Chp 3

Mark had offered to give Zoe, Wash, and Reese a ride back to Serenity seeing as they had stayed later than what they had planned and Reese was starting to fall asleep. James had come to pick Max up shortly after dinner and had met the three visitors.

“So you’re the famous big brother that’ll kick my as…butt,” James stopped himself and looked down at Reese.

“Don’t worry she’s heard worse,” Wash sighed. “And if you do anything to my sister I will…have my wife kill you.”

“Daddy,” Reese whined, “I’m tired.”

“Me to,” Zoe said leaning into him.

“My girls? Tired? No way!” Wash joked.

Zoe gave him a quick eye roll but Reese glared at him. “I want Draggie!”

Max looked on the couch and saw the dragon sitting in the corner. She handed the dragon to Reese.

“You named your dragon?” Max asked.

“Yep,” Reese yawned.

“Ok I’m ready to take you guys home.” Mark sighed as he walked to the door. “Are you sure you can’t stay? We have a few extra rooms.”

“We really have to be getting home got a lot of things to do tonight before we can leave tomorrow.” Wash sighed.

“Do you think you can come back soon and not disappear on us?” Max asked.

“We’ll be back,” wash smiled, “I promise.”

“Daddy can we bring some cookies home?”

---

“Where you heading next?” Mark asked as Wash directed him to Serenity.

“Salisbury…I think?” Wash whispered. “Going to see Zoe’s family. They haven’t met Reese yet either.”

“What was stopping you from seeing Zoe’s parents?” Mark asked.

“Nothing but bad timing.” Wash smiled when he heard Reese mumbling behind him.

“Last time we were on Salisbury was a month before Zoe had Reese,” Wash grinned. “She went and saw her folks but I got stuck in the infirmary with a concussion.”

“Sorry about that,” Zoe winced.

“Well I guess this is it,” Mark nodded toward Serenity. “See you soon, hopefully.”

“Yep hopefully we’ll be here soon.” Wash smiled.

“Hoban,” Mark said as Wash started to walk away with Reese and Zoe. “If anything happens to any of you tell us. We don’t want you to shut us out again.”

“I will, dad.”

---

“How’d it go?” Inara asked when she saw Zoe in the galley.

“Well,” Zoe smiled. “Wash was just worked up over something his dad said along time ago.”

“Well sometimes it’s the little things that hurt the most.” Inara sighed. “Like paper-cuts.”

“Ouch!” mal exclaimed holding his finger.

“See what I mean.”

“What is Wash doing on the couch?” Mal asked nodding toward Wash’s sleeping figure.

“Long day,” Zoe sighed, “being the tickle monster and all.”

“Did he get everything ready for tomorrow?”

“Yes sir.” Zoe smiled. “I better get Wash to bed. Night.”

“Night.”

“Hon, come on lets go to bed.”

“Sleep is a good thing,” Wash yawned looking up at Zoe. “I don’t want to. It’s not my bed time mommy.” He joked.

Zoe glared at him. “Don’t make me__” she started.

“I’m going,” Wash grumbled.

Zoe and Wash fell asleep quickly that night without any wake ups from Reese. She had slept through the whole night without any nightmares. Wash didn’t have to check for monsters; Zoe didn’t have to rock their little girl back to sleep. All was quiet.

“Auntie Kaylee?” Reese asked poking her head into the engine room.

“What is it honey?” Kaylee asked from behind the engine.

“I’m getting kind of hungry,” Reese looked around the room. “You look busy.”

“Very,” Kaylee sighed.

“I’ll go ask momma,” Reese sighed walking out of the room.

“Momma?” Reese smiled climbing into her parents’ bed. “I’m hungry.” Zoe turned away from Wash to look at her daughter.

“What time is it?” She groaned.

“I don’t know,” Reese sighed. “Time for food.”

Wash chuckled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Is everyone else awake?”

“Yep they’ve been awake for awhile,” she replied sitting in between them. “They told me not to bother you, but I was hungry and they wouldn’t listen they’re all too busy!” She laid her head on Zoe’s pillow. “You guys aren’t too busy are you?”

“Nope just waking up.” Wash smiled finally sitting up. “What do you want?”

“Captain Crunch!” She exclaimed standing up on the bed then she started to bounce up and down.

“I don’t think we have any Captain Crunch left,” Wash smiled grabbing his daughter mid jump.

