"River, this isn't … can't you tell us what's happening?" Simon stared over the table at his sister.

"She's doing her best," Jayne growled, holding the young woman's hand.

"They're talking. That's all. About families. About …" She shook her head.

"Are they on the level?" Hank asked, on the edge of his seat.

"Don't care if they are," Zoe said, stepping down into the galley and finishing strapping on her gunbelt. "Jayne, you're with me."

"Not in any danger," River whispered. "Except of losing."

"Honey, we don't understand," Kaylee said softly.

Ethan stared around the table, then climbed carefully from his chair. He toddled unnoticed to River and tugged on her dress. "Auntie River?"

She looked down. "Ethan -"

"Mama's upset."

Jayne leaned forward and picked him up, setting him on his thigh. "You know that, squirt?"

"Mama's upset," he repeated, his little face beginning to screw up. "Don't like her being upset."

"Your Pa'll stop her being upset, Ethan," Jayne promised.

"Daddy's worried."

The others all exchanged glances.

"Is … is Ethan -" Zoe began, but River stiffened in her seat, her head raising.

"Father," she whispered.

--

"What are you talking about?" Freya asked, tightening her grip on Mal's arm.

"Ivan is dying," Madam Rostov said, her hands clenched so hard her knuckles were white. "It's … he's not got long."

"That's why we're here," Alex explained, standing up and moving towards his sister. "Why we had to find you. He wants to see you."

"Me?" Freya glanced at Mal, and he realised just how shaken she was as she leaned more of her weight onto him.

"It's his last chance."

"So how'd you know we'd be here?" Mal wanted to know, supporting Freya and making her sit down again, even as he tried to control his own temper. These people, what they were saying … they didn't realise what they were doing to her. All they saw was finding her for what they wanted. She saw all that had happened since she left.

"The job," Alex said, standing looking at his sister, barely acknowledging his presence. "John Arnheim's job."

"So it's phoney?" Mal was a hair's breadth away from hauling off and punching Alex in the mouth, Freya's brother or no.

Don't, he heard clearly in his mind. Glancing down at Freya he saw her looking up at him, her eyes full of emotion, pleading with him not to do it. He nodded slightly, swallowing his anger.

"No. No, it's real. So's he. But he agreed …" Alex turned to the other man. "Captain Reynolds, you have to understand. When my father … our father became ill, we thought we had time, time to do this properly, through intermediaries contacting El … Freya directly … any way other than this. But the cancer was too fast for us, for him, and then when John told us he was moving some of his collection to Boros, and we … we suggested he use you. It wasn't hard to find out you occasionally worked for a man called Badger, and … well, the truth is money does talk. And in this case it said to make sure you took the job."

"Badger knows about this?" Mal made a mental note to have a word with the little creep.

"No. Only that John insisted it be you."

Prob'ly thought it was someone out to kill us, Mal thought to himself. Wait 'til I see him. He took a deep breath. "Go on."

"We honestly didn't think you'd bring Freya with you to the party." Alex glanced at his mother. "We were going to suggest a meeting on board your ship. Away from prying eyes."

"He wants to see you so desperately," Madam Rostov said, leaning forward, searching her daughter's face for understanding.

Freya shook her head. "But I can't go to Osiris -"

"He's here." Alex went down onto his heels in front of her, taking her hand. "We have a ship at the dock." His hazel eyes, so like her own, were begging her to say yes. "Come back there with us."

"Whoa, no, that's not -" Mal began, but Freya interrupted him.

"He's here?"

"He's waiting," Alex confirmed.

For a long moment no-one spoke, then Freya stood up. Mal immediately put one hand under her arm, the other encircling her waist.

"I need to change," she said, glancing down at the dress. "I can't go like this."

"Frey, no." Mal spoke firmly.

She looked at him, and the emotion in her eyes made his stomach roll. "I have to see him, Mal. Have to." Have to, she reinforced in his mind.

"I have a private hover outside," Alex said quickly. "I'll take you both back to your ship. That is, if …" He turned to his mother.

