Title: Afterlife Parts III & IV

Not Mine: All the characters and little plot references belong to Joss and Co...

Setting: Takes place after the movie. (Some spoilers). Everyone tries to move on. This part picks up right where Part II left off...

III

Mal took a deep breath and started back down the hall, each step echoing on the grate floor. He stopped next to the hatch leading to Zoe’s bunk and shuffled his feet with a heavy sigh. He leaned against the opposite wall and ran a hand through his dark hair. In spite of all the history he shared with his first mate he felt estranged from her now.

Truthfully, he’d been avoiding her since the funeral, unsure of what to say to her in the wake of her husband’s death. Zoe had been a ghost of herself lately, and he’d have given anything for the right words to say to her. In the meantime he simply gave her space, and reflected on their relationship. True enough, he’d made it known to Zoe that he hadn’t wanted her to marry Wash. If the war had taught him anything it was that loved ones could be lost. Better to not love at all, he thought, then he saw the way that Zoe came alive when she was with Wash.

He pushed himself back up and continued on to the cargo bay where he limped his way down the left staircase, deciding it was past time to hit the infirmary for another dose of Simon’s mind numbing pain pills.

He passed by Jayne’s open bunk and the mercenary called out to him, “We ain’t crashed yet,” he admitted gruffly.

Mal leaned into the doorway and folded his arms, “No, that’s true,” he said as he lifted a finger to scratch his cheek, “I think she’s gonna work out just fine.”

Jayne glanced up from the large gun he was cleaning, “Girl’s been a damn site more sensible since Miranda.”

Mal nodded, “Almost seems normal...whatever that is for her.”

Jayne grinned, “Yeah, she’s kinda cute when she’s sane.” He went back to cleaning his gun and Mal eyed him warily, trying to judge whether or not Jayne’s remark was serious or just Jayne bein’ Jay