Disclaimer: Not mine, just writing for fun.

A/N: Okay, sorry, I lied. This is going to be a four parter, with a possible epilogue, we’ll see how you guys feel by the end!!! I really did have more to write than I thought I would!!! All the positive feedback just makes me so happy to write, thank you all!!! Hope you guys like this installment and PLEASE COMMENT!!!

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Kaylee slammed the door to her and Simon's room behind her, fearing she may have broken it in her rage. She moved Molly further back along her hip, shifting her child to the side as she locked the door. Molly's tiny hands reached out to touch Kaylee's tear stained face, tilting her head to look at her mother. "Mama sad?" Kaylee's lip trembled as she nodded and answered her daughter truthfully, "Yes, Molly. Mama's sad." New tears sprang forth as she stared down into the sweet face of her baby girl that looked and acted so much like Simon. She had his soft, dark hair, pale skin, and that silly grin that made Kaylee's heart flip. She was a quiet child unless she wanted something or somebody made her laugh. Same reserved, contemplative nature that her father had. Molly's eyes mirrored the same look that crept across Simon's face whenever he was concerned, that sweet, yearning need to make things better, causing Kaylee to stifle another sob. She didn’t want to upset her little girl any further. Molly rested her head against Kaylee’s shoulder and slipped her hands back down to grasp behind her neck. Kaylee sat down on the bed, shifting Molly around her pregnant belly as the toddler let out a sigh, snuggling closer to her mother. “No more sad, Mama.” Kaylee kissed the top of her head, petting her soft curls, praying that the ache in her heart would just disappear.

_______________________________________________________________________ “Mei mei? It’s me, I’ve brought you both some food.” Inara held the tray of protein mash with one hand, lodged against her waist, the other she used to gently knock on the shoji screen. It had been a good two hours since Kaylee had locked herself and Molly in her room. Kaylee hadn’t even cared to find out why there was work being done to Serenity, which worried Inara to no end. She rapped a few more times before giving up. She could hear Molly’s little muffled voice and Kaylee answering her quietly, then footfalls as she was setting down the tray at the foot of the door. It slid open to reveal a disheveled and miserable little mechanic. “Oh, Sweetie!” Inara reached out to touch Kaylee’s cheek, causing Kaylee’s face to tremble with the need to cry but she just held back the tears. Her voice was a broken whisper as she grasped Inara’s approaching hand in her own, “Thanks, ‘Nara.” Kaylee squeezed her hand and then released it, bending over to pick up the tray, made difficult by her burgeoning stomach, and sliding the door back into place. Inara stepped back from the screen, feeling a bit lost, having never seen Kaylee so disturbed or unwilling to share with her. Inara walked back through the lounge and passed an empty infirmary heading for her shuttle. As she ascended the stairs she was taken aback to see Mal leaning against the door. He usually just barged in or would be waiting, lounging on her couch with that obnoxious grin which rankled her so much. "Mal?" He pushed himself off the wall to face her, his arms still crossed, "So, how's she doing?" She cast her eyes downward, biting her lip before whispering," She's devastated Mal." Mal laid a gentle hand on her shoulder knowing that she was taking this situation all too personal, "They're gonna have to work it out, 'Nara. Simon made his decision a long time ago, now he's gonna have to own up to it." Inara slowly rose her head at his words, "What do you mean, a long time ago?" Mal slid his hand over Inara's shoulder, cupping the side of her cheek, his fingers brushing against her ear. He had to admit his own culpability, he figured it would be easier coming from him than Inara finding out from Kaylee. "Simon came to me a few years back and we both decided that if Kaylee weren't willing to leave Serenity if the circumstances called for it, we would make her leave." Inara eyes widened at the thought of Simon and Mal colluding together but Mal just pressed on, "Now, listen here 'Nara. I ain't happy about what had to be done, but Lil' Kaylee just wasn't listening to reason. She’d a put us all in danger, 'specially Simon. He wouldn't be able to do what needed doin’ if she were about. I know you understand how the 'verse works 'Nara. I know deep down, you know what we did was right.” Inara kept her eyes locked with Mal’s, her hand absently slipping into her pocket to rub the small note Simon had shoved into her hand when they had brought Kaylee to her shuttle. She had forgotten all about it, stunned by Kaylee’s appearance when she had brought the food. Inara slowly brought it out and with her other hand removed Mal’s own that had been resting against her cheek. She turned it around, his palm facing up, and dropped the note. She then closed his fingers around it and held onto to his hand with both of hers. “When you go to her, you’ll need this.” She then released his hands and entered her shuttle, closing the door shut behind her. Mal turned the bit of folded paper in his hand for a minute, curious as to what was inside. Before he could begin to unfold the note the shuttle door slid open, Inara popping her head through it. “Don’t even think about it.” They scowled at each other as Mal put the note in his own pocket and then lifted his hands up in defeat. Inara gave him one last look before shutting the shuttle door again. Mal gave the shuttle door one more glance before heading down the stairs, muttering to himself, ”Gorram mind readers all over this ruttin’ ship.”

