Mal’s mind was reeling. He knew that he should be sleeping but try as he might he couldn’t. He tried counting sheep, and that didn’t work. Then, he tried counting the stars in the sky, but he kept loosing his place. “Who ever thought counting was a good way to fall asleep was an idiot.” Mal thought as he shifted on the hard cold ground. He sighed deeply. Sleep should come to him as easy as breathing. But it was a fickle friend. His regiment had been walking three days straight days on this dust ball of a planet. He rolled to his side to find a more comfortable position. Zoë was laying next to him in a deep slumber. He had never felt so jealous in his life. The way she was breathing up and down, her eyes tightly shut, and the peaceful expression on her face. He poked her in the side. She didn’t stir. This pissed him off even more. He sat up on his elbows and looked at her. “Zooeee…” Mal whispered for only her to hear. Still she didn’t move. Mal leaned over directly over her. His nose was only a view inches away. “Zooeee.” He called. She just shifted and continued to sleep. Mal huffed and rolled back over. He patted his hands on his chest. He could hear Private Dumas snoring on the other side of him. He wanted to shoot him in the foot. He faced back to Zoë. She looked so peaceful as she lay there almost angelic. Mal took his index finger and his thumb and pinched Zoe’s nose closed. She jumped up and looked at him.

“Oh good you’re up.” He smiled.

*****

“So.” Mal said as he popped behind Zoë. Most people would jump the way he crept up behind her. Not, Zoë she could hear a rabbit sneeze from a mile away. He had a big stupid boyish grin on his face. He hopped on one of the crates. “Zoë.” He said in a sing songy voice.

Zoë took a deep breath, “Yes.”

Mal just sat there smiling. “Nothing just wanted to see how you were doing is all. We don’t talk anymore.”

Zoë licked her lips. Mal was up to something. “We talk all the time, Mal. We just had a lengthy conversation in the mess.”

Mal ran his fingers throug