The job went south, as they usually do. Mal had just been thinking they were having too much luck lately.

Zoe had been shot. A shoulder wound. Mal and Jayne rushed her back to the ship. She was losing a lot of blood. Jayne put her down on the chair in the infirmary. She grabbed Simon and asked him, "Is the baby ok?"

Mal jumped back like he had been shot. "What baby!"

Simon quickly shoved them out of the infirmary and began to work on Zoe. Mal couldn't think of anything else. He was vaguely aware of people talking to him, but not really. Wash went past Mal to stand by Zoe when the doc was done. Mal grabbed him, "Baby?"

Wash laughed uncomfortably, "We weren't gonna tell you yet. Wait till the right time. You know."

"I think you missed that train."

Mal then realized Kaylee was hugging Jia as hard as she could and screeching. River was siting in the corner smiling. Jayne was sitting on the stairs with his usual uninterested stare. Book was saying a prayer with a smile on his face. Mal was not happy.

"When did you plan on telling me?"

"Not sure. Three months?"

Mal turned and walked away, or rather, stormed away.

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"It is not up for negotiation."

It had been only two days since the shooting. Zoe was up with her arm in a sling. Mal had just told her something she never thought he would say. He had told her that until the baby was born, she couldn't go on jobs with him. She had to stay on the ship.

"I can not believe this."

Wash was behind his wife as she followed Mal through the ship.

"Sweetie, maybe it isn't a bad idea."

She gave him a glare and turned her attention back to Mal. Why sir?"

"Until now, you was just risking your own life. I'll not have you riskin' two."

"That should be my decision."

"And I know that you would decide to continue working. And I can't have that. Can't be worrying about you and the job."

They now entered the kitchen, where everyone else was. "Who are you going to take with you?"

"Me and Jayne can take over till you have the baby."

"You two will be dead in a month."

She looked around and had an idea. "If I can't go, you have to take Jia instead."

Mal turned around, "What?"

Jia looked up from her cooking. "What?"

"She has the skills necessary and she lets you know how she feels. She won't let you two get into more trouble then you aught."

"She's the cook."

"Yeah, I'm the cook."

"She can help you."

"What about River?"

"She ain't exactly intimidating sir."

"And Jia is?"

She looked at the small woman, "We can make her look intimidating. She knows what she's doing. Knows how to use her skills to the best advantage. Her or me."

"Anyone gonna ask me?"

They both turned to Jia, "NO."

"Zoe, she's a cook, not a soldier. She can't do it. She can not do it."

Jia was not happy, "Hey! I'm getting insulted over here."

"Her or I follow you to jobs Sir."

Mal started various words before setting on, "If you can get her to agree, which you never will."

"I'll do it."

He turned to Jia, surprised, "Why?"

"I can do it."

Mal slapped his hand to his forehead. "You two..."

He walked out, but not before yelling, "Fine." before he left.

Zoe looked at Jia and smiled at the same time Jia was asking herself what she had just gotten herself into.

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"This will not work Zoe."

"It will so Jia, just trust me."

Jia was standing in her quarters while Zoe helped her dress to intimidate. She was wearing her own dark green pants and Zoe's tight black shirt with leather corset. Her hair had been cut shorter and slicked back. Zoe had applied a dark red lipstick and black eyeliner. Now she was strapping her guns to Jia's waist and tying the straps around Jia's thighs to keep the guns in check.

Simon walked in. He had his sunglasses with him and handed them to Zoe.

"The final touch. You don't have that menacing look down."

Zoe strapped an extra pair of guns around Jia's chest.

Simon wasn't convinced, "Can you even fire those?"

"Yes, but I can't hit anything more that ten feet away unless it's a barn."

"That sounds good."

"That is why I have this." Jia leaned over and from beneath her bed brought a long slender box. She opened it and brought out a sword. She strapped it to her back.

Now Simon was concerned, "I don't think there will be sword fighting."

"There will be if I'm involved. How do I look?"

Zoe handed her the glasses, "Very nice."

Simon led the way to the cargo bay where Jayne and Mal waited.

Neither of them were ready for just how intimidating the small woman looked. Mal thought about it, Zoe and Jayne had intimidation out of brute strength, Jia had it out of being scary. Something about her looked extremely dangerous.

"Nice. I still don't think this is a good idea."

"I know sir."

Mal turned to leave without another word. Zoe gave Jia some last minute advice. "Don't smile and don't raise your eyebrows, and don't talk."

"That all?"

"Try not to walk too much."

"I'll try."

Mal called from the door, "I'm waiting."

Jia followed him on what she still thought was a bad idea, despite Zoe's objections to the contrary.

Wash came up behind his wife, "You think she can pull it off?"

"Maybe, but Mal needs someone else who can think. Jayne ain't gonna do it."

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Mal, Jayne and the newly attired Jia stood in front of three men who looked remarkably similar regardless of the fact they were not related. Mal could see that Jia's ruse was working, because the three kept sending worried glances her way. He couldn't believe it, his little cook had pulled it off.

"Got something for us?"

Only one of them ever spoke. "Maybe. Jones is singing your praises across the 'verse."

Mal thought for a moment, "The cat guy?"

He laughed, "That is a good name for him, always go that fur ball with him. He says you treated his cargo better than anyone he ever heard of. What you hall for him?"

"Customer confidentiality."

"Good policy, anyway, you ain't gonna have much problem gettin' work soon, so we wanted to get in on the ground floor."

"What's the cargo?"

"Legal, engine parts. That might not be the case all the time if'n you get my drift."

"We do this on a job to job basis if you don't mind."

"Well. That ain't..." he glanced at Jia, "That should be good."

"Shiny, where to where?"

"Little town near here to Absinthe."

That gave Mal pause. Absinthe was a core planet.

"It's all legal so you shouldn't have no trouble with the feds."

"I'm supposed to take your word for that?"

He looked taken back, "Ask anyone, I'm a stand up citizen."

"Sure you are."

After that Mal agreed and they argued a price. He knew Jia was fighting to keep her mouth shut while they negotiated, and he was thankful she managed it. They agreed on half now and half on delivery. Both groups left with a good feeling about the deal.

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When they arrived back on Serenity, Mal was in good spirits. He was happy to have cargo and someone to take over while Zoe was pregnant. The crew spread out to do their jobs. Jia caught up with Mal.

"Captain?"

"Yeah, Jia?"

"Why did you make Zoe take the time off?"

"Because I knew she wanted to, but would never ask. See, that's why she told me about the baby like she did. Why did you agree to take her place?"

"Because I knew she wouldn't take the time off without me taking her place."

"She's a good manipulator ain't she?"

"The best."

"You'll do fine Jia, and besides, you wanted more to do."

"Wasn't exactly what I had in mind sir."

He turned and walked away laughing, "It never is."