So here it is, my Firefly Christmas story, written between December 2002 and February 2003, and released at my website on February 14, 2003, as a Valentine's present to Firefly fandom. It turned out to be longer and far more complex than I had originally envisioned. It contains some references to my previous story, "Bloodlines," involving Mal's backstory. Set sometime after "Objects in Space," it doesn't quite take into account the three unaired episodes.

No archiving, please.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. No infringement is intended on the rights of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, or 20th Century Fox TV. Oh, those crazy space monkeys--loose again! (c) HawkMoth, 2/13/2003.

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"All is Bright" by HawkMoth

Part One

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Wheel never stops turning.

Luck, whether you depend on it or not, is ever-changing.

Time, according to any form of reckoning, moves on, often without notice.

After a rough spell and some close calls, the crew of Serenity found themselves on the upside. A tip from one of Inara's favored clients led them to Tarquin, a Rim world settled longer than most, which could lay claim to being prosperous. Well, fairly prosperous. Definitely not poor, and seemingly void of any Alliance presence. At the very least, a place where they could contract for an actual honest day's work, ferrying construction materials from one side of the planet to the other.

They did the job well enough to be given another two days of such labors, the consequence being they wound up with almost as much cash as they'd earned selling off the drug haul from Ariel. It was a shiny realization.

After some consideration, Mal ordered Wash to set the ship down at the small space port outside of Tarquin's third largest settlement, figuring the first and second, which deigned to call themselves "cities," might be riskier propositions. Bountytown was smallish and simple, but still a pleasant place for shoreleave.

It was just past noon local time when the crew gathered in the common area, after Mal had divided up the take. "We worked hard for this," he said, handing over shares. "So I figure we've earned ourselves a bit of a holiday. Go on out, see the sights. Spend what you want, save what you can."

"How long have we got, Captain?" asked Zoe, as she and Wash counted up their combined pay.

"Think we'll take off day after tomorrow," he said, smiling as he gave Kaylee her pay. "If anyone wants to spend a night off-ship, just let me know."

"Shiny!" Wash murmured, giving his wife an arch look.

Book, sitting nearby, smiled knowingly as he tucked his money away. Then he glanced sharply at the captain, as if something important had just crossed his mind. With a quiet, "Excuse me," he got up and left.

Jayne looked up from his pile of cash, scowling. "Hey--this ain't right. I thought we got double pay on that last run!"

"We did," Mal replied evenly, though the look he gave Jayne was icy. "Enough so's I could spread the cash around a little differently this time." He stopped by the couch where Simon was sitting with River. "Here ya go, Doc, and here's baby sister's allowance, too." He gave Simon two small bundles of bills.

The young doctor looked at him, puzzled. "What? I know River's been helping Kaylee with chores, but I don't expect--"

Mal cut him off with a raised hand. "No worries. I figure she more than earned it, way she outfoxed that bounty hunter." He gazed down at River with a crooked smile. "Smart girl."

She stuck her tongue out at him, then turned to her brother. "Hand it over."

He did so, with a pleased smile of his own. "Thank you, Captain."

Mal nodded, his attention already elsewhere. As the others chatted about their plans, he casually approached Inara, who was sitting by herself in the corner. He still had one packet of bills in his hand, which he held out to her.

"Here," was all he said.

She looked up at him, startled. Generally, she took no part of what the crew earned, except for what was shared in common--food, ship and shuttle maintenance, or unexpected windfalls. What Mal was offering her looked to be equal to a month's rent.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, in a surprised whisper.

"You got us the job," he said, his voice almost as low, "so you get a cut."

"Mal!" she said in exasperation. "I did that as a favor. I didn't expect to be paid."

He shrugged, almost insolently. "Fine. Then consider it hazard pay. Or a one-time only refund on your security deposit." It was as close to an apology as he could come for the high risks of their life in the black. His eyes grew dark as he stared at her intently. "Just take it, Inara."

She knew better than to defy that tone of voice. "Thank you," she said softly, accepting the money and folding her hands over it demurely. "I--I'm glad the job worked out so well."

