Thanks for all the reviews. This should be the final chapter, though I'm really contemplating an epilogue dealing with the surprise in this chapter. Let me know?

Chapter Seven

Zoë climbed out of the airshaft ahead of Wash, reaching up to take River from him. The girl whined quietly, and she felt bad for the brightness of the lights.

"River! River, mei-mie…" Simon said loudly, his panic causing him to forget the obvious sound issues. The Shepard was mouthing a quick prayer of thanks and as Wash jumped down Zoë became aware of the sheer oppressiveness of the sound in the area.

She shifted River to use the better part of her shoulder to block River's face. "Doctor, shh. Her migraine's real bad. I'm going to take her to our bunk, it's quiet in that part of the ship."

Simon nodded. "I'm going to grab her medication and I'll meet you there."

Zoë nodded, and walked past Mal, who was looking at them with worry. Very gently, he reached a hand out and laid it on River's shoulder. River returned the favor by opening her eyes for a moment, and then closing them again as the light hurt too bad.

"River!" Kaylee said, her voice hushed but full of excitement as she rounded the corner.

"Easy there," Wash said, leading the way towards their bunk. "Visitations later. Naptime now."

Zoë put her down in the bunk gently, making sure to keep all the water from the puddle and not spilling any of her.

She opened her eyes again, relieved that the light was off. "Ge-ge?"

"No, he's not here yet," the Warrior responded back. "Wash headed back to fly the ship, it's just me."

River turned to face her voice, following the tan and green and beige radiating off the woman. "The Warrior and the dinosaur came, even though the Warrior saw a terrible thing."

The Warrior was honest, that's why she was so safe, and she agreed despite not wanting to remember a second time. She sat down next to River. "Yes."

River seemed fitfully asleep when Simon showed up, and Zoë met him at the door of the bunk. "She's sleeping. Want to give me the medication and let me give it to her?"

Simon nodded, but headed briefly over to the small shape of his sister and kissed her on the forehead. "Glad to have you back, mei-mei." He turned to Zoë. "I'm going to need to have a conversation with her about being up there."

Zoë nodded. "Give her a little bit."

"Of course. Thank you," Simon headed out, and then turned over his shoulder. "Kaylee's dying to see her."

"I'll ask her when she wakes up." Zoë agreed, and Simon quietly shut the door.

The girl woke again and the Warrior hadn't left. Trustworthy. Needed to trust herself, she'd be fine. She'd understand.

The girl rolled over, and then nearly splattered again, making a terrible internal groaning noise. She was almost Serenity. The Warrior helped her up and over to the toilet, and she splattered and then sat back. The Warrior helped her back onto the bed.

"You want to take your medication, sweetheart?"

The girl nodded, and swallowed her medication. The Warrior handed her a package of seaweed crackers and some water. River nodded again, drank the water and ate a cracker so the little circle stayed down.

"Kaylee wants to see you."

"Sunbeam's too bright. The girl will die."

The green deepened, and the tan grew softer, gentle. "Let's check back in an hour."

The girl nodded, grateful not to have to say anything else. "She is sorry for splattering in the Warrior's toilet."

"It's not a problem, River."

"You are getting used to the smell," the girl noted. "It comes most mornings. But it's not a nail in the head, it's something else. Not beesting bellies. Different."

Zoë sighed. Of course she knew.

"How long have you known?"

"The birds stopped singing. Bad. Unhappy nest. The girl was sad, she was hurt and the bitter was inside her, turning her gray, no music. Making her worse. Wants to be better, be a good friend, safe arms. Soft heart. The egg is growing, little chick, needs a soft nest, a safe nest."

"We've gotten much better down here. You helped us see that we were being petty. Thank you for bringing it to our attention."

River smiled gratefully. "The little one will sing turquoise."

"Turquoise?"

"With white edges. Already does. Little singing chick."

Zoë placed her hand over her belly. "Thank you, little one."

"She'll be beautiful."

And that's when the tears came to Zoë's eyes.

River slept a while and then woke, feeling considerably better. Zoë went and got Kalyee (who kept her voice low and soft, but her hugs made up for it), and the three of them shared Inara's chocolate in the dark.

River was up and going by breakfast the next day. Simon had came the night before to take her back to her own space, and had told her about how worried they were.

She knew, had felt their worry and it pricked and hurt and she told him.

He nodded and asked her if they could set a limit (boundary, line, fence) about her time up in the airshaft. They agreed that she'd talk to someone after a few hours, and if she didn't, someone would come up and get her.

She was pleased that he didn't say "don't go" or "ask to go." She felt strong, and safe, and had been missed. The little voice would be safe. If the girl felt the weapon, she could go, be calm and safe and no one would tell her not to come, to stay away, dangerous, bad. No. Good River. Safe River. Control.

Breakfast was fun, she was almost all not achy and everyone was pleasant. She sat next to Zoë and tapped her boot with her own bare feet. Zoë looked back and shook her head very slightly. After breakfast, she excused herself and River watched as her green took the dinosaur's orange and sat them both down in the bunk. Then she turned, and focused away.

"Wash," Zoë said gently, her voice very quiet. "I don't know how to say this."

Wash was perplexed. His Zoë never didn't know how to say anything. It's what he loved about her (well, one of the hundred thousand things he told her every week). "Just say it. Always works for you," he smiled.

"Okay. Mm. Do you know where we could by a crib?"

Wash's eyes grew wide, flicked from hers to her abdomen, and then reached out very gently, his hand shaking. Zoë found herself slightly choked up, and took his hand and placed it gently over her abdomen.

"River says she's a girl and is turquoise."

Wash just nodded, not saying anything.

"I was figuring we should tell the crew. Sooner rather than later, give Mal time to get used to it. Kaylee will be thrilled, Simon will have a thousand things to say. The gender we could keep quiet for now."

He nodded again, and then finally looked up and kissed her.

Zoë walked past River to where the rest of the crew was still lingering by the table. Zoë gave her a nod, and she trailed after, grinning.

"Everyone…" she said, getting all of their attention. She had it so planned out. So orderly.

But Wash beat her to it. "We're having a baby!"

The shrieking started as Kaylee leapt up, followed immediately by Simon's barrage of questions. Mal looked at her with wild, almost accusatory eyes.

Before she faced any of them, Zoë turned to River, who was staring at them, eyes wide and hands over her ears. They locked eyes for a moment, and then River, bare feet and eyes and all, headed to the airshaft and climbed into the dark, quiet safety.

"New voice, new person, and safe safe bug for a nest. The mommy and the daddy and the Captain Daddy and the scary-safe Jayne. And the doctor who will sneak her candy, and the man with the book of stories that don't make sense but mean nice things. And auntie Kaylee who'll let her be dirty, and auntie Inara who will help her feel clean up."

She laid down flat on Serenity's spine, counting, finding out who she forgot.

She giggled. How forgetful. "And auntie River who will keep the big noisy birds singing pretty. Pretty. Safe. Home."