Serenity put down in her designated spot next to a fairly new Clipper, and her engines went to idling before stopping entirely. After a few moments, as the dust settled, the ramp lowered and the man and woman waiting looked up expectantly.

Matty couldn’t have grinned wider unless his head split as Jayne strode out of the Firefly. He held out a hand. “Good to see you, bro.”

Jayne just pulled his brother into a manly hug, thumping him on the back and ignoring the slight sting of the cut across his ribs. “Missed me?”

“Not that much,” Matty wheezed.

Jayne laughed. “Figured as much.” He moved back, thrusting his hands into his pants pockets. “About time, too. You and Jolene.”

“Yeah, well, thought I’d better. Seeing as I said I would.” Matty punched his brother on the shoulder. “Glad you could make it.”

“Hell, you think I’d miss out on the opportunity to make you feel uncomfortable?”

“Not too uncomfortable,” said a woman as she moved forward, linking her arm through Matty’s. “If he turns up at the wedding with a shaved head or a broken leg, I’ll know exactly where to come, Jayne Cobb.”

Matty looked at her, love showing on his face. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“No?”

The younger Cobb laughed. “Jayne, you remember Jolene.”

Jayne nodded, studying her. “Been a while.”

“Longer’n that.” She smiled, letting her future brother-in-law look her up and down. The last time he’d seen her she was eight or so, so she knew she’d changed a lot in the intervening years.

“I’d’a still known ya,” he said, and it wasn't all gallantry.

She hadn’t really aged, her face as smooth and young as it had always been. Otherwise, Jolene was almost as tall as Matty, and statuesque, complementing her fiancé perfectly. She was obviously in her Sunday best, a floral sprigged dress that reached her midcalves, showing a very fine pair of ankles. Her hair, the colour of fresh-cut straw, was done up in a roll at her neck, and of such thickness that no-one was in any doubt that when it was released fr