FIVE DAYS TO BOROS

Zoë knocked on Jayne's door and entered when she received a grunt she interpreted as an invitation to do so. She flashed him a smile she knew was far too cheery. "Your food," she said, lifting the tray a little as if she were introducing it to him.

Jayne just looked at her, a little suspiciously for some reason (probably because of that silly smile), and propped himself up on one elbow. Simon had told them at dinner that the mercenary's temperature was back to normal and that he was feeling a little stronger, but also insisted that the patient needed at least a couple more days of bed rest. Zoë didn't disagree now that she saw Jayne for herself. He still looked rather peaked and pale, but also relatively clean and groomed, she noticed. She suspected Shepherd Book had something to do with that.

"Today's special is brown and green with a little purple on the side," she added jokingly.

He snorted and struggled to push himself up all the way into a sitting position.

"You need a hand?" she asked and put the (so-called) food down on the nightstand, ready to help.

"I got it," he mumbled, and she stepped back and patiently watched him until he finally succeeded. It seemed to have deprived him of all his strength though, so when she slid an extra pillow in behind his back and helped him settle back on it, he didn't protest.

"Here," she said, picking the tray from the nightstand and putting it down on his lap. "Maybe try and finish everything on the plate this time, huh?"

"I wish people would stop treating me like a baby," he grunted.

"Well, you got the doctor worryin' 'bout you. And I'm the one who has to listen to all the fuss he's makin'. So, be a good boy and eat your food."

He scowled at her and then eyed the lumps of protein with a frown, but he did take a piece and put it in his mouth, slowly chewing it.

"Anything else I can get you