After stalking for a while now, I finally decided to write my own! Obviously a Firefly tribute. I've added a new character- Evie- a girl about 10 years old who is escaping from a pretty tough situation. I follow a lot of the same dialogue to try to stay true to the story, but have occasional deviances. Haven't decided if I'm going to include all of Simon and River's subplot just because then Mal would have to be dealing with TWO instances of having to take on crew he never asked for and I'm not quite sure he has he patience for that.

"Jayne, Kaylee, let's get these crates stowed. I don't want any tourists stumbling over them," Mal ordered, beginning to do so already.

Kaylee's face lit up. "We're taking on passengers at Persephone?" she asked excitedly.

Mal put the stolen cargo in the hidden compartment on the deck of the ship. "That's the notion. We could use a little respectability on the way to Boros. Not to mention the money."

Jayne scoffed. "Pain in the ass, if you ask me."

"No," Kaylee chastised, "it's shiny! I like to meet new people. They've all got stories... "

Jayne made a face. "Captain, can you please stop her from being cheerful?"

"I don't believe there is a power in the 'verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful," Mal chuckled.

"Sometimes you just wanna duct tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month."

She grinned sweetly and plastered a kiss on his cheek. "I love my Captain!"

- The following day Zoe, Jayne and Mal went off to conduct some business with Badger and Kaylee was left to find passengers (Them's that can pay). She was so busy schmoozing with the Shepherd, the small figure that snuck in through the bay door behind her completely missed her attention.

Evie had been watching that little Firefly transport ship since it landed a few hours ago. It was perfectly suited to get her away from her miserable life. Lots of nooks and crannies for her to hide and it seemed like they traveled constantly- the best way to lose those she knew would be on her tail. There was two scary men and one really scary lady that had exited the ship but as long as she stayed concealed she wouldn't have to worry about them. If they by chance found her hiding place, well...she was willing to do whatever necessary. She wasn't letting anyone mistreat her ever again.

She knew a lot about various types of ships- well enough for her age. Her father had had a few ships in his "fleet" and she grew up playing in them with some of the other kids. Her father was supposedly some big man on Persephone and the way other people were afraid of him told her that wasn't exactly an exaggeration. But after 10 years of living with him, she didn't think he was very "big". Big men didn't smack their kids around or lock them in a room without food and water for most of a day simply because she was sassy. And that's why she had to get away. The last time he busted up her lip simply because he was stressed out about the clients he had an appointment with and because she dared to try to swipe one his apples since she hadn't eaten since the day before. No more, she vowed to herself. I'd rather die than go back.

- Mal was in a less than stellar mood when he came back on his ship. Badger had screwed him and they were at the bottom of their coffers. "We just gotta keep our heads down and do the job. Pray there ain't no more surprises," he reassured, trying to keep his cool for his crew and the new passengers that were loading onto the boat. Mal went to return the Alliance stamped goods to the hidden compartment, watching the passengers as they were unpacking some of their goods to make sure that they couldn't see.

Zoe came up behind him. "So now we got a boatload of citizens right on top of our stolen cargo. That's a fun mix," she stated sardonically.

"There's no way in the 'verse they could find that compartment, even if they were looking for it!" he maintained as he shoved the box inside without looking. His focus, luckily for Evie, was on Zoe and he didn't see the tiny body cowering in the corner as he stuffed the trunk inside.

"Why not?" asked Zoe, disbelievingly.

"'Cause," he answered simply.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Yeah, this is gonna go great..."

Mal closed the secret hatch. "If anybody gets nosy, you just, you know... shoot 'em," he said, heading up the stairs to the bridge.

"Shoot them?" Zoe asked.

"Politely," Mal ordered as he disappeared up the stairs.

Evie had been holding her breath and she released a soft sigh of relief that that crazy Captain hadn't found her. After hearing him order his First Mate to shoot somebody if they got in his way, she wondered if the Firefly was such a great decision after all.