(Untitled)

[simon_doctor]

It's midmorning in Logan City on Praxed -- early afternoon, ship's time -- when Serenity touches down at the spacedocks. There's supplies to take on, and cargo to unload ... and two members of the crew to go ashore

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[makesmeatease]

Inara comes to stand next to Simon, her hand going to his shoulder, and a soft smile on her face.

"This isn't forever," She says, with conviction. "I'll still miss you both though."

[simon_doctor]

Simon turns, and manages a smile in response to hers.

"We'll miss you too." And it's the truth.

[makesmeatease]

"Call, when you're settled. When you need to talk, anything." Inara glances back at the ship. "We've got shuttles for a reason."

[simon_doctor]

His smile is small and painful, but no less sincere for that.

"And you know where to find us."

[river_meimei]

River's been scarce, this morning. Quiet.

(Hidden, for a while. Ship's got a lot of nooks and crannies.)

But now -- now she's here, drifting silently down the ramp towards Simon and Kaylee.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee looks up.

Quiet, and warm: "Hey, you."

[river_meimei]

River's smile is tiny, and a little belated, and more than a little wobbly. But it's still there.

Kaylee gets one, even now.

"Hi."

[gonna_live]

"When you come visit, we're gonna put your room together." It's easier for Kaylee to keep it together like this -- because she can be reassuring, for River. "Right?"

[swinging_cod]

"I'm just standin' here," Jayne announces, after a few awkward moments, "to see if the Doc there starts bawlin'. I got money on it."

With whom?

Better not to ask.

(WITH VERA, MAYBE.)

[simon_doctor]

Simon looks at Jayne for a long moment, and shakes his head.

"I knew we should have gotten you drunk," he sighs.

[swinging_cod]

Hah!

"Hah!" snorts Jayne. "Yeah, 'cause you're top of the list of folk can drink me under the table."

. . . maybe he should have let him try. There'd have been tears for sure!

[simon_doctor]

Patiently: "You're assuming I was going to drink too."

[flybywash]

Naomi learned how to walk a couple weeks shy of her first birthday.

What she learned very soon after that? It's really, really easy to outrun Daddy.

She barrels down the ramp, giggling; on her heels comes an exasperated (but lovingly exasperated! There's love to be have here. It's just kinda doing the lagging thing right now, too), "Naomi, inside when we're working!"

[simon_doctor]

Everybody on the ship's gotten more or less good at it by this time: Simon takes two quick steps and bends to intercept Naomi, scooping her up into his arms while she shrieks and giggles some more.

"You listen to your ba," he tells her firmly.

[flybywash]

"No," she retorts gleefully between giggles, objecting more out of rebellion than some real desire to keep running around. She squirms in Simon's arms.

"Yes," says Wash just as firmly as he finally catches up, holding out his arms for her. "Because otherwise you're not getting a bedtime story tonight, and you'll never find out how Wings escaped the tiny stubby-armed grasp of Crichton."

"But baaaa -- " she whines.

"No buts, kiddo. Come on."

She pulls a grumpy, sullen face, but stops trying to wriggle out of Simon's grasp.

[simon_doctor]

Simon passes her back to Wash, a little reluctantly.

"I'm going to miss you," he says to her, the words coming out on a sigh.

Glancing up at Wash: "And you."

[bad_in_latin]

Mal's last. He doesn't mind.

"Doc. Kaylee."

[gonna_live]

She looks up.

I will not cry. I'm not going to do it.

Kaylee's smile is awfully crooked. "Hey, captain."

[bad_in_latin]

"Kaylee."

It's still not perfect, the two of them. But it's easier. He can do this.

"If you don't wave when you get there I'm coming after you myself."

[gonna_live]

She nods. "Shi a. Soon as we're settled. Probably just before bed. So -- it'll be a few hours."