PART EIGHT Bring me my broadsword and clear understanding... Bless with a hard heart those who surround me. Bless the women and children who firm our hands. Put our backs to the north wind. Hold fast by the river. Broadsword – Jethro Tull * Fly to me and save me Heal my broken wings Close your eyes and kiss me 'cause tonight It's The night of Dreams and your crystal - eyes could drive me to the light It's The night of Dreams and I can finally dream to fly higher, till the sky Now I wonder what I would ever have been If I had never met you Stars in the sky are shining as never before Now I can answer, I know ("What is Love?")

The night of dreams – Labyrinth

Serenity landed safely on the special landing pad at Ynis Witrin's hospital. Everyone got out to see Kaylee and Simon check in safely. Sarah was just starting to explore the possibilities of toddling, so Vera held one small chubby hand whilst Zoe had the other. Sarah still had vivid rust coloured curls on her head, blue eyes and milk chocolate skin. Jayne looked at Vera, “You ain't gonna make that a habit, are you?” She glanced at him, “Now and then, when Zoe lets me. Not planning on babysitting any time soon. Had my share of little ones screaming; no offence Zoe.” Zoe smiled, “Wouldn't let her out of my sight anyway. I can teach her to read and write and defend herself on my own.” “You'll need the last of those. I think she'll turn male heads throughout the 'verse when she grows up.” Zoe deadpanned, “I'm contemplating getting a very big rifle and a chastity belt!” Everyone went to the witing room. Zoe took Sarah off to the hospital creche, but stayed with her daughter, pager on vibrate. * After an hour or so, Mal took Hori, Zoe and Sarah with him to get the cargo to its destination. A few hours later, Simon came out to the other three waiting. He was running his hands through his hair distractedly, “It's going to be some time. At the moment, they are waiting to see if the first twin will turn and helping Kaylee with her labour. I suggest taking a walk or something; I'll let you know the minute it looks like the twins are on their way.” River laid a hand on his arm, “It'll be at least tomorrow. Good day for the babies to arrive.” Simon shrugged, “You heard what River said. Go, please.” Jayne left eagerly, with Vera in tow. * “Got some time to ourselves and nowhere to sleep tonight 'part from a hospital chair.” “I've got some gems hidden on me; enough for a meal and a room.” Jayne protested, “You don't have ta do that! Got the coin Patience threw at me!” Vera looked at his tee shirt and shorts under a handful of guns, “Where?” Jayne grinned, “Not where the sun don't shine if that's what you're thinkin'!” They walked to the nearby beach and kicked their sandals off, drifting southwards. Lunch happened in a taverna two beaches down, followed by another leisurely walk towards the tip of the island. Since Ynis Witrin was only ten miles long, this wouldn't take long even at a lazy pace. They were climbing up one of the few headlands interrupting miles of soft yellow and grey sand when a woman approached them. She was about thirty, Caucasian with bleach blonde hair and a summer weight linen suit. “Hi, I'm Kate! You must be the newleyweds come to see the house!” Jayne was about to correct her, but stopped when Vera squeezed his hand, “Yes; that's right!” He murmured in Vera's ear, “What're you doing, darlin'?” She twinkled back at him, “Having an adventure!” * Kate was talking nineteen to the dozen, “We have excellent security for this house. Walls on three sides with a no-fly zone overhead,” Kate depressed a button and a door in the wall unlocked, “Locks which will read only your fingerprints on the exterior walls and doors. Of course, the emergency services can get through, but no-one else unless you let them. Your own small private bay and all the ground over to the other headland, all walled in for privacy. Original coniferous trees here, plus a water conserving planting of palm trees, cacti and bouganvillea in black volcanic earth.” All the big plants in the main terraced garden were in individual curved half moons of large stones with a path winding between them to the house. This was on two levels, painted white and had steps up the middle of the house at the front leading to a sheltered flat roof. * Vera gasped, “Oh!” Jayne nodded, “Sure is pretty.” Kate was in full flood now, “Hot tub and room for a barbecue on