A.N. - Corollary to the “Namesake” series, occurring right after Part 29 in “Lost Family.” (If you want to know where all these kids came from, read the Namesake series.)

*~*

The first time Simon gave his daughter a shot, she was already four years old. He couldn’t believe he’d let his kids go that long without being immunized, but such was their lot in the black. Her twin brother, Jamie, had taken ill with the mumps, and that gave Simon the leverage he needed to twist Mal’s arm and force the issue.

Genny had climbed onto the table, jutted out her chin, and told him she wasn’t scared at all, no matter what Aunt River said about needles. Above all, Genny hated being called weak, and she had the scrapes and bruises to prove it. Simon had smiled at her and they joked the way they always did. Then he gave her the shot.

Within seconds, the brave look on her face melted into fear and she looked at him like he’d betrayed her. It took less than ten seconds to administer the shot. The needle was barely out of her arm before she jumped off the table and ran away, clutching her arm, and crying. She’d hid from him for the rest of the day and Kaylee had found her the next morning, curled up next to her brother in bed. It was never so easy to give her a shot again.

The second time he gave her a shot, she fought violently. She kicked, screamed, and clawed. Jamie tried to calm her, reminding her that it wasn’t so bad, but she called him a liar and continued to fight. Both Simon and Jayne had black eyes from the experience, but they held her down and gave her the shot. Simon had told Kaylee to wait outside, purposefully separating the girl’s mother from the experience, but when it was over, Genny ran straight past her mother into her room, then into the crawl space in the wall. It was six long hours of searching before Cole, Mal’s son and Genny’s best friend, said he knew where she was. It was another day before she came out of hiding.

The third time, Genny didn’t fight at all. Perhaps it was because she knew she’d eventually be subdued and there was no point to fighting. The broken look in her eyes broke Simon’s heart, and she begged, pleaded, and implored him not to do it.

“Don’t you love me, daddy?” she’d asked, and Simon could feel his heart bleeding.

“I love you plenty,” Simon said. He was trying to remain cool and distant, because his beloved daughter was his weakness and she had a real chance of succeeding in her mission and getting her way.

“Then why do you hurt me?” Her voice was meek and trembling and her lower lip quivered. She looked up at him with hazel moon eyes. She was winning. Simon shuddered and inhaled. Then he pinched her arm.

“Did that hurt you?” he asked.

“That’s just a pinch, daddy.”

“That’s all it should feel like.”

Now her how body shook and tears streamed down her cheeks. “Then you’re doing it wrong.”

Simon laughed, more at himself than his daughter. Was he so cocky to think he could stick needles perfectly every time? Maybe that first time he’d been off a little and he’d bruised her. Maybe that was all this was. Taking a moment’s pause, he ruffled her hair and kissed the tears off her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. He found an analgesic and rubbed the cream over the injection site to numb it a little. “This will help.”

She watched him gratefully, and a smidgen of confidence returned. She sat still for all of five seconds, but as soon as the needle was in, she let out a high-pitched shriek, jerked away from him, and ran off. After that, Simon started finding alternative methods to administer medication to his daughter. It was a challenge, but a worthwhile one. If he could help it, she would never have cause to hide from him again.

*~*

Simon sat sideways on the bed, anxiously watching the row of page lights, waiting for one of them to light up. He sat on his hands to keep from fidgeting, but his foot tapped involuntarily and shook the bed. He wished Kaylee were here telling him to settle down, but she’d gone to fix something in the engine room earlier. Sometimes he teased his wife for being more in tune with Serenity’s needs than his own, but it was only ever a tease. Kaylee was everything he’d ever wanted, needed, and wished for. She could calm him with a word, and he longed for that right now.

Genny was sick and Simon had only given her medicine for half the night because he wanted her to use the page button and call for him like she was supposed to. Simon had insisted on a page when he first moved out of the passenger dorms to bunk with Kaylee. His room was closer to the Infirmary, hers to the engine room. Naturally, she won out. Now the passenger dorms were populated with Serenity’s children and for some reason, none of them were keen on calling a doctor. They were content to nurse each other through the night, no matter what – even when Jamie broke his collarbone jumping on the bed.

