(Untitled)

[tightpantscapn]

Mal was goin' t' be a father.

Oh, he trusted Chase jus' fine, which meant that, like it 'r not, what the doc said was true: River was goin' t' have a baby.

There were goin' t' be tiny combat boots pitterin' n' patterin' 'bout on Serenity sooner'n Mal'd e'er be ready for. But, he reckoned he ought t' at least be grateful for gettin' a few

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[crazyspacegirl]

While River was glad that she didn't feel as constantly sick as she had for a while, the smells of some things still set her off. Just now the smell of cooking fish was her enemy, and she was annoyed about the fact that she lived on an island, where it seemed every room of every structure had at some point been used to cook or consume seafood, and the scent of it would linger forever. It was better to stay outdoors. She felt okay out in the fresh air.

Simon Chicago barked at the sight of Mal, tail wagging proudly as though he'd had to hunt him.

River shook her head fondly and followed after the dog to where Mal sat in the shade. "What are you making?"

[tightpantscapn]

Lost in his own thoughts, Mal hadn't e'en noticed when a shadow began t' blot out the sun. He'd been too busy thinkin' on babies n' how Serenity was goin' t' be turned upside down n' rightside out in a matter o' months -- n' it was all his gorram fault.

River startled him, so much that he made a squawking sound n' his arms flailed some. The knife went flyin' one way n' the thin' he'd been whittlin' whirled the other, nearly hittin' Simon Chicago in the head.

A beat, n' then he 'ttempted t' look calm, cool, n' collected. "Ni hao," he said real casual-like.

[crazyspacegirl]

Simon Chicago thought this was an excellent twist on the game of fetch. He leapt in the air to catch the block of wood and then tore off into the trees, clearly expecting to be followed.

River though her dog was just going to have to learn to live with disapointment sometimes, or else find someone else to chase him. She bent down to pick up MalS knife, and hefted it thoughtfully in her hand, considering his response to her appearance. She knew she wasn't that girl anymore, but she didn't doubt that she might yet make an apearance sometime.

"Am I that scary still?" she asked, sure of a true answer from Mal.

[tightpantscapn]

"No," Mal said automatically, truth written all o'er his face.

But when his gaze dropped t' River's midsection, he reconsidered a touch. "Yes." Realizin' how she might take that, he quickly lit on, "Because part o' that's y' n' part o' that's me 'n we're goin' t' be the gorram end o' this island, y' n' me n'...'specially the Tam-Reynolds situatin' him 'r herself in there."

[crazyspacegirl]

River considered that response for a moment, and nodded. She was plenty scared of the whole situation herself, and she couldn't fault him for feeling the same.

"The 'verse has an awful wicked sense of humor to think making a new person out of the two of us is a good idea." She handed him his knife, careful to be the least threatening she could be, and sat down in the shade beside him. "You, me, and the rest of the island are going to have to adjust some, probably. Maybe we ought to name it 'Trouble' or 'Danger or something, just as a warning." She wasn't sure, even to herself, how much she might have been joking.'

[tightpantscapn]

Mindful o' not nickin' himself (as he weren't in the best o' ways at the moment), Mal took care t' tuck the knife 'way t' a place where it couldn't do no harm. His shoulder brushed jus' so 'gainst River's as he leaned back, settlin' 'gainst the tree.

"I reckon the rest o' the island'll adjust 'fore we do," he commented, head lollin' t'ward hers. "Má fan, 'tis."

[má fan = trouble, troublesome]

[crazyspacegirl]

"I reckon you're right. Whenever I tell anyone they seem happy, but I've mostly just felt sick." For all that she knew Mal had been struggling as much as she had been to make sense of the situation, most any kind of discussion on the subject had been of the sort regarding whether River's dinner was planning on staying where it belonged. Things like names and other plans were something for people who had actually managed to work a thing like an impending baby into their ideas for the future.

She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder like a cat, and wondered how they were ever going to find the words for any of it, when most things between them were well understood without being said aloud.

[tightpantscapn]

Mal could only grunt in response t' that. He'd seen River sick more times in the past couple o' weeks t' last him a lifetime; seein' her feelin' all ill n' tired weren't no fun. 't made him feel real guilty-like, t' boot. But in the end, 't'd be worth all the trouble; that's what folks'd say t' 'em. Weren't that what folks 'lways said t' couples who were 'xpectin? Sounded like 't could be.

His mouth turned down in a frown as he rested his chin 'gainst the crown o' her hair. Least they had some time t' get used t' this idea.

[crazyspacegirl]

For the moment, River was content to just not feel sick for a time. Just plain not feeling well had taken up so much of her energy for what had started to feel like forever.

