Title: Comfort

Disclaimer: It belongs to the hero of browncoats, the man we call Joss

Rating: G

Word Count: 1323

Summery: A post-Out of Gas fic.

A/N: Consider this my apology for the fact that "Over th Hills" is not going to be finished by the end of today, and y'all are gonna have to wait until I have internet access at my new apartment to read it, which... well, that could take time. Sorry!

“…you’re all gonna be here when I wake up?”

“We’ll be here,” says Book as Mal allows himself to close his eyes. He falls asleep, surrounded by his family at last.

If Inara can call herself that. A part of his family.

The crew slowly filters out of the infirmary. First Jayne, uninterested in staying now that they are sure that Mal is on the mend. He has better things, like sleeping, to do in his bunk. Kaylee leaves next, eager to check over her engine one last time before turning in for the night. Book accompanies her, interested in seeing the captain’s handy work for himself, “with my own old eyes,” he jokes. Kaylee bursts into laughter. “You ain’t old, Shepherd,” she says as they left the room.

Inara chats idly with Wash as Simon leaves briefly to put River to bed. Inara knows that Simon doesn’t really need to do this. River is nearly a woman after all, and Inara can sense she is capable despite her traumas, capable enough to put herself to sleep anyhow, but Inara can’t blame Simon for wanting to tuck his sister in nonetheless. They have been through an ordeal, all of them. Inara can’t blame him for wanting to stick with what’s familiar and comfortable.

When Simon returns he does a quick examination of Wash and Zoe both and declares them fit to sleep in their own bunk, as long as Zoe doesn’t walk there herself. Zoe doesn’t like this, but the prospect of her own familiar bed is too great to refuse just for pride. She lets Wash and Simon carry her on a stretcher. Inara watches them go. When they are out of sight she turns to Mal. She is alone with him now for the fir