Title: Celebration Rating: PG Synopsis: The crew celebrates a job well done. Timeline: Takes place 4 months after Serenity, the movie.

Notes: Next part of a series beginning with : And So It Begins, Kiss Me, Coming Together, Tell Me, What’s Proper?, Tears ,Peekaboo, Impatient, Waking Up is Hard to Do, The Talk, I See You, Exhaustion,Moving Day, Celebration

Disclaimer: This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the Serenity movie or Firefly series. I make no money from this. Only done for fun – and a desperate craving to have more stories told about this wonderful ‘verse Joss Whedon created.

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It was rare when the crew had a reason to celebrate. But after a job well done and a payment worth risking their necks to earn, they’d decided it was time to have a little celebration.

The stopped briefly to re-supply, to bring on some delicacies that were rare enough that they didn’t get to sample more than a few times a year. Real food, real fruit, and sweets that Kaylee would make sure would last for months.

Being far too close to Alliance controlled worlds, River and Simon were confined to the ship, something River hadn’t cared about anyway. She wanted to be with her girl – Serenity. But Kaylee, on the other hand, wanted to be with her man and pouted prettily at Mal begging him to let Simon go shopping with her.

But in the end, the Captain had refused and the couple parted for a few hours, Kaylee kissing him, Mal figured, within an inch of his life, just before leaving the ship.

“Hope that holds ya for a few hours,” Jayne smirked and followed the Captain off the ship, leaving River, Simon and Zoe in the cargo bay.

River turned to Simon, noticing the longing look on his face as he watched Kaylee walk away. “You’ve gone without for this long before. I’m sure you’ll live.”

Simon scowled at his sister and went back toward the Infirmary, hoping to busy himself with menial tasks until Kaylee returned. River followed him, determined to annoy her brother as much as possible. “So how long have you two abstained? A day?”

Simon turned and stared at her. “You’re deliberately being a brat.”

River gave him her patented ‘duh’ look and smiled sweetly.

“So – how long?” River skipped around him and he definitely decided he needed to find some tiring activity

“I’m not having this discussion with you.” Simon made the mistake of sitting down on the couch and picking up his data pad.

Rover plopped herself down beside him on the couch. “Not more than two days, I think. You’d lose your mind otherwise.”

“You keep such close tabs on my sex life, you don’t know the answer to this question already?” Simon didn’t even glance up from the text he’d brought up – 101 ways to commit murder that would be unidentifiable in an emergency tox screen.

River looked over his shoulder and pointed to line 10. “That one would hurt you more than me.”

Simon scowled at her. “Don’t you have other things to do other than to sit here and annoy me?”

River shook her head. “Nope. I’m the younger, bratty sister. It is my lot in life.” River looked around and sighed. “Though, not as much fun when there’s no one else around to listen.”

~*~

When Kaylee bounded into the common room, hours later, her arms laden with packages, Simon set aside his data pad and pushed himself to his feet with a relieved smile. He worried more when she was off the ship now that they were officially an item. He quickly moved to take the packages, glancing into a few of them as his curiosity got the better of him.

Kaylee snatched one bag out of the box and held it away. “This ones for later.”

Simon’s eyebrows drew together. “Oh?”

“Yup.” Kaylee motioned him toward the kitchen. “Rest can go in the galley.”

Simon knew she was trying to distract him. “What’s in the bag, Kaylee?”

“Somethin’ ta enjoy later.” She kissed his cheek and skipped toward the passenger dorms, leaving Simon to wonder if he really wanted to know now, or if he could stand waiting to find out later.

~*~

The lively folk dance ended with everyone falling back onto the couch, chairs, floor, whatever they could find that was closest to them and unoccupied when the music ended.

The crew laughed and toasted a myriad of drunken topics as mugs were refilled and another much slower tune began in the background. Some of the tasty liquid sloshed out of the mugs and Jayne scowled, lamenting the waste of good alcohol.

“You dance better when you’re drunk!” Mal guffawed, pointing a clearly unsteady finger at Jayne. “Still look like a beached fish, tho’!”

Jayne snorted in Mal’s general direction and tipped his head toward where Simon sat with Kaylee. “Doc probably dances better layin’ down, ain’t that right lil’ Kaylee?”

“I don’t got no complaints.” Kaylee snuggled against Simon’s chest as he artfully ignored Jayne’s comment. He simply continued to take great interest in the contents of his mug.

River turned to Simon as he took a large sip. “Kaylee’s not going to appreciate the taste of that later.”

Simon blinked at his sister, hoping, in his drunken stupor, that he had not just heard what he thought he’d heard. “You did not just say that.”

Kaylee giggled when River’s words registered through her intoxicated brain. She leaned against Simon and licked her lips.

River tilted her head and regarded the couple carefully.

Jayne stared dumbly, his alcohol induced mind unable to comprehend much above a growl and grunt as he downed the remaining contents of his own mug.

Zoe simply shook her head and Inara stifled a very un-Companion-like giggle. The two women being the least intoxicated of the group.

Mal groaned at his pilot. “We don’ need to be knowin’ what they plan to do later, lil’ Albatross.”

“Kaylee told me it tasted different depending on what the man –“

“River!” Simon and Mal slurred at once.

River shrugged at Kaylee. “Just trying to help.”

Kaylee’s eyes danced as she smiled at Simon, who simply groaned and looked away. He could discuss sex with his sister all day, every day for the next year and still never be truly comfortable with it.

“Ugh,” Mal stood on shaky legs. “I’m goin’ ta bed before lil’ Albatross asks more about the workin’s of men’s bodies than I wanna hear – or listen to Simon try to explain.”

“I’ll help make sure you don’t fall down the stairs.” Inara stood behind him and guided him toward the exit, bidding goodnight to the remaining crew with a surprisingly steady wave of a delicate hand.

“Well, I wanna hear,” Jayne drawled as he took another sip of Kaylee’s engine fermented alcohol.

Simon stood on wobbly legs and stared down at his sister. “No.”

River smiled sweetly. “Okay. Go play with Kaylee in private then. I don’t want to see her use what she bought earlier today.”

Jayne’s head bobbed and swayed as he tried to focus on any one person. “Wa’d she buy?”

Simon had nearly forgotten all about that little carefully guarded secret. He glanced down at Kaylee, for a moment wondering why there were two of her sitting on the couch.

Kaylee turned her nose up at Jayne. “None ‘o your business.”

“Sex toys!” Jayne guffawed at Simon. “Can’t keep ya woman happy in bed so ya need some help?”

Simon closed his eyes and groaned. To his knowledge, Kaylee was quite happy and content with their sex life.

Kaylee gawked at Jayne and then stood and wrapped herself around Simon’s waist. “Oh, no. Am quite happy there.” She leaned forward and dragged her teeth along his jaw, which for a moment completely cleared his alcohol blurred vision.

Zoe picked herself up off the floor and tried to lift Jayne. “Get up you booze-filled thug. It’s bedtime.”

Jayne smiled excitedly at Zoe. “Oh. Ya gonna tell me a bedtime story?”

“Nope.” Zoe awkwardly held the drunk man as she pushed him out of the room. “And if you touch my ass one more time, it’s the last time you’ll ever use that hand.” Their voices trailed off but not before they heard a distinct, “and we all know what you use it for.”

Kaylee giggled and slid her hand into Simon’s, her eyes burning even though her vision was slightly blurred. “C’mon, sweetie, party’s over.” She pulled Simon along with her as they stumbled back to their room.

River looked around the suddenly empty room and smiled. “Party just starting for some.”

END