Title: Pushing

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: R for sexual thingies

-

"Don't see what the outstanding issue is." Mal says to Inara. "The training center you said your ma is teachin' at is on Beaumonde. You can pick her up while we're gettin' the cargo and then come back. Long as she don't mind ridin' round in the black for a week or so that is. Otherwise, you'll have to stay at the trainin' center with her till we get back; gotta real tight schedule comin' up."

"I can't very well talk to my mother about the affair she had with her student in the middle of a training house she's teaching at." Inara replies.

"Can't this wait then?" Mal questions. "We'll be back round this way in a week or so."

"I've waited two weeks, Mal." Inara says. "I need to talk to my mother; I need to know why she never told me any of this."

"Then she's gonna hafta come ride with us." Mal replies. "Sorry, Nara, but I've got a job lined up and I can't afford to let it fall through."

"Fine." Inara agrees.

"Don't see what the big deal is." Mal says. "Serenity may not be a luxury liner but she gives a good ride."

"I know that." Inara agrees. "But I don't know if my mother will think the same thing."

"Didn't seem to bother Regan." Mal points out.

"No, it didn't." Inara agrees. "I honestly don't know the woman Regan was talking about; my mother is nothing like Regan says she was."

"Well, looks like you'll have a week to find out." Mal says. "Now, you best go wave your ma and find out if she's gonna enjoy our accommodations. I'll be up on the bridge; let me know what you're doin' and soon cause we'll be breakin' atmo in twenty minutes or so."

Inara nods and walks gracefully up the stairs to her shuttle.

Mal watches her walk away, his head tilted slightly to the side to watch her hips sway. Then with a shit-eatin' grin, he heads to the bridge.

"You're going to get yourself in trouble."

Mal spins around with a screech. "Gorramit, little witch, don't do that."

"Sorry, captain daddy." River drops down from the ceiling and pecks Mal on the cheek before leading the way to the bridge.

"And what do ya mean I'm gonna get in trouble?" Mal questions.

River steps onto the bridge and glances around before plopping down onto Jayne's lap.

"Hey, baby, whatcha doin'?" Jayne wraps an arm around River's waist and kisses her temple.

"Nothing." River replies.

"You didn't answer me, little witch." Mal says.

"Always interfering is going to one day get you in trouble." River replies.

"Don't know what you're talkin' bout." Mal says.

"You're match making." River leans back against Jayne's chest and cocks her head to study Mal. "She will help you."

"How?" Mal asks.

"By insuring that Kaylee and Simon don't realize Inara left and is bringing her mother back." River replies. "Simon can't lie very well and mot…mom will realize that he is trying to hide something."

"How are you goin' to distract them?" Mal asks.

"By doing the job you gave us of course." River replies with a smirk. "And it should take the better part of an hour seeing how that storage space hasn't been cleaned out in years."

Mal grins back. "Now we just gotta plan the rest of this just so."

"Hold that thought." Wash says and hits a button. "Yes, Nara?"

"It took a lot of persuading but my mother has agreed to come back with me." Inara says. "But we have to have her back in no more than two weeks."

Mal nods to Wash.

"Mal says that's a-okay." Wash replies. "I'll let you know when you can go."

"Okay." Inara says.

"Go on." Wash says to Mal. "With the rest of your plan that probably won't work out."

"Book, you gonna help out?" Mal questions the quiet Shepard.

"What do you need me to do?" Book questions.

"You and Jayne are gonna go get Regan at the spa while me and Zoe go get the cargo and drop-off details." Mal replies. "Wash, keep this boat on and ready to go cause once everyone's on, we're takin' off."

"Why do I have the feeling you're goin' to get shot, sir?" Zoe asks.

"Ain't no chance of gun fire on this job." Mal replies.

"I meant by Inara." Zoe says.

"Oh." Mal looks to River. "Little witch, you make sure your big sis don't go puttin' no holes in your captain daddy, dong ma?"

River nods.

