“Good, you’re all here,” Mal said as he stepped down into the galley, Ethan on his hip, Freya behind him. Even River was sitting in her seat for the first time since Jethro died. She was pushing her food around her plate until she caught Jayne’s eye and started to eat.

“Where else’d we be?” Kaylee asked, giving Bethany the spoon so she could feed herself.

“Just that I've got a little bit of news.”

“You ain't pregnant again, are you?” Jayne put in.

“No, Jayne, I'm not,” Mal said straight-faced. “And neither is Freya.” He slipped Ethan into the high chair next to him.

“Then what?”

“I've been talking to Monty –“

“Monty? Ooh, how is he?” Kaylee grinned. She really liked the old curmudgeon, and it had been a whole long while since they’d seen him last.

“Still pi –“ Mal glanced at Bethany and changed the adjective he was going to use. “Still killing himself with laughter that I didn’t call on him as a character witness when Saffron tried to have me arrested for bigamy.”

“I still don’t know why you didn’t,” Simon put in.

“’Cause all it’d’ve proved was that he was as much an idiot as I was. And wouldn’t’ve proved I weren't married to that po fu .”

“Monty’s not an idiot,” Kaylee said, defending her friend.

“Yeah, well, if he’d turned up he would’ve been.” Mal sighed, remembering the red-headed woman with absolutely nothing approaching affection. “Anyway, he’s agreed to let us take our ease at his place on Lazarus.”

“A holiday?”

“A few days,” Mal amended. “Just to recharge our batteries. I think we could all do with a few days down time, and it’s summer there, so –”

“Ain’t been there in so long,” Kaylee went on quickly. “Just that one time.” She turned to Simon. “Before you even came on board. It’s so pretty.”

“It’s a dump,” Jayne put in.

“It’s not so bad,” Zoe said.

Kaylee was bubbling over with excitement. “There’s a lake, and an orchard, and –”

“Can I finish?” Mal raised his voice.

“Oh, sorry, Cap’n,” Kaylee said, not at all sorry real