Title: Out of Time

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Simon and Kaylee say goodbye..

Author’s Notes: A missing scene from ‘Out of Gas’ Disclaimer: This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the Serenity movie or Firefly series. I make no money from this. Only done for fun – and a desperate craving to have more stories told about this wonderful ‘verse Joss Whedon created.

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Kaylee’s heart thudded loudly in her ears as she made her way to the infirmary. She had to see him. She had to say goodbye. They’d all been so busy that she hadn’t had any time to see how he was doing.

Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at Zoe lying so still on the bed. Kaylee stifled a sob as she thought about how it should be her lying there and not Zoe. She wallowed in her own despair for a few moments before she saw motion out of the corner of her eye.

Kaylee watched for a few minutes as Simon quickly, methodically, placed the medications he needed into his kit. She knew he was nervous and probably just as scared as she was but she was content to stare at him for a time, trying to burn the image of him into her mind. When she noticed him flatten his hands on the counter and take a deep breath, she knew she needed to say something.

“Ya ok, Simon?” Kaylee stood in the doorway, fingers curled nervously together.

Simon’s head snapped up and turned toward her. “As good as can be, I suppose.”

“Capn’ll reach someone to help an then we’ll be able to come back.” She tried to sound hopeful, but inside she was scared; scared that the Captain would die, that she would die, that she would never see Simon again.

“I hope so.”

Kaylee could detect the pessimism in his voice and she didn’t want it to be the last thing she remembered about him. Hurrying into the room, she reached out and grabbed one of his hands, squeezing it tightly, noticing how cold it seemed. “He will.”

Her determination brought a small smile to his face and he turned from the medications he’d been gathering and glanced down at their joined hands. “I wish I had your confidence.”

“Gotta be more trustin’, Simon.”

“After everything that’s happened to River and I, it’s – a bit difficult.”

“Can trust us. Me. Wouldn’t ever hurt ya.”

“I know,” he said softly. “Its just –“ he glanced out the door and seemingly through the very hull. He looked like he wanted to say something thoughtful, profound, but instead ended up with, “suffocation, or even hypothermia, isn’t the most pleasant way to die.”

“Won’t die.”

Simon glanced down at the ever-optimistic mechanic, wishing he could express himself more eloquently; the way he wanted, the way she truly deserved. He knew she liked him, probably more than was particularly healthy. But he couldn’t reciprocate those feelings, not right now. And he couldn’t reassure her when he really had no hope himself. He was truly at a loss for words – more so than normal.

Kaylee sighed, realizing this was going to be a lot harder than she thought – expressing her feelings. “Don’t have a lotta time. Just wanted to –“

“Yeah,” Simon said nervously. He forced a smile to his lips to try and encourage her but it didn’t reach his eyes and he knew it – she knew it too.

Simon turned away from her and finished packing the last of the medicines he would need. “I should finish this. Wash will be back any minute to help get Zoe into the shuttle.”

“She gonna be okay?” Kaylee asked around the lump that formed in her throat at the mention of Zoe’s name.

Simon turned slowly to look at the first mate. “She’ll outlive us all if we run out of oxygen.”

Kaylee blinked, confused.

Simon hurried to explain himself. “In her current state, she’s using less of it than the rest of us.”

“Oh.” Kaylee nodded and swallowed nervously. She hadn’t done what she’d come here to do. And with a tight clench of her fists and a determined set to her jaw, she resolved to do it.

He had moved to finish his work when Kaylee suddenly grabbed his hands and turned him around. Before he could say anything she hugged him tightly, burying her face in the thick, dark jacket, fastened nearly up to his neck to keep out the rising cold.

With a resigned sigh, he let his arms fall around her shoulders and buried his face in her hair. He inhaled deeply, wanting to imprint into his mind the smell of her, the feel of her in his arms. He wished he could thank her for everything she’d done for him and for River since they’d been on board, for doing her best to make him feel at home, comfortable out here in a place he was in no way prepared to live. But nothing would come. He wasn’t surprised. He had never been good at talking to girls. Especially ones he really, truly liked.

A beeping on the wall beside them caused them to part somewhat quickly and Kaylee moved aside so that he could check Zoe’s vitals. She watched in fascination as he pressed a few buttons, readied a syringe and injected the contents into Zoe’s vein with such precision, she was certain he had to have been one of the best doctors in the Core.

When he finally looked up at her, he could see the admiration on her face. With a small smile he held out his hand to her, just as the com chimed and Mal’s voice boomed over it calling Kaylee to Inara’s shuttle.

If Kaylee could have found it in her heart to curse the Captain, she would have done it right then. “Oh, I –“

Simon dropped his hand. “Yeah, you need to go.”

Just then, Wash arrived to take Zoe and Kaylee moved aside as they maneuvered her quickly onto the stretcher. While Wash turned his complete attention to his wife, Kaylee launched herself toward Simon and pressed a quick kiss to his smooth cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment, burning the image of him into her mind in case she never saw him again.

As quick a motion as she’d executed to put herself into his arms, it seemed even quicker when she left them. She tried to force a smile to her lips as she said, “Don’t worry. Everything’ll be shiny an we’ll be back in no time.”

Simon nodded, unwilling for his last act before this beautiful woman to be a gloomy one. He had his doubts but he forced a stoic look onto his face as they left the infirmary, each praying that they would see Serenity, and one another, again.

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