A/N: Hello again! Here is chapter 2. As a reminder this story follows after A NEW LIFE and is set approximately four years down the road.

I understand this time shift may be jarring, hopefully ya'll can hang in there.

Thanks to Leiasky for the incomparable beta-ing and advice.

Comments are good, no, better than good ... GREAT!

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A NEW BEGINNING, ch. 2: Mothers & Daughters, Fathers & Sons

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“All right now, you listen to me, Miss Mimi Ann,” Mal said, affecting a stern tone that always seemed to get the attention of his three year old. And it hadn’t failed this morning. Waking early, he had been up when she’d stirred and not wanting to wake his wife, Mal had carried her out to the cargo bay, where they both now sat, their feet dangling over the edge of the landing, talking.

“Yes, daddy,” she said, her little voice eager to hear the wisdom he would bestow.

“You gotta go easy on your mama,” he told her, watching as her big, brown eyes, so very much like Inara’s stared back at him. She wasn’t getting it. Trying a different tact, he said, “See, when you’re playin’ you gotta be careful, ‘cause your mama an’ I, we don’t want ya gettin’ hurt.”

“Like before?” she asked, reaching up a tiny hand to gently brush across the wicked bruise that had erupted on her forehead.

Smiling at her, Mal confirmed. “Exactly. See that makes your mama an’ I real scared.”

Her eyes widening just a bit, Mimi immediately crawled into her daddy’s lap, placing her tiny arms around his neck. “I sorry, daddy,” she whispered in his ear, causing Mal to grin even more widely. “I din’t mean ta scare ya.”

Hugging her back, Mal pressed a kiss into her dark curly hair and rocked her a bit. “I know that baby, but livin’ on a ship, means there’s a lot more chances for you to fall and get banged up. So we gotta watch out for one another.”

“And the new baby,” Mimi told him, leaning back to look at her dad’s smiling face.

His grin even wider, Mal nodded and said, “That’s right, and for the new baby.”

As Mimi again gave him a giant hug, thereby significantly weakening all of Mal’s will power for the day, he rose with her and said, “How ‘bout some breakfast?”

“Yay,” she yelled, bouncing up and down against his chest with excitement. “Ain’t we gonna get mama?”

“Nah,” Mal told his little girl, kissing her cheek as he took her towards the galley. “Why don’t we let her sleep?”

***

“Simon, you sure you’re okay?”

“What?” Simon turned to the entrance of the infirmary, lost in thought as he prepped for River’s appointment. He had not slept well last night and had barely eaten breakfast, his anxiety rising as he considered, not for the first time, that something could truly be wrong with his sister or her child. Kaylee had of course asked him what was going on and like a good doctor he had told her nothing. But like a husband, he had wanted to.

Now, he met her concerned gaze across the room and felt shame for keeping her in the dark. Crossing the distance between them, he took her hands in his and placed a light kiss to her cheek. “Yes, bao bei, I’m fine. I just want to be sure I’ve got everything set for River’s appointment.”

Kaylee smiled at him slightly, knowing there was more going on in that overly bright brain than she could ever guess at. Placing a light hand against his cheek, she asked, “You’re really worried, ain’t ya?”

Simon kissed her again, this time on the mouth, hoping the simple gesture could wipe away his rising fear as it had hundreds of times before. But as he pulled away and again looked deep into her green eyes, he could only sigh and say, “I am. And I have no idea why.”

Kaylee squeezed his hands, her own fear for her sister’s safety now at a dangerously high level, but she knew her husband. Not only was he the best doctor, he was River’s brother and that child she was carrying was his niece. Kaylee knew he would do anything and everything in his power to be sure everyone made it through this happy and healthy. “Don’ worry, I’m sure you and Jayne is worryin’ over nothin’. You know how us pregnant ladies are, always mood swinging and ragin’ at somethin’.”

Simon smirked, swallowing the sarcastic comment that came to mind, knowing it would only serve to anger his beautiful wife. Just as he was about to thank her for being her, his son bounded into the room followed closely by Rylee.

“Mom, Rylee took my data pad again,” Daniel whined, throwing a simmering look back to his little sister.

With her hands on her hips, Rylee stuck out her tongue at her brother and whined back, “Not-uh. You said I could use it.”

