toxic_corn | Zoe Washburne fic for annabelleofga's request

Title: Five Reasons Zoe Has For Living
Author:

toxic_corn
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All is Joss's, none is mine.
Notes: Written for the Five fic meme. I again use characteres from Songs From A Firefly because it's easy and I'm weak.

For

annabelleofga, who has now had every one of her suggestions written. *pumps fist in the air*

1. Be It Ever So Humble

Zoe hadn't been sure what she was going to do once the war was over. The military had been her life, after all. What else was there?

When the sarge had shown her the derelict ship, she'd been disappointed. This hunk of junk was never going to lift its carcass up off the ground, not in a million years. But his enthusiasm had been catching and now here she was, Serenity, ready for lift off, thanks to Bester.

Looking at their new home, Zoe smiled.

END

2. Like Seeing Him for the First Time

It was gone. Zoe stared at him, not allowing her surprise to show.

The captain came into the mess and stopped in his tracks. "Wash. Where's your lip fur?"

"Gone but not forgotten apparently." He looked around the room at the crew. "This isn't that big of a deal."

"Yeah it is," Bester said. "That thing was... beyond gross, Wash. No offense or anything."

"None taken," Wash said, looking offended all the same. Without the mustache, he looked younger and less like a sleazy merchant from the Rim. She must have been staring for too long because he caught her and a little smile twitched at the corner of his lips. "What do you think, Zoe?"

"It's an improvement," she allowed.

He seemed disappointed by that response and dinner went on in the usual way.

They both agreed later that his temporarily hurt feelings were worth it when she jumped him afterwards.

END

3. Lady

"Don't you ever do that again."

Zoe rolled over in bed, squinting through the darkness. She flipped on a light and tensed when she saw her oldest daughter standing by the ladder, arms folded.

"Lady-"

"It was stupid of you to get into it with all those Reavers. We already lost our father; what would've happened to us if they'd gotten you, too?!"

Shame sliced through her. "The others would've looked to you all just-"

"We need you!" Lady started to cry the way she did when she was much smaller; hands clapped to her mouth, shoulders shaking, and looking pissed off to be crying in the first place.

"Come here, baby." Zoe held her arms out and Lady dove into them, cuddling close. She stroked her daughter's hair softly.

"Don't ever do that again," Lady begged. "It was so scary."

"I won't," Zoe promised.

"Good."

That night, Lady stayed with her and the horrible loneliness that filled her heart since Wash's death was eased a bit by her company.

END

4. Mama Bear

The pain was too much. When the Mule had upended all of them into the street, she'd landed in a position that had made something snap. More than anything, she wanted to let go, fade away to a place where every breath didn't feel like a knife in the ribs.

But the man that had been following them had Vee. Her girl was strong and wouldn't give the man the tears and screaming his kind hungered for, but she was terrified, Zoe knew. She could hear the man calling for backup as he touched her daughter.

With her last bit of strength, Zoe rolled so she could get her gun out of its holster. Then she sighted and fired.

When the man fell dead to the ground, Zoe allowed herself to finally pass out. Vee got on the horn and the others came like the damned cavalry and she woke up hours later in the infirmary, all patched up with Vee holding her hand.

END

5. Got My Reasons

Her arthritis acted up on most days and old hurts flared up from time to time. On the worst days, Zoe would just stay in bed. Sometimes she wondered why the hell she even held on any more, when it would be better to just go. If Shepherd Book's heaven existed, she'd be able to see Wash again. She thought on that with more and more longing these days.

Maybe she should... The thought was cut off short when an excited knocking came from her door. Smiling, she picked up her cane and hobbled to the door.

"Grams!" Hobie, Jimmy, and Mel Washburne hugged her carefully as they'd been instructed by their parents.

"I made you all some damn fine cookies," Zoe told the children who beamed up at her. Who would've thought she'd be a cookie-baking grandmother? Some of the old crew still boggled at the thought.

Ben and Nettie let themselves in and gave her hugs as well.

"Still holding on, Zo'?" Nettie asked, smiling softly.

Zoe looked over her shoulder at Ben settling the children at the table. "I've got my reasons."

THE END