“I tell ya, Zoe,” Mal said to his feet one afternoon as they pushed crates across the cargo hold. “I wouldn’t have laid a bet on you and Wash.”

She didn’t look up.

“Just happened,” she said quickly between shoves at the heavy container they were moving. They moved to opposite sides of a taller one, spoke around its comforting distance as they heaved at it together.

“He seems a good man.”

“He is.” Her tone brooked no opposition.

“Mighty fond of you too.”

Zoe didn’t answer. Mal continued.

“Are you gonna tell me you’re gettin’ fond as well, or is it just--”

“It started as being for that, yes.” She slid the container into its final place and leaned her back against it, a momentary respite. “Now...I don’t know. Don’t think either of us do.”

“Just be careful, ‘s all.”

They both headed to the railed stairway, took the stairs side by side.

*****

It seemed that they only really talked to each other in bed, in those stolen moments between work and sleep. When Wash was piloting, he was piloting. And Zoe found it hard to let down her guard during days on Serenity anyhow. But when they lay naked, side by side in a narrow bunk...

“I love you, Zoe.”

His voice pulled her back from half-sleep. She blinked her eyes, turned into his waiting arms. He held her tightly, his eyes searching hers, one thumb repeating a tiny sweep across her back as he waited, still and anxious.

She brought one had to his face, caressed the line of his jaw. Without breaking his gaze she said with absolute certainty, “I know.”

And he didn’t look disappointed. He’d known she wasn’t there yet, knew she knew it too. But he’d had to tell her anyhow. The sensation of burying his nose in the nape of her neck as they fell asleep together had drawn it out of him, had brought the words bursting to the surface.

“Tell me something, Bao bei,” he asked, then.

“Mmm hmm.”

“What brought you to me, that night?”

Zoe sighed and turned onto her back, stared at the ceiling.

“Honestly...?” s