A/N: This chapter's kind of short, so I thought I'd post a few days in a row to make up for it! Enjoy!

Thanks to Leiasky for the beta work.

Kaylee’s eyes were wide and pooling with happy tears. Staring from the sugary confection before them, adorned fittingly with a statue of a bride and groom and back to Evelyn, she finally breathed, “I don’t believe it.”

Smiling widely to the young woman, Evelyn pulled her into a quick embrace, placing a peck to her cheek. “Well, believe it, dear. I already knew the baker you were planning to use and he was able to send this over this afternoon.” Leaning towards her, she confided, “And it’s strawberry and vanilla, just like you wanted.”

Squealing, Kaylee clapped her hands together happily, before whirling on Simon, her arms encircling his neck. “Ain’t it shiny, sweetie? We get a cake an’ everythin’.”

Cradling her face in his hands, Simon could only return her shining grin, unable to be upset in the face of Kaylee’s overwhelming happiness. “It’s amazing, bao bei,” he whispered, placing a peck to her lips.

Hugging him tightly, Kaylee sighed and Simon recognized it for the contented sound it was.

“All right, who wants some champagne?” Eli returned to the room, followed by their butler, a tray of four champagne glasses in his hand. As the man passed them around, Eli raised his glass and addressed the young couple, who were again glued to one another.

“Evelyn and I have never met two people more in love or more deserving of happiness than the two of you,” Eli began, his voice growing heavy with sincerity. “Simon, I had no idea when I offered you a job that you would turn out to be such a ruttin’ good surgeon-“ A ripple of laughter circled the group and Simon glanced to his feet, a blush creeping up his neck at the compliment as Kaylee beamed brightly. “But I also had no idea of how important or special you would become to me and Evelyn.”

Raising his blue eyes back to the man, Simon saw love in his expression, and found an unexpected lump in his throat. It was a look Simon had wanted to see from his own father for years and one he had never experienced. Swallowing thickly, he continued to listen, even as Kaylee, noting the slight change in his demeanor, simply rested her head to his shoulder.

“I’ve told you before, but I think it bears repeating – you’re like a son to us, Simon. As dear to us as Jenna and Rachel and we want you to know that if you need anything, whether it be an impromptu wedding or a kidney, Evie and I, we’ll be here for you.”

Another light chuckle and then Evelyn picked up where her husband had left off. “Kaylee, I remember very vividly the night Eli came home from the hospital and told me your story. Your story and Simon’s story and I will never forget how my heart broke for you both.” Kaylee blinked back a tear, using her free hand to wipe away another and Simon turned towards her, pressing a kiss to her cheek as Evelyn continued.

“And I will also never forget the first night I met you.” A smile lit Evie’s face even as a small chuckle escaped her lips. “I could barely believe that someone so good, so kind, so loving could exist, especially after all you’ve been through. But as I’ve come to know you, as a woman and as a surrogate daughter, I have come to realize that the depth of your kindness, your love, your strength, is astounding. Kaylee, please know, that just as we care for Simon, we love you as well.”

“So, we would like to toast you,” Eli interjected, lifting his glass and clearing his throat as Evelyn wiped at a tear and Kaylee did the same. “To Simon and Kaylee – or should I say, to Doctor and Mrs. Tam? May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future together and may your life be paved with happiness, joy and unexpected surprises that not only bring you closer, but help you grow.”

The clink of glasses was heard and the four adults sipped the champagne, Eli pressing a kiss into Evelyn’s hair as Simon and Kaylee murmured more “I love you”s and shared a few more kisses. Finally, deciding to break up the two, Eli stepped forward and asked, “Is anybody going to eat this cake?”

More laughter, more fun, more joy filled the room and Simon and Kaylee just said a little prayer for this perfect moment.

Rafe was really sorry he’d regained consciousness. At least, when he was dead to the world, his head didn’t feel as if there were Reavers trapped inside his skull, trying to drill their way out. Groaning softly as he tried to move his head and relieve the tension in his neck, he was greeted by first a sharp stab of pain and then the unexpected feel of cool, light fingers massaging his aching muscles.

“River?”

“Shh,” she soothed, bending down to drop a kiss in his hair, before laying her head gently against his cheek, her fingers working continuously. “You have a concussion. Now that you’re awake, you need to stay awake, okay?”

Moaning again, Rafe told her petulantly, “I don’t wanna. I wanna sleep.”

“No, you can’t,” River told him forcefully, shifting, so she could face him. Placing her hands on his cheeks, River ordered, “Look at me, Rafe. I mean it!”

“All right,” he told her, resisting the urge to vomit as he forced his eyes back open. Taking in her concerned face, brown eyes wide with fear, her long hair falling against his cheeks, he murmured, “You’re beautiful.”

Blushing, River ducked her head for a moment, soft hair tickling his cheeks again, before she lifted her gaze back to his face. “Flattery later,” she intoned softly, stroking a gentle hand along his cheek. “Help now,” she added, pointing to the mess of wires under her consoles.