The moment passed, and Mal smiled. "I am, my own self." He realized the others were still hanging about, some casting curious looks in his and Inara's direction. "What are y'all sitting around for?" he said, raising his voice. "Get the hell out of here and enjoy yourselves!"

As they took off in various directions, Simon came over with River in tow. He seemed a bit anxious. "Captain, I'm not sure River and I should risk venturing off the ship. I know how far out of Alliance influence we are here, but still--"

Mal clapped him on the shoulder. "I don't think there'll be anything to worry about. I had Wash double-check all the local channels before we touched down. Not a whisper about Serenity, nor a word concerning any tagged fugitives. No Feds, neither; just homegrown lawmen who've got other things on their minds." He gave the doctor an encouraging shake. "Go on--have some fun."

"Please, Simon," River begged, tugging at his hand. It was a joy to hear her sound so close to normal. Simon had recently hit upon a course of treatment that was working well, although she still had moments of "receptiveness," as he called it. "Pretty please? I want to go out with Kaylee!"

"I don't know..." He was still very hesitant, obviously remembering another planet-side expedition that had gone sour.

"That ain't gonna happen again," Mal said quickly, hitting on the same thought. "Tarquin's a mite more civilized than Jiangyin. You go on now."

Simon looked at his sister, and was unable to resist her eagerness. "All right," he agreed. "But only for an hour or two," he warned her.

River nodded dutifully. "Or three," she whispered conspiratorially to Mal and Inara as Simon led her away in search of Kaylee.

Mal chuckled. "They'll be okay."

"Yes," Inara said. "At least you checked out the situation first this time," she added chidingly.

He grinned, not rising to the bait. "So, you got plans?"

She didn't take the line, either. "I've heard the town actually has a bookshop. Perhaps I can pick up a few bargains," she said, rising and heading regally toward the stairs. "And you?"

Mal looked around thoughtfully before answering, an odd little smile on his face. "Oh, I got plans, all right."

******

Jayne climbed out of his bunk, wearing the cleanest clothes he could scrounge up. He had slipped an extra gun into one boot, and his second favorite knife was sheathed in the other, 'cause you could never be too careful on a new world. His first objective was to find a bar, then a bordello--or even better, an establishment that combined the two. He was gonna get drunk, get laid, and have himself a fine old time.

Yup, he thought, heading down the foredeck access way, it was long past time to let off some steam. Life on Serenity had its moments, and he wasn't so much of a stubborn fool not to realize that living mostly under Malcolm Reynolds' rules was probably a better life than he deserved. But leave time wasn't something to be squandered.

He vaulted around the corner to the stairs, and found himself an obstacle to his plans.

The captain was leaning up against the railing, arms crossed, legs stretched out and blocking the way down to the hatch. "Jayne."

"Hey there, Captain." He didn't mean to take a step backwards, but somehow did it anyway. "I was just headin' out. You know, spend my money, like you said."

"Uh-huh." Mal straightened up a little. "Just so long as you don't plan on earning any, if you comprehend my meaning?"

Jayne's back stiffened. "Gorramit, Mal, ain't you ever gonna let me forget that?"

Mal gave him a look that could stop a man's heart. "Not ever in this 'verse."

Which was probably the rutting truth. "Aw, hell, be that way. I ain't gonna get that stupid again, all right? Can I just go out and have me some fun?"

"So long as we're clear," Mal said, stepping aside.

"Yeah, we're clear," Jayne muttered grudgingly. He strode on by and clattered down the stairs. Even though he glanced back and saw Mal turn to head topside, he still felt cold eyes watching him all the way to the hatch.

******

This part of Tarquin was in the midst of an autumnal kind of season, so the air was crisp, and the sky more gray than blue. As on many outbound worlds, the port area merged almost seamlessly into a commercial district. Just beyond Serenity's docking place, people were bustling about, conducting business noisily but cheerfully.

