-1Zoë woke up from the dream with a short lived smile. She expected to wake up beside Wash as she always had. That would never happen again. Moping would do her no good, she had to wake up and get ready to face another day. She had been waking up sick to her stomach for a few days. She knew she should go see Simon about it but she didn't want to be a bother. She'd just do as she always did a tough it out.

She put on her clothing and put her hair into a messy pony tail. She was never one to care about her looks but she found herself even less concerned. Mal looked at her differently now, he tried not to but he could see the sympathy in his eyes. She didn't want it, she just wanted things to go back to normal.

Simon and Kaylee couldn't see much beyond themselves except of course for River. They had both moved into Kaylee's room and Simon even pretended to like the flowers and Christmas lights everywhere. It was endearing, at least if you liked that kind of thing. River actually seemed to be getting better, so long as they kept her away from any politicians she didn't usually have any dark secrets to reveal.

She entered the galley just as she always did. Kaylee was cooking up something that smelt incredible. Where they had managed to get food was anyone's guess but Zoë wasn't complaining. Suddenly the smell turns on her and what was a moment ago appetizing turned her stomach. She ran out of the room with out a word and made it half way to her cabin before she threw up. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Simon wide eyed and shocked. "I'll clean it, I promise." With that Zoë passed out.

Simon walked back into the galley, Kaylee looked over at him.

"Is Zoë alright?" He motioned for her to follow him; River stood up from the table and watched over the stove. She smiled at Kaylee and Simon knowing full well what was going on and knowing better than to say anything about it. Soon as Kaylee was out of the galley she spotted Zoe, still passed out on the floor next to her own vomit.

"Well, that's unpleasant."
"We need to get her to the sick bay, without making a big deal or she will have my head when she wakes up."
"Did she say that?"

"Just 'I'll clean it. I have a feeling I know what the problem is.'"

Between the two of them, they managed to drag Zoe into the sick bay and managed to clean everything up without being noticed. After running some tests Simon found the situation to be exactly as he had thought it was. He looked at Kaylee,
"Kay?" She looked up at him, honestly worried.
"There's nothing wrong with her." A bittersweet smile crossed his lips, "Unless you count pregnancy as wrong."