Finding your place in the crew

A few days later, the captain calls you up to the bridge one evening. Wash is already in his bunk, the ship is just floating through space, and Malcolm Reynolds sits in the pilot chair.
"Seems to me we have something in common, boy", he begins. "We're both on the run from the Feds, and, to be honest, that kinda makes me like you. Now I don't know if you have any plans for your future, but if I'd have to take a guess I'd say you don't look like you have."
You hesitate. "Well... not really, no."
"From what I can tell you seem to be a talented lad. Core-bred, sure, but you know what you're doing with the computers and you're learning quickly. You like it here on the Serenity?"
You think about the girls. "Yeah, absolutely!"
"Well then here's the deal. You help out where needed, mainly with the electronics and software, and you can stay here as a part of the crew. A bed, some protection and food - though, as you might have noticed, not that much."
You smile happily. "I'd be glad to be on your crew. I won't disappoint you, Captain!"
He seems in an unusually happy mood and almost gives you a smile back. "Good."

So, glad to have some sort of medium-term home, you begin putting your skills as a software engineer to good use. The ship uses old code, and while most of it is obviously not open-source and a ship has way to complex software for you to just rewrite it, you can still find some parts where you can make improvements. It's refreshing and feels good to finally do something productive. You also try to learn a bit from Simon whenever you can - obviously, you're never gonna be a doctor without formal education, but you're talented and smart and it never hurts to have more people with some basic medical knowledge on board.

A few weeks after joining the crew, Serenity transports some immigrant workers to a dusty border planet. There's a fair in town which Kaylee seems to be very excited to visit - and she's not the only one. As you walk down the ramp where the Captain is standing with Zoe, the newly earned money in his hands, the mechanic girl passes you, followed by Book and Jayne.
"We're goin' to the fair!", she exclaims joyfully.
The captain gives her a stern look. "An hour. Sixty minutes. Nothing more, nothing less, Miss Kaylee."
"No need to do a flippy-hiss, Capt’n. We gotcha."
Wash walks up to the group and puts his arm around Zoe's shoulders. "Let’s go get us some of those curly carrots. Love ’em deep fried."
You ignore their conversation as your attention is caught by Simon and Inara approaching. The companion is wearing an unusually simple, yet still beautiful dress in autumn colors. Simon has a sorrowful look on his face. As Inara walks down towards Mal, you turn around to the doctor. "You and River not going to the fair?"
He furrows his brows. "I don't know if it's safe enough..."
Before you can respond, Mal walks up towards you two. "Hey."
Simon sighs. "River has never been to a fair and she hasn’t had a chance to do much that is fun in awhile..."
The Captain raises his eyebrows. "Alliance jail could be fun."
Simon is visibly crestfallen. "Of course, I just, had to ask. For River. She’ll understand."
The two men just stand there for a moment. "Sure", says Mal then and turns around to join with Inara.

"Hey, John, Simon", you hear Kaylee's cheery voice. You look down to her, arms linked with Jayne and Book. "Wanna win me stuff at the fair?"
You look back to Simon who's about to decline her offer. You could at least give him the opportunity to go out a bit, which would also mean you could stay with River...