A/N: We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, as far as the end of this fic goes! We have ten more chapters and a 60+ page epilogue, and a lot more angst to get through. Hold on tight!

Thanks in advance to all who read and respond on this chapter and to all who have faithfully been commenting throughout the series. It means a lot to know that folks enjoy and look forward to the stuff I write. You guys have been great!

And of course, thanks to Leiasky. The smut in this chapter is completely due to her influence (curse or thank her at your leisure)!

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A NEW DAY, ch. 23: A Beautiful Pair

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One Month Later

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Kaylee stared at her daughter’s sleeping form, her heart filling with love and contentment that she had thought she might never feel again. With a glance from Rylee to the far corner of the room, she saw Emma and Ethan asleep as well, and this time, the sight of her babies brought a few tears to her eyes. She had just checked on Daniel and her son was sleeping peacefully too. Her family was finally at peace, finally home, finally safe.

She felt Simon’s strong arms work their way around her waist and she leaned back against his broad, bare chest. Burying his face in her neck, he kissed the skin there and then dropped his forehead to her shoulder, content to hold her for the rest of their lives. Turning in his embrace, Kaylee brought her arms up and around his neck and kissed him lightly before murmuring, “Ain’t they amazin’?”

Simon glanced over her shoulder at their sleeping children and then looked back into his wife’s adoring eyes. Nodding once, he brought his mouth back to hers and whispered, “You are amazing,” before again pressing their lips together.

The kiss was soft at first and then quickly grew passionate. The past few months had seen both of them through trials and tribulations that no young couple should ever have to face, but with each other to lean on, they had made it through and the gratitude they felt for each other and the all-encompassing love they held in their hearts translated into a palpable need.

Pulling back from Kaylee reluctantly, Simon took her hand and guided her down the hall to their room, closing the door behind him and sighing with content as Kaylee wound her arms around his waist and started to kiss his neck. Her hands worked up his bare chest, causing him to tremble just a bit, and she smiled against his skin at the effect she had on him. Pulling first one hand and then the other up to his mouth, he kissed them both and then gently brought her around to stand in front of him.

Cradling her face in his hands, Simon stared into her wide, green eyes for many moments, easily lost in the devotion and love he saw there. She held the look, caressing his cheek lightly with her hand and standing just inches from him, the heat from their bodies warming the chilly night air around them. “I love you,” he finally whispered, again bringing his mouth to hers and pressing them together.

Kaylee sighed against him, as he worked his lips over hers, his teeth nipping at her lower lip and bringing it into his mouth before his tongue found its way against her lips and then met hers, thrusting with such urgency that Kaylee could only try and meet his ministrations with passionate ones of her own. Wrapping her arms back around his neck, she pressed her body tight to his, crushing her mouth against his more fervently and causing him to groan, even as she rolled her hips suggestively against him and got the desired reaction.

Parting for air, Kaylee backed up to the bed and sat on its edge, working her finger under the waistband of Simon’s sweatpants and then cupping him through the material. His head fell back and he groaned again and Kaylee grinned wickedly at seeing his delight. Without another thought, she worked both of her hands up to his hips and then pushed the fabric down, causing it to pool at his feet and expose all of him to her.

Hissing between clenched teeth at the sudden coldness, Simon glanced down to her with barely contained desire then, lowering his mouth to hers, kissed her again urgently, murmuring, “Suddenly I feel you are very overdressed.”

She laughed against his mouth and let him work his hands up and under her night shirt, pulling it off over her head, her bare breasts before him and causing his aroused state to heighten. Leaning back a bit on her elbows, Kaylee raised a coy eyebrow to him and let her eyes drift down to her sleep bottoms and then back to him. “You ain’t gonna leave these on, are ya?”

Giving her his own wicked grin, that caused Kaylee’s core to throb pleasantly, Simon crawled over her, his legs straddling her hips, and with his cool, nimble hands he shimmied the fabric slowly, agonizingly slowly, down her hips, and past her thighs, kissing each new area of exposed skin. Kaylee’s head fell back and she moaned at the sensation, feeling his hot breath against her inner thigh and causing her already aroused skin to pulse with anticipation. With fluttery kisses and a teasing tongue, Simon worked her bottoms off and finally deposited them on the floor next to his own.

