A New Beginning - Part 1 A
Characters: Mal, Inara & Abel Mention of crew
Pairing: M/I
Rating: G
Summary: Mal decides it might be best if Inara stays in Paraiso for a while. (Apparently I lied about not writing the ranch fic.) For the timeline, this comes after It Never Runs Smooth. Alley is about two and a half when Mal buys the ranch.
A/N Special thanks to both my betas,
quillscribe and
browncoat_2x2. Allmistakes are mine. Had to break this up because of length.
~*~
There’s nothing like a woman’s touch to make a place feel like a home, Abel Stoddard thought fondly, noting the colorful spring flowers that spilled from the pots Inara had placed around the entrance of their small cottage. The fragrance was light and sweet, and made breathing the early morning Paraiso air a joy. Abel glanced around the place with a nod of satisfaction. He was from the old school of using and caring for what you had, and the order and patchwork repair of the small house pleased him.
When the Reynolds’ had taken over the lease, before their daughter had been born, the place had been in a shocking state of disrepair. Mal had taken a brief look about and turned to leave, but Inara had stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. She’d looked through all of the dirt and scattered leaves in the corners, seeing what the little house could be with some love and elbow grease.
That had been nearly three years ago, Abel realized, with a bewildered shake of his head. What happened to time? Everything seemed to pass so quickly these days, yet he could remember the occasion vividly; his memory at seventy-five still sharply precise.
After Mal had recovered from the near-lethal gunshot wound, his wife and Zoë had pressured him into making Paraiso and her whiskey business a full time customer. Mal had relented on that score, having been witness to Inara’s distress and Zoë’s somewhat insolent tendency to rub his nose in his mistake of not adding Abel earlier and perhaps avoiding the gunshot incident all together.
In the beginning of their relationship, Mal and Zoë had harbored suspicions of Paraiso and her citizens, and had agreed that Avery wouldn’t be a regular contact, especially not their sole contact in that quadrant of the Rim. It would have been impractical for smuggling, as the job required they haul one consignment to conceal their other, more illicit, cargoes. They were constantly looking for payloads for Serenity. Mal had called it the diversionary cargo and he hadn’t much cared what it was. Abel still shuddered when Zoë told him frightening tales of the miscreants Serenity’s crew had dealt with during that stormy, bewildering period after Miranda.
Abel felt like it had been a prayer answered that Mal had been forced to stay on Avery until he’d had learned to trust the people of Paraiso. That it had taken a bullet to keep him there, while unfortunate, had been a blessing in disguise, as far as Abel could see. He wasn’t one to question divine intervention.
Malcolm and Serenity’s crew had become well known in Paraiso over the summer; Mal had even given a short, but moving speech on Independents’ Day. They were liked in the town and treated with small kindnesses that always surprised them. Abel was pleased with the whole arrangement. The town's main cash crop, the apple pie moonshine, was being distributed and orders were coming in daily; and thanks to Zoë and Inara he had a commitment from Malcolm to do regular runs. The only problem that Abel could see was that given the Firefly's propensity for being transient, he was afraid that he could lose them at any time.
Then one crisp autumn day, Abel had barely registered the distinctive sound of Serenity’s engines burning over the town before Malcolm, Jayne, and Zoë had shown up at the store in an unusually boisterous mood. Warmly welcoming them, Abel had immediately known something was afoot. Mal had a look about him that was underscored by Zoë ’s pleased expression, both of them smiling easily for once though Jayne didn’t seem to be in quite as high spirits.
“We’ve come to buy you a drink, Abel, and share some news.” Zoë had stated, looking at Mal’s growing grin with an indulgently growing one of her own. “Seems Serenity’s gettin’ herself a new crew member.”
“What’s this Zoë’s saying, Malcolm? You’re hiring crew now?” Abel had asked later, as they sat in a quiet corner of the saloon across the street from Abel’s mercantile.
Mal had just smiled, but Abel could tell the boy was beside himself with quiet pleasure and tentative happiness, and that Zoë was as delighted as he was.
“Didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout hirin’, Abel, but by this time next year, if all goes well, we’ll have bumped Serenity’s population up a notch - hopefully just one. Inara an’ me, well, we’re havin’ a baby, I reckon. Should be comin’ along in July or thereabouts.”
A huge smile had broken out on the old man’s face, and his eyes had danced with joy. Abel reached over to Mal and patted him warmly on the back. “Ah, Malcolm, a blessing. A true blessing.”
“Yeah, a blessin’ that’ll keep us all up nights,” Jayne had groused.
“I’m sure you won’t feel that way when the baby gets here, Jayne.” Abel had assured him.
“How is Inara?” he asked Mal.
“She’s good. Been a bit sick in the mornin’s, and she’s awful tired. I left her sleepin’. The doc says that’s normal.” Mal shrugged helplessly. “Got to take his word for it causeI ain't got much experience with this kinda thing.”
“This is your first one?” At Mal’s puzzled look, Abel had expounded. “I didn’t know if you had ever been married before. I knew a lot of people on Shadow, like here, married early.”
Mal had looked away for a minute and Abel suspected the boy was thinking of his mother back on Shadow. He should have been sharing this news with her.
“No. No, first wife, first baby, and you’re the first person we’ve told, wasn’t crew.” Abel had wished there was something he could say, but he knew too well that there was no surcease for that kind of pain.
“Then it will be even more exciting. I have a good infant section down at the store. When this baby gets here, we’ll make sure you’ve got plenty of what it needs. I can remember from my own they were always requiring something.”
Abel had quieted for a moment, feeling the sadness sweep over him at the thought of his own sons, all killed in the war, and he held a second of silence in honor of his loss before he brought himself back to the present and raised his mug, beaming.
“To Malcolm Reynolds and his impending fatherhood!”
“To Inara, the mother of my child, and her very great ability to put up with a hun dan like me.” Mal had added with a warm smile as he thought of his wife.
They’d all raised their glasses with a hearty emphasis on the toast to Inara and her patience with Mal, and drank.
Then, abruptly, the joy had been dampened. “Ship ain’t no place for a woman carryin’ a young’un. We all seen what Reavers can do,” Jayne had said out of the blue.
Mal had stopped smiling and gone pale, his hand slowly lowering to the table, and Zoë had lightly slammed her mug down, shooting a hard glare toward the large mercenary. “Jayne, we’ve had this discussion previous like. Just ‘cause a thought goes through your mind don’t mean you’re obliged to say it out loud.”
“Hell, we’re all thinkin’ it, Zoë . Mal ain’t no shrinkin’ violet. Some o’ them Reavers has been caught, but there’s still bands out there that ain’t been rounded up. I reckon even Reavers has got outcasts.”
“Bi zui!” Mal had snapped. “That ain’t a topic for conversation with decent folk, Jayne, not ever.”
Jayne had grabbed his drink, and gone into a mild sulk. “Just worried about ‘Nara, is all. Ain’t like you’re not broodin’ on either, Mal.”
There had been a second or two of uncomfortable silence before Mal took another sip from his mug, looking them all in the eye.
“Jayne’s got a point though. Ship ain’t no place to raise young’uns, but I reckon it’s the one place we got. Zoë was brought up on one with no undue fussin’. I conjure we’ll get by.”
Mal and Zoë exchanged a look that told Abel they’d had this discussion before.
Zoë scooted her chair back and gracefully rose. “Jayne, I got ten credits that says I can beat you two out of three on at that dart board.”
Jayne had been up in an instant, chair flying wildly behind him, cutting wary eyes to Mal.
“You’re on! Hate to take your money, Zoë, but if you insist on givin’ it away…” Their voices trailed off as they moved across the room. Mal had given Zoë a grateful look when she turned to look back at him.
“You’re worried about Inara,” Abel had stated. “That’s normal, Malcolm. A woman expecting a child brings out everyone’s protective tendencies. It’s always been like that, always will be. She’s a strong, healthy woman. She’ll be fine.” Abel had waited a beat, careful, as always, about pushing himself too far into Malcolm’s business. It was a fine line to walk. “Unless there’s something more you’re not saying?”