“Hey,” she whined.

“No more jumping on the bed,” Wash said, “don’t want you to fall, again.”

“Momma?” Reese whined. “Daddy won’t let me jump on the bed.”

“Momma’s the one that told you no in the first place,” Zoe smiled.

Reese looked up as if to say darn but she didn’t protest. Instead she just wiggled her way out of Wash’s arms and ran toward the ladder. She ran into the galley and nearly missed Jayne.

“Whoa!” Jayne exclaimed picking her up. “Where do ya think yer going?”

“Jayne put me down!” Reese screeched. She started to hit Jayne.

“What’s gotten into you?” Jayne smirked as he pulled at Reese’s hands. “Knock it off!” He cried as Zoe and Wash walked into the room. “Here’s your little beast.” He grumbled handing her to Zoe.

“Hey,” Zoe said taking Reese’s hands in hers, “that wasn’t nice.”

“He probably deserved it the big bully,” Wash laughed.

“Don’t encourage her,” Zoe sighed.

“I didn’t mean to.” Reese tried but Zoe wasn’t buying it.

“Go say sorry,” Zoe said putting her down on the ground. “Now.”

“Yes momma,” she mumbled. “Unkie Jayjay!”

Zoe listened as Reese’s voice disappeared. She sat in the galley with Wash as they waited for her to come back into the room.

“How much longer till we reach Salisbury?” Mal asked walking in with Inara.

“A good six hours.” Wash sighed leaning back in his chair. “Do we have a job lined up?”

“Yep,” Mal grinned. “But you guys will have a day to rest before the job takes place. Zoe, maybe your pa could give us some tips with these folks or at least put in a good word for us.”

“My dad never had left the ship he wouldn’t know who it was,” Zoe smirked. “Pilots just don’t seem to know anyone.”

“Hey,” Wash mumbled. “I know people. Patience for one is a__” he stopped when Reese ran into the room.

“That doesn’t count,” Zoe smiled.

“Maybe,” Mal and Wash said in unison.

“Still ask your dad how to deal with the Wrights.”

Zoe’s face went to stone. “The Wrights?”

“Yep, sound familiar?” Mal asked looking up.

“I’m still hungry.” She whispered to Wash.

“You can have a cookie,” Wash answered trying to listen to the conversation.

“Yes I have.” Zoe said. “And sir, you are crazy for taking that job.”

Reese looked up at Mal. “Ooo, momma said you’re crazy! Daddy is uncle Mal crazy?”

“Well if your momma says he is then yes,” Wash smiled handing Reese a cookie.

---

“Uncle Mal, why don’t you like kids?” Reese asked.

“Who told you I don’t like kids?” Mal asked slightly shocked. “You’re a kid and I love you.”

“I heard Kaylee and ‘Nara talking.” Reese sighed. “They talk a lot.”

“They were talking about me?” Mal smiled. “I think you just missed the important part of the conversation.”

“But they said…”

“Don’t worry about what they said.” Mal smiled. “You are my favorite little one in the verse.”

“Can I have another cookie?” Reese asked quietly.

“Yeah sure,” Mal smiled handing her another cookie. “Wait did you just…” Reese giggled and ran out of the room.

“She’s got you wrapped around her finger,” Inara smiled taking the seat next to Mal.

“She’s knows what to say,” Mal smiled. “I can’t blame her for that.”

---

“Reese?” Kaylee whispered walking into the bridge. “Reese’s Pieces you up here?” Kaylee looked around the small room before walking out. “You better not be in the engine room or Mal will have my head.”

“I don’t want you to die!” Reese cried running to Kaylee and hugging her around the middle. “Please don’t die!”

“Where were you?” Kaylee asked.

“I was getting a cookie from uncle Mal.” Reese sighed. “You’re not going to die are you?”

“No honey, I’m fine.” Kaylee smiled picking the three-year-old up.

“Reese it’s time for your nap,” Wash smiled.

“I don’t want a nap!” Reese wiggled out of Kaylee’s arms but Wash grabbed her before she got to far.

“Reese if you go to sleep I’ll teach you a new game.”

“A new game!” Reese exclaimed. “But I don’t want to go to bed.”

“Then no new game,” Kaylee sighed. “And I really thought you would like a new game.”

“Fine,” Reese mumbled, “I’ll take my nap.”

“Thanks Kaylee,” Wash smiled.