Wash holds up a hand and then presses another button. "Okay, Nara, you're ready to go; see you in a bit."

"Thanks, Wash." Inara responds.

"Okay, we'll be parked and ready to go in ten minutes." Wash says.

"Little witch, let's go." Mal orders.

River leans back to kiss Jayne before hopping off his lap and following Mal.

"Cut it out, love birds." Mal orders after he walks into the mess to find his doctor and mechanic making out on the couch.

Simon pulls away from Kaylee, his face turning bright red.

"What's up, cap'n?" Kaylee asks, the happiness evident on her face.

"You three are gonna clean out the storage area while we're pickin' up the cargo." Mal says. "And I expect it to be done when I get back. Chore's been slacked off lately and I ain't standin' for it no more, dong ma?"

"Fine." Kaylee stands up with a pout.

"Come on, Simon." River says, taking his arm. "You heard captain daddy."

Simon grabs Kaylee's hand with his free one, her happy smile instantly coming back, and follows his sister to the large storage area off the mess. "What is all this stuff?"

Kaylee shrugs. "Don't know, hell I don't think this room's been cleaned out the entire time I've been here. Pretty much anything we find or steal that we end up not havin' a use for, comes back here."

Simon pulls open the first box he comes to, wrinkling his nose at the contents. "I think this was once protein."

Kaylee leans over his shoulder and grimaces. "I didn't think protein could go bad."

River peers into the box with a scowl. "Smells like crotch."

Simon rolls his eyes and Kaylee giggles.

"Jayne's rubbing off on you." Simon says.

"Yes." River agrees. "Every chance he gets."

Simon flinches while the girls laugh.

"Yep." Kaylee says. "He's rubbin'."

-

Jayne looks at Book with a confused look. "What the gorram hell is this place?"

"It's a spa, Jayne." Book pushes open the door and looks around the lobby.

"Yeah, I knew that." Jayne scowls at all the flowers and funny little statues. And there's a gorram stream through the middle of the room, fish and all in it, with a waterfall thing on one end. "What I don't get is what it is?"

"It's a place to relax." Book explains quietly. "You can get massages, facials, mud baths, that kind of thing."

The massage thing don't sound half bad to him. Maybe he can talk River into givin' him one or lettin' him give her one.

"Welcome to Flowers." A tall, handsome well-dressed man, Matthew stenciled across the nametag on his chest, says. "How can I help you gentlemen today."

"Is Regan Tam here?" Book says.

"I'm sorry, we don't out information on our guests." Matthew replies politely.

"Well, I gotta gun and a gorram itchy trigger finger that says you do." Jayne argues. "In the end, which one of us is gonna be right?"

"Jayne." Book admonishes.

"What?" Jayne asks.

"There are other choices beside violence." Book says.

"Yeah." Jayne agrees and then a smirk crosses his face. "But they ain't nowhere near as fun."

Matthew swallows heavily at the look on the large man's face and starts to reach for the panic button when somebody steps up beside the two men facing him.

"There is no need for that; I know these gentlemen."

"Very well, Mrs. Tam." Matthew says, nodding politely to her.

"Jayne, Shepard Book." Regan motions for them to follow her across the room to the waterfall. "I assumed Mal would come get me."

"He's gettin' cargo." Jayne says. "You ready to go?"

"We are." Regan replies.

"We?" Book asks.

"We."

Jayne and Book spin around to see Alfred standing behind them.

"You're comin' with us?" Jayne asks.

"I go where she goes." Alfred replies.

"Here, give me those." Jayne takes two large suitcases out of the older man's hands. "Well, let's get goin'. Cap's got us on a real tight schedule for the next week."

"We have to be back in no more than twelve days." Regan says.

"You will." Jayne assures her. "Cap'n has us planned to come back here in bout nine or ten days."

"How are they?" Regan asks as they walk the roads to the shipping docks.

"Good." Book replies. "It took a little time to adjust and a big push by Mal but they're doing very well now."