Mal had looked thoughtfully at him, as if trying to decide how much to divulge, and had absently rubbed his index finger up and down his cheek by his nose. Abel had played his share of poker and recognized the gesture as what they’d call a tell in that game.
Mal had shrugged, apparently deciding what he could safely share. “Some of the jobs we’re doin’ right now ain’t run by the most savory of characters. We talked some on that back when I was down at Abigail’s.” Abel had nodded. He remembered the conversation well. “I want her with me, but a job can go wrong in a minute - especially word gets out we’re haulin’ tax-exempt whiskey,” Mal had confided. “We been talkin’ on it some, tryin’ to find a solution. Might not be a bad idea to leave her planet side during those longer runs. Just don’t sit right with me, though, leavin’ her. Feel like she’ll be safer with me, even if trouble was to hit, if that makes any sense.”
“It makes perfect sense to me, but until the baby is born,” Abel ventured, “perhaps Inara could stay here while you make the longer hauls, Malcolm. She’s welcome to move in with Abigail. She’d love the company.”
“Tried that tack. Says she won’t stay anywhere that she’ll be in the way.”
“Hmmm. I can’t think of another solution…well, unless you could find a temporary place. Maybe rent a home. There are a few very nice ones that people have left that could be had for a monthly fee. Real estate moves slow or never here. Most people just pack up and leave, and hope to make a little money if they can by renting. Abigail and I would be glad to watch over Inara for you on the days you’d be off world,” Abel had continued on, secretly pleased by the unexpected chance to have Malcolm and the rest of the crew with them, even if it was temporary. What had begun as a mutually rewarding business arrangement had quickly evolved into a friendship and he would be glad to have them closer at hand.
Abel had been around the younger man long enough to recognize the slight flicker that went across Malcolm’s face at the mention of a rental fee and immediately thought of the old Hawkins’ place. It was run down and probably full of field mice, but the structure was sturdy and there was nothing some hard work and paint couldn’t repair. Best of all, it would go cheap.
“Yeah, somethin’ like that might work.” Mal had looked away from Abel toward the door, seeming to remember something. “You got any places to hide here, Abel? I mean a place the town’s people could hide. A vault or cellars? What kind of security measures you got in a place like this?”
“Security? Well, Malcolm, we haven’t felt the need for a big word like security. We band together if we have trouble, and we’re armed. Of course, with Daniel, we were caught by surprise. That captain had always been a little bothersome and annoying but he’d never been that violent before.” Abel had watched as Mal’s hand unconsciously covered the spot on his belly where the bullet had entered.
“But to answer you question, I have a large cellar under the store. It’s got dirt walls, but it’s well stocked. Would it keep Reavers out? Probably not, but it would give us a chance. You can’t cover ever eventuality, my boy. Some things you just have to trust to a higher power.”
He’d sounded so much like Shepherd Book at that moment that Mal had started. “I know what you’re sayin’, Abel, but I’ve come to rely on my own self to keep my crew safe. Back when it was just Inara and me I never thought overly much about it. Somethin’ about the little one though, it makes me see the need to change some things.”
Abel had smiled.
“It’s going to change everything, Malcolm, but I think it might surprise you how happy that will make you. You know I’ve become quite fond of your lovely wife. Please let me try to help. I’ll send some waves. We’ll do everything in our power to keep her safe. It will be one less worry for you.”
Malcolm had nodded and half-heartedly agreed to let Abel make his waves. Abel could feel his pain. Malcolm was torn. He needed to do the job, but the thought of leaving Inara was pulling him apart.
Abel had patted the younger man on the back and assured him the time would pass quickly and Inara would be in good hands. Zoë and Jayne had returned to the table, Jayne ten credits richer. Zoë ’s eyes had searched Mal’s face, seemingly satisfied with what she saw. She’d had another round of drinks delivered and had raised her mug in a new toast. They’d all grinned and drank, not realizing the word had worked its way around the bar. The news spread like wildfire through the customers, and it wasn't long before Mal and his friends were surrounded by congratulatory townspeople spawning a long night of toasts and good wishes.
Continued in Part 1 B