Yeesh, this entire story is gorgeous. I teared up at quite a few parts, I'll have to admit. Simon's adventure (or should I call it misadventure?) makes me feel like my emotions just went through a grinder, so much -hurt- and bitter-sweetness, yet also so much love and compassion and concern.

The introspection a few chapters back about how Mal didn't like Simon in the beginning because of his sadness was so... insightful and startling in its clarity. I love that idea, and Zoe's accurate perception of the doctor's similarity to Mal at the end of the war brings it all together. Also, for some reason, Inara's reaction (where she choked on a sob) at the dinner table with the Tam's upon realizing the River wasn't receiving her medication made me smile. Her compassion can be so subtle, at times, but it makes her all the more amazing. Your knack for writing all these different and deep voices is beyond awe-inspiring. Well done, well done.

There are so many great parts of this story. Just, everything. All the pain but also the care... just, everything. Thank you so much for writing and sharing. I honestly feel changed by this story, this journey, and I can't thank you enough for weaving this golden masterpiece.

This is very interesting so far, and I just thought that I'd warn you that when you start italocs, they continue for the whole page.

I just read this whole story on another off beaten site. I wanted to let you know how fantastic i thought it was. I have just recently discovered the wonder that is Firefly. 10 years late to the party but a huge fan none the less. I'd been looking for good fanfiction to read and wanted one where River and Simons parents game into play... This was just fantastic. Thank you.

Oh my Gosh this is the best fan fic I've ever read! This should have been what happened in the movie! Love love LOVED this! Please continue? Or do a sequel? Where Simon and Kaylee get together? And I wanna know Simons reaction to the letters! That would be so shiny!

Love, love, love your story! I read it all in on night on the "you're pretty... pretty" site and fell in love. You captured all the characters absolutely perfectly, especially River!

great story...

wow is really the first and most important thing that comes to mind after reading your amazing story. You are brilliant in both keeping to cannon as well as entertaining with excitement. you didn't go too overbord yet it still kept me interested. Everything from kaylee's family to Inara's training was great, thank you so much for the story. I loved it.

Very sweet story that does a good job exploring what a family is. Most long stories end in pregnancy, birth or weddings - it was refreshing that yours didn't. It made it more... real, ending with sorrow, but hope as well. Props.

another wonderful piece. the characters are portrayed so richly, and the story was exciting and sad and touching and funny-very much the true essence of the show. I hope to see more firefly fics!

Aside from the aformentioned issues of grammar/spelling in the last 2 or 3 chapters it was a charming tale.

Thanks.

I adore this story. I can't stop reading it. But, I am am a nit-picky English buff, and I have to say, I think you should look into getting a beta. You have a lot of spelling errors, some of which I don't think are typos. It's really not doing this story justice.

Great Story I am glad someone finally wrote a long one the one shots are good but they just dont seem to hold a candle to the epic ones look forward to any new ones you intened to write THANKS AGAIN!

I am the perinal lurker... read more fanfiction than any human aught. Bear that in mind when I say that I had to review after reading Ties that Bind. Your story is absolutely amazing. I read the whole thing in one sitting, taking a good amount of time I might add. I could do the traditional thing and beg for a sequel, but in reality, your story stands better by itself, being so good that a sequel could only bring it down.

Keep up the good work, and I hope to read more of your work in the future.

Draconious

I've been reading a lot of Firefly Fic lately and I have to say that this is hands down the best I have read. I think it took me 3 or 4 hours to read it all. And I didn't move from my computer once until it was done.

It was so wonderfully moving and well-written. Bringing the Tam's into the story was an excellent move. I always wanted to know more about them but, alas, the series was canceled. Your writing them was so very believable and heartbreakingly wonderful.

An emotional rollercoaster ride that I would gladly take again and again. I hope you continue writing.

I just loved the story. All characters are so much llike in the series. It is amazing!

keep writing!