"I can make my own way," she assured him.

"No," Freya said. "Take your mother -"

"I'm not that incapable of calling a vehicle, Elena," Madam Rostov said, a touch of asperity in her voice.

"Freya," her daughter breathed, but without much hope of her mother remembering.

---

The hover stopped outside Serenity, and the three of them climbed out.

"I'll wait for you," Alex said.

Freya's lips twitched. "Afraid we'll fly away?"

Alex had the grace to look slightly abashed. "Something like that."

"We won't."

He nodded, but got the feeling that it wasn't really directed at him so much as the man at her side. "I'll be here." He glanced up at the sky, feeling the first drops of rain on his skin.

"Then you'd better come inside," Mal said. "Don't want Frey accusing me of letting you catch pneumonia."

"Thanks."

They walked up the ramp, and Mal wasn't surprised to find his crew waiting for him. Zoe and Jayne were armed, standing in the centre of the cargo bay, but the others were in the doorway to the common area and up on the catwalk.

"Sir?" Zoe asked.

"River?"

"Pretty much."

Mal shook his head, looking up at the young psychic above him, but he smiled slightly. "We're okay," he said, turning back to his first mate. "This is Alex. Freya's brother. He's just going to be standing there while we get changed."

The implication that she was to make sure he did just stand there was clear.

"Yes sir."

"But he don't need an audience from the rest of you."

"But Mal, we can talk, tell stories -" Hank began.

"Skedaddle."

There was general muttering but his crew did as they were told, all but Zoe and Jayne.

"Think I should stay too, Mal," the big man said.

Mal watched Freya climb the stairs. "You think Zoe can't handle him?"

"Nope. Never said that. It's just -"

"Go wait in the shuttle with River. If you're needed, she'll know."

For a moment it looked as if the mercenary was going to argue, but then he nodded and pounded up the staircase, two steps at a time.

"Sir?" Zoe asked softly. "Is it true? Freya's parents?"

"It's true," Mal said, equally quietly.

"Is she okay?"

"Not really." He glanced at Alex. "Just keep our guest company."

"Yes sir."

---

"I'm not happy about this," Mal said, climbing down the ladder as Freya stepped out of the dress, dropping it into the chair.

"You think they might kidnap me?" She glanced at him over her shoulder as she pulled on her pants, struggling with the elastic straps to get them closed.

"It's possible." He bent forward. "Let me do that." He moved her hands out of the way.

"Thanks. All thumbs."

"Can't imagine why." He smiled up at her. "There."

"Thanks," she repeated, pushing her feet into her boots.

Mal pulled the cravat from around his neck and tossed it on top of her dress. "I think I should come with you."

"I'll be fine." She paused, running the red silk top through her fingers. "He's my father."

"I know." He was undressing quickly, changing into his normal clothes.

"Wouldn't you take the opportunity to say goodbye? To talk to yours just this one last time?"

"That ain't fair, Frey. And it's not applicable. My Pa … well, he …" His voice trailed off.

"Loved you. I know. You can say it. And mine didn't treat me any better than he treated one of his horses. I know."

"Then why go?" Lifting the suspenders over his shoulders, he did up his shirt.

"Because."

"Frey, that ain't a reason."

"It's the only one I've got." She sat down suddenly on the bed. "I don't know how I feel at the moment, Mal. A few hours ago I didn't know they even thought about me at all. And now … I have to see this through. See my father. Even if it's just for him to ignore me again."

"You think that's gonna happen? After what Alex said?" He sat down next to her, touching along her body.

"I don't know. I can't believe he's wanting to do more than just salve his conscience before he dies, but even if it is only that, at least I …"

"Get to see him." He studied her for a moment, then took her hand. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Just … okay. But you get into any kind of trouble and I will be mad."

"Promise?"

"Swear on my life."

"I love you."

"You always think you can get round me by saying that," he complained.

"I mean it too." She stood up, pulling the red top on, then picked up the shoulder holster.