Simon started pacing. He’d give Genny ten more minutes. Ten –

One of the lights flashed red, accompanied by a soft buzz – not any of the kid’s lights. With a sigh, Simon slid into his shoes and headed to the Infirmary.

*~*

Mal was the first father among them, in more ways than one. Everyone had expected him to step in after Wash had died, but he’d certainly taken it to the next level when Zoë died too and he adopted their daughter, Zoë’s namesake. It was because of Mal that Simon let his family stay on Serenity. He’d never believed a child could live on this ship until he saw Mal with Little Zoë.

It didn’t surprise Simon to find Mal in the Infirmary, swaying on his feet, holding Genny in his arms. He’d been sick this week too, and so it made sense he’d be down this way.

Genny’s face was flushed and her hair was damp with perspiration. She looked half-asleep, with her head resting on Mal’s shoulder and her eyes drooping. Mal nodded when he noticed Simon, and nudged Genny with a kiss to the temple. His daughter blinked tiredly.

“Daddy,” she smiled, reaching a hand toward Simon. Her smile faltered half a second later, wary of finding a doctor where her daddy might be. “I didn’t call you.”

Simon smiled and stroked his daughter’s hair, not wanting to insight a coughing fit by moving her too much. “I know you didn’t. God forbid my sick daughter call me for help.”

“I didn’t know what to give her,” Mal said apologetically, handing over the girl as she reached out both hands and leaned towards Simon. When Simon took her in his arms, she shimmied up, kissed his cheek, and then rested her head on his shoulder. She got that sweet streak from her mother, Simon was sure of that.

“I’m fine, daddy. Just need a hug is all,” she assured. “That’s all the medicine I need.”

“Mmm, hmm.” Simon rolled his eyes and turned to Mal. “How about you? Any change?”

Mal leaned heavily against the wall. “Added queasiness to the symptoms. Does the orange stuff treat that?”

Simon frowned and went to the medicine cabinet to find something appropriate, but Mal had made a mess of it. He found the bottle of ‘orange stuff’ and turned to Mal disapprovingly.

“I didn’t give her any,” Mal said, preemptively defensive.

“You drank out of the bottle.”

Mal shrugged sheepishly.

“How’s the tummy, princess?” he asked Genny. This was a persistent bug, and he didn’t like depending on Mal to know what Genny was going through.

“Empty,” she said, with an unspoken ‘I’m fine’ in her tone. Simon could read between the lines – she’d thrown up. He could smell the mentholated cough-suppressant on her, but that wouldn’t help the queasiness. Neither did the soft rattle of the deck plates or the thrum of the engine.

“I suppose it’s too late to quarantine you two.”

Mal looked concerned, but didn’t have the strength to stand straight. “Do we need that?”

“With our luck?” Simon said wryly.

“Sarcasm ain’t cute,” Mal said firmly.

Genny giggled, coughed, and giggled again.

“See, I tell him with a straight face,” Mal said to Genny.

She lifted her head to look at him, but her smile vanished like she immediately regretted the move. Her eyes filled with tears and she laid her head on her daddy’s shoulder. Simon found the medicine for her in the form of a dissolvable strip.

“Open,” he said, and obediently she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. Most of her medicine came in this form since Simon had stopped with the shots. She closed her mouth, swallowed hard, and squeezed her eyes so tight that tears fell out.

“I want Mommy.”

*~*

It was times like this that Simon wished he could be a father without being a doctor. His baby girl was sick and he couldn’t just hold her and rock her to sleep like he wanted to. He had to diagnose her and treat her and make her better. When Simon pulled out the needle to draw Mal’s blood, Genny took off like a bat out of hell, running upstairs, straight into her mom’s open arms. Kaylee, Simon knew, would do one of two things. Either she’d take Genny to their quarters and let the girl sleep there for the night, or she’d bring the girl back downstairs and let Simon finish his work. Simon was kind of hoping for the first, but he’d no sooner finished drawing Mal’s blood than he saw Kaylee come down the stairs with Genny in her arms. They exchanged a look as Kaylee walked past the Infirmary and toward the passenger dorms. Kaylee knew better than to carry Genny into the Infirmary. Simon followed her out into the hall.

