Hard to Tell Some Days
"Zoë, Zoë, give me your answer, do," River sang.
Zoë looked over to where the girl sat at the dinner table, carefully shredding a piece of bread. "Can't answer a question that ain't been asked."
"Is the captain a hero or a villain?"
"What?" Zoë knew that River wasn't quite right in the head, but anger stirred within her at those words.
"Hero – saved a girl from being burned at the stake," River said, counting off points on her fingers like that girl hadn't been her. "Villain – stole medicine. Hero – didn't keep it when he found out the sick people need it. Villain – punched Simon." Zoë hid a smile. "Hero – took Kaylee to a party. Villain – kicked an unarmed man into an engine."
"An unarmed man who threatened to hunt us down and kill us all," Zoë reminded her, wondering where this was leading. "And unless it's slipped your mind, that man worked for Niska, who kidnapped the captain and my husband and tortured them."
River thought about this a minute. "Villain and villain are both negatives – they cancel each other out."
This was why Zoë tried not to get caught in a conversation with River too often. "Is there some point you're tryin' to make?"
"Villain," River went on just like she hadn't heard, which Zoë had to admit was quite likely. "Nearly dumped one of his crew out of the airlock."
"It was Jayne," Zoë pointed out. "And it was for turnin' you in."
River suddenly grinned, then, simultaneously they agreed, "Hero."