Three Letters by 2x2 Word count: 490 Rating: G A/N: Because I love the angst...

It took everything he had to write the letter.

He’d spent the better part of the four days before they reached postal station working on it, getting it just right. So innocent on the surface, but every line suffused with the longing, regret and ache he carried with him in her absence - a silent plea for her to return, to make him whole again.

He’d written it out three times after finally wording it the way he wanted, feeling clumsy as his fingers gripped the pen awkwardly, flushing the other two in frustration; he’d wanted it to be as perfect as he could make it, knew she would see the effort he’d taken with it, know what it meant.

Kaylee’s eyes had gone wide with surprise and unfettered joy as he’d handed her the envelope, asked her to address it. He could have done it himself, but giving it to Kaylee meant he couldn’t back out of it. His hands itched for the letter even as he put it in her hand, palms sweating and heart racing in fear and hope as he committed himself to sending the damn thing. She’d hugged him and kissed his cheek when she’d come back from mailing it, her smile the only thing that let him keep his lunch down.

Five weeks they’d been in the black since then, taking jobs as they came. He kept them away from the postal station at first; ‘didn’t want to seem too anxious even though he could barely keep himself from waving her just to see if she’d got it. When he couldn’t stand it a day longer, he’d turned them back, finally.

Kaylee bounced beside him in anticipation, her arm linked with his happily. He was full of nervous excitement himself, though it manifested more as a twisting in his gut than in smiles and happiness.

“Only a couple things,” said the man behind the counter. “Oh, an’ this,” the man added, making Mal’s heart lurch with what just may have been joy as a small envelope was placed in his hands.

He blinked as he turned it over, the tiny expectant grin he’d been unable to suppress slipping from his lips. He stared at it, uncomprehending, chest heaving in unexpected pain.

“Cap’n?” said Kaylee tentatively, noticing the change with concern. He looked up and Kaylee’s heart jumped in her throat at the look of devastation she saw on his face. Then the look was gone, closed off and he turned away. “Cap’n?” she called after him again, and he paused, handed her the envelope without looking back, and walked on.

Kaylee stared after him in confusion before looking at the small square of paper in her hand, tears pooling in her eyes at the three, immaculately formed letters written in fine red ink above the address:

R. T. S.

Return to Sender.

The girl closed her eyes, pressing the unopened letter to her breast, and cried.