Well, here's a short one for you. Disclaimer? Same. Soundtrack? Try "Intuition" - Jewel... or if that's too girly for you... well, that's the only song I planned for this chapter. Sorry. Hey, review, please!

"Miles?" Mal said. "Miles?"

The not-so-much-of-a-spy opened his eyes. His voice was weak. "I… need… water."

"I know," Mal said, and lifted up a jug of water. "Zoë, lift his head."

The first mate did as he asked and Mal poured water into the man's mouth until Miles waved his hand for them to stop. Then the man said, "Who are you?"

"I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. Yer in safe hands now."

"What happened to… Wanderlust?"

"We're a ways away from there right yet," Mal said, "but if'n that's where ya want t' go, we can get ya back there."

"It's the only place I remember being happy," Miles said. "I had a girl there…"

"Ah, a girl?" Mal said with a knowing smile. "What was her name?"

"Joan," Miles said. "Her name is Joan."

"Is that where ya want t' go?" Mal asked. "I can have Wash turn us round."

"Where are we headed right now?"

"We've got some business on Spake's Fault. But after that, we can go anywhere y' want."

"Wanderlust," Miles agreed.

"Wanderlust it is," Mal said.

Miles swallowed, then said, "The girl? Is she all right?"

"We're waitin' fer her t' wake up t' make sure she's all right. But she should be."

"Good. I'm frightfully sorry for what I did."

"We know it wasn't really you," Zoë said to him.

"And we took care o' the PRFO. We dropped the hostages in the desert on Hazel's Line. They won't be troublin' ya anymore."

"Good," Miles said, even though he couldn't remember what had happened with the PRFO or who they were.

"You'll be safe now," Zoë assured the man. "Is there anybody you'd like us t' contact?"

Miles thought for a moment. "Yes, I believe there is. My sister. Her name's Aimee."

"I know an Aimee. She's my cousin," Mal told him. "She lives on Winsome Lake. Her husband's a fisherman."

Miles smiled. "Then we are cousins, Cousin!"

Mal laughed. It wasn't the strangest thing that had ever happened to him, but it was a very good thing nonetheless. "Miles, would ya like some oatmeal?"

"We've plenty," Zoë promised. "Lots and lots."

"I guess I could learn to like it," Miles said, smiling at her.

"And we'll get the Doc t' come down n look at ya. Make sure there's no infection growin' in there."

"Will he be using anesthesia this time?"

Mal laughed again. "Yes, he most definitely will."

Some time later, after a bowl of oatmeal or two, Simon finished examining Miles and straightened up. The man said, "Doctor? I'd just like to apologize for harming your sister."

"That's all right," Simon said, but Miles didn't let it go at that. For one thing, the doctor didn't sound fully sincere.

"I'd like to make it up to you somehow. Is there any way I can do that? I mean, not now, when I'm strapped to this stretcher as an invalid, but when I'm better, I'd like to do something for you. And her, of course."

"If she wakes up able to think rationally and hear, then I suppose she can tell you what she wants," Simon said.

"And you?" Miles persisted. "There must be something."

Simon leaned back on his stool for a moment and thought. "I… I would like some real milk," he said at last. "I know that's a silly request…"

"No, no, nothing is silly," Miles said in response. "We have real milk on Wanderlust. Once we're back there, I'll give you as much as you can drink. And some for your sister. And enough for the crew."

"Well then, I guess we're even," Simon said. "There's no infection in either of your wounds. They should heal well, only small scars."

"Bless you, doctor," Miles said. He was feeling very drowsy.

"There was a sedative in your oatmeal," Simon said, a little sheepishly. "That's why you had to eat so much. You'll sleep for awhile, and when you wake up…"

But Miles was already asleep.