I really appreciate constructive criticism, so if you find something you think wouldn't particularly happen, or there's something about the layout style I'm using, please comment and let me know. Cheers. ---------------------------------------------- Mal fell into the co-pilot's chair, barely acknowledging River in the pilot's seat. With a big sigh he dropped his head into his lap. He couldn't believe all that had happened over the past few weeks, let alone the past year or however long it had been since Simon and River had arrived on his ship. He blamed himself for Wash and Book's deaths, along with all those on Haven even if he couldn't have prevented it. He wondered now if he could have. There were so many ways to have made this situation different, if he was different. But never once did it cross his mind to turn in Simon and his little albatross sitting beside him. His thoughts began to focus in on Zoë and the pain she was in. He had never, in all the years of knowing her, seen her like this. He remembered back to the day she had found out about her folks during the war. They had just had a particular victory on one of the rim planets, and were celebrating with captured supplies of whiskey and rum when the messenger had come by with death notices. He had received one a few weeks before, for one of his childhood friends, a man named Stephen who had been like a brother to him through childhood and beyond. Zoë's had been about her parents. She shed one tear for each parent and then went on with her life. When he had questioned her, she merely replied "Even civilians die in war, Sir." And that was that. Now was different, she was in her room sedated after becoming hysterical. He thought about the rest of the crew, all so changed by death. 'What're we gonna do now?' he thought miserably. River had come to Mal's side without him knowing. She could not only see the pain he was suffering, but she felt it. She felt ever thought of failure, of guilt, and insecurity of the future flow through him. She swivelled the chair he sat on so that he was facing her. She placed a light kiss on Mal's forehead, and whispered an answer to his inward question, "Now, we heal. Tomorrow, we do our job." With that, River walked back to the pilot's seat, lovingly skimmed her fingers over Wash's dinosaurs sitting on the control desk and went back to piloting the ship through the Black.

Inara was glad she had brought her incense and tea with her, as she took her things to Mal's bunk. It felt weird for her, using a space that was completely masculine. It wasn't like Jayne's masculinity, which she assumed his bunk was strewn with pornography and guns. Mal's masculinity was his strength, his brooding and his scars. She had only ever seen his bunk when on a wave to him, but the real thing took her by surprise. His bunk was Spartan, all about functionality with little in the way of decoration. As she moved around to get her bearings in this strange but wonderful space, she noticed a capture hidden beneath his pillow. As she pulled it out she gasped as she recognised the subject. It was her. This must have been the capture Kaylee had taken when she was packing to leave Serenity a couple of months ago. She smiled at the thought that Mal had it under his pillow. She noticed the wear on the edges of the capture; he must have viewed this over a dozen times! The man she refused to admit she loved had surprised her to no end with this detail; did this mean he felt the same? She sat on his bed gingerly, taking in the smell of him around her. She had dreamed about Mal often when she was teaching at the training house. She had frequently awoken in the middle of the night calling his name, which had disturbed her, especially when some of the others had asked who Mal was. She had always ignored the questions, but the longing for him had always remained. And now, she was back on Serenity and thing's had not changed. They still had this awkward relationship, and Inara knew that it was a mixture of sexual tension, attraction, pride and duty all mixed into one. She slumped down onto the bed, burying her face into his pillow. She didn't realise how tired she was as she fell fast asleep.

Jayne was rummaging through the cupboards as River came into the common area to start dinner. At the sight of him, she rolled her eyes and walked up next to him; closing the door to the compartment he was searching and began to get the food stuffs to prepare dinner. "What the gorram hell do you think you're doin' girl! I was lookin' in there!" River rolled her eyes again, and seeing he was waiting for a reply answered "You were looking in the wrong cupboard." "Wrong cupboard?! I'll have you know, that I was doin' my own business, I think you should be doin' the same, dong ma?" "Jayne, I'm cooking, so if you want some food that actually tastes good, I suggest you get out a couple of bowls and keep your mouth shut." Jayne humphed, and stalked over to the cupboard where the bowls were kept. Muttering under his breath, he shot a look over to River and whispered under his breath "Who died and made you queen of the gorram kitchen." Unfortunately for Jayne, Mal had just walked behind him in the cooking area, and shooting a dirty look in his direction replied "That ain't even funny Jayne, how many times do I need to remind you to keep a civil tongue in that head of yours, or I will remove it for you." Jayne turned at Mal's voice, and knew instantly he was wrong in his comment. He dropped his head down, and then shot a look at River who simply smiled at the events playing out in front of her. "I thought I told you to mind him li'l albatross, he gets a mite angry when you boss him about too much." Mal looked at River, noticing she was preparing food, hopefully for all of them. "What're you makin' here?" River turned her big brown eyes to Mal, and smiled at his comment about Jayne. "I thought maybe some noodles, with chicken and vegetables. Everyone needs to eat, and the fresh food won't keep forever." Mal nodded his agreement, and went to pour himself a glass of water when River touched his shoulder. "Perhaps you might want to change your shirt Captain Sir, before dinner?" "What's wrong with my shirt?" he replied, looking at her incredulously. River smiled, Mal didn't even know he had been wearing the same clothes for the whole day. "Well, you have been wearing it all day Captain Sir, and you always tell Jayne to make sure he's clean at the table." With that, Mal scowled at her playfully and trudged off to his bunk. ----- She wandered through the saloon, trying to pick the man she was here to make a deal with. He had been described to her as a man in a bowler hat, ratty suit, and scruffy demeanour. This Badger person was the only one left alive after an unknown man had killed off all her old friend's contacts. She needed this man to contact the only person who could help her now. Malcolm Reynolds.