DISCLAIMER: Don't own it, never did, just having fun playing.

A/N: A huge thanks to kispexi2 for betaing this, my first multi-chapter effort! Wouldn't want to do it without you!

Translations are in mouseover.

Feedback would be shiny!

Chapter 1 Adult Only!, Chapter 2 PG13, Chapter 3 PG13, Chapter 4 Adult Only!, Chapter 4A PG13, Chapter 5 PG13

Chapter 6 Mal gets upset.

Simon took a deep breath, looked down at his coffee cup instead of at Mal, and asked, "Mal, do you ever miss not having a child of your own?" He realized his timing was off, as usual, when Mal sputtered his mouthful of coffee onto the tablecloth in front of them.

Simon winced as Mal stammered, "Wha' the…? Where did that come from? And how long you been ponderin' on it?"

"Sorry, I should have been looking at you. Then I would have known…"

Mal waved his hand indicating to both Simon and the waiter to stop. "Never mind that, just answer the questions."

"Where did that come from? Watching you with Eddie. How long have I been thinking about it? I'm not sure, but a long time. Now will you answer my question?"

"Do I miss having a child of my own? Don't know. Haven't rightly thought about it in a long time."

"But you did think about it at one time."

"Hell, I suppose so. Doesn't everybody?"

"No. I never did."

"What? Never?"

"Not that I can remember."

"Why not?"

"Well, when I was young I had River. Then I was too busy studying. Then I was too busy trying to get to River. Then… Well, you know the rest," Simon said with a small smile.

"Reckon I do at that. Come on, let's get out of here." Mal stood up, dropped payment for the food and tip on the table, and held out his hand to Simon. Simon took it gratefully. This was going better than he'd expected. At least Mal wasn't yelling…yet.

They walked down the street in silence for a little ways, both lost in their own thoughts. Then Simon asked, "So, when you used to think about having children, how many did you think about having?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know. A couple, I suppose."

"Really? Zoë said…," Simon snapped his mouth shut as soon as he realized what he'd said, but it was too late. "Gŏu shǐ," he mumbled as Mal came to a complete standstill next to him.

"You talked about this with Zoë!" Mal practically yelled in his face.

"No, Mal, no. Well, not really," Simon stuttered as he thought to himself, Tiān a, when am I going to learn to think before I speak?

"What the hell does that mean? 'Not really!' And what did she say?" Mal started walking away, striding down the street so fast Simon was hard put to keep up, but he did.

"I just asked her if you'd ever mentioned wanting children, and she said I should talk to you."

That mollified Mal somewhat. "She say anything else?"

"Well, she did mention the number six…"

Mal groaned and asked, "Anything else?"

"No…Oh, wait, said you didn't want them with her, or words to that effect."

Mal just shook his head and kept walking. By this time, Simon was panting just trying to keep up with Mal's long strides. Mal seemed to have calmed down a bit, so maybe he could slow down and catch his breath. As long as he could see Mal, he'd be okay. Hell, he'd be okay either way. He knew where the hotel was. He just needed to stop and catch his breath…

Mal strode on for half a block or so before realizing Simon wasn't next to him. Where the hell is that infuriating, lovable man? He stopped and looked back the way he'd come. There he was, slumped forward, hands between his knees, head down, sitting on a bench by the side of the road. Dì yù… Mal strode back, sat down next to Simon, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Nĭ meí shì bà?"

Simon looked up, "What? Oh…yes…just a bit winded. Trying to keep up with you after eating all that wonderful food just kind of took it out of me, I guess."

"Sorry, ài chēng," Mal apologized and pulled Simon into the comfort of his arms, "you should have told me to slow down."

"Right!" Simon snorted. "Like you would have listened at that point."

"Suppose you're right at that," Mal grinned.

"Not that I would have blamed you for not. Listening, that is. Anyway, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. I should never have talked to Zoë about this. I should have talked to you. I was just…I don't know…not sure how you'd take it. I should have asked. I'm sorry."

Mal dropped a kiss on the top of Simon's head. "Apology accepted. Now, how 'bout we go back to the hotel an' talk about this some more?" Once again he offered his hand to Simon as he stood up, and once more Simon accepted it gratefully. They walked on to the hotel in companionable silence.

Chapter 7