All standard disclaimers apply. Fun not profit is the goal of this little ditty.

Time to Go....

The field of stars twinkled in the black. He realized he didn't know one from the other and glanced down at the controls, checking the charts, looking for names. Why was it all so gorram complicated? The ship, the crew, his life had all seemed to be workin' so well. The charts blurred and he realized there were tears in his eyes. When had they stopped being a crew and started bein’ a family? It was a dysfunctional family, but was there any other kind? Now he and Simon had had words. For the first time in months they were angry with each other. Both wantin’ to protect what was precious and buttin’ heads as to how.

He heard a soft rustle of fabric and looked over as Simon settled into the co-pilot's seat. It reminded Mal of that night an eternity ago when he'd offered Simon and River safe haven. He'd never thought then that he'd come to see them as part of his crew, his family. He'd come to rely on Simon's agile mind as much as his surgical skill, and River had proved herself more than useful. Simon gazed out the window and then over at Mal, his voice soft, "It’s time for the two of us to leave."

Mal hadn’t been expecting those words. He hadn't been sure what he'd been expecting, but not that. He marshaled his thoughts, "Thought you said couldn't imagine a future that didn’t include Serenity?"

"I recall that conversation. I also remember saying 'as long as it worked for everyone' and you have to agree its not working. I need to do what’s best for us."

"So you made your choice? You're just gonna leave her now?"

"She'll be fine. She loves this ship and needs it far more than she needs me now. You know that, I know that, and she knows that."

"You talked to her about this?"

"Yes, just before I came up here. We talked alone, then the three of us had a little meeting. She knows its time for us to go our separate ways. It would have happened eventually in the natural course of things. Circumstances just sped up the inevitable. I left them alone to talk. I'll be hard for River without her best friend, but she'll get used to it."

Mal looked at Simon more closely and realized he'd been crying, "Where you gonna go?"

"Daddy's got work for us." Both men turned as Kaylee walked through the doorway. Her face streaked with tears, her hands folded over her rapidly expanding waistline.

She walked up to Simon and leaned against the chair. He took her hand and kissed it, leaning his face against her belly as he wrapped a protective arm around her. "Doc Stanwyck's gettin' old and needs help, and Daddy's business is takin' off now that the port's expanded. He sent a wav. lettin' us know we're welcome, needed. Ain’t like you gotta lotta use for me here. Can’t even get near the engine room no more without throwin’ up. You got River, and she's like a medic and a mechanic all rolled into one. 'Sides, ain't like you can't come visit when you need our skills."

Mal sighed. He didn't want them to know that it wasn't just their skills he'd miss. Why was it so gorram complicated?