Wash smiles, a little crookedly. "Be sure to wave after you've gone a month without being forced to eat anything involving me, cookware, and an hour in the kitchen," he says, hefting Naomi a little more securely into his arms. "Then tell me how much you miss me."

Naomi cranes her neck, staring up at Wash, puzzled. "What's going on?"

"Uncle Simon and Aunt Kaylee are leaving today." Gently. "Remember? You and me and Ma talked about it yesterday."

From the way her eyes abruptly go huge and round: yeah. Not so much with the remembering, apparently.