“Oh, I'm sorry.” Jethro paused on the threshold to the cargo bay. “Did you want to be alone?”

Freya looked up from where she was sitting on the floor, studying her son, his little arms waving at her. “No, that’s fine.”

“I just wanted … I was going to use the weights,” he admitted, stepping through. “If that’s okay.”

“Sure. I doubt Jayne’s going to mind.”

“Thanks.” Jethro put his towel down on the bench. “I feel … working in the Abbey kept me fit, but sitting around here …”

She laughed. “I know what you mean.”

He adjusted the weights on the barbell then looked back at her. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“Jayne leaving.”

“I don’t think you need to apologise,” Freya said, making faces at Ethan.

“But everyone misses him.”

Freya shrugged. “Some more than others maybe.”

“You do.”

She looked up. “He’s my friend. A good friend.”

“But it’s because of me he’s gone.”

“He isn’t dead, Jethro,” Freya said firmly. “Don’t talk like he is.”

“Sorry.” He watched her playing with Ethan’s fingers. “I just feel as if it’s my fault. If I hadn’t come on board –”

She sighed. “Jethro, what happened was between him and River. You may have been the catalyst, but I don’t see how you could have stopped it.”

“I could have left.”

“Maybe.” She sat back. “But as someone once told me, hindsight is perfect. It’s looking into the future that’s the difficult part. And she needs you right now.”

“I know.”

“So … how’re you getting along together?”

Jethro blushed. “I … we talk. A lot. About very little of any importance, but … we just talk.”

“That’s good.” Her lips twitched. “You kiss her yet?”

The blush deepened. “I … no.”

“How come?”

“I don’t …”

“Jethro, you’re not a Shepherd.” She nodded towards his open-neck shirt. “You don’t even wear it any longer.”

“It feels like it’s still around my neck.”

“And how does River feel about that?”

“She understands.” He looked down at his hands. “We’re … taking it slowly.”

“That’s good too.” She