Mal sat hunched over in the lime green chair, his face in his hands, his fingers drumming against his forehead. Feeling miserable and blaming himself over what happened. He shouldn’t ‘a let her outta his sight – “Hell! I shouldn’t have brought her with me in the first place!” he muttered.

“T’ ain’t your fault, sir,” said Zoë, causing him to jump. She had come to see how he was fairing after doing the dishes.

“Hey Zoë”

Zoë sat down on the couch beside Mal whose shoulders were hunched in defeat, “Inara was goin’ out anyhow and he would ‘a found her on her own. Had it not been for you, he probably would’ve finished what he started.”

Mal ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

“She’s hurt Zoe and it ain’t her fault. I never thought about her getting’ hurt an’ I guess that’s what hit me most”

“If there’s any fault, it’s of that bastard – speaking of which, is he even alive?” she smiled, assuming the answer; the smile faded away as she remembered the mule skidding into Serenity with a shocked Mal trying to explain what he saw.

“No, I riddled him with holes. Painful death like that ta-me-de hundan deserved.” He seethed.

Zoe saw his eyes grey with anger and looking like might shoot someone or something again.

“You did good sir. Inara should thank you for being alive –“she didn’t get to finish the statement

He shot up and kicked the coffee table “Damnit!! Why is it that everyone that looks to me tends to get shot full of lead on a regular basis?”

Zoe was silent for several minutes; most likely she remembered how well he listened when he was feeling this way. He slowly counted to ten trying to get his emotions under control. As he neared the magic ten his gaze drifted towards Simon who seemed to be finally concluding his work.

“It’s Simon that Inara should thank for being alive,” he finished coarsely.

Zoe looked at him in disbelief. “You told me there was a full loaded and cocked pistol laying within arms reach of the bastard, correct? He would ‘a likely killed her after h