Cold Stone
Title: Cold Stone
Author: quiesce
Characters: Zoe & Simon, (Mal/Simon implied)
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Joss owns them all, not me.
Word Count: 410 Words
Notes: Many thanks to skripka for the beta and great suggestions
Simon had almost deleted the wave without viewing it. He'd never thought of Zoe as an 'Alleyne' only as a 'Washburne' and it had taken him a moment to realize it was her. He sobered at the memories of the pilot, but it was the contents of the wave that made Simon's heart tighten.
***
Zoe was almost ready to leave when she heard approaching footsteps crunching in the snow.
"You came," she said simply when the noise came to a stop just behind her.
After a moment's hesitation, Simon replied "I came," and moved to Zoe's side.
"This is..." Simon trailed off, trying to figure out how to ask the question. "We're all that's left?"
"River?"
Simon shook his head. "A few years ago."
"Then we're it." Zoe replied somberly.
As the full realization hit that they were now all that remained of the once-strong crew and family, Simon reached out for Zoe and slipped his hand in hers. The two of them stood wordlessly staring at the cold stone that whittled a man's existence down to a handful of bare facts.
Zoe was first to break the silence. "He never meant-- He hated the way you left."
"I know."
"When we had long stretches between jobs, he'd talk about tracking you down...handing over Serenity to me and settling down on a ranch somewhere. But then we'd get another string of jobs and..." Zoe sighed, then continued matter-of-factly. "Well, you know how it is."
"I know."
They stood there hand in hand as the sun set and the temperature dropped. They shivered in the cold, but were too lost reliving memories to mind.
Again, Zoe spoke first. "We should go before we catch something. It's been a long time since I've been your patient, don't see a need to start again."
"I retired a while back; it's been a long time since anyone was my patient. You'd probably have to 'acquire' any meds you'd need before I could do anything to help." Simon paused. "What are you going to do now?"
"Haven't figured that part out yet. I think Serenity was only hanging on for Mal; I don't think I'll be able to keep her going."
"C'mon. My shuttle's just past that ridge," Simon waved his hand towards a spot behind them. "It's a bit less than a day's flight back to my place. It's not much, but it's--"
"Home," Zoe finished, smiling at him.
Author: quiesce
Characters: Zoe & Simon, (Mal/Simon implied)
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Joss owns them all, not me.
Word Count: 410 Words
Notes: Many thanks to skripka for the beta and great suggestions
Simon had almost deleted the wave without viewing it. He'd never thought of Zoe as an 'Alleyne' only as a 'Washburne' and it had taken him a moment to realize it was her. He sobered at the memories of the pilot, but it was the contents of the wave that made Simon's heart tighten.
***
Zoe was almost ready to leave when she heard approaching footsteps crunching in the snow.
"You came," she said simply when the noise came to a stop just behind her.
After a moment's hesitation, Simon replied "I came," and moved to Zoe's side.
"This is..." Simon trailed off, trying to figure out how to ask the question. "We're all that's left?"
"River?"
Simon shook his head. "A few years ago."
"Then we're it." Zoe replied somberly.
As the full realization hit that they were now all that remained of the once-strong crew and family, Simon reached out for Zoe and slipped his hand in hers. The two of them stood wordlessly staring at the cold stone that whittled a man's existence down to a handful of bare facts.
Zoe was first to break the silence. "He never meant-- He hated the way you left."
"I know."
"When we had long stretches between jobs, he'd talk about tracking you down...handing over Serenity to me and settling down on a ranch somewhere. But then we'd get another string of jobs and..." Zoe sighed, then continued matter-of-factly. "Well, you know how it is."
"I know."
They stood there hand in hand as the sun set and the temperature dropped. They shivered in the cold, but were too lost reliving memories to mind.
Again, Zoe spoke first. "We should go before we catch something. It's been a long time since I've been your patient, don't see a need to start again."
"I retired a while back; it's been a long time since anyone was my patient. You'd probably have to 'acquire' any meds you'd need before I could do anything to help." Simon paused. "What are you going to do now?"
"Haven't figured that part out yet. I think Serenity was only hanging on for Mal; I don't think I'll be able to keep her going."
"C'mon. My shuttle's just past that ridge," Simon waved his hand towards a spot behind them. "It's a bit less than a day's flight back to my place. It's not much, but it's--"
"Home," Zoe finished, smiling at him.