Gabriel Tam slowly walked to the infirmary of Adelai Niska's Skyplex. The Tam patriarch thought over all the events that had occurred since Atherton's Wing's ill-fated attempts to kill his family, as well as what remained of the crew that had taken the two young youngest Tams in. It was hard to believe it had only been three days since the events of that debacle, most of which had been caught by hidden camera, and broadcast to the 'Verse.

After the final shootout with Atherton's remaining assassins that day, the Tams, Inara, Kaylee, Mal, and, eventually, Zoe had all made a somber trek back to the infirmary, while some of them carried the corpse of Vulture, the mercenary who had given his life to protect the crew of Serenity, as well as the elder Tams, with them. When the group, minus Zoe, had finally arrived at the infirmary, most of the survivors of the shootout were surprised to find, not only a badly injured and unconscious Jayne Cobb, and his (finally awake) brother, Mattie, but a black man whose face the elder Tams had seen once before on their television sets, and that the crew of Serenity was all too familiar with.

"Hwen dan!" Without thinking, Malcolm Reynolds quickly drew his gun from his holster and attempted to fire on the man-with-no-name's head...only to stopped by River Tam, who moved even faster. Using a strength that the captain hadn't suspected River to posses, River stopped Mal's index finger from pulling back on the trigger. The reader then shook her head, and pulled her own right index finger away from the captain's trigger finger while speaking. "Man-with-no-name is no longer enemy of those who are seeking Serenity. Foe-turned-friend saved the life of man called Jayne. That man's mate owes him, and the Albatross will not let man called bad harm the former purple belly, even if he has been her Captain daddy for many moons, before birth mommy and daddy came back.."

Most of the people in the room had looked at River likes she was a crazy person at that moment, which to be fair, the psychic kind of was. But Malcolm Reynolds noted that Simon and the ex-Operative of Parliament were smirking in amusement, instead of appearing bemused, so the captain turned to Simon. "Doc, you speak River. What the gorram hell is she on about?"

Simon shrugged. "This one's pretty simple really, The..." realizing that the amused looking dark-skin man in front of him was definitely not an Operative of Parliament anymore, Simon faltered a little. "Um...this guy..." Serenity's resident doctor gestured to the man-with-no-name and continued speaking "Saved Jayne's life, and since River considers Jayne her boyfriend now, for reasons I can't even begin to fathom..."

Simon turned to River with an incredulous expression on his face. "Really? Jayne?"

River shrugged and rolled her eyes. "The heart wants what it wants. Besides, man people-of-Canton-call-hero is not as bad as he, or you, believe him to be."

Simon opened his mouth for a retort, but Mal raised up his hand to stop that particular argument before it could start. "No, I understood all of that, although I take issue with you calling me 'daddy', little girl, because I ain't..."

River shook her head. "Man-called-bad is her Captain daddy. He and Serenity took her and her Ghuh Ghuh in. Man-called-bad became second father to the Albatross, Serenity became second mother."

Reagan Tam shook her head in confusion. "River.."

But Simon shook his head to silence her, even as Mal sighed, then said to River."Right. Should have known better than to try to argue with you when you're more moon-brained than usual. And like I said, I understood everything you said about you and Jayne...Really, Jayne?"

When River gave Mal a glare that was equal parts annoyed and creepy, the captain of Serenity changed the subject. "Fine. All three of us will be taking about that later, after the Bei Bi Shiou Ren don't die. What I want to know is, what is this man-called-bad business about?"

Inara scowled at the man-with-no-name as she spoke to the captain of Serenity. "Really, Mal?! The Hwen dan who attacked us, whose actions got Shepard and Wash, and a lot of our friends, killed, and very nearly took out the rest of us, is here, and that's what you went to talk about?'

The black man just shrugged as Malcolm looked indignant. "I tried to draw my gun on him as soon as we walked in the door!"

Mal turned to Kaylee. "Didn't I try to shoot this Ta Ma Duh?!"

Kaylee nodded with a serious expression on her face. "That you did, Cap'n. You looked very impressive and imposing for a bit there. Till River stopped you from shooting him on account that he saved Jayne and all."

The mechanic glared briefly at the man-with-no-name before she turned to Inara and said "I don't like what this man did, either. I know he killed a lot of our friends. But I think River's right. It ain't right for us to kill him now that he's trying to help us instead of kill us. That just seems like cold blooded murder to me, and that's not who we are. Right, Cap'n?"

Mal sighed, even as he glared at the former Operative. "I guess it ain't. And as much as I'd like to make an exception for you, whoever you are, my crew is in a lot of hurt, and we ain't up for a fight now, anyhow."

Simon cleared his throat and tried to alleviate some of the tension in the room as he spoke. "Um...Mal means "bad", in Latin, just in case you were still wondering."

Everyone in the room ignored Simon in favor of glaring at the former Operative as the captain spoke. "I believe River when she says you helped Jayne. And it didn't escape my notice that some of the bodies of Atherton's goons that my crew ran across on our way here were killed by a sword. I also know that you sent that second broadcast from Mr. Universe's. For those reasons, I ain't gonna kill you now. But know this. I don't know why you turned against the Alliance and I don't care. You still killed a lot of decent folk, so don't expect a thank you. In fact, I want you out of my sight right this moment. When Zoe gets here, if you're still in this room, she's going to put a bullet in you for what your men and the Reavers did to her husband, and I won't stop her. SO GET OUT! NOW!"

