Childlike Melodies

A/N:I always seem to have little ficlets between the larger ones. This one was written yesterday, after a few days of thinking about my current arc. On the fly, but perhaps some clues into the future, as all three are set a few years forward.

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*D-D-D-D-Dora*

"Aaaaaabyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy."

Mal shoves his face into a pillow and groans.

"Aby." Inara whispers from under her tousled hair and shut eyes.

"Of all the people...."

The baby starts fussing.

"She wants you." Inara lets out a heavy sigh, reluctant to lift her head from her pillow and pull back the quilts.

"Aaaaaaaabyyyyyyy." The little voice sings, again.

There is another groan from the stubble faced Captain Aby.

The newborn coughs, her fussing turning into hungry cries the pierce the early morning.

"Sophia." Inara coos as she sits up, "Sophia, Sophia, Sophia." reaching out to the bassinet she gathers up the tiny week old newborn. "Shhhhh. Ta hang shi xiao yi ge."

The sound of little feet thundering across the hall comes from beyond the door.

"Mal." Inara, with Sophia whining and pulling against her body, rearranges her pillows and reclines back.

"I know." he sits up and watches Inara unbutton the pajama top, it's the mate to his pants as he reaches out and fixes the little pink cap on the small, bald head. "You know, seems complainin' is what you do best."

"She's very talented." Inara agrees tiredly as the baby clings to her and she begin to hum the bars of a lullaby to mollify little Sophia. Her cries once more dying to fusses as her mouth is on the smooth skin of her mother, looking for milk.

The door knob turns a few times, trying in vein to open.

Sophia stops crying and starts feeding as soon as she finds the right spot, kneading Inara's milk laden breast and letting out eager grunts.

"There we go." Inara shuts her eyes as the infant works for her meal. A heavy sigh comes forth, before she continues humming, for though she handles her fam