Simon had taken over the doctor’s office.

In the past three days, he had set up shop and examined every woman in Tehatchepi. That was quite a bit of women in two days, just over a hundred. Many of them needed pre-natal care, as well as treatment from common ailments, injuries and even basic malnutrition if they had been under the tyranny of a particularly cruel husband. He saw everyone though, and made sure each woman got the care they needed, regardless it exhausted the supplies of their town doctor (that was no matter though, for he was now in a pine box).

The doctor was wrapping up seeing the very last of his patients as Mal and Zoe waved to the final group home they had set up. The dead men had left behind quite a group of houses and cabins, so Zoe had decided that the women left deserved the homes. She and Mal, along with a few men that believed in the cause, cleaned up the dwellings so that any woman that wanted to could live with a group of other women and children, independent from men. While some went back to the tribe, the others gladly accepted the idea, some wives with husbands still alive even leaving them to join their friends in a home where they were free. Since the homes were all squared away, and Simon had said he was only down to two or three more patients, they headed out on the horses to go to Jayne’s property.

Their hooves were swiftly dusting the road in a three beat pace, Amos steady and an easy ride as Zoe had a pleased smile on her face, Xin tossing her head as she wanted to run and Mal was resisting the urge to let her gallop (he liked to race just as much as she did). After a half hour on a trail as looped as the Switchfork river; with mule deer, elk and one very lost buffalo crossing their paths; the oaks, pines and redwoods cleared to the new Cobb farmstead. It was quaint, a modest one story cabin with an outhouse in back, the logs cut and fastened together, chinks of sod in between the gaps as a further insulator. The rock chimney spewed a chuff of grey smoke, the aroma of cherry wood filling their noses. Behind the house, was a barn, actually more well built than the cabin, made of hardware quality beams and planks. Next to that was the corral, and a pasture filled with sheep. Just shy of two dozen of the bleating, dull minded wads of white fleece, chewing grass and paying no heed to the newcomers. The long ear ass though, brayed as he was tied to a post, and when the horses rode up to the house the chickens cackled and exploded out of the way. In all it was a nice place, a few dozen acres skirting the red shore of Hammertail Lake, the rest of the plot shrouded in trees with vague patches of green.

"Pretty nice little spread." Zoe commented, dismounting Amos, who was the opposite in personality to her captain's mare. Nice and amiable, he nickered and nudged her shoulder for attention.

"No bad at all." He rubbed Xin's velvety snout to soothe her some. "Looks like our unwholesome mercenary is settling down to a nice respectable life." Walking his horse to the cabin, he tethered the tempered mare on the porch post with the dapple grey gelding. As they moved up the steps and he poised at the door to knock, they heard something.

"Shit they're here."

Jayne could be heard clomping over and opening the door, his face flush, and his body not only sweaty but also only covered by the pants he was holding up. Zipping up the fly a bit to hold his goods in, he gave a lewd smile of accomplishment to the duo. "Like the place?"

"Very much." Mal walked in first as the merc tended to his button and fly. The interior wasn’t bad. There was a long picnic table like table and benches, a big stone fireplace with a place for a grill and kettle, a rocking chair, a couch, and what looked to be two bedrooms and the luxury of a bathing room in the back. There was also Aveline, who was wearing Jayne's shirt and her skirt for the sake of decency. "Well, I hope you know absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Had ta christen the house, Mal." Jayne explained libidinously, shutting the door. "I mean, it's tradition."

"Keep on christening you'll have a litter of Cobb babies milling about." Zoe muttered under her breath.

"Scary picture." Mal whispered back.

"Huh?" Jayne missed it.

"Oh nothin' just takin' in all this whimsical interior decorating." He gestured to the blank, curtainless walls. "I think right here, ya need ta hang all your guns, and I think ya need a buffalo head on the mantle and a skins on the floor. You know, for style."

Jayne didn't get that it was mostly said in humor, he lit up. "That's exactly what I was thinkin! Plus I reckon Heidi needs a dog house or somethin' plus maybe Kaylee can put a cortex system in here. Me bein' Elder I gotta have a connection to the outside world.”

“Sounds keen.” Mal set his hands on his hips. “But, I figure we need to head out. We’ve done our good deed, you and Aveline here have learned the ropes and Christened to your hearts content, got the woolies, time ta pack up and head out.”

Jayne’s face sank, looking like a big, hairy, petulant child.

“Hey, you get to come back and be one with the mountain. Square up, put some clothes on. Spent more time then I wanted, days are coldin’ and I want to get through the pass before the snow rolls in.” It was true, winter was sweeping in fast and fierce. But a day ago the wind had knocked nearly all of the leaves off the trees, and their breath was starting to fog the air. Mal knew Shadow winters all too well, which meant they had to trek out as the first winter's blizzard would be on them in a matter of days.

The door opened, and Simon came in. His week old beard was gone, and he had had his hair cut back to a short length, as well as the luxury of clean clothes and a bath. Looking around the cabin, he nodded his head in approval. “I take it this is the Elder’s house? Congratulations on the homestead, Jayne, it’s very quaint.”

