TITLE: "NEITHER FEAST NOR FAMINE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: PG-13

STATUS: SEQUEL to "GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST "

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "While Serenity's crew partake of the feast the Captain discovers something that robs him of his appetite."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly' are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"NEITHER FEAST NOR FAMINE"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Even Simon Tam had trouble remembering seeing so much food at any one time and he had been to parties the like of which Serenity's crew had never seen. With the sole exception of Inara he was probably the one person hardest to impress and yet he was. Yet something else impressed him more. Much more. Kaylee was so happy she actually sparkled and glowed. Incandescent in her joy he could not take his eyes off her. Kaylee's cousin Ruth nudged her shoulder as they stole strawberries off each others' plates.

"Do you see that Kaylee? See how that boy of yours is starin' at ya?"

Kaylee blushed and dipped her head a little lower to her plate, looking up through her dark lashes and more pleased than a body had a right to be to see the look on Simon's face. "He ain't mine, Ruth."

Her cousin chuckled in her ear, a throaty dirty sound that just deepened Kaylee's blush still further. "That ain't what I see, *bao bei*."

The two smiled at each other then Kaylee bent to her self appointed task and filled two plates, trying to ignore the less than subtle advice of her over active cousin. Not that she didn't think rutting with Simon while feeding him strawberries dipped in her mama's warm chocolate sauce wasn't shiny, it was, she just wanted to keep those images to herself.