Giving her husband a bemused grin, Kaylee stepped between her two bickering children and held up her hands. “All right, enough.” As they both quieted, she took one in each hand and led them out of the room and towards their bunks. “I think we’re gonna have a little talk ‘bout sharin’, how does that sound?”

Simon smiled as he heard both of them groan and waited until their voices had faded before turning back to his work. He was again in the midst of his preparations, when he heard his sister’s soft voice call to him. “Simon?”

Turning he saw River and Jayne standing in the doorway and Simon instantly recognized River’s apprehension. What she was so scared of, he didn’t know, but then again he supposed that’s what they were here to find out.

“Good morning mei mei,” he greeted her, crossing the room and kissing her cheek. She kissed him back and then turned to look to Jayne. “You can go now.”

“Oh no, I think I’m gonna be stayin’ right here,” Jayne told her, crossing his arms over his chest in a look of pure defiance. “That’s okay, ain’t it doc?”

Even if it hadn’t been, there was no way Simon would have ever said no. “Of course, come on in.”

Both men helped River up onto the examine table and Simon pulled the ultrasound machine to the side of the bed. Lifting up River’s shirt to expose her growing stomach, he gently ran his hand over her belly feeling for the baby’s positioning. Then taking his stethoscope, he checked both River’s heart beat and the baby’s, although hearing the tiny one’s thump-thump was difficult, but he knew once he placed the diagnostic device to her belly, he would be able to hear everything.

“So far, so good,” Simon told them both, noticing as Jayne visibly relaxed at his words. The man had held onto River’s hand throughout the exam so far and he squeezed it a bit as Simon placed the cool gel on his patient’s stomach and started searching for an image of the fetus.

Looking to her husband, River smiled, despite her own reservations and whispered, “See? I told you.”

Jayne bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering back, “Let’s just wait ‘til your brother is finished, before we start swapping ‘I-told-you-so’s. ‘Kay?”

Smiling back at him, River nodded once and then turned her head to face the screen Simon had started. With the small device pressed to her stomach, the black and white screen showed the contents of her uterus in odd detail and even as she tried to puzzle it all out, she finally saw the outline of her baby. Her little girl. They had of course seen the image before now. Simon had been adamant that since they had spent a pretty penny on the machine, he would use it to its full extent, making ultrasounds mandatory for every pregnant woman on Serenity. But River felt more today, at this moment as she stared at the blurry image.

The aftereffects of her nightmare still plagued her. The underlying feeling of dread that had curled itself into her gut, reminding her to always be on alert, to be vigilant, even when sleeping, so no one could touch her child. She had thought that once she awoke this morning, some of that dread and the fear it conjured would have diminished, allowing her to breathe normally, allowing her heart not to race … but she’d been wrong. Now, even as she tried to stay calm, she felt her heart pounding in her chest and she knew, a split second before Simon picked up on it, that it would cause both men in the room to worry.

“Mei mei?” Simon turned from the screen to regard her, his furrowed brow such a typical expression that she had to smile at him. “Your heart’s racing. Are you all right?”

“What is it, baby girl?” Jayne asked hurriedly, leaning over her. “You okay?”

Smiling at them both, River sighed heavily and willed her heart to return to its normal rate. As she brought it under control, she looked between them both and said, “See? Fine.”

Giving each other the same skeptical look, Simon met Jayne’s eyes over his sister’s prone form. Shrugging to the doctor slightly, Simon took that to mean he was going to let it go and turned back to regard the images he was getting.

“Well, we are looking very good,” he said appraisingly. Pointing to the black and white picture, he told the parents, “This is her head and here’s one arm.”

“Where’s the other one?” Jayne asked, a panicked tone in his voice as he feared his daughter would be born with only three limbs.

Giving Jayne her best patient expression, River patted his arm gently and said, “She’s laying on it, silly.”

“Oh,” he grunted, trying to hide the blush that crept up his neck. “Right.”

“I’d say everything is fine. Perfectly normal.” Even as Simon said the words he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He hadn’t known what exactly he’d thought he’d see, but he’d feared something worse, something he couldn’t fix and now that he knew his sister and her child were well, he felt a hundred percent better.

Handing River a piece of gauze to wipe the gel from her stomach, Simon stowed the equipment and turned back to them both with a smile. “You’re in perfect health.”

