A/N:: I do NOT own these characters. JOSS is BOSS. I just like playing with them.
River rolled onto her side, there was a terrible sharp pain in her back. Beads of sweat glistened on her pale forehead and made her long brown hair cling to her neck. Annoyed with the discomfort, River threw off the heavy blankets and kicked away the pillow that was nestled between her legs. The ship was calm. The gentle hum of the engine soothed the crew to sleep. Everyone in the crew except River.
It was late. She walked to the bridge, careful feet moving lightly and barely making a sound. The life, or the lack thereof, on the other side of the window and the stars were calm as well. Although there was never a real change out there in The Black, River could feel the hours as physically as the tiny feet kicking against the walls of her uterus. Placing a light hand over her rotund belly, River willed the child to be still and he listened. Just as she knew it was late, she also knew that her child was a boy and would grow up to look exactly like his father. She sank down into the seat Wash used to occupy.
'He might be a pilot' River thought. The idea sent a cold shiver of excitement down her achinig spine.
A small stack of books sat on the dashboard next to the few toy dinosaurs Zoe allowed the crew to keep. The books were the only sources of entertainment Simon allowed her to have. Every time they set foot on a planet, he would seek out a new book for her. Simon figured it was a good way to keep her off her feet and from running afoul. River grabbed one of the books, a book on various water creatures. Simon believed that there was always something for River to learn. She had worked her way through half of it already. It wasn't terribly exciting, but there were a few interesting things between the pages. The animal River had been reading about when she last put the book down was the seahorse. She relaxed into Wash's seat and continued the chapter.
River had gotten through a few more pages before hearing the light tread of boots approaching the bridge. It was Mal, she could tell by the stride. River felt his presence fill the doorway behind her, pausing for only a second.
"What'cha doin' up?" He asked coming around to the co-pilot's chair. His voice was heavy and tired.
"Couldn't sleep." River replied without looking up from the book.
"Is the lil'one kickin' again?"
"A little." River looked up at Mal. He was slumped in the chair with his fingers wiping at his weary brown eyes. He was still handsome six months later, while she had grown and transformed into something completely different. It wasn't fair.
"What'cha readin'?" A loud yawn escaped his mouth.
"Why can't we be like seahorses?" She flipped through the pages until she found the beginning of the seahorse chapter. There was a beautiful picture of one of the underwater creatures swimming among a bright coral. "I wish we were seahorses." River said longingly "Then you'd be carrying our son. You would have the back pain, the weird dreams, strange cravings. You'd be the one who grows large with…"
"Hold it right there." Mal held up a hand to bring her train of thought to a halt. "I ain't had enough sleep or got enough engery to be dealin' with this kinda stuff yet. Nor have I had my coffee yet." He looked at his lovely and radiant River, a heavy stream of breath passed through his nostrils. "I can understand that yer havin' strange dreams 'n' cravin's 'n' all that, but this? Don't'cha think we could do without one more source of crazy in our lives?" Mal reached across the distance and slowly pulled the book from River's small hands. If she wanted to keep the book he figured he gave her enough of a chance to hold tight to it. But she didn't. "These books Simon's givin' you are puttin' strange things in your head." Mal closed the book and set it on his dashboard. "I'll find ya somethin' better to read. Hell, I'll get you all the shiny books a girl could want."
River rested her head on the back of the chair and her hands on her belly. No, she didn't really want Mal to be a seahorse after all. This was much better, she thought, because he treated her all kinds of special. If it were reversed, she'd have to treat him like a king and she didn't think that she would do too well at that.
Mal stood from his seat and walked towards the door. "Want somethin' from the kitchen?" He asked.
"No," River shook her head, a faintest hint of a smile played on her lips. "I'm fine."
Mal placed his left hand over River's hand on her belly. His simple gold wedding ring glinted in the light of the control system. He never ceased to be amazed that they had created a life and that it was inside the crazy woman he loved. Bending over, Mal placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
"I'll be right back." He assured as he stepped through the threshold.
River remained staring out into the black. The child kicked again as he tried to change his position. Her smile broadened.
"I'm happy just the way things are." She confided to her son.