Chapter Five:

No one moved. River stared at Adam, humming.

"River," Wash said slowly. "This is Adam."

"Adam," River said solemnly, not taking her eyes off of him. "First man, created from dust, expelled from Garden of Eden."

"River," Adam said, smiling gently at her. "A moving body of water, fresh and sparkling."

River giggled. Adam leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Her entire face lit up and she began to spin around the room.

"What did you say to her?" Mal asked. He'd never seen River react to a stranger like this. True, she rarely met new people but when she did, she usually said very little or reacted badly to them.

"Shhhh," River said, returning to Adam's side and putting her finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

"River!" came a voice from the doorway. Simon hurried into the dining area. He looked around the room, "She slipped away from me." He noticed River at Adam's side. "I'm sorry she bothered you."

"No bother," Adam said. "She's delightful."

"Come on River," Simon said. "Let's go back downstairs."

"No," River said. "Company's here, be rude to hide."

"Adam Allen," Adam said, holding his hand out to Simon.

"Simon," Simon said, cautiously shaking Adam's hand. "You're Wash's brother."

"No he's not," River said, looking back and forth between Wash and Adam.

"What do you mean.." Mal started to say.

River studied both Wash and Adam, "Blood, genetics don't match, all wrong." She touched both their heads and frowned, "Memories, scars, all the same."

Adam looked at Wash, startled by for the first time by River's words, "Does she…"

"No," Wash said quickly. "Little River just has a way of knowing things."

"Insightful and enchanting," Adam said. He looked over at Mal., "You've assembled quite a crew. Hard to find ones this agreeable."

"Oh, they have their moments," Mal said, glancing at Wash. He was going have a little chat with his pilot later.

Adam ignored Mal's glare at Wash and continued, "I've flown with a few different ships and it's