River woke up in the semi-darkness of the shuttle, and as always let her mind run through the ship, making sure everything was okay, nothing needed killing, and people weren't doing something they shouldn’t. Her nose wrinkled at what her brother and his wife were up to in the infirmary – even temporarily without the use of her hands Kaylee was still able to make him moan – but everything else seemed fine.

She touched her belly, her psyche circling down to the child growing within. Sleeping at the moment. She smiled. She knew the sex, of course, and Jayne had finally got up the courage to ask her, and she’d told him, but she was pretty sure no-one else knew. Even Freya had been careful not to peek.

She sighed and let the static wash back over her. It was getting more and more difficult to see through it, and it always made the bridge of her nose hurt when she tried, but it was her job to make sure the crew were safe.

Sitting up, she stretched a little, aware of a certain emptiness inside. Hungry. Her eyes fell on the plate of sandwiches next to the bed, and she grinned. With quick fingers she pulled it onto her lap and ripped off the clear plastic covering, devouring the food almost before she had a chance to savour it. She smiled, though. Kaylee must have been involved somewhere along the line, since the fake-chicken protein slices had a thin layer of her mother’s relish on, making it taste nearly real.

As the last morsel disappeared down her throat, she lay back, satisfied for the moment. Then she sat up abruptly, swinging her legs over the side of the bunk. Jumping to her feet she grabbed the dress she had taken off only five hours, thirteen minutes and seven seconds before – or thereabouts – and ran out of the shuttle.

Skidding to a halt on the catwalk, grasping the handrail tightly, she looked over.

“Hi,” Jayne said, smiling up at her.

“Hi.” She released the railing and started down the stairs.

“You thought I was asleep?”

“I wasn’t sure.” She fiddled with her dre