Shepherd Book, bundled in his clerical cape, stood on the edge of the loading ramp with Kaylee, who was waiting anxiously to see if River and Simon would be coming along to have some fun. They waved as Zoe and Wash went hurrying on past them, each toting a small duffle.

"I expect we won't see them till takeoff time," Book remarked.

"Nope," Kaylee said with a grin. "They been dyin' to get off-ship, and find a nice place with clean rooms and bathtubs and real food. They'll hole up there and just ma--" She broke off at the sight of Book's raised eyebrow. "--and just have a whole lot of fun!"

"As they should," he said drily. He gazed out over the bazaar, noting certain details that confirmed a fact he had checked earlier. He was still dismayed with himself for having nearly let it slip by. Such matters had been unimportant for too long in his old life, before the Abbey. "Kaylee, there was something the captain said--"

Jayne, hat drawn low over his eyes, came bounding out of the ship so hard that the ramp shook.

"Have a good time," Kaylee called out to him.

"I sure as hell intend to!" he shouted back.

Book stared after him. "My, he seemed--eager."

Kaylee nodded, impatiently bouncing up and down on her feet. "Jayne always likes being in the world." She craned her neck, looking back into the ship. "I hope Simon don't get all prickly and decide against coming along."

"I'm sure they'll join us soon," Book assured her, shelving his own concerns for now. "And what about the captain? Surely he's going to get out and about?"

She whirled around, suddenly all seriousness. "Oh, no--not if he ain't got no business to tend to. Times like this--which we don't get too often--he prefers to stay on the ship. He likes the quiet."

"Really." Another piece to the puzzle that was Malcolm Reynolds fell into place for the Shepherd. Perhaps what he'd said about a holiday had merely been a figure of speech, after all.

"Oh, yeah. He may go on out later or tomorrow, to pick up supplies and such, but for now, he'll just stay put." Kaylee, as always, was very accepting of her captain's ways. "Oh, good--here they come!"

The Tams were walking across the cargo bay, Simon diligently giving his sister last-minute instructions.

"--stay with Kaylee or me at all times. No wandering off. If you start feeling sick or uncomfortable, tell me immediately and we'll come right back. Don't talk to--"

River put a hand over his mouth. "Simon. Don't be such a dummy."

He gently pushed her hand away, eyes full of worry. "I still think this isn't such a good idea." He pulled her jacket more snugly around her slight frame.

She took his hand and rubbed it against her cheek. "It's okay. I'll be careful, I promise." She turned to face Kaylee, who was approaching them shyly. "Besides, I have to keep Kaylee out of trouble," she said, giggling.

"Yeah, we'll be A-OK, Simon," Kaylee said. "Cap'n made me promise to behave, too."

Simon finally released his sister. "All right, then--"

"Woo! Here we go!" Kaylee grabbed River's hand, and they went racing gleefully down the ramp, into the throng of buyers and sellers.

"Slow down!" Simon yelled after them, unheeded.

Book put an arm around his shoulder and urged him on. "Don't worry, son. We'll manage to keep up. No doubt we'll find them at the first stall full of pretties we come to. There's no power in the 'verse that can keep two females with money from spending it."

As they followed after the girls, he continued. "Tell me, have you realized what time of year it is?"

******

The captain of Serenity walked his ship.

Topside, he looked out over the portion of town that was visible through the cockpit window. It appeared to be a decent enough place, a brief safe harbor for his crew. He checked a few readouts, then went on down through the foredeck gangway to the kitchen. There, he made himself a cup of tea, and carried it with him as he made a quick foray into the engine room. Kaylee was the one who could make real sense out of the jumble that was the ship's inner workings, but Mal had his own brand of intuition that told him everything here was smooth.

He made a mental note to check with his little mechanical genius on what spare bits and bobs they should pick up before heading back to the sky. No sense taking any chances, and maybe they could make this spell of luck last a mite longer.

