It took more than a week before Simon was well enough to be transferred to Serenity, but Dr Paxton finally announced that he could go home, as along as he promised to rest.

“I’ll make sure of that, doc,” Kaylee said firmly, glaring at her husband.

“Hey, what did I do?” the young man demanded to know.

“You shoulda waited. Not said anything until the Cap was there. Then maybe you wouldn’t’ve got pushed out the window.”

“I wasn’t well.”

“That’s no excuse.”

In that time the antiviral had been distributed throughout the town, and everyone on Serenity was feeling a lot better. Monument City wasn’t sure how to handle her crew, though. Simon had undoubtedly saved them from a lot of suffering, maybe even a few lives, but there was still an undercurrent that they were trouble. There was even a rumour that Rita Hammond wouldn’t have died at all if they hadn’t been there.

Macallum had said pretty much the same thing straight out. “So I don’t think it’d be a good idea for you and yours to come back here any time soon.”

Mal smiled. “I take it that job offer ain’t on the table no more.”

“You weren’t going to take it anyway, were you?”

Mal chuckled. “No. Honest truth, we’re better off going from place to place. Never was one for putting down roots dirtside.”

“Safer, too.”

“I’m not sure if I want you to be expanding on that little comment.”

“Like I said before, I look into the people work for me, so probably better not.” Macallum stuck out his hand. “Captain, if you ever need anything, you wave. And I mean it. Anything. Mary’d make me sleep out in the bunkhouse if I didn’t stick to that.”

“She’s done that before?”

“Let’s just say I’ve made an acquaintance of a bedroll or two.”

They laughed and shook hands, then Macallum climbed into his buckboard and flicked the reins, the old vehicle disappearing in a cloud of dust.

Zoe glanced at her captain. “He’s a good man, sir.”

“That he is.”

“You could have taken up his offer. Maybe made this a base for us.”

“Nope