Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly/Serenity Characters, Places or Things

Chapter 10

Well Laid Plans

I turned and placed the last of the cooled sweet rolls on a plate and gave the scramble one last stir before taking it off the burner. Breakfast was done and was smelling mighty tasty if you asked me. Coffee was hot and waiting and there was still some tea. Shepherd Book helped me bring plates of food to the table. Kaylee had arrived and was putting out mismatched pottery plates and silverware for me while Jayne sat with arms crossed and leaned back in his chair. He was watching the food as if it would vanish the second it hit the table top.

"Jayne, you could help 'stead of just sitting there like a big silent lump." Kaylee chided him as she placed a plate before him. He glanced at it, saw it was empty, and looked up at her. "Kitchen work is women's work." He replied gruffly.

"Oh yeah? And what's man's work? Fixing ship's engines? Cuz I can do that blindfolded, but I bet you couldn't set a table if you had an extra pair of arms." She put a mug at each place. I smiled and tried not to laugh at the big guy.

"What do you do on Serenity, Jayne?" I asked innocently. He glared at me and I smiled sweetly from across the table. "Besides accosting crew members, that is. And for the record, if I was in fit condition I could have taken you." I teased. What has gotten into me this morning? I wondered as I watched Jayne register the challenge.

" You? A skinny cook? Think again," he huffed.

" Yep, me. I tell you what Jayne, when Doc says I'm all healed let's have a friendly little wager and we will see whether a skinny girl cook can take your butt down a notch or two." I put down the pitcher of cider and held out my hand.

"Them are fighting words!" Wash said as he and Zoe came in and took a seat around the table. Jayne hesitated.

"Come now Jayne, you're not afraid of a girl are you?" Zoe asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Done." He clasped my hand in his, gripped it firmly and let go, his calloused palm rough against my skin. I stepped back as the seats filled up.

Simon came in with River; both looked like they hadn't slept much last night either. River stared at me for a moment, her dark eyes fathomless and haunted and seemed to plumb deep into mine for a breath of a second. Then she blinked and let Simon escort her to an empty seat. I saw Kaylee smile at Simon who nodded politely back to her. She scooted around me to take a seat as well but not before I heard her sigh resignedly. I would have to ask her what that was all about later.

Inara floated in and I handed her a delicate teacup in place of a mug. She smiled and touched my arm gently. "Good morning Liara, glad to see you bright eyed and rested." She wore a gown of violet today, satin and velvet with a delicate beaded design of flowering vines that entwined around her graceful form.

"Thank you." I smiled back at her and thought of our late night conversation. I glanced at the spread and we seemed to have everything we needed. Except our captain. Mal's chair sat empty and inviting. I remembered he wanted a call when the tucker was done so I hopped over to the com and called the bridge. "Captain, breakfast is done and the crew's all here if you would like to join us." I was happy that my voice sounded strong and confident for once. Seemed the crew was having a good effect on me already. Jayne let out a belch. Well, most of the crew anyway.

"I will be right there. Thanks Liara" Mal replied, the speaker crackling his voice. The galley was cozy, warm from the heat of the oven and the crew all gathered together, the air above the table hummed with conversation, good natured ribbing and the occasional laugh. Like my family used to be, clustered around the kitchen table, rather than using the big ostentatious one in the dining room. The boys would poke fun at each other or tease me incessantly, father would tell mother stories about what went on in the city that day and she would laugh. We were happy, I was happy. Once. One day you will feel that way again.

I was caught up in memory, not realizing I was still standing at the com when I felt a touch on my shoulder. I jumped and glanced up at Mal who now stood beside me. His eyes were serious but his mouth turned up in a quick grin. "Didn't mean to startle you. I've been doing that a bit much since we met." He said quietly. My eyes darted to the table but no one was paying any attention, except Inara, her eyes meeting mine and dropping demurely to her plate. The captain is someone you can trust. You don't have to be afraid of him. Her words from last night echoed in my head as I turned to the captain, forcing myself not to put more space between us. Get a grip, what can happen in a room full of people? A black memory threatened to surge, plenty could happen in front of a crew. I pushed it to the back of my brain, where the shadows slept.

"Don't worry Captain, no harm done." I gave him a sad excuse for a smile but it was the best I could do. "Breakfast is getting cold and we won't get any if we don't tuck in with Jayne here and all." I nodded at the table.

"Still giving Jayne a hard time? Girl after my own heart," he said as he took his seat. I tried not to blush as I found my empty chair and settled in. I saw Book lower his head in prayer over his steaming food while River tried to sneak the sweet roll off his plate.

"River!" Simon hissed. "That's not your breakfast. You have a platefull." He sat across from his sister.