The former Operative bowed his head slightly and started to exit the room, before River whispered a single word in the dark-skinned man's ear. A word that, in this context, was not the name of a planet, but an alias of a woman the man-with-no-name had long forgotten, The ex-operative smiled, just a little bit, before he finished walking out the door, while saying. "I still owe all of you for what I've done to your crew, so it is likely we will see each other again. But for now, I will honor your wishes, Captain Reynolds, and go my own way. To find something...someone, that I've lost. Then, probably, hide away in one of the many cracks in the Alliance's bureaucracy, which I used to hate, which have, ironically, become my only refuges in recent times."

After the man-with-no-name left, Simon turned to his sister. "River...what did you tell...him?"

River pointed to her head. "Reading is coming back now, along with some, but not all, crazy. Saw deep in man-with-no-name's mind, somewhere even he doesn't remember how to go...a person that could remind him who he was before he was an Operative. Told former purple belly where to go to make him...not whole, but better. Albatross doesn't like him for killing friends either, but like she said, she owed him for saving her mate. Now, man-with-no-name owes me."

Before anyone, including Mattie, who was about to open his mouth to ask what was going on, or how Jayne had gotten injured, River pointed to Jayne without looking at him. "Man-called-Jayne is injured. Man-with-no-name took lead out of his belly with medic kit, but large man still needs an infusion of red blood cells. He..." River pointed to the younger Cobb brother. "Is the only one with a matching blood type."

Mattie nodded, deciding to push his questions aside for the moment. "If my big brother needs me, you gorram bet I'll help him."

Gabriel sighed, even as Mattie stretched out his left arm towards the doctor's Tam, waiting for his blood to be taken. The older doctor nodded. "Fine, but just so you have informed consent, Matthew Cobb, you just recovered from a taxing medical procedure. Although you no longer have damp lung, you're body will be fatigued for several hours after that procedure. If you give blood now, you could experience side effects, such as severe, long lasting fatigue, a temporary, or long-lasting, comatose state, or, perhaps, death. Do you still wish to give blood at this time?"

River stared off into the distance, refusing to meet her father's, Jayne's, or Mattie's eyes, even as Mattie nodded. "Absolutely. There is no gorram way I'm going to let my big brother die."

Jayne shook his head. "No way. You're my Di! It's my job to take care of you, and I ain't letting you risk dying for me! No gorram way. Besides..." Jayne looked away from his brother. "I've done things...killed people. I don't deserve to be saved if it means you might die. You're a better person than I am."

Mattie shook his head. "I don't see it that way...and neither does she." Mattie nodded towards River, who didn't speak, or look towards either Cobb brother, but nodded once in reply. Mattie turned back to Jayne. "I've talked to the crew of Serenity. And from the stories I've heard, you've saved every one of them, at least once. And you've saved my life more times than I can count. Ma never told you this, but the money you were sending back home helped a lot. There were times that our parents didn't have enough money to pay for the medicine I would have died without, and Pa would even consider stealing to buy more. The platinum you sent back home would suddenly arrive in the post, giving our family just enough money to buy my medicine and still make ends meet. Ma would brag to all our neighbors about how much you were helping us, like you were an angel sent by God himself, personally delivering manna from heaven."

Jayne got real quiet for a moment while everyone in the room really looked at the mercenary, but the moment soon passed, and the elder Cobb brother scoffed. "Please. I ain't no angel. Even Ma knows that. Besides, that don't mean nothing. I sent money back home, because you and the rest of our family needed it. And you take care of family. Everybody in the 'Verse knows that!"

River just smiled as Mal shook his head. "Not everyone lives by that standard, believe me."

Jayne was very uncomfortable by this point, as many people in the room where still staring at him. "Um...well that's just..."

Mattie sighed and interrupted his brother. "Look, it doesn't matter why you did it. The fact is, you've saved my life, kept our family afloat, and probably kept Pa from getting arrested, several times over. It's time for me to repay the favor, please let me do this, Jayne!"

Jayne, who felt a sudden wave of fatigue hit him, nodded, and just barely managed to say. "Okay, Mattie. Okay." Before falling unconscious That was all the prompting that Gabriel Tam had needed to rush between Jayne and Mattie and start the blood transfusion process.

Simon had also rushed forward to help, but River had put a hand on the younger doctor's shoulder to stop him, shook her head, then pointed to the front door of the infirmary. Moments later, Zoe walked in through said doorway, holding her injured finger and hissing in pain. The psychic turned to her brother. "Birth daddy will save the Albatross' mate, and do the best he can to insure the smaller one doesn't die. You need to save the Leaf's widow, and her finger, if possible."

Zoe grunted in pain. "Your sister's right, doc. I may have waited too long already to have this finger looked at, because it hurts like guai! I need to you to operate on this gorram thing now, before it falls off, or gets infected! If you have to amputate to keep me from getting blood poisoning, do it!"

