Follows Chance Encounters and Constancy

Fathers (May 2528)

Simon sat at the dining room table with his parents and River, staring stonily ahead. After five days on the ship, he could tell his father was starting to get restless, and his mother seemed upset that he was not talking to her despite his assertions that he had nothing to say to them. She was persistent, however, and she had extracted a promise at dinner that they would sit and talk that night. He had reluctantly agreed at the time after Kaylee wisely pointed out, "Least you still got parents. Mine died 'fore I came on this ship. I wish I could go back and spend more time with them. You've got a chance."

Now, however, he was wishing he could take back his promise. They had spent twenty minutes simply staring at one another. Finally, his mother broke the silence. "So, what is it you do?"

"Same thing I did before. I'm a doctor. I help out the crew when they're injured or sick and also help out on some of the outer moons and planets we visit." Of course, there were more bullet and knife wounds on Serenity than Simon had seen in all his years of medicine before joining the crew, but he was not going to tell his mother that.

"But what does the rest of the crew do?"

"Odd jobs mostly," Simon said. "We do a lot of transport on the border moons. Not many people want to fly out there, so we get steady business."

"Is that what you were doing on Osiris?"

"Yes, we were picking up some goods to deliver." In truth, they were stealing some surplus Alliance goods that the outer moons desperately needed. With few transports to the planets and the exorbitant Alliance taxes, most moons could not afford many of the things that people on the Core planets took for granted. Mal reasoned that it was only fair to even out the distribution of goods, and over the years, Simon had come to believe him. It was not exactly Robin Hood's stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, for they did sell the goods but at a fraction of the cost.

"I couldn't help but notice that the crew is quite heavily armed. Do you come across much trouble in your. . . transport?" his father asked. Simon turned to him with a glare. It was clear that Gabriel Tam knew exactly what the crew of Serenity was up to even if his wife was happily oblivious. Simon was actually somewhat surprised he had not yet called the Alliance, but he supposed that deep down, his father did harbor at least a little affection for his children.

"The border moons can be. . . rough," Simon said half-truthfully.

"Is it really good to get involved in this trade then?" his mother worried. "Especially with your children. And your sister, too."

"I like the border planets," River declared. "Fun people, fun places. They're always different."

"I'm sure you do, Honey, but I think you would like your home at Osiris as well."

"No. Can't go back now. Too many things happened. Miranda happened." The last words were whispered, and River's eyes took on a faraway look. She rarely spoke about the events that occurred on Miranda, even eleven years later. Simon was not too surprised, for it had been a traumatic experience for them all even if it had brought about the best thing in his life.

"Who's Miranda, Honey?" his mother questioned, reaching out to touch her daughter. As soon as her hand touched River's shoulder, River jerked back.

"No!" she screamed. "No, no, no! They're dead! All dead! Just lying there, calm as can be. But not breathing. Not breathing anymore. Women and children and everyone. Just dead!" Her voice had grown frantic, getting louder with each word. Her screams echoed around the small dining hall, and Simon was sure that others on the ship could hear them as well.

"River, Honey, what's going on?" Simon's mother stood to approach her daughter, but River pushed her chair back with a clatter and stood as well.

"Stay away! She brings death. Only death. No life, no hope. Just death." She held her hands in front of her as a shield, and Simon's mother dropped her hand to her side, staring at her daughter in confusion. Simon, more accustomed to his sister's outbursts, stood and approached.

"River, mei mei, it's okay. Miranda's over," he soothed. "We found the truth. We showed it to the world. You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"We do. It's not over. It's never over. They're out there, still hunting." Her eyes were wild as they searched the room. They landed on her father, and she pointed at him. "Answers with him. He knows, knows more than he says. Brings death. Didn't see it before. Don't know why I didn't see it. Harder to see now. The medicine makes River calmer, but it stops her from seeing clearly. Muddy water. And a rock, it ripples. Disturbs the water, makes it difficult to look."

"River, you're talking nonsense," Simon's mother said, approaching her again after seeing her son had some success. "Your father is a good man. He wouldn't hurt you, and I won't either."

"No!" River's screams were deafening, and even Simon's pleas for her to calm down had no effect. "No, no, no!" She let out a blood curdling scream just as Mal walked in to the room. Simon's eyebrows rose as he noted that his torso and feet were bare.

"What in the suoyou zhege mingzi shi shensheng de is going on here?" he questioned, shouting so he could be heard over the noise. "We got eight children that I finally managed to get to sleep, and if her screamin' wakes them up, I'm gonna be a mite displeased."

"Sorry, Captain, I don't know what happened," Simon said, still reaching for River. "She started talking about Miranda and then just started screaming."

