Thank you all for reviewing I am sorry that it has taken this long to finish this bit of fiction I have had a lot of bad luck. But now I am, I am doing fine and can finish what I started I hope you all enjoy it.

I found her sitting in his chair, she was cryin', I wanted to turn and leave her to her peace, but also wanted her to know should she need me I was here. I was not sure how to comfort her, seein as she was the one usually doing that on the ship. I decied the army way was best, and I would just pat her shoulder and be on my way.

I don't think I was ever so wrong in my think'n in my life!

"Are you ok?" I did as I planed to I gently patted her shoulder and then the tears came flowing as if I had turned on a shower. I was not sure what I did but it seemed to make it worse! Now I was in for it.

I was stuck in this awkward position of holding her shoulder and comforting her, yet not want'n to intrude so I just stood there.

I wish Wash was here this is so his job, but no he had to go and die and leave me with a broken Zoe that no one in the verse could fix 'cept him.

I'll just stand here and wait tell she stops cryin this is Zoe she never cries for long... come to think of it she does't cried at all. I just kept patting hoping this would end. This was not my strong suit helping hurt feelings; speicaly Zoe's.

Then came real fear she grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to the chair. Her hand was soft yet demanding. I wanted to pull away but I gave in to her pull with no resistance. She had been there for me and now it was my turn to do the same. she pulled me closer to her head and leaned on my hips with her face.

I looked down in to her eyes they bloodshot and still wet. I could see she needed something I was not sure I could give but I was going to try.

She was the strongest of us all she was the one who always picked up our bits when we lost it, and here she was leaning on my waist crying her heart out.

It tore me to bits seeing her like this. I wanted to make it stop, to help her so I ran my hand over her head and spoke softly to her "it'll be alright, we'll get through this"

Her body started to shake harder and tears came faster I was guessing that was the wrong thing to say. Damn it to hell why was I bad at this! Ithe only thing that I could I just kept quite and stoked her hair softly.

I took a step back from her to look at her to say something else, that is when she fell from the chair to the floor.

I picked her up from the floor of the cockpit; she was a lot lighter then I though she'd be Zoe was always a solid woman. I carried her to her bed and laid her down. "Don't worry you will be ok. I will sit with you till the morning" I tried again talking softly again 'please let this work'. It seemed to, she was quieting down.

She was still cryin a bit when removed her boots and stuff. I was amazed she let me touch her this way; it was as if she had lost the will to argue. She knew I was the safest person in the verse to watch over her in this state, and I would have sat there watching her till hell froze over if,n she needed me to.

I had done many things in my life and been with many women but she was the one that got away. Our relation was never like that, not from lack of trying but she was not wantin it so it never happened. She would always say what we had was deeper then love or lust so why spoil it with either.

Zoe and I had been through the special kinda hell that peacher was always yappin 'bout and come out ok, but tonight I could not help but think that I was meant to be else where. This was Wash's place and his wife. God I hope he forgives me.

I wanted to be her rock; keep her here in this reality with me so she would still have her dignity when this was over. It was the way she looked at me that said we was about to 'spoil things' as she would put it.

I was not going to say no, she needed me for this and I was going to do all with in my power to help her.

Perhaps this would bring the light back to her eyes, the fire to her soul. I know I am not the only one who sees these things missing from her; she is in a haze just like a walking corpse. I just want my Zoe back.

I pulled the covers over her in their bed and bent down to speak to her softly again and that is when she kissed me, this was a passionate kiss one that said she was burning up inside with a need that only another person could fill. I didn't know how to respond, or what to feel I know that it ignited a flame in my soul.

After the kiss I was fearful. I had wanted her in the past; long ago and not while she was vulnerable. She seemed to want me but was it really what she wanted or was it her grief? I did not want to do this, at least not like this. I feared what it would mean for us.

Most of all I did not, in any way, want to disrespect Wash or her memory of him. In the end I did not want her like this but I could tell she needed to feel this. "You sure 'bout this?" If she was sure then I would relent to her.

"Yes" was all she said she gave him a look that told me this was something she had to do.

I removed my boots and climbed into bed with her, she was soft and caring but more determined then I had ever seen her. This was going to be a night I would not forget.

I wanted her to feel wanted and so I took my time. I gave to her all I had, and used every trick I knew woman liked. I needed her to feel all the love I was able to poor into her, to fill her heart. A heart that was left empty when she lost him.

In the end I gave into her every push and pull, every demand she put on my body. We did things that night that would make a whore blush and then some.

When the morning came I gently climbed out of bed and dressed she was not asleep but laying quietly. I kissed her one last time on the forehead and left their bunk.

I will not regret the time I shared with her and I can still feel hungry kiss burning against my lips at night when I am alone in my bunk.

Zoe seemed like herself after that night the fire returned to her eyes and there was that spring in her step. She knew I would always love her; Not as Wash had but in my own way.

We've not talked about that night I would never tell a soul. It was an unspoken loyalty that allowed us to share a kiss that burned.

FIN- for real this time!

Well there you have it, All done so please review you little hearts out. I do not plan on writing more on this story but may write a sequel later. I have enjoyed all the reviews so far, a constructive review is just a good as a great review. They make us better writers in the end!