Simon sighed as he led Zoe to an operating table. "Yes. You've said that, already. But I don't think that will be necessary.. This is a fully equipped med-bay, with a lot of high-grade antibiotics from the Core that can treat even the most resistant bacteria. As long as we operate right now, you're going to be fine..."

The events of the next hour or so of operating had passed by quickly for the doctors Tam, who quickly rushed to save their patients' life and limb. But it had passed all too slowly for the rest of Serenity's crew and Reagan Tam. Kaylee had paced back and forth, between Jayne and Mattie, on one side of the room, and Zoe, on the other side of the infirmary, constantly asking "Are they all going to be okay?" Eventually, both doctors had asked Kaylee to "Leave this room!" Although Simon had expressed the same sentiment in a more polite fashion than his father. "Kaylee, can you please go to another room, just for a little bit, so that my father and I can focus on treating our patients?! I'll let you know what is going on as soon as I can." Only Simon's calmer 'request' convinced Kaylee to leave for another room in the facility, while Inara lead the mechanic out of the room while saying "Let's see if any room in this medical clinic has some decent supplies for making tea, shall we?"

Reagan Tam was probably the calmest person in the room, as she had seen both Simon and Gabriel operate before, and she had no close relationship to anyone who was currently being treated by her son or her husband. However, Reagan was slightly concerned about how River, who had already admitted to, at the very least, having strong feelings for Jayne Cobb, would react if the mercenary died. Malcolm Reynolds also looked calm...but on the inside, he more than a little bit worried. Although the captain was a little concerned for Jayne (not that he would ever admit it), his primary fear was for Zoe Wasburne. Although Mal knew his first mate would probably be fine, visions of men dying in medical tents continued to plague his thoughts, and the captain of Serenity couldn't help but fear that Zoe might end up the same way because she had received medical treatment too late for Simon to stop her blood from getting poisoned. The captain honestly didn't know what he would do without Zoe. For although Inara had his heart, and always would, it had always been Zoe, his sister-in-arms, and long-time best friend, who had known how to keep Malcolm's head straight in a crisis...

However, the captain voiced none of his worried thoughts, and tried not to look at either Jayne, nor Zoe, too much, as he carried out an idle conversation with Reagan Tam, who Mal was only half paying attention to. River's concern, on the other hand, was much easier to read, as the psychic continuously stared at Jayne and Mattie's beds, which had been brought close together for the blood transfusion. The brunette psychic spoke in a flat tone of voice. And even though the strange young woman's eyes never drifted away from the Cobb brothers, it was obvious she was addressing the captain. "Captain daddy's first will be fine. Man-called-Jayne will live too. Albatross' other daddy knows how to save his daughter's mate. Old healer's hands are practiced and steady. Small one's future is uncertain. Too many variables to determine strain on body, blood replenishment rates unknown Like a physicist's feline. Impossible to tell living from dead until box is opened. Man called Jayne will not do well with dead Mattie. Can't face maternal unit or siblings with another dead Cobb. Procedures are almost finished. Albatross must retrieve units of partially frozen oxidane."

Mal shook his head as River left the room. "What?!"

Reagan sighed and shook her head. " The only parts I understood was that Zoe and Jayne will be okay, but my daughter is worried about Mattie. Oh, and I think River's thirsty, because she said she was going to go get some ice water."

"How can that craz...I mean, River, possibly worry about being thirsty at a gorram time like this?"

The psychic's mom, as well as the captain, soon got their answer when River reentered the room with a large glass of ice water, which she then handed to Gabriel Tam just as he opened his mouth to say "Matthew Cobb is badly dehydrated from this transfusion, can anyone get me some ice... "

River quickly handed her father the ice water, causing the elder doctor in the room to raise his eyebrows. "Alright then."

River watched Mattie quickly gulp down the ice water that Gabriel Tam handed him, causing River to raise her right eyebrows. "She sees that the small Cobb is not catatonic. Is he going to be all right?"

Mattie chuckled. "First of all, I'm only small compared to my Sasquatch of a brother. Second of all, why are you talking like that?"

River frowned. "She...I find it harder to say things right when I am anxious. It would help her...I mean, me, to know that you and man-called-Jayne, are going to be all right."

Mattie sighed. "I feel alright. I hope Jayne will be too."

Gabriel Tam allowed himself a half-smile, but his tone was stern when he said. "Okay, that's enough chatting from you, Mr. Cobb. Your brother is going to be fine, although I may have to place him in a temporary, medically induced coma so he doesn't open up his military grade stitches again. But you won't be if you don't get some rest immediately! You've just been through two strenuous medical procedures in a row, and I must insist you go to sleep right now! Doctor's orders!"

Matthew nodded, then said, in a sarcastic tone. "Yes, sir, Doctor Tam, sir!" However, the mercenary's younger brother still did what Gabriel Tam had asked him to do, and went to sleep. But only after both Gabriel and River Tam had glared the younger Cobb brother into submission.

