Altered timeline from 'Ariel', angst, hurt/comfort Time period: Around the end of ‘War Stories’

Thanks to lvs2read for the great beta and thunder_nari for the great beta and spurring me on.

Mal stumbles as they help him back on board, inwardly cursing as his ribs grate and breath catches. He hates feeling helpless, wants to be striding up the ramp showing his crew he‘s well and good, but the hands supporting him feel real good at that moment. Really Wash is the only one actually helping him, taking most of the captain’s weight, Zoe just stands at his side. She doesn’t help hold him up, can see he’s grateful to lean on Wash and perhaps the both of them need it. She does stand close enough for her shoulder to brush against him, enough for him to shoot a bleary glance at her and attempt a wobbly smile.

“How we doing?” She calls back to Jayne and Book who bring up the rear, the merc’s cursing a little, taking the opportunity to shoot holes in anyone that twitches and it’s the Shepherd who answers, saying a silent prayer for the men’s souls, redeemable after death if he didn’t figure they deserved it before.

“All clear.” Book calls to her, locking the airlock doors behind them and avoiding the corpses that litter the dropped ramp.

“Kaylee?” Mal’s voice is gruff, glancing around, eyes bright with pain as he squints. “Simon? Inara? River?”

Zoe’s tense now, eyes glancing at the dead men, face down unable to see where they were hit. Kaylee’s not a good shot, never handles a gun; she had to be looking right at them. It isn’t an agreeable thought, imagining how close Kaylee must have been to them, wondering how she managed to catch all three unaware…but before Zoe can think too much on it Kaylee’s there, holding River close, stopping her from wandering.

“Oh god,” Kaylee’s let go of River, the horror from earlier leaping up anew as she stares at Mal, sees the bloodied mass where his ear had been. “He gonna be okay?”

She addresses them all, voice so small that Zoe can’t help but answer even if she doesn’t want to be stopping here, wants to be in the air and away with her husband by her side and friend healing up in his bunk. “He’ll be fine, best be moving though. Jayne, help the Captain get to the infirmary.”

Jayne grunts at the order, eyes lowering to the floor when she stares hard at him. Something about her gaze always did unsettle him, more so now as it seems she’s always looking, watching. Like she thinks he’s about to slip up or do something stupid. But he isn’t, not any more. He takes Mal’s weight, grimace twisting his lips as the man’s ear comes into full view. Or what’s left of it. He’d better hope Inara’s got the goods she promised. “Whose gonna be slappin’ it back on?” He asks, eyes narrowing as Zoe graces him with a piercing stare.

“Shame we’ve not got a medic on board.” Her words are matter of fact and she feels Kaylee recoil at them, wants to bite them back as her eyes stray to River. But River’s lost in her own world, not caring or not listening, no one could be sure.

The girl lets Book take her by the shoulders and gently guide her inside, his hand slapping closed the cargo doors as he passes the button. “I think perhaps I should take River to the galley until Inara returns.”

River doesn’t protest, smile curving her lips slightly as Simon teases her for finding fault in his games. He always likes to stick to the rules.

Her smile makes Jayne shudder as he half carries Mal towards the infirmary, taking the captain’s weight without complaint. Ain’t right to him for her to be so quiet and wispy, like she’s not there and sometimes Jayne forgets, starts when he sees her and wonders what’s going on in that feng le mind of hers. Should make him more wary of her, have him feeling more guilty but that feelings faded somewhat since they’ve all been so caught up in selling the take and rescuing Mal. Prefer it when she was noisy an’ cussin’, least then it was amusing’. At least then he didn’t creep himself out more by feeling protective, gorramn captain making him that way by putting the notion into his mind. Must have done something, or got crazy too.

Wash and Zoe are already in the cockpit, setting Serenity flying far away from Niska’s skyplex. There’s a definite chance Niska will have it in for them after this and they aim to be as far away as possible when he gets into a mind to chase them. Zoe’s in Wash’s lap, feeling him rest against her as he flies. Comfort position, Zoe knows, she’s just not sure who’s most comforted by it. Him or her.

They don’t say a word, save when Inara waves them and they set a course to her. Just keep touching, looking at each other. No need for words to come between them. It’s all been said and now they both know, now they share something else, something Zoe wishes they’d never had too.

Zoe can‘t help feeling a satisfied surge at the chaos they‘ve left behind, but it’s only when Inara steps aboard carrying the loaned medical equipment which Mal’s sure to be pleased on and in sore need of, that the recollection strikes her; Mal called out asking where Simon was…