[12] White Collar
[20] Firefly
[01] Dark Shadows

Taking on a job commissioned by an orangutan may seem to veer from Mal's (admittedly abysmal) usual standards, but when it comes down to it, gold is gold, right?

Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, but three times is... Well. Three times would mean something.

Mal drew himself up indignantly. “I ain’t hidin’! I got me legitimate captainy things happen to need tending to in here.” (Sequel to Fruition - linked in post)

River knows that Mal loves her, even though he doesn't want her on his ship and doesn't want her as his responsibility. Mal loves her because she is like Serenity, because being with her is the closest thing he can get to being with Serenity...

It should have been River.

River is always there when Mal turns the corner. Staring up, staring out. Even when there's no glass to see through.