Freya was asleep, back in their temporary bed. It had been a long and tiring day, and she deserved every minute of it. Mal, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off his daughter.
He was sitting in the common area, his feet propped up on the table, little Jesse in his lap wrapped in the comforter Kaylee had made. Her face was relaxed, her eyes closed, and she slept. He wondered idly if she dreamed, since she didn't have even a day's worth of memories to call upon, but maybe it was just sleep. Or perhaps it was remembrances of being safe and warm. He tucked the comforter a little closer.
"Gonna keep you safe," he said softly. "Me and your Momma. And Ethan. Everyone on board this ship is gonna keep you safe, little one."
She'd already had her first feed, lying against Freya's breast, taking in the milk that was going to make her grow up big and strong. Neither Frey nor himself had been able to stop the odd tear rolling.
"'Cause this is your family, Jesse. And families do for each other, they take care of each other. There ain't a one on board that wouldn't die for you or any of the kids." He smiled. "And you'll have lots of playmates. Bethie, Ben, Hope … not forgetting Ethan. Gotta make allowances for him sometimes, though, Jesse. He's a boy, and sometimes boys act stupid. I should know. Used to be one myself, not that long ago. So just give him some rope 'casionally."
Jesse yawned, and waved her tiny fists in the air. Her eyelashes, as long and full as his own, flickered once, and he held his breath, not knowing if she was going to wake up, but she just settled again.
"That's my girl," he whispered. His lips curved again of their own accord, unable to keep his happiness inside. "You know, you coming along, and being a girl 'n'all, well, that means you outnumber us fellers. Think I'm gonna have to be talking to River about this. She's got the whole next generation of us planned out - better make sure there's a fair number of boys amongst it."
"Uncle Mal?"
He looked up, seeing Bethany standing halfway down the stairs, holding Ethan by the hand. "What's up, short stub?"
"Uncle Mal, Ethan wanted to come and see his sister," Bethany said.
Mal smiled. "Come on then."
They hurried down the steps, but Ethan let go of Bethany as they got to the floor.
"Ethan, come on," Bethie called.
He shook his head.
"What's up, big feller?" Mal asked.
Bethie sighed. "He's afraid."
"Of what?"
Bethany didn't answer, just climbed up onto the settee next to Mal.
Mal was still looking at his son. "What is it, Ethan?" he said softly. "You still afraid we won't love you any more, now we've got Jesse?"
Ethan's eyes opened wide, but he nodded slowly.
"He's being silly," Bethie said, leaning on Mal's shoulder to look down at the new arrival. "She's pretty."
"That she is." But Mal understood. "Bethie, come on. You sit down properly, and you can hold Jesse."
A look of sheer panic crossed the little girl's face. "Uncle Mal …"
"You'll be fine. You hold Hope, don't you?"
"But that's …"
"Need your help here, Bethie."
The little girl paused, then nodded, sliding down into a sitting position.
Mal carefully put his daughter into her arms. "You just keep her still."
"'Kay." Bethie had her tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated.
Watching for a moment, just to make sure there wasn't likely to be a problem, Mal got up and walked across to his son. He went down onto his heels. "You think we don't love you no more. Even after what both your Momma and I said before."
Ethan looked down at his feet. "Silly," he said, echoing Bethany.
"Yeah, I guess maybe it is, in a way. But I know where you're coming from." Mal took hold of him and swung him up onto his hip. "You know, your Momma and I were just talking, a little while back, about brothers and sisters, and I said I didn't like growing up an only child. Not having anyone my own age to play with, to make a mess with, hell, even to fight with. And she asked whether I'd've preferred a brother or sister."
"Which?" Ethan asked, his blue eyes fixed on his father's face.
"Actually, I think I pretty neatly sidestepped it," Mal admitted. "But I know what the answer would've been. I'd like to've had a sister. Someone to take care of. To look up to me."
"Like Jesse."
