The shuttle landed back on Serenity's stubby extender, locking in place and being drawn into place. As Freya stepped out into the cargo bay, three people were waiting for her.

"Oh, honey," Hil Dwyer said, hurrying across the bay floor as Freya negotiated the steps. "Are you okay?"

"Course she's not okay," Harry Reynolds said, climbing the stairs two at a time until he was level with her. He looked closely at her. "Can't expect you to be."

Monty hovered in the background, his big face tense and anxious, his beard almost quivering with concern.

"How did you -" Freya began, but Harry put his arm around her shoulders.

"Zoe called," he explained. "Said … she told us there's been a cave-in at a mine. That Mal …" His voice caught. "It ain't true, is it?"

"We figured out the clues, Harry," Freya said, barely managing to speak. "What it meant. Mal went to -" She sat down suddenly on the stairs, jarring her hip, tears forming in her eyes. "Oh, I wish we'd never come to this damn planet!" she whispered.

"Hey, hey!" Harry sat down next to her, pulling her close to him. "Don't, Freya. Mal wouldn't want you to … Look, maybe they're still alive. Might be. Could be a section came down and they're further in."

"We should be out there," Monty said unexpectedly. "Get some crews digging …"

"They already are. That's why I had to fly back alone. Zoe and the others are still … they'll come back with the hover before dark … but there's only so much room in the mine …" Her voice died away.

"So he was after Reilly's treasure?" Hil asked.

"Half of it. Zoe and … they got some, but … it's just papers. It doesn't mean a thing without …" She sobbed suddenly. "It ain't worth Mal's life!"

"You shoulda called us. We'd've …" Harry paused. "We'd've helped."

"I know." Freya sat up, looking ashamed of her outburst. "And you're right. Maybe Mal is still … still alive. I can't give up hope yet."

"What about the race tomorrow?" Hil asked. "That horse of yours … you're the owner now."

Harry shot her a hard look, squeezing Freya's shoulder. "She don't have to go if she don't want to."

"I'm not," Freya admitted. "I can't. Not be around all those happy people. I just can't."

Hil wouldn't leave it. "Then who's -"

"Zoe's taking everyone. Except Kaylee. She's … Zoe said she's refusing. Mal was like a big brother to her, and she - we'll stay behind."

"Frey, I wish I could help," Harry said softly. "I know how little girl feels. What with Vinnie gone, Mal's near enough most all the family I got …" He stopped, shaking his head.

Freya looked into his eyes, so like Mal's. "Could you … would you go with them? Zoe and Simon and … I'd rather they had someone with them."

"I don't know -"

"Please?"

"Okay. All right." Harry gave in. "I'll go."

"Me too," Monty rumbled unexpectedly. "Can't let anything happen to any of 'em."

Freya managed to drag up a smile. "Thanks."

"Well, I'd go too, but I've got to leave," Hil said apologetically. "I got a job to get to, been planned a long while, and if I'm late it'll just be given to someone else."

"If it's work, I know Mal'd understand." Freya hung onto the railing and climbed laboriously to her feet. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'd like to be alone for while."

"You know, I think that's a grand plan," Harry said, standing up. "You look like you need to get some rest before you fall over."

"It's not rest I need, Harry," Freya said softly. "It's Mal."

No-one had an answer to that.

---

Mal turned over yet again, trying to find some comfort on the sofa.

"You gonna do that all night?" Jayne asked from the depths of the armchair.

"Thought you were asleep."

"Ain't happening."

"No. I know what you mean." Mal pounded the cushion behind his head. "Never do sleep well without Freya next to me."

Jayne gave a soft bark of laughter. "Up 'til a while back I never had that problem. 'Specially with my girls on the wall. 'Cept now there's a kinda hole where River goes …"

"Jayne, that sounds a hell of a lot like sentiment," Mal pointed out, his lips lifting. "Didn't think you had it in you."

"I don't," the big man insisted.

"Singing love songs, waxing poetical … she's changed you."

"Not that much." He pushed his shoulders back into the seat. "Still prefer to shoot someone than talk to 'em."

"You're talking to me."

"Don't think it ain't never crossed my mind."

Mal smiled. "Oh, I know it has."

There was silence in the room for a few minutes, then Jayne stirred again. "It ain't much fun, this being dead."

"Seriously not sure it's meant to be."

"There's other things I'd rather be doing."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Any more sign of you knocking Freya up?"

Mal lifted his head and glared at the mercenary in the dark. "Not so far."

"Only with Zoe carrying Hank's sprog, kinda figured you might be feeling left out."

"We have a son, Jayne. I would've thought you'd notice."

"Oh, hell, I know that. But you want a little girl. I know that too."

"Be nice," Mal conceded.

"Someone to look after and tie ribbons in her hair."

"Mmn."

"Someone to bring a guy like me home one day." Jayne chuckled.

"I'd hope she had more taste."

"Yeah, me too."

"You and River talked about having a kid?"

Jayne blushed, glad the darkness covered the rare sight. "Nah. We've only just got together, Mal. And I ain't sure there should be another me out there anyway."

"And if River has other plans?"

There was a pause. "You think she wants a baby?"

"Look at how she is with Bethie and Ethan."

"Yeah, but they're …" He let the possibility sink in. "You really think I might be a dad some day?"

"I think it's more than likely."

"That's kinda …"

"Scary?"

"Little bit."

"You know, they could be psychic, if you do have kids with River."

"They? We gone from one to lots?"

"You never know."

"Dammit, Mal, now I really ain't gonna be able to get to sleep."

Mal smiled and pulled the blanket further up around his neck. "Glad to help," he said, and closed his eyes.

