"Heart of Gold" is the 13th episode of the science fiction television series Firefly created by Joss Whedon.

A Companion-trained friend of Inara's who runs a brothel calls for help from Serenity when a local bigwig reveals his intentions to take his baby from the woman he impregnated.

Upon landing, Jayne takes one of the women to his room, Shepherd Book agrees to conduct a prayer reading, and Simon goes to examine Petaline, who will give birth soon.

Nandi herself admits that she gave up on her Companion training because she found it too restricting, and that even though Inara was supposed to shun her per the Guild's rules, the two women have kept in touch regardless.

Back in town, one of Nandi's girls, Chari (Kimberly McCullough), secretly reveals Mal's plan to Burgess.

On board the Serenity, Wash and Kaylee find some of Burgess' men searching the ship and manage to outsmart and lock them in a hallway.

Mal pursues him on horseback, and drags him back to the ranch, where Petaline shows him their son, Jonah, before killing him.