"Frey?"

She smiled. "I'm not that stupid, Mal," she said, shrugging into it.

"You know? Neither am I." He punched the com. "Jayne."

---

Ethan stood in the doorway to the common area and stared at the man waiting in the cargo bay. There was something about him, something that reminded him of his Mama, but he was a stranger. Looked like Mama, but he felt different. Not like his Daddy felt different. He was his Daddy. Loved him. But this man was … odd.

Alex looked at Zoe standing next to the stairs, not taking her eyes off him. "Do you mind if I sit down?" he asked.

"No."

Taking it that she meant she didn't mind, although the way she was looking at him he couldn't be sure, he looked around, saw a set of weights, and a bench. Walking to it, he lowered himself down. "Thanks." He studied the bay. "Interesting ship." She didn't answer. "Bigger inside than I thought. Must be the shape." Still no response. "The way the walls go out -"

"We like it."

He grinned. "I suppose you must do." Slight movement at the corner of his eye made him turn towards the doorway set into the back wall. A little boy was staring at him. "Hey."

Zoe followed his gaze. "Ethan, you shouldn't be here," she said.

"Ethan?" Alex stood up quickly. "Are you…" He swallowed. "My name's Alex. I'm your uncle."

"Uncle?" The little boy didn't step into the bay, just stood and stared at him.

"Your mother is my sister." He moved forward, feeling the dark woman stiffen, her hand very close to her gun, but he tried to ignore her. Close enough to see the boy's features but not to touch, he went down onto his heels. Obviously the Captain's son, from the blue eyes to the chin, but there was something of Elena in there too. A gentleness he remembered from when she was a child herself.

There was the sound of footsteps and he stood up quickly.

"I still don't like the idea of you going alone."

"I'm taking a com."

"I know, but -" Mal stepped down into the bay. "Why don't you want me to come?"

"Because there's nothing you can do." Freya reached up and touched his cheek, cupping it in the palm of her hand. "You'd just be waiting."

"I can do that. I'm good at the waiting part."

"I know you are." She stepped closer. "Just do it here instead."

"What if you need …"

"I know where you are." She smiled and lifted her head to kiss him softly.

Alex lowered his eyes from this overt display of honest love. He wasn't used to it.

"What's the name of your ship?" Mal asked, his arm still around his wife.

"Columbine." Alex shrugged. "My mother's favourite flower."

"And your berth?"

"S956." His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Just asking." Mal smiled, but it was the one that didn't reach his eyes. "The classier side of the docks. Must be something of a shock seeing this part."

"I've been in worse."

Jayne slipped out of the cargo bay doors, silent as the expert hunter and tracker he was.

"Really."

"Are you ready?" Alex asked, anxious to get going now.

Freya nodded. She looked up. "Be good."

"When aren't I?"

Her lips twitched. "Oh, once in a while." She ran her finger over his lips, then followed her brother out into the dark.

Mal watched her climb into the hover, and wondered why he felt as if he was never going to see her again. He felt someone tugging at his pants leg, and looked down. Ethan was gazing up at him.

"Hey, big feller," he said, picking his son up and perching him on his hip. "Why ain't you in bed?"

"Can't sleep." He glanced out of the doors. "Mama's worried."

"Yeah, I think she is." They watched the hover skim away. "But she'll be fine."

"You're worried too." Ethan reached up with a small hand and rubbed at the frown lines on Mal's forehead.

"Am I?"

His son nodded, putting his arms around Mal's neck. "Know you are."

God, no, please. Not him too. Mal gazed into his son's blue eyes. "How do you know that, Ethan?"

Ethan shrugged. "Know you are," he repeated, then touched his chest, just above the scar. "Here."

No. Mal pulled his son into him, holding him tightly. Over his shoulder he could see River standing on the stairs, her dress floating in the slight breeze. Why? he thought.

We'll cope with this, he heard, knowing it was her and not Freya from the taste in his mind. We will all cope. Keep him safe.