Hoping to avoid John until she'd had a chance to find Cameron, Sarah crept along the passageway to the junction where Cameron and Kaylee were busy building a battle bridge and security center. Sparks flew from somebody welding, causing Sarah to step carefully over the wild array of hoses, cables, and pieces of steel lying on the deck.

"Kaylee? Are you up there?"

A final shower of sparks cascaded down from the steel box suspended from the overhead of the passageway. Cameron's face peeked down.

"Kaylee is in the engine room trying to prioritize the parts that must be updated and replaced to allow for control from the battle bridge. Not to mention the fact the updates are necessary and overdue for the safe operation of Serenity in her current form."

"You make it sound like the ship is falling apart," Sarah said jokingly.

"Kaylee would say that it is. So would I."

"Don't let the Captain hear you say that," Sarah warned.

"Refusing to acknowledge the need for basic routine maintenance is not a proper long term plan for a ship owner."

"I understand," Sarah informed Cameron. "It's just…"

"No. Kaylee understands because she is mechanically attuned to machines. River has a connection to Serenity. But nobody understands Serenity's need to be cared for like I do.

Sensing a trace of anger Cameron usually reserved for the possibility someone might consider harming John, Sarah watched her daughter-in-law's serious expression. It wasn't the normal blank, emotionless face Cameron normally displayed.

"Is this because you're part human, part machine?"

"Yes!"

"Is your shoulder bothering you?"

"No!"

"Is the fact you had to have parts replaced after being heavily damaged been taking up processing time?"

Cameron didn't respond.

"Cameron, answer me."

"It was upsetting for John. To see me injured like that."

"I know it was. Was it upsetting for you?"

"I can self-repair. I would have regenerated my flesh in time."

"That's not what I asked, Cameron. Did the damage upset you?"

Cameron's face vanished and sparks began to fall from the steel box being constructed high above the passageway immediately outside the common area and the cargo bay. Sarah looked down the two passageways that formed the junction just below where Cameron worked.

"We'll talk about it later," Sarah said with an ominous tone, letting Cameron know the topic was not closed.

"I need to show you something," Sarah shouted. The sparks stopped and Cameron's face reappeared.

"You cannot tell John. I will do that."

Sarah having a secret that must be kept from her John prompted Cameron to climb down quickly from her workspace.

"Why can't I tell John? Are you ill? Has the cancer returned?"

Ignoring Cameron, Sarah held out her left hand. Excitement filled Sarah as Cameron took Sarah's hand gently and brought it close to her left eye to better examine the ring Sarah now wore.

"It is old," Cameron commented. "The stone has value but I would suspect the true value of the ring lies in family ownership over an extended period of time, perhaps over a century."

"Is that all you have to say," Sarah snarled, yanking her hand away from Cameron.

Puzzled, Cameron tilted her head. "Oh," the cyborg said softly after processing for a few seconds. "I am sorry. You are right. John must not know until you tell him. Well, until Jayne tells him."

"Jayne?"

"John and Jayne have an understanding in regards to you, Sarah. Jayne must seek and obtain John's blessing each time he wishes to escalate the relationship between the two of you."

"You have got to be kidding me," Sarah exclaimed.

"You withheld your blessing from John and me. As a result, it delayed the further development of our relationship. Why shouldn't it be any different for you and Jayne?"

"Because I'm John's mother," Sarah pointed out.

"And John is the male who is closest to you and therefore responsible for you until said responsibility is passed to another male, in this case, Jayne." Cameron stared at Sarah with a firmness of conviction in her eyes. "It is the way things are done now."

Turning to climb up to the battle bridge, Cameron stopped, and turned back to Sarah. She slipped her arms around her husband's mother and hugged Sarah tightly, squeezing the breath out of the older woman.

"I am very happy for you, Sarah. John will approve. I will see to it he does." Further surprising Sarah, Cameron kissed the family matriarch on the cheek and then hurried up the ladder, leaving Sarah watching from below.

Cameron resumed welding the steel brace she'd been working on, thankful Sarah couldn't see how she rubbed her right shoulder. The shoulder worked fine and the tissue was almost completely healed. The truth was the shoulder worked better than before the injury. Kaylee had not only repaired it but had truly made design improvements. Simon's repairs to her vascular system had sped the regeneration process and Cameron had medical data to prove it.

What Cameron couldn't understand was the constant desire to feel the formerly damaged area. To examine it to make certain it was functioning with in design parameters. It wasn't natural for her to process this way. Cameron decided she needed to have time with River to discuss the matter.

It could wait. River would want to torment Jayne once the news of the engagement was announced. Cameron smiled at the thought. She'd want to torment Jayne too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"John, you busy?"

John turned in his chair and looked up to see Jayne towering over him.

"Just doing a few things for the Captain. Checking on a possible buyer for the cargo."

"Yeah, good. Uh, I need to talk to you."

"Is this about my mother?"

"Yeah, it is."

John smiled. Upon careful examination, Jayne was a wreck. His forehead glistened, his face pale, and his hands, which held the cap Ma Cobb had made Jayne, shook noticeably. The man was terrified of what John might say. Despite the temptation to have fun at Jayne's expense, John decided against it. The rest of the crew would see to it the man suffered. John was certain the chief tormentors would be Cameron and River. He had made his mind up some time ago and was at peace with his mother's relationship with Jayne.

"You want to ask for my blessing?"

"Yeah."

John turned back to his work. "If mom says yes, then you have my blessing."

"That's it?"

Turning back to face the bigger man, John focused his emotions, making his face appear stern and devoid of feeling. "Mom has been alone too long. You make her feel safe, and I have to admit, you've honored your pledge in regards to Mom. It would be wrong to withhold my blessing."

"But?"

"You cheat on her once, I'll turn Cameron loose on you. You ever hit my Mom," John paused for effect. "Cameron, possibly River too."

Jayne swallowed at the mention of the two killers.

"I would expect that."

"Plus, no swearing in English or drinking too much."

"Can I at least fight once in awhile?"

"That's up to Mom," John answered, grinning at the man who'd managed to tame Sarah Connor enough to consider marriage.

"Oh, one more thing." John said, turning back to his monitor. "Mom's your problem now."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Enjoying the warmth she detected from John's skin, Cameron shifted so John would pull her closer.

"Did Jayne talk to you after the evening meal shift?"

"Why?" John asked, grinning as he stared up at the overhead of their shuttle.

"Just asking," Cameron responded in her monotone.

"You have a secret you want to tell," he teased.

"I have no desire to share a secret. That would break safety protocol," Cameron answered.

"Oh, well in that case, I have no secret to share with you," John said before yawning.

"It is not good protocol to not share vital intel with your wife," Cameron told John, nudging him in the ribs. "How can I protect you if I lack vital information."

"I thought sharing secrets would break safety protocol."

Cameron rested her cheek on John's chest and ran her hand across his abdomen. "Please tell me," she finally said, using a submissive tone.

"No."

"I can speculate what the intel is," Cameron threatened.

"Oh, all right. As if you don't already know. Mom and Jayne are going to get hitched."

Cameron's reaction surprised John. She was silent and moved her arm from John's abdomen across his torso, pulling herself even closer to John.

"What's wrong," John asked. "I thought you'd be happy for Mom."

"I am," Cameron answered. "It's just, more change. Our family is changing again. Getting bigger."

Puzzled by his wife's reaction, John began stroking her head with his left hand. "It's okay."

"If you're okay with it, then I'm okay with it," Cameron whispered.

She lifted her head and smiled sweetly at her husband to reassure him she was fine. "You need to rest. Tomorrow you are going to help me with construction, Captain's orders."