Warnings: Language. OOC-ness. Un-beta'ed. Intelligence test. Disclaimer: Since FOX doesn't want them. I'm taking them. A/N: Please review, or we shall cease to use spellcheck and punctuation. For Britny, who keeps us good.

Sometime between Serenity and Serenity... "No." "What, sir?" "No. You cannot marry Wash." "Why not?" "Because." "Because why?" "Because I said so." "That's not a reason, sir." "Sure it is. Your captain said so." Deep breath. "You're avoidin' the question." Grin. "Yep." "Is there a reason, or do you just not like him?" "What do you think?" "I think I want to marry him, sir." "Zoe, please. Don't marry him." "Why not? Do you not like him?" "Shipboard romance complicates things." "Sir, you may have missed this, but there already is a shipboard romance." "I know." "How will us gettin' married make things any different?" "It's a helluva lot more permanent." Long silence. "It'd be a mistake to marry him. Trust me. Don't." "I do, sir. But I also trust him. And love him." Frustrated. "I'm tellin' you not to marry him." "Yes, sir." "But you ain't listenin'." "I am. I'm also listenin' to several other things." "What if I ordered you not to?" "Then, sir, I would tell you to fuck off." Longer silence. "It won't change us." "Yes, it will." "Any changes have already happened, sir." Still longer silence. "What if you had to choose, Zoe? Who would it be?" "I don't know, sir." Sigh. "If he don't treat you right, I'll kill him. Slow." "I know, sir, and so does he." One last try. "Zoe..." "Mal..." "I don't like it." "Nobody's askin' you to." "You sure picked a helluva time to be stubborn." "Seems worth it, sir." Longer sigh of reluctant acceptance. "One last question. Why ain't he askin'?" "Because I haven't asked him yet, sir."