“I’m all better, daddy,” Genny said sternly, warning him off.

Simon ignored her and focused on Kaylee, cradling his wife’s chin, and kissing her full on the mouth. Genny giggled and wedged herself between them.

“Get a room,” she said, pushing them apart with her palms. She suppressed a cough and wriggled free of Kaylee’s grasp. “I’m going to bed.”

“Not so fast, ke ai ren,” Simon said, scooping her up. “It’s your turn now.”

Genny squirmed against him, realizing she’d been tricked.

“No Daddy, please.”

God, how he hated this.

“Mommy, help!”

Kaylee turned away. She had to. Mal met Simon in the lounge and took the struggling Genny from him.

“Get your things ready,” Mal said to Simon as he restrained the girl. Simon looked on enviously as Mal turned to Genny and whispered soothes in her ear. Simon wished someone else could be the doctor, just this once. He wished he could be the one holding his little girl, telling her everything would be okay.

Genny cried and wheezed, coughing until she could hardly breathe. She yelled out Chinese obscenities that Jayne had taught her, before veering off to more schooled insults, likening Simon to a harbinger of death. Simon would’ve admonished her in any other situation.

“Even if you’re dead, you’re still gonna get stuck,” Mal told her matter-of-factly. Simon wanted to smack him for being so callous.

Finally, Genny closed her eyes and slumped defeatedly in Mal’s arms.

“Save me, Captain Mal,” she begged. “Get me out of here.”

Mal nuzzled his face next to Genny’s and sang softly in her ear a song that Kaylee had taught him. Genny’s tiny hand fell over Mal’s and she held on bravely.

Jealousy stabbed through Simon again. He wanted to be the one to rescue his daughter. He wanted to sing peace into her life. But right now, he wasn’t her daddy. He was her doctor.

*~*

Simon had just gotten the needle in Genny’s arm when he heard the ruckus in the hallway. Genny’s eyes flickered toward the sound, but she stayed completely still. Mal’s jaw tensed in response to the commotion, but he held onto the girl, lest she start struggling again. Her breathing was shallow and she was intentionally trying not to insight a coughing fit. Simon had detached completely. There was no way to mix daddy and doctor in this moment.

“Good girl,” Simon murmured encouragingly, brushing her sweat-soaked hair from her face before risking a look into the hall. The boys were out of bed and in force, creating a whirl-wind around Kaylee. Cole and Jamie he expected. Michael, Mal’s youngest, rarely joined in their mischief, and at the moment the five-year-old was in silent hysterics. Kaylee caught Jamie and Michael, but Cole was better at evasion and Kaylee lacked a third arm.

“Don’t! You can’t!” Cole cried as he stormed into the room, making a beeline for Genny. Simon moved to intercept, but Mal was faster.

“Hold it!” Mal said authoritatively and his son froze.

The seven-year-old looked between Mal and Genny, unsure of what to do. Kaylee lost her hold on Jamie and the boy ran in, nearly plowing over his friend.

“Jamie, one more step,” Kaylee warned, not bothering to finish the threat. Jamie stopped too, and he and Cole clung fearfully to each other in the middle of the room. Trading Michael of Genny, Kaylee took her daughter and sat on the side bed, rubbing Genny’s back soothingly, coaching her to calmness.

“Genny, I told you not to call Daddy. I told you!” Jamie cried.

“I called him,” Mal said sternly and both boys looked at him, moon-eyed.

“Why Baba?” Cole whimpered. He took a step forward, but Mal raised an eyebrow, and Cole retreated back to where he was. Simon always marveled at the control Mal had over his sons.

“That’s what you do when someone is sick,” Mal explained patiently.

“Not Genny,” Jamie said, stepping out bravely, then shrinking behind Cole for protection.

“Why not Genny?” Simon demanded.