After both Cobb brothers were asleep, and Simon and Gabriel Tam had insured that all of their patients were stable, the doctors Tam turned their attention to their wounded family member. Gabriel sighed as he walked over to his daughter, who was now staring only at Jayne, now that she knew Mattie was going to be okay. " That's my River. Always getting into trouble, ever since you were small. Let me check on that head wound of yours...'

River shook her head. "It's only a flesh wound. Not relevant. She must insure that her mate will survive, before she can worry about herself."

Simon sighed as he too, walked up to a spot next to River, opposite his father's position in the room. Mei-Mei, our father is taking good care of both Jayne and Mattie. They are both going to be okay. And you know that head wounds can be serious, even when they look like they're not, because I know that. You aren't helping Jayne by denying yourself medical care. Besides, if you and Jayne are...an item, now, he might prefer it if your face doesn't develop a nasty scar..."

River glared at Simon for his lack of tact, then sighed and turned towards her father. "She will allow her Doctor daddy to heal her wound, and insure the Albatross' brain pan doesn't become more damaged than it already is."

Simon nodded. "Good, I can help..."

River rolled her eyes. "Not his field. Albatross wants Doctor daddy to tend her wounds."

Simon opened his mouth to object, but Gabriel Tam nodded in response to River's words and said "You're sister's right, son. I have much more experience in performing cosmetic surgery than you do. I can help River on my own, now that both Mr. Cobbs are in stable condition."

Simon sighed. "So I'm supposed to stand around and do nothing! I became a doctor because I want to help people, just like you!'

Gabriel Tam smiled. "I understand. I really do. I remember having all that youthful energy, that need to help as many as people as I possibly could every day, from when I was young. And even though I still enjoy being a healer, I miss having that level of passion for being a doctor. But a great doctor needs to have the wisdom to know where he is needed, and where he is not. River doesn't need you right at this moment. But Kaylee, your girlfriend, does. You should go talk to her now."

Simon smiled and nodded, and began walking out of the central med-bay area, but not before taking one last look at River, who was now having her wound being treated with a disinfectant. "Are you sure you're going to alright, River?"

River had rolled her eyes at her brother's concern. "Go talk to your girlfriend, boob."

After that, Simon had left the room. Gabriel Tam did not seen his son for a while after that, until three large gunships, crewed by a small number of Niska's men, and a large group of mercenaries, had landed at the villa. A large red-skinned man, which Gabriel had read once might have been called a "Native American" back on Earth-that-was, had gotten out of one of the ships, asking for Malcolm Reynolds. The large man had a rather heated discussion with the captain of Serenity, who had, on one occasion, cried out, "Like hell we will!" concerning something the large man had said, but no one else in the infirmary had been able to overhear, the captain had huffed and shouted "Fine, but I don't gorram like it!" The large man then spoke to everyone at the infirmary. "Mr. Niska had determined that this location is no longer safe. Therefore, he has procured my mercenary company's service to escort you all to his own base of operations. He has also remotely unlocked your ship from it's docking clamps. Captain Malcolm Reynolds has agreed to follow our ships to that location using the course Mr. Niska has already made for that purpose. So get your ship gassed up, and grab any supplies you need. We all leave in 30 minutes!"

The evacuation from the villa had been a rushed affair, but eventually, everyone except Jayne (who was still unconscious, and needed to be carried out on a stretcher) was able to walk back to Serenity, which had been refueled just before the captain piloted the ship out. Normally, Mal would have ordered River to pilot the ship, but before the captain of Serenity could even open his mouth to ask her to do so, River had looked at Jayne and said. "The Albatross would like to hold the man-called-Jayne steady while the flock flies to safety. It would mean a lot to her Captain da...I mean, Captain."

Mal had sighed then, but relented. "Fine. You can look after Jayne. I know how to fly this ship pretty decently anyhow. But I will be talking to both you and Jayne, when he wakes up, about fraternizing on my ship!"

River looked pointedly at the captain, then at Inara, who was sitting at a nearby table on the ship. The captain frowned. "That's...completely different. I'm the captain of this ship!"

The psychic had to resist the urge to roll her eyes as she then looked at Kaylee, who was leaning her head against Simon's chest and almost sitting on the young doctor's lap. River also shot a quicker, sadder glance in Zoe's direction, as the dark-skinned woman with the bandaged finger was now looking at one of her late husband's small plastic dinosaurs that she was mindlessly playing with using her injured hand while staring vacantly into space. Mal had shrugged and sighed then, even as he whispered softly. "Yeah, and look how that turned out."

River shrugged, and whispered softly. "Fun is fun, and done is done. The Soldier and the Leaf made each other happy, for a time. She thinks that is what matters."

Mal could only nod at that, then walked towards the cockpit to prep Serenity for takeoff, with Inara following close behind him for reasons nobody felt the need to speculate on. Meanwhile, Gabriel Tam, who had been sitting closest to River and Jayne's position on the ship, just before River and Simon wheeled the large man to the infirmary, and who had only pretended not to overhear the conversation between his daughter and her captain, had said nothing as he held his slumbering wife close to him. But if the the knowing smile his daughter had on her face when she left the room while looking right at her father was any indication, River was well aware that Gabriel had overheard her conversation with Mal about her relationship with Jayne.

