Title: Pirate Children Rating: PG (a little bit of Firefly swearing) Setting: approximately 15 years post-BDM, AU Pairings: mostly M/I, references to Z/W, S/K, Jayne/Vera Summary: “Several days later, when the Serra household has recovered from the visit of the Serenity crew, Zuri receives a message over the Cortex.” Author's Note: Thanks for the great feedback! I’ve been surprised by the response. Warning: If you thought the previous parts were fluffy, be prepared for so much syrupy sweetness that your teeth are in danger. Be on the look-out for some less (and more) sugary installments in the future. -0- Indicates video. Epilogue Several days later, when the Serra household has recovered from the visit of the Serenity crew, Zuri receives a message over the Cortex. It’s a text message with several video files attached, from Serenity. Mrs. Serra, I know stuff between you and Inara is still a little rocky, and I’ll probably get in trouble for this, but you’re Abe and Serra’s grandma, and I thought you’d like these. Around here, I’m known as the crazy camera lady, so I went through all of the captures I’ve taken over the years and picked out a few that I think you’ll like. I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to Inara. Thanks! Kaylee Tam Zuri opens the first video file and hears sweet Mrs. Tam’s voice say: -0- “Aww, Cap’n…” “What are you doing, Mal?” Inara looks down from her reading, propped against the arm of the couch, to where her husband lays, long body covering her legs and talking to her rounded stomach. She looks to be about six months along. Her eyebrows are raised. “Talkin’ to my son,” the captain answers defensively but with a hint of a smile. “Boys only, so go away ladies. And shut that gorramn camera off, Kaylee.” “Cap’n! Language! There are young, impressionable ears runnin’ around this ship. Don’ know when Lolly or Kacey’ll run on in here.” Inara is smiling now. “Mal, I can’t exactly ‘go away’ if you still want to talk to your son. We’re kind of attached.” Reynolds smiles, rubbing a hand over her stomach, “That ya are. Well, you don’t listen. You, take that camera somewhere else.” “You spoil all my fun, you mean old man.” The camera shuts off as a small voice calls for “Mommy”. -0- Zuri has tears in her eyes now, rewinding and freezing at the image of her glowing pregnant daughter. She smiles, thinking she’ll make that one a still-capture. She moves onto the next file, which is immediately noisy with the sound of laughter and conversation, much like filled this house when the crew was over for lunch. -0- “Well, what do ya have to say for yourself, birthday boy?” The camera focuses on an icing-covered toddler, grinning impishly. “Hi, Aunt Kaylee.” “Abe, what do you say to Aunt Kaylee for your cake?” Inara’s voice calls from off-screen. “Thanks, Aunt Kaylee,” the toddler beams, holding out two messy hands. “How old are you today, Abram?” the camera woman asks. Abe’s brow is furrowed for a moment while he tries to fold his fingers. A man’s hand comes across the screen to help form the small hand into a three. “Thanks, Daddy,” he giggles. “Abey, let’s go play spaceships! Bring your new one,” a little boy’s voice comes in, followed by the coffee-skinned boy dashing in to pull on the toddler’s arm. “Wait,” Inara’s voice calls. She takes over the frame to wipe Abe’s face and hands with a napkin, kissing his cheek. “Go play, baby.” -0- Zuri settles more comfortably into a chair with the viewer, opening the next file with a smile. -0- “Workin’ on those legs, Mei-Mei?” the voice behind the camera laughs. The camera focuses on a dark-haired infant standing in front of a small circular table, holding herself up. “She’ll be walking any day now,” Inara smiles, seated in a low chair behind the baby, hands out to catch Serra if she totters. “Well, that’s shiny.” “And terrifying,” the mother adds, “They’ll all move too quickly then.” The camera zooms in even more, the dark eyes of the baby girl staring intently past the camera. A male voice is heard from behind, and the baby points and whines, “Da-da!” The camera swings around. “Hey, Cap’n. Zoe. Little Mei-Mei here’s fixin’ to walk.” Reynolds smiles and waves towards his daughter, who calls for him again, and then turns back to Zoe. They seem to be talking over something important. “Mal,” comes Inara’s startled voice off-screen. “I think you should pay attention to her.” Reynolds looks confused and shifts his attention to the little girl as the camera moves over. The baby has let go of the table and is slowly stumbling towards her father, calling for him. “Oh, whoa, baby-mine.” Reynolds is in front of her in a second, on his knees, catching her as she falls into him. His grin is huge as he lifts her up and spins her around. “Fine work, Mei-Mei,” he laughs, settling her high in his arms. She grins, showing a smattering of teeth, and nuzzles into his neck. He looks to his wife with a wide smile. “Her first steps.” Inara joins them with a smile and kisses Serra’s head. -0- The tears are back as the scene freezes on the trio. Zuri opens the next file with heavy sigh. -0- “Here are Serenity’s young scholars, hard at work. Gonna go off and change the ‘verse someday,” Kaylee Tam narrates, panning the camera over the four children around a long wooden