It had never occurred to River, growing up, that meals were supposed to be a time of togetherness. Meals with her parents were usually affairs of State, where she was dressed so elaborately that it was often impossible to eat. On the rare occasion that they were able to sit down as a family she found herself more fascinated by the way the air between her parents turned to ice than she was with the food.

Breakfast and lunch on Serenity seemed to come and go with everyone fending for themselves, but dinner was something that never failed to amaze and enthrall her. No matter what they were doing, everyone came together for this one meal and it was River’s favorite time of day. Though no blood linked them, the crew of Serenity acted like a family and the warmth filled River’s mind and soothed ragged edges. Tonight was made especially good by the fact that Kaylee had scrounged together enough ingredients to make fresh bao for everyone.

“And then,” Zoe said “Our dear Captain told the man: ‘She said her name was Nancy.’ You should have seen his face.”

The table erupted into laughter and Mal blushed a little. He watched as Kaylee placed her napkin next to the bowl that held the bao. The napkin shifted and a small squawk issued from within. Mal gave her a stern look and she smiled innocently.

“What?” she asked.

“Get that wēnshén bird off my table,” he said.

Kaylee pouted.

“But he’s cold!”

“I don’t care--” Mal started, but Zoe wrapped her napkin around Kaylee’s and pushed it closer to the bowl, effectively ending the argument.

Jayne watched all this with a smirk. While his attention was diverted, River reached over and stole the bao from his plate. He tried to grab it without looking, but missed and knocked the roll to the floor. The merc and the girl regarded each other for a split second, sizing each other up, before both scrambled for the bao. River grabbed it first, but dropped it when Jayne grabbed her wrist and squeezed hard. His eyes locked with River’s and he growled slightl