"If the books can be believed, the worst of that part should be over now," she said after a bit. "But I'm not sure I trust them, because how can they say that when there's still the matter of actually having a baby?" The thought made River shudder; she knew she was going to have to do that relatively soon, but she had yet to quite wrap her mind around that. "And then, we'll have a baby." She spoke the last in a trembling, hushed tone, holding tight to Mal's arm, because that was the scariest part of all.

[tightpantscapn]

"Books don't know e'erythin', River," Mal said, his breath rufflin' her hair some. "'n they can't 'lways be trusted otherwise." Some folks had 'emselves n' agenda when they wrote, after all -- n' Mal got the feelin' that most who penned books 'bout havin' babies were o' the 'pinion that havin' one was a most wondrous thin' 'n e'eryone ought t' be 'xcited n' grateful n' not scared a'tall.

Gorram idiots, in Mal's mind.

"This ain't no place for a baby," he said after a long period o' silence. E'en worse than the black, in some ways -- n' jus' look at how many folks were stupid 'nough t' have 'em here!

[crazyspacegirl]

"Yes, they do. It's just a matter of finding the right books, but we can't really do that here, what with that gorram bookshelf in charge of everything." River was sure that someone, somewhere, must have felt like she did, and that their experience must have been documented in a book that she just didn't have access to. To believe otherwise would just be too lonely to even contemplate.

"It's not the place. It's the people. It's us. Me. I can't-" She didn't finish her sentence, because there was just too much negative there about things it was too late to do anything about. There was going to be a baby before the year was out, a helpless little person completely dependent on them for everything, and it was more daunting to her than a ship full of reavers.

[tightpantscapn]

How they'd find a book that was one o' River's right books, Mal didn't know. Didn't matter much t' him anyhows 'cause he'd rather hear 'bout this sort o' thin' from someone he knew n' trusted rather'n some old blowhard who had himself the time n' the scraps o' paper t' jot down thin's that may 'r may not be true.

"River," he said firmly. "If'n we can't do it, Jim'll tell us how t'. He knows what he's doin' -- n' he'd be glad t' help us."

Where that gem o' 'n idea came from out o' the blue like that, Mal had no idea...but he weren't 'bout t' question his sudden stroke o' genius.

[crazyspacegirl]

River had, in fact, been talking to Jim about this more than anyone else, but she wasn't about to mention that Mal's good idea was something she had come up with herself weeks ago. She was just glad he'd come to it on his own, so she didn't have to convince him that talking to Jim would be helpful for Mal, too.

"Jim is an excellent resource," was all that she said about that. She knew that Jim would indeed be glad to talk to Mal. She herself had already heard quite enough people telling her that she'd know what to do when the time came. Without hard facts to support the anecdotes, she didn't believe that at all.

[tightpantscapn]

Now, River didn't come out n' say she thought Mal ought t' use Jim the 'xcellent resource, but she didn't need t'. 't hung there, unspoken, in the air 'twixt 'em.

Mal's collar was startin' t' feel a mite tight. He squirmed some, hookin' a finger in his collar n' tuggin' this way n' that.

The next couple o' months were goin' t' be torture -- n' he was beginnin' t' think that torture by way o' Adelei Niska'd be much more pleasant.

"Hmm," was all he said 'bout that, n' then he dropped his hand t' his lap, fingers drummin' 'gainst his thigh.

[crazyspacegirl]

One thing River liked about Mal was the way he almost always knew what she meant to say even when she actually said something else, or nothing at all. In this case, she knew he'd just do whatever he wanted no matter what she suggested, so she didn't bother to suggest anything, when Mal had already said what she would have on his own.

She took his hand, stilling his fidgeting. She wasn't too terribly calm herself, but Mal's nervousness only made it worse. She already felt like she'd been taken over by nature or some other force beyond her control, and if Mal was just as adrift she wasn't sure she could cope. He was the Captain, after all.

"Maybe we ought to make a plan." Even if things never went smooth, she thought it might make her feel better anyway.

[tightpantscapn]

"A plan," Mal repeated soft-like, the syllables rollin' 'bout in his mouth in a most reassurin' way. Now, plans were somethin' Mal could do.

O' course, most o' his plans didn't end up goin' 'ccordin' t', but that was besides the point. The point was that plannin' meant somethin'. Plannin' was doin' somethin'. Plannin' was gettin' oneself prepared for whate'er life tended t' through their way -- in the case o' Mal n' River, a baby.

"We ought t' plan what we need t' plan 'bout," Mal said, noddin' sage-like. That sounded 'bout right.