Title: Mischief

Rating: PG. For mischief and a little cursin'. Shh, don't repeat that in front of Mei-Mei.

Characters: the whole crew, plus the Pirate Children and Alistair Caramia (the latter are mine, the rest are Joss's)

Pairings: Canon pairings. I generally lean towards M/I, but this one is not as shippery as Shadow or any of the others. This is more about the kids.

Summary: Yet another Pirate Children story. Set thirteen years post-BDM, AU. A look into daily life for the children aboard Serenity. How do four children pass the time in the Black?

Author's Note: The silliness has taken on a life of its own. (Though there is a moment of seriousness which explores River and Abe, as Kaynara as so often requested. ;))

Part 3

A squeal and then running footsteps on the catwalks, one set light, one a little heavier. The shuttle door slides open.

“Bubba!”

There’s more giggling as Serra and Abram appear in the middle of the shuttle, Serra upside down in Abe’s arms.

“Hi, Mama,” Serra grins, her twin braids hanging below her head, the purple teddy-bear on her belly smiling upside down as well. “He caught me.”

“Abe, please put your sister down before you drop her,” Inara says with a light smile, seated at Mal’s desk going over the books. She has yet to change out of her nightclothes either, but wears a long robe to keep off the slight chill of Serenity.

“Aw, Mama, you’re no fun,” Abe teases as he does as he’s told. Both children move to kiss her. “Good morning. We came to get you for breakfast.”

“Daddy sent us to get your lazy butt out of bed,” Serra chimes in, obviously quoting. Then she giggles and sings mischievously: “But he didn’t say butt.”

Abe grins as well, running a hand through his unruly hair, lighter and less curly than his sister’s.

The ship rocks suddenly, pitching the children onto the floor in a pile of bones.

“Ow! Bubba! That’s my hand.”

“Your knee’s in my stomach, Mei-Mei.”

“Sorry!”

“Are you two okay?” Inara asks, watching the pair disentangle from each other. She mov