“Zoe, you seen Simon?” Kaylee was out of breath from dancing, each of the male Frye’s demanding she take at least one turn around the floor.

“Simon?” Zoe swallowed the mouthful of chicken leg she was munching on.

“Yeah, you know. My husband. Bethany’s daddy. The man I make yell my name when I –“

“He’s around somewhere.”

“Only I ain’t seen him for a while, and I kinda wanted to snuggle a little.”

Zoe smiled. “Getting tired?”

“Hell, no!” Kaylee grabbed a thing on a stick from the table and bit into it. “Oh, this is heaven. Can’t believe they got real meat.”

“I know. I ain't eaten this well for a long time.”

“Well, not since Lazarus, anyway. And as nice as that Mrs Boden’s cooking is, it ain't a patch on my Ma’s.” Kaylee giggled. “And if you see my husband anywhere around, tell him I'm looking for him.”

“Will do.”

Kaylee snagged a handful more of the skewers and wandered back into the family gathering.

“How long’re they gonna be?” Zoe murmured.

River, like a ghost next to her, picked up a strawberry and licked the tip. “They’ve only just arrived.”

---

The shuttle settled next to a variety of other vehicles, most of them even more beat up than theirs.

“What is this?” Mal asked. “Some kind of convention?”

“It’s the only hospital on the planet,” Simon explained. “Even if most of the locals won’t come here, it’s bound to pull in any number of off-worlders.”

“So you’re figuring we might get lost in the crowd?”

“I'm hoping to.” He had brought up the schematics of the building on the Cortex. “There’s several entrances, but I think our best bet is through this one, right here.” He tapped the screen.

“Seems like a plan. Well done, doc.” Mal tugged the waistcoat of his EMT outfit into place, then saw Freya gazing at him. “What?”

“I’d forgotten how good you look in a uniform,” she said, smiling.

“Hey, what about us?” Hank asked, throwing out his arms and barely managing to miss punching Jayne in the face. “Don’t we look pretty?”

“Adorable.