Mal stood before the crew in the cargo hold.

"So here's what we're doin' today. First, we drop Zoe off at her meet, then Jayne and myself will be goin' to meet a Mr. Lee. Got us a simple pick up and drop off job. Somethin' to keep us fed for a spell. Kaylee, I need you to stay on board and keep her safe." he tapped the main staircase of the ship. It was his baby and he knew Kaylee loved her just as much as he did.

"Yes Cap'n."

"And River will be coming with us, just in case any goofiness is going on. She'll give us ample warning."

"Mal..." Simon started, with concern in his voice.

"Wasn't askin', was tellin'. You're welcome to come along, good Doctor. In case somethin' does go wonky, we can use your expertise."

"Fine." he muttered.

Mal turned his attention to Zoe. "Now Zoe, you sure you won't be needin' backup on this?"

"No, sir. Goddess Corane and me go back a spell. I'll be safe with her."

"Alright, but if anyone so much as sneezes the wrong way, you radio in, hear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Mal," Inara tapped him. "What should I do?"

He looked at her, "You're welcome to stay here and keep Kaylee company but you if you want to find clients, you are free to do as you like." he didn't really mean that. He hated Inara's profession, not because of what she did, but because he loved her and couldn't stand the thought of another man touching her.

She just nodded sullenly, "Very well."

He looked at her walking away, wanting to stop her but figuring now wasn't the time for it."Let's get started."

He slapped the button to open the hold, Zoe jumped down. Mal, Jayne, River and Simon hopped on the mule and drove down. Mal looked at Zoe again.

"Certain you don't need backup on this?"

"Certain as I'm alive, sir."

He frowned, "That is a bit unsettling but I trust you, Zoe. Just be safe."

They nodded at each other once more as they parted ways.

Mal stopped the mule in front of a bar.

"Beer!" Jayne yelled as he ran toward the establishment.

"Does he ever think of anything else beside that, women and violence?" Simon asked to no one in particular.

"Don't suppose he does, but he's good in a fight so I won't ride him 'bout it. Come on." the rest followed Jayne in.

Zoe walked a few feet, finding a rock to sit on. She had no idea what this was about. She hadn't heard from Goddess Corane since just after she and Wash were wed. A few minutes later, another mule pulled up. Zoe stood, lightly placing a hand on her gun, just in case. As the dust settled, a woman, not much older than she, walked toward her. She lifted her veil and smiled at Zoe.

"Goddess." she bowed.

"Please don't, you are my friend. I will have none of that. I wish no one would bow to me. I am but a woman."

"You're more than just a woman, Corane. You're a gift to those hurtin'." Corane smiled and they embraced warmly.

"Oh it is good to see you again, Zoe. Don't get to see anyone from the old life much anymore."

"It's good to see you're well. Speaking of seein' me, what is this about? Your man, Mr. Bold didn't give much detail."

"I think I can help you."

"That's what I'm not understandin'. Help with what?"

"I heard what happened to Hoban."

Zoe felt all the air leave from her throat, she dropped to the ground. It had been a week and she tried her damnedest to not think about it. Throwing herself into any work she could find, trying not to yearn for him. The crew had known not to bring up his name, as it shook her to the core. The very sound of it was almost too painful to bare.

"I know it is difficult to talk about, but as I said. I believe I can help."

"Counselin' of some kind? I don't think it will work out too well. I'm not one to open up."

"Something better." Kristen said, kneeling down to be on Zoe's level. "I've gotten much stronger since we last spoke. I believe I can bring him back."

"That's crazy talk, the man's dead. I know you are a great healer, but unless you fell in with a God I don't see how that's possible."

"I've done it before," she looked away. "I only do it if someone has truly died before their time. I feel as though Hoban was ripped from this 'verse, I feel it burning in my soul. I feel your pain burning in me."

"I don't know, he won't be a garram zombie will he? Don't nobody want a zombie for a husband."

Corane chuckled lightly, "Aside from some possible memory loss, and slowed motor skills for a while, he would be the same Hoban."

Zoe thought on it. There was a chance she could have Wash back, her Wash. The never taken trips, the children not bore. They could have another shot at it, as crazy as the situation was; it was a chance she had to take.

"What do we need?"

"Just Hoban's body and a quiet place."

"You know, something told me to use a cryo coffin. I have no idea why."

"Your intuition, at play it was." Corane smiled as she helped Zoe to her feet and back to the mule. A smile hung loosely from her lips.

"Intuition. Right."

Mal downed his shot, looking around the room. It was empty aside from him, the bartender, a few maids and the others.

"What does this Mr. Lee look like?" Simon asked.

"Not rightly sure, we didn't get into it much."

"A walrus!" River exclaimed.

"A what?" Mal asked quizzically.

"A walrus," Simon started. "A walrus was a sea animal-"

"I know what a dang walrus is. I just wanna know why she's yankin' 'bout one."

"You Mal Reynolds?" a man in a cowboy hat asked. Mal looked up, he had a big bushy beard that resembled a walrus'. "Oh, I see now."

He stood up to greet the man. "Yes, I'm Mal. Mr. Lee I presume?"

"You presume right. Ready to do business?"

"That I am."

Lee looked over at River, "Pretty little thing ain't she?"

River barked at him like she was a puppy. "Pretty she is, right in the head she ain't. Might want to get to that business you talked about."

"Right." Lee said as he gave River a odd look.

"I got some cargo I need you to transport off world. Give you have the platinum now, half when you deliver."

