note: sure hope you like this! n if you don't please give me feedback cos i need to know where i'm goin wrong. it has been quite a while since my last fanfic... i think it's pretty self explanatory, but more shall be revealed so no worries. enjoy!

~~~

Put-put-put.

Daniel flung himself behind the rock, gasping for breath. The midday sun beat down on his dark head of hair and he dragged his hand across his brow, leaving a smear of dirt. He spun open the cartridge of his pistol and sighed.

“Empty.”

With a quick glance he peered from behind the rock, his clear blue eyes scanning the now empty horizon. “What the-”

“Hands in the air.”

Daniel froze. Slowly he turned to meet the stern eyes of his adversary. She stood tall and dark. The grip on her pistol and the firmness of her stance spoke of proficiency beyond her years.

The girl sneered. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t riddle you with holes, you piece of scum.”

“I’ll make you pancakes.”

“Hm… With syrup?”

Daniel rolled his eyes, scrambling to his feet. “Aw, come on Seph! You know we never get syrup!”

Sephora smirked. “You can get some in Persephone, Li-wu.”

“An use up my allowance?”

“At gunpoint there ain’t no negotiation!”

“Or what? You’ll riddle me with pellets?”

“Hell yes I will!”

“You wouldn’t dare anyway. Your Mother would-”

Put-put.

Daniel cursed, clutching his arm. Blood seeped through his fingers. “You mu-gou!”

“Kiss your Mamma with a mouth like that?”

“Oh, you are getting it…” Leaping forwards, he tackled Seph to the floor before she had time to react.

Kaylee sat in her deckchair at the end of the gangway, watching the kids scuffle in the dirt. Her fingers were occupied with some piece of machinery salvaged from a recent job. It was glorious weather, the perfect day to be planetside.

“Mamma!”

The pattering of feet caused Kaylee’s head to swing around. A child with a light head of hair tottered forwards, followed by her wary Father.

“Hey, Rose! What’s happenin?”

“Cap! Cap! Cap!” Rosie grinned a toothy grin.

Kaylee looked up to Simon. “Hu?”

“The Captain is returning, in somewhat of a rush as usual. Are we ready to leave?”

Standing up, Kaylee shaded her eyes from the sun and yelled out across the desert. “Hey! Seph! Dan! We’re goin!”

As Seph looked up, Daniel tugged himself from a headlock and scampered away. Seph laughed and took chase. “Li-wu! Runnin away from battle? N you fancy yourself a Browncoat?”

Daniel cackled and skid to a halt. “I just don’t want you hurt you! You poor weak girl!”

They circled each other for a second. “Face it, Li-wu,” Sephora smirked, “You’re more of a lady than your Mamma.” She wrestled him to the floor, pinning him down in the dirt.

They grinned breathlessly at each other. His fingers glanced across her cheek.

“You’re gettin blood on me,” Sephora muttered as their lips grazed in a rough kiss.

“Guys, we’ll leave you!”

“I may be weaker, but at least I’m not as slow as you are!” Daniel leapt to his feet and darted towards Serenity. Sephora followed hot on his heels.

They clattered up the gangway just as the mule screeched in. Mal jumped out, grabbing the com. “Full house, Nara. Let’s go!”

“Hey, kids.” Zoë parked up the mule as Serenity began take-off.

“Hey, Mamma. How’d it go? D’ya have to fight anyone?” Sephora enquired.

“Your daughter shot me!” Daniel interrupted. “Twice!”

Sephoria rolled her eyes. “Will you quit whinin if I make you pancakes?”

“With syrup?” he smirked.

“Who got syrup?” Mal demanded.

“Cap! Cap! Cap!” Rosie scampered up to the Captain who whisked her onto his hip.

“How you doin, Princess? Get into any trouble while I was away?”

She shook her head fervently.

“Good. I need you to be responsible as Actin Captain.”

“Seph and I are going to make pancakes. Would you and Mother like any?” Daniel asked.

“No, son, I’m watchin my figure. I’ll ask your Mam. Zoë, yo’k with the mule?”

“Fine, Sir.”

“We’ll supervise take-off, shall we, Princess?”

The little girl nodded.

“Come on, Li-wu.” Seph grabbed Daniel by the hand and they clambered up to the Mess as Mal headed off to the bridge.

Zoë smiled to herself in the empty cargo bay.

~

Inara leaned back in the pilot seat and rested the helm as Mal strode onto the bridge. “Hello Mal. How did it go?”

Mal let Rosie to the floor and she scampered to the co-pilot seat, knowing better than to touch anything. “Interestin, as usual. Got the coin, though.” He stooped to kiss his wife. Rosie pulled a face. “Nice flyin.”

“Thank you, but it wasn’t.”