Reaching out her hands for him, he was still too far away and she whimpered slightly. Looking back up to her, he murmured, “Patience, bao bei.”

Throwing him a feral look that only heightened his desire, he again kissed back up her legs, running a hand up one while he dragged his lips up the other. When he reached her mid-section, Kaylee felt her hips buck with need, as he scooted forward and ghosted first one finger and then two over her damp folds, gradually increasing the pressure against the bundle of nerves that always drove her crazy. Her back arching into his hand, Kaylee moaned again and called his name, wanting him to stop this torture. First with one finger and then a second he slid into her and she cried out even more, her eyes scrunching shut with pleasure.

“Oh, God, Simon, that’s –" She panted unable to form a coherent thought as he again drove her wild. With his free hand, he ran it up the smooth flesh of her stomach and cupped her breast in his hand, fondling the skin there with the same rhythm as the fingers that danced within her. Knowing she was close, Kaylee again called out his name, and grabbing for the hand he’d placed against her breast, she tugged on it, wanting his mouth, wanting him to press himself against her, so she could feel him, all of him.

Truthfully, unable to resist her for a minute more, Simon slowly moved up her body, and she reached for his other hand, the one that was now slick with her and she took each finger and sucked gently, running her tongue along each one to clean them. With a groan of desire, Simon crushed his lips to hers again, even as she raked her hands down his back, her palms pressing firmly against his muscled torso, waiting and wanting him to join them.

And he did. With the most fluid of motions, Simon entered her, his hardness filling her so completely, she felt tears leak out of her eyes. As they found their rhythm with each other, Kaylee again called out his name and had to smile when he began to call out hers. With her only concern bringing him immense pleasure, Kaylee wrapped her legs around his backside and arched her hips to meet him at each thrust, feeling him drive deeper and delighting in it.

“Kaylee, that’s … you …” Simon panted to her incoherently, his mind full of passion for the woman before him now. Raising his head from where it had dropped to her breast, he saw the same desire-filled look meet his gaze and with barely another thought, Kaylee raised her head and captured his mouth in a long, slow kiss that drove her to the edge.

And then she was weightless, drifting in that one perfect and blissful moment. She felt her body shudder with release, felt herself tighten around Simon and then felt the coil of need that had been present in her gut snap with a deliciousness that brought a soundless cry to her lips.

She came back to her reality, the reality of Simon deep within her and she wanted him to feel that moment of joy as well. Looking back to him, she knew he was close, knew he would and could let go and it would be an amazing moment for them both. Running one hand down his chest, she brought it to where they were joined and stroked the skin around the base of him, causing him to cry out her name right before he spilled within her, the rush and intensity of it causing them both to cling to each other with as much force as they could manage.

Collapsing, Simon could only roll over to his side, bringing Kaylee with him and staying inside her. Wiggling against him and causing another groan to escape his mouth, Kaylee kissed him hard and deep and when she again opened her eyes, she saw his blue ones looking at her with pleasure and exhaustion.

Kissing her again, he whispered against her cheek, “That was amazing.”

“I aim to please,” she teased him, nipping at his ear as his head fell back onto the pillow.

Looking back to her, Simon placed a hand to her cheek, and murmured, “You never have to worry about that, bao bei. I love you.”

“I love you,” she reminded him, and then kissed him again, working her arms around him and rolling him onto his back. Now hovering above him, she grinned at him as she slid off of him and murmured, “My turn.”

Allowing a smile to spread across his face, Simon leaned back into the comfort of their bed, as Kaylee started her slow kisses down his neck and over his chest, her hands exploring as diligently as her mouth. As she drew herself down to his softening erection, she wiggled her eyebrows to him and he could only chuckle at her. Still using her hot tongue, she ran it up the length of him, feeling him twitch slightly as he groaned with pleasure.

Pulling on her arms, Simon dragged her back up his body, knowing that while once upon a time he could have given her exactly what she wanted at just about any time of day, the older he got, the longer it took him to recover. But, as he lowered her head to his mouth and kissed her, hard, feeling her sigh and her breasts rub against his chest he didn’t mind having to take a few extra minutes.

