AN: I hope my characterisaion of Regan is to everyone's satisfactory. As well as the scenario she's put in. When I decided to give it a shot to make a short meeting between Kaylee and Regan I put Safe on and watched the flashback over and over again until I felt I had some sort of grasp on who Regan is. To keep as much surprise effect going I could for obvious reasons not put this note in the last chapter.

AN2: To Tan and Inge. Here's what I'm doing while you're over in UK talking to Sean and *sigh* Jewel. Wish I was there with you... who knows what kind of inspiration that would have given me... hopefully I'll not be guilted out of going on the next one... I *love* my mom and I understand why I can't go, but it doesn't change that knot in my tummy. Oh well, I hope you guys are having a wonderfull time and that I'll have a couple of more chapters for you when you come back. Please remember to do what you promised. Have lots of pictures for me.

AN3: Okay, this part continues immediatly after the last one. what more can I say? lol

*** Chance meeting ***

While Regan was signing whatever it was that needed signing, Kaylee was pondering the last name mentioned. Was this woman related to Simon and River? The more she thougth about it, the more she noticed the simillarities between the older woman and her husband and sister-in-law. And it made her wonder, could this maybe be Simon and River's mother? She thought back at Regan mentioning having two children, one of them a girl. But was she really..?

Regan finished up at the counter and glansed at the watch.

- Seems that I'm running late, she told Kaylee. - It was nice meeting you.

- You... too.., Kaylee muttered, as the woman went out the door.

Kaylee felt a stinging pain in her gut as she realized this was probably the closest she would get to Simons family. They would never know who she was. She felt even more bad for the baby growing inside her. Her daughter would never know that side of her family. A tear escaped her eye as she thought it. If this woman was who Kaylee thought she was, then someone very sweet, not only didn't know where her own children was, if they were safe at all, but she would never know her grandchild. Never even know she had one. It was an unbearable thought.

- Mèimei, are you allright, Inara asked, sitting on her knees, next to her.

- You know that woman I talked to?

- Did she say anything to upset you?

- No, she was sweet as they come.

- Then why are you crying, Inara asked, whiping away the tear with her thumb.

- I think that was Simon's mom...

The companion's eyes widened and she muttered incohearantly.

- A-are you sure, she stuttered.

- Think so... clerk said her last name was Tam... then when I thought 'bout it, I could see resemblances, Kaylee said, another tear starting to appear. - An' while I was talkin' with her... I wanted so bad to tell her who I was, but I couldn't. Cause it wouldn't be safe.

- Oh, sweetie, Inara whispered and stroked her face. - You did the right thing.

- Sometimes right things don' feel right.

- Must be hard for you, Inara ackowledged. - To be so near and yet so far away. But we shouldn't think about all the difficulties. At least you got to see her. You never thought you would get even that. And she seemed to like you, not even knowing who you are, she liked you.

Kaylee's eyes were still glassy, but there was a smile appearing on her face. How did Inara do these things? She knew the woman was trained in conversation, but it seemed like Inara always knew what to say to make everything feel better. It was then, Kaylee really got a look at the dress. It was deep green in either silk or satin, it was hard to decide. Fabrics never was Kaylee's strongpoint. But it was a very shiny dress in all meanings of the word. And there was a sense of simplicity about it, unlike most of Inara garnments.

- I like that dress, she muttered.

- You like all my dresses, Inara pointed out.

- True, the mechanic grinned, her mind less and less focused on the things that had made her sad.

- Kaylee.., Wash called, from the little radio device Mal had made sure she took with her. - Do you hear me?

- Yeah, Kaylee said, snapping out of her conversation with Inara. - Anything wrong?

- You might want to come back here. Inara too.

Kaylee knew better than to ask why. As did Inara, who hurried to pay for the dress. They didn't get to move too quickly, due to Kaylee's heavy tummy. First couple of minutes got devoted to the task of getting Kaylee out of the recliner. If they hadn't been worried about what it was that forced them to hurry back, they would have found the situation amusing.

They reached Serenity right about time when their purchase at the baby shop was being delivered. Inara signed the release-slip and Book took the crates onto the ship.

- They're on, he called to Wash over the intercom.

- Let me guess, Inara said. - The job went south?

- Pretty much, Book answered. - We're getting oddly used to it.

- If a job actually goes the way Mal plans it, that will be a first.

- They're allright, right, Kaylee asked. - Blackout zone folks ain't exactly friendly people.

Book placed his hand on her shoulder, reassuringly.

- There hasn't yet been an injury that the doctor haven't been able to mend. And it's not always they require the doctor's touch. I'm sure they're more or less allright.

- Mèimei, how about we get you to your hammock, Inara suggested. - In case Wash needs you asistance you can give the rest of us instructions on what to do.

- I'll be up shortly, Book said. - I'll just get these things to your room.

Kaylee nodded as Inara took her arm to help her to the engine room. She had been walking a lot that day, but it was when she was on the stairways she felt the real physical burden of pregnancy on her. And it was probably going to get harder before the baby arrived. She sighed. The hammock in the engine room was a very welcoming sight and very soon she was in it, listening to her other baby's steady hum. The preacher really was ahead of the class. She leaned towards the intercom and pressed the button.

- Wash, let us know if you need any help from the engine room.

- Good to hear, Wash replied. - You got all the baby stuff you needed?

