Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

It all gels..

As the crew dug in, Shepherd Book leaned in from across the table.
"I am sorry, but I have to ask. How is everybody? Are your family well?" He asked.
"I knew you'd ask eventually," Lou smiled. "My mother died a few years back. Some cattle-born virus off some illegal herd. Turned out the heifers were due at the slaughterhouse when some dunce at the transport decided to earn some trading off them. Ended up on my home rock and killed nigh on everybody."
"I'm sorry to hear it," Book said solemnly while Lou noticed a few crewmembers giving eachother hard stares.
"What?" Lou asked the table in general.
"Told you shipping cattle was a bad idea" Zoe said to Mal.
"She said that was years ago. Besides none of us got ill," Mal said with a shrug.
"Nope... other than being shot at, that trade was all smooth sailing," Wash grinned.
Obviously wanting to avoid ripping up old discussions, Mal turned his gaze to Book and Lou.
"Now! What I really want to know is how come you two know each other," he asked pointing at them.
Lou shrugged at Book, thinking he knew them better and would know what to say. "You tell a better story," Book said. "besides I want another portion of this food."
Lou looked around the table, feeling a bit nervous about explaining.
"The preacher was officiating her wedding and babtised her children," River explained, matter of factly.
"How did you know that?"Lou asked staring at the girl before looking at Book.
"What can I say? That girl knows a lot," Book smiled warmly at River who was absorbed in eating.
Lou shook her head in disbelief.
"She's right... but it goes further back than that. Book turned up at our piece of sky at the end of the war. Skinny as a drowned kitten and with only his bible and clergy-clothes. Most villagers thought he was an impostor. It was a bad harvest that year so food was scarce, but my folks were of the caring sort. We had just lost my dad and brother in battle and I guess my mum found comfort in scripture. The good shepherd stayed at the farm, mending buildings, sheering sheep and herding cattle with the rest of the men in the day and being our center of faith as we needed him. In time my little brother became a Shepherd too, trained by Book here. As the girl said, I was married and he was my priest, so it was only logical that he said the word. And my two daughters got his hand on their heads. He actually acted as midwife for my youngest when she came to the world." Lou smiled warmly at Book while still addressing the captain.
Book took Lou's hand across the table.
"How are Danny and your girls? I see you travel alone," he asked.
Lou felt her eyes well up and blinked hard to avoid tearing up.
"After my mother died and with only me, Danny and my two brothers to run the farm, my older brother got into some debt. We had bought a few cows but one was infected and we lost the herd. Not having any trading goods other than my produce of honey we had to borrow to restock. My brother lost his wife and two kids in the plague as well so we were broke, shorthanded and grieving.
A year after the loan, this bastard of a loanshark comes, armed to the teeth, tellin' us he wants the money. As we were simple folks he sees there is no money and leaves. Trouble is he still wants his debts payed and so in the middle of the night he came back with a bunch of big mercenaties and take my two daughters as collateral - as he calls it. We had a fight, we managed to hurt them quite badly, but there were more of them than us. When the mercenary leader shot Danny I lost it and forgot to aim properly and I ran out of ammo. So they got away with both Sapphire and Brooke. I left my brothers to run the farm and I have been trying to get my girls back ever since.
I have been all round the 'verse. Hitchiking, cooking, mending and stowaway'ing, following leads and rumors from rock to rock. I was stuck back on Boros after being ripped off by the man I got the food off for about half a year so the last news is probably inaccurate, but the last I heard was that the slavetrader who had them dropped them at Demeter."
Lou quickly reeled off her story, afraid her voice would break or her courage would fail.
Kaylee  looked at her with tears in her eyes.
"Oh Lou.. I am so sorry! I was prattling on about strawberries...." she said, making Lou want to smile.
"'s okay Kaylee," Lou smiled sadly. "you weren't to know."
The rest of the people were oddly quiet around the table.
"Oh, come on guys.. it's not that bad..." Lou said trying to lighten the mood.
"That's right," Jayne said with a mouthful of food. "Kids get lost all the time..."
From around the table came a collective outburst of "Jayne!"
"Show the lady some compassion you big brute!" Inara told him.
Jayne shrugged and shoveled more food into his mouth.
Lou smiled thankfully at the beautiful companion.
"Thank you, but he is right. Kids do go missing all the time. I just hope I can get my two back," Lou said.