After the second day home, Kaylee had, once again, found her place among her family. By the third day, it had been as if she’d never left. She giggled with her sisters like schoolgirls. Her mother doted over her as if she were still twelve. Simon and Carl were engaging in long talks that involved alcohol. When asked how they had hit it off as well as they had, Simon’s response was vague and uninformative. Carl said that, since Simon hadn’t come off as ‘a spineless, quivering weenie vying for his girlfriend’s father’s approval’, he figured that Simon must be a man, after all.

Even Kaylee’s older brothers, Tom and David, were quick to adjust to the new circumstances surrounding their family life. They were quieter and more reserved than the young Kent, especially David. Tom, the eldest, actually reminded Mal of a young Jayne when the man would speak. *Mite less mouthy, though...*

Kaylee was the only crewmember to stay at the home. Everyone else was perfectly content residing on Serenity, as usual. Kaylee’s parents seemed quite relieved at the news that Simon had a room aboard ship. What they didn’t realize was that the room was now the same as Kaylee’s.

“Mal.”

Having been fixated on the foreign horizon, Mal hadn’t heard Inara’s approach. “Gyaa!” he exclaimed.

Inara grinned, descending the cargo ramp to stand next to him. “I thought that was supposed to be, ‘Bwaa’.”

Mal shrugged. “Key ingredient to bein’ a great warrior. Ya gotta toss it up a bit now an’ again. Confuse an’ surprise yer enemy an all that... What am I explainin’ myself to ya for? No need for sneakin’!”

Inara feigned indignance. “I was not sneaking!”

“You were so sneaking!” Mal shot back. “There’s sneaking goin’ on behind my back *without* my permission!”

Inara grinned. “I just came to deliver a message.” Her expression became more stern.

“What message?” Mal inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Inara glanced over her shoulder toward the interior of the ship. “The lounge. River says you’re needed.”

Mal arched an eyebrow. “What’s Rive