She was a picture of beauty.

Wash stood there admiring his wife as she watched most of the crew down below in the cargo bay from one of the catwalks above it. She had just gotten the wave from Mal half an hour ago. She had been quiet since.

The captain and the doctor were just beginning to descend into the planet. According to what Zoe had just told the rest of the crew, everything and everyone was fine.

“So,” Wash pulled gently on Zoe’s arm, “What did the captain say?”

Zoe snared Wash’s wrist sharply, before abruptly letting it go.

“Ow,” Wash took back his hand, “That’s a bit painful for foreplay, dear.”

There was an apology in her eyes, but it didn’t make it to her lips.

Wash offered his hand back, “It’ll be hard to do what I do, but you can have it if you want it…”

The statement couldn’t bring a smile to Zoe’s face, but there wasn’t one on Wash’s either. The offer was genuine, if a little macabre.

“Thanks, honey,” Zoe said, “I’ll let you know.”

Unsatisfied with the response, Wash leaned over with her, “You want to talk about it?”

Zoe didn’t look at him. She wasn’t looking down below either, “About your hand?” she asked.

“No.” Wash said seriously, “About this thing with you lately. Somethin’s on your mind,” he said sharing with Zoe the particular piece of hull that had earned her scrutiny, “Been on it since the captain got the bug to do this job with the doctor.”

“And?” Zoe clearly wasn’t in the mood.

“Nope.” Wash said, “Not going to do it,” he laid his hand, slower this time, on her shoulder, “I’m not going to let you push me away. Not by making me mad at least,” he smiled, thinking of a joke, but having the control to keep it to himself. He banished the smile in quick order too, “I know that I’m not Mal, but being the other half’s gotta count for something…”

The confession was hard, but it did the job. Zoe turned her head, “It does, honey. It does. But I don’t understand it myself. I couldn’t explain it to Mal either.”

“Its just a feeling?” Wash said, “Intuition?”

“Somet