Arriving At Londinum

[vincentmccloud]

Vincent took up seat on the bridge when he heard a voice over the comm. "This is Alliance Cruiser Endeavor, state your business." Vincent took hold of the comm and was about to respond. He changed his voice slightly to sound more proper, "Alliance Cruiser Endeavor, this is Firefly Transport Serenity, we are escorting a Miss Arabella Lynn Hart to her coming out ball at the Sinclair Estate. Request permission to land." Vincent had expected this. Only those on official business could land on Londinum, otherwise they would shot first and forget there even were any questions. Vincent activated the ships internal comm, "Mal, Bella, I think you two should be up here."

[river]

River silently made her way onto the bridge. She watched Vincent and then remembered needing to mention something to him. She stayed out of the range where she could be seen on the wave but where it would still startle Vincent when he turned around. She wasn't one to make alot of noise. The people on the wave would have no idea that she was even in the room at all unless somebody said something and Vincent wouldn't not when they were on a core planet.

River needed to tell Vincent something that the rest of the crew couldn't know about until she was on the ship and in space. River knew Mal wasn't going to want another crazy person on the ship. This girl River was going to bring on was her best friend at the academy and the only person that was close to the amount of ability she had. Solstice was River's friend and challenger at the academy and now she was on Londinum out of her mind and psychic. River knew she'd explain Solstice's presence on the ship long after they'd left Londinum.

[vincentmccloud]

"Firefly Transport Serenity, lock onto our orbit while we attempt to verify you business."

"Roger that Alliance Cruiser Endeavor. Locking on and maintaining orbit." Vincent changed course to follow the Endeavor's orbit. He started to bite his fingernails. A nervous habit he had long ago. Being back here brought up old memories. How during the first couple of years of the war, he fought on the wrong side. How he was often sent into the heart of independent territory to assassinate their highest ranking officials. How the independents may have even lost the war because of those he killed before he switched sides. The guilt of that thought has eaten away at him for years. He's never spoken of it to anyone. He started to spin round in the chair while waiting when he noticed River standing at the back. He was so lost in thought, her presence startled him. "Now I understand why Mal doesn't like you barefoot." He gave a slight chuckle to himself because he still loved it when she was barefoot.

[river]

"It has nothing to do with me being barefoot, I can be this quiet in combat boots as well" said River "My apologies I wasn't trying to startle you"

She really wasn't trying to startle him. She was quiet, naturally and by training, when she was little she used to scare Simon to death with how quiet she could be when she walked now she more like drifted through places. Most people didn't know she was near or around until she said something or they turned to face her. She had almost made Simon jump out of his skin when he rescued her from the academy.

River could feel the guilt coming off of Vincent. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was still standing in case the Alliance would want a proper wave with them. She would be able to easily hide again. Of course it wasn't hard for her to hide, her niece and nephews knew that.

"It's okay Vincent" said River into his ear

She wanted to tell Vincent about Solstice, have him help her. Solstice was River's friend at the academy and River had recently gotten an encrypted note from her friend. She knew the code just by reading the note once. She looked at Vincent and held onto him tightly. The thought of bringing Solstice on scared her and she knew it could possibly make her have a fit again.

River hadn't had a fit since she'd been with Vincent. She laid her head on his shoulder and stood there. She was so scared of going back to the academy he had no idea how much it hurt her to even think about it.

[Arabella Hart]

Bella walked into the bridge. She had been making some lunch and her heart was racing. She was going back to her grandmother’s. Leaning against the wall, she was in her usual. A long prairie skirt, white today, and a black tank top. Her shawl was draped over her shoulders, thin to adjust to the weather changes. She listened to the two, the transmission. “You should have added Tam to make it believable I was married. They’ll alert her.”

Bella moved to the window. They were through atmo, hovering. She let her eyes pass over the port. Betty was down there somewhere. Waiting. It made her happy. But she was also shaking with nerves. She couldn’t do this. Crossing her arms protectively, she closed her eyes. How would this go down?

