“Now I only have one ground rule, never take off your pants unless I tell you to!” Simon’s face contorted into a soundless laugh as he delivered the punch line, Jayne slapped his cup down on the table after spitting out his drink. “That just ain’t right Doc, you mean you gotta see everythin’?!” Simon nodded, swallowing hard to down a lump of protein. “It was so embarrassing, I didn’t know whether I should be the one to tell the guy that I didn’t need to examine it or whether the nurse who was standing next to me at the time,” Jayne thumped his cup a second time and threw back his head, his laughter echoing down the corridor, “was going to start giggling!”

“Anyone care to let the ol’ Captain in on the joke?” Simon turned as Mal entered the living area; he was looking refreshed this morning and had a smile on his face on entering. Mal nodded at Darcie who was sitting withdrawn from the group, haunting the corner of the living area staring at Simon and Jayne at the table. He raised an eyebrow but continued about making himself some breakfast, or what passed for it on this ship.

“Anyone seen Kaylee this fine mornin’?”

“Present Cap’n!” Kaylee snapped a playful salute, strolling in with a broad smile on her face. “Serenity’s humming again Cap’n, all ship shape!” She sat down with a flourish, wiping her hands on her pants as she grinned at Simon. He smiled back, dropping his fork from his mouth, his gaze holding hers. She seemed transformed, as if the husk of the frightened, quieter Kaylee of recent weeks had crumbled away to reveal the old Kaylee beneath. He felt something stir from within, the feeling of butterflies he’d gotten so often in the past rose again and filled him with hope, hope for the two of them. For a moment however, the feeling vanished as his gaze momentarily faltered and met that of Darcie’s. A fear gripped him, something cold and sickening, and he dropped his fork.

“Simon?”

He looked at Kaylee again; noticing for the first time the engine grease speckled on her face, and promptly forgot his troubles.

***

"Shun-sheng duh gao-wahn!" Wash exclaimed. “That’s one heck of a payday!” “You’d better believe it.” Mal replied, “seems Badger got a direct request for our ship and nobody else’s, I swear he didn’t know what to make of it. Some folk would see it as a bad omen that we have a rep but I’ma thinkin’ it’s a good thing on this occasion.” “Here here!” Wash said, looking over at his wife, who looked less convinced. “Cap’n, I don’t mean to put a dampener on all the celebrations but how do we know that Badger isn’t doin’ some dirty dealin’?” Zoë frowned, resting against a locker with her arms folded. “I mean more dirty than usual? Ain’t normal, is all I’m sayin’. I heard the wave, he sounded too glad to hear from us!” Mal adjusted his breeches and, for a moment, something Zoë was saying registered and his cheerful disposition changed. “I ain’t sayin’ we walk in there all cocky, dong ma? Just that we ain’t got so much of a choice when it comes to jobs, people ain’t exactly been hammerin’ our door down for our services. Do you want to take more wobbly headed dolls cross space or you agree we got to broaden our horizons some?” Zoë nodded resignedly and glanced over to the door, jumping slightly when she noticed Darcie standing there. “Darcie, thought you were gonna help Kaylee in the engine room” Mal said, stepping towards her. “Ain’t anything interesting goin’ on up here mei mei” Her eyes flickered from Wash to Mal to Zoë, then back to Mal again. She smiled gently, moved across to the group and settled herself in a chair opposite. Without a word she held their gaze with some intangible force. Mal knew that he was staring, but there was something unexplainably haunting about the girl. Perhaps in was something in her eyes, no, the way she moved, or perhaps in was in her voice, there was an odd yet beautiful musical quality about it. He searched for a time past when he’d realised all these things about her, but quickly came up short. He opened his mouth again to excuse himself and the group but she quietened him. “Where are we going?” She said, her smile broadening slightly. “Persephone” Wash said immediately. Mal tore his gaze from Darcie in order to glare at his pilot, but was promptly drawn back to her. “No we aren’t, we were going to Sihnon.” She said simply. For a moment her eyelids fluttered and Mal could have sworn he saw her shudder, but the image quickly faded from his mind. He patted Wash’s shoulder, about to confirm the destination, when River appeared at the doorway. “Home, it’s like coming home.” She said, ignoring Darcie. Mal blinked and furrowed his brow, patted Wash on the shoulder again, and headed out of the cockpit. “Persephone or bust, Wash.” He said. “Let’s get to scheming Zoë.” The cockpit emptied, Wash promptly busied himself with setting the co-ordinates. River then turned and focussed on Darcie. “Nothing but mote in the eye.” She said, cocking her head to one side. Then, with a sweep of her dress, she moved down the stairs and back into the living area, all the time aware of the hole Darcie’s stare was boring in her back.