---

"It looks like a good day for a race," Hank said, peering out into the small light of Mead's early morning.

"Be better if you'd slept at all," Zoe said, following him to the door.

"Just keeping you company," Hank smiled.

"Doubt anyone got that much in the way of rest last night. I heard Freya go into the galley around three, and I don't think she came back."

"Missing Mal." He glanced around, making sure no-one else was listening. "If she's like this now, what'd she be like if -"

"Pray we never have to find out," Zoe said equally quietly. "Come on. We all need to eat. It's going to be a big day."

---

"I want you to go," Freya said firmly.

"But I don't … we agreed …" Kaylee was arguing, looking around the rest of the crew gathered at the table.

"Please, Kaylee." She sighed. "I'd feel better if you'd go with them. Take Bethany and Ethan. Please."

Kaylee opened her mouth again, but felt something odd in her mind. It wasn't a thought as such, just a deep concern that she and the children should be protected. Still, this wasn't what had been arranged. "I just hate the idea of you bein' here on your own. And I really feel -"

"I'll stay," Honoria put in unexpectedly from the doorway. "I've got a headache, and horses do nothing for me."

"I don't need company," Freya said sharply, then visibly drew back. "I'm sorry, but I don't. I ain't gonna do anything stupid, in case that's what you're wondering."

"We never considered you would." Zoe leaned forward. "If we did, none of us would be going."

"And I don't mind staying," Honoria repeated.

"If you've got a headache I can get you a painkiller," Simon offered.

The girl smiled. "It'll go away. I'd just like to lie down in my room for a while. Having five sisters around all the time is tiring." She looked at Freya. "If you don't mind. You won't even know I'm there."

"I suppose …" Freya nodded. "Okay."

River stood up. "We have to get going. I need to be there very soon."

"Then we'd better gather ourselves up," Zoe said, pushing her chair back. "We don't want to keep the winner waiting."

---

"Come on," River shouted, standing on the ramp and staring into Serenity's interior. "If you don't hurry up I'll have to go without you!"

"Sorry we're late," Harry said behind her. "Didn't know you were waiting for us."

River turned and smiled at him and Monty. "It's not you. It's the others."

"Hold your horses," Hank called, carrying Ethan on his hip down the stairs.

"If you make bad jokes like that again …" River threatened.

"We're here," Kaylee said, moving the five Reilly girls out of the common room in front of her, Simon carrying Bethany.

"Do we have to?" Rosemary whined. "It'll be boring."

"Can we place any bets?" Valentia asked.

"No."

"Then why -"

"Because we say so." Zoe appeared on the top catwalk. "We all ready?"

"Come on!" River called again, stamping her foot impatiently.

Mal watched from a safe distance as the large group of people left his boat and started towards the racetrack.

"Thought Kaylee was staying behind?" Jayne murmured, watching the mechanic walking hand in hand with Bethany.

"Freya wasn't happy about that. She felt something could happen to her."

"Oh, I ain't saying anything. Better Kaylee does go. Keep out of the way." He looked up into the sky. "Looks like it's gonna stay okay. So what do we do now?"

"We wait."

---

"I hate this," Hank muttered to Zoe as they entered the owner's enclosure. "Not being there."

"So do I, dear," Zoe agreed, her lips barely moving. She was keeping an eye on Harry, Monty and their charges, while Simon and Kaylee rounded up any stragglers. "But Mal's right. This is the perfect opportunity for them to come after the box. Except they're not going to do that with Serenity full of people."

"But Frey -"

"Can take care of herself." She looked at him, his grey eyes tight with worry. "And she ain't alone."

"I'm kinda glad Honoria got a headache," Hank said softly. "At least she's got some female company."

"Yeah," Zoe said, her tone just a little off. "That's good." She shook her head. "You'd better check in, make sure everything's okay."

Hank nodded and melted away to find a quiet spot to wave Mal.

---

River adjusted the hard cap she was wearing, making sure all her hair was underneath. She was in borrowed silks, and they were a little big, but she'd taken time the night before to paint Serenity's name in Chinese on a square of fabric, and she now wore this tied to her chest with tapes.

Casmir put down his head and pushed at her slightly, as if telling her to get up on his back. She laughed and leaped lightly into the saddle, settling her feet in the high stirrups.

"Ready," she whispered, and back on Serenity Freya smiled.

---

"… and riding Casmir at 100-1 is K L Frye." The announcer couldn't have put more disinterest into his voice if he'd tried.

"She up?" Hank asked, sliding in next to Zoe.

"Ready, I guess." Zoe watched the young psychic. If she hadn't known River was a woman, she'd be hard pressed to tell her sex. "Everything okay?"

"Fine and dandy. They're waiting."

"Then that's all we can do too."

Hank nodded then looked around. "Where's Harry and Monty?"

---

Casmir was ready. His ears were pricked forward, and as he was led into the electronic stalls he was tamping the soil with his hooves.

"Easy," River murmured with both her voice and mind.

He understood and settled a little.

"Okay?" Howell called from the stall next to her.

She smiled. "Shiny."

He gave her the thumbs up, then concentrated on getting his own mount ready. River watched him from the corner of her eye, the way his hands comforted the big bay beneath him, how he murmured soothing words continuously. He'd been lucky - Osiris Lad's regular jockey had been thrown during the previous event and deemed unfit to race. The only other registered rider available at such short notice was Howell, and much to the consternation of the other jockeys he was now up on the favourite. The odds were lengthening somewhat, but not by that much. Everyone pretty much knew Osiris Lad could win this with a sack of oats on his back. That didn't stop Howell from giving it his best.

The lights in front of them turned red. It was the signal that all the stalls were filled and any second now … the lights flashed green, the barrier went up, and they were off.