Chapter 4

Persephone, Three hours later

Wash landed Serenity smoothly and hummed as Zoe glared at him from the other pilot chair. He merrily swung his chair to face Zoe and grinned.

"Something wrong my darling amazon?" he asked sarcastically.

"You went behind my back," Zoe stated as her eyes narrowed to slits, "Making me see the Doc when everything is just FINE."

"No pumpkin, everything is NOT fine," he smirked, "I'm pretty sure I know why. That's why I'm smiling," he said as he pointed at his smile.

"Why would something wrong with me make you smile?" she snarled lightly.

"Well I wouldn't say its something wrong," he said grinning wider, "but its certainly something different that will effect the way you work."

"I swear if you don't tell me what you're implying I will beat you."

"Oh, foreplay? Already? It's not even noon," he crooned.

Zoe stood with her fists clenched tight. Mal walked in and looked them both up and down.

"If you are planning to kill my pilot, please make sure its after the job."

"I don't like this."

"Since when don't you like the Doc?" Mal asked.

"Not that I don't like him," Zoe said as she softened a bit, "Just don't think I need em thats all."

"Well," Mal said looking at Wash, "I'm makin it an order to have you checked out and back in tip top shape. Wash ain't the only one noticed you've been off lately."

Zoe seemed to deflate a bit as she ran out of words.

"Yes sir."

"See," Mal said leaving the bridge, "Startin to sound normal already."

Cargo Bay

Mal walked down the stairs and double checked his gun belt. When he reached the bottom he looked up to see River pacing back and forth with a fierce concentration. Jayne sat on a large crate near the medical lab watching River uncomfortably. Hearing Mal he glanced over at him and then back to River.

"She's in one of her moods," Jayne said.

"She is not in a moooood!" River said loudly, "She is trying to calculate distance and probabilities."

"What?" both men said.

She stopped and stared at Jayne, "The Angel is home. She knows this, Jayne should know this, but probability of Pixie following us and being on the same planet is minimal. Why is Pixie on the same planet. She feels her here, knows she's here. Can't connect with her since early this morning, something is wrong," she ended in a whisper.

Simon walked out of the medical lab just as River ended her rant.

"River who is this Pixie and Angel," he asked, "You've connected to them. You should know something else about them."

River lowered her eyes to the floor as her lips moved in silent mumblings. The three men looked at each other and then back at River just as she raised her eyes sharply and looked at Simon as if seeing him for the first time. She grinned sadly.

"A friend," she whispered, "Pixie is a friend."

Simon raised an eyebrow and took a step towards River.

"A friend?" he asked

River hugged herself as a tear rolled down her cheek, "Loyal friend, honest friend. All my fault."

"Mei mei," Simon whispered reaching for her, "whats your fault?"

"Everything is my fault," she sniffled as she sunk into his embrace, "Her pain, our pain. All my fault."

Simon stiffened and pulled her gently away from him.

"None of this is your fault mei mei. Its the Blue Hands Corporation. You haven't done anything wrong."

He pulled her back against him and looked at Mal.

"Perhaps my suggestion was a bit premature, Captain."

River pulled back from Simon.

"No! She has to go with," River said as she wiped the tears from her face and stared Simon down, "She has to find the Pixie."

"I think its up to River, Doc," Mal said gently, "Either way we don't have enough to do this job quickly without her."

Simon sighed and nodded reluctantly. He turned to River who smiled slightly and nodded.

"I can do this Simon."

"Alright mei mei, I trust you."

River smiled wider as she sensed her brother finally letting her go.

Few Moments Later

Jayne, Mal, and River walked towards the main stretch of the town. Mal saw Kaylee going into a used parts shop and groaned. River smirked beside him as Jayne scanned the crowd. River searched mentally as she searched for the Pixie.

They continued through town and entered a small, quaint restaurant on the outskirts.

A short, plump man with buzz cut hair and coke bottle glasses approached them as they entered.

"Good morning," he said jovially," how can I help you three today?"

"We are expected I believe," Mal stated.

"Oh yes yes," the man said, "You are Captain Malcolm Reynolds I presume?"

"Last time I checked."

"We have your table reserved in the corner just like my friend asked," he said.

He showed them to their table and took their order for drinks. As he turned away towards the kitchens Sir Harrow walked through the doors smiling.

"Captain!" he said clasping his hands together loudly as he arrived at their table, "I see I'm right on time."

He sat down and soon after four drinks arrived at their table.

"Thank you Terrance," Sir Harrow said to the man.

"Your most welcome my friend, most welcome," he said as he nodded and walked back to the kitchen.

"He'll keep a lookout for any trouble from his monitors in the back," Sir Harrow said leaning forward, "I have directions here for you as to where the pickup is."

He handed Mal a slip of paper.

"Last of the items arrived an hour ago," he said apologetically, "I'm sorry I couldn't send you the information sooner."

"No problem," Mal said as he folded the paper and put it in an inside coat pocket.

"Drinks are on me," Sir Harrow said as he knocked his back, exhaled loudly, and grinned.

He stood up, bowed, and walked out the door whistling.

Mal shook his head, knocked back his own drink, and stood as well.

"Well alright," he said smirking, "Time to do a job."