“Want to get some rest?” asked Mal, seeing that he was having difficulty staying on his feet. Between the drugs in his system and the sheer physical weariness, the boy was ready to crash, but fear flickered across his face. “We got a cabin set up for you, nice comfy bed probably feel good about now.”

Harper nodded uncertainly and followed them down to the cabin. He looked in with an initial sense of dread, knowing he was going to be confined there. What faced him was a surprisingly welcoming sight, with a real bed adorned with blankets and pillows, a comfortable rug on the floor, and a pleasantly worn chair in one corner. He felt tears prick the backs of his tired eyes at the unexpected kindness; he’d been expecting a cell of some kind despite the captain’s remark about a comfy bed. Harper blinked his eyes and swallowed forcefully, walking in and sitting down. The bunk gave softly under his weight, and he put out a hand to support himself, looking over and spotting a shiny, colorful object on the pillow as he did so.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“That’s what happens when you let Kaylee make the bed,” said Wash. “It’s candy.”

Harper unwrapped the small morsel of hard candy and started to crunch on it hungrily, forcing Mal to the sudden realization that he was probably starving. “You hungry?” Harper looked up gratefully at the Mal and nodded. It would appear that, suddenly and unexpectedly, life was looking up.

“I’ll take care ‘a that,” said Mal, strolling out and leaving Wash to keep an eye on Harper. He returned minutes later with a twinkle in his eye and handed Harper a large protein bar and a bowl filled to the brim with canned peaches.

Harper looked up at Mal, a flash of humor in his eyes. "Where's the whip?" he asked, the slight hesitation in his voice revealing uncertainty about whether joking was a particularly good idea.

Mal grinned. “Keeping a box of engine parts company. Eat the gorram peaches,” he said cheerfully.

Wash was staring at Mal with raised eyebrows. “Whip?”