Soon afterwards, Kaylee had left the common area as well, stating that "I'm gonna check in on Simon, River and Jayne." This left only Gabriel, a sleeping Reagan Tam, and Zoe Washburne, alone in the room together. Since neither Gabriel, nor Zoe, had much to say to the other, the rest of the ride to Niska's Skyplex had been a silent one.

Once the cast of the now-defunct show, "Walking Alongside the Tams", arrived at the Skyplex, and the Cobb brothers were safely situated in the space-station's infirmary, the mercenary boss had gathered his mercs and the cast together to address them all. "Here's how it is. According to Mr. Niska, and corroborated by many sources, the Alliance government recently went through a massive regime change, the exact details of which do not concern us at this moment. What is important to our situation, is that, effective less than a day ago, the purple bellies rescinded all bounties and warrants on the crew of Serenity and the Tam family. Else wise, me and my boys would have turned you over to the Feds ourselves, dohn-ma?"

Mal crossed his arms and glared at the mercenary captain as he nodded. "Dohn. I would expect nothing less from disreputable folks such as yourselves. Which is the only reason that I believe you when you say that me and mine aren't wanted by the Alliance no more. My crew and I will have to get to the bottom of why that is later. Now, my peoples' bounties are gone, and you did your job getting us off that gorram moon. Does this mean me, my crew, and these fine folk here..." Malcolm pointed at the elder Tams. "are free to leave as soon as the Cobbs are healed up?"

The mercenary captain chuckled. "Afraid not. Just because the Alliance ain't breathing down your necks no more, don't mean the 'Verse is safe for you lot now. In point of fact, the 'Verse is in less than shiny shape after all the go se you've all been pulling recently. A lot of folks hold your people responsible for that, and want you all dead. And even with your warrants and bounties gone, the Alliance want to bring you lot in for questioning concerning the events that occurred on and around Miranda. Mr. Niska would like to meet with all of you before then, to help you get your story straight for the Feds. In the meantime, my men and I will make sure that you all continue to enjoy all of the luxuries of Mr. Niska's hospitality here at his Skyplex, until your host returns from his business trip. Do whatever you like. Watch the Cortex feed till your brain pans turn to mush, drink whiskey till your livers bleed, eat till someone has to roll you to your room, or run on the exercise track until your gorram feet fall off, if that's more to your liking. Just don't be buhn dahns and try to leave the Skyplex."

Zoe quietly grunted in pain after popping the knuckles on her injured hand. "So you're saying that we just exchanged one fancy prison for another. Well, isn't that just shiny?"

The Native American merc ignored Zoe in favor of holding his hands out, while many others in his company of miscreants did the same. "Oh, and we'll be taking all of your weapons now. You won't be needing them here. Me and my men will protect you all."

The captain of Serenity shook his head. "We've heard that before." Mal quickly took stock of all the mercenaries surrounding his crew and the elder Tams, decided that the odds of a firefight would not be in his people's favor, then nodded. "Do as the man says."

Everyone of the crew members of Serenity, including Kaylee, handed weapons they had scrounged up in the Villa to the mercenaries. Kaylee handed in a large wrench, Inara gave up the .45 she had picked up off of one of Niska's dead mercs, Simon gave up his dueling blade, Mal and Zoe both handed in two pistols each, although Zoe also gave up the assault rifle she had taken from the corpse of one of Atherton's goons. River, one the other hand, produced two pistols, one of Jayne's hunting knives, several grenades, and an assault rifle, all with a creepy smile on her face.

The mercenary captain shook his head in bewilderment. Gorram, girl! Where have you been hiding all of that go se?!"

River's creepy smile remained on her face as she stared at the mercenary captain without blinking. "That is for her to know, and him to never find out. The red man should know that she is also a weapon, but she will not be handing herself over to him."

"Also..." River turned toward a tall, muscular mercenary that had been checking out the psychic's ass since she had started handing in the weapons she had been carrying. "The joo bah jeh should know that he will be castrated if he acts on the thoughts he has had over the past 2.5 minutes. Only man-called-Jayne may touch the Albatross that way. Not him."

The large mercenary only sneered at River in response to her threats, but when the mercenary captain glared at his subordinate, the enforcer looked down submissively as the merc captain said "Leave the little lady alone, Kowalski. There be plenty of doxies for you to rut with after we get paid for watching after these folks."

Shortly thereafter, the crew of Serenity had been left to their own devices, and Mal had turned to his crew and the elder Tams to say, "You heard the man, let's make ourselves at home."

All of the couples in the room had paired off then, as Mal had taken Inara by the hand towards one of the guest rooms on Niska's space station, and the doctors Tam had started walking towards their rooms with their respective mates after making sure Jayne was stabilized in the station's med bay, where River was making herself at home. At the same time, Zoe had lead her new friend, Mattie, who was still a little weak from blood loss, safely to his own quarters. It was at this point in time that Gabriel Tam had tried to catch Kaylee's eye at that point to speak with her. "Miss Frye? May I speak to you for a moment about a matter of great importance?"

Kaylee looked like deer caught in the headlights as her eyes widened. "I...um...I was actually going to..."

