Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. I’m just playing. No money being made.

This story was written for the LJ Copper for a Kiss, Rayne 2008 Prompt Challenge.

It's set in my “Allanverse” about 12 years into the future from my current in progress fic “Into The Blue”

The crew of Serenity is still together. Children have been conceived and are growing up.

Cast of characters:

The kids:

Jefferson (Jeff) Reynolds 11 Emma Reynolds 7 Sara Bryant 10 Rebecca Tam 11 John (Jack) Tam 8 Rachel Cobb 6 Jesse Cobb 4

Challenge # 18 “Break”

Breaking Things

Eleven years ago, the crew of Serenity had decided to put down roots after the first children had been conceived in their makeshift family.

Allan Bryant, Zoë's husband, had wrestled the company he had founded on Earth that was over four hundred years ago back into his hands. It hadn't been easy but now with his new found wealth, a wife and with Inara and Mal expecting their first child. Allan decided to make a gift to the people who had saved his life and rescued him from the derelict ship where he had been in cryogenic suspension for nearly four hundred years.

Purchasing three hundred acres of land on Boros near the small city of New Edmonton from Zoë's old Sgt. Major who now was the local sheriff. Allan had five rambling ranch style log homes built on the site. One each for the couple's on Serenity and one as a guest house.

In the center of the compound was a small barn for the horses, a large workshop for Kaylee and off to one side, a landing pad for their old home, Serenity.

Serenity still flew the odd cargo run, but mostly was used to ferry Allan around in his capacity as the CEO and President of Blue Sun.

With the fall of the old Blue Sun corporation and the disclosure of what the company had done in concert with Parliament, the Alliance had nearly fallen. In the fallout of Miranda, Allan's retaking of Blue Sun and all the atrocities committed by both Parliament and Blue Sun, nearly every member of the board of directors as well as the previous CEO had been sent to prison or executed. Joining them were over half the members of Parliament, including the former Prime Minister.

Now with some measure of justice restored to the 'verse, Mal had agreed to Allan's offer to set up a homestead on Boros. Boros wasn't a core world but was still cosmopolitan enough to offer the amenities that many of the Rim worlds still didn't have. The rim was improving every day with the new Parliament having full representation from all the Rim worlds. Many of the new Parliament members were former Browncoats. For a short while, Mal had even considered a run for Parliament himself.

Just before the crew had settled in what they now jokingly called Serenity Acres, Kaylee had become pregnant with her and Simon's first child. Six months later, Zoë had become pregnant as well.

Now ten years after they had settled on Boros, there were seven kids running about. The oldest at 11 was Jefferson Reynolds, known as Jeff to everyone unless he was doing something he shouldn't be then it was Jefferson. The boy was the spitting image of his father except for the shock of almost black hair on his head that he had inherited from Inara.

Next oldest just eight months younger than her semi-cousin was Rebecca Tam. Looking a great deal like her Aunt River as a child other than her mother's lighter hair color. Becca as she was called, was truly her mothers daughter, rebuilding engine components before she was five.

The next child to arrive was Allan and Zoë's daughter Sara. Allan was glad that his darling little girl favored her mother in looks with her light toffee skin and long curly hair like Zoë's. Sara was a great deal like her father in some ways and yet seemed to follow in her mothers footsteps in others. An excellent shot by age eight she was also almost as adept at engineering as Rebecca. She also had her father's flying bug. When Mal or Allan weren't looking, River taught her to fly the shuttles. Sara also seemed to be the instigator of any mischief the kids got into.

Next to make an appearance was Simon and Kaylee's second child John. Nicknamed Jack, the youngest Tam child looked a great deal like his father. A very intelligent boy, he also had the carefree spirit of his mother and sister.

Inara and Mal had also conceived a second child. Named Emma, she looked to be a miniature version of Inara in appearance but she was most assuredly a daddy's girl. Much to the delight of Mal and the consternation of Inara. Emma was a tomboy in every sense of the word.

Jayne and River had decided to wait a few years before deciding to start a family. River had been nervous about what her children might develop in the way of abilities.

After reassurances from her extended family and a great deal of cajoling from Jayne who was getting tired of just being an uncle, River had given birth to a wonderful little girl that she and Jayne had named Rachel. A small girl, she had the long dark tresses of her mother but the piercing blue eyes of her father. Inheriting her mother's intelligence and a degree of reading ability.

Two years later River and Jayne had a second child. A boy they named Jesse. Big for his age, the boy looked to be following in his fathers rather large footsteps.

XXXXXXXX

River and Jayne sat on the porch swing enjoying the warm late summer evening breeze. River snuggled up next to her husband as they watched the children of the good ship Serenity play.

Mal and Inara stepped out onto the porch to join them and sat on the top step, sipping their after dinner drinks. Two or three times a week, the four couples and their children would have dinner together at one of the houses. It was a way of keeping the old mealtime tradition started back on Serenity going. Tonight was Allan and Zoë's turn to cook. Kaylee and Simon had volunteered to help with the cleanup.

“Poppa!” cried Rachel as she ran onto the porch and jumped into her fathers lap.

“OOF! Careful there little bit. Gonna break yer old man doin that,” Jayne chuckled as he hugged his little girl.

Giving her father a very River like look, Rachel scolded her father, “My current mass is insufficient to break you poppa.”

