CHAPTER 6

For River's eighteenth birthday, as well as because it was time to pick up some needed supplies and the post, Serenity put in at the Space Bazaar. Inara and Kaylee led River and Angel off into the giant complex of department stores, novelty shops, and independently owned booths. Technically, they were supposed to be shopping for baby food and diapers, small spare parts for the ship, and other little doodads and whatnots that Serenity needed. Untechnically, they were girls shopping—they didn't need a reason.

Zoë and Mal picked up post, Jayne refilled the weapons stores and got the cake mix Kaylee was trying to surprise the girl with. Doc was off on his own to restock the infirmary, and secretly trying to find his sister a present. They were all to meet back up in the docking bay where Serenity was locked to the space station when they were finished with their shopping.

In one of the stores the girls stopped in, Inara put her arm around River's shoulder. "Honey, why don't you go pick something out for your birthday?"

"I don't need—"

"I know you don't need anything," Inara interjected, "but you may find something you want. It's your birthday; you should get a present."

"Oooh!" Kaylee squealed from down one of the isles. "River, come look at the pretties! Isn't this dress gorgeous?"

Inara chuckled at the mechanic's enthusiasm, and returned her attention to River. "Here, you let me take Angel for a few minutes, and you go look through the clothes."

"No!" River objected. At the older woman's startled expression, she smiled to cover up her shout. "I'll hold her. I can do both."

"Of course, sweetie," Inara murmured, her brow furrowed, and watched River walk over to join Kaylee.

Angel reached out a hand and grabbed the collar of one of the dresses on the rack. River and Kaylee laughed while detangling the baby's hand. Most of the dresses were like those that River already owned. Before Inara left for the Companion training house the summer before, she had taken the two girls shopping and bought them new things. River had chosen a few new dresses, one of which she had worn while battling Reavers. She didn't wear that one around the ship much anymore. It tended to make the crew nervous.

River wandered over to the coat section and started sorting through the choices. Angel cooed and made grabs for soft material, or bits of shiny cloth. Some coats had faux fur, and others had rhinestones sewn into the cuffs and collar. The third one Angel caught hold of was deep gold tanned calfskin with wool lining inside, in the hood, and around the cuffs. River plucked it from the rack and held it up.

"What do you think?" she asked Angel.

The baby babbled and reached for it. River took that to mean that she liked it. Kaylee came up beside her and took Angel with an encouraging, "Try it on!"

The coat was a little big, but not much. The better to trap body heat, and the wool was soft and warm. River put her hands in the deep pockets sewn onto the front and found them lined as well. She smiled at the two women. "I like this."

"Well, let's go pay for it then, mei-mei," Inara said.

River slipped the coat off, and re-hung it on the hanger. She took Angel back and smiled into her daughter's face. She leaned forward and kissed one chubby baby cheek, and Angel grabbed onto her hair.

"Ow!" River pried her fingers out of her hair. "No pulling Mama's hair."

"When was the last time you had a haircut, anyway?" Kaylee asked. "It's so long! I could never live with my hair that long."

River thought about it. It had been a while since she had a haircut. "I got one before I went to the Academy. The girl wanted to look good for her new teachers and classmates."

"Well then, it's due time for another," Inara interpreted. "There's sure to be a salon in here somewhere. You can get a haircut, a manicure, pedicure—"

"Oooh!" Kaylee clapped her hands. "A makeover for your birthday! I love it!"

River shook her head furiously. "No. Too much. Too much time and money for one girl. No one else gets presents and pampered on their birthdays, only cake. She's already getting a coat, she doesn't need more."

Kaylee pouted as her makeover dream bubble burst. Luckily, Inara tried a different track. "Alright, a makeover is a bit extreme. But a haircut wouldn't hurt. You probably have an inch of dead ends, and the shorter it is, the easier hair is to care for."

River bit her lip. She was supposed to be an adult now—sane and competent and with a child of her own. She was not supposed to have to rely on others to take care of her and Angel. She earned her pay on Serenity, and she used that to buy the necessary infant care items. She read about child development off of medical sites on the Cortex, and she purchased the recommended brands of diapers, food, powdered milk formula, and non-restrictive clothing. She was still paying off an advance the Captain had loaned her so that she could buy a proper baby bed for Angel. She did not want to burden her family any more than she already had—emotionally or monetarily.