the semi-roofed decking–come-porch area, main door to the left. Inside,” Kate opened the front door, “it's very open plan. Living and inside dining area at the front for the views, kitchen complete with equipment as standard to the side on the left. There's another room at the bottom, under the stairs which you can furnish to your own specifications. Some of our clients have put in another bedroom, or study, or fitness room in the space. Downstairs toilet and shower here. The main wooden staircase you've seen going up the middle of the house, echoing the one outside. Master bedroom takes up all the upper floor with en-suite shower, small spa bath and regular facilities. Loft ladder to the roof, with a jacuzzi and even provides for outside sleeping and dining if you wish.” * The house was a symphony of warm wood and white walls, with red tiles on the roof, bathrooms and kitchen. Apart from the fitted kitchen, there was a huge red leather couch and low coffee table in the lounge area and a small round wooden table and two chairs near the front window. The master bedroom had a huge futon bed and a fitted glass fronted wardrobe all along one wall. The en-suite was tiled in red with plain white fitments and a double sink set into a red faux marble counter. The loft ladder led them to the red tiled roof; the jacuzzi was currently empty, like the hot tub downstairs. The path through the terraced garden led down to the modest yellow sandy beach. * Vera stood looking at the view of the secluded pocket-handkerchief bay, trembling. Jayne came over and stood behind her, “What is it, mi mei gui?” He bent his head, “You turned on?” “Yes; have you seen that view? The sun's shining on the bay and I've just seen my dream house made real. You could stand anywhere here on the property stark naked and no-one would see you.” Jayne's nostrils flared, “Mmm, you stark naked. Likin' that thought. You want it bad, don't you?” “Like I haven't had you for about a *month!” He nipped her neck gently, “Meant the house, darlin'! But thanks for that gorgeous image!” He half turned to Kate, “Thinking this place comes with a large price tag, Kate.” Kate gave them the figure. Vera gasped, “We couldn't afford that!” Jayne grinned and turned to Kate, looking suddenly like a little lost boy who wants a treat, “We only *just got wed. My Pa said I should do right by my woman, but we spent a lot on the weddin'. Is there any chance of a discount for cash?” He fished inside his shorts and fetched out the coin from a secret pocket, throwing it to Kate. She was obviously tempted. Vera knew a cue when she witnessed one, “My Ma gave me these to buy a trousseau.” Vera added her gems, one by one to the haul. She'd handed over three good stones when Kate stopped her. “That'll do. I'll give you my staff discount on top!” Kate was practically drooling over the gems as she fetched out the keys and the security devices, resetting them for Vera and Jayne in turn, “Place is all yours!” She left, smiling eagerly. * Jayne peeled off his guns, his tee shirt and kicked off his sandals, “Now where were we? I know; get your kit off, darlin'!” Vera was having some trouble breathing, “We just bought a house!” Jayne's hands were at his shorts, “Kit. Off. Now. Afore I have ta make you!” Vera shed her clothes in record time. Jayne smiled, “Better. Facin' that view of the bay, darlin'! 'Course you know what today is, near enough” Vera propped her arms on the wall, which was about as high as her collar bone, swiftly calculating the dates, “Within a week or so, we were handfasted this time last year. Oh, happy anniversary, sweetheart! What are you doing?” He chuckled in her ear, “Enjoyin' my very own view back here!” His hands stroked down her sides and over her bottom, caressing as they went, “Thinkin' the first time in our house should be *very memorable.” His fingers gently found the heart of her, “Mmm, glad you agree, Vera. .” There was the sound of a zipper being undone, and then Jayne lifted her off her feet. Then he was sliding inside her. His shorts hit the tiled floor. Vera gasped, “Ohhh...” He began to move, slow and sure, “Worth...every...ruttin'...penny.” Vera couldn't speak any more. She was too busy climaxing to do anything else. * Next morning * “Vera?” They'd found the bed some hours later, then gone out for take-away and had a rather messy and passionate late supper. The spa bath showed signs of use and now Vera was