"That's good." Regan says, sighing with relief. "I was so worried before but it's not as bad now."

"We'll keep em safe." Jayne assures her. "Ain't no way in hell I'll let anything happen to River and since she'd be all upset if'n somethin' happened to the doc, guess I gotta protect him too."

"She's not the only one." Regan says.

"Yeah, guess Kaylee'll be upset too." Jayne agrees. "And you too, I reckin'."

"Has my boy finally made a move?" Regan asks.

Jayne snorts. "Hell, no, Kaylee done moved in on him herself." He says. "She got tired of waitin' for him and cornered him in the infirmary. Cap'n bout had a stroke when he went in to get some aspirin and found them two makin' out on the sickbed."

Regan smiles. "They're happy."

"Yeah." Jayne agrees. "They ain't the only ones either."

-

"I don't understand why we couldn't just discuss this at the training house, Inara." Celeste Serra says.

Inara tightens her hands around the controls. "Because, mother."

"Well, are we going to discuss it?" Celeste asks.

"Not until we're back to Serenity." Inara replies. "I refuse to have the discussion while I'm flying."

"Very well." Celeste agrees.

The shuttle goes quiet, the only occasional sounds coming from the shuttle itself.

Celeste glances over at her daughter and sighs. She knows what that set jaw and wrinkled nose means, she wears the exact same expression when she's upset. And she knows she should say something to her daughter, try in some way to smooth this drift between them but she can't. She doesn't want Inara staying on this ship, doesn't want her to go through the same heartache she went through. Because the look on Inara's face when she talks about her captain, is the same look Celeste gets when she thinks about….her. And she doesn't want her daughter to go through the hell she went through twenty some odd years ago.

Inara bites her tongue to hold back tears. Because no matter what Regan may have said, her mother does regret having her. It shows in the way she looks at her.

"Nara, you're okay to come aboard." Wash says. "And you might wanna wait before coming out, Mal's wantin' to lift off as soon as you're on."

"Is he in trouble again?" Inara asks with a sigh.

"What?" Wash says. "Malcolm Reynolds in trouble; where ever do you get such foolish ideas?"

Inara smiles. "See you in a few minutes."

"Okay."

Inara expertly locks back onto Serenity and sure enough, once her shuttle is safely and completely locked on, Serenity is lifting off. She unbuckles her seat belt with a sigh.

"Inara, what's going on?" Celeste questions.

"I honestly don't know, mother." Inara replies. "It really could just be about Mal's tight schedule or we might have a fleet of Alliance cruisers chasing us. Anything's possible with this crew."

"And yet you stay." Celeste points out.

"I need all personal to the cargo bay." Mal's voice says over the intercom.

"I don't want to argue with you." Inara says, standing up. "Serenity is my home and this crew is my family." She throws open her shuttle door and steps out. "Mal has to meet you, something about nobody getting on his boat without meeting them first, though he did leave without doing that."

Celeste follows Inara out and glances around the bay of the firefly curiously. It's nothing like the luxury liners she used to live on but she can understand Inara's love for this ship. Right away she can tell it's a home. As she follows Inara down the stairs to the actual bay floor, she can hear numerous voices.

"What's goin' on, cap'n?" Kaylee asks. "We was doin' our chore."

"Mother?" Simon gasps, staring in shock at the woman standing beside Jayne.

"Simon." Regan says with a smile. "You didn't know I was coming?"

"No." Simon replies, looking to Mal. "What's going on?"

"Oh, god."

The crew turns around to see a tall, beautiful older woman standing a few paces behind Inara, her hand over her mouth.

"Cel?" Regan gasps.

"Malcolm Reynolds, what the gorram hell is going on?" Inara shouts.

Mal dashes behind River. "Surprise."

-

"Well, where are they?" Mal questions Inara as she steps into the mess.

"They're in my shuttle." Inara glares at him. "I can't believe you did this."