Angel chose that moment to bury her hands into her mother's hair again, and this time she tugged and babbled intently. Angel had a great many things to say on many different subjects. It was always important for River to get her daughter's opinion before deciding something even if River couldn't understand what she said. In this case, Angel was very adamant about the haircut. She seemed to think it was a good idea, or that's what River interpreted it as, anyway.

"Alright. Just a trim. And perhaps I can buy some hair clips, as well."

Inara smiled as Kaylee hugged her friend.

"Oh, I can't wait! It'll be so pretty."

River let them lead her out of the department store once Inara had paid for the coat. Kaylee chipped in and found a scarf with bright colored stripes. Angel approved. Afterwards, Inara led the girls down one of the main drags into a lift-tube that took them to one of the top sections of the huge space station where some of the higher priced stores and boutiques were located. The Companion led the way into Tanya's Chop Shop.

"Name?" the girl behind the receptionists' desk asked.

"Nahrta Serra," Inara said. She smiled back at River. Although the warrant for her arrest had been dropped, with the added danger of Angel's rescue, the crew was keeping River as far off of the government's radar as possible. Inara handed the woman behind the desk a few credits. "Also, we're pressed for time. If you could see that my niece gets in soon…?"

The receptionist took them with a smile, and answered, "We'll have a stylist free in just a few minutes. The waiting area is right over there."

"Thank you so much," Inara replied. The three women went to have a seat in the padded chairs. Kaylee stared at Inara like she had done a huge feat by getting River in. River was more focused on Angel.

The baby stared around the room and took in all of the bright lights and newness of this strange place. She wanted to get down and explore, but crawling was still more of a backward scoot than a forward, quadropedal locomotion. Instead, River faced her outward to take in the scenery, and lifted Angel up so that some of her weight was on her feet, standing on River's thighs. Mama's arms were around the baby's waist, and she supported the wobbly infant with her chest and shoulders while both looked in the same direction.

Inara smiled at the display of mother/daughter bonding. She had been playing at motherhood herself for the past three months. The Companion had taken River under her guidance and protection, and she was blatantly paying for baby items and new clothes every chance that came by. If Inara couldn't be a mother herself, she could at least try and be one to a young woman who didn't have a maternal role model. From the little that Simon and River had revealed about their parents, they had acted as any other aristocratic parents in the Core would—not exactly unloving, but unable to form a real attachment to their children because of societal constraints and mores.

Of course, she thought to herself with a little smile, I wasn't expecting to be a grandmother this soon!

"Nahrta Serra?" the receptionist called out.

"Here."

The stylist introduced herself as Ameli, and beckoned River back to a chair. River looked over at Inara, and got up, Angel still held against her chest. Grudgingly, River allowed Kaylee and Inara to watch Angel as she went and took a seat.

&&&

"Where the hell are those three?" Mal complained. "I sent them off more'n two hours ago. How long does it take to get some supplies?"

"Sir, with all due respect," Zoë pointed out, "you let those three loose in a girl's shopping dream on one of those girl's birthday. You really expected them to stick to the plan?"

"Well, I surely was hoping that just this once…."

Zoë smirked down at the floor.

Simon walked down the corridor of the docking bay toward the Captain and First Mate where they stood in front of the retractable passageway that was suctioned to the ship's airlock. The Doctor carried two bags. One was clear and contained a lot of supplies for the infirmary. The other was small, made of dark brown paper, and had tissue paper peaking over the rim.

"Are the girls back yet?"

"Not yet," Zoë answered.

"Oh. Uh, okay. I'll just…go put this stuff away in the infirmary." He nodded to Mal and Zoë before entering Serenity.

Mal nodded back and waved the younger man into the ship before he resumed his pacing. "Don't understand women-folk. How can they look at stuff for hours? Not like there's a whole lot of variety, neither. A shirt's a shirt. Just pick one don't have holes or stains on it, and move on. Shouldn't take this long to pick out some basic supplies—albeit it's for a baby. Should take even less time! Angel don't care what kinda diapers she's wearin' so long as they don't leak. That's all I ask, too. Two damn hours is too damn long. Zoë?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Care to shed a little light on the situation?"

She raised that eyebrow at him. "Sir, do I look like the kind of woman who goes shopping?" Not that she would actually mind being with them. There were only so many hours a day she could be around Mal without wanting to give him a sisterly smack upside the head.

"Well, no, but you're still a woman, and that's one up on me in this case."

"In most cases, sir."

"Hey, now…."

They both turned when they heard Jayne coming down the docking hall. He had a distinctive footfall, and he was muttering under his breath. Neither could make it out, nor did they much want to. When the mercenary got close enough, he called out, "D'I beat the girls, or they back already?"

