Mal plopped his bags on the foredeck of Serenity. He had a broad grin on his face. “So anyone you want.” Mal pointed to the 6 bunks that lined the foredeck. He watched Zoë as she just looked over the ship again. “It ain’t that bad Zoë. Soon as we get a crew and get her running again…she’s gonna be home, Zoë.” Zoë gave a slight smile as she descended into one of the bunks. Mal heard shooting and quickly slid down the rungs of the bunk. “Not one day on my boat and you’re already shooting things.” Zoë put her gun back into the holster. Mal looked down on the floor of the bunk and there laid the body of a dead creature. Mal bent down to get a closer look at the dead critter. “Mmmm dinner.” Mal smiled. Zoë just sighed and climbed back up. “So…you don’t want this bunk?” Mal climbed back up and as he did Zoë also was came up from a bunk. “I’ll take this one.” She pointed to the bunk that she just came from. “That’s the captain’s bunk.” “And it’s also the biggest.” “Zoë, you can’t have the captain’s bunk. It’s the captain’s bunk. That’s why it’s called the captain’s bunk. And I’m the captain so by default I get the captain’s bunk.” Zoë stepped closer to Mal. He just stood his ground eyeing her down. Mal had been in many battles with Zoë on and off the battle field. He knew if he showed any signs of weakness it would be over and he would loose the big bunk. “Sir.” Zoë said coolly. “If you expect me to stay on this…” She looked around the foredeck. Something green dripped down from above. She dodged the liquid. “piece of go se you call a ship, then I’m going to need the bigger bunk.” “Zoë I think that you’re forgetting one fundamental fact here, it’s the captain’s bunk and since I’m the captain. And it’s my boat.” Mal crossed his arms. His point had been made. Zoë stepped closer avoiding the green liquid that dripped from above. “Good point, sir.” Mal smiled. “I just won argument with corporal Zoë Alleyene and lived to tell about it? Mal thought as he rejoiced to himself. “Mal.” Zoë said as sweetly as possible. “Damn.” Mal thought. It usually wasn’t a good thing when Zoë called him Mal. It had the same effect when his mother called him Malcolm Pascal Reynolds. “Are you telling me that after all we been through, your going to give me the bunk with the dead animal in it. After I saved your ass more times then I can count, I’ve wiped your fever ridden brow when you where sick, I’ve breathed life back into your lungs, carried you when you couldn’t walk anymore, and I believe that some of my savings went into this little ship of yours, and you’re telling me that after all that I can’t have the bigger bunk, because it’s the captain bunk?” Sometimes Mal would forget that Zoë was a woman, but little moments like this reminded him all too well that she was one. Only a woman would lay this galaxy size guilt trip on him. “You know Zoë, I do recall doing the same for you a time or two…buuttt, I’m going to be the bigger person here and give you the captain’s bunk.” “Thank you captain.” Zoë saluted. She gathered her things and took them down her new bunk.

“Look Zoë we got a stove.” Mal stood in front of what Zoë only assumed was a stove, the jury was still out. “I see, and what do you plan to do with that?” Zoë stood beside Mal both of them looking into the empty pot on the burner. Mal stuck out his chest. “Feed us woman.” He opened a can of beans. “Mmmm beans.” He tried to cut on the stove but it wasn’t working. It just made clicking noises. Zoë arched her eyebrow. “What a shock, the stove not working on this fine vessel you bought.” Mal was getting frustrated. “Zoë if you keep up with that attitude they’ll no beans for you.” Mal scooped the cold beans into a bowl. Zoë just looked at him and snatched the bowl from him. Mal chuckled slightly and ate from the pot. They both leaned against the counter because they had no chairs.

Zoë found Mal on the bridge sitting in the pilot’s chair. She tossed him a blanket. She sat in the other chair. “What not sleeping in your fine bigger room?” He wrapped himself in the blanket. “She ain’t half bad.” Mal sat up. He cuffed his hand to his ear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that. I couldn’t hear you over me being right about this boat.” Zoë just smiled. “Good night sir.” “Night.”

15 minutes later….. “What’s that?” “What sir?” “That gnawing on my boot?”

**** TBC...maybe?...I dunno...