It was about a month ago. The day started out the same as any until I wanted to eat. I decide no one was watching the fruit stand so I went to get an apple. But I was wrong someone was watching it was a big person with a gun. He was so big and strong. But he was followed by two other people neither one was as tall or as frightening as him. The best plan was my hit and run technique. For that one I would distract all of them with my little tale and then make them get me some food. “Hey kid watch were your going!” I turned around and the big man was talking to another little girl about my height and age with blonde hair too. I walked right over to him and step on his foot, grabbed two apples, grabbed the girl and ran. I gave one of the apples too the girl and kept the other one. “I’m Blair, what’s your name.” “Olivia but you can call me Olly.” “I’m nine how old are you?” “I’m five. Where are your parents?” “Don’t have any. What ‘bout you?” “Don’t got none either.” “I’m sorry you’re on your own at a pretty young age. Do you know all the ins and outs?” “Someone can live on the streets there whole life and not know all the ins and outs.” “Thanks for doing that back there I mean no one has helped me in a long time.” Blair picked up all her stuff and ran. “Your welcome.” I whispered. A piercing scream came from the ally behind me. It sounded like a little girl. Blair. Next thing I know the screaming stopped and I realized it was my own. “Little Reynolds. You are going to pay for what your father couldn’t.” “That girl stomped on my foot!” Jayne yelled as both girls disappeared into the ally. “Jayne cool off. They were just hungry and strongly intimidated by how tall you are.” “Zoe how do you know they ain’t just pickin’ on me.” “Jayne you’re six foot something I don’t think they would have wanted to pick on you.” Mal laughed. “Mal why are we on Ezra, last time we landed on this piece of crap rock you and Wash got the go se kicked right out’ a ya.” “Cause Badger said that a little girl was here.” “We just saw two.” “Ok a little moonbrained girl that’s about five or six years old.” Zoe looked in awe at Mal. “Sir, five or six?” “Yes. Alliance got a hold of her and decided that they needed more assassins in the verse. Zoe, go back to Serenity and stay there with Wash. We’re going to check something out real quick and then we’ll be back on Serenity.” “Sir, why is Jayne going instead of…” “Zoe just go!” “Got it Sir.” *** I was blindfolded and stuffed in a small room. There was other people there too. They were all small like me but their minds were all fuzzy and blank. I could feel the life being sucked away from each of them one by one. One little girl was still alive. She had gotten her hands untied and her blindfold off. I felt bad for her cause she was next to be gone then it would be me. *** Zoe and Wash were on the bridge talking. Talking came so rarely between them now. The death of their only daughter was hard on both of them. They had tried to have another baby but they couldn’t replace the hole left by Olivia. Thinking about kids just filled their minds with her. The soft blonde curls bobbing up and down as she wobbled through Serenity. Those deep blue eyes that could say so much. Her soft voice yelling “momma” or “dada”. The soft tiny hands that would mess up Zoe’s hair. Her small arms clinging to the life that left her body. “Maybe we could go to a nice beach and take some time off.” “That sounds like a very good plan husband.” Zoe leaned on Wash’s shoulder. Her tears shocked him. He kissed her gently on the top of her head. “I miss her too bao bei. I miss her too.” He rocked her back and forth like a small child. “I wish we could have gotten there sooner. I wish we didn’t even leave her there. She was fine here.” Her dark brown eyes met with his clouded blue eyes. “I loved her so much.” “I did too. Olivia was the greatest thing that ever happened to us. She changed us both.” *** “Mal what are we going to do?” “Follow those two girls into the ally.” A scream pierced the small space of silence. “What was that?” Another voice was there besides the little girl. “Little Reynolds. You are going to pay for what your father couldn’t.” The little girl’s screams stopped. “I don’t have a daddy! Let me go! Somebody help me!!!! Please Help!!!” The man yelled as the little girl ran. Jayne grabbed her and lifted her into his arms and took off toward Serenity. “Put me down you big fatty!!!! You’re not my daddy!!!! Leave me alone!!!” “Shut up kid I’m trying to save your as…butt.” “You were thinking of saying a bad word!” “Yes I was now shut up!” “How do I know that you’re a good guy?” “I know someone that plays with plastic Dinosaurs and he’s 38 years old.” “I love plastic Dinos!!!!!!!!!!” “Then you’ll fit right in.” “Umm…Mr. those guys got guns.” Her small shaky voice reminded him of Livy. “Your friend doesn’t look to good eifer.” “Shi…cr…poopy!” “You almost said the “s” word and the “c” word.” At least she was smiling that was his only concern.

*** “Zoe, Wash!!!” “Sir, what’s wrong?” “Jayne’s on his way with that little girl from earlier. I don’t care if you can’t don’t like being near her. You and Wash are gona have to share your room, since the passenger ones are filled until we hit Paquinn.” “Sir, why aren’t you bringing her?” “Turns out she wasn’t just scared of Jayne. She was runnin’ from Niska.” Zoe knew that the little girl was no older than seven years old. She also knew that Niska didn’t care. Wash was very confused. Zoe had not quite told him why mal had sent her back to Serenity. “Wash I’ll explain later. Will you help me find a blanket and a pillow for the little girl?” “Yes hold on let me check with Simon and Kaylee.” *** Jayne was running as fast as he possibly could to get the little girl to safety. For some reason these guys behind them really wanted this girl. They had passed about six other blonde, blue eyed girls. But no the one that was clinging to his neck was the one they wanted. “Girl, why do they want you?” “I know too much. I overheard them talking about River. Sir one of those guys has a gun!” “Kid stop looking over my shoulder, and keep your head down.” He paused just realizing she had called him sir. “And stop calling me sir.” “What am I suppose to call you? Jayne?” “Yep that’s what they call me.” “But Jayne is a__” “Never think ‘bout finishin’ that sentence.”