Simon gently put his hands on his girlfriend's shoulder. "What I think Kaylee is trying to say, is that she's a little shaken up by the go se that went down at the Villa, and isn't ready to talk with you just yet. Another time, perhaps?"

Simon's face had been a stoic mask at the time, but the man's father saw that there was only concern, not anger in the younger doctor's eyes, so Gabriel Tam had nodded towards Kaylee and smiled. "Another time would be just fine."

Reagan Tam had lightly hit her husband's shoulder then and sighed. "What is it with you and your poor sense of timing, Gabriel?"

Gabriel opened his mouth to speak. "I was just going to say..."

Reagan sighed, then smiled. "I know what you wanted to talk to the girl about, and I think it's nice that you are finally getting your head out your pi gu concerning that matter. But she's just had quite a fright. We all have. We need to rest awhile. So why don't we go check on our daughter, then get to bed?"

Gabriel Tam had sighed and nodded then. "Okay."

River had turned out to be relatively fine, although she refused to leave Jayne's side in the infirmary, and all she would say to her parents at the time was. "The Albatross is fine, but she wishes to watch over her mate for a time." Gabriel and Reagan Tam had sighed, but deciding they didn't want to start an argument concerning Jayne at the moment, reluctantly agreed to leave River alone with the unconscious Jayne, after securing a promise from River that the young psychic would not stay up too late, and would notify either Gabriel or Simon, if Jayne woke up from his medically induced coma.

Deciding to take his wife's advice, Gabriel gave his children, and Kaylee, space for a few days, although visits to the infirmary to check on Jayne's relatively stable condition allowed him a few chances to speak to Simon, who had, at one point, shook his head and said "I'm sorry you and mom got mixed up in Atherton and his men trying to kill me and the rest of Serenity's crew.."

But Gabriel had just patted Simon on the shoulder, smiled and said. "It's not your fault that your mother and I dragged you into this silly reality show nonsense. That's on her and me. But I am very proud of how you and River both handled yourself when the go se hit the fan."

River herself had been sleeping at the time that conversation between father and son had occurred. More precisely, she was sleeping on a fully blanketed and sheeted mattress that the young woman had somehow dragged away from one of the Skyplex's guest rooms and into the infirmary...right next to Jayne's medical cot. When confronted about this decision by her parents the morning after their arrival to the Skyplex, River had given Gabriel and Reagan Tam a serious look and said. "She promised she would go to sleep at a reasonable hour. The Albatross made no promises concerning where she would slumber. Man-called-Jayne is her mate, and she will watch over him until he wakes up."

Reagan had sighed then, and said "River, I know this man has saved your life at the Villa. And your father and I are so grateful for that..and understand why you'd want to watch over him in return, but we've heard some disconcerting stories from your captain, and from one of the episodes of the show we filmed, concerning some...misunderstandings you and Jayne had in the past."

Gabriel had growled a little then. "That's putting it very mildly, don't you think? River, Jayne tried to sell you and your brother off to the Alliance! How could you possibly forgive him for..."

River glared at her father then. "Did the Captain daddy leave out the part were Jayne rescued me and Simon from the Alliance afterwards? Or perhaps Birth mommy and daddy didn't hear the part of the Albatross' conversation with man-called-Jayne in the bar, where her mate only tried to get rid of her because she had attacked him with a deadly weapon? And there's something else...something man- called-Jayne doesn't know that I know about. Hero of Canton was ashamed of trying to give her and Simon to the purple bellies. Sick with what he had almost done. You should ask the captain sometime why he allowed man-called-Jayne to stay on Serenity after his betrayal. Then you will know how sorry her mate was for what he did. She and Jayne have forgiven each other for hurting each other in the past..."

River looked at her mother and father with a gaze that was not uncompassionate but firm in resolve. "We forgave each other. We trust each other. And that has nothing to do with her parental units."

Gabriel had opened his mouth to protest that declaration, but Reagan just shook her head at her husband, and the elder doctor on the Skyplex nodded and sighed. He knew as well as his wife did that once River had made up her mind about something, nothing in the 'Verse could change it. However, Reagan Tam did manage to make one last appeal to her daughter's logic from a different angle, albeit unsuccessfully "We understand River. Your father and I are glad that you and Jayne have...what is that old expression? Cleared the air between you two. It's always nice to have friends you trust watching out for you, isn't it? But...your father and I are a bit concerned about your more...romantic inclinations towards Jayne, After all, that man is so much older, more experienced in the ways of the 'Verse. I mean, on Osiris, you wouldn't even be considered an adult quite yet and...We're just concerned you and Jayne might not be the best match."

River had shook her head at that. "She is considered an adult according to Alliance law, and on most planets in the 'Verse. And she will be eighteen soon. An adult, even among among the fancible folk on Osiris.."

River half-smiled at her mother, just for an instant, as she said, "She knows the mama bird worries, but her chicks have left the nest. They must be trusted to fly on their own, now."

Deciding that there was nothing more to be said on the subject of Jayne, until the mercenary woke up, the parents had mostly left River alone, apart from them, and Simon, making sure that River got fed three times a day, and got a fresh set of clothes daily.