table, books open and pens in hand. “Aw, Aunt Kaylee, I’m never gonna leave Serenity,” little Mei-Mei calls from her place beside Abram. She’s very young, maybe five, and seems to be working on writing her letters in English. “Going to,” the voice of Alistair Caramia corrects, not harshly, from off-screen. “We use correct grammar during lessons.” “Right. Sorry. Aunt Kaylee, I’m never going to leave Serenity.” “Mei-Mei, you’ll have to leave someday. Serenity won’t be able to fly forever,” Abe says, the camera shifting over to him, “Someday it will just fall right out of the sky. Probably when Kacey is flying it.” “Bi zui!” (Shut up) Kacey grouses, mostly playfully, leaning across the table to thwap Abe in the back of the head and steal a silly face at the camera. “Focus,” is the tutor’s patient response from where she leans over Mei-Mei’s shoulder, checking her letters. “He’s right, though, Mei-Mei,” Lolly adds, and Kaylee moves the camera over to her daughter. “Someday Serenity will die. She’s a good ship, but she’s old. Mom’s kept her in the air for a really long time, ‘cause she’s such a great mechanic.” “Because.” “Because she’s such a great mechanic.” “Thanks, Leila Lee.” “You’re welcome, Mommy.” When the camera returns to Serra she looks stricken. “But… not for a long time, right, Bubba?” “Right, Mei-Mei,” Kaylee hurries to assure the little one, knowing the older children’s talk has worried her. “Serenity’s got plenty of years left on her, don’ you worry none.” “Any,” Lolly corrects, a hint of a tease in her voice. “Don’t worry any.” “Has,” Kacey corrects the earlier error just as cheerfully. “Serenity has plenty of years…” “As I said,” Kaylee says, “Serenity’s scholars, going to run off and change the ‘verse through excellent grammar.” The children, all of whom are in the shot now, giggle at that and ham it up for the camera, making silly faces and jumping over each other. “Hey,” comes Ally’s stern voice. “Focus.” -0- A smile replaces the tears, the screen freezing on the four students bent repentantly over their studies. She moves to the last file and opens it, wondering what it will be. -0- “Ah! Scary room!” Mei-Mei says as she pops her head over the metal bars of a top bunk. She makes a goofy face, and the camera operator giggles girlishly. The camera pans over a small room strewn with clothes, books, papers, and the occasional toy. “The boys are gonna freak, Mei-Mei,” the camera girl, Lolly, warns, returning the camera to the young girl on the upper bed. This one is more recent. “We’re not supposed to be in here without their permission. Especially in their beds.” “That’s why it’s a secret mission, Lolly. ‘Sides, I’m not scared of Bubba. Gotta get this craziness on camera. How do they live this way? It smells so gross! Did something die in here?” She holds her nose and waves her hand in front of her nose. “Besides any sense of cleanliness, no, I don’t think so.” “The moms are not going to be happy,” Mei-Mei singsongs. “Nope. Our rooms were supposed to be clean by lunch time.” “What do you think their punishment’s gonna be? I hope it’s septic vac. For a month,” Mei-Mei giggles evilly. “They probably wouldn’t mind that; they practically live in a septic vac.” “Hey! What’s goin’ on in here?” The girls squeal, and Mei-Mei ducks under the covers. Lolly shuts off the camera just as one of the boys cries: “Get out of our room!” -0- Zuri laughs after that video, remembering Serra contorting into different silly expressions for the camera as she played investigative reporter. She composes a quick thank-you to Mrs. Tam and shuts off the Cortex console after sending it. As she moves to leave the desk, she notices a sheet of still-capture paper resting on top of a few books piled on the desktop. It’s Abram and Serra, the sister on the brother’s back, chin resting on his shoulder, her twin braids dangling. They both grin sweetly for the camera. Zuri flips the photo over. Lao-lao, Thank you for letting us stay with you and showing us a little bit of Sihnon. We’re really glad we got to meet you. Serra and I took this for you, something to remember us by until we come back. Love, Abram and SERRA Reynolds The note is obviously in Abe’s print, but Mei-Mei signed her own name twice as big as the rest of the words on the note, which Zuri thinks is very true to character. She props the picture up next to Sue Ling’s most recent school portrait, happy that now all three of her grandchildren smile at her whenever she goes to use the Cortex. *** Life quickly goes back to normal on Serenity. The children have lessons and chores everyday. Whenever they’re not working, they chase each other from bow to stern, despite multiple warnings to “Walk!”. The adults go about their jobs: Wash and River pilot, Mal captains, Zoe actually runs the ship, Kaylee keeps Serenity running, Simon bandages up the skinned knees the kids bring to him when they fall from running around the ship, Ally teaches, Inara keeps the records straight and food on the table, and Jayne, well, he does whatever Zoe tells him to. The Washburn men continue to make their matriarch laugh, the Tam women continue to keep the ‘verse bright, and the Reynolds family continues to bicker from one side of the ‘verse to the other. There are, however, many more waves to Sihnon.