"Like Jesse." Mal tightened his grip a little. "And she's gonna look up to you, Ethan. Oh, you're gonna hate her sometimes, and she's gonna feel the same way, but you're her brother, and she's going to love you too." He paused, just a moment. "You're my son, Ethan. My son. That means more to me than anything. When you grow up you're gonna be by my side, flying this ship, seeing off the bad guys."
Ethan chuckled. "Bad guys," he agreed.
"Surely will. Even worse than your Uncle Jayne. Maybe even your Auntie River." He sat down next to Bethany. "And your Momma and I love you very much. Because you're ours. We always will, no matter how many kids we have. Big or small. And Jesse here is the same. We love her. She's our daughter. Your sister." He held his son so he could see the bundle on Bethany's lap. "You need to look after her for us, when we're not there. Make sure nothing bad happens. Keep her safe."
"Keep Jesse safe?" Ethan said.
"'Cause she's but a few hours old, yet she's going to look up to you for the rest of her life."
Ethan leaned forward, reaching out to touch Jesse's soft cheek. "I look after Jesse."
"That's right."
The little boy contemplated the idea, then nodded. "I love Jesse."
Mal smiled, and had to blink hard. "That's good."
"Is Mama okay?" Ethan asked, glancing towards the crew quarters.
"Mama's fine, Ethan," Mal said, ruffling his son's hair. "She's a mite tired after bringing your sister into the world. Catching up on her sleep."
"Mama's tired." He wriggled back into Mal's lap. "Needs to sleep for a while."
"That she does. It's hard work giving birth."
"Mama was tired with me?"
There was a pause as Mal couldn't help but bring up the anguish after his son's birth, when he was afraid … "Yeah, Mama was tired after Ethan. But she had a sleep, and she got better."
"Mama's getting better."
Bethany looked up. "Uncle Mal …"
"What is it, short stub?"
"Can Jesse be my sister too?"
"Never considered she wouldn't."
"Good."
"Is Beth'ny my sister?" Ethan asked. "'Cept Auntie Kaylee's her Mama." He looked confused.
Mal began to wonder if he'd opened up a can of worms too big to deal with. "Yes, that's true, but she sort of is. Mainly not physically, but -"
"Serenity family."
"Yeah. Serenity family."
"We can play," Ethan said, wriggling out of Mal's grasp and sitting next to Bethany so he could watch his sister carefully.
"I've got lots of ideas for games," the little girl put in.
"I'm sure you do," Mal said. So long as they don't involve knives, other sharp objects, or anything else likely to cause hurt. Or paint. There's to be no paint implicated."
"Oh, Uncle Mal …"
"No paint!"
"Okay," Bethany said, her tone so resigned that Mal had to smile. "No paint."
"Good." He settled back. "Now, why don't you tell me the kind of games you were thinking of? The ones that don't involve paint?"
---
Mal didn't feel Serenity land, didn't feel the machinery lowering the ramp and opening the doors, didn't feel the whirlwind that was Inara heading through into the cargo bay and through into the common area. Didn't feel her stop, her hand to her throat, staring at him. At them.
"Cute, ain't it?" Kaylee whispered.
"That's … one way of putting it."
But cute it was. Mal, laying down, his daughter carefully held between his body and the back of the old sofa, fast asleep. His mouth was slightly open, and he snuffled occasionally. Bethany and Ethan were in the yellow armchair, wrapped around each other, dead to the world.
"Is that …"
"Jesse?" Kaylee grinned. "Yeah. She's just the most darling little bundle."
"Who does she look like?"
"At the moment?" The young mechanic put her head onto one side and pondered for a moment. "More like Jayne than anyone."
"Jayne?" Inara almost squeaked.
"I'm kidding," Kaylee said, putting her hand on her friend's arm. "Honestly, I see a lot of Freya in there."
"I should hope so."
"Want me to wake him up? So you can take a better look?"
Inara put her hands up. "No, no, let him sleep." She sighed a little. "I wish I had my capture with me."
"Don't worry. I did."
"Well done, you."
"I'll make you a copy."