Keeping their mouths connected, Simon ran one hand down her cheek and to her breast where it was ghosting over his bare skin. Smiling against her lips as he continued to kiss her urgently, Simon rubbed the skin there, cupping the flesh in his hand and working it until he felt her nipple harden at his touch. Kaylee pulled back from him as the sensitive skin he was caressing caused more desire to burn through her and he replaced his hand with his mouth, sucking and teasing gently, first one nipple and then the other.

Kaylee could only close her eyes for a moment, as the pleasure of his tongue on her caused her to wet deliciously. Bringing her whole body closer to him, she felt him break his hold on her as she returned the favor, sucking and nipping at the skin of his pecs and smiling as he too groaned at her ministrations.

Feeling him hardening again, Kaylee again worked her hot mouth over every inch of skin and teased him again, using her tongue first and then replacing it with two of her fingers. Running up the length of him a few times, increasing the pressure of her touches at each pass, she watched as Simon fisted his hands in the sheets at his sides, unable to do anything more than wait for her to give him his release. Using her whole hand, she started with short tugs and then long ones, feeling his burgeoning hardness and again feeling her own core ache for him at the sight.

“Kaylee,” he breathed her name, barely able to get the word out.

Crawling back up his body, she lowered herself down just enough to tease the very end of him with her wetness, and answered innocently, “Yes, sweetie?”

Hearing her lilting tone, he opened his eyes and grinned at her, that swai grin that she could never resist and she knew she would be ready for him at any moment of any day as long as he smiled at her like that. “Please,” he begged, reaching out a hand and again cupping her breast, paying careful attention to her already aroused nipples.

With another feral grin, she murmured, “Patience, bao bei,” and leaned down to kiss him, her tongue thrusting into his mouth and plundering it thoroughly. Reaching out with his other hand, Simon cupped the back of her head and pressed her mouth harder against his, hoping that the motion might cause her to join them, but with stronger arms than he’d expected, she kept herself hovering over him, brushing over his hard length and causing him to groan into her mouth with each pass.

Grinning against his kiss, Kaylee drew back for air, and reached her hand back down between them and stroked him again, feeling him arch into her as she did so. Inhaling sharply at the sensation, Kaylee felt herself throbbing again in that amazing way and knew she’d be unable to hold out for much longer.

And then, Simon decided to drive her over the edge. Running his hand down between her breasts and to her already sensitive skin, he drew the pad of one thumb across her sweetest spot, increasing the pressure there and causing her to cry out. He could always bring her close by touching her, right there, and he’d done it again. Bringing her head back to look down at him, he grinned wickedly at her, and without wasting another minute, Kaylee shifted her position and sunk onto him, taking him into her one slow inch at a time.

Simon felt her heat and wetness surround him and he cried out at the sensation, calling her name. Then as she moved, rolling back and forth, all Simon could do was run his hands up her back, fisting them into her hair and bringing her down to him.

She leaned over at his touch and again captured his mouth in a kiss, her own hands slipping and sliding through his silky hair as they again lost themselves in the pleasure of each other’s bodies. Dragging his lips along her jaw, Simon kissed down her neck and sucked on the skin of her shoulder, knowing he was bruising the skin there and not caring. “Kaylee, you feel … so … good,” he managed to murmur against her, even as she continued her ministrations, doing everything in her power to drive him to his end.

Running his hands down her back, Simon placed them on her hips and used the leverage to pierce her further as she moved on him. This new sensation caused Kaylee to cry out this time, arching her back as she felt him and the added pleasure it brought. Dropping her head down to his shoulder, she trembled a bit as her body prepared to again let go and murmured, “Simon, ta ma de …”

He grinned a bit at her outburst and then felt her tighten almost to the point of breaking him before letting go and shuddering around him. He was quick to follow her, his own release hot and intense and then they were a tangle of sweaty limbs and breathless pants. Kaylee laid on top of him still, her small form not at all uncomfortable on his strong one and Kaylee nuzzled her cheek against his chest, inhaling the smell of their coupling on him and sighing contentedly.