His footsteps echoed pleasingly as he clambered down to the cargo bay to make sure the inner hatch was secure. Up then to the crossways catwalk, where he took another moment just to look at things, and let possibilities roll through his mind. He briefly considered climbing up to the door of Shuttle One and politely knocking, but Inara was probably long gone, out there doing what he'd told them all to do.

Which was fine. If he was in a talkin' mood, he wouldn't be here by his own self, appreciating the solitude.

Finally, he made his way back to the common area, pausing to peer into the infirmary window. The gleaming emptiness of it was a joyful sight.

Down in the commons, he stretched out on the couch with his feet up. He finished the tea, set the cup on the floor, leaned back and shut his eyes, letting the quiet seep all the way down into his bones. "Oh, yeah," he whispered. "Real big plans."

Just him and Serenity. More than enough.

Drifting off, he never heard the soft footfall and whisper of silk from above.

Inara leaned over the railing, watching Mal sleep. It was a such rare sight--off his guard, so completely at peace, that she couldn't help but smile. Yet she felt a twinge of sadness, for he deserved far more, for all he did, all that he endured, for the sake of his crew.

With a sigh, she turned away, steeling her heart once more against feelings no Companion could allow herself. The least she could do was leave him as he seemed content to be--alone.

******

The little cafe was tucked down a side street, out of the noise and bustle of the main commercial district. An outdoor seating area was quite pleasant, despite the chill in the air, for enjoying hot tea, rice cakes and cookies. Kaylee and River were at one side of the table, comparing purchases, while Book and Simon sat at the other, discussing Book's earlier observation.

"I find it very hard to keep track of time on the ship," Simon admitted. "There's usually too much else for me to think about. And we've been so many places--not every world adheres strictly to the old calendar."

"That's understandable," said Book. "But Serenity's clock is set by the standard ways, and so, obviously, is Tarquin's."

He made a broad sweeping gesture, taking in the colored lanterns that adorned the buildings around them, the bright ribbons falling in streamers from windows. Sprigs or wreaths of green hung on almost every door. Elsewhere, the occasional shining golden star or smiling angel gleamed brightly.

Simon shrugged, bemused. "I guess I knew it was December, but I hadn't given any thought to Christmas."

River raised her head. "Time to shine," she said softly. "Time for shiny presents."

He frowned, suddenly remembering the circumstances in which she'd spoken similar words. They'd stayed with him for a while, making him reconsider Jayne's heroics on Ariel, disturbing him more than River's odd segues usually tended to. He'd almost dismissed those concerns, while remaining ever more watchful, but he did recall how her innocent-sounding remarks had so unsettled Jayne.

Kaylee appeared a little unsettled herself, as if she was also pushing away bad memories. "It's nice then, ain't it--we get to do some shopping at Christmas time," she pointed out, with a faint smile.

Book poured more tea for everyone. "How do you celebrate Christmas on Serenity?" he asked.

"Well...we don't, mostly," she answered hesitantly. "I asked, when I first come on board, you know, that first year, but Zoe said no, they didn't really mark the day. Her and Wash--they give each other little presents, if they can. Me and Inara too, last year. And if we got the means, we try to have a real nice meal, just because..." She saw Book giving her his most priestly look, and trailed off.

He nodded thoughtfully. "So the captain doesn't allow it."

"Aw, that ain't fair, Shepherd," she scolded him. "Cap's never said no, not outright. It's just--we ain't never made a big deal out it, is all."

"Then perhaps," Book said, his face set with a determination they'd all become familiar with, "it's about time we did."

Kaylee's mouth dropped open. River, who'd been following the conversation with eerie intentness, clapped her hands in delight.

Simon couldn't believe what he was hearing, after what Kaylee had said. "Oh, no, Book. I don't think that's a very good--"

"Hey, kids!"

Wash and Zoe were right across the street. He waved exuberantly, then grabbed Zoe's hand and hurried over. They were each carrying several bags and bundles.

"Hey, you two," Kaylee said in welcome. "Whatcha doing, out and about?"

Simon stood up immediately and offered Zoe his seat. She gave him a blank stare, then shook her head, taking it as graciously as she could. Wash just grinned, then snagged a couple of stray chairs for himself and the doctor.