“Sure it was!”

“I’m just not qualified to sail a boat like this. You know we need a real pilot, Mal.”

Mal sighed. “I keep tellin you, you’re doin fine!”

“We need better than fine. And besides, I’m neglecting the children’s classes.”

“Which they seem to be heartbroken about…”

“The whole time since…” Inara noticed the air grow colder around them. It was hard mentioning it. “Well, since River left us, I haven’t taught them once. Their education is so important.”

Mal nodded and helped Inara to her feet, holding her close. “If you really don’t feel confident enough then I’ll advertise for a new pilot in Persephone.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“Oh, and by the way, our darling son wanted to know if you’d like pancakes.”

“Pancakes? Can we afford them?”

“No. It’s that Washburne child, she’s a bad influence.”

“Oh Mal, they’ve been tight since, well, since forever. I hardly think-”

Mal grinned. “She’s older, she should be more responsible.”

“Cap!”

Mal spun around. “What’s up, Princess?”

Rosie was pointing to the screen before her, her eyes laughing. “Wrong.”

“Wrong?”

She nodded.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Inara went to her side. “It’s the course.”

Rosie nodded again and one of her small finger pointed to a coordinate. “Wrong.”

There was a silence before Inara’s eyes widened. “She’s right!”

“Hu?”

Inara gazed unbelieving at the child before her. “That is wrong. I set the course wrong! How would she even-”

“Well, I’ll be damned…” Mal whistled.

“Mal, she can’t read! She can’t even talk properly yet! She couldn’t possibly…”

Mal swept the child off her feet with a grin, only slightly tinged with pain. “God damn, Princess, you better not be as much trouble as the last genius we had aboard.”

Rosie beamed happily to herself. “Wrong…”

~

“Are you sure you two will be fine with her? If not I would just as a well-”

Sephora rolled her eyes. “Simon, quit worryin! Li-wu n I have looked after Rosie many times!”

“Is that supposed to reassure him, Seph? If you’ll remember last time…” Daniel muttered.

She ignored him. "Sides, the market ain’t busy. We’ll be holdin her hand at all times. It’s Persephone! She knows her way around!”

“Yes, but I don’t know if…”

“Honey, we ready to go?” Kaylee walked towards the gangway, her hand cupping that of her daughter’s, who tottered along beside her.

“Well…” Simon faltered.

Sephora “Yup, he’s all ready, Lee-lee! How’s it goin, Rose? You up for shoppin?”

The little girl made a quick, nervous nod.

“Kids, don’t go buyin any more pancake mix,” Mal commanded, striding into the cargo bay with Zoë. “N take care of our little Princess.”

“Unca-mal! We always-”

“I mean it, Sephora!”

She winced, hearing her full name.

“Don’t worry, Father,” Daniel intruded, “We only need to get more ammunition anyway. We shouldn’t be long.”

“Oh, about that… Kaylee n Simon are gettin us a pilot, Zoë n I will be gettin a job n Nara’s gotta man the ship… or woman the ship. Anyway, you n Seph will be needin to get our supplies. List’s on the fridge.”

“Aw, what?” The kids said in unison causing Rosie to giggle.

“It’s not a long list!”

“Sure it is!” Daniel complained. “We put half the item’s on it.”

Mal started. “About that, Dan. The list is for sensible suggestions only! Waste of space your two puttin all your gorram fancies on it. The list is for needs not wants.”

“But we really do need a pony!” Sephora laughed.

“I’ll go get the list…” Daniel said, glumly running from the cargo bay.

Sephora suddenly grinned. “Can we take the mule, Unca’mal?”

“No.”

“All that stuff’ll be too heavy-”

“No.”

“I can sail her!”

“No!”

“Please!”

“No.”

“Please, please, please, please, please!”

“Seph…” Zoë said warningly and Sephora bowed her head.

“Gorram tyrannical leader…” she muttered under her breath.

~

“Ah! Captain Reynolds! Always a pleasure.”

Mal nodded. “Badger.”

The small businessman circled the Captain. “You’re a very lucky boy today. See, I’ve got a job for you.”

“So I hear.” Mal disliked most discourse with Badger, but the den was sweltering. He longed to be anywhere but here. Perhaps lying in his bunk with a cold drink and Inara in his arms…

“Course, can’t imagine a gentleman like yourself would be wantin to wade through the garbage on Beylix. Perhaps this ain’t your job.”

Mal’s head jerked up. “Beylix?” The name stung.

Badger squinted up at him with a sneer. “Why? Got relatives out that way?”

Zoë and Mal exchanged a glance. “Of a sort.”

“Perhaps it's time for a reunion then.”

