This story is an OLD story of mine, a "Missing Scene" from 'Out of Gas'. Adressing what happened between Mal passing out in the cockpit to him waking up in the infirmary. It is heavy in Simon's point of view.

I came across it and figured I'd toss it up for the heck of it. 'Out of Gas' was my favorite episode and it's the only Firefly fan-fiction I've ever written.

Zoe's words rained hard against the small metal walled interior of the shuttle. "Turn this shuttle around."

...

The clicking of the docking mechanism was echoed through the empty ship. The doors hissed open, and oxygen and heat flooded against Simon's face. 'Engine is running?' he asked himself.

Simon heard Inara's shuttle clicking into place.

All seemed unnaturally well.

For the moment anyways.

Jayne flew out from between the partly open doors the second his body could fit through the opening. "Ahh, sweet relief! Air smells something awful in there shuttle. Thought I'd have to…" He trailed off as his sharp eyes caught sight of blood on the cargo bay floor. "What in hell?" he continued. "Hey Doc? Where'd the blood come from?"

At that moment Inara, Kaylee and Book exited the shuttle. "Blood?" Inara questioned, looking nervous.

Kaylee heard Serenity's engine purring as she stepped out of the little vessle and called out "Cap'n?" Her small round face clearly showing confusion at the functional ship.

"I have a bad feeling about this" Book uttered as he clutched his bible closer, his own eyes scanning the splashes of red dotting the floor.

"Y'all stay here, gunna have me a look round." Jayne warned as he made sure his gun's safety was off.

Wash peeked out of the shuttle and called out "Hey, what's going on? We gonna move Zoe to the infirmary or what?"

"There is blood on the floor" Simon simply said to him.

The blond man looked stunned. "We need to find the captain" Wash retorted after a moment.

Jayne had already moved towards the infirmary. The large man looked down at the drying blood training on the floor, 'I can track this' he thought to himself as he began to follow the trail.

He'd nearly reached the infirmary door when Wash ran up behind him, follow closely by Simon.

"What ye'all doin'? Could have an ambush waitin for us." He growled.

Simon spoke fast but clear, "If this blood belongs to the captain, we need to find him, fast." He knew blood trails, and there was a great deal more of the dark liquid staining the floor then his comfort level would allow.

"Well if he was here, ain't no more" Jayne remarked to the empty room as he moved towards the engine room, following the trail.

Simon looked down over at the discarded package on the floor and read 'Adrenaline Shot' on the bag. With a pit in his gut, he grabbed his medic bag and followed after Jayne and Wash.

After finding the engine room functional but again, empty, Jayne made his way to the cockpit and finally found the object of his search. He was about to yell back to Simon when the doctor brushed past him towards Mal's collapsed form.

Simon dropped beside the fallen captain and quickly checked his vitals. "This isn't good. He's barley breathing. Get him to the infirmary, Now!"

Jayne grabbed Mal's feet while Simon and Wash supported Mal's head and torso. The three men had the unconscious captain laying on the medic's table within a minute.

By then, a small crowd had gathered, everyone worried about Mal and curious as to what happened. Everyone wanted to know how the ship was mysteriously fixed and why their leader knocking at death's door.

"Everyone out, I need to work" Simon yelled, his doctor training taking over and pushing the onlookers outside the sliding doors.

He hooked up Mal to the monitors, he didn't like what he saw.

Within minutes Mal's heart began to fail from blood loss and exhaustion.

"No, not today. Nobody is dying on my birthday, you hear me Captain. That means you." He ordered as he pumped another adrenalin shot into Mal's heart then began the tedious work on the still oozing gunshot wound.

A few tantalizing minutes later he darted across the room, opened the closed infirmary door and called out "O type blood? Anyone?"

The crowd all looked suddenly afraid as no one spoke.

Frustrated Simon closed the doors and rushed back to his patient, mind spinning for substitutions and work-arounds.

A few minutes later, but felt like to Simon hours, Wash cracked the door and poked his head in.

"Out" Simon snapped without even looking up as he worked desperately, knowing without blood, nothing he did would help the captain.

"I'm O negative." The blond man insisted.

Hope washed over Simon's face, 'Oh, Thank God' he thought.

At the look of relief, Wash entered and Simon motioned for him to sit as he prepared a transfusion.

"Sorry it took me so long." The pilot apologized in nervous ramble, "Was in the shuttle with Zoe. She's still weak but putting up a mighty fight, worried about the captain and all." He winced as the needle entered his vein. "How's he doin anyways?" He looked up at Simon, honest worry plain on his face.

"Hopefully much better once he gets some blood back in him." The Doctor answered hopeful.

...

Twenty long minutes passed.

Simon finished cleaning, closing and sealing the gunshot wound. The steady work helped keep his mind focused. Normally he felt out of place here on this ship, but in situations like this he felt more comfortable. He didn't know much about guns or ships or stealing, but he knew medicine.

It gave his a purpose.

He carefully bandaged the now closed wound and covered his patient in a blanket to keep him warm.

"His vitals are improving" Simon breathed, finally able to relax a bit. "How are you holding up?"

Wash nodded, "Worried bout my wife, Doc."

Simon nodded back. "Captain is more or less stable now. I'll have the others bring her in. I'd still like to monitor her too."

He opened the doors to see five sets of worried eyes glaring back at him.

"Ok people, Captains stable for the moment. Can I have some volunteers to bring Zoe into the infirmary?"

A few moments later Jayne, Book, Kaylee and Inara walked Zoe's cot into the awaiting spot along the wall.

"Hey baby, How you doin?" Zoe asked when she noticed the IV line in her husband's arm.

"I should be asking you that my brave honey dew." He replied as he leaned in to kiss his injured wife.

Simon check over Zoe, not finding anything that sleep and bed rest wouldn't cure.

The others mingled around the infirmary, stealing glances at the unconscious captain and talking quietly amongst themselves.

...

Another long twenty minutes.

"His color is much better", Simon announced to the small group, "He should wake in a few hours." He turned to Wash "And how are you doing?" he questioned as he checked the transfusion line.

"Oh you know, big fan of controlled blood loss. Try to do it at least once a month." The pilot joked.

Simon looked confused, unsure whether or not he should stop the transfusion.

"Relax Doc, I'm just peachy." Wash added with a smile when he caught the confused look.

'Relax? Compared to everyday, I thought this was relaxed.' Simon thought as he faked a grin.

Zoe and Wash resumed their quiet conversation as Simon prepared a few doses of weak tranquilizer. He knew his two patients were not 'bed-rest friendly'.

Finally after an hour of fierce doctoring, Simon got his birthday present.

The captain stirred.

No one died today.

The End

...

AN: I noticed after re-reading this that River is absent. Not sure why. I wrote this years ago and I don't actually remember the episode at the moment, been so long since I've watched it or read this. Oh well, I guess she was sleeping or milling about somewhere.

Hope it kept you entertained for a minute at least.