DISCLAIMER: Don't own it, never did, never will--just having fun playing.

A/N: You should really read the first part of this story, if you haven't already. All chapters are interlinked. Chapter 1 Adult Only!, or an alternate beginning at Chapter 2 PG13

Part 2, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6 & 7, Chapter 8

As always, thanks to kispexi2 for betaing this for me! Thanks to rhian_morwenna for making sure I got the medical stuff right! And thanks to woodsong_1978 for the final polishing! *g*

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Chapter 9 The big day

"Simon, are you awake? Simon?" Kaylee's voice on the comm in their bunk finally roused Simon.

Rolling out of bed, he stumbled to the unit. "Yeah, Kaylee. I'm here. Everything okay?" He rubbed his hands over his face trying to wake up.

"River says it's time."

"All right, give me a couple of minutes and I'll meet you in the infirmary."

"Ok."

Simon turned to get his clothes, and bumped into the solid wall of Mal's chest. Mal's arms came up to steady him as Simon said, "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were awake."

"'S all right, ài chēng. So, it's time, huh?" Mal hugged him briefly before releasing him to turn on the light.

"Yes, but I'm sure it will be hours yet. You don't have to…" Simon was dressing even as he spoke.

"Don't be ridiculous. This is our child we're talkin' about. I'll be there." Mal pulled Simon into another embrace, kissing him quickly, before locating his own clothing.

"All right, but don't blame me if you don't get anything captainy done today," Simon grinned. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Only a couple o' hours before we were supposed to get up."

"Ah, well, at least I had a better night's sleep than with Becca. Hope River and Kaylee got some, too. Ready?"

"Yep. Let's go."

***

Simon had been right. It was hours later, and still nothing much was happening. He'd tried to convince Mal to go about normal ship's business, but Mal wouldn't budge from the area. All the members of the crew had stopped by at various times during the day to lend moral support, and keep Mal from getting in the way. Mostly they had succeeded, but he was still nervous, and tended to pace back and forth between the infirmary and the common room.

River was tired, but doing well. She and Kaylee had walked several times around the cargo bay earlier, but they were now in the infirmary as River's contractions grew closer together and the time drew near. Simon had given her a local anesthetic to help with the pain, and draped a sheet across her from the waist down.

"Okay, mèi mèi, you're fully dilated. You're close now; I can see the baby's head. Next contraction you can start pushing. Inara, next time he walks by, would you tell Mal he can come in?"

"Speak of the devil," Inara commented, "there he is. Mal? It's almost time. You can come in if you'd like."

Stepping into the room, he walked over and gave Kaylee a quick hug before taking River's hand in his. "Hey, there, Albatross. How ya doin'?"

River shot him one of her patented "you are such a boob" looks then squeezed his hand as her next contraction hit. When it passed, she gasped, "I'm…good. How's…your…hand?"

Shaking it out a little, Mal grinned, "Just don't break my trigger finger, and it'll be fine." Stepping behind her and taking both her hands in his, he continued, "You just grip as hard as you need to, whenever you need to."

Time passed in a blur as everything began happening at once. River's contractions were coming one on top of another. Simon was encouraging her with soft "You're doing fine, mèi mèi"'s. Kaylee helped her with her breathing and her focus. And Mal grunted quietly whenever she squeezed his hands. Before they knew it, it was time for the final push and Simon was holding a newborn baby.

Simon looked up at Mal, grinning from ear to ear, as he announced, "We have a daughter, Mal." He handed the baby to Inara while he tended to River.

The look on his face matching Simon's, Mal leaned down to kiss River's forehead before walking over to where Inara was just finishing cleaning up the baby. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed her to Simon, who then stepped into Mal's embrace. They stood quietly, lost in the wonder of the moment, before Mal looked up at River and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Not done yet, though."

"Huh?"

"Oh, yes, that's right." Simon quickly returned to doctor mode. "We're not quite done. Mal, would you take our daughter? You can sit over there, no need to go back to the common room." With that, he turned back to River. Placing one hand on her abdomen, he asked, "You ready?"

"No hands to squeeze. Otherwise, yes."

"I'm sorry, but I need my hands, and Mal's kind of busy."

"You can squeeze my hands, băo bèi," said Kaylee, taking River's hands in hers.

"You sure? Don't want to hurt you."

"I'm sure. It'll be shiny, you'll see."

"Okay. Ohh, contraction!"

"It's fine, River. Go ahead and push. This time shouldn't take as long." Simon was correct. River pushed a couple more times, and then Simon was holding another baby. He immediately handed the baby to Inara, who cleaned and wrapped it while he finished the final details with River.

Mal had been so intent on his new daughter that he hadn't been paying attention to what was going on, but at the sound of crying he looked up in shock. "What?" And there was Simon, walking towards him holding another baby as the women looked on. "Twins?" he asked, totally dumbfounded.

"That's right, love. We also have a son." He placed the baby in Mal's arms, giving him a tender kiss before turning to finish taking care of River.

Mal stopped him with a question. "That's all, right? Only twins? Not triplets?"

"Yes, Mal. That's all. Isn't two enough?" Simon laughed.

"Oh, yeah. Two's enough. Just wanted to make sure you didn't have any more surprises for me."

"No more surprises, love. Now let me make sure River's doing all right."

"Go. I'll be here, contemplatin' names for these two young'uns."

When Simon returned to River's side, he noticed that Inara had taken care of getting River comfortable. "Thank you, Inara. I shouldn't have left that for you."

"It's quite all right, Simon. You were busy, and for good reason. Congratulations." Inara gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking over to talk to Mal.

Simon turned to River and asked, "So, mèi mèi, how are you feeling?"

"Tired. Didn't sleep much last night. Can Kaylee and I go to our room? Don't like to be in here if not necessary."

"I know, mèi mèi. How about you stay in here for the next hour, and if everything's fine, then you can go to your room?"

"Okay, if I must," River let out a long-suffering sigh.

Simon held her hands as he leaned down to give her a kiss. "Thank you, xiăo mèi mèi, for everything."

"You're welcome," she smiled at him. "Now you can worry about someone else. Stop worrying about me." Simon laughed as Mal joined them.

"Well, husband, I think it's time you took a turn holdin' these young'uns," Mal said with a grin, "so's I can thank these two ladies properly." Passing the babies to Simon, he caught Kaylee up in an exuberant hug. Then he turned to River, and taking both her hands in his, he said, "I don't know how to thank you enough, my Albatross. I never thought the day would come that I'd have a child, and today you've given me two. I don't have the words to express my gratitude." And, with tears in his eyes, he leaned down to give her a hug.

"Take care of them; love them. All the thanks I need," River said as she returned the hug.

Not sure he could trust his voice, Simon cleared his throat a couple of times, then said, "I think it's time we leave River to get some rest. You can stay with her, if you'd like, Kaylee, but how about we introduce these children to the rest of the family? Did you come up with any names, love?"

Before Mal could say anything, River spoke up, "Names are Hope and Benjamin. Told me earlier."

Simon looked questioningly at Mal, and Mal shrugged as he said, "Who are we to argue with a reader? Hope and Benjamin it is." And each of them carrying a child, he and Simon stepped into the common room to introduce their children to their little corner of the 'verse.

Part 3, Moments in a Life