Inara could understand the other woman’s confusion - Ibis may have been Santo’s smallest moon, but it was still a bustling metropolis and spaceport for its mother-planet. They’d landed at around 2 am local time, but the city proper was lit up like a Christmas tree, and people elbowed their way down shopping boulevards that rivaled Londinium itself. Ibis was bustling, hectic - the perfect place for a clandestine meeting like the one they were about to attend.

They set off across the square for the Tune Up pub, apparently one of Quinn's favorites.  Zoe entered first, quickly scanning the room for any threats. She needn’t have worried about keeping a low profile - a piercing wolf whistle sounded from the corner booth.

Well, they didn’t need to inquire about Quinn Washburn any further.

Inara followed Zoe across the room to meet their contact - a slight blonde man that she’d have picked out of an entire city of people as Wash’s brother.

"So this is my new sister!"  Quinn approached, arms outstretched.  Catching sight of Zoe's rather stony expression, he said, "Okay, so not much with the hugging.  Duly noted.  I'm Quinn, anyhow, and it's really nice to meet you.  Can I get you a drink?"

"No.  This is Inara," Zoe said.  "She's our bona fide Companion to get us into this place."  It was strange, meeting him.  He looked a lot like Wash, but a little more formal and a little more upright.  She supposed time in the Core would do that to you.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Inara said graciously, extending her hand.  Quinn shook it eagerly, relieved.

He turned back to Zoe.  "So how is Wash?  Still happy as anything out in the middle of nowhere?"

A grudging smile crossed Zoe's face.  "That about sums it up, yeah.  Sent his love, though."

"Well, I knew he couldn't be unhappy with such a beautiful wife.  I was sorry I couldn't come to the wedding—"

"We didn't invite you," Zoe said, unwillingly amused.  They'd had just a small ceremony, with the captain officiating and Kaylee and Jayne for witnesses.  Captain didn't take kindly to strange people on his boat, and Zoe didn't take kindly to strange people period.

"Which was a very good reason why I couldn't be there," Quinn said with a laugh.  "But I meant to send a present, if for no other reason than to express my devout gratitude that you got rid of that horrible moustache."

Zoe crossed her arms over her chest.  "And just what makes you think I had anything to do with that?"

Quinn gave a slight bow.  "Trust me, nothing less could have induced him to part with it.  You should feel honored." 

"I'm sure she does," Inara said with a laugh.  "Now, I understand you have papers that can get us through Alliance security and attest that Zoe is someone other than the first mate of a smuggling ship?"

"Indeed I do."  Quinn felt in his pocket.  "Right here I have the Companion trainee license for one Zoe Lanford, with ident-card to match.  And here are the papers to get you through without being searched....should be a breeze from here."

"Let's hope so," Inara smiled.  "It's very good of you to go to so much trouble for us."

"Anything for family, right?  Except hugging.  No hugging in this family, no ma'am," Quinn said solemnly.

Zoe grinned at him.  "Maybe next time."

"You sure I can't get you a drink or something?" Quinn said wistfully.  "I don't hear from Wash that often, and it would be nice—"  He broke off as Zoe stood up.

"Maybe when she doesn't have stolen contraband strapped to her thigh," Inara whispered helpfully.  "Goodbye, Quinn, we'll look forward to seeing you at the celebration."

Quinn was as good as his word, a fact Zoe duly noted in his favor.  Their papers made security wave them through as quickly as possible, and there was no suspicion of Zoe at all. 

"We've got half the battle won," Inara murmured as they moved towards the training house gates.  "And you look beautiful."  Zoe wore a dark crimson cheongsam-styled dress with birds of paradise embroidered on it, and her dark hair piled up on top of her head.

"You ever seen a battle half lost?" Zoe inquired wryly, ignoring the compliment.  Her sharp eyes caught sight of the couple standing on the steps.  "I take it one of them is Bai Lin."

Inara nodded.  "The other must be her assistant.  She's one of the few here who could get away with having a male assistant in this training house, and the only one who would do it."

They came to a halt in front of Bai Lin and her assistant, and both curtsied deeply with natural grace.  "Mistress," Inara said, rising.  "It's an honor to meet you."

Bai nodded her head curtly.  "Indeed.  I take it this is your...bodyguard?"

"Yes, this is Zoe," Inara said cautiously, her eyes flickering between Bai Lin and her assistant.  She didn't think they would be planning anything...but one never knew.

