His son sat in his lap, face wet and shining with water. He shifted a little, finding a more comfortable spot in Simon's arms. After a few more moments of silence, he spoke up, his little Five year-old voice able to ask the most serious of questions despite his tender age. "Papa?" Simon looked at him, eyes welling up a bit each time he looked at his son. "Yes, Tom?" "Papa, could you tell me 'bout Mama?" Simon sighed. Why not. "Well, son, theres so much to tell, where to start?" "From da beginin'," he answered matter-of-factly. "Right, the begining." He smiled. "Well, I first met your mama when I was trying to find a place for me and your auntie River." "Cuz ya'll was hidin' from the 'Liance?" Tom supplied. "Yep, cuz we were hiding from the 'Liance'" He gave a small laugh. "Well, your mama Kaylee, she welcomed us into Serenity right off the bat, its just who she was. She didn't know of any other way to act around people, just be all happy. And her smile," here, he sighed wistfully. "Yeah, her smile was as big as a sun, and brighter, too. And she never really let up on me, always trying to get me to loosen up to her. She was always the persistent type, y'know. She never gave up on me, even though I was always such an idiot around her. Or," he laughed, "a boob, as River likes to call me." He sighed. "Your mama was always brave. She'd never use a gun, if she could help it, but she'd do anything for us. She was what made Serenity so nice." "Is that how she got kilt?" "Yeah, thats how she got kilt. Covering for yuo and me. Without her, it was who woulda got that shot. I always loved your momma, even though it took me a while to own up to it." He sighed. "Well, I guess that we should-" Suddenly, a bucket of water cascaded over them, soaking them both through to the skin. When Simon looked up, spluttering, Kaylee was favoring them both with with one of her famous smiles, and she didn't seemed at all fazed by the water that was dripping off her coveralls. She smiled even brighter, then said, "C'mon, ya'll, we're startin' up another game of water ballons! Great idea, Simon, by the way," she added non-chalantly to her husband. Simon was about to speak, but little Tom cut in. "Momma, when yous gets kilt, ya stay kilt! Thems be da rules!!!" If possible, Kaylee smiled all the wider. "Ah, my lil' terror tyke, the game is over, and we are startin' up again! C'mon!" With a squeal of pure delight, Tommy raced off to where River and Jayne had refilled all the three balloon buckets again. Before swhe could race off, Simon wrapped his arms around her. "Y'know, you didn't need to dump the bucket over us." "Oh, but you look good with all that water on ya," she exclaimed, raking her eyes over his now revealed chest. "Kaylee, you are incourigible!!! Its our son's fifth birthday party!!!" She stood on tip-toes to kiss him. "Is that really so bad?" Simon regarded her a moment. "No." She smiled sultrily at him. "Good. Right answer, Doctor Tam. I think I'll let you... examine me, later today. Shall I make an appointment?" Suddenly, Simon's pants felt rather uncomfortable. "Oh, uh, no, not at all..." "Good." She kissed him again. "Oh, and, I liked that description of me ya gave our son. Flattering." He returned her smile (his had managed to grow a bit since meeting her, something that was a given around her). "Only the best for the best wife in the 'verse." Her eyes slittled a little bit, giving her a prdatory look. "Sorry, but you'll have ta wait a bit 'fore ya can... examine me." Simoon liked the idea of being her pray. Even if he would have to wait. She trailed a hand over his lithe chest. "'Til later, then." As she walked away to join their son in getting water balloons for the water battle coming up (Inara, Mal, Zoe, and Jayne vs. the Tams), 'later' suddenly felt a long, long time away. The sun made its majestic way over the small moon that was their son's birthday-planet.