Inara had ventured in to town to do some shopping that afternoon. It was an activity that had she been at home, she would have enjoyed sharing with dear Kaylee. The two always had such pleasant conversations together and she loved watching Kaylee's face light up whenever she spotted a bit of finery that appealed to her. She missed Kaylee terribly. And Zoe, Wash, Simon. Even Shepherd Book. Maybe not Jayne so much.
While she was lost in those thoughts, something caught her attention. A familiar jumpsuit with a curl of brown hair. A cheerful voice that she hadn't heard in months. "Kaylee?" She spun around abruptly, but the figure had disappeared with the crowd.
Inara stood still for a moment, processing. It couldn't actually be Kaylee, could it? She'd have known if Serenity's mechanic had arrived on Galador. Wouldn't she? She supposed stranger things had happened. But what if it had only been her brain seeing what it wanted after all of those wistful thoughts?
Deciding she didn't care, Inara maneuvered her way through the crowd to where she'd seen the girl last. Once there, she turned in a circle to survey the shops. Her heart jumped when she saw the mechanical parts store. Sweeping her skirts aside, Inara swiftly entered the store and glanced around.
It only took her a few minutes to spot exactly who she'd been looking for and she nearly wept tears of happiness. She really was here. She moved behind her friend on silent feet and called out in a gentle voice, "Kaylee? Mei mei, is that you?"