Mal, late-night.
Kaylee's bunk is not Kaylee's bunk anymore, and hasn't been for a long time. Mal ran into Zoe in the corridor leading to the bridge, Naomi in her arms, and she smiled at Mal in a way that he's gotten very much used to since Wash's...since Wash. I'm fine. Tired, but fine.
"I can take her, Zo'," Mal offers, and Zoe looks to Naomi, just now finally looking like she's about to nod off. "Go catch some sleep. Seriously - I want to."
Zoe mumbles a thank-you and practically falls down the ladder into the bunk that she hadn't been able to stay in for so long. Mal, baby in his arms, walks slowly toward the short staircase leading to the bridge and he sits down carefully.
"You been sleepin' alright, lil' one?" Mal whispers. Naomi gives no reply, but that seems to encourage him to continue more than any movement would have. "It seems to be a problem lately with folk."
Then he wonders how Kitty is sleeping for a split second, and Mal holds Naomi closer to his chest.
"I know you do your ma a lot o' good, while your ba's away. Can't really thank you enough for that, now can I?" Mal readjusts himself on the step he's occupying, "But Wash'll be home soon, so I don't know if babies worry 'bout other things than diapers and food, but if you do, don't worry on that."
A bit of a sigh, and Mal looks down to Naomi, who has turned inward in sleep. Mal smiles at her, running one palm over her head gently. "Folk should be home soon, baobei," he continues, standing to descend gently into Kaylee's old bunk.
"We'll just keep hopin', dong ma?"
"I can take her, Zo'," Mal offers, and Zoe looks to Naomi, just now finally looking like she's about to nod off. "Go catch some sleep. Seriously - I want to."
Zoe mumbles a thank-you and practically falls down the ladder into the bunk that she hadn't been able to stay in for so long. Mal, baby in his arms, walks slowly toward the short staircase leading to the bridge and he sits down carefully.
"You been sleepin' alright, lil' one?" Mal whispers. Naomi gives no reply, but that seems to encourage him to continue more than any movement would have. "It seems to be a problem lately with folk."
Then he wonders how Kitty is sleeping for a split second, and Mal holds Naomi closer to his chest.
"I know you do your ma a lot o' good, while your ba's away. Can't really thank you enough for that, now can I?" Mal readjusts himself on the step he's occupying, "But Wash'll be home soon, so I don't know if babies worry 'bout other things than diapers and food, but if you do, don't worry on that."
A bit of a sigh, and Mal looks down to Naomi, who has turned inward in sleep. Mal smiles at her, running one palm over her head gently. "Folk should be home soon, baobei," he continues, standing to descend gently into Kaylee's old bunk.
"We'll just keep hopin', dong ma?"