- Now ain't exactly the time to be askin', Kaylee chuckled. - But yeah, 'Nara made sure I got enough.

- Didn't you know you can never have enough?

Kaylee recognized Wash's joking matter to be his usual trying to hide his worry about Zoe.

- Zoe's probably draggin' the capt'n with her. If she's unlucky she's also draggin' Jayne, she said, to reassure him. - Is it long 'fore we reach'em?

- Won't be long now, Wash said, hint of laughter in his voice from visualizing it.

Kaylee sat in her hammock for ages. The baby who had probably been sleeping the last hours, was stretching her legs. Funny really, she had heard somewhere that babies slept most their time in the womb, but it felt like hers was a lot more active. Not that she complained. She loved feeling her little one moving.

Her rants of thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the captain.

- Wash, we're on, now get us off this gorram planet!

She slowly got herself up from the hammock and made her way out to the hallway, where she had to clasp her hand over her mouth to not laugh. The outcome wasn't as fatal as it was hillarious. Sure as she had predicted, Zoe was pretty much holding the captain up. There were some tar on her clothes, but other than that she was the only one not completely covered in it. Mal and Jayne were covered from top to bottom.

- What h-happened, she snorted, trying not to let out a giggle at the sight.

Jayne groaned, muttering something about the stuff going everwhere, intentionally bumping into Simon as he passed him and River on the way to the showers. Mal gave Zoe the 'don't you dare tell them' look before also heading for the showers, yelling a warning to Jayne about the hot water.

- Great, Zoe muttered, looking down at her own clothes. - I drag their sorry asses back to the shuttle and they get first dibs on the shower.

- So, Simon said, looking at the big tar stain on his shirt. - I'm guessing we didn't get paid.

- Actually we did, Zoe assured him. - Or well... we took it when they weren't watchin'. Now... I need to get myself some clean clothes. I suggest you do the same, doctor.

With that she left for her and Wash's bunk, stopping at the helm first. Simon looked at his tar stained shirt, then at Kaylee in her pretty dress.

- I think I should follow Zoe's advice before I come near you.

- Yeah, 'Nara would probably mind if we got her fabrics mucked up.

Simon guided his clean side towards her and helped her towards their bunk. When inside it, he stripped out of the shirt and threw it directly into the garbage. Kaylee purred upon seeing his shirtless self. She loved his upper body, it was well muscled, but not completely hard to lean against either. Just the perfect balance. He decided to leave the shirt search for later and wrapped his arms as far as he could behind her and kissed her.

- You had a good day, he asked.

He only received a tired sigh and helped Kaylee to lay down on the bed. placing a soft kiss on her temple. He spotted the crates and raised his brow at the sheer size of them.

- Did you buy the store, he asked, sounding amused.

- I didn', but 'Nara almost did. Tried to tell 'er not to, but she wouldn't listen.

- Why don't I unpack this and you tell me about everything you did.

Kaylee stretched on the bed. She enjoyed seeing Simon carefully unpack everything, shirtless as he was. She started telling him about the sonogram appointment.

- ...I wasn' in there long. As I wasn' spendin' many credits he did a quick scan and printed the picture. He could tell me it's a girl, though, she said, grinning.

Simons allready big grin got even wider upon hearing the news. Kaylee showed him the picture and he could verify it himself. That was a girl. He was speechless to say the least. He was having a daughter. All those times he had claimed it being a girl and he had been right. And it felt wonderfull. Kaylee continued telling him about the bassinets she had seen in the window and how Inara had insisted on buying them one. Simon then opened the crate containing it. It was beautifully aligned and soft to touch, not to mention big. Inara, always being the practical one. They could have the baby in it for many months before needing to worry about getting a crib.

- Simon, Kaylee suddenly asked. - Do you know a Regan Tam?

He froze at the question and turned to look at his wife.

- Um... ah... that's my... mom, he finally said. - Why're you asking?

- I happened to run into a woman called that at the tailors, while I was waitin' for 'Nara.

Simon was in shock, stuttering a bunch of jumbled words. Kaylee pushed herself up to a sitting position. She couldn't believe she actually had been right. Simon stared at her for a little while, while gathering his thoughts.

- Was she... ah... um... did she... What did you talk about, he asked.

- Wasn' much. She overheard me talkin' to 'Nara 'bout names an' when I was sittin' alone, she jus' started talkin' to me. She was real nice, looked a bit sad though. I think she worries 'bout you.

- My mom's a good woman, Simon admitted after a long pause. - She's always wanted the best for me and River. Problem is she listens to dad on what that might be, most of the time. She didn't believe there was a code in Rivers letters, but when I think about it, she never disowned me, no matter the trouble I was getting myself into. Dad on the other hand, left me to fend for myself. I wish there was a way of letting her know that we're okay.

- Me too, Kaylee croaked, feeling the tears returning. - All the time I wanted to tell her 'bout me, 'bout you, the baby. I won't get to tell 'er, will I?

Simon sat down next to her and started kissing each tear as they fell, before planting one on her temple, gesturing for her to lean onto his shoulder.

- Afraid not, he whispered. - But we can hope.

She looked up at him and smiled. He was right, there was always hope.

- Tell me stories, she demanded.

- About what?

- Well, you know all of mine from daddy tellin'em at the dinnertable, but I ain't heard that many of yours 'fore the surgeon years. Tell me 'bout you an' River growin' up.