"Sounds fair enough, where's it at?"

"Out back, follow me."

Mal nodded. "Come on."

"Oh come on, Mal. Right now?" Jayne asked, with his arm around a barmaid. "Yes, Jayne. NOW."

"Garram it," he said before looking down at the woman. "Sorry darlin', work's a-callin'."

"Too bad." she said seductively. Jayne just sighed and followed like Mal ordered. Soon the mule was full up with a few crates and they were on their way. Kaylee opened up the hatch for them and they unloaded the cargo.

Zoe came riding up behind them.

"You brought us some company!" Kaylee exclaimed. Mal turned around as Zoe and Corane walked into the hold.

"This here is Goddess Corane. She'll be with his for the night. Sir, I need a word with you first."

Corane removed her veil and goggles as Mal turned toward them. His mouth dropped open as he looked at Corane.

"Kristen?" he choked out.

"Malcolm?" she choked back.

"Uh, that was what I needed to talk about, sir. And some other things."

They just sat there and stared at each other. Mal closed his eyes, reliving a moment past.

"We need a medic, now!" a 20 year old Mal screamed as he and his fellow soldiers rolled Zoe into the medical ward.

"What do we have?"

"She got hit, lost a might bit of blood. Zoe? The Doc here is going to patch you up right."

A nurse stuck a I.V. in Zoe's hand and hooked her up to a monitor. Then went to work trying to stop the bleeding.

"I don't feel right, sir..." Zoe said in a whisper, her head falling to one side. The monitor went from a steady beep to a flat tone. Mal reached out to her, "Come on, Zoe, wake up. Zoe?"

"Get back, I need room!" the Doctor yelled to Mal, he nodded and stepped back. The Doctor grabbed the paddles from the shock cart, "Clear!"

Mal looked on in worry, Zoe wasn't moving.

"Clear!" he yelled again. Still, nothing. He looked sullen as he turned to the nurse. "Call it, she's gone."

Mal got mad and moved toward the Doctor, "No, she's not gone. You didn't try hard enough." he turned his attention to Zoe. "Zoe, come on now. Push through," he shook her body. "PUSH, GARRAM IT!"

"Get a hold of yourself! Let it go, she's gone!"

"I leave no men behind, now you get those little paddles and do your job!" just as it seemed like the two men would come to fisticuffs, a small voice came from behind them.

"Let me try once more...I think I can help." a pretty, young, caramel complected woman in a nurse's uniform softly pushed through them and on to Zoe.

"Nurse, this woman is dead. I don't know what you think you will be able to-"

"Shh," she hushed him. "Just give me a chance. " she placed her hands on top of Zoe's chest, above her heart. She stopped for a moment, Mal could swear she was concentrating. She pushed down in a rhythmic fashion. Counting 'one, two, three.' in between pumps.

She stopped once again, before continuing. Then, suddenly, the monitor started to beep. Slowly at first, then more steadily. Zoe's eyes shot open and she gasped deep. The young woman backed away as the Doctor and other nurse moved to Zoe's side, she looked over at Mal.

"Welcome back." he said, trying to hold back tears.

"Good to be back, sir." she smiled weakly.

"We need to get blood into you. Try not to move. Nurse, help me move her into the next room."

She nodded and did as she was told. Everyone but Mal and the young woman followed. He looked down at her.

"Thank you for doin' what you did. If you wouldn't have been here, they'd let her rot."

"No need to thank me, I trusted your instinct that she wasn't really gone. Just needed someone else who believed it too." she smiled.

"I'm sorry, situation has me ruder than I aught to be. Name's Malcolm Reynolds." he extended his hand.

"Nurse Kristen." she shook it. When their hands met, there was a slight shook. Not painful enough to make them break apart but noticeable, sort of...comforting. A look of exhaust fell over her face, her grip weakened.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yes, just...this war has been stressful to say the least. I'll be fine if I sit a minute." Mal helped her over to a chair and poured some water in a little paper cup. He handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said after drinking it. "That's much better."

He threw the cup in the trash, then looked to the door of the other room.

"Well, I best be looking in on her."

"Yes, that would be best."

Mal had to force himself to leave her, he didn't know why but he was drawn to this woman. He looked at her one more time, saying, "I imagine I'll be bringin' more of my men to get fixed up. I expect you'll be here to oversee that."

"Yes."

He nodded then left. Kristen sat, feeling lonely now that he was gone. She fixed her uniform, then went about cleaning up the room.

Mal finally found his voice again and opened his eyes. There was Kristen, just older with a new name it seemed. Though when he finally spoke it came out more like a shout than anything else.

"What are you doing on my boat, woman?"

"Wasn't aware this was your boat, Captain Reynolds, is it now?"

As Mal started to say something else, she looked beyond him and at the crates. She squinted then ran over to them. "Where did you get these?" she barked.

"Not sure how it's your business."

"This is my planet, Captain. I have a right to know what goes on."

He stared at her angrily before responding,"Picked them up from a Mr. Lee."

"That bastard stole this from me, this is my seal." she run her fingers over a gold "C" etched into one of the cases. "You have to take me to where he is, I have to get him. NOW!" she screamed. Zoe had never seen her angry and with the way her face looked, it was something she didn't need to see again.

"Before we run off all half cocked, you and me need to have some sort of converse. Now." he started pulling her toward the ship's quarters.

"What was all that about?" Inara asked as she watched them walk away.

"Long story." Zoe responded. "Got somethin' I need to tell ya'll anyhow."