Title: Afterlife : Parts VII &VIII

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 where part VI left off...

VII

Zoe wondered up to the bridge, to the one place where she could still feel closest to Wash. She sank down into Wash’s pilot chair and traced her fingertips over the arm rests as tears filled her eyes. She knew, realistically, that parts of the chair were replaced do to the damage caused by the harpoon, but in her heart it was the same. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply as she fell into a memory of simply sitting in his arms, staring at the stars. Their stars.

“Do you want me to leave?” River asked softly.

Zoe had merely forgotten that she wasn’t alone, and wiped her cheeks, “No, no, I don’t mind the company.” She managed a weak smile at River.

River felt the other woman’s heavy sadness, “You’ll be alright,” she offered, “You’re brave.”

Zoe shrugged, “I used to think so.” She picked up Wash’s toy stegosaurus and held it fondly, “Right now I’m just afraid.”

River pulled her knees up to her chest and waited for Zoe to go on.

She drew a ragged breath and met River’s concerned gaze, “I’m afraid I’m going to start to forget him.”

“You won’t,” River assured her, “As long as you remember what he taught you, you’ll never forget him. He taught you how to live again, and how to love. Remember that, and Wash will always be with you.”

Zoe tilted her head at River, surprised to have found such comfort in the young girls’ words, “What about you? How are you doing?”

River smiled, “I’m better. I sleep. And I dream. My own dreams. And Mal lets me fly. I like flying.”

“I have to admit you seem to have a talent for it,” Zoe said with a grin.

River pointed at Wash’s dinosaurs, “He’s still here. He helps.”

Zoe lifted the dinosaur in her hand to her lips, “He’s still here,” she repeated, “He’ll always be here.”

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