Daddy's princess

"No really. Go," Mal argued.

"But I-"

"Sweetheart, you've been on this boat since you were on bed rest. Go, experience life. Kaylee and Zoe, make her have a good time."

River opened her mouth to protest, but Kaylee took one arm and Zoe took the other.

"Honey, he's right. We'll have a shiny time! Leave the kids with the fellas. They can't screw up too bad!" Kaylee said cheerfully optimistic.

"Except Jayne," Zoe added loud enough to where Jayne would hear.

"Ha-ha," he grumbled while shoving the rest of his snack into his mouth.

"Alright, I'll go…"

Mal smiled. For once, he won the argument.

"Just this once, baby…" she laughed.

Simon, Ricky, Mal, and Belle walked the girls out of the ship.

"This place has great mud baths…" Kaylee beamed.

"Mud baths…?" Simon smirked with a suggestive twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes, mud baths. Don't get into too much trouble while we's gone."

She kissed Simon and then gave Ricky a quick hug.

"I'll miss you!" Ricky exclaimed.

"I'll miss you too, sweetie."

River kissed Mal and then Belle on the forehead.

"Be a good girl for Daddy."

"She can't be anything else," Mal sighed with a slight smile tugging on his mouth.

River smiled and kissed him once more before going with Kaylee down the ramp. Jayne had just arrived in the cargo bay.

"Bye Ricky, bye Belle…" Zoe said tenderly. She looked up and saw Jayne. "Stay away from the big bad mercenary."

"Well you got the title right," Jayne leered.

"Doubt it."

Mal shook his head and walked away with Simon and Ricky.

"Well doubt don't make it any less true," they heard Jayne say as they walked towards the passenger dorms.

"Zoe!" Kaylee's faint voice called.

"See you later," Zoe said.

"Yeah."

Jayne came in a few minutes later.

"Jayne, a little less talk like that in front of Ricky and Belle…" Mal warned.

"Aw come on Mal! We was just playin'."

"That didn't look like playing," Ricky commented.

Simon laughed. "A different kind of playing."

"Can we play?" Ricky asked.

"Sure. What do you want to play?" Simon asked.

He thought for a moment. "Body!" He was referring to the special doll that came apart into the different bones and organs.

"Okay. Let's go play."

They went to Ricky's room. Jayne went to the kitchen to clean his guns. Mal took Belle to their bunk.

"Looks like it's just me and you."

It was time for one of her feedings. River left a few bottles for them while she was off bathing in mud…he stopped that train of thought right there just in case his daughter had her mother's mind reading gift. He gently held her while sitting on his bed and leaning up against the bulkhead.

She was something else. Breathtaking, just like her mother. He gazed down at her little hands and fingers still completely amazed at how tiny they were. He saw a bit of River in her. Her cute little nose and her lips mostly.

"You know, I think your Uncle Simon was right. He said to me once that he'd never felt so much love after bein' a daddy. It's true, princess. Your daddy loves you very much. Always will. I'll be that father sittin' at home cleanin' his gun whilst you bring 'round your boyfriend. No one is ever gonna be good enough for you. Not ever, not no one."

She gurgled with what looked like a smile. He smiled at her and kissed her on the top of the head. She started to get a bit fussy, so he did the one thing that always seemed to calm her down. He started to sing.

"Go on, take this whole world. But to me you'll always be…my little girl."

She calmed right down. "You'll always be my little girl…" he sighed.

Later that day, River returned home to discover Mal and Belle in their bunk sound asleep on the bed. Belle was draped across his chest and his arm was around her. They were both breathing deeply with faint smiles on their faces. She grinned and pulled a blanket up over them.

After kissing Mal on the forehead and Belle on the cheek, she whispered, "I love you two" before leaving their bunk to give them some more father/daughter time. After all, she was Daddy's princess…