"I can." Simon says. "He seems to have a penchant for pushing people."

"Hey, your little sister helped." Mal defends. "And she's the gorram reader so that's gotta mean somethin'."

"You knew?" Simon asks River.

"And helped?" Inara adds. "Why didn't you say something to us?"

"Simon can't lie and you wouldn't have gone along with the manipulation." River replies. "They deserve some type of closure, one that wasn't forced and this is the only opportunity."

"What she said." Mal says. "Now, Alfred, we've got a spare room by the doc that you can use and Regan can use River's old room. And Nara, are you givin' your ma your shuttle or do you want her to use a spare too?"

"I'll take the spare." Inara replies. "My mother will use my shuttle."

"Good then, it's all settled." Mal announces.

"No, Mal, it's not settled." Inara argues. "This habit you have for always pushing and ordering people to do things they're not ready to do needs to stop."

Zoe snorts. "Nara, he's been like that for years; he ain't about to stop now."

"Hey." Mal protests. "I don't push. I just point out the very obvious solution to a problem and nudge it along. In what way is that pushing?"

-

"Would you like some tea?" Celeste questions politely, her hand shaking as she goes to pour it.

"Stop." Regan orders. "I'm not a client, Cel; there's no need for this front."

Celeste sits down on the couch a few feet away from Regan. "She knows, doesn't she?"

"Yes." Regan replies. "They all know."

"Does she hate me?" Celeste whispers. "I lied to her; her entire life has been a lie. God, she must hate me."

"Shh." Regan hushes softly. "Cel, she doesn't hate you."

"I don't see why not." Celeste says. "I haven't been a very good mother."

"Either have I." Regan replies. "But we've been given a chance to change that."

Celeste turns slightly to look at Regan. She's aged but it only makes her look more beautiful. "Do you ever think…"

"Every single day." Regan cuts in. "Do you?"

Celeste nods. "It's the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing before I go to sleep and who knows how many times in between."

"I know." Regan agrees, unconsciously scooting closer.

Celeste looks down at the knee touching her own and then up at Regan. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Regan whispers, tears filling her eyes.

"Don't baby." Celeste pleads. "Don't."

A single tear drips down Regan's cheek.

Celeste reaches up to brush the tear away and then softly caresses Regan's cheek. And then because she can't not, she pulls Regan's mouth down to hers.

Regan sighs and feels the tears flow freely from her eyes as she kisses her love for the first time in almost twenty-eight years. Her arms wind around Celeste's neck, pulling the companion closer.

Celeste can feel tears fall from her own eyes as she pushes past the seam of Regan's lips with her tongue. Her hands burrow into Regan's soft hair as she deepens the kiss, feeling whole for the first time in so long. She gently nudges Regan backwards until she's lying on her back. Then she pulls back to study her lover. "You're so beautiful."

Regan blushes and shakes her head. "No."

"Yes." Celeste argues. "God, you're even more beautiful then when the last time I saw you."

"So are you." Regan whispers, tugging on her hand until Celeste lies down, half her body on the couch and half her body on Regan herself. "We really should go talk to our children.

"Yes." Celeste agrees, reaching behind her to lower the zipper on her dress.

Regan quickly untucks her shirt and pulls it off. Her bra comes next, leaving her in nothing but her wool slacks.

Celeste pushes her dress down to her hips and then lays back down, moaning when her bare breasts brush against Regan's bare breasts. Her hand slides up Regan's belly to cup a mound, her thumb rubbing back and forth until the nub is hard.

Regan moans and arches into Celeste's hand. And as her hands move to unbutton her slacks, there's a knock on the shuttle door.

"Mother, is everything okay in there?" Simon's says through the metal. "We're starting to get worried."

Regan leans her forehead against Celeste's with a laugh. "We'll be out in a minute, Simon."

Celeste stands up and starts to pull her dress back up.

"I never thought I'd get interrupted by my children." Regan comments as she puts her bra back on. "It makes me feel like a child."

-