Disclaimer: These characters and places are owned by Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy... Sadly, neither of those are me.

Once, there was a girl, a pretty girl who loved to dance. The girl knew things, was smart, nothin' was hard for her. She wanted to go to school, a special school where they promised to take care of her, promised she could still dance. Told them her classes sometimes moved too slow for her, wanted to do something faster, on her level.

That's how they tricked the princess into coming to the tower. Told her she could dance, and wouldn't let her. Promised to move fast, but they moved faster than people ought to. Started hurting her, wouldn't let her see her brother. Locked the princess away in the very tiptop of the tower and wouldn't let her out. Made holes in her, took her dreams away.

When the princess asked to see her brother, they wouldn't let her, told her she could write to him. How could she tell her brother they were hurting her in a letter they would read? She figured out a way. Told him 'bout things they'd never done, jokes they'd never shared. She knew he'd figure them out. He was her brother and a very smart man.

One day, the knight came to see his princess. Came to save his damsel in distress. Asked them what they'd done to her, they told him awful things. Told him about the word, too, the very special word that made her go to sleep. Told him she had a special grace. He told them she had always loved to dance, and then they went to sleep.

The prince and princess escaped and found a castle. A pretty castle once you got to know it, with a nice king and a lovely court. But the princess was sleeping when they went to the castle. The king thought she was one of the prince's toys. The prince told him, the princess was his sister.

The bad man tried to steal her, and take her back to the tower. Her new king saved her, wouldn't let no harm come to her. Took her in, gave her a home. She was his little albatross. Brought him luck, good and bad.

The little albatross made the crew her family. More than her real family, except her brother. She watched over them, made sure they were safe, and they watched over her, made sure she was safe. Sometimes they didn't get along, a family doesn't get along all the time. They had good times and bad, and were still a family through and through.

Sometimes someone betrayed the little albatross, but she didn't hate them. She felt lonely and lost, her family was starting to get scared of her. She loved her castle, her ship. She loved her family, but she began to think they didn't want her anymore. Felt like the black sheep.

Captain always looked out for her, kept her in line, just like her brother. Her brother couldn't always see that the captain meant the best for his little albatross.

But then her family got frightened of her. Got scared. Her head was getting crowded with their fears and petty arguements. Someone didn't belong, she found him. The bounty hunter. Told him she'd melted, became Serenity. Told him nobody wanted her so she just faded away.

Made a plan, wouldn't let her family get hurt. Told them her plan, brother didn't know, got shot in the leg. Scared her, worried her to death. He was all right, she'd saved them all.

Weren't scared of her no more. Played with her, danced with her. She was their little albatross, brought them luck, good and bad.

Then, some of her family went away. Her captain's lady ran away, he'd hurt her once and she was mad. More sad than mad, couldn't take it. Felt she ought to leave before it was too hard to leave. He would've told her, tried to tell her, she wouldn't let him. Told him she was leaving and she did.

Little albatross missed her dearly. Then the shepherd who wasn't a shepherd went away, taking his scary hair with him. She missed him too. Was close to him, knew him better than the rest. Sad when he was gone, lost a friend. Lost him when he understood her, knew what she was feeling.

It was time he should have left, time he went home and stayed with his other family, kept them safe.

Then the man came. He came to take her away, to kill her if he must. Take her so she couldn't tell the secret. Saw it on the screen, came back to her. Miranda. Had to get there. Made her mad, couldn't help herself, hurt them all, killed some.

Brother stopped her with the special word. Didn't hurt her family, 'cept the big one. The one that had hurt her before. He was all right, didn't hurt him bad.

They were scared of the little albatross again. Chained her up. Just to be safe. The big one tried to hurt her again, she made him sleep awhile. Stopped her brother from saying the special word again. Found Miranda, told the captain.

Went to see the shepherd. He told the captain to believe. Told him, it wasn't safe anymore, for anyone. So they left, to keep the danger away.

Then his lady called him. Told him she wanted to see him, invited him to her home. Saw right through it, the captain did. Knew it was a trap, they hadn't fought, must be a trap.

He went anyway, he couldn't let her be endangered. Had to go for her, keep her safe. Escaped from the bad man that wanted his albatross.

Went back to see the shepherd. Everyone was dead, 'cept the shepherd, but he was nearly there. Told the captain he'd killed those that killed him. Then he was gone. Gone for good. It was her fault, the little albatross.

Her captain made a decision, then, that would change the entire 'verse. Put red paint on his ship, tied the bodies to it. His friends' bodies. Told them they were going to Miranda, to Reaver territory.

Got there with no trouble. What they found there was trouble. Found the truth. Found the reason things were the way they were. Had to tell everyone, had to let them know. They deserved to know. Deserved to know what people would kill for to keep silent.

So they left Miranda to go see Mr. Universe. The bad man was there, waiting for them. They knew. Got the Reavers angry. Got them to follow them. Then they went to tell the truth.

The pilot flew her smooth, flew her true. He was a leaf on the wind, they saw how he soared. Got them down, landed them safe. Without warning, he was ripped from them. Took him away, where he wasn't coming back. Wilted his autumn flower. She loved him so much. Little albatross knew, it was her fault.

All got inside, Reavers not far behind. Fought back, hard, while the captain went to let the truth out. The autumn flower was hurt, but brother fixed her up fast. His fiery mechanic was poisoned, had to retreat.

He needed his doctor things, had left them outside. Stood up to look, a shot tore through him. The albatross couldn't take it. Had to be stopped. He had taken care of her all this time, now it was her turn to take care of him.

She went through the door, threw him his tools, closed the door behind her. Reavers tried to hurt her, they barely even touched her.

The captain fought the bad man, and made him watch the truth. Then the bad man wasn't so bad anymore. The albatross did this too, at least she'd done something right.

The doors opened and the Reavers were dead. She'd killed them, killed them all, she was a weapon.

The truth was out, and too many had died to get it there. A lovely funeral, buried their dead. It was her fault, the little albatross. The autumn flower, she'd never be the same. But she'd heal, she'd live for her leaf on the wind. She'd live for them both.

The albatross flew with the captain now. He told her that love kept a ship running, made her a home. As long as I love my Serenity, she'll always fly. As long as I'm on Serenity, I'll have my family. Even the ones who will never be there again, they'll always be there to me. And I will always be their little albatross, I'll always bring them luck, good and bad.