~

“What’s next, Li-wu? Oh look, ponies!” Sephora pointed with her free hand across the busy market. Rose sat alert on her hip, beaming.

Daniel laughed. “Father may actually disown us if-”

“Can I interest you, fine couple, in a tumbler of Persephone’s finest ale? I may even be able to find some juice for your darlin daughter.”

Sephora glared at the stall owner. “She ain’t ours! What planet you from? They have kids the second they hit puberty, you sicko?”

“Seph, Seph!” Daniel dragged her away. “Be nice.”

“I’m always-”

“Do you sail on that Firefly?”

Sephora and Daniel turned to face the abrupt young man. “Pardon?”

“That Firefly in the dock, Serenity.” He spat the name out. “I need a lift.”

Sephora looked him critically once over. He was tall, but no more than nineteen years of age. Blonde hair was cut close to his head, emphasising his defined features. His eyes were crystal blue, piercing, but not homely like Daniel’s.

“Sorry, we don’t take passengers,” Daniel explained.

“I’m on your route. I just need a hitch.”

“We don’t know our route yet,” Sephora objected.

“I could help you out! I’m great with kids!” He looked to Rosie who wilted beneath his gaze.

“I think you ought to leave us now,” Daniel said. His voice was quiet, but stern and suddenly he seemed much older.

“Look, I’ll talk to your Captain…”

“He said ‘leave’.” Sephora could feel Rosie’s small fists clinging to her back.

The man glanced between them then smirked to himself. “Fine.”

The kids watched him disappear into the crowd.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know. He was so strange…”

“No,” Sephora grinned. “What was with your assertiveness, Li-wu? Anyone would think you could hold your own in a fight!”

Daniel narrowed his eyes. “Oh, ha ha. I could have taken him down.”

“I think not. Did you see his arms? Bulging. My punch is stronger than yours.”

“When are you going to let it drop and admit I will never be a fighter?”

“When I can trust you’d survive if I weren’t with you, Li-wu.”

Daniel frowned. “When would you not be with me? Would you like me to take Rose?”

“Please.”

They swapped burdens and continued weaving their way through the market.

~

Mal was smiling as he strode onto the bridge.

Inara couldn’t help smiling too. She loved it when his eyes shone like that. “Hello, Mal. How did it go?”

“Shiny! We got a job, on Beylix.”

“Beylix? Are we going to-”

“Yes, but hush.”

“Hush? Why?”

“Just want it to be a surprise, is all. Set the course and I’ll wave them from my bunk.”

Inara raised an eyebrow. “Is that an order?”

“Well, I am your Captain.”

“No, Mal,” she smiled. “You’re my husband. Manners are necessary.”

Mal opened his mouth to argue, saw the look in her eye and changed his mind. “My dearest Inara, if it wouldn’t inconvenience you too much, I would appreciate it if you could possibly set the course, please.”

Sephora and Daniel waltzed onto the bridge. “Woah! Woah, woah, woah! Unca-mal did you just say ‘please’?”

Daniel sniggered behind his hand, but catching Mal’s glare he stood straight. “Sorry, Sir.”

“Was there something you wanted?”

Sephora rolled her eyes. “Thought we’d let you know we got back safely. Had the stupid notion you may be concerned about our wellbeing…”

“Where’s Princess?”

“Gee, darn it! I knew we forgot somethin!”

“She’s playing in the Mess,” Daniel explained.

“N I was this close to sellin her to slavery. Would never suspect one small child could pay for a whole pony! Makes you wonder what Lee-lee n Simon are keepin her for.”

“You know, I have had the exact same thought every day since you were born,” Mal retorted. “How you’ve manage to stay is anyone’s guess.”

“I always assumed I’d been kept to protect Li-wu! N… when I’m old enough you’d make me fly Serenity.” She beamed.

“If that’s your notion, you best drop it. Ain’t a chance in hell you’re gettin hold of Serenity’s reins again, not after last time.”

“Hey! That wasn’t my fault!”

“N sides, you know you’re Mamma don't like you flyin.”

“Yes, I know…” Sephora knew her Mother didn’t want her to be a pilot, and she knew why. But nothing could make her think of anything else.

“Sir,” Zoë’s voice crackled on the com. “Simon and Kaylee have brought a potential pilot back with them. Wanna check him out?”

Daniel ran to fetch Rosie and they all headed down to the cargo bay, led by curiosity. The man below them looked tall, but no more than nineteen years of age. Blonde hair was cut close to his head, emphasising his defined features. His piercing eyes were crystal blue.

“You!” Sephora gasped.

“Forgive me,” he held out his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. My name is Zuriel.”

Rosie clung nervously to her leg and Sephora refused to take the hand offered. There was no possible way they could hire this guy. Surely.

To be continued…