Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly or any of its characters, I just like playing with them.

Author's Note:There will be at least one more chapter, maybe more if I can think of somewhere to go with this.

Kaylee hummed happily to herself, idly swinging her shopping bag back and forth. When they'd landed on Osiris last night, she'd been afraid the captain would insist everyone stay on board the ship like he had last time they were on a central planet. But after much whining, coaxing, and a bit of blackmail she and Jayne had gotten permission to get off. They'd even talked him into getting off himself for a bit. That had taken a lot of blackmail.
As Kaylee approached the ship she wondered if anyone else was back yet. She knew Simon and River would be there, the only ones who couldn't leave the ship, and she thought Zoe had been planning to stay with the ship today too. But Jayne and Inara were probably still out. Captain was probably back, though, she decided. She figured she'd check in on him, see if he was still being grumpy, then go introduce Serenity to the new tools she'd found.
She was just heading up the ramp when she heard someone call her name. She turned and was surprised to see the captain coming towards her. Even more surprising, he was smiling. Kaylee was sure she hadn't seen him do that since Simon has insisted they needed to come to Osiris to get a new medication for River.
"Hey cap'n. You're all smiley, what's up?"
"I had a very nice afternoon."
Kaylee cocked her head to the side, smiling but puzzled. "Glad we talked you into getting off then?"
Mal looked around for a moment, nodding. "I am, actually." He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "Very glad." He walked into the ship whistling.
Kaylee stood where she was for a moment staring at his retreating back. Nice as it was to see him a good mood, she found the whistling unnerving somehow. The mood change had been just a bit too fast. She bit her lip, thinking.
"Zoe knows him best, I'll ask her what she thinks."

Inara picked up a card from the deck, considered it for a moment, then slipped it into her hand and chose another one to throw out.
Simon sighed. "Why don't you ever throw out anything I can use?" Inara smiled but didn't respond as Simon picked up a card of his own. He sighed again and dropped it on the discard pile just as Mal entered.
"Hey you two!" he said cheerfully. He grabbed an apple from the counter and came over. "What's up?"
Simon eyed the captain warily. "Playing cards." He knew the captain didn't like being on a central planet and it worried him that Mal was now smiling at him like that.
"Who's winning?"
"I am," Inara answered. She too looked concerned by Mal's unusual mood.
"Well, guess the doc'll just have to try harder. I have faith in you doc, get her." He smiled at them again, bit into his apple, and walked towards his quarters whistling. Simon and Inara stared after him.
"That, was...odd," Simon said after a moment.
Inara picked up the card Simon had put down and nodded. "Very strange, he was in such a bad mood when he left this morning." She rearranged her cards, threw one out and then put them all down. "Gin."

"Zoe was just coming down from the bridge when she saw Mal emerging from his quarters. He looked up at her and smiled.
"Hey Zo"
"Sir." She followed him as he headed off. "Somethin' goin' on?" she asked a moment later as he practically hopped down the stairs. Jayne appeared at the bottom and looked up at them curiously. When he saw Mal's smile, he seemed as suspicious of his happiness as everyone else. Kaylee appeared behind him.
"You could say that," Mal replied. "Back already?" he added to Jayne.
"I finished my stuff. How come you're all happy all of a sudden?" Jayne demanded.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm always happy. I'm a very happy person. Ask anyone."
"Would these be people you're threatening to shoot if they say you aren't?" Zoe asked.
Mal shook his head. "Honestly, can't a man just be happy?"
Both Zoe and Jayne answered this, "No."
"Y'all are too tense. You need a vacation." He started walking again and Jayne and Zoe exchanged looks.
"Where are you going sir?"
"Got me some errands to run. A few things to pick up. Won't be long." Zoe watched him go without objecting, but she knew they didn't need any supplies. She couldn't imagine what he was buying.
"Mal's lost his mind." Jayne said. "I think I oughta take over." Zoe gave him a withering look, which, as usual, had very little effect.
"I don't think we oughta take command away, but somethin is wrong. Cap'n was whistling earlier," Kaylee told them.
Zoe frowned again. "Something must have happened. I wish he'd tell us what."

River was standing in the middle of the cargo bay, staring up at the ceiling. She had felt Mal return and was excited by what she saw in his mind. She'd come to the cargo bay to wait for him and now he was coming. She felt everyone's confusion at his change in mood, but she understood.
"Hey little one, whatcha lookin' at?"
River looked at him and smiled. "There are eleven dents in the ceiling."
Mal nodded. "Well, hope they're just little dents." River nodded. "Good. Well, I gotta go buy some things. I'm guessin' you know why." River nodded again, stood on tip toes and kissed him on the cheek before darting off.

