Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly or the movie Serenity.
(post movie. Don't expect fics too often in this category. Due to lack of Cable Tv, I haven't watched anywhere near the number of episodes in Firefly that exist.)
Mal smiled sadly as he and River looked out the cockpit window. Situated around him were all the little things that had made it Wash's place. It didn't seem the same without the spunky and sometimes weird pilot. One thing was for sure though. He was the least likely on board for anyone to get mad at. And the most likely to cause laughter when it was needed. Someone else would have to fill his shoes now.
He thought about Zoe. How Wash had first claimed her heart, then she claimed him in more ways than beared thinking about.
He thought about Jayne. Who on board ever knew that he of all people would actually wind up tolerating the doc and his sister. Enough to the point that he never argued when they brought them back on board after the bar incident. Sure he got annoyed with them, and a little psychotic with River occasionally. But he never yelled for them to get off the ship again.
Then he thought about Kaylee. Who had kept the ship running. Sometimes on nothing more than a prayer from Book. A man who would be missed. He'd yet to see her be brought down by things. Maybe Wash had groomed her as his replacement?
He shook his head at his musings. There was also Inara who was their heart. Whenever they got in contact with her, the ship lightened. Now she was on board with them. To stay for however long…. He needed her to. He hoped.
Mal popped his neck then glanced at the silent girl beside him. Things had changed when the two had come aboard. He and his crew had become warriors again. Against their wills, but there it was. Sure they'd fought before. But with the doc and his charge, they gained a cause once more. They gained a reason to do more than survive.
They could finally be at as much peace with themselves as the Alliance would ever let them.