Simon watched Mal's lips tighten at the mention of Miranda. He nodded in understanding before approaching River. He placed a hand on each of her shoulders; surprisingly, she did not shy away but instead brought her eyes up to meet his. Simon noted that his parents were watching the exchange with interest, obviously curious about her trust in the large man before them after her rejection of them. "Albatross, come back to me now," Mal said, his voice low and soothing. "We're not there anymore. We're on Serenity now, deep in space. This is our territory. And I've got eight youngins who I'd appreciate stayin' asleep." River nodded, her scream dying away as she took in a deep breath. "That's it," Mal said, still holding her shoulders. "Breathe in deep. Nice and deep, Albatross."

"Children are sleeping?"

"That they are, and I want them to stay that way."

"River should sleep. You told me that sleep can solve many problems. Because when you wake up, it's a new day." She smiled at him, and he gave a half smile in return.

"Hmm, I must've been waxin' more philosophical than usual."

"Sing."

"Shenme?"

"Sing. When a mother wants her child to sleep, she sings to her. A lullaby."

"I could sing to you, River," her mother offered, stepping closer.

"No!" River stepped closer to Mal, using his body to block her mother. "Daddy sings."

Simon's father cleared his throat. "River, I'm not sure-"

"Not you," she snapped, interrupting. "Daddy." She smiled at Mal, making her meaning clear. She had called him "Daddy" a few times in the past, mostly when she was in one of her less lucid states. He generally protested the name, pointing out that he was much too young to be her father, but River persisted in her usual stubborn manner. Ever since her parents had boarded the ship, River had begun to refer to Mal as "Daddy" almost exclusively. Simon suspected she was simply doing it to irk them. Mal seemed to realize as well, for he had stopped protesting the name.

"I ain't no good at singin'." Mal insisted.

"You're not bad either," Inara remarked, entering the dining hall. She wore a loose kimono which was falling off of one shoulder, leaving a large patch of skin bare. Simon pressed the back of his hand to his mouth as he realized precisely what River's scream had interrupted. He was not overly surprised. Mal had complained about his and Kaylee's relationship, but the truth of the matter was that he and Inara were far worse. Once they admitted their feelings for one another, it was like a dam broke, and the water was still flowing. Simon had gotten an eyeful more than once, generally in the most unlikely places. Kaylee claimed it was sweet, but he simply wanted to scream at them to get a room. At least he and Kaylee had the decency to remain in the privacy of their bunk or, on rare occasions, the engine room with the doors locked.

"I don't want-"

"Just sing, Mal. It will help calm her down." After exchanging a look with his wife, Mal turned back to River who smiled encouragingly. Clearing his throat, he began to sing. Though he would not be winning any awards, Simon was surprised to realize he could actually carry a tune, and his deep baritone made his voice quite pleasant.

"I was born on a moon at the edge of the verse

Only boy in a family of five

Pa died ten years later and things then just got worse

We struggled to stay alive

But I won't forget the last thing he said

His push for my solemn vow

To take care of my family as the head

For I had become a man now

Some years later the Alliance started pushin' in

Takin what belonged to us

So I kissed my mother and my sisters then

And left to be the man that I was

My coat may be brown and my gun a mite old

My face may be smooth and round

But I'm a good soldier, I do what I'm told

And take the Alliance down"

The song continued in much the same vein for three more verses. It was not a lullaby by any stretch of the imagination; likely, it was an old Independence war tune, but it seemed to have the desired effect. River's eyelids started to droop, and by the final verse, she was leaning heavily against Mal, her breathing deep and even. "Do you want me-" Simon started, but Mal interrupted.

"I got her, Doc." He lifted her easily into his arms, her head pillowed on one arm and her legs dangling over the other. He winced slightly as he started to move, and Simon stepped forward to help, conscious of his injury, but he shook his head. As Simon moved away, his mother approached instead, but a single glare from Mal caused her to back away as well. With her out of the way, he strode quickly from the room.

"Simon, are you sure she's okay? Maybe we should check on her."

"She's fine, Mother. It's just been a stressful time."

"Which just means she needs her family all the more. Captain Reynolds-"

"He'll take care of her, Mother. He takes care of his crew."

His mother glanced suspiciously at Inara and then back at the door. "Are you sure we should leave him alone with her? River is a lovely girl, and I've seen how she looks at him. I think she has a bit of a crush on him." His mother's gaze moved back to Inara who was staring coolly at her, arms crossed in front of her. The low cut of the kimono exposed enough of her breasts that Simon's father's eyes had not left her, and even Simon, who was happily married to a beautiful woman, felt his heart race a bit faster. "And no offense to the captain, but it would be quite easy for him to take advantage of a willing girl who doesn't know any better while alone in her bunk."

"River doesn't have a crush on Mal," Inara declared firmly.

"I know he's your husband, dear, and I'm sure he's very devoted, but I know young women, and I've seen the way she looks at him."

"She looks at him like she loves him. Which she does. He's the closest person she has to a father out here, and he treats her like a daughter."

"River has a father," Simon's father protested, standing and approaching Inara, rage contorting his features. "I'm growing very tired of all you people acting as if you are somehow better than us. You're smugglers, all of you. Common criminals. You live in a rundown spaceship on the edge of the galaxy. You're all going to get yourselves killed, and I'm not going to see children of mine go down with you."

