---- ----

River held the golden pendant in the palm of her hand, studying the light etchings on the surface. The necklace had been in the Tam family for generations and back when she was a little girl her mother had promised she could have it. But River knew she could never appreciate the jewelry as much as its latest intended recipient.

“You really don’t mind, mei mei?”

Looking up to meet Simon’s questioning gaze, River smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Depositing the pendant into his hand and dropping the chain River closed his fingers over it. “Not at all. Kaylee will love it.”

Returning her grin, Simon pocketed the necklace and told her, “I hope so.”

“She will,” River reaffirmed, hopping onto the diagnostic table in the center of the room. Swinging her legs absentmindedly as Simon busied himself, she asked, “When are you going to give it to her?”

Shrugging, Simon had already gone back to his work, his attention divided now between his sister, thoughts of Kaylee and readying the room for when the crew returned from their current job. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll wait until her birthday.”

Frowning, River told him, “That’s five months away.”

Turning to regard her, Simon asked, “So?”

Shaking her head once, River hopped off the table and said, “You need to stop waiting for things, Simon. Sooner is always better than later.” With that, she turned on her heel and headed for the bridge sensing the imminent arrival of the crew and the threat that followed them. Once again she would be called upon to make a fast getaway and she wanted to be ready.

---- ----

“I’m curious, Captain. Have you ever tried to go on a job and not come back injured?”

Scowling at the young doctor as he finished stitching his most recent bullet hole, Mal muttered, “You ain’t funny, doc.”

Hiding a smirk of his own, Simon snipped at the thin thread, before applying