Title: Your Smile

Author: Majewel

Disclaimer: I do not own Serenity/Firefly or the characters portrayed in the series.

Rating: T for implied feelings.

This is a one-shot. Decided to write an Inara/Zoe piece since there's not many out there. At least none that I could find.

It's been three years since the events of Miranda. Inara and Zoe were the only ones on the ship. They had received a distress signal from a ship that appeared to be dead in the water. Mal took Jayne, River, Kaylee, and Simon aboard with him and decided to leave Zoe and Inara behind. Zoe couldn't figure out why Mal insisted that she stay aboard Serenity with Inara, but he was the captain and she would not argue. With a 'yes sir,' she watched Mal's retreating figure leave the ship followed by Kaylee, River, Simon, with Jayne bringing up the rear.

"We should have heard from Mal by now," Inara breaks the silence that has settled between the two women. Zoe arrived at the bridge shortly after seeing Mal and the others off the ship. They have been sitting there for hours. "Maybe he's in trouble… again." Zoe smiles at the sentiment having thought the same thing herself.

"I miss that," Inara says before she can stop herself. She was afraid that her outburst would cause Zoe to clam up again. The warrior woman has always kept to herself and was a woman of few words; those words had become fewer after Wash's death.

"What," Zoe responds having an idea about what she was talking about. The main reason she distanced herself from the others was because of the guilt she carried. When Wash was still alive she could use that as an excuse not to get close. Now that he is dead, she has no excuse and feels as though she's betraying his memory.

"Your smile," the shorter of the two reply. She knows that she's taking a chance, but she was tired of hiding.

"I miss it too," Zoe responds once again smiling at the Companion. It was time for her to start living again.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Tell me what you think.