Hello All,

Well as it turns out I had some more time and managed to do some "tweaking" on this story. So here is another chapter. I'm having lots of fun with this one and I hope everyone enjoys it!

-Moki

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Once Mal was reassured that no one on his crew was sick or injured he ordered Simon back to the ship. He called back everyone else but Wash (who was waiting for the doctor with the child in the Infirmary) to the derelict to finish the work. The faster they got this done the better in his opinion, baby or no baby.

There wasn't much left to do and the entire job was done within another hour or so. Mal stood at the airlock and counted heads as everyone returned to the ship, making sure that no one was left behind. The bodies were stowed in their carefully sealed containers and the rest of the things they could salvage were stacked in the cargo hold. Once assured that everyone had returned and nothing else was needed from the derelict he called Wash from the Infirmary. The pilot then disengaged Serenity from the other ship and took them a safe distance away as Mal released the charges they had put on it.

The two of them watched from the cockpit as the other ship exploded silently in front of the window, the bright light it created making them both squint.

"Alright well now that the job is done let's go see about that little guest you brought aboard my boat" Mal and said.

"What? Don't you like passengers?" Wash asked with a mischievous grin.

"Only paying ones" Mal replied and laughed as they both knew he was kidding. Mal was actually very interested in the little tyke. He had already sent out a message to the hiring company about the baby and was waiting to hear back from them. He had been told when they got hired that the ship was newly derelict but still, that child had to have been alone for at least a day or two. Any baby that could survive that was a baby Mal wanted to meet.

Wash walked behind the captain back to the Infirmary. They could hear the baby crying as they approached and Wash felt for little Caleb. Simon was probably poking him with needles and cold instruments and Wash knew from experience that was never fun.

The baby was lying on the exam table when the two men entered the rather crowded room. All the girls were inside while Book and Jayne had been relegated to watching through the windows. Everyone, it seemed, was interested in their new passenger.

Mal approached the doctor as it appeared Simon was almost finished. He was thinking of where the baby should stay while they waited for relatives of those who perished on the sickened ship. If the baby was ill then he probably would need to be tended to by Simon, he reckoned.

"I guess he should stay in here, doc?" Mal asked as Simon finally finished up his exam on the baby.

"Well there's nothing wrong with him as far as I can see" Simon said over the screams of a very upset infant, protesting the pokes and prods he'd just received from the doctor. "Other than early signs of some malnutrition he's in perfect health. I don't really think that he needs to stay here in the Infirmary"

"Oh, I'll take care of him if you like captain" Kaylee spoke up quickly. "Had me a mess o'brothers and sisters back at home so I'm used to changing diapers and the like. At least until we find his kin" She reached for the baby and picked him up off the examining table. Unfortunately this made him scream louder and she started rocking him to try and comfort him. But it didn't work and Caleb continued to cry piteously.

Simon watched this thoughtfully. Caleb had been blissfully quiet when he'd arrived in the Infirmary with Wash and remembering this made Simon think. Even after a rough exam any child should be comforted by being picked up but Caleb was showing no signs of letting up. Seeing this, Simon had an idea and decided to try it out.

"Kaylee" Simon said over the din "Why don't you give him to Wash for a second?"

Kaylee looked puzzled but obediently walked over to Wash and handed the baby to him. Wash took the boy and put him against his shoulder, patting his back. Almost instantly Caleb quieted down and everyone could hear themselves think again.

"Well I'll be" Mal said in wonder "Looks like you have a magic touch with something more that just the helm of Serenity" Wash just grinned in reply, rocking the baby on his shoulder.

"Actually captain it's pretty easy to explain" Simon said in his usual doctor-like way. "Caleb here was stuck on that ship for a couple days near as I can tell. He was cold, he was hungry and he was completely alone. Wash picked him up and brought him out of that and I think Caleb recognizes him now as a protector and as someone to trust" Simon explained as he put away the instruments he had used to examine the child. He noticed that Kaylee looked a little disappointed.

"Don't worry Kaylee" he said reassuringly "Children are quick to recover from trauma. Once he's had a day or two to adjust I'm sure he'll be as happy as any child his age to have anyone hold him and play with him. He just needs a little time to get used to us all"

"Oh, okay. I hope I didn't scare him none" Kaylee said worriedly as she watched Wash continue to rock Caleb.

"Nope, I can assure you that you didn't. He's reacting in a completely normal manner considering what he's just been through". Simon replied.

"In the meantime" he said, now turning his attention to Wash and Zoe. Both were totally absorbed in the baby and Simon had to clear his throat a bit to get their attention. Mal and Kaylee shared a glance and smiled knowingly at each other. Perhaps the long-standing argument about children on a ship was going to be brought up again with the couple.