"Eyes closed, can't see the sin." She said matter-of-factly. She was an oddity that was for sure. I spooned some scramble on my plate and added a roll. Simon poured me a mug of cider, seated as he was between Kaylee and me. I watched him out the corner of my eye, now that his attention was elsewhere. He was a looker, our doctor. No wonder Kaylee goes around sighing like she does.

"How are you feeling this morning?" the doc asked me quietly. His dark eyes scanned my face and for a split second he held my gaze as River did. They share the same eyes and say much with them as well.

"I'm rested and steadier on my pins then yesterday, thank you. I took one of those pills you gave me last night and it helped." I looked back to my plate.

"I want to change the dressing on your ribs later today and see how your bruises are faring." I glanced up sharply, alarmed someone over heard him. "Don't worry, Liara. I won't say anymore if it makes you uncomfortable, just come by the infirmary later when you have a few moments and we will discuss it there," he said kindly then focused on his breakfast and a moment later chuckled at something Kaylee said.

Breakfast was good and I took small bites and ate slowly as Simon had suggested. My stomach seemed steadier today as well and I was heartened. It felt good to think I was healing. My body at least. The rest of me needs some work, but one thing at a time. Compliments flew my way from around the table and I smiled shyly with the praise. "Where did you learn to cook, Liara?" Zoe asked. We hadn't spoken much in my short time on Serenity.

"My mother taught me some, but she knew more about making fancy dishes for entertaining and such. I really learned when I would spend summers with my Uncle Rand on Harvest. He and my Aunt Brielle had a ranch. I learned to rope and ride and how to whip up a basket of biscuits and twenty ways to cook a steak, when we could get it." I took a breath. The memories were so close to me for a second, I half expected Aunt Bri to be scolding me from the kitchen. I looked around; everyone was watching me, waiting for me to continue. "That's where I learned to cook really, isn't much else to say about that." I mumbled and took another bite of my cooling breakfast.

Mal cleared his throat and the attention turned to him. I glanced up and he held my gaze for a moment. I gave him a tiny nod. Thank you Captain. " Speaking of roping and riding, I have a job for my crew. And it's a good paying one or it will be if we can pull it off. Kae Baradyn sent me a wave. Seems some of her livestock has been stolen, she wants us to get it back and transport it to Angel where she will meet us." A couple barely stifled moans could be heard around the table.

"Livestock sir? I happen to recall a job involving cows. Didn't go according to plan Captain," Zoe put her two cents in.

"Simon got kidnapped by backwoods locals." Kaylee piped up.

"Book got shot!" Jayne added.

"River was almost burned at the stake as a witch," Simon quietly replied.

"Not to mention how long it took to get the cargo bay smelling, well, not like cow." Wash said.

Kidnapping? Witches? I would have to ask Wash to tell me this tale. "Kae Baradyn of Borderland Ranch? She doesn't raise cattle, she breeds some of, if not the best horses in the 'Verse!" I put in enthusiastically. And everyone was looking at me again. I blushed and looked down at my now empty plate.

"Thank you Liara. I was saying, we will get major coin for this job and if you remember we need funds bad. Kae's horses are worth a lot to her and to the folks on the Core who buy them. She had buyers lined up when she discovered they were missing from her ranch on Angel while she was off world. She thinks it was an inside job. There were only about half a dozen horses stolen." He pulled out a flat square disc like device from his pocket. He placed it on the table and a hologram appeared of a horse. And what a horse it was. A beauty of silk and ebony, with long, shapely legs, a dainty head and gorgeous lines, a racer, a hunter by the looks of her. Then the other horses appeared each one more beautiful, it seemed, than the last.

"How do we find six horses? They could be anywhere, on any moon or world spinnin." Jayne grunted.

" Kae has a way to track them that is a carefully guarded secret. I can't tell you and I won't. She said if I told a single soul, next time she saw me she would remove a body part that I'm rather fond of." He cleared his throat again. "She tracked them to Shadow, she is positive that the thieves don't know they are being traced and we have a chance to get the jump on them there."

Sadness seemed to touch Mal's eyes as he spoke of Shadow, but it was fleeting. He straightened and looked around at us all. "As usual, it most likely will be plenty dangerous but worth it."

"I'm in." Jayne was quick to say. The others soon agreed with the exception of Inara.

"Hawks fly, horses run. The trap springs and you're caught in the dark. Who will light your candle?" River suddenly says above the others, she turns to me. Why does she keep doing that?

Mal looked at River, as if trying to decipher her words, but then shook his head, as if he was used to her behavior, maybe he is. Then he looked at me again, his eyes so blue and intense even from across the length of the table.

"So Liara, are you in?"