Considering the short amount of time given to prepare the wedding, the accommodations were nice, yet simple. With the exception of her two families, the biological one and the one on Serenity, Kaylee had several local relatives and family friends that would be in attendance. The ceremony was held, of all unlikely places, at the foot of Serenity’s cargo ramp, according to the Chinese tradition that the wedding is held at the groom’s home, and the man who would join Kaywinnit Lee Frye and Simon Tam in holy matrimony was none other than Captain Malcolm Reynolds. “But Dear,” Kaylee’s mother had argued, “we have our family minister attending the wedding, anyway. He’s done hundreds of them.” “Your parents are right,” Mal had agreed. “I’m just a crusty old sailor. I mean, I *could* do it; I got that power as a captain.” “You should just go ahead and let Pastor Michaels take care of it,” Carl had added. Kaylee smiled sweetly and shook her head. “Nah, let Pastor Michaels sit in the audience and relax. I wanna put my sweet, dear captain in the spotlight.” Her expression had become serious at that point. “Unless, yanno, ya don’t *wanna* do it…” Well, much to his current state of deer-in-the-headlights, Mal had agreed to the ceremony, anyway. *Pastor Michaels needs to get his behind back up here. I got no ruttin’ idea what I’m doin’…* Mal wasn’t the only person present who had been roped into a position of honor on this most propitious of occasions. Simon had originally slated Gabriel to be his Best Man, but his innocent, sweet sister informed him that Gabriel would be much happier being left alone to enjoy the wedding from the back. Simon had, therefore, drafted Jayne as the best man, a decision that, a year previous, would have gotten him a laugh at best and a rough shove into the nearest wall at worst. Instead, Jayne had nearly fallen over himself with gratitude. *Dunno what’s gotten into him,* Mal thought, *but it’s better’n how he used to be…* As for Kaylee, she had four women to choose from and no way to make up her mind. As a result, she chose all four, her sister, Betsy, being chosen as the Maid of Honor. The three Bridesmaids, in order, were Inara, Jessie, and River. Kent, Kaylee’s younger brother, served as a Groomsman for Simon. That pretty much covered everything for the wedding, Mal noted, leaning against the hatch frame at the top of the ramp. He glanced back over the heads of those gathered and seated in time to catch Zoe, standing in the back, leaning over to whisper something into Gabriel’s ear. *What grouches,* he thought jokingly. *Only two who ain’t a part of the wedding…* ************************************************************************

“Looks like we’re the only ones who lucked out, huh?” Zoe murmured into Gabriel’s ear. “Nah,” Gabriel joked back. “We just ain’t loved enough to be included.” Zoe chuckled. “That must be it.” She crossed her arms across her middle and sighed as she scanned the scene. “Ya can’t help but feel happy for ‘em, though,” she mused. “I shoulda seen this wedding comin’ from a mile away.” Gabriel shrugged. “They were already together when I boarded, so, yanno…” There was a pause, and then Zoe arched an eyebrow in Gabriel’s direction. “Any idea what I should be lookin’ for in you an’ River?” Gabriel looked startled by the question. “Um, I ah… What?” Zoe smiled at the young man’s stumbling. “You heard me. I’m just kiddin’, though. How are things goin’ between you, two, anyway?” She held up a hand defensively. “Not that it’s any of my business, of course.” Gabriel poked at the dirt with the toe of his right boot. “It’s goin’ good,” he assured her. “It really is. I, um…” He frowned at the impression in the dirt his toe had made and kicked it away, blending it back into the ground. He finally looked up and met Zoe eye-to-eye. “Her meds are really, really workin’ now, an’ that’s real good for our relationship.” Zoe nodded. “How have you been?” Gabriel smiled a bit pensively. “Pretty out of it,” he explained, “but River follows me around like a dotin’ mother, makin’ sure I remember things an’ keepin’ me straight.” He started poking backward with his foot at this point, making a second indentation with his heel. “What about you?” he inquired, changing the subject. “Been enjoyin’ yerself?” Zoe nodded. “Yes. Like I said, I’m happy for Kaylee and Simon. Kinda digs my pain over my husband in a little deeper, but that don’t mean I ain’t happy.” She nudged Gabriel a bit with her elbow. “Leave the dirt alone.” Gabriel grinned and smoothed the dirt out again. “Sorry. Decidedly twitchy.” “I noticed.” Zoe cleared her throat. “Listen, whatever happens, I want you to make sure all the decisions you make are decisions that’ll make you happy. Don’t get distracted by our way of life or by the fei hua that happens to us.” She gazed off into the distance, lost in memories. “If the captain and I had never met Wash, he’d probably still be alive today.” She looked back to Gabriel. “But I wouldn’t want to trade the time we spent together for anything in the ‘Verse. You kinda see the point I’m tryin’ to make?” Gabriel nodded. “Yeah, I’m catchin’ yer toss.” He smiled wryly. “Don’t worry; it’d take a crow bar the size of Serenity to pry me an’ River apart.” Zoe nodded. “Glad to hear it, Gab.” ************************************************************************