"In the meantime" Simon repeated now that he had their attention. "I'm afraid this means that the child should stay with Wash and Zoe for the time being. I hope you two don't mind caring for him"

"Not at all" Wash replied "I think we can handle this little guy for a while. Whattya think Zo?" he asked, turning to his wife.

"Uh yeah…I mean of course" Zoe replied, still giving her husband a very odd look. Everyone in the room seemed to understand why Zoe was so confused except for Wash. Every time he caught her looking at him that way he would give her his "What did I do?" look right back at her. But no matter how many times he did it no answer was forthcoming so Wash decided to ignore it for now.

They headed to their bunk and Wash carefully climbed down the ladder with the baby in his arms. Zoe had gone before him and once he was halfway down he handed Caleb to her. Caleb was calmer with Zoe than he had been with Kaylee but even so, within a few moments was fussing again. Zoe rocked him against her shoulder, talking soothingly.

But the little infant was having nothing of it and soon began howling in earnest.

"Here Zo, I'll take him" Wash said and held out his arms. Zoe passed the squalling infant to him. Within seconds Caleb quieted once again and Zoe looked on in wonder at her husband and the new child.

"There, there little man" Wash said "I think you're just tired, eh?" Simon had already fed and changed him in the infirmary so it was his best guess as to why Caleb was still crying. He gently rocked the baby in his arms, pacing the room back and forth. Zoe noticed that Wash appeared to be right. With each passing moment Caleb's eyes were looking heavier. He looked like he wanted to fight off sleep and she watched as the little one began a battle of wills with his own eyelids. The more they started fall, the more he tried to keep them open. Wash continued to walk back and forth and soon starting humming a little tune to the babe.

Eventually it all was too much and Caleb finally lost the battle. His eyes closed and his head drooped against Wash's shoulder and he was sound asleep. Secretly Zoe admired the little one's fire. She could understand fighting a losing battle and it made her smile to watch Caleb refuse to give up. Even if it was just over a little thing like sleeping or the control of your own eyelids. A battle was still a battle.

Seeing that the bundle in his arms had finally stopped fighting and started sleeping, Wash walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Well I guess since we don't have a crib or anything he'll just have to sleep here with us" he told his wife and proceeded to put the baby down in the middle of the bed. But as soon as Wash's arms let go of him, Caleb started crying again. Smiling ruefully Wash picked him back up and rocked him once again.

"Guess that's not going to work, huh?" Wash grinned at his wife.

Zoe was still reeling from this whole new chain of events but did manage a smile for her husband. Seeing him act this way was really getting to her but she knew she couldn't say or do anything about it now. So she decided to figure out how she could help instead.

"Why don't you just sit down with him?" Zoe said, gesturing at the bed. She could tell Wash was exhausted and she was starting to feel that way herself. All of them could use some sleep and if the baby wouldn't be laid down then they were just going to have to get creative.

Wash sat on the bed and leaned back, Zoe tucking pillows behind him. Caleb was fast asleep again but Wash knew he wouldn't be able to put the baby down. He hadn't ever seen a baby quite this fussy but then again not many babies could have survived what Caleb had been through in the past few days. So if, for now, he needed Wash to hold him to sleep then Wash was going to do it. Zoe did her best to make Wash as comfortable as she could. She took off his shoes and pulled the covers around the two of them to keep them warm. She then got ready for bed herself and got under the covers beside them. Then she kissed her husband and the baby and lay down to sleep. Wash was still sitting up, patting the baby's back as she drifted off.

Zoe woke the next morning and the events of the previous day flooded into her mind. Curious as to how Wash and Caleb made it through the night; she carefully turned over in the bed so as not to wake either if they were still asleep. It occurred to her that she hadn't heard a peep out of the baby all night and she hoped that didn't mean that Wash hadn't slept at all. It turned out she needn't have worried.

Turning over she found her husband sleeping soundly beside her. His hair in complete disarray as it always was in the morning. He wasn't sitting up any longer and she thought for a moment that maybe he had gotten Caleb put down elsewhere. Closer inspection showed however that Caleb was sleeping soundly on Wash's chest. The covers were pulled over them both so that the baby's face stuck out right under Wash's chin.

She smiled at the sight and lay watching them both sleep for a while. She reached up and touched the baby's head and rubbed his back lightly. His little body was warm and solid and she felt him rise and fall rhythmically with Wash's steady breathing. Her heart ached and though she knew why she put the reason out of her mind for the moment (again). Once she could get Wash alone they were going to talk about this whole situation. But not yet.