As the elder Tams waited for Niska to come back, they tried to divert themselves as best as they could. As usual, however, Gabriel and Reagan spent much of the day apart, engaging in their own preferred activities. When Gabriel wasn't attending to Jayne in the med-bay, the Tam patriarch spent much of his time in Mr. Niska's surprisingly vast library. Sometimes, the older man would read alone, in silence. Other times, Mattie, who Gabriel also sometimes ran into at the infirmary when the younger Cobb visited Jayne, would read right alongside Jayne, and the two men would sometimes have conversations about what they were reading.

Mattie and Gabriel had a particularly riveting (for them, anyway), conversations about an English translation of "The Art of War", which had started when Mattie proclaimed with a grin "This is a shiny book I might actually be able to convince Jayne to read!", and Gabriel had replied "Yes. I'm sure your brother would be interested in that book, based upon the title, but it also contains life lessons about non-violent conflict that he would probably benefit from as well. He'll need all the help he can get on that score if River's heart stays set on him. May the heavens help that man if he gets into an argument with her. My daughter just might be the most stubborn person in the 'Verse!"

Meanwhile, Reagan Tam had mostly stuck to reading the few romance novels that Niska's wife had left in the library, from the privacy of her and Gabriel's room, or watching TV on the Cortex, although she refused to watch reality television anymore, as she explained to Gabriel one night. "I've had enough of that go se for a lifetime!"

Gabriel and Reagan always socialized at the end of the day though, and the two mostly talked about what their children, and the other crew members of Serenity, got up to during the day as the two elder Tams watched movies together in their room. As far as the elder Tams could determine, Mal and Inara spent most of their time in their private room, or walking around the hydro-botanical garden section of the space station, while Kaylee and Simon alternated between spending time together in the engine room, or doing so silently in the med bay while Simon either took care of Jayne, or checked up on River. Nobody really knew what Zoe got up to during this time, although she and Mattie occasionally talked at mealtimes and were seen walking the hallways of the Skyplex together.

Gabriel Tam was still thinking about the events of the past few days when he arrived at the space station's med-bay, only to find Kaylee, unaccompanied by Simon this time, watching Jayne and River, who were both sleeping that late in the space stations day cycle, from their medical cot and mattress, respectfully. "Miss Frye. I'm surprised to see you here unaccompanied by my son. Have you came to check on my patient?"

Kaylee nearly jumped at the sound of Gabriel Tam behind her, but quickly put on a brave face and nodded "Yeah. Him...and River. I hope you don't mind me checking in on your daughter.. I was just worried is all, since she won't leave this room. Except the one time, and that was only because the captain and Zoe threatened to hose her down if she didn't at least leave long enough to take a shower, before she started stinking up the med bay.."

Gabriel chuckled at the particular memory. "Yes. Your captain seems better with tough love than I have ever been with my children. Anyway, I certainly don't mind that you care enough about my daughter's well-being to check up on her every now and again. Actually, from what Simon has told me, you and River have become close friends since my children got on board your ship, and I think that's just shiny."

Kaylee raised her right eyebrow a little bit. "Really? I thought you and your wife didn't like me very much."

Gabriel sighed. "Actually, that's exactly what I wanted to...converse with you about several days ago. I don't think Reagan ever had any problems with you. Honestly, I think my wife was just glad that our son had managed to stay in a relationship with a girl for longer than the course of an evening. And not for lack of trying, either. As I'm sure you noticed by now, Simon seems to have the unfortunate tendency to say exactly the wrong thing to a woman at any given moment."

Kaylee chuckled. "I'll say! If I had a platinum for every time Simon said something that put a bee in someone's bonnet, I'd be rich enough to buy the the whole of planet Bellorophon!"

Kaylee's eyes widened and her mouth opened a little bit as she quickly added. "Of course, your son is shiny in all kinds of other ways, Dr. Tam. He's smart, proper, handsome, and his heart's in the right place. And when he's not too busy tripping over his words, Simon can actually be quite charming..."

Gabriel laughed. "I get the wave, Miss Frye. I'm will aware of my son's tendencies to put his foot in his mouth around the fairer sex. I wouldn't have brought the subject up otherwise. And I'm actually glad that you're so taken with my son. But I will admit that, for a time, I had my reservations about your relationship with Simon."

Kaylee frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah. Mrs. Tam told me that you thought I was some kind of platinum digger that only was only interested in Simon because he was a doctor that came from a wealthy family. Well, let me tell you something, Dr. Tam! I may not dress or talk as shiny as your kind of people do, but that don't make me some kind of doxy! I don't care one bit about how much money your family has! I'm with your son because I gorram love him! Dohn-ma?"

Kaylee was about to storm off in a huff when Gabriel sighed and nodded. "Dohn. I know. You made that inescapably clear when you got in between Simon and that mercenaries gun. That was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen a human being do..."

Kaylee had stopped walking at this point, but she still had her arms crossed over her chest, and her back to Gabriel, as she cut the older man off. "Gee, thanks."