Shifting, Rafe was surprised he could move, his hands no longer bound. Glancing to River as well, he noticed for the first time her hands were free. “How did you manage this?” he asked, panting lightly as the additional movement brought a wave of nausea pounding up his throat.

Aiding him into a sitting position with strong hands on his shoulders, River explained, “Badger has no idea how flexible I am.”

Another lump forming in his throat of a completely different variety, Rafe murmured, “Apparently, I don’t either.”

Ignoring the comment and the extra blush it brought to her cheeks, River pointed again to the tangle of wires and said plaintively, “Help.”

Squinting, Rafe gazed at the problem, muttering a few curses. This was not good. “Okay, first I need to know what kinda tools we got up here.”

Nodding once, River moved swiftly, rummaging through a locker behind the pilot’s seat. Returning to his side, she knelt, opening the kit. “What now?”

Glancing to the full complement of instruments, Rafe asked, “What the heck? I din’t put these here.”

Shaking her head once, River explained, “No, Kaylee did, long time ago. For emergencies.”

“Remind me to thank her,” he murmured. Twisting his upper body, he tried to get under the console so he could really work and found that the changed position did actually induce retching. Turning from River swiftly, he vomited along the deck, his head spinning while sweat poured from his skin.

Grabbing a rag from the toolbox, River gently wiped his brow. “Sorry,” she murmured, a cool hand under his chin, while he lay on his side, panting. “I couldn’t stop them.”

“You ain’t all-knowing, bao bei,” Rafe explained, still trying to catch his breath. Reaching for her hand, he squeezed it firmly in his clammy one and told her, “None o’ this is your fault.”

Taking another moment to collect himself, Rafe finally released a heavy sigh, and then gently pushed her hand away. “All right, I’m okay. But I’m thinkin’ I might have to talk you through this, so I don’t gotta look at my food again.”

Her face set in a look of fierce determination, River moved away from him after pressing a quick kiss to his flushed cheek. Placing the toolkit within reach, River situated herself on her back, gazing up at the consoles innards and told him, “Okay, I’m ready.”

“What're we gonna do with ‘em?”

Badger scowled at his second-in-command as the man asked, for the fifth time in twenty minutes about his plans regarding Reynolds and the rest of his merry band. He had wanted to play that last final card close to the vest, not letting anyone in on his plan, but now, as the four other burly men stared him down, he realized he was going to have to tip his hand.

“We’re turnin’ ‘em over to the gorram law,” Badger stated smugly. “Them an’ that gorram ship.”

Sharing concerned looks, the one with the broken nose wheezed, “Won’t that be bad for us?”

Smirking, Badger sat cozily in the captain’s chair, kicking his feet up on the console, hands laced behind his head. “Trust me, once we show ‘em Reynolds an’ the rest, we ain’t gonna matter.”

“Inara? Do you know what time it is?”

Liliana Serra blinked rapidly in the sudden light of the parlor. Wrapping her robe about herself more tightly, she gazed into her daughter’s taut face, noting the puffiness around her eyes and the redness woven about her pupils, implying she had been crying.

“Did you know?”

Frowning, Lili drew her daughter to the sofa, realizing as she did so that she was trembling. “Bao bei, what is it? You’re shaking.”

Inara could barely hear her mother, the pounding of her heart in her ears was so loud. But she couldn’t concentrate, she couldn’t calm herself – the information was just too overwhelming.

“Did you know about my child?”

Sighing heavily, Lili rubbed her temples as a throbbing started behind her eyes. “Inara, we’ve been over this, months ago. I know where she is and so do you.” Resting a hand over Inara’s cold one, she added, “I thought you and Mal had decided to leave it alone.”

Eyes flashing with anger, Inara knew her mother was right which made it worse. But now, none of the past really mattered. All that mattered was what Inara had seen no more than a couple of hours ago when she had gone snooping through the orphanage’s records, somewhere she did not belong and now regretted ever seeking.

“That child,” Inara’s voice continued to shake, her eyes focused on a point far away from here and now. “She’s not …” Her throat constricted, Inara could barely form words; she could barely think, it couldn’t be possible. “She’s not mine.”

Stunned, Lili sat back, a small gasp escaping her mouth as Inara’s words registered. “Inara, what are you saying?”

Rising, Inara paced the length of the room, rubbing open palms along her arms and trying to take the chill away. It was so unbelievable, but the words had been there in black and white, blood types and DNA records confirming for her what she could barely fathom. “My child, my baby … it was a boy.”

Lili’s eyes filled with tears as she watched her daughter struggle to comprehend. She knew their past was tense and rife with arguments and hurt feelings, but what Inara was suffering now, no woman deserved. “I don’t understand.”

“A boy, mother,” Inara bit out, forcing her eyes to remain clear. Whirling to face the woman, she added, “He was born and taken to the orphanage and he died three days later.”

A hand flew to her mouth stifling a gasp as Lili watched Inara sink into an easy chair on the far side of the room. Her daughter was not crying, her eyes and face clear, devoid actually of any emotion, which was almost worse than sobbing.

“Died? How?”

“Congenital heart defect. He didn’t … he didn’t have a chance.”