River smiled her thanks to him, as Jayne helped her sit up again. Throwing a decidedly smug look over her shoulder, she asked innocently, “Is it time now?”

Groaning, Jayne nodded reluctantly. River waited a beat and then said, “Told you so.”

Kissing her cheek, Jayne whispered, “Trust me, darlin’, I ain’t never been so happy to be wrong.”

***

With River’s clean bill of health, she returned to her duties on the bridge, pulling Serenity into the black with ease. She liked it, on the bridge, away from the hustle and bustle of everyone. Mal had made it known to the little ones on board that if even one tiny toe stepped onto his bridge there would be hell to pay, so River knew as she sat back in the pilot’s seat and gazed out at the stars, she would not be interrupted.

And she needed the time to think. Despite her reassurances to both Jayne and her brother, her dreams and the pain often associated with them were getting worse. Every time Simon examined her and the baby, she felt a ripple of relief spread from her heart and out the tips of her fingers and toes. She knew her body relaxed just a bit whenever she and her daughter were deemed “healthy.” Until the next time when River’s at once easing tension turned into high-pitched anxiety.

It wasn’t healthy of course, she knew that. River probably knew more about pregnancy than even Simon. She had read every text on the Cortex she could find, skimming most of them for the important information, her very smart brain having no trouble gleaning out the necessary bits and skipping over the fluff. She didn’t need fluff. She didn’t need to know about the flutter in a mother’s heart the first time the baby kicked or the emotion of realizing a new life was growing in her womb. River needed to know the facts for one very simple task – to survive. The other stuff, the emotions and the memories and the precious moments she would let come at their will, but she would only concern herself with protecting her child. There was nothing else in the ‘verse that was more important to her.

However, despite her reading, River had been unprepared for the unique effects pregnancy would have on her. She was not a normal woman, not by any stretch of even the most vivid imagination. Even discounting her time at the Academy, the fact that she was a Reader made her more different than just about anyone. And it made being pregnant a completely different experience.

At first, her abilities had been heightened. She had known within days of conception that she was carrying Jayne’s child and had almost forgone the normal test before telling him. But a slight bit of doubt had encouraged her to seek out Simon’s counsel and as he had confirmed for her what she had known to be true, she had felt her heart soar at the prospect of finally being a mother. For the first few months, it was much the same. She knew, with an uncanny certainty when the baby was awake or asleep, heard its heartbeat long before any medical device could pick it up, felt the tiny awakening of its consciousness. River had reveled in the new feelings of that first trimester, when she had been not only nourishing her child with food, but sheltering and encouraging its mind, heart and soul.

And then, it changed, abruptly. In fact, it happened with such rapidity, River had feared the worst, feared that she had done something wrong and she had lost that little life. But again, with Simon’s help – it really was handy having a doctor for a brother – she knew that she hadn’t lost anything, their relationship had simply moved into a new phase. And so she’d waited, patiently at first, for the ability to again communicate, to feel, her baby growing.

But there was nothing. Occasionally, River would get a flash, a momentary touch of consciousness that she was starved for. But all too quickly the moment would fade and River would again be left with nothing. Nothing but the physical sensation of carrying a new life, nothing but what everyone else experienced. And she didn’t like it.

She had explained away the change by rationalizing that the additional hormones coursing through her system were causing a disconnect in her abilities. But then it had started to affect her ability to read anyone, on the ship, off the ship and River began to fear that the problem might run deeper and that scared her. Now, with the proliferation of these vivid dreams, her anxiety was again on the rise. Even seeing the baby’s image and hearing her tiny heartbeat this morning in the infirmary had not managed to calm her as they normally did and she didn’t like that either.

Sighing heavily, she leaned her head back. Feeling like this, out of control, powerless was not something River was used to. She had been, once, at the Academy, but once Simon had freed her from that prison and once she had again managed to maintain some sort of hold on her sanity she had promised she would never again be so helpless. Turns out, it was a promise she couldn’t readily keep.

She hadn’t told anyone about her weakening abilities, not Jayne or Simon, not even Kaylee, who she had shared many a pregnancy story with. No, she couldn’t tell them that, it would worry them or thrill them, she wasn’t sure. She knew that Simon had long ago gotten used to her penchant for plucking the most embarrassing thought from his brain and putting it on display for all to see, so she doubted he would be upset to know she had lost that skill. But she guessed that Jayne just might be.

