Funny how it always rains when you’re burying the dead Wash thought as he looked down at his dearly departed Paco’s grave. He looked around the Captain and Kaylee where here, it was good to have them in his time of bereavement. Most of all Wash was happy that Zoë was there. Their relationship was still new. He needed her strength to get pass this…this horrible time in his life. He took her hand hoping that her strength would some how transfer to him.

“I’m new to this…so I don’t know exactly what to say here.” Wash sniffed a bit.

Kaylee took Wash’s other hand. “Just say what’s in your heart.”

Wash cleared his throat, he tried to speak, but nothing came out. He took a deep breath to get all his emotions in check. “Paco was a good…Paco was a good mmm….” Wash paused a moment. He didn’t take lost too well. He looked into Zoë’s eyes for strength. She gave him a warm smile. “Paco…Paco and me have been together since I was 14. We use’d to chase all the ladies around…Paco was cunning. Some might say dashing. When Paco and I enter a room people took notice…” Wash paused a moment to reminisce about the departed. “Paco was my strength…made me a better man.”

“That was really pretty Wash.” Kaylee said warmly.

“Thanks.” Wash looked at Zoë. “Zoë would you say a few words about Paco?” Zoë was taken by surprised. She couldn’t figure out for the life of her why Wash wanted her to say anything about Paco. She hated Paco, she was all too glad when he fell. “I think he would like it, seeing how it was Paco who brought us together.” Wash said trying to fight back the emotions.

“I think it would be real shiny, Zoë. If you said a few words about Paco.” Mal said with a devilish grin. Mal knew Zoë’s distain for Paco. “I mean after all it was Paco who got you and Wash together.” Mal almost laughed, but he held it together.

“Thank you sir.” Zoë said stiffly. “So many words come to mind when I think of Paco. Paco was something fierce, a fiercesome force to be reckoned with. Yes. Paco. Paco, Paco will be missed by all. Missed by me something fierce.” Zoë hung her head low.

“Soooo Paco was fierce?” Mal said as he got Zoë’s glare. He knew that he was going to get it later, but he didn’t care. “I guess since I’m the captain I’ll say a few words…Paco will be missed. Paco was a great asset to this crew.” Mal clapped his hands together. “Five more minutes then we have to be off. Gotta schedule to keep.”

“Captain, you can’t hurry grief. Wash just lost Paco. Paco was so dear to Wash.” Kaylee said.

“Mal’s right Kaylee. Gotta move on. I think Paco would have wanted that.” Wash took some dirt and tossed it on Paco’s grave. The rest of the crew followed suit. “Good bye dear friend.”

Zoë sat back and watched while Wash took Serenity into the black. He wasn’t the same pilot he was a day ago. There was sadness about him. Wash set Serenity on autopilot; he turned and looked at Zoë.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being there for me today. I never lost…” Zoë didn’t let him finished. She kissed him gently to comfort him.

“Paco didn’t bring you and me together. It was your smile and your heart that attracted me to you.” Zoë slid down into Wash’s lap and kissed him again.

“And also my killer ass, don’t forget my fabulous ass and my wit.”

Zoë smiled. “Yes your ass and wit also attracted me to you like a magnetic. I don’t see why I didn’t jump your bones the first time I saw you.”

Wash smiled, but it quickly faded. “…I don’t know what I will do without Paco…”

“You’ll move on. That’s all you can do. Just remember the good times that you and Paco had.” Zoë rubbed Wash’s face. She couldn’t believe how smooth his skin was. She kissed him again. Since Paco’s death Zoë enjoyed kissing Wash more. There was something about the absence of Paco that turned Zoë on to Wash even more.

Mal was in the kitchen cleaning his pistols when Zoë walked in. “Waved Badger told him we’d be at Persephone in a few hours.” Zoë sat down next to Mal.

“And how’s our pilot?”

“He’s holding it together sir. He’ll get threw this.”

“Good.”

Mal stopped what he was doing and looked at Zoë. “Poor bastard, Paco. Cut down in his prime.” Mal shook his head.

Zoë gave Mal a smirked. She went over to the cabinet and pulled out a whiskey bottle and two mugs.

“Jack? That he was only for special occasions?” Mal asked as he cleared the table for the glasses and whiskey.

“It is sir.” Zoë poured the whiskey. She took her mug in the air. “To Paco. The ugliest, the furriest, sonnabitch in the verse.”

“To Paco!” Mal and Zoë clinked their mugs together. “Hey, what did happen to Paco?”

“Wash got gum stuck to that gorramn lip ferret.” Zoë took a deep breath between her laughter. “It was really in there. Poor guy tired to comb it out…he couldn’t get it.”

Mal was in tears. “So he had to shave it?”

“Yes! Thank God. Cause I hated that thing. Couldn’t look at it another day. I thought I would have to shave it off while he was sleeping.”

Mal stopped laughing. “Zoë?”

Still laughing Zoë responded. “Yeah.”

“We just buried a mustached.”

“Yep.”

~ I wrote this for my love of all things named Paco especially mustaches named Paco. Hope you enjoyed this nonsense. Wacky Fun!