"I suppose I should be offended that you feel you need a guard, particularly here," Bai mused.  "Strike that.  I am offended."

Zoe lifted her head.  "No insult is intended, Mistress.  We simply want to finish this job to the satisfaction of both parties," she said calmly and clearly.

"Well."  A slow smile crossed Bai's face.  "Far better than I expected.  The accent can be removed, but the phrasing is usually the tell."  There was something fierce in her eyes.

"If she satisfies your expectations, then perhaps we might enter and conclude our business after we've rested from our travels?" Inara said, smiling slightly.

"You might."  Bai was circling Zoe, looking her up and down from every conceivable angle.  "And I believe you may.  This is Eitan Danzinger, my personal assistant.  He can assist you in any...difficulties."

Eitan bowed.  He was slim and finely formed—so beautiful that even Inara, who didn't particularly approve of male companions, had to admit his appeal.  Inara bowed her head, and Zoe curtsied again.  Inara had drilled her for hours on the various ranks and the proper greetings for each, emphasizing that, as Inara was a companion in full standing, Zoe couldn't count on watching her for cues.

Bai smiled, and Inara shivered.  The last time she'd seen the woman had been just before her cousin Camille had disappeared.  There had been rumors afterwards of Camille's suicide, but suicide was attributed to every disappearance possible, maintaining the illusion that no one left the Guild alive.

"Eitan will show you to your rooms.  It's a pity that we can't perform our business out here like barbarians, but no one would be allowed to enter who wasn't remaining for the duration of the celebration.  I'm sure you understand."  Bai flicked her fingernails dismissively.

"We do," Inara replied.  "Thank you, Mistress."  Another curtsy from both, and they were led away, through the massive gates and into the training house.

The ballroom was filled with music so gay that it fairly forced feet to dance, and most of the party was taking advantage of it, floating about the ballroom with smiles and laughter.  Looking across the room, Zoe caught sight of Quinn, who waved and came to greet them. 

"Hello, hello.  Glad to see you both made it—very glad.  I'm sure Wash has picked up violent traits in the last few years, and I'd hate to think what would happen to me if anything had befallen you," he said, bowing gallantly over Zoe's hand.

"He has gotten better with a gun," Zoe allowed with a slight smile. 

"Quinn, this music is delightful—you'll have to send me recordings of some of your pieces, if you will," Inara said.

"Of course.  They'll be on Serenity before you get back."

There was a short, awkward silence.  "Actually," Inara said finally, "I won't be returning to Serenity.  I'm going on from here to a training house in Highgate.  I believe it's time for me to be earthbound once more."

Quinn gave a little smile.  "Believe me when I say that I'm the only person in my family who could understand that.  Would you care to dance to this delightful music?"

Inara looked to Zoe.  "Are you all right here?"

"Just fine," Zoe said absently, her eyes following Bai Lin around the room.  "You go on ahead."

Inara shrugged and turned to Quinn, who led her onto the floor with alacrity.  Zoe, meanwhile, began skirting the edge of the floor, trying to get closer to Bai Lin.  Maybe she could hear if something was being planned.  Forestalling surprises was usually a good idea.

"...I never saw anything outside the maiden's house until I was fourteen, of course," Bai said, her face now carefully schooled to hide that danger that lurked just behind her eyes.  "A traditional one, on Sihnon, where we were schooled to be brides to the planet's elite.   I saw my sisters paired off with ugly men, vicious or just...well, uncomely," she said with a laugh.  "I remember crying for those girls, and then, I remember the day when I realized there was a way to choose.  I never wept so hard for those girls as I did the day I entered my own training house to become a Companion.  The relief of escape was...impossible to describe, really."

"Miss Lanford."  A tap on Zoe's shoulder made her turn just a little too fast, and she nearly bumped into Eitan, who was standing just behind her.  "You seem a little lost."  Bai Lin's head raised from her conversation, predatory and fast.

"I'm not so fond of social gatherings, sir," Zoe replied, curbing the urge to spit after calling that Core pretty-boy by the title only one man she knew had ever actually earned.

"Indeed.  I'm sure you're...very devoted to your training," he said, nodding easily to Bai and her associate, who were approaching.  He leaned against a pillar, surveying her with an insolent curiosity.  Zoe couldn't help but notice that most people were giving him a wide berth; she wondered what kind of reputation he had.