After a few more minutes, when Kaylee knew sleep would claim her soon, she felt Simon slide out from under her, whimpering at the emptiness and coldness she suddenly felt and then sighing as he lifted her up and pulled back the covers. Sliding in beside her, she again cuddled into his strong chest, both of his arms wrapped around her tight and she was soon asleep, lost in the comfort of her husband and their love.

***

Kaylee awoke the next morning to Simon’s lips fastened to her neck and one of his hands dancing low on her torso. Sighing at the sensation that had awoken her, Kaylee edged toward him just a bit, and trembled as the hand he had run down her stomach slid between her thighs and teased her, while his tongue and teeth continued to nip at her skin.

Opening her eyes, she grinned wide as she ran her hand up his chest and to his face, bringing his mouth to hers and kissing him to within an inch of his life. As their tongues met and danced with each other, she pushed herself into his hand and groaned as his nimble fingers got closer to her already aching core.

Pulling back from her slightly, Simon murmured, “Good morning,” as he continued to rub his fingers down along the sensitive skin, smiling as her eyes rolled back in her head at his touch, her body wet and ready for him. On her side and facing him, Kaylee moved her leg and wrapped it around one of his, pulling them even closer and forcing one of Simon’s fingers that had already moved dangerously close to slide into her. Moaning just as he recaptured her mouth in a kiss, Kaylee’s hands worked up his back and into his hair, as he moved another finger inside of her, and rubbed his thumb at her entrance, bringing even more pleasure to her.

Feeling herself close as he continued his ministrations, moving at a languid pace, Kaylee decided maybe it was time for her to take control. Moving one hand down his chest from where it had tangled in his hair, Kaylee rubbed her hand along his already semi-hard length, and pulled slowly, drawing a strangled moan from his lips. Falling back and pulling his fingers from her, Kaylee propped herself up on one elbow as he panted for a moment and smiled at him sweetly.

“Good mornin’,” she finally teased, reaching for him again, but before she could close her hand around him, he had rolled over and onto her, pushing her back into the soft mattress and pressing his hardness right above her middle, causing her hips to rise and meet him as she felt her need growing.

Closing her eyes, she murmured his name and tried to capture his mouth with hers, but with a teasing tongue and bit of that swai grin, he moved his mouth down her neck, his hands still firmly around her wrists, making it impossible for her to do anything but moan with need and feel his body on her.

As his mouth passed down her breasts, Kaylee’s hips arched once more as his tongue darted out and laved at her already sensitive nipples, sucking one and then the other until they were hard. Still with her hands locked over her head, Kaylee could only wait for him to stop teasing, but as he again moved back up her neck and she felt him, ready for her, she got her own ideas.

Once his lips were again fastened to hers, Kaylee worked herself down the bed just a bit under his grasp and then wrapped her legs around his hips, locking her ankles together and pulling him towards her with all her might. As he sank into her, harder than the night before, they both broke the kiss, their groans swallowed in the other’s mouth as Simon drove deep, Kaylee’s urgent need for him and her movements only heightening the sensation.

Keeping her legs wrapped around his waist, Simon moved in her for a moment and then, wrapping his arms around her lower back, pulled her up and into his lap. The new position increased the pleasure for them both, and Kaylee’s head fell to his shoulder, his name a breathless murmur falling from her lips. With an intensity, that they had shared before, but would never grow old, Simon and Kaylee both used their hands and mouths to continue to explore the other’s body, even as their need and desire for one another pulled them both to the edge.

Laying her back down on the bed as Simon felt Kaylee tightening around him, ready to let go, she kept her arms around his neck and with one final thrust of her hips, her end came and she again panted his name, pulling him down to her and kissing him desperately. Simon kept up his own movements, the feeling of pride at having brought her to such a satisfying release only making him more than ready and with another deep drive into her, he let go, his hot and intense release feeling as though it could burn them both.

With shudders and contented sighs, they both lay in the other’s embrace for a moment, Simon still buried deep, giving Kaylee that deliciously full feeling of content. Again on her side and facing him, she kissed him slowly, pulling his lip into her mouth with her teeth and running her tongue along it, before driving it to find his. Her arms around his back, she pressed herself into him, deepening the kiss and feeling him again harden a bit inside her.

