Sorry it took me a while to stick this up, but I've been busy with school. Anyway, here's the next.

Rating: PG, maybe PG-13 for Jayne

Pairings(not all in this chapter, but this is what it will be throughout the series): Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara, Wash/Zoe (no Jayne/anybody, ever, but will have River/OC much later on)

First Born

It wasn't supposed to happen this way. It was supposed to be a great day in their lives, one that they were ready for. On the day that they had ticked off on the newly bought calender hanging up in their bunk. That was the way it was supposed to happen. Not today.

Simon was awakened early that morning to banging on the door of Kaylee's bunk. He had been staying there since after Miranda. That morning, he had his arms wrapped peacefully around her as they slept, tired from yesterday's job. With Zoe as an invalid, the rest of the crew had to pick up the slack. Most days River did it, but she spent yesterday sick with some sort of stomach bug and the two of them had to go.

“SIMON!” Wash's voice rang out through the stillness in the bunk.

Simon, half-asleep, groaned and rolled closer to Kaylee, nuzzling her neck. He received a sleepy chuckle at this.

“SIMON!” Wash shouted again. “ZOE'S WATER DID SOMETHING BAD AND I'M SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU, SO IF SHE OR THIS BABY DIES IT IS ON YOUR CONSCIOUS!”

At this, Simon sat bolt upright, disturbing Kaylee. He turned slowly to look at her, his expression scared on his face pale. “What did he just say?”

Kaylee stared back at him, her face also a bit shocked. “Something about Zoe's water...”

“Zhou chang yu!” Simon exclaimed, scrambling out of bed and rushing to the ladder with Kaylee close behind him.

“Wuza matter?” Kaylee asked groggily.

“Zoe's going into labor.” Simon had just gotten very distracted as he rushed up the ladder and nearly bowled Wash over.

The two men sprinted to the infirmary, where Zoe had been sleeping after she fell asleep there during a round of tests. Kaylee stood shock-still at the top of her and Simon's bun