He's Not Coming

Title He's Not Coming
Rating PG-13

"He's not coming."

Zoë's voice was so flat, so lacking in any emotion that it took Kaylee a minute before she realized the full implications. By then it was too late to say anything, to do anything. He was... dead.

And the Reavers were on their way - how could they just leave him there? Didn't Zoë know what those inhuman sons of bitches would do to him? How could she have left him there, alone?

Kaylee grasped the gun Jayne had thrust into her hands uncertainly. She shouldn't be here, this was all a mistake, her Daddy should never have let her go with the cap'n. She should be safe at home now, dreaming of flying off-world on one of those fancy ships that'd sometimes dock nearby. She'd thought she'd gotten that dream - okay so Serenity wasn't like one of them fancy cruisers or private yachts or anything, but she had heart - but it was like she'd woken up to find it had all been a nightmare.

She shouldn't be here, holding this gun, thinking that maybe she wouldn't have the nerve to use it if the Reavers broke through. Thinking that maybe, just maybe she could use it on herself.

Then all she'd be is one more dead body, one more shell, would she care what they did to her afterwards? Should she?

Her thoughts came full circle and in her mind's eye she could see Wash, in the pilot seat, alone. She blinked away the tears.

He wasn't coming.