waking up on the couch in the living area, covered by a blanket and Jayne. “Mmm?” She yawned and stretched, replete with satisfaction. He was gently stroking her hair, “How did you know at the beginnin' that I'd have 'good bedroom manners', darlin'?” Vera chuckled, “Looked in the mirror lately, Jayne? Seen that 'I'm a bad boy but I know how to pleasure you senseless' grin of yours?” He grinned, “Ah. *That one. Worked for you, huh?” “Wasn't just that, though it sure as hell helped. You've got laughter lines in the right places. Then you kept coming on to me verbally, even when I'd told you there wasn't any hope. After that, it was lots of brushing against me 'accidentally' and finding ways of touching me, sometimes several times a day.” “Ya noticed, huh?” “Yes, and they were gentle, barely there touches. They showed me you had restraint and a real knowledge of how to seduce a woman. And you kept your bargain to help me catching that pirate and his cronies.” “Well, there was that.” “You remember how ready and eager I was for you, the first time.” Jayne groaned softly, remembering, “I'll say! And every time since, darlin'! Don't call you 'honey' for no good reason, mi mei gui. Fair bounty of it from you, and I *love it!” Vera smiled, “You're highly tactile and so am I. We keep each other primed and close to ready for action most of the time. Probably explains the eight times since yesterday!” * At that moment, their pagers on the coffee table went off. Jayne flipped his open, “Ah. Twins really on the way now.” His eyes warmed as he looked at Vera, “Keep the other times for later!” She raised an eyebrow, “There's no *way you could manage more right now!” He grinned, “I could prove you wrong, but then we'd be late and Simon 'n Kaylee would never forgive me.” Vera made for the downstairs shower, “One of these days I'm going to have to see if I can wear you out completely!” Jayne chuckled, “Remember the week in your cave? I was still raring to go at the end of that.” She turned round and grinned, “Ah, but I wasn't focussed on your total satiation back then!” “It's gonna be a fight to see who cries 'uncle' first?” “A very *pleasurable fight; remembering that women have a faster recovery rate than most men.” “Darlin'; I ain't most men!” Vera laughed, “I figured that out a long time ago!” She disappeared into the shower. * By the time Jayne and Vera had hitched a lift back to the hospital, Serenity had returned from completing the delivery. They all waited outside the room where Kaylee was making *her delivery. There was a fair deal of shouting and encouragement, then the unmistakeable sound of a baby crying. River beamed, “My nephew!” After about five minutes, Simon came out with a dark-haired pink wrinkled bundle, “He's a little smaller than average, but all fingers and toes are present and correct.” Everyone had a quick peek. Mal looked at Simon, “Kaylee all right?” Simon beamed, “She was magnificent! Got to go; next one's due any minute!” “Didn't find out if they'd chosen a name for the lad,” Mal commented. Vera laughed, “They had about half a dozen names picked out for each baby!” River was listening, “Here comes the other one. They'll name this one Sam.” “Oh; another boy.” “No, not a boy.” * Kaylee was pushing for all she was worth, despite being tired and sweaty. Finally the second twin emerged, pink and screaming. Simon caught the baby as it entered the world, “It's fine; it's all fine. Well done, bao bei. Toes and fingers, blue eyes. Um...oh.” His head raised, “We've got ourselves a...surprise, Kaylee.” He tried to make light of what he'd detected, for Kaylee's sake. Kaylee reached for the child, “Boy or girl?” Simon tenderly handed the baby to Kaylee, “Technically, both. We made a baby with apparently all the parts, bao bei.” Kaylee's brow furrowed, “Did I do something wrong, sweetie?” “No, no, no – it was *both of us,” Simon reassured her, “Happens sometimes. Beautiful, perfectly healthy baby with a medical hiccup in the nethers.” That was simpler than getting into chromosomes at the moment, “Hermaphrodite, or better, intersexual.” Kaylee was glowing at her second child, “You mean he...she...erm...whatever, will be able to have double the pleasure?” “It's possible.” Kaylee grinned, “Lucky baby. Do we need to...do..anything, sweetie?” Simon put his arm around her shoulders, “Love both our babies equally; let this one dress and play safely any way he or she likes, then