Chapter 4:
Zoe and Jayne walked silently into the dark street. They pressed the buttons on their salvaged time-travel devices and instantly rematerialized on board Serenity. They marched into the kitchen, where they found the rest of the crew. Kaylee was dishing out supper for her three children. Kai, Zoe's son, was chatting with Simon about staff infections. And River sat off to the side, staring silently at her plate. They all looked up as Zoe and Jayne walked through the door.
"Where is he?" asked Kaylee, dropping the serving spoon she held in her hand. "Where's the Cap'n? Oh, God, he ain't... Please tell me he ain't."
"He ain't leavin'," said Jayne, gently placing Vera on the table, right next to the kids. Simon gave him a dirty look.
"What?" asked Kaylee.
"He has a family now," said Zoe.
"He used to think of us as family, too," said Kaylee, heartbroken. "Don't that mean anything?"
"Apparently not," said Zoe, sitting beside her son, and pulling an empty plate in front of her. She took off her time travel device and tossed it on to the table. She would have to remember to thank Badger later... Or probably sooner, knowing him.
"So after all that," said Kai. "He's not even coming back? I've been hearing about the Captain basically all my life! You guys spent all this time and effort trying to find him, and now you're just gonna leave him where he is?"
"He made his decision," said Zoe.
"River," Simon spoke up, deciding it would be better to change the subject. "Why aren't you eating?"
"It's not ready," she replied.
"What are you taking about?" asked Simon. "It's all cooked."
"It's not ready to be called food," said River. "It still needs time to adjust." Simon just stared at her. After a brief pause, she added, "And I'm not hungry yet."
"Oh."
"So what's our next move?" asked Jayne.
"There ain't none," said Zoe.
"What?" said Kaylee. "So we're just gonna leave him?"
"It's what he wants," Zoe said.
"But it ain't what he needs," said Kaylee. "It ain't what we need."
Zoe suddenly arose from her seat and left the kitchen. Everyone watched silently until she was out of sight.
Kai spoke up, almost apologetically, saying, "They must have been close."
"They fought together in the war," Simon said. "She told me about it once. He was her sergeant. They literally lived through hell together."
"Simon," Kaylee suddenly spoke up. "It's up to you now."
"Me?" said Simon, shocked.
"You gotta try."
"Look, Kaylee," he said. "I know it's been a while, but, if you recall, the Captain never really used to listen to me. I'm not totally sure he even liked me."
"But Zoe's being too stubborn to do anything more," said Kaylee. "Please, Simon."
It always surprised Simon how easily he could be talked into doing things he wouldn't normally do; however, he realized, he would usually only go through with it for the people he cared about.
He looked at Kaylee, then at River. Mal had done so much to protect he and River, though he had no obligation to do so. Mal may have been intimidating some of the time, most of the time, but he had a good heart and would always do the decent thing. It was now Simon's turn to repay him for all his kindness, by bringing him back home.
He sighed and reached across the table for Zoe's time travel device. Kaylee let out a cry of glee and hugged Simon tightly. "Thank you!"