Zoe was standing on the bridge wondering what her husband was up to. They had had the latest in a series of arguments in the last few days. Eight days, ten arguments. Why couldn't he understand that it the symbolism doesn't mean any thing to her. She was about to leave when Wash came up behind her and slipped something around her neck.

"What is this?" "It's your ring, well it's our ring actually. I couldn't afford a traditional gold band so I made that for you myself."

"Wash, I can't see it. How will I know...?"

"Don't worry, I brought a mirror. You see we have pasts, you and I, and now our pasts are joined. Can you see?" he asked holding the mirror to her face.

She simply nodded her head.

"There are four strands that circle your neck. Those represent our seperate lives. Two for you and two for me. Your life before you met Mal and your life during the war. Mine represent my life on my home planet, where there was no sky and my life after flight school. Running from planet to planet, looking, always looking, for you. The two strands that come down on your right side represent us, our lives, how we survived and the loop the holds them, well that's our future and how we are tied to each other. This represents the new life we are living now. Always bound to each other, never free. Never take it off, well unless you're taking a shower or asleep but other than that always wear it. It's us."

Zoe didn't know what to say, so she simply threw her arms around Wash's neck and held on for dear life. She promised, in that simple gesture, that she would be forever bound to the man she loved. No matter what.