let the decision about any surgical physical changes come after puberty.” “Then this one is Sam. That way, whether he decides to be a boy or girl, the name will fit.” “Good thought, Kaylee,” Simon tenderly kissed her hair, “He?” “Well, he's got what looks like a diao to me!” “Sam's also got girl nethers; or that's what it looks like. Just don't worry if wearing pink frilly dresses is a favourite occupation.” Kaylee beamed at Simon, “I'm shiny. She can borrow mine! Thinking this kind of baby is pretty rare and special.” “They both are,” Simon fetched their first born over, “But yes; having some or all of both sets of nethers is pretty rare and special. Hey Sam, meet your big brother.” “You decide on the name for him; it's only fair.” Simon smiled, “Lee, after his beautiful mother who stole my heart.” Kaylee beamed even wider, “Sometimes, mister; you gone take my breath away.” * Simon came out with Sam a little while later and very quietly explained the position, then added, “Don't want the hospital to know. Some doctors would be all for removing bits practically right away and I think that's hideous and barbaric. I'll quietly do a proper chromosome test, but what Sam is going to be will only really become clear after puberty. Might well be a bit of both; I saw a full hermaphrodite with everything functional when I was an intern. Couldn't have kids, but enjoyed lovers of both sexes.” River smiled, “Sam will be fine.” Jayne leapt to one prurient conclusion, “Could he..she...sex himself up?” Vera looked at him, “Jayne...” He smiled, apparently oblivious to the undercurrents he was producing, “Only askin'!” Simon looked at Jayne, “Can *you?” “Hell no, my John Thomas might be big enough, but it points the wrong way! Anyway, I don't have girl parts. Might be tempted to try if I did!” Mal stepped in, “Enough of that image being planted in my head, please. Anything we can do, Simon?” “I'd like to wait until Kaylee's asleep; she's wiped out after delivery. I've asked the nurses here to give her a wash and tidy up. Sam will need feeding, then I think we might have a bit of breathing space when all three are asleep. Then I'll take samples from both babies and I'll need help getting past the security on the diagnostic suite machines to do some chromosome analysis and covering our electronic tracks afterwards.” “I'll help you,” Hori volunteered. “And some of us will provide suitable diversionary tactics and look-out,” Mal added, “With the rest checking over our levels of food, water, fuel and other supplies ready for the trip to Narnia.” * When Simon had been helped to hack into the hospital computer later that evening, he put in Lee's blood and hair samples first, “Yes, male; clearly mine and Kaylee's, though I didn't have any doubts about that. A positive blood type, everything as it should be. Now onto Sam. Ah. My goodness, fully intersexual, at least from the chromosomes. Just about half female and half male. Very rare, but not impossible. Trouble is, if we've managed it once by a mix in our genes, it might happen again. One intersexual child you can make out is just a little odd and likes dressing differently, but a second one would be *very noticeable. Okay, thanks Hori.” * The next morning, when Kaylee had finished feeding the babies, Simon had a careful and delicate talk with her. Kaylee smiled, “It's fine, Simon. Wasn't planning on having any more babies any way. What do you suggest?” “Well for now, bao bei, I can make small incisions here and here which will stop your eggs coming through. Like blocking a pipe and diverting fluid some place else. A full hysterectomy will lay you up for four weeks with not being able to lift anything heavier than a bag of sugar. We'd need to plan ahead for that. ” She nodded, “Okay, do the incisions, sweetie.” “It'll take but a few moments, then we can pack up and leave.” “I can't stay here a bit longer?” “Mal wants to be off to Narnia; you had a very good delivery and I want to keep little Sam here under the official radar.” “Why? He's...she's beautiful.” Simon agreed, and then told her about possible compulsory surgery. Kaylee's eyes were wide when he'd finished. She held Sam refelexively close to her chest, “They'd do that to our beautiful baby?” “They might try.” Kaylee swung her legs out of bed, “Can you do my surgery on Serenity?” “Yes.” “Then let's get the ruttin' hell outta here!” Simon smiled, “That's my beautiful feisty wife!” *