"I do consider hours away from my studies as a loss," Zoe confessed solemnly.

"Well, how fortunate," Bai murmured.  "Did Inara not tell you of Eitan's expertise?"

"I—no?" Zoe said, standing perfectly still, and wishing more than anything that she could just shoot someone.

Eitan gave a slow, seductive smile.  "I'm considered quite gifted at sensual massage.  I actually teach it here at the training house.  Perhaps you'd like a short...workshop?"

"You really must avail yourself," Bai said coolly.  "It's an opportunity you might never have again."

"Yes, I suppose it is."  Zoe could feel her heart beating, her breath straining at her chest, and she forced herself to recall the focused, slow breathing Inara had taught her.  They were all waiting for an answer: Eitan, Bai, the other woman.  She could feel all eyes on her, and there was only one thing to say.  "Certainly.  I'd enjoy that very much."

"Where's Zoe?" Quinn said, as they stepped off the dance floor.

"What?  She was..."  Inara looked around rapidly, eyes scanning for Zoe.  "Right here."

"Relax."  Bai Lin seemed to simply materialize behind them.  "She's hardly come to any harm.  She simply decided to avail herself of one of our most gifted teachers."

"What?"  Quinn's face was aghast.

"I beg your pardon, but I'm not sure I'm following your meaning," Inara said, more delicately.

"Classes.  That is what we do here, Miss Serra.  We train novices.  Perhaps you've been away from us for too long if that's escaped your mind.  Eitan offered to lead her in a special workshop.  Such a lucky girl."

"Eitan?" Inara demanded, aghast.

"Did someone call me?"  Eitan strolled up, adjusting his collar.  He bore an expression of extreme amusement, and seemed very pleased with himself.

"Where's Zoe?" Quinn demanded, losing a little of his polish.

"Oh, I believe she'll be along in a moment.  It takes women a good bit longer to put themselves together, you know."  Eitan was buttoning up a stray cuff with finicky care as he spoke.

"How delightful."  Bai smiled at Inara.  "We can all meet in the blue salon to discuss our transaction, once she's with us once more.  I believe enough of the niceties have been observed."

"Splendid," Inara said, rather more sharply than usual.  "We'll be along shortly."  She hurried off without waiting for dismissal, Quinn in her wake. 

"What do you think--?" Quinn began, agitated.

"I don't know," Inara said flatly, then spotted Zoe in the hallway.  "Zoe!  What happened?  You were...they said you were..."

"They say a lot of things here," Zoe said coolly.  Her hair was just slightly mussed, and Inara moved to adjust the pinning almost automatically.

"But...but you didn't.  With him.  I mean...no?" Quinn shot out, agitated and raking a hand through his hair.  He looked very like Wash in that moment.

Zoe stepped closer to him.  "You are my husband's brother.  He likes you.  That does not make you party to either my marriage or my conduct.  Do you understand that?"  Quinn nodded emphatically.  "Good."

"Bai Lin's ready to negotiate for the Lassiter now.  We're to meet her in the blue salon," Inara said.  "Are you sure you're—"

"Fine, Inara.  Come on.  Let's get this job done."

"So you actually believe that I'm going to pay you your asking price.  Tell me, is it just people from the Core that your captain thinks are naïve, or is it because I'm a woman?" Bai demanded with lazy amusement.  They'd been negotiating for half an hour already, and Bai was stretched on one of the sofas, though her eyes and manner were wholly alert.

Inara sat in a heavy carved chair facing her, and Zoe stood behind her.  "I'm hardly going to contradict your views on the captain.  But that doesn't change the fact that we're not empowered to negotiate the price.  It has been set," Inara said firmly.  "Perhaps he thinks that we are too naïve to be trusted."

Bai gave a genuine laugh.  "If only he knew," she said speculatively.  "But I begin to think that if you aren't empowered to negotiate price, then perhaps you simply shouldn't be here.  A price of eighty thousand in platinum, after all, ought at least to be discussed with an agent who can do more than simply follow orders."

Zoe's smile was tight and set.  "A price of eighty thousand in platinum ought to be discussed with someone who can afford to pay it, to my way of thinking.  If that isn't you, we can always leave."

"So uncompromising," Bai murmured, then sat up.  "I'm tired of this.  This chest contains seventy-five thousand in platinum.  Now you can walk away at the end of the ceremonies with these boxes, or you can walk away with your white elephant.  It's your decision.  Do let me know which you think your captain would prefer."  She moved to the table and poured herself a glass of shimmerwine.