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Simon sat quietly at the dining table lost in his thoughts. His heart was breaking at the pain he had caused Kaylee and he just couldn’t fathom how he was going to make things right with her. He had been living with what Mal and he had planned for years, it had been his dirty little secret. He didn’t know how to broach the subject with Kaylee herself, so he had surreptitiously gone behind her back. It made him feel like a cad. All he wanted to do was hold her and just explain why he did what had been done. He wanted to breathe in her smell, to touch his lips against her forehead, and stroke the soft hair of his wife. Feeling her gave him strength. Now, it seemed all that strength had been sapped out of his body, leaving just an emptiness. This life was beginning not only to take a toll on Simon’s own conscience, but his family was suffering for it too. Simon couldn’t get the look of her anguished face out of his mind, but he was too scared to approach her just yet. He felt the touch of his sister’s small, delicate hand squeeze his shoulder, hurdling him back out of his mind’s ramblings. He reached up and covered her hand with his own, giving her a small grin of appreciation as he tilted his head up to face her. “It’s time.” Simon furrowed his brow at his sister, “ Time for what, Mei mei?“ River gave him another gentle squeeze and a wistful smile, looking more like the wise, young woman she had become then the bratty, little sister he always seemed to see her as. “Time to leave.” Simon turned his head away from his sister’s knowing eyes and sighed, “Yes, I believe it is.”

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Kaylee had just gotten Molly settled in to eating her food when there was another knock at her door. This one was much more forceful than the last. Kaylee walked over to the door and slid it open to reveal Mal. “Yes, Cap’n.” The coldness in her response shook a bit of Mal’s resolve. He had pissed Kaylee off before, hurting her feelings back on Persephone so many years ago. All he had to do then was buy her that frilly monstrosity of a dress and take her to a fancy party, this time it was going to be a little trickier. “Thought you’d like to know we just need to replace the extender valvy...extend hydrol...guay, Kaylee, the dock crew is fixing up Serenity. As her mechanic, thought you’d be a mite interested.” Kaylee nodded as the side of her mouth gave a little twinge, “Felt it necessary to involve me, huh? Lord knows I can’t be asked about nothing else.” Mal grasped Kaylee’s shoulders, forcing her to stare directly at him, ”Look here, girl. I ain’t gonna apologize for my part in what was done. You weren’t seeing reason and I had to think about what was best for all involved. Not right to have you dying on me just cause you’re stubborn.” Kaylee just kept her steely gaze on him, her chin jutting out in that way to which Mal knew he was still treading on thin ice. “Like a mule, you are. I swear Lil’ Kaylee, you certainly try my patience, but you got every right to be angry. Simon and I went behind your back, ain’t no two ways about it. I know how much you care for Serenity, wouldn’t dream of leaving her when she may need you most, but I can’t think of much worse than the ‘verse not having you in it. I got my reasons for my part, and since you got it in your head not to talk to your own husband, figure you might wanna read this.” Mal let go of her shoulders and reached into his pocket, pulling out the note Inara had given him, ”He gave this to 'Nara while you were passed out in the shuttle. Ain’t looked at it, not my business and all, but you may wanna take a peek. Shed some light on the situation.” Kaylee’s hand trembled as she took the note from Mal, her eyes focused completely on the paper. Their moment was interrupted by Zoe’s voice through the com, ”Sir, we got a wave you may wanna take.” Mal turned on his heel and left Kaylee just staring at the paper in her hands. ________________________________________________________________________