“Quaint?” The merc grunted.

“It’s nice, I meant nice.”

Mal seemed on the thin line between curious and envious as he looked like a mountain man compared to the clean Tam. “And where’d you get all polished up?”

“People are generous when you save their lives, ease their pain, deliver their children.” His gaze kept wandering. “Don’t fret, captain, I was told when we’re off to leave we need to stop by so you can be given your acknowledgement.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The entire town was out with the Nez, waving goodbye.

Jayne waved back, trailing behind the others as Mal led the way, Zoe and Simon the next falling in line behind the captain. As gifts for helping, The horses were laden with leather goods, wild produce and cured wild meat. Lariats, a few pairs of winter boots, bridles, straps, halters, harness, belts, deer meat, elk meat, buffalo jerky, a mix of various dried berries, and bulbs of mountain garlic the size of Jayne’s fist. There was more than enough for the farm, in fact Mal already knew he was going to take a few extra things and sell them to the stores back in Pryor for a little extra coin. It was quite a difference from their past life, when whatever good deed they did either ended with scorn or no gifts. Then again Shadow still had it’s heart, and most people showed their gratitude with simple gifts as that was custom curtosy.

Of course he’d never sell the mountain garlic, he loved to mince that on everything he ate. Though Inara might never kiss him again. Regardless he might never get lovin again on accounta the act he would smell like garlic, Mal's mouth watered to the notion of good eating. Perhaps some garlic potatoes with a touch of herbs and oil. The last time he had had that his mother had made him a going away meal. Would be a damn sight better than their usual poor man's white rice, or the stew he had been eating for the past few days in town. He didn't know what the hell it was, but it was apparently a delicacy of the Nez, and if he hadn't eaten it he would have offended them. Regardless, it tasted liked the parts of a animal no one ever ingested.

Simon, sighed wistfully as he was good and glad that they were going home. Of course Kaylee would be sad that he had cut off his hair, but he didn’t like that new fashion, regardless if she had read on the cortex it was all the rage on the core. Still, back home, away from the wild, the outpost cabin; days on a horse, nights curled up with his lover. It sounded like heaven.

Jayne sucked on his teeth thoughtfully. Lips twitching back to a grin that might have made a wolf uneasy. He was excited about the new title, and sex with Aveline was some of the best he had had on thirty worlds. However he was going to be gone for a spell, which meant one thing before permanently taking his title. The last hurrah of Jayne Cobb. A no holds gluttonous spree of women, drinking and borderline illegal fun.

Zoe had no particular thoughts herself. The only thing she felt a slight gladness for was the fact that she could be around Inara and the baby. She was never one to take hold of wee Meilin, but she liked watching them, it made her feel somewhat complete, at ease, not as fierce and ragged. As little ran through her head, she watched the men, twisting her her saddle to see the other two, and watched their reflective expressions in amusement. "You reckon that baby girl'a yours any bigger?"

Mal pulled out of his cullianary dreams, having to smack his mouth to rid the extra saliva. Thinking of his precious girls back home, his smile warmed. "I suppose so, way she's been eatin' like a cub." He mused at taking Meilin in his arms, feeling how she would snuggle down into the crook of his arm, yawn and stretch all of those tiny little fingers and toes.

Jayne snapped out of lickerish daydreams and gaped. "Baby girl? Mal's.... pa? Hell I weren't gone that long, Nara been keepin' a secret or something?!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

River raced Willow over to their returning kinfolk.

Boston was tucked in her jacket, none too pleased with the galloping but bearing it nonetheless. With a rabid grin, excited at the return of the others, River tossed her head back, raven mane spraying the wind, and let out a shriek of joy.

Mal's horse finally reached her own, and he was borderline giggling at the welcome. "Wouldn't have missed us Albatross?"

"Missed is a modest understatement CaptainPirateCowboy." Riding up to Simon's horse Brave, she literally jumped off her saddle and onto his, right in front of him.

Simon was startled, but as she sat backwards to face him in her seat and hugged him tight enough to hinder breathing, he wrapped her up as well. "I missed my mei-mei too." Pressing his lips to her hair, he rubbed her back. Seeing Boston's dark triangles of ears sticking out of her oversized jacket, he chuckled and scratched one. "Hello Boston."

Boston let out a pensive chirp. He was still recovering from the jump.

"Sachem Cobb, fate is a boob to put you in charge of people." River announced to Jayne, though it was said with more compliment than insult. "Congratulations."

"Well... thanks."

"I expect you two were good?" Mal rode alongside Simon as River tactilely examined her brother, touching his face, his hair, his clothes. Her sorrel following right behind the paint.

"Somewhat." River snatched a timberspeck apple from Simon's coat pocket, bounty from the upper hills where the hearty trees grew wild and had produced the last of the late season fruit. Impishly, she took a bite. A tad overripe but as sweet and tangy as homemade jam. Breaking a chunk off of the apple with her fingers and thrusting the juicy piece up till it rested on her brother's bottom lip, the juice tickling his skin. Before he could say anything, she shoved it in.