Zoe sighed.  "Very well, then.  I suppose, considering the hospitality you've offered us, a discount could be acceptable."  She held out her hand.

Bai crossed the room to shake it.  "Apparently you are empowered after all.  Perhaps Inara should be learning something from her...'novice,' then."

"I don't think personal remarks are called for," Inara said, forcibly keeping calm.  "We've both gotten what we wanted."

"Have we?  I suppose so.  I, in particular, have been fortunate enough to see first-hand what it was that Epoline was trying to mold into a house mistress."  Bai laughed unpleasantly.  "She was a fool."

Zoe's hand tightened on the back of Inara's chair, but Inara was apparently unruffled.  "No one has ever called into question my abilities as a Companion.  Perhaps it's been too long since you actually fulfilled the proper duties of one?"

"Oh, I know you're quite gifted.  Graceful, talented, everything a companion should be.  A shining star, really.  And I imagine that’s why no one's ever once told you the truth—you still believe in every suicide, don't you?  You, a house mistress?  I can't even begin to imagine the kind of chaos that would ensue.  You don't have the savoir faire or the endurance to stomach how the Guild really works."  Bai brushed her fingertips over Inara's cheek.  "It's better this way," she said cruelly.  "Truly."

Zoe had a pistol in her hand in record time.  "Given this deal is done to the satisfaction of both, I think you might want to just leave now."

Bai Lin turned to her, predatory and eager.  "My dear, I think you'd like to put that away.  You don't want to end up back in an Alliance prison, do you?  I thought you'd had your fill of those after the war...you've found something better, haven't you, thieving and murdering people?  You wouldn't want such a rich and full life to be cut short..."

Zoe's eyes narrowed, and she reached down and unholstered the Lassiter from her thigh, then laid it carefully on the table.  "Here.  Go enjoy your rich and full life of making people hate your guts.  We're done here."  She turned and moved towards the door to open it and let Quinn and Eitan enter.

Inara rose from her seat.  "I think Zoe is quite right."  She glanced at Quinn, who was looking very anxious.  "Quinn, can you help Zoe get the chest to our rooms safely?"  At his nod, she gave him a gracious smile, then left with as much speed as her grace would permit.

"Are you all right?" Quinn asked cautiously, following as Zoe carried the chest of platinum to her suite.

"Dandy," Zoe said coolly.  "Getting paid's always a good thing."

Quinn sighed.  "Zoe, I get that you're not a big talker, and I can respect that.  But you've put me in a position where...well, where I can't look into my brother's eyes.  And that's not exactly something I can handle, you know?  We're close."

There was a long silence, while Zoe turned over the events in her mind, and realized that Quinn did, in fact, have some right to reassurance.  "If I tell you that nothing happened, are you gonna take my word for it?"

"Yes.  I figure anyone who talks as little as you do probably doesn't lie much.  It's usually a good rule of thumb."

She gave a short, curt nod.  "Fine.  Nothing happened.  We ended up sparring a little, I tossed him on his back, and we came back to the party.  Satisfied?"  Her face was closed off, with no way to tell whether she was speaking truth or lies.

"Yeah.  I just...it worried me, you know?  It must kill Wash, you leading this kind of life.  He's always been a pretty peaceful guy.  Gentle, you know?"

Zoe hesitated a little at that, then fell back so that she was walking beside Quinn.  "Let's see...either my husband's been airing his marital problems to you, or else you're psychic."

Quinn laughed softly.  "Trust me, Zoe, Wash has never said one word about you that makes him sound even like a sane human being, let alone unhappy."  A small shrug.  "But he's my brother, and I know him.  That's how it works, right?"

Zoe thought of her sister briefly, and her face shut down a bit.  "Maybe.  Some families, I guess."

"Oh, well.  Speaking as another portion of your family, may I ask how Wash took to the idea of you doing this particular job?  I can't imagine him being thrilled about it."

"Your imagination's not particularly faulty," Zoe sighed.  "He wasn't best pleased."

"Fight?"  His voice was sympathetic.

"Kinda," Zoe said, still guarded.

He nodded.  "But you've probably faced this before, this line of work.  The two of you presumably make up afterwards, right?"  They had reached the suite, and Quinn helpfully unlocked the door, as Zoe's hands were occupied with the chest. 