A little more than an hour later, Mal returned to the ship dragging a cart of boxes and whistling again. He looked around the cargo bay and was about to go over to the com when River stepped out from behind a crate.
"I already called them. They're coming."
"You didn't go ruining my surprise now did you?"
River smiled and shook her head. Then suddenly collapsed, sprawling dramatically across the floor. For a moment Mal worried she was having a crazy moment, but then she giggled and he understood what she was doing and chuckled ot himself.
He heard footsteps and looked up. He was surprised to see everyone arriving all at once. As if they'd all been together when River called them down.
"River!" Simon had spotted River lying on the floor and hurried forward.
"Nothing to worry 'bout doc. Perfectly normal behaviour for someone in her condition." Mal paused considering. "Point of fact doc, you really oughta be down there with her."
"What?"
"You want Simon to lay down on the floor?" Kaylee asked as the others reached them.
"Captain..." Zoe began.
"No, no, you're right. Now that you mention it, they shouldn't be on the floor. We're better than that. He stopped down, picked River up and carried her over to a crate. He laid her out gently and then pointed at another crate. "Come on doc."
Simon looked back and forth between his sister and Mal for a moment. "Why do you want me to lie down?"
"You've got a medical degree. You don't know?"
Simon paused again before answering. "I'm sorry, but what has that got to do with anything?"
"Mal, are you feeling all right?" Inara asked worriedly, stepping towards him.
"I'm fine. It's the doc here who seems to forget proper behaviour." The crew exchanged looks and River giggled again.
"Now, see, she ain't supposed to giggle, but she's crazy so we can over look it. But you're a doctor, you're supposed to know better. Now lie down." When Simon neither replied nor complied, Mal sighed. "Look, I ain't gonna tell you again. Lie down. You think I won't enforce proper behaviour on my ship?"
Simon opened his mouth to object but suddenly River jumped up, pounced on him and he found himself lying on the crate staring up at her nose to nose. "Stay," she ordered, like a little girl reprimanding a naughty puppy. She watched him for a moment then nodded in satisfaction and returned to her own crate.
"Alright, he's lying down, you wanna tell us what's goin' on now?" Zoe asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there's all the stuff you've bought, and the fact that you've gone bat shit crazy?"
Mal shook his head. "I have not gone crazy, and the stuff is for the party. Now, before you object, I know, some people might think it's a little soon. But I think they would have wanted us to do this."
"Who would have wanted us to do this?" Zoe asked.
Mal didn't answer. He moved over to Kaylee and put his hands on her shoulders. "Kaylee, I want you to come, ok? I know you're still hurting, especially after that interrogation today, but they wouldn't want you to lock yourself away like you have been."
Kaylee blinked a few times, then finally said "Ok?"
"Good girl."
"Why are we having a party?" Inara asked.
"Because it's time. And I figure we can use it to welcome our new crew members."
"We got new crew memebers?" Jayne asked.
"That's why we came to Osiris. Come on guys, you all know this."
River giggled again.
"I thought we came to get medicine for River," Zoe said after a moment where the crew exchanged puzzled, worried looks.
"Zoe," Mal began, coming over to her. "You're better than this. It's been five weeks. I've never seen you react like this."
"I've never been so worried about your mind."
"You don't feel guilty about River getting away from you, do you?"
"What?"
"Zoe, it wasn't your fault. We were all watching her. She got away from all of us. It was just a tragic accident. No one's fault. Right Inara?"
Inara stared at him, then looked at Simon and River lying on the crates. Simon had propped himself up on his elbows and was watching with a small frown. "I don't know, was it?" she asked finally.
"Of course." Mal answered. He moved over, put a hand on Simon's shoulder and pushed him back down. "And I know it might feel wrong replacing them, but we do need a medic on board. And I'd like to get a temporary mechanic, just until Kaylee's feeling better."
"Am I sick?"
Mal moved back to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Inara told me you've been crying yourself to sleep. And I can see for myself how rarely you come out of your room. And like I said, I know being questioned about the accident today was hard on you. It was hard on all of us. But I think that's why we need this party.
"We were questioned all day?" Zoe asked. Mal nodded. "By the feds?" Mal nodded again. "Right. How could I forget."
"Would someone tell me what in the ruttin' hell is goin' on here?" Jayne demanded.
"Now Jayne, you're going to make a bad impression on the new crew."
"What new crew?" Inara asked.
Mal stopped and gave her a look of mock horror. "Oh no, I didn't introduce them? Where are my manners?"
"Rachel Thomas is going to be helping out with flying and mechanical stuff." Mal pulled an ident card out of his pocket and held it out. River sat up and took it, smiling happily at everyone. "Hi!"
"And her brother, Sam, is a doctor." Mal pulled out another ident card and held it out to Simon who sat up slowly and took it.
For three minutes there was silence except for River giggling. Finally Zoe found her voice.
"Captain, I think you should explain now."
Mal grinned and sat down on a crate, gesturing for everyone else to sit too. "Well, it's like this..."

