Kaylee was humming as she changed Bethany. Nothing in particular, just some soothing lullaby she’d heard once.

“Can I come in?” Simon asked, standing outside the nursery.

Her humming stopped and she barely glanced at him. “If you want.”

He didn’t move, just stood and watched her. He wasn’t surprised – since his total mental aberration of a few days before, they’d hardly said a word to each other. In fact, she’d been sleeping in the nursery with Bethany, and knowing she was just a few inches away at night was killing him.

“I've been talking to Inara,” he said quietly.

Kaylee slipped the one-piece back onto Bethany. “That ain't a secret. Serenity’s not big enough to keep secrets. ‘Cept maybe why you’ve changed.”

“I haven’t changed.”

“Oh?” She turned on him, her eyes blazing. “Sayin’ you wished Bethany had never been born ain’t changed?”

“I didn’t!” he insisted. “I mean I didn’t mean it!” He stepped inside, preferring to face her wrath than live with the dreadful silences there had been between them.

“Then why did you say it?” Kaylee tried to keep her voice down, but she couldn’t. “She nearly died, Simon. Your daughter nearly died ‘cause you weren't there. And all I could think was that you’d never see her, never know how beautiful she was.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, all the anger and despair she’d felt finally coming to the surface.

“Kaylee …” He reached out for her but she batted his hands away.

“Don’t! I grieved for you, thinking you weren't coming back!” Her voice was rising. “Then you turned away from us!”

Simon tried to stop her. “Kaylee, I didn’t mean it!”

Bethany, hearing the shouts, did what any baby would do, and wailed. Instantly her mother had turned to her, scooping her up from the bed. “Shh, shh,” she crooned, rocking her gently.

“Is she all right?” Simon asked, stepping closer, reaching out.

“Go away,” Kaylee hissed. “You ain't her father. If you were, you wouldn’t have spoken like that about her.” Her face was red as sh