"Having us some fun," he said, grabbing a handful of snacks from the plate River held out to him shyly. "You guys must have noticed--it's almost Christmas! Zoe and I had to do some shopping." He reached into one of the bags, and pulled out a new cap, which sported a multicolored embroidered dinosaur across the front. "Doesn't my wife have great taste?"

Zoe smiled at him, patting his hand. "Yes, dear, and if we do any more shopping, we'll be hard up to pay our bill at the inn."

He blissfully ignored her. "You know, I haven't been able to find her a slinky dress anywhere in this town," he complained, winking at Kaylee. "I had to settle for some slinky--"

Seeing Zoe's look of vexation, Simon quickly jumped in. "We were just talking about that--err, Christmas, that is," he sputtered, as Zoe's attention shifted to him.

"Shiny presents," River piped up.

Kaylee nodded, a wistful smile on her face. "Yeah, Shepherd thinks we oughta do something about it--maybe have a bit of Christmas on Serenity."

Zoe's expression went rock-hard. "Even a bit of Christmas would be too much on Serenity," she said firmly.

"Well..." Kaylee lowered her head, her smile gone.

Wash frowned. "Ahh, c'mon, Zo'--what would it hurt?"

She leaned back and folded her arms. "It's just not a good idea."

"That's what I said," Simon put in, wondering if he was being helpful. He did like being on Zoe's good side though, just as much as Mal's. Then he took in Kaylee's growing disappointment, as well as his sister's narrow-eyed stare of disapproval, and felt like a cad.

Then Kaylee raised her head, her expression nearly as steely as Zoe's. "Well," she said, all manner of defiant, "why not? Cap'n don't have to be part of it if he don't want to."

"She's absolutely right," Wash stated before Zoe could raise further objections. "Look, hon--we're not in the sky, we're not on the job. We're on leave, officially granted and sanctioned by Mal, so it's not his worry if we decide to have a party--of any kind." He took her hand and squeezed it. "Besides," he went on, with a cheeky grin, "what's he gonna do? Fire us all and pitch us off the boat?'

"I wouldn't put it past him," Simon muttered under his breath, earning a sharp look from Zoe.

Book gave him one, too. "Hush, son." He turned to the first mate. "If any trouble comes from this, leave it to me. I'll square things with the captain."

"Would you now, Preacher?" She studied him thoughtfully, well aware of the hopeful way the two young girls were waiting. "I believe I'd pay good money to see that." She picked up Wash's new hat, and scrunched it down playfully on his head. "All right--we're in."

Wash gave her a hearty kiss. "What a woman!"

"Okay, I'm in too," Simon conceded, feeling an unexpected but pleasant rush of warmth when Kaylee smiled at him gratefully. It might turn out to be a very good thing for River, who was also beaming at him, and for everyone. Maybe even the captain. He'd seen stranger things happen on Serenity.

Then a thought occurred to him. "Book, when is Christmas, exactly?

"Today's the twenty-second of December," he answered promptly. "Christmas itself is three days away."

Kaylee's face fell. "Aw, we'll be off-planet by then. That'll make it harder to put by the captain."

Wash reached over and squeezed her hand. "That's not a problem, sweetie. On my planet, they celebrate Christmas the whole week long, and make it run right into traditional New Year's."

"Really?"

"It's that way on quite a few worlds," said Book.

"Then..." An ecstatic smile lit up Kaylee's face. "Can we do it tomorrow? First thing in the morning?"

River was just as excited. "No time like the present," she said.

Zoe pursed her lips, thinking. "I don't see why not--it would be better that way, while we're on our leave time."

Kaylee jumped out of her chair, frantically gathering up her boxes and bags. "Then let's get a move on!" she urged. "We gotta buy decorations, and presents, and--and someone's gotta find Inara, and Jayne, and let them know--"

"We will, we will," Book reassured her, as they all got up, fired by her enthusiasm. "Everything will turn out fine."