"Thanks." Inara looked towards the crew quarters. "Do you think Freya's awake?"
"Let's go see."
Inara followed the young woman. "And are you okay?"
Kaylee looked back at her. "You mean, another baby and it ain't mine." She smiled. "'Nara, I got Bethie. And Hope. You know she said her first word last week?"
Inara gasped. "No! What was it?"
"She said mama."
"Oh, Kaylee."
"Course, she said it to Simon, but it's the thought that counts."
"And how did he take that?" Inara asked, trying hard not to laugh.
"Said he wasn't wearing a dress for anyone."
"Oh, I'm sure he has the legs for it."
"He does."
"So what did everyone else say?"
Kaylee paused outside the maternity suite door. "No-one else knows. It's kinda our secret for a while."
"But you've told me."
"Yeah, but you're Inara." Kaylee slid the door open a little, unaware of quite how happy she'd made her friend feel. "Hey, you up for visitors?"
Freya struggled to sit up a little more. "Just woke up." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Where's Jesse?"
"Mal has her," the young mechanic said. "And they look so sweet."
"Sweet?"
"I'll show you later," she said cryptically. "But right now you got someone wants to see you." She moved out of the way so that Inara could step into the room.
"Hey, 'Nara." Freya quickly ran her hands through her short hair, and pulled the shirt she was wearing into something resembling tidiness. Seeing the woman in front of her, the perfection of her hair and make-up, her clothes … she felt overwhelmingly shabby.
Inara guessed. Knew it from the look on her friend's face. "You're glowing," she said, pulling the only chair in the room next to the bed.
"Glowing?" Freya chuckled. "That a way of saying I'm still red in the face?"
"No. It's a way of saying you look radiant."
"Thanks." Freya smiled. "Have you seen her?"
"In passing." Inara took her hand. "She looks adorable."
"That she does."
"Was it bad?"
"Labour? No, not …" Now she laughed. "How do I know? I've done this twice: the first time Jayne was in danger of delivering my son, and this time."
"You didn't want Jayne to be your midwife again?"
"I think Mal would've killed him first."
Inara smiled. "River would probably have dissuaded him."
"Probably." Freya lay back a little. "So … has Dr Nazir been thrown out?"
Inara looked down quickly at her hands. "No. Actually he's still here."
"He is?" She sat up again. "Still? I thought he had a –"
"He decided to take a little sabbatical."
"Ah."
Inara raised her head. "Ah … what?"
"Nothing. Just ah."
"I know those just ah's of yours. Come on, tell me."
"Nothing," Freya insisted, holding her hands up. "I just … he is quite good-looking."
"Freya!" Inara managed to look shocked.
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed."
"Of course I haven't!" She got up and walked to the door and back. "He's my doctor, Freya!"
"Really."
"Is that a really the same as a just ah?"
"Probably."
With a heavy sigh Inara dropped into the chair, all semblance of the poised and elegant woman gone in a moment. "Oh, Frey."
"I'm guessing he's got under your skin."
"He annoyed me," Inara admitted. "Incredibly."
"Mal told me."
"Just the way he did things, the way he made me talk …" She shook her head. "Then I realised what he was doing, and it just annoyed me even more!"
"So he wasn't the regular lie down on the couch and tell me all your secrets sort of doctor?"
"Hardly. I don't think we went near a couch."
"Did you want to?"
"Freya!" The shock was back.
"Oh, come on, 'Nara. There's nothing wrong with wanting a man."
"But …" She spread her hands. "He is my doctor. It's … unethical. It could get him struck off the boards. It's …"
"Do you want him?"
For a very long moment Inara didn't answer. Then she nodded slowly. "But it's wrong."
"Why don't you ask him? Maybe he feels the same way."
"Frey, I've been insulting him for more than a month!"
"Yet he's still here. And I'm sure you can insult him like a pro."
"Freya!"
The woman on the bed chuckled. "Don't get so high and mighty with me, 'Nara. I know you, remember."