“Oh, Inara,” Lili breathed, rising swiftly and kneeling at her daughter’s side. Placing her hands on top of Inara’s where they rested in her lap, she murmured, “I am so sorry, sweetheart.” Glassy-eyed, Inara continued to stare, and so Lili asked softly, “And are you sure? Are you sure the records you found are for your son?”

Eyes again sparking with anger and resentment, Inara bit out, “You don’t think I would have checked? I checked everything mother, upside down and inside out.” Rising quickly, Inara’s voice grew in volume as she shouted, “My child is dead. And you kept it from me!”

“Inara, I did no such thing.” Lili defended herself almost desperately. She and Edward both hoped that they might once again have a chance at a relationship with their only child. However, Lili knew if Inara really believed that her parents had been behind this, they would never hear from their daughter again.

Wishing Edward were home and not three planets away on business, Lili took Inara by the shoulders and forced their eyes to meet. “Regardless of what you may think of your father and I or our actions in the past, we did not keep this from you, Inara. We didn’t even know.”

She had no reason to believe her, no past history that would indicate her mother would tell her the truth. But as Inara met the wide-eyed and slightly frantic gaze staring at her, she knew, intuitively, her years of training again coming into play that her mother was finally, for once, telling her the truth.

“Then who did?” Inara breathed, some of the fight leaving her as she realized she had no one to rail against. “Who would do this?”

At a loss, Lili could only shake her head. Truth be told, who had hidden such a terrible secret from her child was not Lili’s first concern; Inara was. She was still trembling slightly, her normally golden skin having paled to a sickly shade of yellow. “Sweetheart, why don’t you sit?” Lili tried to guide her to a chair, but Inara shrugged off her hand in annoyance.

“No, I have to go. I need to find out …” The rest of the statement was lost as Inara fled the room. Lili followed her closely, stopping her again as her daughter reached for the door knob.

”At least, let me call Mal, Inara. We can wait until-“

“Mal’s off world, looking for Kaylee’s family,” Inara explained, only vaguely registering that her mother would have no idea of the significance behind the words. “He’s not here.”

Her heart constricting as she realized her daughter was really all alone, Lili intoned quietly, “Oh, Inara, stay here then, for goodness sake. You shouldn’t be alone.”

Inara did not dispute the words verbally, choosing instead to fix her mother with such an intense look of sadness that it stole the other woman’s breath. Holding the gaze for a second more, Inara stepped out into the night, more confusion, anger and grief raging in her heart.

“Zoe?”

“Yes sir.”

“We dead yet?”

Risking a glance to his best friend, Mal allowed a small smirk to flash across his features. It was preferable to the grimace he’d been favoring since his leg had been shot, although given the amount of blood loss he’d sustained and the encroaching numbness of his limbs, Mal wasn’t really feeling much of anything at the moment.

Her withering stare was enough to answer Mal’s question. Shrugging lightly, he murmured, “’Kay, jus’ checkin’.”

They were still seated in the large room, their backs to the wall. Jayne was dipping in and out of consciousness as his head continued to bleed. Zoe had first tried to get her hands free and then tried for Mal’s, but a bullet wound in her shoulder, one Mal had missed in the excitement of getting captured, made that kind of movement more than painful. After a good fifteen minutes of working with only excruciating pain to show for it, Mal had ordered her to take it easy.

So now they were stuck, waiting, and without a plan.

“So, I take it we’re assumin’ River’s gonna mount a rescue?” Zoe questioned skeptically, shifting her position to try and ease some of the pressure on her lower back. Ever since Mr. Universe’s moon sitting like this for extended periods of time was not a good idea.

“That is the plan.” Mal sighed. He hated admitting that he was waiting to be saved, but since he could not feel much below his waist right now and his hands were firmly bound behind his back, there wasn’t a whole lot he had to work with.

The high-pitched whine of a proximity alarm roused all three of them. With wide eyes, Mal glanced to Zoe, noting the look of pure annoyance on her features. “How much you wanna bet that’s not the welcome wagon?” she asked sarcastically.

Muttering a string of curses, Mal told her, “For Badger’s sake, it damn well better be.”

“Uh, River?”

From below the console, River was working furiously, her small fingers bleeding and raw from the amount of detail work she’d been forced to do. Besides that, they had been unable and unwilling to cut off all power to the bridge, worrying that it may not turn back on once it was tripped. So, she had burns as well and the pads of her fingers were almost gone.

“What?” she bit out, not bothering to try and catch a look at Rafe. As she’d worked, he had managed to crawl to the pilot’s seat and hoist himself into it, using the readouts and screens to gather any information he could.

“We got company,” he said, his voice trembling slightly.

Freezing in her movements, River asked, “Who?”

“Alliance.”

Momentarily grateful he hadn’t said Reavers, River redoubled her efforts to undo the damage Badger had wrought. “You’ve got to get that door open.”

Swallowing thickly, Rafe moved as fast as he could to the opposite side of the room, fighting the nausea and dizziness he felt so he could be useful. Blinking a few times to clear his double vision, he set to work, adding a prayer in for good measure.

Chapter 15