Mal smiled as he opened the screen up to a very pretty brunette who was smiling right back at the screen. “Mal.” “Well, it’s a good sight to see you, Reina Sellers.” Reina gave him a sly smirk that indicated he could save his smooth talking for some other girl, “Course it is. Got you’re wave from earlier when y’all docked. Just letting you know, I may have some one in my establishment that might be of interest to you.” Mal leaned a little closer, his interest piqued, ”Ya don’t say?” “Fella named Sueng. Overheard him saying he was waiting on some folk to meet up with, some Cap‘n McNabb. Supposedly they was finishin' a big job and he’s deliverin’ the pay off. Wouldn’t make no difference to me, but we’re a small outpost, mostly just get the miners in here, so a stuffy lookin’ stranger like him makes me a mite curious. That and your wave got me thinkin’. Tried to hear the name of who it was he was talkin’ to, but he only called him sir.” “Well, I’m thinking maybe we should come pay you a visit, Reina.” She shook her head and flashed him a smile that almost rivaled one of Kaylee’s mega watt grins, ”Don’t worry, I’ll keep him occupied. Ain’t much for duty, he’s already half in the bag as it is. You come in the back door, he’s sittin’ too close to the front. You might wanna hurry though, don’t know how long I can distract him.” “Why Reina , you are all manner of distractin’.” Reina just rolled her pretty eyes and cut the wave short. Mal turned from the console, seeing that Simon and River had joined Zoe, Jayne, and him on the bridge. Zoe eyed Mal skeptically, ”Ain’t much to go on, sir.” “It’s more than what I got out of Bernouli, which was a whole lotta nothin’. Sides, we gotta few hours to kill while their installin’ the new equipment. We’ll take our lil’ reader over there, she can suss out whether we’re on the right track or not. Whaddya say there River, up for a drink?” River just smiled and replied, “I’m very thirsty.” “Well, I’m with Moony and the Cap’n, a drink sure as hell sounds good to me. Don’t mind a little violence myself, neither.” “I’m going too.” Mal turned a weary eye to Simon, “Ain’t got ‘nough problems already, huh?” Simon gave Mal a determined look, but he wasn’t looking for a battle of wills at this particular moment, ”Suit yourself.” Mal exited the cockpit swiftly, Simon and River falling in step behind him. As Zoe turned to follow, Jayne came up behind her, “Hey, Zoe, how come I’ve never seen this Reina girl before?” Zoe looked back thoughtfully, ” 'Cause we like her, Jayne.”

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Kaylee turned the paper in her hands, not sure whether she was ready to read it just yet. She sat herself down on the bed still staring at the note when Molly wordlessly looked up at her mother, offering her a piece of half eaten, drool covered cracker. Her child could always sense when something was wrong, and the offering was Molly’s way of making her mama feel better. “No, baby, your mama’s not hungry right now.” She reached over to pet Molly’s head, then steeled herself and opened the note. It had Simon’s perfect penmanship, his precise letters written in a practiced hand. Her eyes began to well as she read the date on the paper, it was Molly’s last birthday, just a couple months ago. She sniffled as she read on. My Sweet, Meili, Kaylee, If you are reading this letter, then what I have feared most has come to pass. I want to start by apologizing to you and our children. I am sorry that I have failed you all. I never imagined that I would end up in this life. I never dreamed that I would meet a woman like you. You hold my whole existence in your heart. The joy you have given me through your love and our dear little girl is immeasurable. Our new child that is waiting to be born makes my heart swell even more. I have been a terrible husband, not sharing with you my fears. Every morning that I wake, I pray that it will not be the day that I loose you or Molly, and now our unborn child. I agonize over your safety and that is what made me do what I have done. Every few months I rewrite this letter. Those are some of the happiest days, because it means we have all lived through to that point in time. I do not know if I am still alive by the time you read this letter, but know this. If I am, I will use every moment that we are apart trying to get back to you and our children. If I am not, please, if you can find it in your heart, forgive my treacherous actions. I swear, I will be watching over all of you for the rest of your lives. Every time you look out into the stars, know that I am right there with you, my love and devotion will be with you for eternity.

Kaylee’s eyes shone with tears she had not noticed she was shedding as she finished the letter. She set the note down and stared at the open door, not yet trusting her drained body to be able to carry her through the threshold. Molly crawled over the bed, around the tray of food she had been eating from and laid her head in her mother’s lap, positioning herself around her mother’s belly. Kaylee pulled Molly up into her arms, kissing the top of her head . She then slung her on the side of her hip as she got up from the bed, walking out of her room towards the infirmary. The sounds of stomping boots drew her attention from the empty infirmary to the cargo bay. She ran up the steps as fast as her burdened body would let her to find Mal, River, Simon, Zoe, and Jayne beginning to leave Serenity. Inara had rushed out of her shuttle form all the clamoring noise and was leaning over the catwalk, wondering what all the commotion was about. Kaylee strode up to them, Molly clutching at her side, “Where’re y’all going’ in such a hurry?” Mal shot back as he exited the cargo bay door, “To get some answers.” Zoe and Jayne fell in place behind Mal. River gave Kaylee a small smile and turned to leave with them. Simon stood in front of his wife. Kaylee’s tears had stopped flowing but they left little wet trails down her cheeks. Simon reached out and held her chin in his hand, with his thumb he brushed away a tear that had been resting on the edge of her jaw. “Kaylee, I-” His words were cut off by the force of her lips against his own. He ran his hand through her hair, holding onto the back of her neck, savoring the soft feel of her skin and hair. As she pulled back to catch her breath, Kaylee whispered, ”This ain’t over yet.” Simon searched her eyes and found a glimmer of hope in there. He smiled back at her thinking to himself- Well, at least she’s talking to me. He kissed her quickly again, ”I know.” Simon then rubbed Molly’s little hand and stroked her hair before following the others out the cargo bay door.

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TBC....next installment, we find out who is behind all this drama in the first place, Kaylee and Simon have it out and come to a big decision, Mal and Inara come to some of their own.