Angelle's mine, but the rest belongs to Joss. -------------------------------------------

Home....the sea of green and brown below us glittering bright against the firelights gathered 'round the landing strip, a huge welcome shape shadowed near the platform, and hundreds of little ants that I knew were my family ready to embrace me when I got off...Damn, it was good to be home...or at least, would be if SOMEONE would ever land this boat.

"Watch how close you get to that edge, Mal." I called lookin' over in hopes to better direct him. A frustrated grumble acknowledged my directions.

"Gorram it, woman. Can you just let me fly this thing?"

"I just would rather not be gator chow, thank you." I growled back. "Plus it may just damage your pride a bit if my Betsy Lou has to dig your Serenity out of the mud pit."

"It might, but if you'd just shut up and let me land her, then it won't come to that or to me, shootin' you, dong ma?" He looked at me quickly and with a huff, I folded my arms and pouted. It seemed like the only thing I could do at the moment. Dad always said I was a nervous flyer and with good reason. Most that tried to land on our platforms ended up in the mud.

Serenity, without my nagging, leveled out and soon I could feel her landing struts find purchase on the platform. Smoothly, I could feel the engine almost sigh with relief and I couldn't help but smile and clap my hands softly. "Guess you didn't need my help after all."

"Ain't my first landing." He grinned and held out his hand to me. "Ready to go meet the natives."

"Not sure. Heard many a disturbin' thing about these backwater inbreeds. Did you know they wear necklaces out of animal teeth?"

"That's only the REAL crazy ones." He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my chair. I would have landed on my feet perfectly had my one ankle not caught on the seat belt, which tripped me and sent me into Mal's arms, not an altogether bad place to be. "You okay?"

His voice seemed almost distant as I took in the smell of him and the feel of his body against mine. You could say I was definitely having a girl moment. When it finally registered that he was speaking to me, I did what any self respecting girl in the arms of a god would do , I giggled, nodded, and turned every shade of red I could. So, Crazy White Female with a crush, 1...Kick ass Assassin, 0...

"I'm fine. Just tripped on something." As I regained my balance, my hand went immediately to smooth my hair, a nervous habit I had picked up about a year back. Mal, I think sensing my obvious embarrassment, just chuckled before speaking. "Got to look out for those 'somethings'. There's several on my boat and every one of them is out to get ya."

"Very funny." I smirked, picking up my dignity and tossing it over my shoulder. "Best go see who's at the door to greet us."

I could feel his smile through the back of my head all the way to the cargo bay. Everyone was waiting. Kaylee, her eyes bright with that cheerful glint, Simon clutching her hand tight...River, the necklace around her neck, eyes curious...Jayne and Zoe, both with hand on guns, just in case the p-bellies had indeed breeched our defenses...All present and accounted for with Mal and I making it a full house.

This time when the grinding doors opened, I felt like the toddler, my body shaking in anticipation to see my family, to see my home. If you asked me at that moment whether I felt like the killer who not a few days ago was ready to take a life, I would have told you no. I was the little girl, who just wanted to hug her daddy.

Strangely though, when those doors opened, it wasn't my father who greeted me first, though it might have been if someone had had a better hold on Stitches. Whoever had decided that Jakie could hold on to the big black hound had another thing coming and as soon as he saw me, Stitches literally ripped the leash from the boy's hand and was up the ramp in four giant bounds.

"Stitches!" I yelped as his front paws hit my shoulders and the sloppy tongue began to give me face a good wash. "You old goof...down." He whined and dropped off me turning to watch as my father and his men proceeded up the ramp. His salt and pepper hair was cut like the war veteran he was, flat top spike about an inch off his head. My dad was built like a tank, solid muscle and anyone wanting to mess with him better think twice.

“Daddy.” I called out, the anticipation too much as he gathered me in his arms and kissed my forehead.

“Missed you, Stix.” He whispered in my hair and I squeezed a little harder before letting him go. “Malcolm, it's sure good to see you still haunting the black.”

Mal smiled as my father clasped his arm tightly. “Sam, you haven't changed one bit.”

“Did you really think I was gonna?” He chuckled before looking over Mal's shoulder. “Zoe? Mal never told me you were flyin' with him. Not that I shouldn't have guessed, but...” He opened his arms up. “Come give this old man a hug.”

