Notes:

Many thanks to my wonderful beta, ravenr1r2r3. Without her, this story never would have gone anywhere further than scribbles in a notebook. I haven't yet decided on the final pairings, so the tags and warnings will be updated as necessary.

This story can also be found on Ao3 under the same username and title. Enjoy.

"Once you're in Serenity, you never leave. You just learn how to live there."

Dean decided to break the news over breakfast.

"We've got to move on. The Alliance upped the reward again, and even Persephone, piece of go shi that it is, is too civilized to risk right now. So soon as I finish, I'm gonna look for a ship that'll take passengers between planets without asking too many questions. You gonna be alright for a while?"

A nod.

"Well, I'm gonna get on going then. You might as well start packin'," he grinned and tried for a joke, "Make sure you get all your shit, because I ain't comin' back for your blankie if ya leave it."

That got him one of Sam's patented bitch-faces. It was the one Dean referred to as the 'Why do I put up with this moron in my life?' face. Only in his head, of course (And that one time out loud that ended with all his clothes covered in itching powder that never did wash out properly). Still, Dean would count a bitch-face as a win, because sooner or later Sam was gonna have to react to Dean's being an ass with a bitchy verbal response, and a bitchy expression was the first step towards that.

It wasn't so much that Sam couldn't speak, it was just that the only time Dean had heard him do so since he'd gotten him out was when Sam was screaming and pleading with his nightmares. Dean wanted to hear his brother's voice when he was conscious and not terrified out of his mind, even if it meant Sam was bitching at him over petty crap.

Sam suddenly stood up, tearing Dean away from that train of thought. He dropped his bowl in the sink then trudged to the bedroom and shut the door. Hard. Not quite a slam, but deliberately loud enough to make his feelings on the matter clear. Sam had always hated moving and he hated to make Sam leave when they'd just gotten settled in, but they couldn't risk staying much longer. If the Alliance caught them, they'd be separated again, and Dean was not going to let that happen. Not when he'd just gotten Sam back from those bastards.

The sounds of Sam's reluctant packing forced Dean to get a move on. Moving to the door he grabbed his jacket and called out, "I'm goin'. Don't forget lunch if I'm not back in time. Don't let anyone in. Be back in a while, Sammy."

"I thought I told you to bring me all the chocolates in the land. I am king. I will be obeyed"

"You have no power here in the Land of Large Ground Spikes."

"If I do not get my chocolates soon, i will be forced to eat you and your-"

"Wash, we ready to land?" Captain Malcolm Reynolds's voice came over the com, startling the man in the alarmingly colored shirt sitting at the helm of the Firefly-class ship, Serenity.

"Oh, um… yeah...one sec...let me just-" Hoban Washburne set down his stegosaurus and T-Rex delicately on the dash in front of him, being careful not to anger them just in case they DID come alive at night like River had told him. He didn't think it was likely, but who knew when it came to River's ramblings? They were right often enough that everyone paid some attention to them, but nonsensical enough that no one had a gorram clue what she meant. Wash quickly turned to the dash and started flipping switches and pressing buttons in a seemingly chaotic, but well-practiced manner.

"Ok, we are prepped for landing. We'll be coming in planetside in 10."

Down in the cargo bay, Mal switch off the com and turned to the rest of the crew. He addressed Serenity's mechanic first.

"Kaylee, go and check on the engines, see if Serenity's gonna need any parts. Make a list for Simon and Wash to get while we're here."

"Ain't I going out Cap? Ya know I was hoping to get some fresh strawberries an' some shoes for River that maybe she'll actually wear."

"You're staying to try and get us some passengers or a quick cargo. Use the pretty umbrella thing if ya have to. Wash and Simon'll get 'em and whatever else you need; just write it down. Simon, do the same with the medical supplies an' make sure little River knows to stay in her room while we're out. Can't have any passengers or inspectors seeing her and maybe recognizin' her."

Each giving the captain a nod, Simon and Kaylee left the cargo bay discussing what shoes River might like. They, along with everyone else on board, knew perfectly well the shoes were gonna be worn for a day, and then never be seen again. It was, after all, going to be the thirteenth pair they'd bought in as many planet stops. River's aversion to shoes was was the stuff of legends, the type of blood feud that goes down in history.

The Captain turned to Zoe and Jayne, "Alright, Badger says he's got a cargo for us and he's actually paying us us enough for the trip to be worth it this time. But it is still Badger, so Jayne bring whatever you need to feel all intimidatin' and whatnot, 'cause as much as it happens, I never do much like gettin' shot. Makes me feel a might bit upset with folks, and we don't want my bad mood to spoil negotiations, now do we?"

Jayne gave an understanding nod and said, "I can do intimidatin', Cap'n. May even make my way up to fearsome. Menacin' even." Pleased with the prospect of getting to threaten people with bodily harm,he strode off towards his bunks with an easy swagger in his step and a very disturbing grin on his face.

Seeing Jayne's grin, Mal realized his mistake, and shouted after the departing crewmember, "Not Vera. Not Lux. And no grenades! We're intimadatin' 'em, not wipin' 'em off the maps"

Mal couldn't be sure if Jayne had heard him in his eagerness to pick out weapons, but at least he had Zoe as a witness to him saying it. And speaking of his first mate...

"Remind me why we're back on Persephone after last time. I mean, that riot you and Jayne started was a mite noticeable and I thought we were trying to lay low. What with our resident fugitives on board and all" Zoe asked, with one eyebrow raised.

"I don't much like it either, but we need the money. And we need to keep on friendlyish terms with Badger 'cuz as far as murderin',thievin', disreputable scumbags who'll hire us for less than legal activities go, he's one of the more reliable murderin', thievin', disreputable scumbags that'll hire us for less than legal activities."

"You always forget to mention the lying when you're gettin' all complimentary of that hun dan"

"That too. An' he likes River, so maybe he'll act kindly to us by extension"

"I highly doubt that, sir."

Serenity had many nooks and crannies and tiny, little cubby-holes concealed throughout her. Not even Mal, with all his love and familiarity with her, knew where all of these places were. It was in one of these spaces near the top of the ship that a girl with long brown hair and bare feet lay, listening to all the sounds of Serenity and her crew. Hearing something not from the ship or her occupants, River Tam sat up,cocked her head to the right as if to hear better, then smiled.

"Guests. Though they won't be guests for long, Once you find Serenity... "

Notes:

Translation:

hun dan: son of a bitch

go shi: crap,shit