CHAPTER 2

NEXT MORNING

The group sits in the mess hall eating and talking. Seeing Jayne's attention diverted to answer a question from Mal, River grabs a piece of bread off his plate and giggles.

"Hey" Jayne protests

River just smiles at him

"Brat," Jayne mutters, "Stop stealin off my ruttin plate."

River sits there swinging her legs listening to the conversations around occasionally sneaking peeks at Jayne. She giggles quietly allowing her mind to float around in Jayne's untroubled thoughts.

LATER THAT DAY

"Go fish" River says

"River do you have the card?" Simon asks

River shakes her head "No."

"Are you cheating?"

River shakes her head again

"Alright." Simon grabs a card.

River nods ecstatically. "My turn... do you have a... six?"

"Hmm..."

"No lying." River warns

"Why not?"

"Lying isn't nice." River sticks out her tongue.

"Oh alright." Simon says begrudgingly handing her the card.

HOUR LATER

River grins when she hears voices in the cargo hold. She runs to the catwalk and stands there watching as Wash and Zoë get off the mules. "Wash" she calls

"Hey genius girl." Wash grins. "What can I do for you?"

"Can I fly tonight?" She asks hopefully.

"Let's see what Mal says OK? After all we don't know if we're taking off in a hurry."

"OK" River takes off in a skip down the catwalk back to the mess hall where she finds Simon reading. "Wash said maybe. I have to ask Captain."

Zoë looks at Wash, "Think he'll say yes?"

"If you ask him he might."

"Wash..."

"Come on it makes her happy. Besides Zoë she's been in a good mood for days."

Zoë sighs knowing he is right and knowing it makes the girl happy to be able to fly Serenity. "Alright I'll ask him before River does."

"Have I told you I adore you?" Wash asks innocently

"Not in a while." Zoë grins

WHILE LATER

Zoë returns to where the others are packing up the cargo. "Captain"

"How is everything on Serenity?"

"Good. Simon is keeping River