Malcolm frowned when he walked into the galley and saw the new pilot flirting with Zoe…again. Since Mal hired him just over a month ago it seemed that was all he did was flirt with his Zoe. His thin lips always drew up in a hypnotic smile. Hell, bastard was treating her like a woman and Zoe was lapping it up like a thirsty dog.

He wouldn’t stand for it anymore. He had his rights, though it had been years since he claimed them. Hell, they both had had lovers since Shadow. He needed to do this right. An angry Zoe was terrifying. He could be patient and woo her away from Wash.

“Come on…just say yes.” Mal watched Wash rub his hand up her arm. His mouth went dry when Zoe blushed. Zoe didn’t blush.

“Zoe, what the sphincter hell are ya doing?” Zoe jumped back as if she’d been burned. “Pack your blue bag we’re leaving in an hour.”

“Yes sir.” She glared at him before leaving. The blue bag meant he was ready to claim what was his after all these years.

“Where are you heading. I had a night of romance planned for Zoe.” Wash leaned causally against the wall. His blue eyes twinklin’.

Mal shot across the room and grabbed him by his collar.

“Zoe is off limits. Stay away from her or find another job.” Mal pushed away from him.

“You can’t keep her tied up in you. It’s not fair. She deserves to be happy.” Wash shouted followin’ the Captain. “How long do you think she’s gonna to wait? Are you gonna give her babies Mal?”

“Zoe doesn’t want babies, so ha!” Mal shouted over his shoulder.

“That’s not what she said last night.” Mal stopped and went to hit the pilot but Jayne grabbed him. “Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do.”

Mal watched him walk away. Jerking his arm from Jayne’s restraining hand he stalked towards the crew area.

Babies? He’s known Zoe for the better part of twenty years and she never said anything about having no babies. He would settle this once and for all.

“Zoe!” He yelled lifting the hatch to her cabin. What a joke. She didn’t even sleep here. “What’s this about you wanting babies?”

Zoe placed the rest of her clothes in the bag before turning to look at Mal.

“Are you surprised?” Her voice was a pained whisper.

“Well, yeah, after Abby…” His voice broke off. “I thought you didn’t want no more.”

“Mal we were fifteen when we lost her.” She pleaded.

“When they took her from us!” He turned his face away from hers, not wanting her to see his weakness, his pain. “That was no accident. They snatched her away from us ‘fore she was even born.”

“Yeah, I remember. I was there.” She slowly sat on the bed tears streaming down her face.

Mal cursed under his breath. He always forgot about her pain when he was rememgerin’. He quickly focused on the anger and outrage for their lost child.

Taking his place by her side Mal pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair.

“Want the feel of life in my belly again. I miss that. I want to hear our baby laughin and singin. I’m washed up and worn out from grieven. I need life, Mal.” She whispered into his neck. “A woman has her needs and I’m aimin’ to get mine met.”

“So you tell Wash? You planning on him knockin you up ‘cause I’ve got something to say about that.”

“He asked me if I wanted children and I said yes.” She pushed away from him. “You need to be deciding what you want because my time is running low.”

“And if we lose another one?” He took her hand in his. “I don’t think I could make it through.”

“We can make it through together.” She whispered as she kissed his lips.

“You sure?” She nodded. 

“Then I’m thinking we need to tell the crew the truth. I’m tired of hidin it.” Mal whispered as he pulled her against him.

“Whatever you say, Captain.” She grinned up at him as he lowered her to the bed.

“I miss this.” He kissed her neck slowly tasting the honey and vanilla that was Zoe. “Maybe I’ll have Sheppard say our vows over again. Let everyone know where you belong.”

“Wash knows we’re married.” She rubbed her body against his. It had been years since Mal had touched her like this.

He kissed her above the breast. She was heaven to him.

“You told him?” He jerked his head up. “You promised never to tell anyone.”