Jamie looked hesitantly at his twin. The girl was a hairsbreadth from hyperventilating. Simon dropped to one knee and beckoned his son. Jamie exchanged a look with Cole, then stepped tentatively over.

“Jamie,” Simon said sternly, looking his son square in the eyes. “Why not Genny?”

The boy shook his head, like he wasn’t allowed to tell the secret. “Don’t you know, daddy? It hurts her more.”

Simon reeled.

“Baba, can I sit with her?” Cole asked. Mal looked at Simon who gave a curt nod of permission. Mal’s attention was on Michael who was clawing at his ears like they hurt. Simon made a mental note to check the boy’s hearing aid in the morning, but now, he wanted to finish the blood work, and he wanted his kids to be less cryptic about their ailments.

“Can you breathe okay?” Cole asked Genny softly.

The question surprised Simon and he turned sharply. Cole knelt on the bed next to Kaylee and he cradled Genny’s face in his hands. The girl was shaking with effort to keep from coughing.

“Genny?” Simon asked in concern. It was subtle. Almost unnoticeable because the girl was already so sick. “Cole, why did you ask that?”

Jamie climbed onto the bed too, and both boys crowded around Genny in concern.

“She says it’s like fire in her arm,” Jamie said quietly and Genny bit her lip miserably and averted her eyes.

“Last time she got stuck, she couldn’t breathe right for a whole day,” Cole said.

Simon could see it now, and he nearly panicked. It was a mild allergic reaction, but with deadly potential and he’d written off every single symptom as something else. Ai ya huai le, he could have killed her!

“Genny,” Simon said, touching her face gently. She jerked away from him.

“I ain’t weak!” she screamed, then coughed and wheezed. With what breath she found, she wailed and buried her face in Kaylee’s shoulder, but she didn’t find much. Her lips turned purple and Simon moved frantically, hooking up an oxygen tank and pressing a mask over her face. Kaylee held the mask in place as he quickly removed the needle, praying he had enough blood to run his tests. Genny’s elbow was swollen and her hand was curled into a claw.

“Careful, daddy,” Jamie warned. “It’s hard for her to move.”

How many times had Jamie seen his sister through this? What kind of cold, unfeeling monster did his children think him to be? And how the hell was he supposed to treat an allergic reaction without an epinephrine shot?! He at least had an answer to the last, so he started there.

*~*

It was near morning before things settled down again. Mal took the boys back to their ‘fort’ they’d built out of bedsheets in Michael’s room. Genny asked to go with them, but Kaylee wasn’t ready to be parted from her, and she easily agreed to spending the night with Mommy. Kaylee stayed in the Infirmary, rocking the sleeping Genny in her arms while Simon set up the damn blood tests, vowing to any god within earshot that there’d be hell to pay if this didn’t turn up an answer. The guilt overwhelming him, his chin fell to his chest, and he started weeping.

“Simon,” Kaylee called.

Simon shook his head and sucked in the heartache, forcing himself back to work. “She was alone, Kaylee. She couldn’t breathe. I did that to her.”

“You couldn’t know.”

“I let her hide from me,” Simon said. He came over, leaned his forehead against Kaylee’s and watched his own tears splash onto his daughter’s night gown.

“We found out in time,” Kaylee whispered, running her hand through his hair, forcing calm between them. There was comfort, not forgiveness, in her touch.

“I’m sorry,” Simon said, but he took her lead. Then he took her hand, swallowed the pain, and focused on the present. The tests were set and he would have answers in a few hours. Holding Kaylee’s hand, he took a step back.

“Let’s get to bed.”

Kaylee offered Genny, but Simon didn’t think he deserved to hold the girl at this point. Still, she stirred when her mother moved. Blinking tiredly, Genny scrunched her nose when she realized she was still in the Infirmary.

“It’s okay, bao bao,” Simon soothed, tentatively reaching out and stroking her cheek. “We’re done for tonight.”

She looked at him, eyes full of hope, begging for rescue. Then she reached for him with both hands. It made Simon feel strong, forgiven, and completely unworthy of such a precious gift.

“Daddy, get me out of here!”

*~*