Frame Story: Wash says goodbye to the dinosaurs

Backstory: Wash says goodbye to Tanaka

5.

“This is it,” Wash said, stopping in front of an office building with a façade of black marble and smoked glass. Mal, who was looking in a different direction, nearly ran Wash over.

“Oh,” he said, looking up at the building distractedly. “The service is when?”

Wash checked the time on a bank clock across the street. “We’ve got a little over an hour.”

“Huh. Well.” Mal scratched his head. He hated funerals – Wash had learned that much during their brief association – but seemed to feel for some reason that he ought to attend Jack’s. “Me and Kaylee are going to see about the refits the ship needs. If we get a chance, we may come back.” He wandered off, still distracted. Kaylee threw Wash and Zoe an apologetic glance before trailing away after her captain.

“It won’t bother me if he doesn’t make it,” Wash said to Zoe, as they watched Mal and Kaylee disappear down the block.

“Not sure he cares if it would bother you,” Zoe said, frowning. “Something’s up, but he hasn’t told me what, yet.”

Wash shrugged. “Maybe it’s not that important. Come on,” he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the building. Inside, he led her across the marbled foyer to the elevators and pushed the “up” button. “I wanted to be here early for a reason.” He stepped into the elevator and punched the button for the tenth floor.

“The service –“ Zoe said.

“Is in the founder’s hall on the third floor, I know,” Wash said.

“You told Mal you wanted some private time to say goodbye,” Zoe pointed out.

“Not to Uncle Jack,” Wash said, and Zoe looked sideways at him. Who besides his uncle could he want to say goodbye to?

The bell chimed for the tenth floor. Wash pulled Zoe out of the elevator and stopped.

“Close your eyes,” he told her.

She frowned at him. “You’re not going to spin me around and then tell me to pin something to the wall, are you?” she asked. She’d seen Wash in a variety of moods,