“Don’t think I can do this,” Jayne grunted, fumbling once again with the tie on his spur-of-the-moment rental that was too small in the chest and too big in the britches. “Dunno if I can go through with it.” “Just relax,” Simon soothed as he combed at his hair in the mirror. “Take a deep breath. You’ll make it through this.” “It’s jus’ a lotta responsibility,” Jayne continued. “This is a big day for me, yanno. A big step. I gotta get up there in front of all sorta people, an’ this outfit *really* ain’t becomin’ on me.” He nudged Simon out of the way to check himself in the mirror again. “Yeah, definitely ain’t becomin’ at all.” “Would you quit?” Simon urged, steering Jayne clear of the mirror. “You’d think *you’re* the one getting married today.” “Who, me?” Jayne chuckled. “Yeah, me gettin’ hitched. That’ll be the day.” Simon sighed and turned from the mirror. “Do you think you can manage to stand behind me out there and not move around, or is that too large of a burden?” He straightened the tie that Jayne had been fondling. Jayne cleared his throat. “Nah, I’ll be okay, I guess.” He shrugged. “Standin’ ain’t too hard of a thing, is it?” “No, Jayne, it’s not.” Jayne sized up Simon for a moment, then clapped a meaty hand onto each shoulder and squeezed. “I got some words of inspiration for ya, Doc,” he began. “An’ if ya tell anyone I said this, I’ll make it a short marriage.” Simon tried to keep himself from grinning. “Fair enough.” Jayne heaved a sigh. “I always thought o’ li’l Kaylee like a little sister I never got, so ya treat ‘er right, ya hear? Ya treat ‘er *real,* *real* right.” Simon waited a moment for more, but that was all that there was. He frowned in amusement. “That’s it? You think we don’t all know how you feel about Kaylee? How-” Jayne closed his eyes and held up a hand. “Say no more, Pal,” he interrupted. “Say no more. I’ve said my peace, an’ I’m done.” He took a step back. “There; that’s it.” Simon wasn’t sure how, or if, he should respond to such an instance of complete babble. Finally, he just laughed. “Come on,” he urged. “Let’s get out there.” Jayne held out a hand. “Lead the way, Hubby.” ************************************************************************

Simon’s heart shot into his throat and made him choke as Kaylee neared the ramp in her gorgeous green dress, her face veiled, on a carriage carried by her three brothers and her father. The rest of her immediate family trailed behind her in the procession. Simon’s knees began to shake uncontrollably as the procession came to a halt and the carriage was lowered. Kaylee’s father helped her down from the carriage and walked her to her place next to Simon. Were he at anyone else’s wedding, Simon may have made note of the unique blend of wedding traditions. In the Core Worlds, it was more likely that families would stick to one tradition or one particular area of tradition. This, however, was not someone else’s wedding. This was *his* wedding, and the only thing on Simon’s mind at that moment was the angel gliding to a halt at his side. Mal smiled nervously and nodded to each of the eight people standing before him and cleared his throat. “Uh… We are gathered here today to…” He swallowed thickly. “…to bring these two kids together in a bond of marriage.” He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. “Either of you got any special vows that you wanna say to each other?” Kaylee smiled through her veil. “Don’t got too much that words can express,” she admitted. “But I’ll love you my whole life, Simon Tam. You are the other half of me.” Mal nodded. “And you?” he continued, looking to Simon. Simon’s voice was locked in his throat with a Class III, five-digit combination entematium lock. He was actually afraid to say anything at all for fear that all he would do was squeak. Somehow, he managed to utter a strange, hoarse sigh, and that was all it took to release the flood of emotion that had dammed up inside of him. “Kaylee, I’ve done many things in my life. I’ve visited cities so large that they spanned large areas of continents. I’ve headed my own surgical team of the best professionals in the ‘Verse. Never, in my entire life, have I felt truly happy.” He reached out and took Kaylee’s hands in his. “For the first time, I can honestly say that I now know what happiness is, and whenever I hear the word, I will think of you. I love you.” “Good stuff,” Mal commented after a moment of pause. “Kiss her. Yer now husband and wife.” ************************************************************************