Earlier
Mal walked slowly along the streets with his jaw clenched. He hated being on a central planet, but Simon wanted that new medication and this was the only planet that had it just yet. Mal just hoped this new medicine worked well enough to be worth it.
At least the area Mal was in wasn't all suburban and clean. There looked to be some sufficiently disreputable bars here. Wishing he had stayed on the ship, Mal started for one of the bars. He was just reaching for the door when a hand grabbed his arm.
"Malcolm Reynolds, I'm going to have to ask you to come with me." Twenty minutes later, Mal was sitting at a table in an interrogation room and waiting for the commander to come speak with him.
When the man finally entered, Mal stood up. "Would you mind telling me what the hell this is about?"
The man gave him a calm smile and gestured for him to sit back down. Mal sighed and complied irritably, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Captain Reynolds, I am Commander Jackman. I want you to know that I understand why you and your crew are reluctant to speak with us, but it is time to stop being stubborn. I am tired of it and I'm sure you're tired of the charade as well. I understand this is difficult, but I need the truth."
"My crew? You've got my crew too? What for? We ain't done nothing to warrant this."
"I have been questioning your whole crew. All of them. And they're all just as stubborn and uncooperative as you are. But it has gone on long enough."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He didn't, either. In the four and a half months since Miranda they'd been laying low and sticking to legal jobs. They knew the Alliance was watching and didn't want to give them any excuse to move in. The comment about having the whole crew worried him though, did that include Simon and River?
"Captain, enough. For the last time, I am going to tell you what I know and what I suspect. And this time, you will tell me whether I am right or not. Is that clear?"
"For the last time? You haven't said anything a first time yet!"
"Captain Reynolds, I have been questioning you and your crew all day."
Mal stared at Jackman, utterly confused. "What?"
"We know you were on Persephone five weeks ago. We know you did some digging there. We suspected you were burying smuggled goods to be picked up later, either by yourselves or others, and once you left we moved in and did some digging ourselves." Mal frowned, wondering where in the 'verse this was going. They had been on Persephone five weeks earlier, and they had been digging. They'd taken a job helping out some farmers. He knew they couldn't possibly have found anything in their digging; the farmers had been good, honest folk.
"Imagine our surprise when we found the bodies," Jackman continued.
Mal stood up again, very quickly. "Bodies? There weren't no bodies there!"
"Captain, please, enough is enough." He pushed Mal firmly back into the chair and went on. "Now, that pretty much ends what I know, so I will tell you what I suspect. We examined the bodies and I have a theory based on what we found.
"I believe that Simon Tam, in an effort to help his sister, was examining the code used to trigger her in the Maidenhead." Mal began to sweat. If this guy was high enough to know about that part of it, they were screwed. "Now, Dr. Tam is not stupid. I'm sure he arranged for someone to keep his sister busy while he worked, but she can be slippery. So, I think she got away from whoever was watching her and walked in on her brother at the wrong moment. She saw the code and subsequently moved into weapon mode and killed her brother. The next person she met was fortunate enough to have a chance to use the safeword before she did anymore damage, but it was too late for Simon Tam. I believe, further, that when River woke up and realized what she'd done, she took her own life. You buried them on Persephone and moved on. Moved around a bit, let yourselves grieve. Now you've come to Osiris to pass on your condolences to their family."
Mal's mouth worked for a moment before he finally found his voice again. "That's...that's what you think happened, is it?"
"It is. The Alliance isn't really very interested in you and your crew, Captain. Frankly, we'd like to just forget the whole thing. But Simon and River we couldn't just let be. With them dead, we'd prefer just to let you go your way. But I need to know what happened so I can report it to my superiors."
"Yeah, well, I guess you would."
"So, am I correct in my guess?"
"Well, mostly. 'Cept for the part about coming here to see their parents. Can't say I've got much fondness for them from what I heard about them."
Jackman seemed to consider this, then nodded. "Very well. Thank-you for finally cooperating. I realize this day has been upsetting for your crew. Especially Miss Frye."
"Very hard. Probably gonna take us a week to get her to stop cryin'. Probably gonna lock herself in her room again."
"Well, perhaps Miss Rachel Thomas is a good mechanic and can cover for her while she's indisposed." Jackman tossed two ident cards and a scanner onto the table. Mal took a quick look. They were for a brother and sister named Rachel and Samuel Thomas. "As you can see, Mr Thomas is actually Dr. Thomas. I'm glad you found replacements so quickly. I know it can be difficult to find good help."
"Yeah, real hard." Mal said absently, slipping the ident cards into his pocket.
"Thank you for your cooperation captain. You may leave now."
Mal moved to the door but paused just before exiting. He turned back to the Alliance commander. "Why?"
Jackman didn't answer right away, but Mal needed to know why before he could even consider trusting this.
Finally Jackman spoke. "Twelve years ago my favourite aunt and uncle signed on to settle on Miranda."