RIVER'S NEW ROOM AND LIBATIONS ~~~~~

River hadn’t waited for Simon to heal; he had to do that for himself, or so he thought. Kaylee would give him the love he so desperately needed. Rill was the highlight of his life. River’s job was to bring him down to earth – or so the saying went.

~~~~~

When Mal had offered her Kaylee’s old quarters River was ecstatic, a place away from Simon. Decorating had taken the better part of two months; supplies being scarce, and coin scarcer, It surprised her that she cared so much, Finally her place was ready.

~~~~

It was at lunch that River announced that she would be moving out of the passenger dorm. Simon’s protest was silenced by his wife’s hand on his arm.

“It’s not as if she was moving away, just down the hall aways.” Kaylee said soothing his emotions.

“Captain Daddy is protector not Reaver!” River proclaimed.

Jayne jerked aware, the way he always did when Reavers were mentioned. “Gorram it girl, we don’t need you jinxing us!”

“Shut it Jayne!” Mal said just loud enough to be heard at the other end of the Mess.

“Just ‘cause you’re calling yourselves daddy and daughter don’t mean…”

“SHUT UP!” Inara’s exclamation startled the crew. Jayne just looked confused. “Who the Captain chooses to love is=none=of=your=business. How they feel towards one another is beautiful” With that said she smiled a Mal, not one of her well schooled smiles, but an honest one that spoke of a school girls crush.

River jumped up and grabbed Mal by the hand, pulling him from the table. “Come see, Come see,” Simon started to stand, “No! Just Captain Daddy.”

“I don’t…”

“It’s alright son,” Book interrupted, “The Captain is an honorable man. Isn’t that right Sir?" Book stared at his Captain.

“He’s no Reaver.” River said with a roll of her eyes. “Come see!” She continued pulling on Mal.

“Alright little one. It is a captain’s privilege to see what she’s done to his ship.” Mal said, politely following his hand.

Kaylee saw Inara looking after Mal.

“Simon,” she whispered, “look after Rill. ‘Nara needs me.” Simon kissed her cheek with a wry smile, a smile she liked and hoped was a good sign of his recovery – a recovery moving too slow.

Inara had moved to the hatch, looking after Mal, tears softly escaping down her cheeks.

“’Nara,” Kaylee asked putting her arms around her friend, “are you OK?”

With a smile Inara turned embracing Kaylee. “He’s learning to open up. Kaylee maybe…”

~~~~~

Mal was impressed with River’s quarters, even more so when she turned the lights out.

~~~~~

Mal had a smile on his face when he entered the Mess. “Ladies,” He announced to the room. “River cordially invites you to her house warming party. Starting as soon as you arrive. If you would take some mugs with you, she has snacks and libations. It would be a kindness if you would keep our resident psychic from getting drunk.”

Jayne smacked his lips and smiled, “Snacks?”

“Just for the ladies Jayne. I don’t know if she’ll invite the men later.”

“Ain’t fair Mal, givin’ out food, it ought to be shared, even like,”

“Jayne, she bought it herself, with her own coin. You cause any trouble…”

“I believe the boy understands.” Book interjected, “Wouldn’t want any unpleasantness to mar a happy occasion.”

“Could be Preacher, just want to be clear.” Mal stated, glaring at Jayne.

~~~~~

The ladies stop at the entrance to River’s quarters to admire the sign that had replaced Kaylee’s name. It was a beautifully drawn river that spelled out River’s name, surrounded by multicolored twinkling lights.

“You’ve got to admit,” Kaylee says, “My sister-in-law has style.”

With a soft grate the door swings open and a smiling River beckons them in.

The room is draped in soft fabrics, blues and greens which hide the storage shelves and gives the room a very soft feeling. There is a brown rug and the bed is draped with a plush comforter in yellow that she had received from Inara. In the background were bird sounds playing from a recording from the cortex. The room spoke of soothing.

“Wow,” Kaylee exclaims, “It looks great!”

“I’ll say, “Inara adds, “You do have a gift River.”

“What did the Captain say?” Zoë asked.

“Look up.” River instructed, turning off the lights.

Across the ceiling of her quarters River had painstakingly mapped out constellations with some of the smallest lights Kaylee had ever seen.

“Well we know what Mal liked anyway.” Zoë said too more than a few snickers.

“Simon always said you like it in the black.” Kaylee asked, “Has he seen this?”

“Simon doesn’t like looking into the black.” River said. “Too much nothingness.”

“It can be overwhelming, especially to the Core born where stars aren’t easily seen.” Inara offers.

“I like it!” River said defensively.

“I wasn’t being critical River.” Inara explains, “I also like it, it’s peaceful.”

“And quiet.” River adds wistfully.

“You’re definitely your Captain Daddy’s little girl.” Zoë said with a laugh.

The next hour was spent talking and laughing, while drinking the cordial and eating chocolate and/or strawberry cookies. Inara was coaxed into singing an aria followed by Zoë and Kaylee belting out a bawdy space chanty. River amazed them with a ballad of lost love. The party broke up after the last of the libations, it wasn’t a large bottle to begin with, had been downed.

~~~~

The afternoon was still early as Kaylee made her way to the engine room. Thankfully Serenity was humming along without a care in the world, so Kaylee decided to check on her daughter and husband. They were napping. She stood over her daughter, in her crib, marveling that such a piece of perfection could come out of her. She looked over at Simon, looking more at piece than he did when awake.

A nap, Kaylee thought, was just what she needed. Stripping out of her coveralls she knocked her mug off the dresser, causing a loud crack to sound through the room.

To Kaylee’s horror, Simon spasmed out of bed and cowered in the corner beside the bed, while Rill started screaming.

At that second River charged into the room and picked up her screaming niece. “Simon needs you more. Rill just needs to know she’s loved, doesn’t like loud noises. Brother’s having waking nightmare, go to him.” She ordered. “Needs reality, not fantasy.”

Kaylee slowly approached her husband and took his hand. This was a man who didn’t break, wouldn’t break, just needed to be led home. She gently took his hand and placed it on her bare stomach, making sure he could feel her bullet wound scar.

“Kaylee…” Simon barely said, then looked at her and grabbed her in more of a clutch than a hug. “Are you ok?”

“With you here how could I not.” Kaylee soothed.

“Why am I on the floor?”

“It was just a nightmare sweetheart.” Kaylee cooed, feeling his heart racing faster that she had ever felt it before.

“Is Rill ok?”

“She’s with her Aunt River.”

Simon looked down, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, the Alliance done this to you. But you never broke and that’s sayin’ something. Simon you need to believe in you own strength, I didn’t marry a weakling.”

~~~~~

Later when River returned Rill to her crib, she looked at her brother and his wife on the bed, still holding each other . She pulled a sheet over them, pausing to kiss Simon on the forehead and softly said, “Biggest Damn Hero.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Nothing to do with the story, but i'm looking for a beta...