A/N: Can be read as a sequel to my other story Stargazing, but it stands alone. Beta read by the truly amazing Ella Greggs.

Disclaimer: Joss is boss, these characters are not mine.


Zoe stepped out onto the catwalk above the cargo hold. She'd just taken a wave about their next job and had a message for the captain regarding tomorrow's drop-off. She expected to find him alone.

She leant against the railing and looked down at the scene below. The ramp was lowered and the rays of Karawatha's setting suns streamed in, flooding the cargo bay with violet and vermillion. Seated at the top of the ramp on a couple of crates were Mal and Simon, sipping on mugs of tea as they faced the spectacular horizon. They were taking in the stunning display of two suns setting at once, splashing a riot of lavender and peach toned clouds across the sky.

Zoe could see the two men were talking. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she certainly heard Mal's laugh well enough as it rang out across the hold. That sound had been heard around the ship more often of late, and as far as she was concerned that was all to the good.

It was only because she'd spent years watching his back, and knew his face under all manner of circumstances, that she could see the subtle differences that had occurred in the few weeks since Mal had taken the young doctor to his bed. There was the slightest softening in the set of his jaw, and even as she watched, a sincere smile came just a little more easily to his lips as he squeezed Simon's shoulder.

Having a bed fellow had done wonders for the captain's brooding disposition (Wash often joked that was all it would take). But there was more to it than just the physical release. He seemed to have found a certain level of peace with the young man, something she hadn't seen in him for a long time.

The rest of the crew might have been left puzzling over why the captain invited Simon and River to stay on board after Whitefall, or chalked it up to a moment of uncharacteristic charity, but it hadn't taken Zoe long to figure out what was really going on. Since the war Mal had been adrift. He had a boat, he went from job to job, but he had no real purpose. The Tams had given him a purpose. Keeping them safe allowed him to keep fighting the war. Every time he saved them from the clutches of the Alliance, it was another battle won. She doubted anyone else had noticed, but having something to fight for had brought back some of the old Mal only Zoe knew. She hadn't realized before how much she'd missed him.

As Zoe looked on, Mal said something that made Simon duck his head and smile self-consciously, causing the captain to let loose another belly laugh. Zoe smiled at the sound, though she had to admit, she had no idea what he saw in the tightly-wound doctor; but then, Mal had never really understood what she saw in their quirky pilot, either.

After the war, it was Wash who had lifted her out of the wretchedness of Serenity Valley. She didn't really hold out hope that Simon, or anyone, could do the same for Mal (there was a part of him that couldn't – wouldn't – leave that place behind). But if he had to stay in that gorram valley, she was glad he had someone there with him, keeping him warm.

Zoe straightened up, turned around and quietly returned the way she came. The message would keep.


A/N: As always, reviews and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.