Office Hours, November 29

[bigdamnprincipal]

Zoe was sitting at her desk today with a squirming Grace on her lap. Grace had made quite a few protests that she was too old to be sitting with her mom like that, but Zoe just held onto her and told her she'd understand someday. So, for the moment, Zoe was looking intently at her computer, while Grace drew pictures and plotted her escape.

At least it was quiet.

[Door and post are open!]

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[bigdamnprincipal]

"I wish I had answers for you, I really do," Zoe said. "We don't have much pieced together yet, but when we do, the people behind this are going to pay and then they're going to fix it all, do you understand me? I am not just going to let you go."

Zoe had always tried to give Kaylee her space while she was a student, like she had with River and Inara, but she didn't need to do that now that Kaylee knew how important she was. Damn, she hoped Kaylee knew how important she was.

"Can you try to be brave? Never could stand to see you scared."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I'm bein' brave," Kaylee promised her softly. "For River, too. She's real scared, but actin' funny 'bout it, y'know? Like she sees something I can't. But if Serenity's gone, I ain't got no place no more, Zoe. No you, no Mal. No Jayne or Inara, neither. It's like losin' Wash again, a thousand times over, and no one here to give me no reassurances." Was it insensitive to mention Wash? The world was endin'. Kaylee hadn't never had no room for tact, and Wash's death was still fresh to her.

[bigdamnprincipal]

It wasn't insensitive, but it made Zoe think about John all over again, and that just made this all hurt so much worse. "I'm here, for as long as you need me to be. I won't go anywhere, all right?" she said.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"'Kay. I don't know what else t'do," Kaylee said, in an even smaller voice. "You take care, Zoe. I'm gonna try an' get a portal there, but -- " But they both knew it weren't gonna happen, right? "But I dunno when. I'll see you."

[bigdamnprincipal]

"You take care too, you hear me? You and River both," