It was late, but Simon wanted to check in on Bethany before he joined Kaylee in bed. He was still amazed at being a father, and after the events of the last weeks he found himself wanting to just make sure his daughter was okay every so often.

As he opened the door to her room, he realised, yet again, how odd it was that he had seriously considered leaving Serenity to take up Andrew’s offer on Corvus, because he thought it was safer. Now he knew it was like Mal had always said … best to be always on the move. Still flying.

“Daddy.” Bethany rolled over to look at him.

“Hey, sweetheart, you’re supposed to be asleep,” Simon said, going down on his knees next to the bed and looking into his daughter’s beautiful eyes.

“Can’t,” she said sadly. “No Ethan.”

“He’s in with his own Daddy and Mommy,” Simon explained, brushing her hair away from her face.

“Lonely.”

Her father looked around the room and saw the baby doll Freya had bought for her just after Ethan was born. “Will this do?” he asked, picking it up.

She nodded and he tucked it next to her, smiling as she put her little arm around it. “Jayne,” she said.

“I thought his name was Ethan?” Simon was slightly confused.

“No, daddy,” Bethany laughed. “Jayne.” She pointed to the huge toy Mal had won her.

“Well, sweetie, it’s too big to be in bed with you, but how about we just leave him here?” He propped the stuffed animal at the foot of the bed.

“Rabbit,” Bethany agreed.

“Whatever you say.” He lifted the cover a little higher.

“Auntie Frey be okay?” his daughter asked.

He smiled. “I think Auntie Freya’s going to be fine. Now, you get some sleep.”

“’Kay, Daddy. Play tomorrow?”

“Yes, we’ll play tomorrow.”

She grinned, looking so like her mother, and put her head back down next to the doll, her breathing slowing almost immediately as she slipped quickly into sleep.

Simon watched her, amazed at his good fortune at having such a wonderful and beautiful daughter. Then he stood up to go find her wonderful an