"I don't know how I could have missed this," Simon said, pulling the bullet from Mal's shoulder with a pair of forceps. "How the hell did you carry him with a gunshot wound to the shoulder?"

"Was hopin' you could tell me that. Man weighs more than a ox," Mal grunted. "You tell a soul I passed out, I'm dockin' your pay."

Simon smiled faintly. "Adrenaline is the only explanation I can come up with. The human body is capable of amazing things when faced with imminent danger. There are hundreds of documented cases of people lifting automobiles to rescue themselves, or people trapped beneath them."

"Automobiles?" Mal raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Simon smirked. "You know, what people used for short-range transportation before there was a hovercraft in every driveway?"

"I never did pay attention in History," Mal smiled, although he might have been gritting his teeth against the pain of the disinfectant Simon was treating the wound with. "You gonna be okay?"

"You're the one on the table," Simon pointed out.

"You know what I mean. Ain't gonna be no trouble 'tween you an' Jayne?"

"Not as long as he treats River right." Simon finished bandaging Mal's shoulder.

Mal laughed. "Just you remember, like anyone else, they're gonna fight. Hell, maybe more than other folks, since ain't neither one of 'em quite right."

Simon snorted. "River says he makes her whole."

"Reckon that's the truth, then. I ain't never known the girl to lie." Mal stood. "Ta ma de. I almost forgot," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the huge diamond, grinning. "We got us some money to be made."

~*~

"Are ya in luuuuuuurve?" Kaylee teased.

"No," her cousin said, too quickly. "He's a nice guy, and Hannah likes him, but I've known him what? Less than 24 hours. We just... connect. We both lost the people we loved." She continued peeling the carrots she was working on.

"I can vouch for his character, if that helps," Simon put in.

"Helps what? We're just... we're nothing, but I hope we can get to be friends. Being alone is easier when you've got someone to be alone with," Kate smiled. "He is cute, though, isn't he?" She and Kaylee dissolved into giggles.

"Oh, Katie," Kaylee grinned. "I didn't realize how much I missed ya till I got ya back."

"You should hear all the stories I have about Kaylee," Kate told Simon, throwing the sliced carrots into a pot and covering them with water. "You'll never believe all the trouble we used to get into. And her a doctor's wife now!"

"Well, an outlaw doctor, formerly wanted by the Alliance," Simon grinned. "Kaylee tells me Michael was involved in medicine, as well?"

Kate nodded. "He ran drugs between Ariel and the border planets. Legal, though," she clarified. "Didn't see each other very often, but once Hannah decided she was gonna show up, he had to find some kinda steady work, and there just isn't anything to be had once you get out of the Core." She looked at Simon for a moment before handing him a veggie peeler and a sack of potatoes. "Here, mister surgeon, operate on these. I need them peeled and cut up."

Kaylee laughed at her husband's baffled expression. "It ain't gonna bite, Simon."

"You don't know that," Simon told her. "I could lose a finger, and we'd all be in for it, then."

"Don't laugh, Kaylee," Kate told her. "I got a bowl full of peas need shelling." She handed her the large bowl and a smaller one for the peas.

"Two veggies," Kaylee marvelled. "Lucky thing Jayne ain't eatin' with us tonight. He claims he's 'lergic to veggies."

"So where's Hannah," Simon asked, "bothering her new father on the bridge?"

"No," Kate laughed. "In the cargo hold, learning how to dance. River's teaching her ballet. Hey, I've got a question."

"Yeah?" Kaylee answered.

"Who eats this go se?" She held aloft a box of rainbow-colored cereal, claiming to contain chocolatey marshmallows.

~*~

"Good ol' fashioned fried chicken like Mama used to make," Mal enthused. "Mashed potatoes so fluffy you'd think they was butter-flavored clouds. And biscuits! Honest to goodness made-with-wheat-flour biscuits."

"Ain't fair," Jayne glared. "First time in a long time we got real food on the ship an' I ain't allowed to eat it."

"Ain't all bad," Mal smirked. "There was peas an' carrots, too. An' Katie says she ain't gonna let li'l Hannah touch that cereal you done bought, so it's all yours."

"Yeah, the cereal's a real good trade for the gorram fried chicken." Jayne frowned. "Kaylee's cousin's a good cook?"

"Better'n I've seen in a good while," Mal confirmed. "I'll see what I can do 'bout gettin' her to make you a "get well" cake or somethin'."

"Shiny," Jayne grinned. "Chocolate's my favorite, but I ain't picky."

"Understatement of the year," Mal muttered with amusement. "Eat the gorram tablecloth if it got gravy on it."

~*~

"I'm your muscle?" Wash said, pausing in his laughter to wipe tears from his eyes. "Mal, that's... I don't even know what that is. Oh, brother. Never thought I'd see the day I was your most intimidating crew member."