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal entered the bridge wiping his hands. “Look at you two. All lovey like.” He laughed lightly. He knew what today was. They were landing. It was odd really. A job just landing in their laps. He watched Bella intently. She had become part of this family in no time. Jayne was still a gruff, and Haven picked on her drastically, but she still was. Mal was finally starting to trust her too.

Walking beside her, he nodded thoughtfully. “Your mother is down there, ready to hug her daughter.” They had talked to Betty yesterday. And Alec. He was getting an extra mechanic to help put parts in while Daniel was out. Kaylee was not happy about that, that was for certain. But it needed to be quick and they needed help. Alec and Bella had fought about the ‘marriage’ and Betty had settled it. Everyone knew how Bella loved Betty like a mother.

Mal himself was softening with Alora around. Between her and River, he was going nutso. Opening his mouth, he closed it, thinking about what he was going to say. Then he spoke. “I don’t want any complications miss. We can’t have no one dying.

[river]

"There are always complications Mal, no one will die though, as long as you don't get into another sword fight. No" said River to Bella a little quicker than she should have "Not Tam, my family is wanted here on the core, use a different name"

River was still holding onto Vincent's neck. She didn't like the thought of her last name being used. Mal wasn't going to like the thought either, they had enough trouble with the Alliance as it was, they didn't need more.

"If you use my family's name you will be arrested the second you set foot on to Londinum, they are still looking for Simon and I" said River looking toward Mal "No there is no operative after us anymore, he said we wouldn't see him again and we won't, not after the thing that he saw about Miranda"

River didn't want to let go of Vincent's neck if anything she just wanted to curl up with him and hide. She looked back at Bella, she was going to finish explaining herself to Bella.

"Simon and I are from the Alliance, he gave up his career, his fortune, everything he had in this world to save me, I've been looking around the Verse, tracking my parent's motions, they are currently on Londinum, looking for Simon and I, as of right now they won't think to look on a Firefly class ship, they still believe that Simon is going to look for something sleeker, more Alliance like" said River "He may have left everything that he was on Osiris but it's made him a better person now, and if our parents find us, especially me, they will send me back there"

River snuggled closer to Vincent, if her parents got involved, River was going to be in trouble and she would be sent back to the Academy. She hated that place and she didn't want to go back.

"Please Bella, use a different name, I don't want to go back there" said River

River was clearly getting upset, Mal wasn't going to like the thought of his albatross getting upset. Usually when she got upset it resulted in a lot more trouble for them than he generally liked, she held onto Vincent tighter trying to calm down. Vincent knew what happened to her there and he knew why she was upset.

[vincentmccloud]

"Its ok River. I was just.....lost in thought." He put his had on hers. He felt a little better knowing that she was there for him. He was about to explain why using Tam was a very bad idea but River been him too it. "They'll take their time with the check. They'll leave us to sweet for a bit. It can make people who aren't here officially panic and do something stupid." He turned round with a smug look on his face, "Good job I'm here to tell you all this."

"Even after they confirm why we're here, they'll want us to prove it. That why I asked you here Bella." He saw how distressed River was. He stood up and held her close to him. "Shhh, shhh, shhh. Its ok." He took her to one side, out of sight of the camara. "Mal, can you take over. I'll still be here to coach you once the vid comes up."

[Arabella Hart]

“I need my mother more then ever.” She was silent. Extremely so. She was frustrated with Alec and everyone else. She was on edge.

Bella knew all this of course. Turning, she shook her head. “I’m sorry River I lost my head. I’m just nervous and stressed myself. I already have names for everyone I just lost it. I’m sorry again.” Bella pulled out a piece of paper from earlier. She thought these names would be best. “Daniel will now be Alexander James Donovan. Simon will be Jacob James Donovan. Betty has an overnight hair dye and fake mustache for him. And Inara will be Jaclyn Elizabeth Donovan.”

Bella knew she had lost her head. She felt bad. She did. She was just nervous of seeing Betty again. She had missed her so much. And then Alec was freaking out. Then this whole thing with buying rings and everything. Even though she had help, she was freaking out.

