Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly, it belongs to Joss Whedon.

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River sat at the dinner table with the rest of the crew, laughing lightly at some of the stories they told. She liked dinner with the crew, it was always a fun time, a time where everyone could decompress. No one worried much and the thoughts didn’t overwhelm her. She didn’t feel anyone’s pain or fear or worry, not even her own. She felt almost normal when she was at dinner with everyone else.

She picked at her food, taking small nibbles here and there, laughing along as Jayne told stories of his escapades back before he’d joined the crew. Somehow Jayne always made killing sound funny. Sure, it was morbid, but that’s where a lot of the humor came from, just the fact that Jayne could be so completely lighthearted about it.

“An’ so I was holdin’ ‘is arm tight-like, makin’ it look like I wasn’t goin’ to let go and right as he tried to climb up over the edge of the gorge I let go an’ told ‘im joke’s on you!” Jayne regaled.

The whole crew laughed, imaging the man Jayne had made out to be a complete moonbrain falling to what he assumed would be his death, but had really only culminated in a cold swim in the river below. River’s head snapped up as she heard her pet name.

“Well, I think that’s enough of Jayne for the night,” Mal chuckled. “Why don’t you tell us a funny story, little albatross?”

River paused, setting her chopsticks down slowly. A small smile curved her lips as she looked up and around the table. Simon was smiling at her encouragingly. They were involving her, trying to make her feel at home, and she appreciated it, even though she knew she’d never really fit in. She thought it over for a moment and nodded.

“I remember the smell of cinnamon and fresh apple pie,” River said airily. “We were little, only children, me and Simon. We were at grandma Tam’s for the summer. We were helping with the baking before supper. I remember flour everywhere, white all over our play clothes. It was in my hair, made my nose itch. I was watching Simon reach up onto the counter for the eggs and I laughed. I watched him as they all fell down, all broke, fragile, all over him. They dripped onto the floor and he almost slipped in them. Grandma Tam laughed too. Do you remember, Simon?”

River looked over at her brother and saw a blush creeping up over his cheeks. She smiled brightly and knew that he was going to be embarrassed. He was always embarrassed when there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

“I do,” he replied with a chuckle. “But this is supposed to be a funny story about you, not me.”

“Hush,” River laughed. “Asked for a funny story, not a funny story about me. It wasn’t specified.”

River stopped for a moment, looking completely absorbed in a memory of some sort. The smile still tugged at her lips, but it was somewhat sad, wistful. She looked up again and fiddled with a thread on her dress as she continued.

“I had to face the door while grandma Tam helped Simon clean up in the bath. I wasn’t supposed to watch, but I heard them laughing and I got curious. Curiosity kill the cat. I turned and saw Simon in the bubbles. So many bubbles, he almost got lost. When he stood up he looked like a snowman and grandma Tam was laughing, and she called grandpa Tam in from the yard to see, too, and grandpa came in and called Simon Mr. Bubbles. He was red, red like a tomato, like roses. A red snowman. It was funny, they all laughed. They still laugh sometimes.”

River laughed to herself and pretty much everyone else at the table were biting on their bottom lips to keep from laughing. Simon groaned and turned a bright magenta color, the blush even spreading as far as his ears.

Kaylee was the first to crack. She started giggling and before long, the whole table was laughing uproariously.

“Well doc, looks like even you had your wild days,” Mal chuckled.

“Mr. Bubbles,” Wash commented. “It suits you.”

Everyone snickered as Simon looked over at River. He was never going to live that one down. River simply smiled angelically and leaned over, placing a light kiss on his cheek.

“You make her smile,” River said warmly. “You make her remember, and remembering makes her forget for a while.”

Simon smiled, thankful that he could make River forget the horrible things that had been done to her for a while. At the same time, however, he had to plan his revenge.

River smiled as Simon’s thoughts began to crowd her own. She leaned closer to him and met his gaze.

“She’s always one step ahead,” River said conspiringly. “Mr. Bubbles is too predictable.”

River giggled lightly and stood from the table, leaving Simon in her wake and skipping merrily off down the corridor to play in the cargo bay before he could say anything more.