TITLE: "PICKING UP THE PIECES"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Mal/Sarah.

RATING: NC-17.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "NEITHER FEAST NOR FAMINE"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "While the crew begin to celebrate Christmas Day the Captain has one more thing to do before he can join them."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly' are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"PICKING UP THE PIECES"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

The silence stretched so long that Martin Frye felt more than a mite uncomfortable. He had to admit to finding Zoe Warren one intimidating woman. Not that she threatened him or did anything outlandish it was just her stance, that thousand-year stare, the hard glitter of an implaccable will honing a keen mind until it was beyond rapier sharp. Made him all kinds of uncomfortable. He would not like to be the man to get on the wrong side of her but how could he break his promise to the Captain? It wasn't like anything bad, at least not the way Mal had sold it to him. Just something right personal, sensitive. He could understand the man wanting to visit his folks' grave, not wanting his crew gawping at him or flooding him with sympathy at the one time he would be able to accept it the least. But he was glad he had forced the tale out of him even though it meant staring into Zoe's eyes and telling her not a gorram thing.

Instead of taking his word and walking back to rejoin the others she carried on that stare, her look saying she was waiting for the full of it. Her voice dropping so low it made the hackles on the back of his neck rise though he could not have explained just what it was about her that was so terrifying. Maybe it was the deadly calm of her, the matter of fact manner she