“No problem,” Kaylee replied.

---

Zoe sat on the bed trying to decide whether or not to wake Reese up. She seemed so peaceful. It definitely wasn’t everyday that Zoe noticed just how peaceful everything seemed while Reese slept. Wash walked in quietly to put on a different pair of shoes (the slightly less wholly ones).

“She’s not awake yet?” Wash whispered.

“No,” Zoe smiled. “I think we should let her sleep.”

Wash looked at Reese a smile filling his face. Then he picked her up gently.

“Time to get going,” Zoe smiled.

“Your parents don’t live far do they?” Wash asked.

“No, we could walk.” Zoe said.

“Sounds good to me.”

---

Zoe saw her youngest brother coming to meet them. She looked at Wash to see his reaction. Her brother was blond, tall, and scrawny compared to what he thought Zoe’s brothers would look like.

“That’s Todd,” Zoe laughed. “He’s my twin and he looks most like my mom.”

“Your mom is blond?” Wash asked. “Wait twin?”

“Daddy where are we?” Reese asked looking around. “Who’s that?” She asked pointing at Todd.

“Your uncle Todd,” Zoe smiled then turned to give her brother a hug.

“You must be Reese,” Todd smiled then looked toward Wash, “and you must be Wash. How’s the head?”

“Fine,” Wash smirked setting Reese on the ground.

Wash and Todd shared a few stories of things that Zoe had thrown at them over the years as they walked back toward the house. Zoe and Reese stayed a few paces behind them.

“Momma?” Reese mumbled

“Yes sweetheart.”

“I’m confused?”

“About what?” Zoe asked looking down at Reese.

“You didn’t wake me up before we left,” Reese sighed. “You always wake me up before we go any where.”

“I’m sorry,” Zoe said offering her hand to her daughter. “You still looked tired so we let you sleep.”

“Oh,” Reese looked up and took Zoe’s hand. “So where are we going?”

“To see Nana and Papa,” Zoe replied.

Reese nodded her head before catching up with Wash and Todd. Zoe looked around her parents yard memories flooding back to her.

---

Around 20 years earlier…

“Let go of me!” Zoe screamed at her oldest brother Jacob. “Put me down!”

“My little sister won’t even give me a hug?” Jacob teased.

“Go ask Rosie to give you a hug,” Zoe glared. “She’s the one that gives hugs.”

“But I want a hug from my favorite sister,” Jacob smirked looking around. “Don’t tell Rosie I said that.”

“Rosie!” Zoe yelled.

“Hey!” Jacob glared dropping Zoe on the ground.

“Ouch!” Zoe winced before getting up and running inside the house. “Rosie!” She yelled with Jacob close behind her.

“What?” The ten year old asked.

“Jacob just told me that I was his fav__” Zoe started before Jacob put his hand in front of her mouth.

“Oh I just told her how much you mean to me,” Jacob smiled with his hand firmly around d her mouth.

“No you’re lying,” Rosie said.

“How’d you?” Jacob asked as Rosie pointed behind them at the three other boys making faces from their bedroom doors.

“Todd, Nathan, Kevin I’m going to kill you!” Jacob yelled as the boys ran.

“Ha!” Zoe mocked.

“It’s good to have everyone home isn’t it?” Their mother, Rachel smiled.

“I don’t know if I can handle much more of this,” Daniel Alleyne whispered pulling at his hair.

“Poor daddy were making him go gray,” Zoe and Rosie laughed as their father stared.

“No your brothers are,” he replied.

“Hey dad can I go on a date?” Rosie asked sweetly.

“I take that back,” Daniel sighed walking toward the kitchen.

“Nice one,” Zoe smiled. “I never tried that one.”

“He wouldn’t believe it coming from you,” Rosie smirked. “All the guys are to afraid that you’ll kick their ass.”

---

“Todd, what took you so long we asked you to go take out the trash and you were gone for… Zoe!!” The young blond exclaimed. “Oh my goodness, you weren’t kidding she’s so adorable.”

“Rosie, this is Wash and Reese.” Zoe smiled at her sister. “Wash, Reese thins is my sister Rosie.”

“So she’s my aunt?” Reese asked looking at Zoe who nodded.

Reese looked up at Rosie with a small smile. Rosie kneeled down to Reese’s level and gave her a smile.

“You look like your daddy,” she said. “I bet you get that a lot.” Reese nodded.