"Still out there somewhere," Mal announced. "If they ain't back in another five minutes, I'm havin' 'em paged, my hand to go—"

"Cap'n, we're here!" Kaylee yelled.

The three warriors turned to find Kaylee, Inara, and River with Angel hurrying down the hallway toward them. Anticipating a spat between Captain and Companion, Jayne set his bags and box down on the floor. You know, there was somethin' different about the crazy girl…he couldn't put his finger on it, but there was definitely something different from this morning.

"Before you start, Mal, we're late because one of the circuits for the lift-tubes from the Level Two had a glitch," Inara explained before he had a chance to yell at them. "We weren't on any of the affected lifts, but there were lines for each of the remaining ones."

For a second, Mal didn't have anything to say to that, but he recovered quickly enough. "And what were you three doing up on Level Two in the first place. I don't pay my crew enough that they can afford the merchandise up there."

The Companion's eyes narrowed. "I paid for River to get a haircut in one of the salons up there. It was part of her birthday gift."

"Oh. Well….Happy Birthday, River. Glad to see Inara use of her proceeds to go to toward the crew for once."

Zoë cut in before either one could say anything else. "You look very nice, River."

"Thank you," the girl returned. The cut wasn't much different from what she had before. The stylist had gushed over the length and texture, so she'd kept it long. Ameli had removed about an inch and a half of dead, split ends, and then added a few discreet layers around her face, the shortest of which was still long enough for River to tuck behind her ears. She had then added some mouse and shine spray to River's hair, blow dried it, and curled it up.

"Yeah, s'nice. Differn't," Jayne offered up. After all, it was her birthday. He was even sorta nice-ish to the Doc on his birthday. "What happened to the kid, though?"

Angel had started crying halfway through the cut, and refused to be comforted by either Inara or Kaylee. She was allowed to come sit on River's lap, so she got a free makeover while River got her hair finished up. One woman added hypoallergenic styling gel to the baby's hair and gave her little ringlets. Another woman had offered up some non-toxic, purple fingernail polish with glitter in it on Angel's finger and toe nails. The last stylist, a man named Dath, was giving a woman in the chair next to River a facial, and gave Angel a facial, too. Angel had tried to eat the avocado face mask.

"What?" River asked. "She looks nice."

"Not sayin' she don't." Jayne reached in and caught Angel's hand that she was swinging around, trying to get someone's attention. He didn't worry about River biting his hand off or trying to kill him anymore. Angel seemed to like him, so River didn't mind. After all, he had helped. Now he was playing "Catch the Hand" with Angel, although it was hard to tell who was trying to catch whose hand. "It's just weird seein' a baby all prettified°."

"I was prettified as a baby."

"That's 'cause ya come from money."

Inara smiled at the exchange before turning back to Mal. "Did you happen to pick up the post?"

He cleared his throat. "I did indeed. Couple of letters for you, and a package. Jayne, got another letter here from your Ma. Didn't know you were from Ezra."

Jayne grunted, which could have been a yes or a no, and tore it open. Inside the envelope there were, in fact, two letters. One had his name written on the outside, and one said, "To the pielit." Jayne frowned. He shoved them both back inside.

"You're not gonna read it?" Kaylee asked.

"Later," he said. He folded the envelope and shoved it into his pocket. When he looked up, River was looking at him again. She'd done that the last time he'd gotten a letter, too. "What?"

She blinked, focusing her eyes, and looked up at him. "My parent's never sent me letters. I sent them letters, but they never answered. You are lucky to get letters from a mother who loves you. And she is kind to extend that warmth to someone she doesn't know. There are not many in the 'Verse that would do so."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. She's somethin'. She always had a soft spot for strays."

"Jayne?" Mal asked. "She know somethin' I don't know?"

River grinned. "Is that a rhetorical question?"

"I—" Mal scowled back at his pilot. "That's not…You know what I…. Just get on the boat. All a'ya. Tired a'talkin' to ya."

"I love my Captain," River giggled as she passed him, and hoped he wouldn't mind. It always worked when Kaylee said it, after all.

He just waved her inside with mock-impatience.

"Oh! River! Don't forget your coat and scarf!" Kaylee jogged up behind her and threw an arm over her friend's shoulder. Together they walked back toward the passenger dorms.