“Maybehaps, but you're getting a might big to be jumpin on folks,” Jayne grinned.

“We're going to catch firefly's soon as it's dark enough. Are there any jars in Uncle Allan's house?”

“Go ask Aunt Zoë if she has any baby,” River said to her daughter.

“Okay Momma,” the girl said as she scrambled off Jayne's lap and ran into the house.

Mal was chuckling, “Was a time I'd a never pictured you as a parent Jayne.”

“Same's could be said a you and Nara Mal,” Jayne replied.

The rest of the kids came pounding up to the porch, Jesse Cobb riding on his cousin Jeff's shoulders.

“Keepin em' outta trouble Jeff?” Mal asked his son.

“For the most part Dad, but I think Becca and Sara are conspiring against my authority.”

“Am not!” yelled Sara as she went to swat Jeff on the arm. Becca just giggled.

“Sara Jane Bryant,” came the authoritative voice of her mother, as Zoë stepped onto the porch, “Were you about to smack Jeff while he's carrying Jesse?”

“No Momma,” said Sara eyes downcast. River giggled next to Jayne.

“Get inside and help Rachel with the jars, she's too little to poke the holes in the lids.”

Her light brown face brightened, “Okay Momma,” Sara said as she dragged her cousin Becca into the house.

Waiting for the jars, Jack and Emma sat next to Mal and Inara on the porch, Emma snuggling up to her mother.

A few moment's later, the three girls ran out of the house with an arm full of plastic jars. Handing one to Jeff, Sara took one for herself and Becca, then handed the last to Jack. Taking Rachel by the hands the two older girls ran off in the direction of the barn, the rest of the children following at a slower pace.

“Zoë, that girl o' yours is turnin inta a right hellion,” Jayne commented.

“Got that right,” Zoë sighed, “Takes too much after her old man.”

“Who you callin old,” Allan said as he stepped up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“You Zang-fu,” Zoë giggled.

“I'll show you old,” said Allan as he swatted Zoë's behind.

“I can hurt you, ya' know,” Zoë said giving her husband a dirty look.

“Please refrain from doing that, I've done enough surgery on Allan for a lifetime,” Simon said as stepped onto the porch. Reaching over his sister, Simon handed Jayne a cold beer while Kaylee handed out beers to Allan and Zoë.

“Thanks for bringing the beer tonight Simon,” Allan said, “And as usual the strawberry shortcake was excellent Kaylee.”

“No problem,” Simon relied for the both of them.

The thrice weekly group meals tended to be a pot luck affair with whomever's house it was held at, responsible for the main course.

The eight adults settled into a comfortable silence watching the kids run about in the twilight chasing after the firefly's flitting around the yard.

“When do ya have to make the next run to Londonium Allan,” Mal asked after a bit.

“Two weeks,” Alan replied, “Need to stay for almost a month, annual stockholders meeting is coming up.” he finished with a sigh.

“Might be a nice break from all this gentleman farming you been doing lately,” Mal teased knowing how much Allan loathed going to the office. He did whatever he could over the cortex, leaving the day to day operations to Durin Haymer, his Vice President.

Inara smacked Mal on the leg. Smiling at her husband she spoke up, “We could make a family trip out of it.”

“Wadya mean Inara?” Jayne asked.

“The orbits are lined up this time of year,” Inara replied, “We can drop Allan, Zoë and Sara off on Londonium then spend a couple of weeks on Osiris visiting Simon and River's parents then hop to Shinon and visit my Mother.”

“That would be just shiny Nara,” Kaylee replied, “Been almost two years since Gabriel an Reagan's seen the kids. Even longer fer your Momma on Shinon.”

Inara knew Mal was hesitating. The primary reason was that he and his mother-in-law didn't get on all that well. Inara's mother doted on the kids something fierce however.

“I don't know,” Mal said.

“Sounds like a good idea to me Mal, if I can get done early, we can catch the shuttle to Shinon and meet up there, maybe take a week there as a bit of a vacation. I'll spring for Serenity's fuel...” Allan added as an incentive.

Mal looked at the amused eyes of his first mate and then the three set's of puppy dog eyes emanating from Inara, Kaylee and River finally broke his resolve.

“Fine, we'll do the grand tour,” he groused.

“Thank you Bao-bei,” Inara replied with a quick peck on the Captain's cheek.

“What about the animals?” Kaylee asked.

“Jacob's boys can take care of em'. They like coming out here,” Zoë replied.

“Sounds like a plan,” Allan said.

Suddenly a yelp of pain that sounded like it came from Sara was heard coming from the direction of the barn followed by Jeff Reynolds yelling.

“Uncle Simon! You better get over here!”

“What did that girl break now?” Allan said in an exasperated tone.

Who knows dear,” Zoë said as she trotted off the porch behind Simon.

“Just another day at Serenity Acres,” Allan sighed as he followed his wife.

“Damn straight,” Jayne said as he hugged River tighter.

“Why don't we go collect our wayward children and put them to bed,” River said quietly.

I ain't tired Bao-bei,” Jayne replied.

“You will be when I'm done with you,” River said with a grin on her face.

Jayne quickly stood up, “Yep, definitely bedtime,” Jayne said as he picked River up and threw her over his shoulder.

“Night everyone,” River called from her perch as Jayne headed for the barn to collect Jesse and Rachel.

The End... or is it?