Part I

“Well, you are,” Simon confirmed. “There’s just barely enough hormone for me to tell, so how you knew …”

“Hormones have nothing to do with it,” Freya assured him, climbing off the medbed.

“Is Mal happy about this?”

She laughed. “About as far over the moon as a man captaining a Firefly can get.”

“I thought as much. But you should have come to me before. When you first knew.” He turned his stern face on her. “I am your doctor. I’ll need to get you started on diet supplements, although the food we’ve had lately has been much better than usual. Still, better safe than sorry.” He saw Freya smile. “Look, just be glad I'm not telling you to stay in your bunk for a month.”

“Better not even try,” she said softly, heading out of the infirmary.

“If it becomes necessary, I will,” he called, shaking his head. That woman. In fact, all the women on Serenity would more than likely drive him to an early grave. In true and honest fact, they’d probably dig it for him.

Kaylee had spilled the beans. Eventually. That last day on Lazarus.

She watched him moving across the ice, his lithe body seeming to cut through the air. Bundled up in Inara’s heavy coat and boots, sitting on a blanket, she felt her love for him crystallising out of her mouth to hang like her breath in a mist in front of her lips.

He span, his skates a blur, arms above his head, finally coming to a rest and looking at her.

“You’ll get cold,” he said, smiling at her, panting a little.

“You can warm me up.” She grinned.

“No problem.” He slid across the ice to her, joining her on the blanket. “I might need some TLC myself later though.”

“Oh?” She snuggled into him as he removed the skates. “How come?”

“I don’t think I've used most of these muscles in years.” He rubbed the back of his calves. “I could seize up.”

“Then I’ll have the fun unseizing you.”

“Sounds good.” He grinned and put his arm around her for a moment, then picked up his boots. “You okay?” he asked, seeing a thoughtful