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal stepped forward, setting a kind, loving hand on River’s shoulder. “Little one, please calm down. I can take care of this.” He was a little angry. But listening, he knew she didn’t mean it. But he was still angry. “We have a plan. I promise little albatross. Just give us time.”

Mal let Vincent take over. They seemed extra close lately. He let his jaw set slowly. Grabbing the paper, he looked them over. “We can forge some papers if needed.” Mal had picked up that trade lately for jobs like this. Snickering, he glanced at Bella. “What color will his hair be?” He would love a picture of that. Especially blond. Or a red head. It would be beautiful.

[river]

River nuzzled into Vincent's shoulder even more so than before, she felt safe there.

"It's alright" said River "I'm alright"

She kept close to Vincent, she didn't turn away Mal's comfort though.

"Inara is going to need to change her hair color as well, she is quite well known by the alliance, so we don't need her to be recognized they will know that it is a hoax if one of the most well known companions in the verse showed up" said River

River stayed far away from the camera as she could get and as close to Vincent as possible. River knew Bella didn't mean it when she said add Tam to the end of her name.

"It's alright, I over reacted Bella, being in the core planets makes me nervous" said River "Simon's and my parents are on Londinum at the moment so i am a little jumpier than normal"

River was allot calmer in Vincent's arms than anywhere else. Mal knew River got jumpy near the core, she was closer to the academy and the place she came from when they reached the core.

[vincentmccloud]

"I'll need my hair changed as well. This used to be my home. People might still recognise me." Vincent nodded to Mal at his idea. "Yeah, but you'll need to make sure they're perfect though. Security is much more thorough." He looked down to River, still clinging on to him. "How you holding up? This can't be easy for you."

[Arabella Hart]

Bella pulled another piece of paper out of her pocket and a pen. She had a list going. Wedding rings. Developing the fake wedding pictures. Hair dye. Lots and lots of hair dye. Smiling, she waved the paper. “Dirty blonde with grey for Simon, light brunette for Inara and red hair for you Vincent. Like auburn.” She was thoughtful about this, but slightly enjoying it. She loved to help Betty do people’s hair. “We also have fake contacts. I used to use them to sneak out.” Bella had every color under the verse. They were all just transparent, but she used them all the time. TO go clubbing. And hair dye.

Biting on her pen, she furrowed her brow. She knew nearly everyone at the party. “If you don’t mind me asking, who are…” But Bella was cut off.

Firefly Transport Serenity, you are confirmed. Permission to land.

Bella began to shake more. She began to talk to herself. “Oh god, oh god. This is reality. How do I deal with these arguments? This is crazy. So much hair dye, so little time.” Bella routinely did this before any ball. She had minor freak outs. It was always something different. “My dress is so out of date.”

[Captain Malcolm Reynolds]

Mal was glad order was restored. He was still disappointed that the operative never called anything off on the Tam’s. It really ticked him off. He hated to see River like this. But he began to laugh. “Oh my, dirty blonde? Wow this will be fun.” He stopped laughing and got serious. “Got that camera still? I must put this to documentation.” He was trying to get River to smile more. Her brother blonde was funny. A blonde doctor. So many jokes.

Listening to the wave, he sighed relief. “Little one, you and your brother should hide in mine or Bella’s room. Or the tiny little are you love to hide in. At least until we dye his hair.” Watching Bella, he rolled his eyes, pressing the com. “Daniel, get up here. Melt down.” Daniel would think it was mechanical, but that was far form it. Smiling, she rubbed his hands. “Yup, this’ll be fun.”

[river]

River gave Mal a half smile. She looked at him gratefully for the distraction.

"I'm alright Vincent" said River "Alright Mal"

She looked at mal closer.

"Simon doesn't need to be blonde for me to make fun of him I do that anyway" said River

River was still snuggled into Vincents arms nice and safe and that was how she wanted to be was safe in Vincent's arms.