Grinning wickedly, they had to part for air and it was Simon who moaned first this time. “Give me a minute, Kay,” he said, his breath hot against her cheek.

Pouting at him, he could only chuckle at the look on her face and did his best to kiss it away. Running his hands up and through her hair, he kissed her passionately and Kaylee thought fleetingly of all the many things they had survived to get to this moment. With a renewed urgency, she deepened the kiss, crushing her mouth to his, trying to banish the sad memories that quickly accompanied the happy ones her mind had conjured.

Unable to fight her tears, she felt them fall and Simon could taste them. Pulling back from her quickly, concern all over his face, he cupped her cheeks in his hands, even as she pulled off of him and rolled away, wiping at her tears.

“Kaylee?” His voice was soft and worried, and he kissed her lightly on the top of her shoulder as she still refused to look at him. “Kaylee, are you all right?” Pausing again, he ran his hand down through her hair and murmured, “I didn’t hurt you did I?”

Crying even harder that she had made him worry about something like that, Kaylee rolled back to face him and kissed him again. When they parted, she murmured, “No, sweetie our sexin’s always great, you know that.”

Still concerned, Simon rested his hand to her cheek and asked, “Then what is it?”

Shrugging slightly, she told him, “I just get sad sometimes is all.”

Frowning at her, Simon thought of all the words he would use to describe his wife and sad didn’t even make the list. “Kaylee, that’s not it, and I know it.” Kissing her lightly again, he whispered, “Tell me. Please.”

Sighing a bit, Kaylee held his gaze in her own and felt fresh tears well there, not of sadness but of gratitude for a ‘verse that could have given her a man as wonderful as Simon. “I love our new life here,” she told him quietly. “And I love you.”

Cocking an eyebrow at her, Simon grimaced slightly, even as he knew he had to ask. “But?”

“There’s still somethin’ missin’,” she told him, her voice soft. Averting her eyes from his, she murmured, “And I hate feelin’ like we gotta watch our backs all the time, worryin’ over someone tryin’ to snatch us or the kids.”

With fresh guilt welling in his gut, Simon leaned forward and placed a finger under her chin, lifting her eyes back to his. Kissing her lightly, when he parted his mouth from hers, he kept them within an inch of each other and whispered, “No one’s going to get us, any of us. And how can you think something’s missing? We’ve got everyone right here, safe and sound?”

Pulling back from him, she told him, “Not everyone.”

Simon gazed at her for a moment and saw as fresh tears welled in her eyes, knowing exactly to whom she was referring. Wondering why she would be bringing River up now, after so many months of not even a word, made him instantly suspicious. Propping himself up on one elbow, Simon asked her, “Kaylee? Did something happen?”

As soon as she darted her eyes away from his face, he knew he’d guessed right. His concern tinged with a bit of fear and anger, he asked her, “Kaylee, tell me.”

With a quiet sigh, Kaylee muttered, “River called us today.”

His eyes instantly flashing with anger, he tried to keep his voice even as he asked her, “What?”

Meeting his ire-filled gaze, Kaylee told him with a bit of impatience, “River, your sister, she called us today. She wants to see us, her and Jayne.” Kaylee could read the anger on her husband’s face and while she didn’t like it, she had suspected it.

“I told her not to,” he growled, his annoyance at her seeming willingness to again endanger his family boiling his blood.

“She followed all the rules you set in place, honey,” Kaylee told him, causing his eyes to again fall to her face. “I checked. She said she just needs to see us.”

Flopping onto his back, Simon let out a frustrated sigh and muttered, “Well, good for her.”

It was time for Kaylee’s features to grow a bit harsh. Propping herself up on one elbow, she looked down at him and said firmly, “Now, you look here, Simon Tam.”

Rolling his head to regard her angry look, Simon smiled wryly and told her, “You know, not even my mother used to scold me by using my first and last name.”

Frowning at him further, Kaylee retorted, “Yeah, well maybe if’n she had, I wouldn’t have to.” Holding his gaze for a minute more, she told him, “It’s been four months since we been here an’ River’s done everythin’ you asked, even though I know it’s been killin’ her.” As Simon rolled his eyes at her statement, Kaylee reached out and turned him back to face her. “You know it has. Maybe it’s time we start to mend them fences.”

