note: this is just the teaser. will then be having three more acts which will (in theory) be much longer than this. the whole of the crew are here! ive chosen to ignore inara/book leaving or wash/book dying. this is life on serenity in no particular time. hope you enjoy!

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Mal strode into the cargo bay with a rare smile on his face. Hitting the comm, he ordered Serenity into the sky.

“We get a job?” Wash’s voice crackled pleasantly down the line.

“Surely did. Set a course for Dyton. This is gonna be easy money.”

“Easy money?” Zoë asked sceptically, as the ramp lifted behind her, the doors closing with a satisfying thud.

“Like last time?” Wash quibbled.

“I got a good feelin’ ‘bout this one.”

“And that’s… a good sign?”

“Wash!” Mal barked, “Just get us in the air!”

“Life!”

They turned to face River who was staring excitedly at Zoë, an eager look of expectation on her face.

“Right… riding straight on past that,” Mal said, used to River’s seemingly random exclamations, “I’m thinkin’ your husband has some issues with his bein’ negitive.” He and Zoë climbed the stairs up to the cockpit, leaving River to watch them, the look of keen impatience still spread across her wide eyes.

“Negitive, Sir, or realistic?”

“Real- hey!” Mal started. “When has my gut instinct been wrong – wait, don’t answer that.”

Zoë smiled. Several occasions sprang to mind, most of which she had previously cautioned him against his ‘instinct’. They came to the bridge and Zoë rested her hand on the back of her husband’s chair as he navigated their ship through the atmosphere.

Kaylee appeared from under the console, her hair tied in bunches, grease spread across her cheeks. “How’d it go?”

“We got a job!” Mal said proudly. “Did you get your googi-watsit?” He gestured vaguely, not wanting to try and remember what Kaylee had told him she needed.

“Yup!”

“Really?” Mal asked, genuinely surprised. “You had enough after gettin’ the supplies?”

“Jayne helped me get discount.”

“Ah, the persuasive techniques of a man with a large gun.” Mal smiled. “And did Inara get back alright?”

Wash cursed, switching to autopilot as they broke atmo. “I knew we forgot something!”

Kaylee jumped up, wiping her hands on her overalls. “She was a bit out of sorts, glad to be home.”

“Hm, might go see if I can’t… annoy her some,” Mal said, slipping out.

The crew exchanged a significant glance before Kaylee picked up her wrench. “Gonna see if this baby works.” She grinned and skipped out to the engine room.

Wash smiled up at his wife, pulling her into his lap.

“Don’t you have a course to map?” Zoë asked, smiling.

“Honey, you know I’m a man of priorities and right now I need to hold you, then kiss you, then kiss you again, then I’ll see about this course. Hard tasks, I know, but they must be done.”

“Is that so?” Zoë snuggled into his arms.

“It is.”

~

“Knock, knock.”

Inara turned around a look of exasperation on her face. “You know, you could just knock. It would make both of our lives so much easier.”

“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?” Mal sat himself down on the long scarlet couch.

Inara sighed and turned back to cover her computer screen. “What do you want?”

“Just thought I’d pop in. We’ve got a job lined up on Dyton, but shouldn’t take a couple of days. We’ll be stayin’ on Beaumonde then for a week or so.”

“That’s fine.”

“So, how was your stay? Go to any fun shindigs?” Mal asked, putting his feet up.

“No.” A glimmer of discomfort passed over her eyes.

“Need someone to talk to, Inara?” Mal asked, more seriously. “I can be an awful good listener when I try.”

Inara laughed flippantly. There was no way she could discuss these kinds of troubles with Mal. “Oh, you wouldn’t understand, or want to. So, what’s this job you’ve got planned then?” She changed the subject gracefully. Even Kaylee couldn’t fully appreciate what she sometimes had to put up with in her line of work.

Mal didn’t press her further. If she wanted to keep him out that was her choice. He had no right to pry, not really. Her work was a source of constant annoyance to him, and if he was honest, pain. “Some smuggling, for a change. There’s a man on Dyton who owns something my associate wants. Willing to pay a small fortune for it too, only this man don’t want to sell, so… we move in, we grab, we sell! Easy as pie, an easy pie that is.”

“What is it you’ll be stealing?”

“A painting. This guy, Layla, is a collector apparently. Has a little exhibition -”

“Layla?” Inara exclaimed. “Mal, don't you know who she is?”

“She?” There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Mal’s stomach. Please, don’t let Zoë be right... again.

“She is one of the largest, richest collectors of Art in the Universe! Surely your ‘associate' mentioned that. The security she must have…” Inara looked as though she dreaded to think.

“Gorram it!” Mal jumped to his feet in anger. “Once, just once! Why does God mock me?”

Inara shrugged. “Because you mock him?”