His eyes watched her tentatively, hopeful for a fleeting moment that Inara would have the conversation she should've tried days ago, only to be let down. Poker face immediately in place at her word of thanks. Derek kept a congenial gaze. "Don't mention it," he replied with a nod and a small but friendly smile. "This is what I do." He quickly averted his gaze and moved back to his toolbox.

"Need some other tools for the plumbing and I've gotta be somewhere by four. If you need me to get to the plumbing sooner than later, I'll come back when I'm done. Just let me know," he explained while packing up and redressing in his sweatshirt. His words were even but didn't lack at least a little warmth this time. Inara didn't have his pity but did have his sympathy. He'd been wrong to allow his anger to rise. She was just taking care of herself.

She had always been honest with him. Good to him. It was hard for Derek to understand how she spent a career being a high end escort but kept herself exclusive to him in Eudio. He was grateful to the city that they could have the time together that they had with no worry of anything communicable (and that included pregnancy). The city did its best to keep things uncomplicated. How did he manage to find himself in something quite the opposite?