"Whatever happens, remember, I love you."
"Sir…?"
She couldn't let herself hope. Not again. She had let her mind fantasize about that too many times after the war. The Captain was her hero then, and hell, he still is half the time. She couldn't help feeling what she did for him. It came with the territory, it came with Serenity Valley.
But now she was married. And she loved Wash, she truly did, but it wouldn't ever be the same as how she had loved the Captain. Mal. It wouldn't ever be the same as she had loved Mal. Those six words. Those measly six words. He couldn't mean it could he? No. But still, her breath caught and she tried to keep the hope out of her eyes.
"Because you're my wife."
She felt herself deflate on the inside. Don't let him see. Can't let him see. She plastered a smile on her face. She hoped it looked relieved.
"Right sir…Honey."
Honey. She smirked on the inside. Even if that "I love you" was a farce, she could still call him honey. If only for a few moments.
"Whatever happens, remember, I love you."
"Sir…?"
Malcolm Reynolds tried to keep the blush down. What in the hell had he been thinking? Letting that slip. What a stupid move. She's married you piece of go-se! You lost your chance. Let it go. But right after he said those half dozen damning words, he thought he saw something. Something in her eyes, a sparkle that wasn't usually there. Hope? Could it be hope, or was that just wishful thinking on his part. Probably the latter. She's married. Married. Hitched. Out of bounds. So as quickly as he could he followed up his statement.
"Because you're my wife."
A flicker of something passed over Zoe's face. Disappointment? Sadness? Regret? No. It couldn't be. He was imagining it.
"Right sir…Honey."
The slight smirk on her face made him smile, albeit briefly. Well, at least once in his life, he got to hear her call him honey.
A/N: First Firefly fic :) Remember that every review helps get the show back on the air!