Title: Black Days: Simon (Part 1 of 7)

Author: Charlie BZ

Timeframe: Post BDM

Pairing: Canon, if any

Disclaimer: Doesn't belong to me.

Author's Note: This is part of a continuing series. If it doesn't make sense, you may want to go here. And I would put the link if the connection wasn't so slow but you can just click on my name and find it from there.

Also, big thanks to Gilliebeans at LiveJournal. If you think my writing has improved blame her. If you think it's gotten a little suckier, blame me!

Lastly, yes here's another sorrow filled fic. This will be the last sad, character reflection story before I move on to a bona fide adventure fic!

Black Days

Simon turned on his side and buried his face in hair that carried a lingering scent of engine oil. Not the most romantic, and not what he was used to in a woman, but the smell was all Kaylee and, for now, that was enough for him. They lay together in her bunk with Kaylee on her side facing the opposite wall and Simon spooned up against her back. In the past weeks, Kaylee’s bunk had become a refuge; the prettily decorated room comforted him. As did the woman lying next to him.

“I got a little coin stashed away for a rainy day,” Kaylee said. “Days here are rainy and that’s a solid fact.”

Rainy would be a severe understatement; the mood on Serenity was a veritable cyclone of bad emotions. When they first set off from Persephone, the feeling had been hopeful but after the Alliance released their so-called findings of who had been responsible for Miranda, any optimism they felt was bitterly crushed. The victory in sending out the Wave that had claimed so many friends had been cruelly snatched away. Now all that was left was guilt, anger, grief, and an increasing sense of hopelessness.

“Maybe I could find us some sweet weed. Everybody gets happy with that.”

Simon didn’t think that temporary and artificial relief was the answer. “If only it were that easy.”

He felt Kaylee tense at his words