A little smile crossed Zoe's face as she stashed the box under her bed.  "That we do."  She raised an eyebrow at him.  "In a way that I am not going to discuss with you."

Quinn laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender.  "Understood."

Zoe was quiet for a minute, then spoke again.  "There is one thing might help, though," she mused, standing up and brushing off her hands.

"And that would be?"

Zoe smiled and reached for her purse.  "You know anywhere on this planet sells slinky dresses?"

He grinned, guileless and seductive all at once.  "Sister, do I ever."

"Inara."  The voice was soft, but urgent, and moving closer.  It was disturbing the perfect peace of the gardens to which she'd retreated.  "Inara!"

Inara finally lifted her head, her face calm and unreadable once more.  Then, on seeing who was approaching her, her expression changed to surprise.  "Sheydra?"

"Hi."  Sheydra sat down next to her on the bench, taking a moment to tilt her head back and look up at the sky.  "I thought I might find you out here."

"Am I so predictable?" Inara asked with a smile.

"No, these parties are.  I think they make most of us ache to sneak away."  Sheydra stretched her legs briefly in front of her to admire her dancing slippers, then turned to look at Inara.  "I heard that you're coming to Highgate, to the training house."

"Yes.  It's...a nice compromise between the two worlds, don't you think?"  Inara reached out, catching the hand of her old friend for comfort.

"I certainly do.  Particularly as I'm running the house now."  Sheydra's eyes danced with laughter. 

"You—when did this happen?" Inara asked, squeezing her hand tightly to convey that this was good news.

"Just recently.  You know how it is with succession ceremonies of this size.  Everyone gets jostled around to fill empty spaces.  I got sent to Highgate."

"Sheydra..."  Inara lifted her head and smiled broadly.  "If I tried to convey to you even a particle of how happy that makes me..."

"You would fail horribly, I'm sure.  So," Sheydra said, with a rather deliberate casualness, "was there any particular reason that you came out here tonight?"

Inara shook her head.  "Bai Lin.  She's an art of looking for the best place to put the knife, and doing it, wholly for amusement."

"So...she brought up your mother?"

"Good guess. It seems you know the best place as well," Inara teased.

"Through intimacy, not unscrupulous guesswork."

"She said Mother ought to have known I hadn't the—how did she put it?—endurance or savoir faire to make a house mistress," Inara said, sighing.  Even so, just Sheydra's presence had eased the tightness in her chest.

"I shouldn't have thought your endurance was in question.  Shall I go correct her?" Sheydra demanded blandly.

"You're terrible!" Inara laughed.  "No, I don't think you need do that, but perhaps you can give me passage back to Highgate in a few days' time, once the negotiations I've been doing are wholly complete?"

Sheydra smiled at her, warm and luminous.  "Inara, believe me that it will be my pleasure."

Two days later, the ceremony was complete, and all shuttles were cleared for takeoff.  Zoe carried the chest of platinum back towards the shuttle, with Inara beside her.  "You sure this woman'll get you where you need all right?  It'd be no trouble for Serenity to pass by—"

"Sheydra is an old friend, Zoe," Inara said.  "She'll take me there in perfect safety, I assure you.  Besides, one horrible farewell scene was quite sufficient."

"Don't reckon I can argue with that."  They reached the shuttle, and Zoe stowed the money with a sigh of relief.  "Won't breathe easy till I get that back to the captain."

"Neither will he, I imagine," Inara said wryly.  She leaned forward to kiss Zoe on the cheek.  "Give everyone my love."

"Will do.  Want me to—"  Zoe broke off as she saw a shadowy form approaching behind Inara.  It took a moment for her eyes to pick out the figure in the gloom, and then she saw who it was.  "Oh, Lordy.  What does he—"  She broke off as she saw moonlight glinting off polished steel.  In one fast, ruthless movement, she knocked Inara down and out of the knife's glittering, deadly path.

Unfortunately, that left her directly in the knife's path, and it ripped down the length of her arm, slicing the fine silk of her kimono and leaving a dripping trail of blood in its wake.  Zoe didn't take the time to focus on the pain, however, just flung her head back.  This was why she was there.

Eitan was silent as he squared off against Zoe, his refined face a mask of determination.  Zoe dodged fast as he feinted again at her with the knife, wishing to hell she had her piece on her hip instead of stowed away somewhere because they'd thought themselves safe.  This was not safe.

