysts and assignations. Instead, she sits, her tea cooling, her incense burned away to nothing. Simon and River are leaving, and Mal's still bastard enough, or coward enough, to make them find their own way. He says he's turned down so many honest jobs on their account that there must be some other transport that's ready and eager for paying customers. "I've near forgotten what those words mean," he says, "but there's certain to be those as will take you as cargo at least."

Inara knows he's talking to cover his fear. The Alliance hurt him badly, and he's got more scars now than just the ones from the war. He'll lick his wounds out among the border moons. He'll take her back to the Training House on his way, if she pays. If she's ready to play word games with him over what it will mean when she asks.

She hasn't asked yet. She hasn't decided: to go, or to stay. Her trunk of 'things' Mal kept--and went through, she has no doubt, no matter what he says--includes Kaylee's captures of her, and saris and kimonos that are scented with cloves and cedar; and there's a brush she bought for Kaylee, once, when there was all the time in the 'verse between moons, and she used to brush Kaylee's hair.

Inara holds it, testing its bristles against her thumb, and it's exactly then that Kaylee pokes her head into the shuttle and says, tentatively, "Hey, 'Nara."

"Kaylee, oh," she says, and fumbles the brush. She's not used to being awkward with anyone but Mal, and then only when they're holding back bitterness. But she blushes, and closes the lid of the trunk.

"If you're busy, I can come back later," Kaylee says. "I was looking to go shopping, thought maybe you'd--"

"I--yes," she says, and she can't help but smile. "That would be lovely."

"Shiny," Kaylee says. "You can try on all the pretty dresses and I'll find us some folks willing to pay for passage. Maybe a buffer panel, too," and her eyes go dreamy as she adds, "Maybe one that's only second-hand..."

Inara laughs. "Dreamer," she says, fondly. "You can try the dresses, you'll look gorgeous."

She misses Kaylee rolling her eyes and saying, "Oh, me in that stuff," because River's peering around the doorway, sharp and furtive. She smiles at Inara, while Kaylee's back is turned.

"You don't need to be fancy to be beautiful," River mouths, and then, "You are beautiful."

They're words Inara might have chosen, might have spoken. And when Inara looks back to Kaylee, River's already gone. "You don't need to be fancy to be beautiful," Inara says, and she has made her choice.

"You are, Kaylee," she says. "Beautiful."

She knows Serenity will be home.

Companion: Synchronicity

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December 27, 2005