"This day is all set to be a tiring day." Mal stated to Zoe as he passed her on his way to the cargo bay.

"Yeah? Why's that, sir?" Zoe followed him down the stairs.

"Seems Kaylee's kid brother is coming aboard to check things over."

Zoe's forehead crinkled. "Oh? And you're allowing it?"

"Well, yeah." Mal looked a bit frustrated. "There were puppy eyes."

"Can't deny a beggin' woman." Zoe joked.

"I'm seriously hoping I don't end up regrettin' this."

"Always do, sir."

"Now, don't say that. It ain't always so!"

"It's shiny, Cap'n." Kaylee said. "Tucker wants to be a Captain someday. Just like you."

"He doesn’t want to be like me. He doesn’t even know me."

"I've told him things." Kaylee grinned mischievously. "Sides, he'll know ya soon enough."

Wash joined them. "Well, the mule's set. Are we ready?" He looked at Kaylee.

"Kaylee, you taking my husband somewhere?" Zoe asked casually.

"No. He's taking me."

Zoe raised an eyebrow and eyed Wash. He simply shrugged.

"Can’t resist Kaylee."

"Seems the trend." Zoe observed.

"Ain't that so." Mal grumbled. "Well, get goin' then. The sooner the kid gets here, the sooner he can leave." Kaylee just kept smiling.

"Okay then." Wash gave Zoe a quick kiss and started the mule. Kaylee settled in behind him.

"We'll be back in a jiffy!"

After the roar of the engine faded, Zoe turned back to Mal. "So, why wasn’t I in the know about all this?"

"I wasn’t even in the know 'til about half hour ago." Mal tried to defend himself from her harsh glare. "If you recall, this is the rock that we picked Kaylee up on." Zoe nodded. "She obviously told her family we were comin' here." His look was chagrinned. "I had to choice but to let her bring her brother."

It wasn’t more than thirty minutes before Wash pulled the mule up the ramp into the bay. By this time Jayne had joined Mal and Zoe in waiting.

"Whew." Wash exclaimed, wiping sweat from his face.

"It is no little bit hot out there." Kaylee agreed.

"No, it's many large bits." Wash added wryly.

The two of them climbed off the mule to reveal a teenaged boy. Besides the fact that his hair was pale blonde, Tucker Frye looked just like his sister. His eyes shone with awe as he dismounted the mule and looked around the cargo bay.

"This isn’t so bad." Mal observed to Zoe.

"Wait'll he starts talking." Wash said as he joined them.

As soon as he said it, the boy began to talk with Kaylee-like exuberance.

"Wow, a real ship, sis! You weren’t kiddin' after all. This thing goes out there into the Black?" He spun a circle, his eyes lighted on Jayne. "And this is the captain!" Jayne backpedaled at that, but couldn’t stop a grin. Kaylee burst out laughing.

"No, silly, that's Jayne. This is the captain." She shoved Mal forward. He awkwardly offered his hand to the youngster. His hand was gripped enthusiastically.

"Nice t'meetcha, Cap'n." The grin was impish, but genuine. Tucker glanced back at Jayne. "How'd you come upon a name like that?"

"Tucker." Kaylee scolded mildly.

"'S my name!" Jayne stated indignantly. "My ma gave it to me. An' that's that!" He looked for an escape.

"Heavens to Betsy and anyone else who wants to be heavens-ed to!" Wash said, straight-faced.

"I do." Everyone looked at Tucker. "Want to be hea- never mind." Kaylee grinned and led her brother aft.

"Huh." Mal said.

Mal spent the rest of the day trailing the excited Fryes. He wanted to make sure that the gorram kid wouldn’t mess up his ship any. Wash and Zoe retreated to the bridge, away from the excitement. Jayne was not seen again all day. It was anyone's guess where he had gone.

"Here's the common room, Tuck." Kaylee said, sitting down and patting the cushion beside her. He brother sat.

"Wow. You hang here much?"

"Not so much. I like the engine room."

"Yeh, you always did. You and dad." His attention shifted. "What's that?"

"Oh, that's the infirmary."

"Ohhh. You get much accidents?"

"More than you can imagine." Simon appeared around the corner.

"Simon! There you are!" Kaylee stood up. "Tucker, this is Simon. He's the doc."

Simon extended a hand.

"This the one yer so keen on?" Tucker eyed Simon.

Kaylee turned down the corners of her mouth. "Now, Tuck." She turned to Simon. "He just goes on."

Simon nodded. "Well, glad to meet you, Tucker. I must get back to River."

"A river? Where?" Tucker spun a circle.

Mal couldn’t help but laugh from his place near the door.

"Silly, River is Simon's sister."

Tucker's eyes lighted up. "Can I meet her, too? What's she do? Does she…" He couldn’t seem to think of a good job.

"She doesn’t really do much." Kaylee admitted hesitantly. "But she's a sweetie. Can Tucker meet her, Simon?"

"He can meet her. She will meet him." River entered the room, barefoot as was her wont.

Tucker grinned. "Hiya!" He held out his hand.

River studied his hand without taking it. "Mechanic. Ground craft, mostly. You don’t like it." She looked into his astonished face. "Not like her much."

His mouth hung open, no sound escaping it for the first time all day.

"You should be a veterinarian." River continued.

"River, maybe we should leave Kaylee and her brother alone." Simon took his sister by the shoulders.

Tucker finally found his tongue. "Yeah! A vet. I could do that. Couldn’t I, sis?" Then is face fell. "But I can't very easily be on a ship and be a vet at the same time."

"It's okay, Tucker." Kaylee said. "I'll show you the engine room now."

On their way to the engine room, they passed Inara. Mal overheard the conversation with mounting pleasure. The boy talked so fast that his tongue got a bit tangled. Mal could hear the amusement in Inara's voice.

The day wore on and Tucker visited every inch of the ship. Mal was forced to come along to escort the boy to various parts of the ship that were his specialty. He tried not to admit that there were very few. He was exhausted by the time the pale sun began to set.

He pulled Kaylee aside as her brother was chatting with Wash. "All right, Kaylee, it's time Wash took your brother back home."

He face fell. "Aw, but, Cap'n, can't he stay aboard the night? He'd like that."

"Not so much, Kaylee. I'm not gonna give into yer cunning anymore. He goes home now. That's final. Dong ma?" She nodded and went to tell her brother.

Zoe turned to Mal. "You stood up to the feminine wiles." He smirk was not well disguised.

"Had too." Mal sighed. "I'm all Tuckered out." ****

A/N: I think it could have had a stronger ending. I mean before the one-liner. I kinda fizzled.