Rattled

Rated: PG

Category: Double Drabble, Zoë POV. Mal/Zoë Friendship.

Spoilers: Trash.

Summary: Zoë's thoughts on the events leading up to the Lassiter job.

Note: Written for the "End of the Year Crazy Fest" on Whedonland.

XXX

I wish I hadn't heard it, but there ain't nothin that can take it back.

I heard it plain as day and now it ain't leavin my head anytime soon.

Gorram it! I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Inara's words reached me easy, though they weren't meant for me.

"You know you haven't been after serious work," she said.

I knew how he'd react before he made a sound, but that wasn't all I knew.

I knew Inara was right. Mal hasn't been himself lately. He has the others mostly fooled, but I've noticed the old twitchiness. It ain't much, but it's enough to let me know Mal ain't right. And jobs? Hell, it's been milk runs only these past few weeks.

Sometimes, it's easy to pretend that's just maturity finally kickin in. As crazy as it seems, that lie is more palatable than the truth, which is Mal's head being all kinds of wrong because of Niska.

That bastard might've died on that skyplex, but his influence on Serenity is far from gone.

Mal's rattled. He's scared.

And now he's out to prove something to Inara. With Saffron.

Oh, this had better be good.