Doors Closed - Please Knock

[zoe]

Crates sat crowded around her bed, it was these Inara needed to go through. One was a metal, refridgerated crate that she picked up immediately and placed under the low couch for safe-keeping. The rest were mostly foodstuffs for the Kitchen, and a few gifts for some of the crew she had found while shopping.

The gifts she seperated out and placed into a large shopping bag, setting it on the far end of the couch away from the door. That still left five crates, and tub of cookies she had bought for the crew.

Picking up the tub of cookies and the crate of parishable fruits and vegetables, she stepped out of her shuttle once more, leaving the door open.

(out-Kitchen)

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mel went into Inara's shuttle, knowing she would follow when she knew wher ehe was. Sitting, he leaned forward, waiting for her to explain everything to him, he was still rather confused about it all after all.

[zoe]

Inara joined him after a few minutes and closed the door behind her.

Out of habit she began to make tea for them both.

"I've already sent word to the Guild, it won't be official until I can go visit Sihnon and Announce it myself before the High Priestess." she explained.

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal shook his head. "Well today was some day. " Leaning back, he rubbed his eyes. "Ok when did you decide this?"

[zoe]

"Today was deffinently some day." she agreed. She moved to a cupboard and pulled out her Tea Set.

"I decided it earlier this morning while you were out getting kidnapped." she replied. She opened a package of cookies and set them on a plate.

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

He laughed a thte kidnapping part. That was the biggest adventure. Grabbing a cookie, he bit half of it off. Swallowing it, he looked at her. "Ok, so while I was being all kidnapped and subjected to torture, you decided to leave the guild? How does this sound to the other companion friends of yours?"

[zoe]

"They're upset, but thee's a lot of the new Members who've just graduated who'll be thrilled to know that thats less competition they'll have when I come visiting." she said seriously.

"The Priestess is Angry with me, but it'll pass, they'll be others that could fill her shoes along the way." she added.

She pored the boiling water into the tea pot and brought the tray over to the Couch. "What flavor would you like?"

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal could udnerstand the upset ones and the happy ones. "Just regular." He would add milke and sugar to it. He had come to like his tea as such.

"Her anger will pass. She can't expect someone to be a companion until teh end of time. Especially if they want to settle someday." Truth was, Mal didn't know if this meant Inara wanted to settle down or not. He wanted it.

[zoe]

As she poured and mixed his tea she came to sit next to him.

"I'm tired of circling each other, we've done that for twenty years now...I think it's high time we take the next step Mal...I want to try being an Us." She said.

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal took his tea and drnak fast at first, then remembered to slow down. He almsot chocked, but covered ti up.

Setting his tea down, he gulped. "We've been circling because of our jobs. Yours was to please other men and I didn't fancy that very much for something perminate."

[zoe]

"Well now my Job isn't standing in the way...so..what else is there standing between us now?" she asked. Sipping her own tea. She wasn't really thinking about the tea at all, she was just doing it out of habit.

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal cleared hsi head. "Nothing. There's nothing." grinning, he gingerly grabbed her hand. This would be something. To be back with her steadily. At last.

[zoe]

Inara clasped his hand and looked up into his eyes, a smile gracing her lips.

"It's really gonna happen isn't it...Gods...I've only ever dreamt of this."

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal was abd at showing emotions, so this would be interesting. Moving closer, he went, "Remember that I'm abd with emotions and what not. So you have to give me time." It had taken forever, but they were finally a couple. Love seemed to be in the air for everyone.

[zoe]

"Then we'll change topics for a bit, we don't need to talk about it." she said as she curled up into him.

"Tell me about the new girl...Alora wasn't it?" she asked "she looks very much like me back in the day, and there's something about her that sets off alarms, but I can't decide what it is."