River knew her husband, better than anyone, and she knew that he would never willingly say something or do something to hurt her. But she also knew, although she’d never told him, that sometimes it scared him how well she could understand him. No one had ever understood him before and the fact that River could literally read his soul put him on edge. Not always, but enough.

Of course, her abilities had come in quite handy for them as well. Sex notwithstanding, which River remembered with a slight smile, was amazing, but her reading had also kept them from having many a blow-up, had allowed her to know when he was in danger and needed help, had let her know when he finally decided he wanted to be her husband.

She tried, really hard, not to intrude on his private thoughts. She knew they were precious to him and so, out of respect and love, she tried to give his mind that space, where he could know he was alone. River had even mentioned on a few occasions that she didn’t pry, and he’d always said it didn’t matter, always said he didn’t mind. But she knew he did. And she feared the guilt and sadness she’d feel if she told him she wasn’t a reader anymore and he was glad. Or if she told him and it turned out she was wrong.

Lost in thought, she did not hear the tiny footsteps pad up to the door of the bridge. “Psst. Aunt River!”

The loud whisper could only come from one child on board. Turning in her chair, she saw Rylee’s small form peeking around the bulkhead and into the room. “Yes, little one?” River asked, allowing a bemused smile to light her face.

As her eyes darted around the room, Rylee was finally convinced her aunt was alone. Stepping out from her hiding spot, she asked in a normal voice, “Can I come sit with you?”

Raising her eyebrows, River answered playfully, “I don’t know. You know what Uncle Cappy says.” Rylee giggled at her nickname for Mal. No one else called him that of course, except River and she only did it because it annoyed him so.

Clasping her hands in front of her, and giving her aunt her best puppy dog look, Rylee begged, “Please….”

Sighing, River motioned an arm in the girl’s direction. “All right, come here. But don’t tell your brother.”

Squealing in delight, Rylee bounded over to her aunt in just a few steps and waited as the woman hoisted her onto her lap. Sitting and facing her, Rylee wrapped her fingers in the end of her aunt’s long hair and looked at her with those wide, brown eyes. “What’re you doing up here all alone?”

River gave the girl a tiny peck on the cheek and said, “Just thinking.”

“What’re you thinking about?” Rylee asked, delighting as she weaved her aunt’s dark hair into tiny patterns that would no doubt leave knots.

“My baby,” River admitted, not sure why she felt she needed to share that with the child.

“Oh, she’s gonna be bootiful,” Rylee breathed, again looking to River with wide eyes.

“How do you know it’s a she?” River let the smile play across her features, brushing some of her niece’s hair back behind her ear as the girl decided whether to fib or tell the truth.

Deciding on the truth, she shrugged and said, “Daddy told mommy and I heard him.”

“Oh,” River said knowingly. Leaning forward, she whispered to her, “You were spying again, weren’t you?”

With a bashful expression and a little giggle, Rylee couldn’t deny it. She was kind of known on Serenity for being about at the most inopportune moments and places. It had gotten the girl into trouble on a number of occasions, but River knew it had simply encouraged her to be more careful, not to cease and desist her efforts all together.

“Well, you better be careful, Ry,” River warned her, trying to keep her tone light, but hoping her niece could read the seriousness in her expression. “Sometimes when you listen to things you shouldn’t, you wish you hadn’t.”

Rylee cocked her head to one side, thinking on her aunt’s words. She didn’t really understand what she meant, Rylee had only ever heard really good stuff when she’d been trying, nothing that she didn’t want to know. But the look on her aunt’s face told her that maybe this was a lesson she should learn. Her aunt had very rarely steered her wrong in the past, their little argument from a few days ago notwithstanding. “Okay,” she said simply, leaning her head down against her aunt’s chest and feeling sleepy.

Placing a kiss in the girl’s hair, River rested her cheek on her head and murmured back, “Okay.”

***

“Mimi Ann Reynolds, you come back here right now!”

With a quick run, Mimi found herself in the passenger dorms and out of hiding places. Her mom was mad, really mad, and while the little girl had an idea why, guessing it had something to do with the mess she had made of her very expensive make up, she still did not relish the spanking she was in for. Glancing quickly around the room, she heard a small noise off to her right.

“Hey!”

