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’ Jayne. “Yeah, well, don’t go gettin’ any ideas,” he told Jayne. As he started to leave the bunk he turned and glanced over his shoulder, “We wouldn’t want her to go all crazy in the brainpan again.”

**************************************************************************************

IV

Zoe leaned back on the weight bench beneath the stairs and her black curls cascaded around her face and shoulders. She knew the weights were adjusted for Jayne and Book, and she knew she was in no condition. In spite of both she wrapped her slender fingers around the cold steel and pushed upward. Searing pain tore through her back, and the metal bar didn’t budge. She choked a sob and hot tears slipped down her cheeks. Falsely, she had hoped that one pain would nullify the other. She had survived an entire war, but it was Wash’s death that would kill her. She sat up slowly and winced at the pressure in her back. She swung her lithe legs over the side of the bench and covered her face with her hands. She didn’t realize that Jayne had come up on her. “Zoe? Can I sit?” he asked her slowly. Zoe wiped her eyes, “Can if you want.” Truth was, she didn’t have the will to argue otherwise. In his hands he held a leather bound book. He stared at it and then at her, “Zoe, why’d you try to...” “Makes no never mind,” she told him quickly, “What is that?” “A Bible. Shepherd gave me this ‘fore he left.” Jayne stared at the volume as if it were changing colors before him, “I ain’t never even opened it.” He turned to Zoe and she read the honest confusion in his piercing blue eyes, “Why’d you suppose he did that, knowin’ t’ kinda man I am?” Zoe bit her lower lip and thought for a moment, secretly grateful for the distraction from her painful thoughts of Wash. “Maybe he was able to relate to you in more ways than one,” she offered,”You always suspected he had a past. Maybe he gave you that because that’s where he found forgiveness.” Jayne nodded as he turned the thought over in his mind as she went on, “Maybe he wanted you to know that it’s never too late for you, either.” Jayne let her words sink in and he realized what was left unsaid between them. He cleared his throat and found his voice, “ I’m sorry,” he told her, “I’m sorry about Wash. I ain’t said that yet. It’s summat needs to be said.” Zoe stood and regained her worn composure, “Thank you,” she managed softly as she turned to walk away. “What should I do with this?” he asked her. She started back up the stairs, “Maybe you should try an’ read it some...for both of us,” she told him. Jayne watched her leave until he could no longer hear her footsteps and then cracked the cover slowly to find a handwritten message:

Jayne,

I am not the man that I was, and who I am is not yet what I could be. I believe the same for you.

Book

For countless moments Jayne simply stared, pondering the thought that someone had believed in him, for whatever reason. Then he closed his eyes and did something he hadn’t done since their first meal with Book onboard...he prayed.

************************************************************************************** Comments welcome! Next part: Mal and Inara come closer to admitting their feelings for each other..but is it too late? *Warning...gets a little Mal/Inara from here...goodness*:)