“You said not to tell anyone while we were at war and I didn’t but we’re not at war Mal.” She shivered when he pressed his lips to her breast biting around the nipple. “Mal, no time.”

“Always time for coupling.” He moved his hand down her body. ”Gotta couple to make babies.”

He grabbed her hand and stood her up. It was the only time Zoe Reynolds allowed herself to be dominated. She reasoned Mal’s domination didn’t count since he was her husband.

Mal looked at her like he hadn’t since before they lost their child. Even when she lay in his arms at night and he held onto her like he was afraid she would disappear he didn’t look at her like that. He needed her close because they had lost their little girl after an Alliance attack on Shadow.

Mal and his father had gone into town to get supplies when the freighter landed. The men seemed nice enough at first. They ate and drank with Zoe, Amanda (Mal’s sister) and his mother.  Zoe stayed in the back ground, the way the men looked at them made her hair raise. Fear got the better of her younger self and she sent Joseph, Mal’s younger brother, to fetch whatever hands he could find.

By the time they had returned it was over. Amanda and Mal’s mama were dead. Raped and beaten. Zoe was bleeding and unconscious. The Doctor had to cut Abigail from her mother. After a few tiny breaths she died in her father’s arms. Mal held on to their precious child for hours. He wouldn’t let them take her for burial until Zoe woke.

No one knew how gentle Mal could be better than Zoe. He had saved her from being married off to a man old enough to be her father by bedding her. When her father demanded justice he wed her. When they found out the baby was comin he and his father built a baby bed. At night he would tell her the old time story of Jason and the Argonauts like his grandfather had told him. When their child died he held her and the baby until Zoe could let her go. He held her in his arms when the preacher said the prayer. No, no one knew how gentle Mal could be better than Zoe.

He held her like that now. His touch full of love and caring. He touched every scare she had, kissin’ them and lovin’ them away. Today he didn’t slip on that rubber. He entered her swift and sure. His hot breath tickled her ear.

For his part Mal closed his eyes to the fear that came with havin’ another child. His heart still broke when he thought of Abby and what those Alliance bastards did to his family. He had nearly lost Zoe to the grief. They were so young then. Too young to deal with the hand they had been dealt.

Less than a year later he left Zoe with her parents. Ignoring her pleas not to be left behind Mal and his father tracked them all down and killed them. It had taken two years and more money then was justifiable but they did it. Mal wasn’t satisfied though. He joined up taking Zoe with him.

He was a piss poor husband, exposin’ his young wife to the ravages of war. Too his surprise Zoe took to killin’ better than most men. She later told him she wouldn’t lose him too. She watched his back and he put himself in harm’s way to keep her safe.

He regretted every decision he had made the first time the Alliance soldiers brought her beck to their cell on the internment camp. They had beat her somethin’ fierce. Mal cried as he cleaned her broken flesh but Zoe was strong. She soothed him like she always did.

Once they took them together. She didn’t scream when they beat her. She sat in silent agony when they broke all the fingers on her left hand. Mal wasn’t as silent. He screamed with each punch and kick. His ruse worked. They left Zoe and focused on him. At least he made the sounds they wanted to hear.

“They ain’t taken you again.” He vowed that night as he set and bandaged her hand.

True to his word Mal showed her the tunnel he had been working on for the past three months. They were always the last to be fed when the two guards came and entered the cell. Mal beat the hell out of the arrogant bastards, took their clothes and wallets. It took only five minutes of crawling to make it through the tunnel and over the wall. He guessed the Alliance thought they would be so worn down that they wouldn’t have any fight left in them.

After washin’ in the stream they made their way to the nearest town and got transport off the planet. It would be hours before the Alliance guards woke and no one would look for them since they was always slippin into cells to have their way with the prisoners’.

Now they were back where they started. Husband and wife. Making babies and survivin’. Mal would make sure they were safe this time.

“Love you Zoe.” He whispered in her ear for the first time in nearly eight years. “Ain’t no greater truth in the verse.”