Gratitude
Simon Tam leaned against the doorway of the empty dining area and smiled. It had been quite an ordinary day; Serenity had left Persephone early that morning and was now headed for a delivery on Boros. Perhaps it was this fact, this link with the past, that put him in such a pensive mood. So much had changed since he and River had come aboard Serenity, but most striking were the changes that had taken place after Miranda.
Despite the horrors of that time and the grief and loss the whole crew had suffered because of it, Simon felt an enormous sense of gratitude for the way things hadn't gone afterwards. None of them had broken; none of them had allowed themselves to become hard or bitter. The opposite had happened. In this regard, Simon had the most respect for Zoe. She had suffered- probably more than any of them could understand- but she had not let the pain turn her into something she wasn't. And when Simon confirmed beyond doubt that the ex-soldier and widow was pregnant, Zoe had left those titles behind her and truly became a mother. Though still at heart the woman she had always been, Zoe softened. They all had. Together, the crew of Serenity grieved, wept, then put the past behind them, and this made them more of a family than ever before. Somehow, letting go of Miranda allowed Zoe and Mal to leave Serenity Valley, allowed River to leave the Academy, Simon to leave Osiris. Kaylee, it was true, left behind some of her innocence, but had gained strength. Jayne left behind his protective shell and revealed depths none of them had guessed at.
Most importantly, they were able to see the changes in each other and in themselves. Simon recognized that he himself had been the least likely to let go of the old pattern of the crew's relationships. Yet Jayne was now, incredibly, a friend. River, his mei mei, was no longer a burden or someone who needed looking after. She would never be the River Tam of Osiris, but she was healed, whole, self-sufficient. Kaylee...
Just then Kaylee herself put a hand on Simon's shoulder. He turned, smile widening to match hers as they wrapped their arms around each other, bodies fitting in a new way now that her belly was so round with their baby. Kaylee looked as though she knew exactly what had been going through her husband's mind, but asked anyway.
"Penny for your thoughts." She murmured.
"Just gratitude," he replied softly. "Lots and lots of gratitude."
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A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfic, so please let me know what you think :)