Zoe laughed softly at River's antics as Simon was force fed his own apple.

He choked down the piece. "Why.. thank you."

After taking another bite, River pressed her face into his chest, grinning contently whilst chewing the treat.

"How is everyone little clingy one?" Mal probed as the farmhouse grew on the horizon. Days had past, and they were bundled up as it was near winter. The grass, once green, had suddenly slipped to the dark, dead brown. Curling down and limp from the recent frost as the trees were skeletons, thunderheads gravid with moisture that was to become snow daunted the mountains, and the fowl had already flown south to the warmer, more tropical austral region of Shadow. The south itself wasn't much of a location, so far down south it was actually near the pole. The austral was too hot and humid to raise good beef, though there had been plenty of alligator and turtle farms to sell skins and meat to the core and scratch out a living. Rumor was those were gone from the war, and all that was left was wild swamp beasts, abandoned homes on quagmire stilts and mosquitoes as big as Ridgeback Shepherds. Still, that was where all the birds went, and it meant winter was about to steal in.

"Meilin's fine." River muttered through Simon's chest. Turning her head, she took another bite of the apple. "Happy, belly full of milk. Misses the paternal voice though, the funny way you sing to her to go back to sleep."

Jayne snickered.

Mal seemed caught off guard. "Well... I didn't mean Meilin... and where did you get the singin' stuff?"

"None of us are holding it against you, Sir." Zoe quibbled.

"How's Kaylee?" Simon asked, feeling like the felt side of velcro as River didn't seem ready to let go, ever.

"SIMON!"

They were just before the pasture fence, as Kaylee had hopped it and come barreling over. Inara, was more sensibly at the porch.

Mal and Zoe tightened their lips and tired not to laugh. Though tight smiles graced their faces.

Jayne curled his lip in partial disgust. He still couldn't get over those two getting hot and bothered for one another.

River rolled her eyes and unhooked herself from Simon. Clicking her tongue, Willow sidled up to Brave, and River held the apple in her mouth, reached for the saddle horn and gracefully transferred herself over with the twist of her hips.

Simon pulled up alongside Kaylee, reached down and hauled her up into his saddle. "Hel..." Before he finished, he was kissed so aggressively that he toppled off of Brave, flailing and taking Kaylee with him to land with a heavy thud in the dead sweetgrass, thankfully not on a cow pie. Simon's boot also flew off in the process, arcing in the air and nearly hitting Jayne as the doctor found himself flat on his back, his bare foot still awkwardly jutted up was Kaylee was prostrate and laughing on his chest.

River gave an expression that meant 'I don't know what I'm going to do with them.' Riding over, she took Brave's reins.

Both captain and beta laughed. "I know you're probably all ardent and itchin' but don't kill 'im Kaylee, he just got back."

"Hey Kaylee." Jayne greeted.

Regardless of the fact Jayne had been for so long, she hardly regarded him. Green eyes focused solely on Doctor Tam. "Hey Jayne."

"Um... missed you too?" He let out a half groan, sore from the throw. No matter, a week without her had been torture, and he needed relief.

"Sorry Sweetie." She kissed him wholeheartedly before pulling back and noticing something. "You cut your hair!"

"Surprise?"

Mal picked up the pace on his horse, deciding to leave the lovesick youngsters where they were. Instead of going to the gate, Xin jumped the fence like a world class sporter, and he quickly made his way to the house. The dogs yelped, and loped alongside the horse as Malcolm Reynolds slowed down and dismounted. Wrapping the reigns around a porch guardrail he went over to Inara, eying the bundled up waif in her arms.

Inara mused over the fact that Mal looked ready to become a vagabond. His clothes and body dirty and ripe, his hair flat and greasy, and his face unshaved. "Where you unable to find a tub on your travels?"

His face dissolved his happiness as he reach over and took Meilin with a soured face. "Well I was workin' thank you very much, hardly slept, had no time ta wash." He looked down at his daughter, how she mumbled her lips and opened her big, dark eyes. Because of it, his features softened again. She was too cute to stay miffed, what with that little button nose and pinch of a mouth. "Did big things, saved folk, killed folk...." He gave Meilin a finger and watched her grasp it as she focused on his voice. "Watched Jayne become Elder of a town and Sachem of an indian tribe."

"What?!"

-THE END-

-To Be Continued With WINTER: BIRTHDAYS & BARNS-

Further Titles Coming To The Series: Winter: Birthdays & Barns Lilac Syndrome Winter: Animals Parents, Preachers & Pistol Skinners Winter: Christmas Music The Retribution Of Malcolm Reynolds The Great Drive ..... and more.....

****** ****** ****** ****** TRANSLATIONS

Mei-mei: little sister

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**As always, the writer appreciates all comments whether they be positive, negative, or suggestions. And this being the last chapter of the story, I would like to thank everyone who read or wrote feedback. As always it was much appreciated and I hope you enjoyed it.