Looking in that direction, she saw Rylee’s small form wedged into a tiny nook, she never would have noticed. Hurrying towards her, she said, “Can I hide in there?”

Wordlessly, the girls switched places. Looking back to her, Rylee whispered, “Stay back. I’ll come get you when she’s gone.”

Mimi nodded once, grateful that Rylee was, again, going to save her from a severe punishment. She always seemed to be exactly where Mimi needed her at exactly the right moment. While the three year old could not possibly understand how coincidental that was, she did know she was glad.

Any further thoughts flew from her mind, as her huffing and puffing mother rounded the corner, her eyes blazing with an anger Mimi had seen many times before, although often directed at her dad. Pulling herself even further into the dark corner, she waited, holding her breath.

Inara scanned the room, looking for her daughter, her daughter who was in a world of trouble, when she saw Rylee lying on her stomach on the couch across from the infirmary, drawing. Going over to her and trying to temper some of the anger in her voice as she wasn’t mad at her, she asked, “Rylee, have you seen Mimi?”

Looking up to her with those wide brown eyes that so readily reminded her of her aunt, Rylee said, “No, Aunt Inara. Do you want me to help look for her?”

Smiling her appreciation at her manners and her respect, Inara moved forward and patted her head as she swept from the room, still looking for her own child. “No, dear, that’s all right. She can’t have gone far.”

Rylee watched her go, waiting until she was sure she was out of sight and out of hearing range, before bounding up off the couch. On her way across the room to free Mimi from her cubby, Daniel walked in, causing her to stop. “Hi Danny,” she greeted him cheerfully.

Apparently too cheerfully, as her overly smart brother turned to her with a wary gaze. Crossing his arms over his chest in a way that made him look like a shorter version of their father, he said, “You’re up to something.”

Shaking her head firmly, Rylee locked her hands behind her back and rocked a bit on the balls of her feet. “Uh-huh,” she told him, smiling sweetly.

Looking to her for a moment more, Daniel knew that whatever she was plotting or planning, he would only find out about it when she was good and ready to tell him. While he was older, Rylee always seemed to be one step ahead of him, often guessing his schemes and knowing his secrets the minute he did. And it was annoying. “Huh,” he grunted in her direction and then with a sigh, left the room, muttering about little sisters.

Watching him go, Rylee widened her eyes and exhaled a big breath, moving back towards her friend’s hiding spot.

“Meems, you can come out now,” she whispered, reaching her hand into the crack and helping pull her back into the room.

Smiling widely at her, she said, “Thanks.”

Shrugging slightly, Rylee headed back for her sketching and told her, “If I were you, I’d lay low for a while. She was mad.”

Grinning wickedly at the thought of evading her mother for the afternoon, Mimi was again out of sight by the time the Rylee got back to her drawing.

***

By the time River glided Serenity into its waiting docking port on Greenleaf, she was ready for rest. The trip had not been that long or overly taxing, but she was tired more quickly and more often than not lately. And now, after three days of barely any sleep, she and the baby were both desperately in need of some shut eye.

Rising from the pilot’s chair, she stretched, reaching both of her arms up over her head and moaning slightly at the feel of her muscles working themselves out. With a quick intake of air, she felt her heart race and then relax as two big, strong arms encircled her and her growing belly from behind. Knowing her husband’s hold anywhere, River leaned back into his embrace and tipped her head back to look at him. “Hi.”

“Hiya, baby girl,” he said quietly, grinning as he dropped his head down to give her a kiss. River returned the contact, her lips and tongue playing along Jayne’s with teasing and passion. Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, the captain’s voice could be heard echoing up to them. “Jayne, get your hands offa my pilot and get the hell down here. We gotta go!”

Groaning Jayne kissed her for just a second more and then pulled away, squeezing her tight for a moment before heading off. “We’ll be back in a bit, baby. You stay tight.”

Smiling at him, River was relieved he was out of sight and almost off the ship when she again felt a wave of pain so severe it made her double over. The cramping caused her vision to blur for a moment and River worried she’d be ill right there on the bridge. Deciding it was indeed time for her to lie down, River made it out of the cockpit and down the ladder into their bunk with just a bit more discomfort. Lying on her side and trying to ease her pounding heart, River fell into another deep sleep, praying that the pain she felt was normal and not a harbinger of things to come.

***

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