"Buff you wanna get the door?" Mal asks as they reach the entrance to the other ship.
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh, so I'm your doorman now? That's real great Mal, my dream come true."
Zoe chuckles "You always know how to get to a girl's heart, don't you Captain."
Mal glares at her "Shut it, Zoe."
Zoe chuckles again while Buffy pulls the door open.
"Entering adjoining air lock now." Mal says into his radio.
The three of them make their way inside and down the hall "Okay, Wash, ask Serenity to knock for us."

A moment later there is a buzzing noise and then the door in front of them opens, the three slowly make there way inside "Emergency power's up." Mal informs Wash over the radio "Dashboard light."
"Looks like there were kids here." Buffy says as she spots the toys and bikes.
The three continue through the halls and end up in the largest room where travelers still have plates full of food "Whatever happened here happened quick." Mal realises.
"You'd think they'd finish that delicious food." Buffy says sarcastically as she stares at the food on the plates.
"Everything was left on." Zoe tells them as they continue around the ship "Ship powered down on it's own."
Buffy looks around the room "No sign of a struggle."
"They're just—" Zoe starts.
Mal interjects "Gone."
"Sir." Zoe says "Personal log. Someone was in the middle of an entry."

"What the hell?" Buffy says when she sees Simon moving towards them in a suit.
Mal turns to face Simon "Hi."
Kaylee sighs and quickly makes her way over to the doctor helping him removing his helmet.
Mal looks at Simon confused "Um, what are you doing here? And what's with the suit?" Suddenly Jayne bursts into laughter.
Simon glares at him "You're hilarious. Sadist."
Mal cuts in "All right, enough. Ain't got time for games. As long as you're here, you may as well lend a hand. You can roll with Kaylee. Let's be quick about this. A few loads each. No need to be greedy."
Buffy pouts "I really wanted a new set of knifes...and maybe some shoes."
Mal chuckles as does Zoe but the two are brought back to Simon's attention as he speaks "Where are all the people?"

Buffy turns to him "Not sure, lifeboat scooted off bout a week ago so I'm guessing they all went poof to safety."
Mal nods in agreement "Anyway, we're just here to pick the bones, so you two start in the engine room, so you two start in the engine room." He says gesturing to Kaylee and Simon.
"Jayne take the gallery, Zoe make sure he actually does his job."
Zoe nods while Jayne just complains "Hey!"
Mal smiles "Would you rather Buffy went with you?"
Buffy smirks "Yeah, seems that eye of yours could use a friend."

Buffy looks over at the screen "16 families it seems."
Mal nods "Lifeboat wouldn't hold a third of that." Mal brings the radio to his mouth "Wash, any luck?"
Wash's voice come from over the radio "Think I found something that pretty well matches that class. The layout looks about right. Seems to me any valuables, if there are any, would likely be stored somewhere...'C' deck, aft."
Mal smiles "Good work. Keep the engine running. We shouldn't be long."

As they head for the C deck Buffy turns to Mal "So your crew, they don't know about the whole..."
Mal shakes his head "Ah, no."
Buffy sighs relieved "That's good."
Mal raises an eyebrow "Figured you'd be a little pissed."
"Not their concern. Anyway It's better this way."
Mal sighs as they continue to walk "You do realise we're still technically—"
Buffy cuts him off "Yep. Kinda hard to forget."
"Doesn't have to be this way you know." Mal says as they turn another corner.
"Yes. It does." Buffy tells him "It's easier this way. People like us live easier when we avoid emotional connects."
Mal looks over at her worried "We gonna talk bout what the gorram hell happened to you?"
Buffy stops walking and turns to him "Mal I told you to drop the subject."
"Buff can't help you if you don't fill me in, then I can't do nothin'..."
"There's nothing to do Mal!" Buffy yells "What they did to me can't be fixed. I can't be fixed. You can't fix me, not this time. So just drop it. Please."
Buffy huffs and tries to walk off but Mal grabs her arm "Not a rutting chance. Spill."
Buffy sighs and is about to answer when she notices where they are "We're here. C deck."
Mal looks around in surprise before slowly letting go of Buffy's arm.

Buffy walks over to the control button for the door "It's locked." She says when nothing works.
Mal smiles "Well, now, I'd say that's a very good sign." Mal laughs before pulling the blowtorch out of his bag and moving towards the door.

6 Years and 8 months Ago:

"Get down!" Buffy yells as the Alliance soldiers begin firing at them. Buffy sees one of her men standing in the field frozen "Dammit" She mutters before running at him and tackling him out of the way.
"Buffy!" Mal calls as he and Zoe see Buffy and the soldier go down.
Buffy rolls away from the other soldier and stands pulling him to his feet "Come on move it. Now!"
The two head back into the Independents camp and Mal runs over to Buffy "Gorrammit, you're hit, come on we got to get that bullet out."
Buffy shakes her head "I'll be fine."
Mal forces her to sit "No you won't, let me help."
Buffy sighs "Do it quick."
Mal nods "Zoe! Get over here."
Zoe quickly runs over and waits for orders "Deal with Bendis. Then protect the front."
Zoe nods "You got it sir."

Mal turns back to Buffy who groans in pain, Mal places a hand on her check "Hey don't worry just breathe."
Buffy nods slowly and takes a deep breath as Mal starts to pull the bullet out.
Once he pulls the bullet out Buffy takes a deep breath "I hate getting shot."
Mal chuckles "Yeah sucks doesn't it?"
Mal smiles and picks his gun back up before turning back to her "So you wanna get a drink after this?"
Buffy looks at him confused "Wait what?"
"A drink? You and me."
Buffy's eyes widen "I—"
Before Buffy could say anything another explosion goes off causing them both to move.