"We stopped being your children the minute you disowned us!" Simon shouted.

"I disowned you because you were acting crazy!"

"Pipe down, the lot of you," Mal demanded, re-entering the room and stepping between Simon's father and Inara. He glared at the other man for a moment until he stepped back. Simon noted that Mal's features had hardened, and he radiated a cold fury that Simon had rarely seen. Something had changed during the time that Mal had carried River to her bunk. He had never liked Simon's parents, but he had still tolerated them on his ship and had even stopped threatening them. Now, however, he looked ready to throw them out the airlock. "Sit," he instructed.

"I don't take orders from you."

"When you're on my ship, you do. Sit." Simon's father stared at the irate man a couple seconds more before deciding it would be in his best interest to sit. Simon was not surprised. Over the years, he had seen Mal intimidate men far larger and better armed than his father. In his current mood, Simon would not want to cross Mal for all the money in the verse. "Seems to me we have a bit of a problem," Mal said, his voice unnaturally calm as he paced in front of the table. "You see, River kept talking about betrayal. Got me thinkin'. I been flyin' with most of this crew more'n a decade now. Trust 'em with my life. Doubt they would betray me. So that only leaves a coupla options." His gaze fell on Simon's father, and Simon felt his own rage boil in his stomach as he realized that Mal had interpreted River's ramblings correctly. He was surprised he had not seen it before, but he was so intent on calming River that he had failed to consider her words.

"You didn't. . ." Simon began, the words trailing off.

"You can't prove anything," his father objected.

"Go search his room, Simon."

"Simon, don't you dare," his father warned.

"Go." Simon stared at the captain for a moment, worried about what might transpire while he was out of the room. Mal seemed to sense his fears, for he shook his head. "I won't hurt him 'til we figure out for sure what happened. Now go." Simon nodded and left, ignoring his father's protests. He entered their room in the passenger quarters, feeling a bit like an intruder, but he quickly squashed that feeling and moved to their bags. It did not take him long to find the com tucked in between a couple shirts. A quick search of recent waves provided all the proof Simon needed. With a growl of rage, he stormed out of the room and back to the dining room. He found the four people there in much the same position he left them in, Mal standing over his parents, his arms crossed with Inara beside him, a hand on his shoulder. His father returned Mal's stare, but his mother simply looked confused.

"Found it," Simon announced, holding up the com. Mal nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Simon was not finished. "Shenme shi diyu were you thinking, Father?" he shouted. "You waved the Alliance? There's a bounty on our heads! You're going to get us killed! And not just us either, but the rest of the crew."

"They won't kill you. They might put these criminals in jail where they belong, but I have friends in high places, Simon. I'll get you out."

Simon shook his head, his mouth open slightly in disbelief. "No you won't, Father. Your connections won't save me. More likely, they'll just throw you in jail as well."

"Simon, these people are criminals! They will get what they deserve!"

Simon scoffed. "What they deserve? What about the children? Did you ever think of what will happen to them? Or are they just getting what they deserve?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Ta ma di diyu, Father, did you even stop to think about the consequences? These people saved my life, multiple times. They've saved River's life. They've sheltered us, provided for us, kept us from the Alliance. And you throw that away with one ta ma de sha decision."

"There's nothing to throw away here, Simon. Don't you see?"

"Oh, I see plenty," Mal said, his voice low and threatening. "I see a man so blinded by fortune and fame that he turns his back on his own family when they threaten that." He stepped closer to Simon's father, leaning forward so he spoke directly in his face. "I've killed many men in my day, you know. And most of 'em did nothin' to me or mine."

"Are you threatening to kill me?"

"I'm tellin' you that if the Alliance catches up to us, you're gonna wish I killed you." Mal straightened and turned away from Simon's father. "'Nara, go get Jayne. Have him take Mr. Tam here to one of the passenger bunks and lock him in there. Tell him he can use the handcuffs. As for Mrs. Tam," he paused to search Simon's mother's frightened face, "she likely doesn't know anything 'bout this." Inara nodded, sweeping out of the room. "Simon, you okay to finish searching the room?"

"It would be my pleasure, Captain," Simon said.

"Good. You do that and then get Kaylee to take a look at that com. See if'n you can figure out what information he sent." Simon nodded and started toward the door. "Mrs. Tam, please go with him as well," Mal said, his voice still soft.

"I don't know-" she stammered.

"Go." Mal's voice was cold, and Simon's mother stood with a strangled cry and left the room. Simon followed her out, glancing back a final time to see Mal reach out and grab his father by his expensive coat, slamming him back against the table. Simon had a brief flashback to their first meeting when Mal had accused him of bringing the Alliance onto their ship and inadvertently hurting Kaylee in the process. Mal had been angry then, but it was different than the white-hot fury he displayed now. It almost made Simon feel sorry for his father.

Almost.