I love when people review! Weeee!

Anyway, it's time for insert drum roll here Simon to pop the question.

Enjoy.

--

FAVORS: WILL YOU MARRY ME?

"I can't believe you just did that." Wash said as Mal stood up from the pilot's seat, he'd just sent a message to Simon's mother.

"Well you seen me do it, ain't nothing to believe. It's a fact."

"Well yeah, but…shouldn't we have called him? It was his mother, Mal. What if he'd changed his mind, or if he didn't? Shouldn't he have been the one talking to her?" he sat back in the chair Mal had vacated.

"She cried Wash, and I take that to mean he didn't say many nice things nor did he invite them. Doc ain't one to change his mind once it's set."

"Hey, I just wanted to point out that it was his mom, ok? I've made my point, consider it dropped." He swiveled around in his chair to face the black before them as Mal took his leave. He shook his head, oh; bad things were bound to happen. "Hopefully not till long after cake." He whispered.

"What?"

"What?" he looked over his shoulder at Mal, who was half out the door. They exchanged a look before Wash turned back to the black.

--

The Next Day

Simon's eyes opened to the sound of gentle tapping at his door. He rubbed a hand over his face and sat up just in time to watch the door slide open and Kaylee enter, a soft smile on her face, "Sorry." She whispered.

"No. I, I, it's…" he covered his mouth to hide a yawn, his other hand made small circles in the air, "I had to get up soon anyway." He smiled. When the smile she gave him back was weak, and clearly forced, it made him feel like someone had pulled a rug out from under him. "Is something wrong?" he asked, even as he said the words the memories of Mal and Wash asking if Kaylee was pregnant came to the forefront of him mind.

What if she was? Would that make everyone think that was the only reason he wanted to be with her? No, no, they trusted him, knew him; they knew he wasn't that type of person. But what would her parents think?

"Kaylee?" he was asking, but also telling.

She plopped down onto the end of his bed, "Well, it's just…I ain't see you 'round much last couple days an' Serenity ain't all that big, I know you probably don't want'a have'ta see me every-"

"Don't even finish saying that. I, I know that I've not been around…" he wanted to choose his words wisely, that last thing he needed was for her to get angry with him. He laughed, "Kaylee you don't honestly think that?"

"I was just sayin' is all. I mean, and you been actin' sorta strange too. What is it you been up to?"

He didn't want to lie to her, but he wasn't about to ruin any plan he'd made, so he did the next best thing, "Do you know how much, how much you mean to me?"

He cringed inwardly. In all the time he'd known her, all the time they'd been together, and even when they'd been facing death by Reavers; he hadn't said what he really meant, at least, not to her. Here he was making all sorts of plans for a life with her, all the while not having said some really important things, and he'd let her get to thinking he was avoiding her.

He tossed back the covers, got up and stood before her and pulled her to her feet. Still holding her hands he started talking, "Kaylee," he caught her eyes with his own and smiled. Don't mess this up, he told himself. He could already hear his voice tripping over the words – I-I-I – this had to come out right. "I love you."

Her eyes got brighter immediately and a smile bigger that any he'd probably ever seen spread over her face. "Really?" then her shoulders hunched a bit and she smiled sheepishly, "I love you too!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. They shared a quick kiss, she said something about breakfast and she practically skipped out of his room. He shook his head and smiled to himself.

Two days and counting.

--

Jason Frye rose out of bed rubbing a hand through his brown hair that stuck up every which way. He pulled a shirt over his head and left his room, stole a quick glance at his auburn haired wife and left the room. Today he was helping his Pa to make some'a the things they'd be using at Kaylee's wedding.

He made his way over to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of water from the pitcher on the counter. Kaylee's wedding.

His little sister was getting married, to someone none of their family had met, and he was too cleanly for his own good. It showed that he didn't really belong, that he wasn't from any place like the kinda people he knew to fly 'round the outer planets. He had to be hiding something, and Jason would find out 'fore there was any vows or kissin' of brides going on.

Something just didn't sit right with him about that guy, and if his Ma and Pa was to blind to see it, well then it was up to him to question it. Course that meant keepin' Kaylee from seein' him grill the boy – she don't get mad to much but when she does, well, it's best to stay clear.

He left his home, and thought about all the questions he'd have to ask Simon, and how he was gonna do it. He walked over to his folks' house, opened the screen door and waltzed right into the kitchen.

"Jesse'll be on over soon as she's up." He told his mom, who was bustling about the tiny room.

From outside the back screen door his Pa's voice drifted inside, "You gonna be in that house all day son?"

"Na, Pa, I'll be right there." He picked a piece of meat out of what his Ma was making and she swatted his hand away, tellin' him to get. "Ma? How's it Pa always knows when we're 'round?"

"Oh, I don't know. He's got his ways about him. Always has been good with feelin' people." She said as she stirred the food.

"Don't suppose he may have the tiniest feelin' this Simon character is bad news, does he?"

She put her spoon down and turned to face her son with her hands on her hips, "Now you listen to me young man, I don't want you goin' about makin' that boy uncomfortable once they get here. You're to be nice an well behaved, like I raised ya to be." She started shooing him towards the back door, "Just cause he's clean don't make his a bad soul, and I don't want you ruinin' this for little Kaylee, so just be good." The door clanged shut behind him.

--

Havin' talked to Simon made Kaylee more happy than she could have thought possible. Fact'a the matter was, she wasn't expectin' any "I love you" or anything of the like. She just wanted to know that something wasn't wrong.

