Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

Last stockup.

Lou's duties onboard were made easy by the crew's inclusion of Saphire and Brooke in their doings.
Saphire had become easier once she had cried it out. She still had nightmares, but in the daytime she seemed to be healing. In the process of trying to heal the scars on her back she had developed a mild crush on Simon, making him even more awkward than normal and causing Kaylee some unexpected competition.
Brooke had taken to Mal and prefered following him around to the point where he would on occasion have to forcibly remove her from clinging to his leg. The only thing that would distract her was if Kaylee took the time to explain the engine or when River found pen and paper to teach her something. The child was like a sponge, absorbing every bit of information that came her way.
Saphire turned out to be what Mal described the asassin onboard. She would quietly sneak up on people unnoticed at the strangest moments. Her attention to learning was not as keen as her little sister, but she learned fast and retained what she thought was most important. Saphire found Inara fascinating and would often sit in the common room, begging Inara for stories from her life. The mannerisms she picked up from Inara, she would clumsily try on Simon. Inexperience hindered her from seeing how futile this was, but Simon's good nature never allowed him to put her down.

Lou's mind was filled up trying to keep track of her daughters, keeping her attention away from anything else. Or at least that's what she was telling herself. After Saphire's outburst at the weights, she had tried to avoid Jayne, telling herself it was for the best. Her girls had seen enough. They needed her to care about them.

River came up to Lou one evening.
"There is no shame in going back, " River said.
"Oh. I plan to go back home, River. Don't worry," Lou smiled.
"Not what your thoughts say... You kinda shout at eachother," River said and danced off.
Shortly after, Jayne came in to look for some food. Lou had a really hard time trying not to look at him. It seemed that the more she held herself away, the more she thought about him.
"What you starin at?" He suddenly asked suspiciously.
Lou realised she had been staring at him.
"Sorry," she mumbled blushing.
He came closer and leaned over the counter staring at her with what she recognised as his playful grin, not to be mistaken for his menacing one. The difference was in his eyes which at this moment was locked on hers forcing her to clench her gut in an attempt to keep herself standing upright.
"You still want me!" He said confidently.
Lou drew a breath trying to pull herself together.
He grabbed a protein bar with a dark, self satisfied laugh. Lou continued her tasks with a mysteriously sore feeling, painfully aware of his eyes following her every move.
Suddenly her resolve to gradually weed him out of her life broke and almost without thinking she walked over and sat down astride him, suddenly kissing him with all the feelings she had tried to hold back since getting her kids. To her great astonishment he was kissing her back, winding her braid around his hand.
When she pulled away, he looked at her with a confused smile.
"Made up your mind did ya?" He teased.
"I guess," she said resting her forhead on his.
" 'Bout ruttin time too. Mal said to keep away and let you decide," he mumbled.
"What? You willingly follow orders now?" Lou asked.
He shrugged.
"Gorram idiot," she smiled.

As soon as they landed on Persephone, Lou dressed her girls in the best clothes they had before trying to make herself look presentable. Sir Warwick Harrow had asked to see them as a favour for helping them out and Lou felt she owed the nobleman her life. Inara assured Lou repeatedly that Sir Harrow was not unreasonable, without that calming her nerves.
After repeatedly telling her girls to not ask questions and not stare, they set off with Mal and Zoe.
"So. These are the children I have risked my reputation for," Harrow asked after they had been shown into a room more oppulent than any Lou had ever been in. Still, she suspected that this was a modest room.
Saphire and Brooke stood, modestly looking down while he studied them.
"I am eternally in your debt," Lou responded.
"I have been led to understand you belong on Valhalla," Harrow stated.
"That is correct, sir," Lou said respectfully.
Harrow studied her for a moment.
"What is your source of income?" He asked.
"Family farm, sir. Mostly cattle, sheep and bees. Not enormously profitable, but we get by," Lou smiled.
"Bees you say?" Harrow asked tugging at the loose skin under his chin.
"Yes sir," Lou replied.
"Do you produce enough honey for export?" He asked.
Lou studied the shrewd businessman for a moment, trying to sense where the conversation was going.
"Never really considered it, sir. Mostly use it for home made beer, cosmetics and for trading on our rock," she told him.
"Well. Consider me your main export and we have a deal. I will give you a fair price. I understand Captain Reynolds here is in some family relation so I assume he can act as transport," sir Harrow smiled.
"I would be honored to do business with you," Lou smiled gratefully.
"I haven't seen honey since I was a child. It is one of the products the central planets seems to crave," he explained.
Looking at the girls he smiled.
"Understand this. I rarely do anything without profit. When I agreed to help getting your children from those mines, it was not entirely out of charity. I expect to see these children grow up into honest people. And I assume it is understood that you will not trade outside our arrangements," he said.
Lou nodded and shook the nobleman's hand to seal the agreement.

Once outside she exchanged a spontaneous high five with Zoe. They returned to Serenity to find the ship refueled and the cargo hold filled with goods. Lou had told Mal what was most likely to be a successful trade on Valhalla, so in addition to some cows, some sheep and chickens, Mal had stuffed the bay with useful trade. In return, Lou had promised Mal a home on Valhalla for him and his crew whenever they were in need of a break from flying. The two of them had also spent hours trying to figure out where Danny may have hidden Duggar's money.