“Mal! How the hell are you?”

“Good to see you to, Monty.” Mal replied taking the thunderous back slap with only a slight grimace. “I need some passengers delivered for me, without questions.”

“What, no have a drink, how ya’ doing?”

“Sorry Monty, my bunkmate snores, I’m just not myself.” Mal lied. “Come on into the Mess, drinks ain’t getting’ drunk out here.”

“Zoë, you look better than ever, is that Wash back there? Ain’t seen him in a month of Alliance promises.” Roared Monty, taking the offered tankard.

“Yea, I’m Wash. Zoë advertised for a boy-toy, lucky for Mal I could also fly.”

Monty’s laughter filled the ship. “Who’s this?” Monty said eyeing River standing in the doorway wearing only one of the Captain’s shirts.

“Monty, this is River.”

“Nice to meet you miss.” Monty’s hand engulfed River’s.

“Big hands do big things.” Replied River, causing a blush to rise on Monty. She gracefully picked up an apple, coyly taking a bite.

“Have a good sleep?” Zoë inquired.

“Apparently I snore.” River tartly replied, giving the reddening Mal a buss on the cheek. Sashaying to the door she turned, “Oh, and Monty, I like the beard.” With that she vanished.

“I like her Mal, I approve. Even if she seems a bit young. But, I’m not much of a judge when it comes to redheads.” Mal reacted with a meaningful look at Zoë and Wash.

“By the way Mal, what ever happened to our wife?”

“We left her locked in a trash bin on Bellerophon. I felt sorry for the trash.”

Monty laughed himself sick.

-----

---- TWO WEEKS BEFORE KAYLEE’ DUE ----

“Sir, Monty’s hailing us.”

“Hello Monty,” Mal said into the comm., “How's it going.”

“Well, Mal, very well. I’m shuttling the package over to you.”

“Everything alright?”

“Just running late.”

“Thanks Monty, I owe you.”

“No more than I owe you.”

“Drinks are on me next time.”

“It’s a deal. Keep on flying.”

“Keep on flying Monty.”

“Zoë, I’ll be sorting out the package.”

-----

“Kaylee, can I come in?” Mal asked through her cabin door.

Kaylee was sitting up in bed, tired from supervising Wash in the engine room. “Not now Captain.”

“Kaywinnet Lee Frye, you let your Captain in!”

“Momma?”

Katie Frye pushed through to hug her daughter.

“Momma, what are you doing here?”

“I haven’t missed the birth of a grandchild yet, and thanks to Captain Reynolds, I won’t miss this one.”

“Nor me.”

“Daddy!”

“You look beautiful Kaylee.” Cole Frye said hugging his youngest child.

“I look fat.”

“Don’t argue with your father,” Inara said from the door, wrapping her arms around Mal. “She’ll never learn respect.”

"Look who's talking."

“River…” Mal began.

“Safe.”

“Kaylee,” Cole asked, “what’s wrong with Inara?”

“Nothing.” Inara said sticking her head in the door. “River let Mal go.”

“Safe.” She said while shifting perceptions to allow the Frye’s to see her.

“River,” Cole began. “You don’t do that to family.”

River looked down. “Sorry.”

Pulling River to him, he sat her down on the bed. “Look at me young lady. I’m not mad at you, that was a pretty good prank.”

She looked up at him.

“However, the way you cling to the Captain is a concern.”

“Safe!”

“You’re safe with us.”

“Big Damn Hero!”

“Yeah, I suppose he is.”

“Sweetie, you’re getting in Inara’s way." Katie added.

Jumping from the bed, River grabs Inara and Mal, squeezing them together. ”Safe!”

“IS this better or worse?” Mal asked.

“Looks like fun.” Jayne leered in passing.

“Pain!” River shouted, turning to look at Kaylee.

“Kaylee’s face was scrunched up.

“Cole, grab her hand.” Katy ordered. “Kaylee listen to me, breathe, breathe, relax, the pain will pass.”

Kaylee’s face showed relief, then fear. “Momma!” She cried holding her mother tight.

River leaned back into Inara. “Just scared.”

“Cole, we got some planning to do. You want in?”

“Cole’s face grew unusually hard. “Try and stop me…”

-----

Travis Walken sat at his desk reviewing paperwork, the dull part of his day. A clock chimed in the corner giving Walken a reason to smile. He turned on his computer screen: Simon Tam was sleeping curled up in a ball. For a Core born priss, he was tough. Walken tapped a button and a high-pitched noise erupted in Simon Tam’s cell, not that Walken could hear it, causing Simon Tam to spasm off the floor. A moment of amusement in an ordinary day.

It was a regrettable that the sister had died. Simon Tam would now never be released from that cell; he must be disposed of soon. However, if Simon Tam has issue, they would be of value.

TBC

Next: Jayne and Vera sitting in a tree…, or as near can be found in downtown Persephone.