Part Three

Simon had been nearly invisible since the encounter he and Tala had had her first night on the ship. She hadn’t seen him very much, and when she did, he made a funny face and disappeared off somewhere with a weak excuse. She had decided that when he was ready to get to know her, he’d come to her. Until then, she’d just relax.

She sat on the bridge, watching the stars fly by.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Wash asked her, seeing the whistful expression on her face. She smiled.

“Yes, it is. There are so many stars…”

“And from up here you can see them all.” He sighed, content. He thought to the anniversary he and Zoë were supposed to celebrate soon, and how much trouble he’d be in.

“Did you ever just sit there and try to count them all?” Tala asked him glancing his way. He snapped from his thoughts.

“Uh, no. Too much work.” He laughed, and Tala smiled.

“What’s too much work?” Mal appeared on the bridge, looking from one person to the other. Wash, distracted, was steadying the course, and Tala decided the moment had been ruined.

“Putting up with you.” She said simply, and with a little grin, as she made her exit. She could hear him talking to Wash as she left.

“Am I the only one who’s real confused here?”

“Ah, women!” Wash said with a sigh. “Gotta’ love ‘em.”

“No.” The captain said flatly, “I don’t.”

Laughing quietly, Tala walked down toward the engine room, to find Kaylee. She wasn’t around, and so Tala figured she was playing with River in the cargo hold. Next, Tala walked to her bunk, singing to herself and picking up a sweater on the way to block out the cold of the Black.

“Cold?” She jumped but tried vainly to hide it. Simon was sitting on the sofa, leaning back tiredly. It had been a long day. Someone, he couldn’t remember who, had said she’d gotten hurt too. He glanced for sign of an injury and his eyes came to rest on her hand. She followed his gaze and hid her hand in the sleeve of the sweater. He wondered why she hadn’t come to get it treated.

Tala n