Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

Homebound

Once they had been to pick up Shepherd Book, Mal walked onboard and surveyed the stock. He shut the doors and wandered in to the common area to find the rest of the crew ready for dinner.
"All set," he said and patted Lou on the shoulder.
Lou gave him a warm smile back.
"All set for what?" Kaylee asked.
Mal smiled widely.
"Folks. We are going to Valhalla," he announced before sitting down.
"We're going home?" Brooke shrieked.
"Looks that way," Lou said receiving whoops from both her daughters and a warm smile from Book.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, uncle Mal. You are the best uncle ever," Brooke bounced over and threw her arms around Mal's neck in an unexpected hug.
He awkwardly patted Brooke on the back while giving Lou a panicked look. Lou smiled at him with a shrug. This one he had to handle on his own.
Lou looked around to see a mix of happiness and confusion on the faces around her untill she met the last scowling, angry set of blue eyes.
Jayne stood up and stomped off.
"So, Valhalla huh?" Kaylee asked.
"Yep. I was thinking we might even stay there a spell. Get some fresh air. Groom some horses. Maybe even see the sights. .. if there are any," Mal said lifting the little limpet from around his neck to sit on his knee. Brooke leaned into him with a very happy smile.
Lou and Mal had agreed to keep their treasure hunt a secret while they had worked out the details.
"That sounds... scenic?" Simon said sceptically.
"I can set you up in cabins or hunting lodges around the farm if you don't wanna stay on the actual farm. And there is a city. Thingwall is small but not entirely without entertainments," Lou smiled.
"What kind of entertainments?" Zoe asked.
"Bars, theatres, same as any other planet. There is even a temple on Valhalla, Inara. Up in the mountains," Lou smiled.
Inara nodded. She had mentioned to Lou that she was considering finding a temple to settle down with.
"Mama said I can go to school there if I want," Saphire said proudly.
"Really?" Inara asked.
"Seems it's the best school on the planet so why not," Lou shrugged. Education at an academy entailed more than the physical aspects of a companion's life and Lou's admiration for Inara had opened her mind to what possibilities her girls had for the future.
Inara sendt her a beaming smile.
"Even more reason for me to visit the academy," Inara smiled.
"And another reason for Serenity to visit on your way past in the future," Lou replied.
"And if we get a piece of land for ourselves..." Wash mused.
"Yeah... can't do much about that from here on Persephone, Wash. But if you want a homestead I'm sure I can sort something out for you," Lou smiled and receiving a confused look from Zoe.
"Husband? Wanna tell me what you are talking about?" Zoe asked Wash with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah. That's not important as long as we're not going anywhere is it... but Mal said good to go so I should probably be getting us up in the sky 'bout now," Wash babbled and hurried to the bridge.
"Thank you," Zoe said with a half smile at Lou.
Lou grinned back. Wash was not aware that Zoe had asked about options for building a life on Valhalla and she had almost forgotten that Wash had asked about the same.
"It will be good to go home," Shepherd Book smiled.
"Yes it will," Lou said and gave the old preacher a warm hug.

Lou turned to the kitchen and grabbed the food which she set on the table. A quick headcount showed that one was missing. Normally she would just leave him a plate on the side for when he wanted it, but something in the way he'd stormed off made her want to find him.

He was in the cargo bay beating the punching bag.
Remembering their first fight she sat down on the weight bench.
"I hope that's not my face you're trying to destroy there," she said.
He stopped and turned to look at her with an angry scowl.
"Why? Should it be?" He grumbled.
Lou studied him for a second.
"You know that Serenity will be parked on Valhalla for a while right?" She said.
"What do you mean?" He muttered.
"It means Mal is giving everybody a break," Lou said.
"I can't see the fun in going to a dump like Valhalla," he growled.
"Yeah... I can't see the meaning of raising my kids up in the sky," Lou replied.
"Well... I don't wanna go," he mumbled.
"Don't see how you have a choice being as we're allready on our way," Lou replied with a dry smile.
"Let's hope there are bars and whores then," he grinned darkly.
He went back to his beating the bag.
"Dinner is on the table if you want it you daft lump," Lou said, beating back an angry feeling growing in her chest.