She entered the kitchen as Jayne was leavin' it. She smiled at him and he looked at her like he couldn't figure out what she'd done something for. Left with the impression she might'a had something in her teeth. She grabbed a protein bar and headed for the nearest person, Wash.

When she got there he was totally into the game of hide-and-seek that he had his little dinos playing.

"Hey Wash."

He smiled brightly at her, "Kaylee, hey! What's up?" he said, standing the dinosaurs in their respective places.

"I got anything in my teeth?" she asked and then barred her teeth.

"Nope." She sat down in the co-pilot's seat and took a bite of her protein bar, "Bet-cha do now." Wash said.

She smiled back at him, "Oh, Jayne just looked at me kinda funny."

"What? Why?" he tore his gaze from her and looked back over his console into space, "Well, you know, Jayne's pretty much dai zi."

Kaylee got the felling that something was goin' on that she didn't know about but Wash and Jayne did. Couldn't be they knew what Simon had said. "I suppose." She said, standing back up. "I'm gonna go see how she's holdin'." And she left the room.

People sure were acting strange today. Looks and reactions, and she didn't much like the thought that Jayne and Wash was sharing a secret. It was unsettling.

The rest of the day passed for what was normal on Serenity, though at dinner a fight did near break out. River said that sometimes children ruin things and then she tossed her plate, food an' all at Jayne. Who called her a zhuo ben chen kuang jn nU, to which Simon reacted badly. Whole thing could'a turned bad if Mal hadn't told everyone to shut up.

The next day was all normal and the like as well, 'cept now Kaylee was getting looks from just about everyone, but only Jayne's was the one that said 'why?'. She hoped it didn't have anything to do with the job they was pullin' today. Night before last Mal had said they got a job, but he didn't say anything about no one having to pretend nothing, and if he intended to use Kaylee for something he'd have told her by now, seein' as they were due to set down in a few minutes time.

So far as she knew all she had to do was open the door for the mule to head on out. Which is where she stood now, manning controls as Mal, Zoë, Jayne and River all piled onto the mule, and Simon was whispering to River. She thought it was a little odd to have Inara and Book standing on the over hanging walk to see the group off, cause it wasn't something they did really, but she paid it no mind.

Simon walked over to Kaylee with his hands nervously tapping on the side of his legs. "You alright Simon?" she asked.

"Mmmm…yes. I'm just, well, I-I…guess I'm a bit nervous. For River," he added, "what with the, danger, and all."

"It'll be ok." She told him, she figured he ought'a trust the Cap'n by now, "You know she'll be fine with the Cap'n and Zoë."

"Last time there were Reavers." He said calmly, but not with out moving his hand to hover over the wound he'd gotten from them on Mr. Universe's moon.

"Well, you're a smart doctor, what are the odds of that happening again?" he smiled at her, and she wanted them to land already so she could drag him off to her bunk. And like an answered prayer, Serenity touched down just then. She turned to push the button to open the door when Mal shouted over to her from his seat, "Don't open that 'til I say."

She turned back to Simon, Mal sure was being weird today, "I wonder what's wrong with him." She mused, but Simon was now lookin' at his feet and takin' deep breaths like he about to do something terrible hard. She was about to ask him if he was sure he was ok when she heard the metallic thud of boots of metal coming down the steps behind her. She looked up to see Wash coming their way. "What-"

"Kaylee." Simon said to her, she turned back to look at him only now he was on the ground…or, kneeling. Her eyes got a little big and she feel back a step when he took her hand. Her free hand flew up and covered her face when she figured it out; the looks, the whispers, Simon being missing that day or so. She looked around the cargo hold, at all the smiling faces, yes, Jayne too; they'd known!

She heard the soft hum of the door as it opened to the world where they sat, but she couldn't take her eyes off Simon's face. He looked up at her, completely serious, with a small open box in one hand. In it was the prettiest, shiniest ring Kaylee'd ever seen; all gold and white and sparkles.

"Kaylee Frye, will you marry me?"

She could feel the salty sting of tears in the corner of her eyes. She let the tears roll as she gave her answer. It was so quiet that no one could hear it except Simon, and maybe Wash since he was standing not five feet from where they stood. Simon's reaction let everyone know what'd been said.

He jumped up and wrapped his arms around her, an action she returned. They kissed briefly and rested forehead to forehead before the clapping and hollerin' started! And for the first time Kaylee looked outside. At the bottom of the ramp was her family. Her Ma and Pa and Jason, and just about any aunt, uncle, cousin and family friend she ever had. They were all laughing, and clapping and her Ma was cryin' on her Pa's shoulder as they walked on up the ramp with Jason.

Simon slipped the ring onto her finger and took her hand to face her parents. Kaylee could sense that everyone on Serenity had come forward too, with Mal standing somewhat protectively behind Simon, like a father.

Kaylee's Ma engulfed Simon in a great hug, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Kaylee laughed at the face he made, he wasn't used to getting so much affection from some many people, and one's he didn't know at that, and she thought it was downright cute. She let him go and then did the same to her daughter. It had been so long since Kaylee was home, and she was more than ecstatic to be coming back the way she was.

All the crew introduced them selves to her parents and her brother.

"Hi. Wash, best man." Wash said as he shook every hand offered to him.

--

Ok, first things first. Chinese:

an idiot

stupid crazy whore

Secondly, sorry I didn't post until now. Long, less than thrilling weekend, and my muse left me. Also, kinda short, but it's better than nothing. I'm putting more than originally planned so it's taking me a while longer. Anyway, R and R please!