Disclaimers : Everything belongs to Joss, except for one character of my creation.

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“I see you took my suggestion,” Simon said to Mal as he entered the cargo bay leaning on one of Alex’s crutches for support.

“Yeah, you’re fulla good ideas,” Mal answered, only halfway paying attention as his eyes swept the bay. He spotted Alex coming out of her room with Kaylee carrying her bag, and met them as they slowly climbed the steps.

“Got everything?”

Alex gestured to the duffel over Kaylee’s shoulder. “All I have is in there.”

She let Kaylee walk ahead with the bag, and stopped as Mal looked at her intently.

“Ready?” he asked.

She looked up at him, putting on her bravest face. “As ready as I can be.”

Mal put his hands on her shoulders. “Remember what I said?”

She looked up at him as his lips started to form the words; then she took them from him.

“One foot in front of the other.” She gave him a small smile.

He smiled back and squeezed her shoulders. “I’m gonna be in touch. Often. Now, I’ll try not to be a pest, but I ain’t guaranteein’ anything.”

“Be a pest. Please.”

“And you’ll keep in touch with me...with us? Let us know how things are?”

She nodded. “I will.”

“You sure? You’re not just sayin’ that to get rid of me, are you?” The smile was still on his lips, but his eyes were solemn above it.

She nodded at him again. “I’m absolutely sure.”

“If anything changes...you have any problems...even if you just wanna jabber at one of us here, you ‘wave,” he said. “Understand?”

The ship opened up behind them, and the ramp lowered to the bustle of the Boros docks. Alex craned her neck to see out.

“C’mon,” Mal said, putting an arm around her shoulders and positioning the crutch under his arm again. Together they made their way slowly through the bay, each walking on a crutch for support.

Zoë chuckled at them. “You two make quite a pair! I need a capture of this,” she laughed.

Mal watched