He walks along the corridors, the sound of his boots echoing ever-so- slightly off the metal walls. Finding himself in the engine room again, he can't help it as he pats the hard medal cover encasing Serenity's delicate spinning heart, her wire veins and arteries thrumming softly in the silence.

Hard to believe it all went off so well. The take was huge, larger than any of them imagined.

They'd never have to work again.

Sure, what they each decided to do their share was up to them, whether or not they wanted to remain onboard was their choice. But at last, they finally had the choice.

The doc and his sis, old identities officially dead, new ones booted up onto the Cortex no more a day ago by Book, could finally decide their next step with little danger of capture.

Jayne would probably want to move on…or maybe not. In the 9 long years he'd been there, Mal learned long ago you could never tell what to expect from that one in the way of personal attachments, especially when it came to the doc's sis.

Kaylee might stay, assuming the doc would. In fact she probably would stay with her girl, meaning the doc most definitely would stay.

Book had asked for a drop-off at one of the abbeys. "A chance to lie low" since his record with the Alliance had been wiped clean by his "untimely demise." He'd rejoin them in a bit. He'd always be welcome, even if Mal had to begrudgingly welcome his faith too.

His first mate and pilot were harder to figure out. With Bella and Reyen now running around his boat, they'd probably look for greener pastures to raise those two in. But hell, God knew the twins would always be getting themselves into a muck of trouble no matter where they were, so there really was no point in leaving for their sake.

He couldn't help but smile at the thought of his godchildren.

Inara was prepared to stay too, especially since she was expecting. No way in hell would he consider the possibility of her leaving their new stability, especially when the future of his first child depended on it.

So it was settled. Everyone would stay, here on his boat. Their boat. His freedom.

Reason. Sanity. Loyalty. Faith. Strength. Wit. Devotion. Love.

They would all remain with him..

Suddenly, the pain, exploding through his chest, knocking him back. Shirt stained with blood. Shock assaulting his senses. It hurts so gorram much…

------------------------------------------------- "They're not coming...Command…says it's too hot. They're pulling out. We're to lay down arms," she says. "But what's..?"

It can't be.

Not after all this.

He looks to the horizon. Gunships, pouring down hell on earth.

It can't be.

Bendis goes down next to him. Dead before he hits the ground.

The sky's on fire.

They're leaving. Abandoning them. Abandoning him.

God laughs. Mocks. Disparages.

Abandoning him.

There is no God..

Suddenly, the pain, exploding through his chest, knocking him back. Shirt stained with blood. Shock assaulting his senses. It hurts so gorram much…

She's at his side before he can even process what happened.

The sky's still on fire.

Lungs, filling with blood. Blood pouring down his shirt, on his hands, on her hands.

It's so cold…

"Z-Z-Zoë…a dream…ship. My ship…"

"Stop talking, sir. It'll only make it worse.." She rips the shirt away, eyes stony despite the gaping wound in his chest. Flesh torn. Shrapnel, sticking out at grotesque angles. Her hands move with authority, dirty bandages pressed to the cavity. But the blood won't stop.

"Serenity.."

"Stop talking. This isn't helping, Malcolm."

"Malcolm?" Something must be wrong.

She presses hard. Harder. Harder than she's ever done before. Trying to stop the flow.

Why is he so cold?

He brings a bloody hand to her face, forcing her to look him in the eye. Tears? Zoë's crying! But why?

"It ain't so...bad." A cough. A shudder. "Not…with…the ship. And…all of the people. You...were there...Loyal...a gorram beautiful dream…Serenity..."

"You've gotta stop talking, Malcolm." She's pressing harder, but not hard enough. It's too late now.

"Zoë...stop. It ain't...nothing…" He says it with authority.

She looks at him, up at the sky, still on fire, then down at him. Moving, so his head sits in her lap. No help. Nothing to come. Nothing to wait for…

"You'll always...be there."

"Malcolm..." Tears running down her cheeks. Stroking his head.

"Loyal."

"..you can't..." She doesn't fight it anymore. Tears falling freely now. Eyes sting. Can't see anymore.

"My serenity. My loyalty."

"Yes." So final. So resolute.

The sky's on fire. But the brightness isn't from the fire. Not anymore.

They were all there.

On his ship.

If only for a moment

But it doesn't matter.

His Serenity.

For Malcolm Reynolds, the world goes black.