It was a blanket of, gunmetal black, tiny specks of light dusting her dark canvas and shinning with their entire mite, just to prove they were as important. They shined like pieces of lint on black velvet. One could get lost out in the Black for there where no roads or signs, and never had a map been made to outline Her ever changing ways. Serenity flew threw the enclosed darkness with ease, it was home to her, a place she was always welcomed. Some people live their whole lives without really seeing the wonder that is the ‘verse, actually seeing it, the beauty etched in every blemish, nook, and cranny. For Wash that beauty lay just outside his window. The bridge was empty save for Wash and the thoughts in which he seemed lost in, absorbed completely by their contents. It was times like this Wash often confided his deepest secrets to Black for she was the closest one and always leaned in to hear. Wash had been thinking about babies, such fragile little creatures they are, but they were thoughts that frighten him most terribly. What he feared most of all was loving it too much, but by not even entertaining the idea out loud, he had already shown how this distant-mayhap-could-be-child affected him. He would make a great father even if he couldn’t see it, his great parenting would reflect in his distant-mayhap-could-be-child. A future full of possibilities waited for him. Wash was pulled back to reality by a steady voice that rang familiar in his ears.

“What’s the matter husband” Zoe offered, hands placed firmly but comforting on his shoulders.

“Nothin’ I was just thinkin’”

“’Bout what”

“Nothin’ in particular” he answered not wanting to enter a discussion he knew would get the same end result it always did.

“Well dinners ready, I suggest you take big steps or at least run, I saw Jayne eyeballing your food. It may not be there when we arrive, at which time I give you permission to kill him.”

“Kill, why do we always have to kill, you know how I feel about that. Hows ‘bout we just