"Inara, stay down!"  Zoe dodged a few more feints, watching his eyes the whole time.  He was marking her movements carefully, judging and measuring as she jumped right each time, away from Inara.  She waited until she could see the calculation in his eyes, then waited, perched on the balls of her feet, for his final rush.

She didn't dodge this time, but he, anticipating another movement to the right, veered in that direction.  It made it quite easy to grab his arm and snap it behind him, a crunch of cartilage assuring her of his shoulder's dislocation as the knife fell harmlessly to the ground.

All the same, he wheeled around fast, and Zoe took a hard blow to the jaw before she had a chance to react.  A kick to the back of his knees, however, weakened his footing enough that Zoe was able to get properly behind him, one arm hard across his chest, the other catching at his head.  He was fighting hard now, snarling and kicking, but couldn't dislodge her.  His lips parted, teeth showing, all veneer of sophistication now gone.  "You were a terrible—" 

With one swift movement, Zoe snapped his neck, cutting off the rest of his sentence forever.  "Yeah, you too," she muttered, as she let the body drop to earth with a sick thud.  She turned to help Inara up.  "You all right?"

"Fine.  I can't believe Bai Lin had the gall to send her own assistant.  She must have thought we'd be very easy prey.  Do you think—"

"I think I best get out of here," Zoe said immediately.  "Once the money's gone, there's no reason for her to try anything.  Though you might want to watch yourself until you leave."

Inara nodded.  "Don't worry about me."  She kissed Zoe's cheek once more.  "Go on.  I'll be fine."

Zoe smiled briefly.  "Good luck, Inara."  With that, she stepped into the shuttle, closing it up in a hurry, and waiting only until Inara had stepped back to lift off.  Her view of the shuttle dock faded as she left behind Santo, the only sign of her presence there a beautiful, broken body sprawling on the ground

Mal was waiting outside the shuttle door when she returned, and they exchanged sudden, impulsive grins.  "Flew all night just to get back, huh?  They not have proper beds there?"

"Morning, sir.  And I'm afraid not.  Not one of those beds seemed to have my husband in it," she quipped, smiling.

"You bring your cranky old captain a big bag of money?"  Not that he really had to ask—it was clear that the deal had gone through clean.  "You'd better.  Just spent 'most everything we had acquiring a few new armaments.  Space station off of Ibis has a nice selection."

"Box, actually."  She pointed at it through the shuttle door.  "Counted it twice.  Bitch only haggled us down to seventy-five thousand, can you believe?  Mind, I do believe she thought she'd be getting it back," Zoe said, her face grim.

Mal shook his head.  "These core folk have too gorram much money, and I am...so pleased to take it from them.  Good job," he said, clapping her on the shoulder.

She was about to thank him when she was very nearly knocked down by her husband running in from the cockpit.  "Hey, there.  You miss me, then?"

"She asks if I missed her!"  Wash threw his arms around her, holding her tight.  "No more going away for a while, baby, okay?"

"That sounds very okay," she whispered against his hair, returning the embrace.

They descended to their quarters, Wash carrying her bag, Zoe carrying one very specially made purchase on Santo.  "Your brother's a piece of work, you know that?" she said, sitting down on the bed.

"I do, in fact, but I'm sorry you had to learn it so quickly.  He didn't try and hit on you, did he?" Wash demanded.

"Technically...yes," Zoe said, laughing.  "But I think you'll forgive him in a minute.  Man has good taste.  Close your eyes."

Wash closed his eyes obediently, despite not wanting to stop looking at Zoe for a single instant after her absence.  "What am I not looking at?"

Zoe opened the box from the dress shop, pushing aside the tissue paper.  "Open your eyes and see."

Wash opened his eyes, then gave a delighted grin.  "Oh, baby.  Oh, baby."

She smiled at him, her face warm and relaxed at his pleasure.  "Wasn't one minute in that place I wasn't thinking about you and wishing you were there."

Anything else she might have had to say was lost in his mouth on hers, all tension disappeared in a rush of desire and affection.

A moment later, the box was knocked to the floor, but neither seemed to notice in the least.

Discuss this episode

Title: Companion
Writers: Sophie Richard & Special Hellion
Episode Producer: Jen Hook
Art and Animation: Lady Fallun
Proofreader & Researcher: Michelle Makariak (Michmak)
Opening & Closing Tiles by: Taerowyn
Web Production: Kendall Jung