Disclaimer: all things Firefly/Serenity are the property of Whedon et al. I'm not making any money off this, just playing with the toys.

I recommend that you read "Something Unworldly" and "Men of God" as this is a continuation of them. Not beta'd.

The room was like a box, small and confining. Book understood that it was designed that way on purpose. It was too small to fill up with personal items so personal items were not purchased. Possession of things really meant slavery to them. It was difficult to throw or give away precious articles because of the attachment a person gave to them. This causes grief and makes the soul conflicted. For a preacher, soul conflict could not occur if he was to take the word of God beyond sacred walls.

Still, Book found giving up all his possessions more than difficult and had managed to hold onto a couple. Memories of his parents were vague and foggy, but the emotion of their love for him was strong so he kept the worn image of them during their days of courting. Even through his life, Book had managed to keep that scrap of paper, torn as it was and would look to it during his darkest nights.

He also kept the bullet. The lone bullet he had saved for years to one day kill the man that had eluded him for so long. Now that day would never come, but the bullet remained, a constant reminder of what Book had left behind in geography if not completely in mind.

The soft rapping of the door brought Book to the present, washing away images of blood and sounds of screams. “Brother Derrial?”

Book palmed the bullet into his jacket pocket and looked up as David entered. “Good morning, Brother.” He rose and shook the man’s hand.

“And to you,” David replied, his smile warmer than the sun. “Come. Let us have a final breakfast before you leave.”

Book rested his hand on David’s shoulder as they exited the room. “It won’t be the last, David. I will return.”

“Of course you will.” He met Book’s gaze and both men wondered if their little pretend