Everyone began to clap as Simon took Kaylee into his arms and embraced her in an electric kiss. Sparks could almost be seen around their heads, if one had an active enough imagination. When finished, the couple moved to a large table stacked with lai see and sat. The red-packaged presents were presented to them by several family friends, and they began to open the presents as friends and family toasted the newlyweds and generally celebrated with drink and dance. Zoe moved to Mal’s side. “Are you going to give a toast?” she inquired. Arms crossed at his middle, Mal shook his head. “Nah, I ain’t no good with words.” He arched an eyebrow at his first mate. “Didn’t I make that obvious already today?” Zoe smiled a bit. “Maybe, Sir. Just maybe.” Gabriel slinked over as inconspicuously as possible. “Hey,” he muttered. Mal and Zoe frowned at the young man. “What’re you actin’ so sneaky about?” Mal inquired. “There are three women here who I’m convinced wanna dance with me,” Gabriel explained. “I’m tryin’ to hide in plain sight.” “Get your butt out here,” River ordered, appearing from nowhere and grasping Gabriel by the hand. “Good on ya,” Zoe commended as the poor guy was dragged away. “Claim ‘im before someone else does.” The two viewed the rest of the proceedings from a purely spectator viewpoint, knowing that the lightheartedness and joy would not last. ************************************************************************

“Hate to see ya go so soon,” Carl told Kaylee and Simon as the rest of the crew began preparing Serenity for takeoff. “But… I suppose you all need to keep on the move, huh?” “It’s for the best,” Simon admitted. “The longer we stick around here, the more dangerous it is for you and your family.” “Well,” Ann added seriously, “now there’s another member of the family, and the two of you will be Lord knows where for quite awhile.” “We’ll be okay, Mama,” Kaylee assured her father. As the other crewmembers began to gather, the new couple moved to wish Kaylee’s siblings goodbye. “Mr. Frye,” Mal spoke, shaking the older man’s hand. “Thank you for having us, even with such short notice.” “That’s fine, Captain,” Carl returned. “Brought a spark of excitement into an otherwise dull life. Safe flying.” Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and Inara nodded their thanks and boarded the ship. River and Gabriel began to follow them, but River stopped, bringing Gabriel to a halt as well. “When your little world here turns upside down,” River suggested, “keep to yourselves. Don’t take sides, and don’t take action. You and your family will be just fine.” “I’d take her advice,” Gabriel added. “Cryptic as it may be now, you’ll know exactly what she’s talkin’ about when it happens.” Carl and Ann both nodded. “We’ll keep it close in mind,” Carl assured them. Without another word, the two youngest members of Serenity boarded the ship. Kaylee and Simon returned to wish their final goodbyes. “Simon,” Carl spoke, “you take good care of my little girl. I hope to see you both here again under lighter circumstances.” “Very soon,” Ann commented, eyeing her husband suspiciously, “you’ve gotta explain to me exactly what that’s supposed to mean.” Kaylee hugged them both, wishing them farewell. Then, the two climbed Serenity’s cargo ramp. The ramp rose, Carl and Ann retreated to a safe distance, and Serenity ascended into the sky, disappearing into the distance in a roar of engine fury. “Dear,” Carl spoke absently, “we are in for one hell of a ride.”