Simon came out of the infirmary when he saw the two most important girls in the 'verse coming. Scratch that—three most important girls. Angel was irresistible to all who encountered her. Sometimes Simon just had a hard time reconciling himself to the fact that he had a niece.

"How was shopping? The Captain wasn't too happy when I walked by him."

Kaylee released River so that she could go and slip her arms around Simon's middle. She wondered if she'd ever get enough of him. "Cap'n was just grumpy 'cause we were late. One of the lift-tubes broke down, an' we had to wait for one to open up before coming down to the docking bay. But shopping was fun! River got birthday presents. I chipped in."

Simon looked over at his sister, a smile etched into his face. "What did you get?"

"Coat. Scarf." She shook her head to send her hair flying. "Haircut. Angel got pretty, too."

She held the baby up for Simon to see. Her brother chuckled and reached out to tug on one of the curls. "She looks just like you did, River. Except for the purple nail polish. Mom always had them use pink on you."

"Angel is her own person," she replied, pulling the baby back against her hip. "If she wants purple or green or day-glow orange, that is what she will have."

"So she's making color choices now?"

"Maybe she is and you simply don't understand her," River pointed out. And then stuck out her tongue.

Simon and Kaylee laughed.

"Oh, yeah. I got you something, too, mei mei." Simon detangled himself from Kaylee and fetched the brown bag from a counter in the infirmary. "I hope you like it."

River took Angel over to the couch and sat down with her on her lap. Angel helped her pull the tissue paper out of the bag, and River reached in and felt two rectangles made of thick paper, and cool metal. Scrunching her brow, she pulled the rectangles out. The first held a silver ring in the shape of a butterfly. The circle that went around her finger was adjustable. The other rectangle had two holes punched in it, and dangling from them were a pair of butterfly earrings.

"You used to have a pair just like that when you were little," Simon said. "I thought I'd try and replace them. It's not real silver, even, but the posts are surgical steel, so they won't turn your ears green or anything. The ring's luh suh, but it reminded me of the one I bought you for your ninth birthday. Remember that? I think that one was a flower, though, not a butterfly."

"Yes, I remember it," she murmured.

Simon's face fell. "Do you not like them? Are they too little girly?"

"No," she tried to smile up at him, "it's not that. They're lovely. I don't know if my holes are still open or if I need to get my ears re-pierced."

He winced. "Right. Needles coming towards your head. I can see how that would trigger unpleasant memories."

"I actually wasn't thinking that, but thank you for reminding me." River glared at him.

Kaylee grabbed the sides of her head. "Ouch! I ain't never even had my ears pierced once. My Daddy wouldn't let me. Now it don't sound like fun at all!"

"I was still a baby when my mother had my ears pierced," River explained. "I don't remember." What made her hesitate about the gift was the thought that these were just another way for Simon to try and get his little sister back to the way she was. Back to the River that used to follow him around and think that there was no one in the whole universe she would rather spend her day with. If medication couldn't do it, perhaps jewelry could.

She sighed. Regardless of motive, it was a nice gift. River leaned forward and kissed Simon on the cheek. "Thank you for the gift, Simon. I'll go and see if I can still put them in."

River kissed Angel on the top of her head as she stood. The little girl had grabbed onto the earrings and was trying to maneuver them into her mouth. River pulled her hands away and dropped the jewelry into the bag again. As she stepped pasted Kaylee, she took the bag with her new coat and scarf in it, as well. She kissed Kaylee's cheek, and left her and Simon alone.

Although she could still hear the two of them talking, and feel the uncomfortable sadness that had descended on them, River did her best to block it out. It was easier after Miranda, but the excitement of the day must have heightened her awareness. Their worry was loud, and it echoed after them when they left for the engine room to prep for departure.

River set Angel down in her baby bed so that she could put away her gifts. After the coat and scarf were hung up, and the ring and earrings set safely in the cabinet above her bed, she got the baby out and laid her down on the floor to change her diaper.

"You were very good today," River told her as she unsnapped the legs of the lavender jumper. "Except when we were in the salon. But I believe that was because you wanted to get pretty, too. I think you must have inherited vanity from your father, whoever he is. I have never cared how I look. But you were good, and I wanted to let you know that I appreciate it."

Angel gurgled up at her. She seemed to have a lot to say on the matter of her behavior. River got that she was very excited about the things that she saw that day, and that she wondered where all of it went now that they were back home. She smiled down into her daughter's face and listened as she finished changing the diaper and snapping the jumper legs back up.

