This is a one-shot taking place on the same timeline as my earlier story "On Birds in the Black."
Inara wasn't surprised when she River came knocking on the door of her shuttle. Kaylee had told her that River was in a bad mood, and she figured it was only a matter of time before River came looking for some company.
"Come in, River," she said warmly. River came in and stood near the edge of the bed, looking uncertain. "Mei-mei, what's the matter?"
River cocked her head to the side, looking at her. Then, she walked softly to the mirror and poked it with one finger. "What's a family?"
"A family is a group of people who love each other," Inara said, going to stand next to the girl. Their faces framed the mirror together, and River poked the reflection of the center of Inara's forehead.
"Make each other happy." She watched Inara's reflection nod. "She was trying…" River withdrew her hands, covering her eyes and crouching down suddenly, her dress pooling on the ground like spilt fabric. "She was trying!"
"River!" Inara crouched down next to the girl. She wrapped her arms around her shaking frame, and rocked her back and forth gently. "River, what's the matter, mei-mei?"
River peeked at her between the cracks of her fingers. Her eyes were slightly unfocused. "Ruttin' Moonbrain, get out of the way!" she said, sounding just like Jayne.
"River…"
"River, I'm working right now. Can you find someone else to play with you?" Now she was Simon. And then she was Kaylee. "River, mei-mei, I hafta work on Serenity. You gotta stay outta the way, or you'll get hurt."
Inara could see where this was going now. "Oh, River."
"Always always always. Just trying to help. She was trying to help her family." Her eyes refocused, and then she burst into tears as Inara rocked her back and forth.
Inara managed to get the crying girl up onto the bed, and held her until she had cried herself out and fell asleep. Even then, she didn't sleep well and woke up with a start.
"Everyone's tired," she told Inara simply. It was true. Work had been slow for the last few weeks, and everyone had been a little stressed with Zoë's baby coming in a few months. "She was trying."
Inara was coming her hair, trying to get some of the tangles out of it. She never did know what River was doing with her hair to get it like this. "Everyone knows, baby. We all know you love us, and we know you want to help. We just don't want you to get hurt."
"She wants to help. She wants…" River stopped, examining her hands, appearing distracted. Then she dropped them, refocusing. "She wants..."
The sentence wasn't coming, and she grew exasperated, looking like she might cry. Inara tried to help. "You want for everyone to be happy?"
River looked at her, relieved. "Yes. For everyone to be happy."
Inara racked her brains, trying to think of a way to problem-solve with the girl. "Do you think there is something that you could do that would be safe and make people happy?"
"Birthday."
"Who's?"
"Kaylee's."
She was right, Inara realized. It was Kaylee's birthday in a few days. "Do you want to do something for Kaylee's birthday?"
River turned around excitedly, and Inara had to let go of the comb to keep from yanking on her hair. She had never seen such a big smile on River's face, and she couldn't help but smile herself.
"Okay, you. Turn around so I can finish your hair." River turned around, and she went back to combing. "What do you have in mind?"
River paused thoughtfully, and then giggled. "Tea party."
They spent the next few days preparing. Inara had the tea (real tea, not the cheap stuff Mal bought) and River busied herself making pretty decorations that she hid underneath Inara's bed. They got up early one day-cycle, long before anyone else was up, and Inara sleepily guided River through the steps of making cookies with what they could find.
River looked at her, bemused, as Inara had her pour the flour into the bowl. "Why flowers?"
"Not flowers, mei-mei. Flour. From wheat," Inara said, yawning.
"Early cultivated plant on Earth-That-Was."
"You got it." The flour was now in the bowl. "Have you ever made cookies before?"
"Mother didn't cook. Said it was messy. Beneath her. Are we messy?" River had managed to get flour everywhere, a fine coating all over her dark hair and a thin coat all over her face, making her paler than before.
"We're very messy," Inara said teasingly. "But you're still beautiful." And she kissed River on the top of the head and only smiled when River laughed about the flour she got all over her nose.
They got things set up before anyone came out for breakfast the next day, River dancing so much that she spilt the first cup of tea and looking tearful until Inara told her it was no big deal.
"You ready, mei-mei?"
River was quivering with excitement and nodded energetically.
"Okay. You go get Kaylee. She slept in the engine room. I'll get everyone else."
Kaylee woke with a start as River tapped on her forehead. "River? What's goin' on?"
She was leaning over her, so Kaylee was treated to an upside-down view of the girl's smile. "Birthday!"
Kaylee smiled sleepily. "How'd you…never mind. What's happenin'?"
"You have to get up."
"Why?"
"It's a surprise." River tugged on her hands. "Come on, get up!"
Kaylee followed the dancing girl slowly to the kitchen. Her face lit up as she saw the decorations (colored pictures and nametags for everyone at their places and paper flowers in a vase) and Inara's prettiest tea set out on the table. "Ooh…pretty!"
The rest of the crew was stumbling up sleepily, their faces all a mixture of shock and amusement as they saw the scene before them. Wash looked ecstatic, and even Jayne seemed amused.
"Sit down," River said impatiently, still bouncing up and down. Everyone moved to their assigned places, and Inara went to get the plate with cookies, placing them down on the table. Jayne reached out for one, and River pulled them away. "No. We have to sing."
"Aw…do we hafta?" he whined. Mal didn't speak up, but his face said he agreed with the sentiment.
"Yes," Inara replied firmly, taking her seat. "River's worked hard on this, and it's Kaylee's birthday."
Jayne frowned, but sang dutifully with everyone else, and as they ate their cookies and drank their tea, even he would have admitted that their had never been a happier tea party in all his time in onboard.