The dreams of Serenity often lingered into the morning. Sometimes they snarled from the corners, sometimes they glittered like snowflakes. River followed the orchestra and looked out from a grand and gleaming balcony.

She saw all of them celebrating together. The ghosts of the past, the present, and the future mingling with the day's fancies. Her brother and Kaylee, dressed like they were attending the finest winter ball on Osiris. Wash spinning his laughing daughter in the air, little ballet shoes danging under his arms. Zoe looked on nearby with a tenderness she shared only with them. The Shepherd clapped along, and even the captain danced a turn. He clasped hands with Inara, a dulled metal band on his finger, sunlight shining from a stone on hers.

They're the most fortunate souls in the verse, and the most ill-fated. She knew it well - too much. River's luck was the cruelest of them all. She has been freed from the first and only disappointment she'd ever experience in her life, with only a scrambled mindful of fear and noise for her trouble.

"Too dangerous," she announced.

She knew why Simon was seeking her, the sorrow in his eyes because he would have to tell her that they couldn't go to the Sabacc Theatre House on Paquin. Too much heat, hounded from the same spree that paid for the tickets. Instead they'd spend the night here, with family. She explained to him, in her own way, and her brother felt so inadequate and ashamed, wincing in his eyes even as he smiled at her understanding. "Yes River. I'm sorry, we can't go."

Hers was genuine. "It's okay, Simon," she said. "The ballet is better from here. Best seats in the house." She didn't mind, because Simon was so smart. He already had an idea, hurried back up the stairs and enlisted help to give his sister the performance he'd promised. Scenes from the Nutcracker, with cortex music tinny over the intercom, and none of them knew the steps. They never did. But they'd play their parts. Even Jayne would mock and disrupt and play the Mouse King.

Every gift was hard-earned and bittersweet. Painful. Forever grateful. They hurt, and were made whole. This was the last time she'd see them all together, and for one night, River wanted to keep dreaming. And that was everything to her.