After some brief conferring, they split up, each with a part to play in the Christmas caper.

*******

Bountytown wasn't so big, that it wouldn't be a simple task to track down Jayne. After dropping their purchases off at the inn, all Zoe and Wash had to do was leave the better part of town, then find the part that more closely resembled their usual stopovers on the Rim. The beat-up, messy, run-down side of town, where the hostels were small and cramped and the bars loud and dim-lit. Leaving his new dinosaur hat behind, Wash turned his vest inside-out, and Zoe strapped on her gun, the better to blend in with the slightly shady surroundings.

Jayne was in the third saloon they tried, engaged in what looked to be a semi-friendly game of pool with a couple of grubby traders. They waited politely for the game to wrap up, caught Jayne's eye, bought him a drink, and sat him down in a fairly quiet corner for a talk.

"Christmas?" the big man snorted over a gulp of whiskey. "Whose dumb-ass idea was that? Crazy little River?"

"No," said Wash, squaring his shoulders and trying for an intimidating stare. "Shepherd Book and Kaylee's, actually. And the rest of us think it'll work out okay."

Jayne sneered at him. "Yeah, you would, ya big baby." He eyed Zoe insolently. "Can't believe you of all people would go along with this--knowin' how close you and Mal are, an' all. Ya know he'll go nuts."

She gave him a cool, steady look. "Captain's already a bit crazy; I've known that for years. Nothing bad's hanging over us right now, and I think it would be a shame not to let the kids have some fun."

"Yeh-soo!" Jayne slapped his hand against the table. "You're gettin' as soft as your yuchun husband there."

"Gee," Wash said pleasantly, "you think Mal knows who forgot to empty out the septic vat when it nearly overflowed last week? He was awfully busy negotiating the job, and somebody managed to misplace the duty roster since then."

Jayne muttered something unintelligible and took another swig of whiskey. "Fine. I'll come to your little party, but don't expect me to spend my money on fancy fixin's, and I sure as hell won't do no decoratin'!"

Wash smothered a smile. "No, of course not. But you do have to buy presents."

"What?!"

"Presents," Zoe repeated firmly. "For everyone. That's what people do at Christmas, Jayne. It's all about the spirit of giving."

"Yeah--and it's giving me a pain in the ass!"

"Septic vat," Wash murmured, looking up at the ceiling.

Jayne glared at them both. "Tamade huun-dan. I was enjoyin' this leave, up ta now."

As one, husband and wife stood up, mostly looming over him. "You're in?" Zoe asked.

"I guess." His forehead furrowed up in concentration. "Mal really ain't gonna like it."

"Yeah. We got that," said Wash.

"Preacher said he'd handle Mal," Zoe informed him. "That's what sold it for me."

"No shit?" A big evil grin creased his face. "Yeah, I'm in!"

Mission accomplished, more or less satisfactorily, they left. "I don't know about you, sweetie," Wash said, gently goosing his wife as they hit the street, "but I'm ready for a bath."

Back inside the smoky bar, Jayne sat contemplating the dregs of his whiskey. They'd never made much of a much outta Christmas in his family, the way they were always on the move--or the run.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying not to think about the crazy girl, and her ramblings on Ariel. Okay, so maybe she wasn't all that crazy now. Still spooky as hell, though, and damn unpredictable.

But someone had taken her Christmases away--and her mind, too, the way her smart-ass brother talked. Violated her in a way no one deserved. Somewhere, deep down inside, Jayne Cobb knew that was all sorts of wrong.

"Shiny presents," she had said, when they'd been in Fed custody.

Presents for everybody, Zoe and Wash had insisted.

Hell, what did he know about buying presents? What the hell would anybody buy for him?

The only thing he had to look forward to with this whole fei-hua deal was making a contribution to the "Piss Mal Off" fund.

He got up slowly, went to the bar, and ordered another drink. Then he paid his tab and wandered out into the street, weighed down by heavy thoughts he was unaccustomed to carrying around.

******

Part Two