"Time to go fly the ship now," she told Angel, picking her up. "Dinner will be soon. That's good, I'm hungry. How about you?"

River climbed up to the bridge, and checked in with the Captain before she sent a WAVE to the docking crew to let them know that Serenity was disembarking. She set Angel down in the little play area next to the consol that Kaylee had rigged together then took her seat in the pilot's chair. When she received her all clear from the station crew, River and Kaylee fired the engines and pulled away from the Space Bazaar.

Not long after River set a course for Silverhold, a big pair of boots sounded on the stairs. Jayne coughed before he entered the cockpit to announce his presence, as if River didn't already know he was there. She turned around, and smiled to let him know it was alright that he come in.

He didn't hand her the letter right away. Instead he squatted down and talked at Angel for a few seconds. It was nice. Angel never made him feel like an idiot. Hell, because of her, he got to teach her genius ma a thing or two. Who else in the 'verse could say that?

"You could just pick her up, you know?" River pointed out. "Simon does. The Captain even does occasionally. You play with her more than them, but you never pick her up."

"Didn't know I was allowed to," he grumbled.

A beat of quiet passed, with Angel providing background noise. Jayne stood up and pulled the letter that his ma had written River out of his pocket. "Uh, here. Ma sent this for ya. You knew that, though."

"You wrote her about me—about the pilot with a baby," River amended. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Helpin' you reminded me of helpin' her is all. I mentioned it. Don't know why she decided to write to ya, though."

River took the letter, but didn't open it right away. "If you do not mind, I would like to respond to this letter. As I do not know your mother's posting address, could you send it with your next communication?"

"Yeah, sure."

She smiled up at him again. "Thank you."

He rumbled a non-verbal welcome and turned to leave. He bent down and rubbed a hand over Angel's head completely ruining her hairdo. Angel didn't mind. She bounced on her bottom and reached for his retreating hand.

River opened the letter. Jayne, surprisingly, hadn't snooped through the letter. The folds were all in the same position, and River couldn't feel any residual emotions off of the letter other than curiosity as to why his mother bothered to write to her.

Dear miss pielit,

My boy rote to me about you and your baby girl. Jayne was always such a help with the little ones. He has a soft spot for them. If you ever need help with your baby you go to Jayne and he will help. I hav already told him that he is going to help so do not wory about bothering him.

Jayne rote that you do not always know what you are doing with your baby and I wanted to tell you that this is not unusual for new mothers. I did not know what I was doing eether. If I had known, I wud not have put the name JANE down on the birth certificat before the baby was born and it turned out he was a boy. Do not tell him I told you that. He wud not like anyone knowing I thot he was a girl before he was born. Still I tried to make up for it by adding a Y and giving him 2 middle names. I hope it helped.

As for taking care of a baby, it is important to remember to not wory about every little thing. Babys are very willing to forgive your mistakes. They love you back no matter what you do so long as you love them and take care of them. Do not be scared to let her fall down. All babys do. Try not to rush over the minit she starts crying. Give her a chance to calm herself down. Do not treat a child like an idiot. They know more than grown peepl think they do. And do not feel bad if you get a little upset with her every now and again. A switch to the backside is not to harsh a punishment if it fits the crime.

If you ever need another mother's opinion, you can always have Jayne rite to me and ask.

Love,

Rosemary Cobb

&&&

Later that night, Jayne looked over his letter from home for maybe the dozenth time. He had only mentioned River and Angel because he had just helped with the tooth thing. If he had a chance to go back and do it over again, he wouldn't have said anything. Now his Ma was getting on him about how he needed to help River out with Angel if she ever needed it.

I can alredy see that face you are making Jayne Andrew Thomas Cobb, so wipe it off. I am not asking you to marry the girl to make an honest woman of her. I just want you to look out for them and give the pielit a hand when she needs one.

And if that weren't bad enough, she finished the letter by harping about how he was thirty-five now, and when was he going to settle down and give her some grandkids? It was times like this that Jayne remembered why he avoided home.

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I looked up the name "Inara" and found out that it is Arabic. It means "Gift from Heaven" or "Heaven sent." Going off of that, I looked up the Arabic word for "river" and found that it is NAHR according to http/ However, it's a masculine noun, so I looked up feminine nouns, most of which have a TA ending, so I took some non-grammatically correct liberties with a language I don't know and got Nahrta, female river.

° According to my Microsoft Word spell-check dictionary and thesaurus, "PRITTIFY" is a real word. I thought I'd share that because I found it funny.

luh suh—garbage