Truthfully, Simon wasn’t sure he could. He had done a lot in the past few months to drive his sister from their lives, and he knew that, were their roles reversed, he would find it incredibly difficult to trust again, to trust that the olive branch wasn’t just cleverly disguised bait. “What did she say,” he sighed, looking back to Kaylee.

“Just that she and Jayne are makin’ their way back from Osiris. That they’d like to see us.” Kaylee studied him, seeing as the anger he felt eased into tension. It settled on his face like a mask and Kaylee could see the worry lines he had developed in the past few months deepen a bit more. Reaching out and smoothing over his forehead with her hand, she kissed him and whispered, “Maybe it’s time.”

Reaching up an arm, Simon pulled her to him and held her for a minute. Maybe it was time, maybe he’d punished her enough, but thinking of Rylee asleep in her room made him reconsider that line of thought. Sighing heavily, he hugged her tighter to him and whispered, “I don’t know, Kaylee.”

With a sigh of her own, Kaylee pulled away from him and rolled over towards her side of the bed. Opening the drawer to her night stand, she removed something and when she again turned to regard Simon, she met his quizzical look with a small smile.

“River gave me this, before we left Harvest,” Kaylee explained, handing the folded piece of paper in his direction. “She asked me to give it to you when you were ready.” Looking from the letter to her husband and back again, she shrugged lightly and told him, “I think you’re ready.”

With a shaky hand, Simon took the letter from her and regarded it. There was no writing on the outside, nothing to indicate who it was for, but as he opened it and noted River’s scrawling script, he knew it could only be for him.

Sitting up, he turned on the lamp at his bedside and swung his legs out over the bed, his back to Kaylee as he hunched forward and began to read. Kaylee regarded his bare form for a moment, biting her lip in anticipation of what exactly River had said. She had not read the letter, it was really none of her business, so she truly hoped that whatever River had written was what her brother needed to hear.

Simon’s eyes read it once, twice, three times, but it wasn’t until the fourth time that he began to really digest her words.

Simon, When you read this, you’ll have already started your new life, in a new place. That life, your new one, is the one you don’t want to include me in and while that saddens me immensely, I know why and I can accept it.

But what I cannot accept is your guilt over Rylee’s abduction and her recovery. It wasn’t your fault, Simon, just as my time at the Academy, all those years ago wasn’t either. I know you feel that you should shoulder some of the responsibility, because you’re a good and loving father who cares for his daughter very much, but it’s not your place to harbor that level of self-blame.

Rylee will get better, she will, I know that. And she won’t blame you, Simon. I know that too, because I never once blamed you either. All she will know is that you love her and you want to protect her and you want to help her, because that’s what I’ve always known. And that’s all that matters, not what you think you failed to do, but what you, in reality, did. That’s what she’ll remember. That’s what I’ll remember.

Love, your sister, River

Sighing heavily, Simon folded the piece of paper and placed it on the table at his bedside, before turning off the lamp and sinking back under the covers. Kaylee watched him curiously as he let his head fall onto his pillow and again sighed. Turning his face to meet her concerned gaze, he smiled once and asked, “Did she tell you what it said?”

Shaking her head, Kaylee did not speak, but instead waited for Simon to continue. “Do you want to know?”

Resting her head against his shoulder, Kaylee murmured, “Only if’n you wanna tell me.”

Wrapping his arm back around her shoulders, he pressed a kiss to her hair and said, “Maybe someday.” They lay in silence for many more minutes, until finally Simon whispered, “I’ll return her wave tomorrow. If she agrees to take all the necessary precautions, they can come visit.”

Smiling lightly, Kaylee again looked back to him and kissed him. “I think that’s the right decision, sweetie.”

Returning her smile, Simon rested a hand against her cheek and answered, “I certainly hope it is.”

***

Rylee could feel the nerves wafting off her father and mother as they sat with her and her brother at the dining room table. They were both trying to pretend that everything was all right, but Rylee knew better, and she was going to make them admit the truth.

Turning wide eyes to her father, she told him succinctly, “Just tell us.”

