Frame Story: Wash offends Zoe.

Back Story: Zoe offends Wash.

8.

There were strawberries.

Whole trays, right out on the buffet, just heaped with melon balls, grapes, sliced kiwi, and strawberries. There was even a tiered tray of chocolate-dipped ones, and Kaylee heaped her plate shamelessly with the ripe red fruit. She blushed furiously when she caught the first mate watching with amusement -- Zoe, she'd learned, not Corporal or Number One or anything fancy like that. None of her crewmates seemed to stand on ceremony much, least of all the Captain, whom Zoe called "Captain" or "Sir," but whom her pilot husband simply called Mal.

"I love strawberries," she said, feeling suddenly shy.

The first mate's only reply was a slight quirk of the lips, and the barest nod.

Thus encouraged, Kaylee loaded up all the strawberries her small plate would hold, and accepted a champagne flute from the young man behind the bar. She favored him with her warmest smile, and wondered if maybe she'd have a chance to catch him after the service was over. He looked like he'd probably have real nice shoulders under that serving jacket, and when he returned her smile, he had dimples in both cheeks.

Zoe touched her arm and drew her away from the cute bartender toward the Captain and Wash. Wash had started toward an empty table in the center of the room, but the Captain gestured instead toward the door. There weren't any empty tables near the door that Kaylee could see, but maybe the Captain saw one. He was taller.

So they came in a knot to the table the Captain had chosen, one of the small round ones that ringed the edge of the room, that had six chairs apiece. It was already taken, by what looked to be a trio of suited businessmen and their wives, but the Captain sauntered right up to them and said, "Excuse me, gentlemen, ladies, but I believe this is our table."

Kaylee stifled a gasp. The businessmen traded glances, and one replied "No, I don't believe it i