Mal stood outside the infirmary, told in no uncertain terms by Simon that he had to leave after they’d carried Freya down from the galley. He’d closed the doors and lowered the blinds on the windows, and was now examining her in private.

Mal was aware of the rest of the crew behind him, Vinnie leaning on the doorway into the cargo bay, waiting for news, Hank and Inara talking softly in tones so low he wouldn’t have been able to hear even if he had been listening.

She was inside, and he hadn’t taken a full breath since he’d shouted for Simon. She’d been so still as they laid her on the medbed, pale as a ghost. The woman he loved with all his heart, the woman he would kill for, die for, who was carrying his child, who he wanted to stay at his side, in his bed, for the rest of his life. As he stood, staring at the door, he felt the ring in his pocket burning a hole in his soul.

“She’ll be all right, Cap’n,” Kaylee said, standing close to him, putting her hand on his arm. “I know she will – Simon’ll see to that.”

Mal nodded slowly, but didn’t take his eyes off the door.

It seemed like an age, so long that he couldn’t remember ever being anywhere else, but eventually Simon opened the infirmary.

Mal stepped forward quickly. “Doc?”

“She’s okay, Mal,” Simon said, stepping outside. “It was … she just had a scare.”

“She had a scare?” Hank muttered, then blushed when Zoe glared at him.

“She was under stress, her blood pressure raised then dropped suddenly … it happens to pregnant women, Mal.”

“So she only fainted?” Inara asked, smiling with relief as Mal began to breathe again.

Simon nodded. “She’s a bit embarrassed by it, actually.”

Mal uncrossed his arms, leaving them aching by his side. “Can I see her?” he asked in a tone as close to his normal, controlled one as possible.

“You can take her back to your bunk if you want. There’s no need for me to keep her here.” Simon looked at him. “Unless you’re planning on arguing some more tonight.”

“No, doctor, I wasn’t.” Mal st