Maybe no one, but me noticed the few tears glittering on her face as Zoe buried her head into my dad. His hand rubbed her back as they seemed to stand there for a minute. She let go and patted my dad's belly. “Need to lay off that swamp beer.”

“Are you sayin' you don't like my beer gut?” Dad teased, we all knowing full well it wasn't. My father never drank beer. He was a hard liquor kind of guy.

“So, Malcolm, introduce me to your crew and then I think my Stix will want to show you around a little.” He eyeballed me as I groaned. My only mistake bringing Mal here was knowing full well that my father would play matchmaker the whole time.

“Well, you know Zoe. The big man with the twitchy trigger finger is Jayne.” Jayne nodded and shook my father's hand.

“Ain't Jayne a girl's name?” My father whispered to me and I laughed.

“Next, we have Simon Tam and his sister, River.” River looked at my dad, making sure he saw the necklace of mine. My dad glance at me and I shrugged.

“I like animal teeth.” She stated and walked away to pat Stitches on the head, getting down to play with him.

“My sister is....” Simon began as my father shook his hand and smiled.

“A fascinating young lady...so, you a doctor?”

“Umm....”Simon stood there trying to remember just who had told my dad about his occupation. My father laughed slightly and reached to touched the stethoscope around the good doctor's neck. “Oh, I totally forgot to take that off. Yes, I'm the ship's doctor.”

“Needles will be happy you're here. He's been pretty booked since the Alliance started taking pot shots at us. That is, if you would be willing to help.”

“ 'Course, Simon will. He's always ready to help them in need. Name's Kaylee, by the way.” I had to hand it to Kaylee, she was quite the go getter, even if she wasn't the one going. Simon just nodded as his lady signed him up for God knows what. My father just chuckled as the talk then turned to mechanics and what Kaylee might be able to do with the few vehicles we happen to have. Respectively, Betsy Lou was left out of their talk. Dad knew she was mine and, no offense to Kaylee, only I worked on her.

We left Serenity to sit as some of the village men began to cover her with old branches and leaves so she wouldn't draw any unwanted attention while her crew was gone. I turned back to the boat and whispered a prayer that the Good Man above look out for the old gal. In the short time aboard her, I had grown partial to the Firefly. She was definitely a credit to her name.

* * * *

“Uncle Sam! Uncle Sam!” We approached the village as Nelly, my cousin's little girl ran into my father's arms. She was panting hard and had mud all over her legs.

“Calm down, Boo boo. What's wrong?”

“Gerry got stuck in the bog. He went after Moo.” She whined and I could see her tears. Like a natural mom, Kaylee scooped the little one from my father as he turned to me.

“Too tired from your ride to save your cousin's boy?” He motioned for Jakie to grab my bag and to take the crew to the village.

“Not like a little rescue to get your heart pumpin'.” I smiled, shedding my jacket and taking off after my dad.

“Mind if I come?” Mal asked as I looked back at him.

“Well, if you are, you better catch up.” I smiled and he jogged over to walk along side me. My father slowed so that we were all side by side. “So, when did kids start going out to the bog by themselves?”

“Stix, he went after a damn dog. Can't keep our eyes on them and the sky, too. That's a momma's job and believe me, your cousin will get a talkin' to by her daddy or I will. Should tan that girl's hide.” He put his arm around my shoulders. “Need anything?”

“Ya, not to have to save this kid in the first place, but since I can't have that....Mal, do you still have my knife?” I asked him as the smell of wet mud and the bubbles of swamp gas filled the air. We had entered the bog, and as our shoes began to stick in the ground, my father pulled us on to solid ground.

Mal reached into his pocket and handed me the knife I had threatened 'Nara with. “Why's Malcolm got your knife, Stix?” I looked at my dad sheepishly, but the captain answered quickly.

“Borrowed it. Had a wire needed strippin' and hers was the closest thing. Must of forgotten to give it back is all.” My eyes thanked him as I took the blade and cut a long strip into my jeans. For what I had to do, the material would have been too tight. Now, the legs were split on both sides giving me plenty of breathing room. Mal's eyes ran over my long bare legs that now were exposed by the hanging material. I smiled and cleared my throat as the captain looked up at me. “By the way, Captain Reynolds,” my father wrapping the rope tight around my middle as one of the scouts motioned they had found Gerry. “Welcome to the Bayou!”