This is my first fan fiction in about a year. Life has been busy but I was re-watching the Firefly series a little while ago and a story idea occurred to me. This will be a crossover story but I'm not going to say with what...I don't want to ruin the surprise. Please read and review, I'm feeling a little rusty. Looking for a beta too if anyone is interested.

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing Firefly, I promise to give it back when I'm done. :)

Landing

"Kaylee how's it going back there?" Captain Malcolm Reynolds yelled over the ship's intercom. They were about to hit atmo and their landing thrusters were on the fritz.

"Uh, everything...is...shiny captain." Kaylee responded back after several moments of silence on the intercom.

"You hesitating, that don't make me feel too good." Mal replied back, looking at the dinosaurs on the console on front of him.

It'd been six months since the events on Miranda, the losses to his crew had hit everyone hard. Zoe had become virtually silent and recluse since Walsh's death. Aside from yes and no responses, Mal could number the conversations they've had over the months on one hand. The dinosaurs had become a shrine to the death of their fallen crew mate.

"She'll hold together, don't worry." Mal could hear the smile on her face all the way from the engine room, almost bringing a smile to his own face.

It seems like nothing could dampen the spirits of his spunky mechanic. She always believed that things would get better, no matter how dark the night everything would be shiny in the morning. And for her it seems they had, Simon had moved into Kaylee's bunk a couple of months ago, they had slowly moved bits and pieces of Simon's stuff into her room until he caught them one night when he couldn't sleep and had been walking the halls. He quietly asked them what was going on and waited for a response as they fumbled with a explanation. With a slight grin he told them pick a room and quit taking up extra space on his boat. Simon was speechless had turned bright red and Kaylee had just given her captain a quick peck on the cheek before running off with Simon.

"Strap yourselves in then, we'll be landing in a few minutes." He called over the intercom to the whole ship. Just then the ship shuddered as the planets gravity grabbed the ship and started pulling them towards the surface. He called the space port authority to land and steered the ship towards the dock. His hope was to find work on Itheros 2, after Miranda it had become harder to get work as he and his crew had become something of celebrates. He was bought drink upon drink but when it came time to talk business he was only offered low paying cargo runs fit for rookies. Even though the Alliance was weaker now, he was at the top of their wanted list now. From what he had heard he had bumped River from the top spot.

As he set the ship down on the landing pad with a bump and shut down the engines he was startled by the ship's youngest member. "River, what did I tell you about sneaking up on people?"

River didn't hear him, all her attention was out the window as she stared out into the space port.

"River? What's wrong?" Simon asked as he entered the bridge, seeing that his sister was in distress.

"Death...blood...sadness..." She responded very softly. River had gotten better following the events surrounding Miranda, she had seemed more at peace and was able to control her abilities, resulting in fewer crazy episodes. In fact Jane had even taken more of a liking to her and had started sparing with her in the cargo hold. Mal secretly loved watching an 18 year old girl throw a full grown man across the room and the string of curses that followed as Jane got back off the floor. She had certainly come along way from the little frozen girl that had woken up in his cargo hold so long ago.

"Don't start that again." Jayne said as he gave River a shove. She snapped out of her somber mood to pouch Jane in the arm.

Hoping to head off another spontaneous sparing match between the two, Mal spoke "OK, Jayne and I are going to see if we can find work. Jarad waved me and said he has some prospects. This far out we can only hope they don't know who we are. I want everyone to be on their best behaviors. I'd like to leave this planet in one piece and without anyone firin' on our tails." He looked a Jayne as he said the last bit of his speech.

"What! It wasn't my fault that the mayor's daughter took a liking to me at our last stop Mal. What can I say, I've got the Cobb charm." Jayne said with a wicked grin.

"Yeah that's what it was" Inara said with a smack to Jayne's head as she walked in the door, looking amazing in her red dress cut perfectly in all the right places. She had decided to stay on Serenity for the time being, stating that she missed the excitement of traveling. She and Mal were on good terms although they still fought often, they seemed to be less at each others throats. She had kept her status as a registered companion but hadn't taken any clients since Miranda, instead she had used her network of clients and friends to help the crew find work.

Mal smirked, "Alright, Kaylee look after those thrusters, don't want one falling off when we leave. Zoe, River and Simon tend to the supplies. And everyone...watch your step."