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Oct. 21st, 2005 10:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flybywashIt's some time after Kaylee and Mal leave. Wash and Zoe are settling into bed for the night: earlier than usual, maybe, but it's been a long day for both of them.
He's exhausted, new and worsening aches alike starting to surface again, and it's so natural to circle an arm around her and just rest his head on her shoulder.
It's harder to actually sleep when there's so much that needs asking, though -- or to stop himself from pulling back, after a time, and running a gentle hand over her back.
Hardest of all to keep his thumb from dipping to the scar that wasn't there before.
He's exhausted, new and worsening aches alike starting to surface again, and it's so natural to circle an arm around her and just rest his head on her shoulder.
It's harder to actually sleep when there's so much that needs asking, though -- or to stop himself from pulling back, after a time, and running a gentle hand over her back.
Hardest of all to keep his thumb from dipping to the scar that wasn't there before.
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Date: 2005-10-23 02:54 am (UTC)But there's things to ask...and also things to tell.
As his thumb runs over the scar, she goes oddly still.
"For a while I thought...I wasn't sure any of us was gonna make it."
It's the first time she's allowed herself to say that out loud, to anyone.
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Date: 2005-10-23 03:10 am (UTC)"Noble yet insane wannabe suicide missions," he mumbles, pressing a kiss to the spot between her shoulderblades. "Where have I heard this one before?"
He's silent for a moment as he keeps rubbing her back. Then, "I. You...d'you wanna tell me about it at all?"
A two-week gap, and no other way he can think to fill it.
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Date: 2005-10-23 03:21 am (UTC)Then Zoe rolls over and nestles closer. Close enough that she'd have to move back in order to look at him.
"We...we got into the compound, but there were Reavers comin'. We had to hold 'em off while Mal went to get the job done."
A beat, then, "All of us. Even Kaylee took some down. An' River--"
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Date: 2005-10-23 03:32 am (UTC)The display in the Maidenhead. Gunslinger by birth.
He's quiet.
He might have a fair idea how this sentence is going to end.
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:00 am (UTC)Zoe pauses, drawing in a breath, then goes on.
"An' River just...she dove through the blast doors and got 'em closin', an' tossed Simon's bag in--but then she couldn't make it back before the doors shut."
There's another, longer pause, during which she slides both arms around his waist.
"We waited a while--wasn't much else we could do. Mal came back. An' then...the doors opened up again, an' River was there."
She doesn't know what else to say about that. How to put in words what it was like to look at her and feel soaringly proud and kind of horrified at the same time.
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:06 am (UTC)"All those Reavers."
She wouldn't have left survivors, either.
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:16 am (UTC)Softly, "'No prisoners'."
Them or her. And killing a Reaver's nothing but mercy.
Still, seeing River covered in blood and surrounded by bodies...
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:21 am (UTC)Muffled, "Mal is getting a very stern talking-to the next time he comes by. No more things involving Reavers. Ever."
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:35 am (UTC)She tenses suddenly. "Aiyā--Mr. Universe--the Alliance Operative--" She falters. Bringing news of death is harder when it's to Wash.
"I'm sorry."
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:45 am (UTC)He's known Mr. Universe since he was sixteen. The whole time, through flight school and beyond, he didn't consider him a friend, exactly. Quite the opposite on a lot of occasions.
But almost two decades of talking to someone, competing with them, trading barbs and information and if not liking them entirely, then at least trusting them in some skewed way --
"Tāmāde."
He lets out a short, tremulous breath and swallows, hard.
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Date: 2005-10-23 04:50 am (UTC)Gently, "Wasn't for him, Mal wouldn't've got the signal through."
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:03 am (UTC)It's stupid. Stupid to say it, and stupid to think it; the Lady's not some malevolent and gruesome specter, and he knows that Mr. Universe is fine, wherever he's gone.
But three people all in one day, even if he found his way back....
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:12 am (UTC)Zoe doesn't say it.
That doesn't make it any less true.
If that wasn't war between them and the Alliance, she doesn't know what would be.
She just holds on to him, face pressed against his neck, and lets out a low, wordless soothing noise.
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:33 am (UTC)Wash, without moving any more than he has to, exhales again and reaches around to wipe his eyes.
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:41 am (UTC)And when she pulls back, there's the start of a smile that looks--nervous? Anxious?
"There's some news that ain't so bad, though..."
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:45 am (UTC)Hard to think there's been any good back home after so many weeks of bad.
"Yeah? What's been good? I need to hear the good."
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:49 am (UTC)She breaks off, closing her eyes and drawing in a deep breath, and then lets it out, all at once.
"I'm pregnant."
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:51 am (UTC)".....You're what?"
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Date: 2005-10-23 05:54 am (UTC)"Pregnant. Somewhere between six an' eight weeks, he said."
She opens her eyes and looks at him, hopeful and nervous and excited, all at once.
And damn, but it's good to be able to feel that way about this.
"...Surprise?"
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:11 am (UTC)Over-cautious, he lets go, his hand drifting down to rest on her belly. It may be the lightest touch he's ever given her.
"You're -- Oh my God."
And he grins, a sharp gasp of laughter escaping as his hand settles there more firmly -- a laugh that dies as fast as it came as the full implications hit him. The smile drops into a horrified look.
The landing. The Reavers. That fresh scar trailing up her spine.
"Oh my God."
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:14 am (UTC)Her hand settles over his, pressing down slightly.
"Simon thinks it's okay. He'll have to run some more tests later on, but--"
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:19 am (UTC)He looks down at their hands in dawning wonder. Slowly, the grin starts creeping back, small and giddy.
"We're gonna have a kid."
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:21 am (UTC)"Yeah. We are."
There's an extra emphasis on the "we".
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:24 am (UTC)After the last month and more...perhaps it goes without saying.
But he can't stop beaming.
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:39 am (UTC)Funny, the beaming's not stopping here, either.
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Date: 2005-10-23 06:59 am (UTC)"Tiānna, I love you so, so much, Zo' -- "
And it's here the beaming finally stops, because kissing someone is not nearly as effective when you're smiling.