A/N: First Firefly fic. I'm fairly new to the fandom, but don't let that scare you away. Just a short Zoe/Wash ficlet to get me going.
Disclaimer: Joss' genius, not mine. (Sadly.)
She didn't cry when it happened. Didn't have time to, really. There was a job that needed seeing to, and she found it was easier to focus on rage and not the dull ache of grief gnawing at the back of her mind.
But she didn't cry after, neither. Not one tear. Not even at the funeral.
Sometimes, it was tough for her to keep it all at bay. Actually, it was tough most of the time. But walking onto the bridge or stepping down into her bunk, she still expected to see him there, smiling that silly, lopsided grin of his.
And that's when it hurt the most.
She still kept it in, though, worried that if she started, the tears would never stop; worried that the rest of the crew would hear and think she'd gone soft.
But mostly, she worried that he was watching, somehow, and the thought of him seeing her broken kept her in check.
She'd stay strong, for him.
End