Chapter 33: Dine Together Tonight
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Kaylee and Oz entered the kitchen and saw Mal, Book, and Zoe setting food on the table. Kaylee quickly rushed to help and grabbed plates and cutlery. "So I see you two have decided to stop hiding." Book said as he saw River and Simon come in behind Oz.
River grabbed Oz's hand and pulled him to the table so he could sit next to her. "We weren't hiding, we were making plans for an ambush. See how the angry statue falls." Everyone turned to look at River and Oz, while the werewolf merely cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well I was." River amended.
"Nothing better happen when Jayne gets here. I ain't fixing to have a blood bath on my kitchen table." Mal said.
"A blood bath, where?" Jayne asked upon entering.
Zoe took a step towards the bigger man, "Now Jayne, I know you're not going to have to make me use my gun again."
"What's going on here?" Jayne asked confused.
"They think you and Oz are going to fight." River started laughing hard and said in between gasps of air, "And that you would win." River straightened and smiled, "Obviously they haven't been paying attention."
Jayne stepped around Zoe and took a seat at the table, "I ain't going to fight him. I can be civil." Jayne looked at the open mouth stares he was getting from most of the crew.
"Well it's good that you think that Jayne." Mal said after a moment of silence. The rest of the meal was set down on the table. Wash and Inara entered just as everyone was sitting down.
"Good news people," Wash said claiming a seat next to his wife, "we should make White Marsh in the morning. We'll be landing in the town of Oakland."
"Good we'll have time to see the town before we're suppose to meet up with Flynn." Zoe nodded.
"I'll be leaving once we break atmo." Inara said.
"Okay. We're getting there a little ahead of schedule. Oz do you need to send a wave to anybody? Let them know you're getting there early." Mal asked.
"Nah." Oz shook his head.
The next five or ten minutes was spent in small talk. As the meal was wineding down, Mal raised his voice above everyone else's, "Well it certainly has been interesting having you aboard. You need a ride again send us a wave."
"Really?" Oz raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah." Mal responded. "I'm not promising anything but if we're in the area."
Kaylee leaned into Oz and in a fake whisper, "That means he likes you."
"Yes the fact that he hasn't shot you speaks highly of you as a passenger." Inara said.
"What?!? I don't shoot most of our passengers." Mal looked at the companion.
"Shoot or beat up." Inara amended with a smirk.
Mal looked at his crew some who were smirking (Zoe, Book, and Inara), others who were nodding in agreement (Simon and Kaylee) and those that were laughing (Wash and Jayne). "I haven't done anything to River or Book or Si—" Mal started to say but stopped when he got to Simon. "Well okay. I haven't done anything to River or Book." Mal looked at the attempt to not laugh and rolled his eyes, "Come on people we've all got things to do before we land in the morning. Let's get to it."