Inara suddenly laughed. "He is a nice man. And he's so gentle with the girls. He's helped Hermione enormously, and he's … I don't know, Freya."
"Talk to him."
"I've just had bad experiences talking to men."
"No, you mean you've had bad experiences talking to Mal," Freya pointed out. "And that was foreplay too."
"It never came to anything," Inara insisted.
"I know." The sound of a baby crying reached them. "Is that Jesse?"
"Sure is," Mal said from the doorway. "Hey, Inara."
"Mal."
"I think she's wanting a feed." He stepped inside and sat down on the edge of the bed, handing his daughter over to her mother. He looked at the ex-Companion. "Sorry, but Frey couldn't hold it long enough for you to be in at the kill." He winced as Freya managed to kick him. "You wanna try that one again? 'Cause I'm sure if you made it just a bit higher you wouldn't have to worry about me wanting to have my way with you."
"You won't be doing that yet." Freya lowered the old shirt she was wearing, exposing one breast. "If ever." She settled Jesse, feeling her milk come down into the little girl's suckling mouth.
"Hell, darlin', if I can watch you do that for ever that'd be enough," he said, leaning forward and stroking the dark hair on his daughter's head. He looked round at Inara. "So how's Dr Nazir? Earning his keep yet?" He was amazed when Inara stood up, her face pink, the same colour as the lining to her dress.
"Well, I have things to do. There's food prepared, so I'll just … I'd better go and see … tell everyone." She backed out of the room, almost running for the stairs.
"Something I said?"
Freya tried to kick him again. "You know exactly."
Mal watched Freya feed their daughter for a minute, a smile on his face. "You know, we don't need to worry about getting her christened."
Freya looked up in surprise. "Well, I hadn't actually considered actually … why not?"
"I had a dream just now."
"A dream?"
"About Shepherd Book."
Freya watched her husband, at the look on his face, the same one he always had when he talked about the Preacher, or Wash, for that matter. "And what did he say?"
"He was standing in the common area, right in front of me, that old Bible of his in his hands, and he was saying words."
"What kind of words?"
"Just asking God to look after Jesse, to find a place for her in His heart."
"That won't be hard, Mal," Freya said softly. "She is going to be the sweetest little girl you've ever seen."
"I know."
"She'll give Bethie a run for her money."
"My money's on Jesse."
"Mine too." She looked down at her daughter, still taking milk. "So you reckon that was as good as a christening?"
"Somehow. Can't really describe it, Frey, but just seeing him, standing there like he used to, smiling at my little daughter …" He had to swallow. "Seemed right."
"I wish I'd met him."
"Yeah, I wish you had too."
She looked at him a moment longer, then moved over in the bed, carefully holding Jesse against her. "Come on."
He smiled and quickly sat down next to her, his body pressed against hers. "You sure about that sex thing?"
"Not 'til Simon says it's okay."
"And … when's that likely to be?"
"Not tonight, that's for sure."
He laughed, the vibration making her feel warm and loved, particularly as he wrapped his arm around her. "Figured that. Man goes out of his way to stop me getting what I want."
"He didn't do this, Mal," Freya said pointedly, gazing down at their daughter.
"Hope not." He squeezed her gently. "Although maybe I should get him to use that DNA tester-thingie on Jesse. Just to make sure."
"Don't even joke about that."
He grinned. "So … that doc and Inara. She got it bad?"
"Pretty bad."
"Conjured as much, from the colour she went." He watched Jesse for a moment. "Think I should talk to her?"
"No."
"Why not?" He tried honest puzzlement. "I used to be her captain."
"And she's still in love with you."
"Now, that's not –"
"Mal, don't. You know it and so do I. That's probably never going to change."
He looked into her brown eyes. "Guess not. But that don't mean I can't be her friend too."
"I know that. And I'm glad you are. But in this case … don't."
"Why? What do you think I'd say to her?"
"I think you'd wind her up so much she'd burst."
He laughed. "How come you know me so well, darlin'?"
"Years of practice."
"I guess." He leaned down and kissed her, her lips opening to his.