"Jayne can't come on the drop with me," Mal repeated. "You an' me know River's deadlier than any one of us, but she ain't gonna put the fear o' God into no one, to look at her. I'd never tell the boy this, 'cause it'd break his heart, but Simon can't shoot straight to save his life or anyone else's. That leaves Kaylee, Kate, Hannah, an' you. Now who'd you pick?"

"Fair enough," Wash smirked. "But how do you intend to make me look scary?"

"Big enough gun, won't no one notice you ain't seven feet o' solid muscle."

~*~

"No," Hannah said, matter-of-factly. "No seep."

"I'm not going to argue," Kate said, defeated. "You can stay up as late as you want, but I'm going to bed."

"Dada!" Hannah insisted. "Dada no seep. Wan' dada."

"Right," Kate sighed. "If I get Daddy, will you go to sleep?"

Hannah nodded innocently.

"Excellent." Kate closed the door behind her and nearly ran into Wash in the corridor. "Just the man," she said, relieved. "Hannah's refusing to go to sleep until she sees you."

"Well, yeah," Wash grinned. "I promised her a bedtime story."

"Perfect. She's in her jammies already. Have at it." Kate threw her arms around him in a quick hug and kissed his cheek. "You're the saviour of my sanity. I owe you. I'm exhausted. I'm going to go pass out now."

"Hey, kiddo," Wash smiled as he entered the little girl's bedroom. "Are you giving your mom a hard time?"

"Dada tell story?"

"Promised I would," he told her. "I know I'm not your real Daddy, but I will never, ever break a promise I make to you, dong ma?"

Hannah nodded, and he had no doubt she understood exactly what he'd said. "Love dada."

"Love you too, sweetheart." He tucked her in and sat down on the edge of her bed. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little princess named Hannah..."

In her own room, Kate snuggled under the covers, listening to Wash's calming voice. She was asleep long before The End.

~*~

Mal glanced around the kitchen. "Where's my pilot?"

Hannah looked up from her bowl of cereal. "Dada flyin'."

"Okay. It's breakfast time, so where's your mother?"

"Seepin'. Ssh."

"There ya go, Mal," Jayne grinned, holding his stomach. "Can't argue with that."

Mal frowned, and sat down at the table, pouring himself a bowl of the techicolor cereal. Hannah slid down off her chair and made her way to the captain. She clambered up into his lap and placed her hands on either side of his face. "Love unca Mal," she said, placing a sticky kiss on his nose.

Mal looked at Inara, who was smiling like the cat that got the canary. "You're a little heartbreaker, aren't ya?" he asked Hannah. "No wonder my pilot can't tell his ass from his elbow anymore."

"Ass!" Hannah chirped. Jayne laughed so loud he startled her and doubled over in pain, and she began to sing. "Ass ass ass, ass! Ass ass. Ass!"

Trying very hard not to laugh, Kaylee said, "Okay, sweetie. That's enough. Polite li'l girls don't repeat things Uncle Mal an' Uncle Jayne say, dong ma?"

Hannah looked up at her innocently. "No p'lite. Ass!"

River and Simon were no longer able to contain their laughter, despite a somewhat pleading look from Kaylee whose own composure was crumbling. Hannah slid down from Mal's lap. "Dada!" She said excitedly. "Ass!"

"Excellent job, Mal," Wash said, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "She's been on the ship a day and you've taught her to swear."

"G'ram ass," Hannah added with enthusiasm.

~*~

"Well, that explains it," Inara muttered angrily.

"What explains what?" Mal asked, preparing to be yelled at for something or other.

"Philips," she grumbled. "He gave us a wedding present, you know."

"Did he?" Mal said, trying not to smile. "That a yes, darlin'?"

She glared at him. "He gave me this gigantic emerald -"

"For not sleepin' with him," Mal clarified.

"Would you shut up?" Inara snapped. "Yes, for not sleeping with him. But anyway, he said there were no hard feelings, but he reported me to the Guild!"

"Which means..." Mal prompted.

"Which means I just flushed my pension down the waste disposal."

Mal grinned.

"What? Why are you so happy?"

"You chose me."

"We're poor," she pouted.

"Ain't poor so long as we got love," he replied. "Christ, where the hell did that come from? Woman, you are turnin' me into a sap. You an' that li'l munchkin o' Kate's."

"What do you think?" Inara asked, holding the emerald up. "Can you sell it?"

"'Course I can sell it," he told her. "I could sell water to a drownin' man. You seen how slick I am when it comes to business."

"At least wait until Jayne's better before you try," Inara smirked. "You're right; I've seen you do business, and it usually ends up with someone getting shot."