i don't own these characters. i just used them for my own amusement. :)

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White lights. That was the first thing he saw. His head was throbbing with an out-of-this-world pain, but the first thing he thought about was…”Zoë.” He looked to his right and saw a younger man. “I’m Atticus. We need to hurry and get you out of here.” “Where am I? How did I get here?” “That’s not important right now, we’re going to get you back to that lovely lady of yours. Are you familiar with byphodine? It suspends cerebral, cardiac and pulmonary activity in order to induce a proto-comatose state.” He had heard of it. On two separate occasions only he hadn’t remembered the name. “So, you’re going to make me dead? How long?” “About a week.” It was about then that the man on bed noticed himself. “Oh my God! My middle made of metal!” “You should be dead. Do you remember anything that happened?” “I remember Zoë.” “Yeah, well, you were killed by Reavers. That’s right, killed. The Alliance had some plans for your body, hence you being metal and all, but seeing as how the Reavers were the Alliance’s fault to begin with, I don’t think it’s fair that you use your new life to help them. I’m going to get you back to your girl and your old life.” Wash‘s head was spinning not really sure as to what was going on. He didn‘t remember what exactly had happened before he died. But the Reaver thing sounded familiar. However, he didn‘t want to give away that fact out. “I’m very grateful and all, but why are you helping me, what’s in it for you?” “The Alliance screwed up. They wanted to be the perfect government with perfect citizens in a perfect ’verse. It didn’t work. You don’t deserve to have to serve the people who killed you. You have someone who loved you, who still loves you. You deserve that.” “But you don’t even know me.” “I know enough. Tell me the name of your girl and where I should take you.” Wash figured on Persephone because Serenity stopped there usually once a month. He gave Atticus Zoë’s last name, his last name Washburn. “Lay back you’re going to be going to sleep.”

*******

River was in a good mood today. For some reason she was dead set on going to Persephone. I figured since we hadn’t been in a while I’d let her have her way. That and the fact that I couldn’t stop her if I wanted. That little albatross had a way with Serenity and she did whatever River wanted her to. We hadn’t been to Persephone since Miranda and I’d hoped that Zoë would be all right. Her and Wash always loved coming to Persephone. He was always tryin’ to talk her into getting’ me to let them go on a vacation there, but there was never the time. Always something going on. I just hope she’ll be okay.

Why River wanted me to go shopping with her in Persephone I didn’t know, but she seemed pretty keen on the whole idea. Persephone was one of the last places I had wanted to go…too many memories. But I knew she just wanted to help, so I agreed to go with her.

******

Atticus woke me up on the ship before we landed. Awfully nice of him since the side-effects of the drug made me throw up. I told him to let me off at the nearest port and I’d make it from there. I didn’t want him to get into any trouble. I was already scared of what they were going to do to him when he got back. I told him he could go back with me and he said that he’d already made his choice. I hoped the story of my second death was a good enough story to get him by. I felt bad that hoping was all I could do since he literally saved my life. He let me off and I set out looking around different docking areas hoping to find Serenity. And then all of the weight of the ’verse lifted off of my shoulders.

*****

My eyes were fooling me. They had to be. I was seeing a ghost, that was it. Right than River came up and smiled at me and then she smiled at my dead husband who was walking right towards us. “I knew it,” she whispered. Tears rolled down my cheeks, the first tears I had cried in public since I don’t know when. He came closer. “Don’t cry bao bei, I’m here.” He touched my face and kissed me. It was his voice, his touch, only for some reason he had rock hard abs. “Don’t leave me again,” I whispered. “No power in the ’verse could keep me from you now.”

For once, Zoë was glad that she was wrong. She was able to kiss her husband again, to feel his skin, see his smile. He was real. This was real.

End

******************************************** bao bei- sweet heart, darling