“The Cressida?” Jayne looked at River as a ship came down near the house. “Ya mean Theo and his crew?”

“Not all of it,” River said, standing elegantly, Caleb held firmly against her chest. “But enough.”

The big man grinned, jumping to his feet. “They come to see our new arrival?”

“Hermione has.”

The grin faded a little. “Not sure I like the way you said that.”

“There is more …”

---

Cressida settled to the ground next to Serenity, and almost before the engines had stopped the main hatch opened and a young woman stepped out. She held up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun, and was finally able to see a small group of people waiting outside the front doors of the house, with others heading their way through the trees. Suddenly four figures detached and ran forward, shouting.

Mal glanced at Freya, who’d been somewhat manhandled out of the way by the Reilly sisters, and chuckled. “You okay?” he asked.

“Oh, shiny.” She adjusted Jesse on her hip.

Inara smothered a laugh. “We’ll go over the rules of deportment again,” she promised.

“I’d be grateful.”

Mal put his arm around her shoulder. “You’d think they ain’t seen her in years,” he commented, watching the reunion and listening to the screams of delight. He glanced at Inara. “And I didn’t think we were gonna.”

Inara grinned. “It was a surprise. In fact they’re early. They weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow morning.”

“I think it’s shiny,” Kaylee said, her face all bright, holding Simon’s hand with her good one. “They’re fine folk. And what we did, all that acting, was fun.”

“I don’t recall you saying that at the time, mei-mei ,” Mal reminded her. “In fact I seem to remember lots of cussing and the like.”

“That wasn't me, Cap’n. That was you.”

“Oh, yeah. So it was.” He smiled. “And Frey.” He turned back to the scene in front of him, and noted a large man stepping out of the ship. “There’s Theo.”

“He ain't changed.”

“In a few months? Shouldn’t think he would.”

“He might.