His eyes widening a bit at her insight, Simon adjusted his hold on Emma as he fed her and glanced to Kaylee. Shrugging slightly, Simon turned back to Rylee, and then glanced to Daniel who had also given them his full attention.

Clearing his throat, he said, “Ahh, well, we have some news.”

Rolling his eyes, Daniel looked to Rylee and asked, “It’s not more babies, is it?”

Shaking her head quickly, Rylee answered him, “Even they think that’s a bad idea.”

Trying to contain the giggle that was threatening to escape her lips, Kaylee leaned towards Simon and whispered, “I’m pretty sure that’s gonna be the standard reaction now any time you say ‘we have news.’”

Grinning at her with a devilish glint in his eyes, he kissed her lightly and said, “I can think of worse connotations.”

Looking back to his children, he told them, “No, they are not going to be any more babies.” Pausing again, he looked back to Rylee’s expectant gaze and then to Daniel’s and finally said, “Your aunt River and uncle Jayne are coming for a visit.”

The shouts of joy that erupted from the two children could easily have pierced Simon’s ear drums. Jumping from their chairs, both of them danced around the room, their arms waving wildly and their voices carrying as they continued to cheer.

“Okay,” Simon said loudly, trying to quiet them. When it didn’t work, he raised his voice even more and said, “Okay!”

Stopping in mid-celebration, both of them turned back to regard their father as he smiled widely at them and said, “Time for bed.”

Their faces instantly falling, Kaylee and Simon both shooed them upstairs, quite accustomed to their whining and complaints when bedtime was near. As they watched them both trudge upstairs, the parents waited until they were out of sight before laughing heartily.

Catching a breath, Simon said, “Well, I guess all of that worrying was for nothing.”

Leaning over to kiss him before she rose, ready to take Ethan to bed, Kaylee reminded him, “I done told you those two would be happier than clams. I know they miss River.” Glancing back to him, she added, just because she knew how it would annoy her husband, “And Jayne.”

Groaning as he followed her up the stairs, Simon could only mutter, “Well, he is their intellectual equal.”

***

Rylee fell asleep quickly that night, even as her mind raced with all the fun she would have once her aunt and uncle arrived. Her parents were right, she had missed them, a lot, but who she missed most was her aunt River. She still needed her help and she was so glad to know that soon she’d be able to get it.

Her sleep was uninterrupted for a long while, but before long her dreams returned, frightening and scary dreams from her time with the blue-handed men, and the rescue. She saw with startling clarity the moment her aunt had been shot, her pain and shock ripping through Rylee and causing a similar pain to blossom in her gut. And then she saw her uncle Jayne, felt his pain and despair over the sight of her aunt, felt his very real physical hurt as another shot struck his back.

With a start she awoke, more sweat pouring down her face. Panting heavily, a few of her tears falling down her cheeks, she called softly, “Mama? Daddy?” knowing they could hear her over the intercom they kept in the room for the twins.

In moments they were by her side, hugging her tightly. Hugging them back just as fiercely, Rylee cried some more, feeling better just knowing they were close. Finally, as her tears dried, her father asked, “Can you tell us what you dreamed?”

“It was Aunt River and Uncle Jayne,” she told him, her voice shaky. Pulling back, she allowed her big brown eyes to look from her mother to her father and back again. “Something happened. Something bad.”

Puzzled, Simon wrapped her to him again, throwing Kaylee a quizzical look. River had said nothing when they had waved her back a few days ago. She had looked a bit nervous sure, but Simon had assumed it was due to the way they had parted company, nothing more. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

“What kind of somethin’, sweetie?” Kaylee asked lightly, one arm wrapped around Rylee, while the other was draped across Simon’s broad shoulders.

Shaking her head quickly, Rylee’s voice was muffled from where her head was pillowed on Simon’s chest. “Pain. Like when Aunt River was shot before.” Pulling back again, she told her father, “Uncle Jayne got shot too.”

Smoothing her hair back from her face, Simon told her softly, “Aunt River didn’t tell us that, sweetheart. For all we know, Uncle Jayne is fine.”

Her eyes drifting to a far off place, she murmured, “No, he’s not.”

***