"But your actions that day still proved that you genuinely care about my son, And as Simon's father, I'm grateful for your attempt to protect him, as ill-conceived and unnecessary as the attempt itself was."

Kaylee turned towards the Tam patriarch and sighed. "You're welcome. And just so you know, I would do the same thing again.."

Gabriel Tam nodded. "I know. But I hope such a situation never arises again. And to be honest, I never actually thought you were after my son's money, seeing as he doesn't have any after he threw his career as a doctor on Osiris away, and spent every last credit he had, rescuing River from that gorram Academy. That was just something I told me wife so she wouldn't think I had my head up my pi gu. The truth is, I was afraid that you and Simon were too...different."

Kaylee glared at Simon's father. "Why, because I'm a mechanic from a Border planet, and not some high class girl from the Core?"

Gabriel Tam sighed. "In a word, yes. Like I said, I had my head up my pi gu. And I...I'm sorry."

Kaylee's glare softened into a small smile as the Tam patriarch continued speaking "But I'm not so stubborn that I can't admit that I've been wrong. In the time I've seen you two together, I...well, I have never seen my son quite this happy before. And I've seen firsthand that you're willing to put his needs ahead of your own, when necessary. Reagan and I always hoped that Simon would find somebody who possessed that kind of selflessness. Because, whatever faults he may have, my son has always been more of a giver than a taker in his relationships to others."

Kaylee nodded. "I know. I...I always thought that it's really shiny, the way he looks out for River. And the way he works tirelessly when one of Serenity's crew is sick or injured, until somebody forces him to get some sleep."

Gabriel smiled. "Yes. Simon has the unfortunate habit of giving too much of himself sometimes, and forgetting to focus on his own needs. His mother says he got that from me. Thankfully, I have her to remind me that I need food, sleep...and other things from time to time, just like everyone else. Reagan is a remarkable woman, that way. And now, it seems, my son is in equally capable hands."

The Tam patriarch sighed as he looked into the med bay to gaze upon his daughter, who was still sleeping on her mattress next to Jayne. "I just hope that my daughter has been equally wise in her choice of paramour.. From what I've seen so far of this Jayne fellow, I rather doubt it."

Kaylee sighed. "Thank you. But just so you know, Jayne's not all bad. I know he has a gruff exterior at times, but he can be gentle when he wants to be. And he's sort of the black sheep of our little family of miscreants, so he knows what it's like to be an outsider, almost as much as River does. I'm just saying, give the man a chance, and he might surprise you. I did."

Gabriel Tam smiled pleasantly and nodded as Kaylee left for her and Simon's quarters for the evening. Before the mechanic had even vanished around the corner, Gabriel Tam was walking into the med bay to check on his patient...and his daughter. After changing Jayne's bandages and making sure the man was comfortable and properly hydrated, the older man tucked his daughter in for the evening and smiled as he whispered "You always did thrash around in the middle of the night. Your mother and I used to worry you would catch your death of cold, because you kept kicking your covers off in your sleep. I guess you still haven't kicked that habit."

Gabriel Tam sighed. The Tam patriarch wasn't sure if he was talking to River, or himself when he added "I know your mother and I have been overprotective with you and Simon lately. We don't mean to be so controlling, we just...Your mother and I just miss you both. We miss being part of your lives. Being able to protect you from the dangers of the 'Verse. And I know that Reagan and I gave those rights away when we sent you to the Academy. And neither one of us will ever forgive ourselves for that. But your mother and I will never stop loving you or your brother, no matter how much time passes, or where you go in the 'Verse. I just...I hope you still know that. Goodnight, River."

Gabriel continued to watch his daughter sleep for just a few seconds more, long enough to see his daughter smile in her sleep. The Tam patriarch then walked over to Jayne's unconscious form and whispered. "As for you...I hope for your sake, that my daughter and Kaylee's faith in you had not been misplaced. Because I know I can't stop my River from loving you. But if you abuse her trust in anyway, if you hurt my little girl, Simon will tell me about it. And if that happens, there won't be a power in that 'Verse that could stop me from having you hunted down.. Good night, Mr. Cobb."

Gabriel Tam didn't see it, as he walked out of the med bay to join his wife in their quarters, but as the Tam patriarch left the room, Jayne shuddered in his sleep at the very same moment that River smiled.

AN: Well, this is it, the end of another chapter. I'm sorry that there's not more to it, but various RL difficulties have been getting in the way of me writing this story lately, so I feel like I rushed this chapter out in an attempt to get this to you all by the end of January. I will do my best to make the next chapter a little more substantial. In the meantime, I would like to thank all of my readers for supporting this story, especially Hawki, Mondantz, bjq, Wicked. Onna, K1P1, and galwidanatitud, who have reviewed my last chapter as of the time of this writing! Thank you for your feedback and support!

A special thanks once again goes out to Hawki, for allowing me to borrow elements from their Firefly story, "Seven Deadly Sins" (which I highly recommend) to inform my take on the Operative. And yes, the name that River whispered into the (ex)Operative's ear was Miranda.

And as always, a very special thank you goes out to my beta-reader, who keeps my writing as shiny as possible! You rock! As always, until next time, I am...

-supercode