Author's Note:

Sorry many, many times for the delay. I kept writing a paragraph, and then getting interrupted, then another then having to stop. But I hope that people like this. I think it moves sort of fast but, oh well.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Jas-TheMaddTexan, warrior zoe, NazgulGirl, BlueEyedBrigadier, AgentRusco, and Sophia Adamo. I'm so glad that people are enjoying this odd little story!

Chapter #4:

The rest of the trip to Whitefall Moon went mostly in awkward silences and Mal ignoring Wash and acting cold towards Zoe. The Captain, however, didn't speak to her again on the subject. Mostly he was afraid of her reaction but he was also a little worried that she would go through with her threat to leave the ship. Mal would be willing to do anything to keep that from happening, even tolerating Zoe's escapades with Wash.

As he went onto the bridge he found Zoe and Wash making out. They didn't notice the Captain standing there, hands on his hips so Mal cleared his throat. The effects definitely lifted Mal's spirits.

Wash jumped as if he'd been stung and looking at Mal's furious face he took a step back and ran into the pilots chair. He fell over in a heap and Mal grinned. Zoe directed a glare at the Captain who looked back with an innocent 'What did I do?' expression.

"If you two are quite done," Mal drawled, "I'd like to know how much longer until we touch down at Whitefall."

"Less then an hour sir," Zoe assured him as she helped Wash up. Then she kissed the pilot shortly before walking out of the room.

Mal glared at Wash who looked around as if looking for an escape route that was not blocked by an angry Captain.

"I'll umm, just go… I think I should monitor our progress… alone… until it's time to set down."

"I think you should," Mal said coldly. Then he left and Wash breathed a sigh of relief. The Captain had barely gotten out of ear shot of Wash when he found Zoe blocking his path.

"Sir, I think you should stop this childish behavior." Mal's eyes were drawn unintentionally to the gun that Zoe was wearing.

"Are you mad at me Zoe?"

"I think it's you who's mad at me," she answered looking at him strangely.

"I'm not mad at you Zoe," Mal replied as if it were obvious, "I'm mad at that good for nothing pilot."

"Then yes, I am mad at you."

"Then maybe I'm mad at both of you!" Mal shouted after her as she left, brushing past Jayne on her way.

"What the hell was that about?" Jayne asked from the other side of the hallway.

"I don't have a clue," Mal admitted.

An hour later Mal, Zoe, and Jayne were getting ready to go to meet Patience and make the exchange. Jayne was stuffing a few extra guns onto his person and Zoe was making sure that her own gun was loaded. Mal went over to her nervously.

"Zoe," he said.

"Don't feel like having a chat now sir," she told him.

"Look Zoe I know we can't sort this out at the present but I have to know," he paused awkwardly, "I mean even though at the moment we're not getting on friendly like-"

"I won't let any personal issues affect my behavior," Zoe interrupted him.

"You'll stay focused?"

"I'm focused to the job sir," Zoe told him, "always." Mal nodded to her solemnly, thanking everything he could think of that Zoe was on his side, and that nothing would change that. Even his own stubborn character.

"Let's get moving," Jayne spoiled the moment calling out raucously, "I'm itching to get paid today!" The three of them got onto the mule and headed off towards the meeting place.

Wash watched them leave through the window off the bridge. Every time he watched the three of them go off on another job it got harder, because each time he learned more and more about what happened on these little jobs.

When Mal, Zoe, and Jayne got close to the meeting place Mal motioned more Zoe to stop the mule. Once she had he turned to Jayne.

"You take the goods off into that valley we passed and then bring the mule back to get Zoe and me. It's always best to have a little extra insurance just in case." And so then Mal and Zoe went on foot to the meeting with Patience.

"Well here you are Mal," Patience said as she rode over, accompanied by two other men on horseback.

"I am indeed," he answered, "but is my money?" Patience held out the money and tossed it to Mal.

"Now where's my stuff?" Zoe noticed the two men tense as she asked. Her instincts told her that something was wrong. But before she could tell Mal he had already given the location. As soon as he had the two men plus Patience drew their guns and started firing.

Zoe, prepared, jumped to the side and rolled behind a boulder. A second later her gun was out. She glanced over to see where Mal had gone.

Her stomach fell out from under her as Zoe looked over and saw the Captain. He was laying on the ground, and a sluggish trail of blood was wetting the dirt next to him. Always the soldier, Zoe stood and fired her guns at the two men automatically. She heard a grunt and a thud as one of her bullets struck it's target and the man fell from his horse.

As quickly as she could Zoe ran to Mal, still shooting at the remaining man. Patience herself had already turned tail and ran. The other man followed a second later. Zoe pulled the Captain to his feet and carried him to the rider-less horse.

"Zoe?" Mal said as she lifted him up onto the horse.

"It's going to be okay," she told him, "just hold on."

--

Inara came to the bridge to see Wash sitting there staring out the window.

"What exactly happens on these jobs?" she asked the pilot. He shrugged before answering.

"The fewer details we're told the better," Wash told her, "least that's my opinion." Inara noticed that he didn't look from the window.

"You worry about her?" He chuckled.

"It's stupid right? I mean when you see her in action, she's a true warrior. But still," he sighed, "I do worry." Finally he turned to look at Inara. "I want to marry her." Inara looked out over the pilot's shoulder and out the window as she noticed movement.

"Here they come," Inara told him.

--

"We need to get off moon and to the nearest hospital," Zoe commanded as soon as she and Jayne had carried the Captain to the infirmary.

"There's one pretty close," Wash told her, "if we push the engines we'll be there shortly."

"Go," she told him with a soft kiss.

"Will he live?" Inara asked horrified at the blood pouring from the wound.

"Did we get paid?" Jayne asked.

"Jayne out!" Zoe and Inara yelled as one.

--

The hospital on the small moon was not one of the greatest by a long shot but they also didn't require more then the minimum amount of identity. Zoe was easily able to check Mal in under an assumed name and the doctors got to work on him at once. It wasn't long before the doctor came to the waiting room where they were all sitting around, not talking.

"He'll be fine," the doctor told them all, "he's still out but he'll come around soon."

"Thank you," Zoe told the doctor shaking her hand.

"We actually have a Shepherd in there now." Zoe hid a smile, Mal would not like that.

"Zoe," Wash said softly, "can I talk to you?"

--

Mal opened his eyes and found a young man, wearing a Shepherd's garb leaning over him.

"My child do not be afraid," the younger man said, "for the good Lord has guided you back to-"

"Shut up," Mal told him.

"I know that you are afraid-"

"Go away."

"I'm deducing that you're upset," the young Shepherd said gently.

"I'm deducing that you're an idiot," Mal replied bluntly, "I'm out of here." The young Shepherd walked out of the room muttering under his breath.

The first people that Mal saw in the waiting room were Jayne and Inara. They appeared to be arguing.

"It's damn foolish of them," Jayne was saying, "and when the Captain finds out-"

"He's still unconscious," Inara cut him off, "don't worry."

"About what?" Mal asked coming up behind the pair. Inara twirled around, and even in that moment Mal had to marvel at her grace. "Don't worry about what?" Mal asked again. Inara and Jayne exchanged glances.

"Nothing," Inara said in a would-be calm voice.

"Zoe and Wash running off to get hitched," Jayne said.

A second later Mal was striding off to find Zoe and Wash to stop the wedding from happening. He was closely followed by Inara, (hoping to help Zoe and Wash succeed), and Jayne, (who just thought that it would be funny to see what happened when Mal caught up with the couple.)