Keeping On: Part 12 - Keeping On

Disclaimer: Firefly, Serenity, and all related characters are copyright 2002-2005 Mutant Enemy, Inc., Universal Pictures, and 20th Century Fox. This is a work of fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended.

***

Zoe had descended into her bunk and no one heard from her for a few hours. She’d agreed to meet Mal in the mess that night for a drink, but otherwise she ignored the world around her. She picked up a stray dinosaur that was on her nightstand, surveyed it for a moment, and then chucked it as hard as she could across the room. Then she curled up with an old Hawaiian shirt of Wash’s and cried.

She had thought that she didn’t have any more tears to shed because of Wash. She was wrong.

***

In the infirmary, Lilah had sat quietly as Simon examined her. He’d shone a vicious light into her eyes and had done a scan of her head, worried that the drop to the floor along with Zoe’s punch might have caused a concussion. The room had nearly stopped spinning, for which Lilah was eternally grateful.

“Well, Doc, am I gonna live?” Lilah asked.

“Thankfully, the damage seems to be minimal. You’ll only be in pain for a few days at best and your black eye will eventually clear up as well. I can give you a pain killer for right now and it might help to avoid harsh light.” Simon said.

“Anything else to avoid?”

“Getting hit again.” Simon answered wryly.

“Pain killer, please.” Lilah held her head, touching around her eye were the skin was soft and tender. Gonna have to try to not piss her off again. Not that I was aiming to piss her off in the first place.

“Alright, but first you have to promise me something.”

“Withholding treatment, Simon? That ain’t very doctorly of you.”

“Indulge my brief moment of questionable ethics.”

“What is it that you want?”

“One of these days you have to tell me how you ended up eating with your flight instructor and his wife while you were naked.” Simon said, smiling widely