Mal’s mind was reeling. He knew that he should be sleeping but try as he might he couldn’t. He tried counting sheep, and that didn’t work. Then, he tried counting the stars in the sky, but he kept loosing his place. “Who ever thought counting was a good way to fall asleep was an idiot.” Mal thought as he shifted on the hard cold ground. He sighed deeply. Sleep should come to him as easy as breathing. But it was a fickle friend. His regiment had been walking three days straight days on this dust ball of a planet. He rolled to his side to find a more comfortable position. Zoë was laying next to him in a deep slumber. He had never felt so jealous in his life. The way she was breathing up and down, her eyes tightly shut, and the peaceful expression on her face. He poked her in the side. She didn’t stir. This pissed him off even more. He sat up on his elbows and looked at her. “Zooeee…” Mal whispered for only her to hear. Still she didn’t move. Mal leaned over directly over her. His nose was only a view inches away. “Zooeee.” He called. She just shifted and continued to sleep. Mal huffed and rolled back over. He patted his hands on his chest. He could hear Private Dumas snoring on the other side of him. He wanted to shoot him in the foot. He faced back to Zoë. She looked so peaceful as she lay there almost angelic. Mal took his index finger and his thumb and pinched Zoe’s nose closed. She jumped up and looked at him.

“Oh good you’re up.” He smiled. *****

“So.” Mal said as he popped behind Zoë. Most people would jump the way he crept up behind her. Not, Zoë she could hear a rabbit sneeze from a mile away. He had a big stupid boyish grin on his face. He hopped on one of the crates. “Zoë.” He said in a sing songy voice.

Zoë took a deep breath, “Yes.”

Mal just sat there smiling. “Nothing just wanted to see how you were doing is all. We don’t talk anymore.”

Zoë licked her lips. Mal was up to something. “We talk all the time, Mal. We just had a lengthy conversation in the mess.”

Mal ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, but that was about the job. I miss ‘talking’ to you. You know shoot the breeze. Chit chat. Have a palaver.”

Zoë folded her arms against her chest. She wasn’t sure what Mal was getting at; she just wanted him to spit it out. “OK, what do you want to talk about?” she replied as sweetly as possible.

Mal’s grin broadens. “Oh I just wanted to talk about how you have a crush on the pilot.”

Zoë rolled her eyes and walked away.

Mal hopped down from the crate. “Wait! Where ya going? Talk to me!” He shouted shout out after her.

***** “So this didn’t go as planned.” Mal said as he stood with his gun pointed at the men surrounding them.

“Does it ever, sir?” Zoë replied keeping a keen eye on the man she thought was a bit too twitchy for her liking.

Mal turned to her. “What are you trying to say, Zoë? That I’m a poor planner?”

Zoë gripped her gun tighter. “I didn’t say that.”

“No, no I think you did. I think you think I screwed this up somehow.”

She sighed, “I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

“I ain’t puttin’ nothing there that that hadn’t been already said.”

The men surrounding them were getting a bit confused at their banter. “Uh could you twos shut it up.” One of the men said.

“I mean I put my heart and soul into this plan and it hurts me to think you think so little of me.”

Zoë pulled out a second gun. “I’m apologize, sir. This was a great plan, best one yet. There’s be stories told, songs sung.”

“Don’t be a smart ass about it. This is a good plan. I mean come on. We lure these guys out here while Jayne sneaks in through the back and gets away with the goods.”

Jayne walked out the building with two large bags in tow. “Hey let’s go. You two stop playing around.”

“And, then we shoot these stupid monkeys.” Mal turned and shot one of the men. Zoë shot in sync with Mal. It didn’t take long before the four other men lay dead on the ground.

“And your husband comes in with Serenity and we make a clean get away.” On Mal’s queue Wash swoops down with the ship.

They walk onto Serenity. “Now where did you see the fault in my plan?”

Zoë hit the doors closed and smiled. “Sir, this was your best plan yet.”

Mal smiled. “Thank you Zoë.” ***** “How is he?” Mal asked as Zoë sat beside him.

Mal broke off a piece of his protein bar and gave it to Zoë.

She bit into the bar. “He’ll live.” She replied.

“I hate it when you do that?” Mal took out a couple of bills from his pocket.

She took it held it against the sky checking the crispness of the bills, and then she stuffed them in her shirt. “Do what?” She said with a smug grin.

Mal mumbled something under his breath and continued eating his food. *****

Zoë could tell by Inara’s expression as she left the mess that Mal wasn’t in a good mood.

“I don’t know how you put up with him all this years, Zoë.” Inara said as she walked by her. Zoë could swear she saw tears coming down Inara’s face. She walked into the mess and Mal was sitting there brooding. He didn’t look up to acknowledge that she was there he just kicked at chair for her to sit down. Zoë went to the cupboards and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of whiskey. She sat down in the chair reserved for her and poured them a glass. Mal took his shot quickly and Zoë followed suit. Then she took their glasses and put them in the sink. She then put the whiskey bottle back in the cupboard.

“Thanks for listening.” Mal said as he got up.

Zoë smiled slightly. “Anytime sir.” ***** “What you said back there…did you mean it?” Zoë asked Mal.

Mal wasn’t sure how to answer her. He wasn’t much for speech making. It just seemed liked it had to be said, to keep morale up. “Yeah, I guess.”

“I ain’t asking for your guess. I’m asking for your word.” She replied flatly.

Mal looked her in the eyes. “You’ve got it.”

She gave him a slight smile and handed him a blood soaked patch. “Congratulations, looks like you just been promoted to Sergeant.” ***** Mal had to remind himself that she was a married woman. Married to a man he was sure he could take in a tussle. He also reminded himself that it was just part of the job. A job that brought in much needed coin. But he stood there gawking at Zoë like an 11 year old boy who had just seen his first boob, as Zoë came down the steps in a dress.

Mal extended his hand to Zoë to help her down the last step. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you sir.”

Mal watched as she strapped on a gun under her dress on one leg then a buck knife on the other. Mal smiled. “You know what they say Zoë?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Small concealable guns are a girl’s best friend.” Mal handed her a small dainty gun.

Zoë put the gun in her purse. “You do know how to treat a girl.” ***** “Hey!” Zoë snapped. “Stay with me!” She slapped Mal in the face. He jerked his head up. “Come we got to go.”

Mal shook his head in defiance. He pushed Zoë away. “I won’t make it to Xao Lin Bay. Just go without me.”

“You ain’t getting off that easy, sir. You still owe me a drink.” She pulled Mal up. “And besides we don’t leave anyone behind. Even the likes of you.”

Mal leaned on her for support. “What would I do without you?”

“Probably bleed to death on some god forsaken moon somewhere, but I don’t plan on finding that out, at least not today. Now move.” **** Mal looked over his shoulder when Zoë walked on the deck. “Husband asleep?” Zoë sat in the co pilot’s chair crossing her legs. Both of them gaze into the vastness of space. The only noise was the soft humming of Serenity. Mal fiddled with one of Wash’s toys. Zoe said breaking the silence. “Got ourselves a real fun bunch.” “Yep, they’re a barrel of monkeys.” “You know you’re a push over.” She turned to him. “What! I’m a stone cold brigand of the worst order. I eat puppies for breakfast. I slay giants. Men crumble at my feet.” “They’ll come after her.” Mal sighed and turned to Zoë. “Yep.” He placed the toy back on the dashboard. “That’s what I’m counting on.” “You can’t keep doing this. You have to let it go sometime.” “Maybe but this ain’t the time.”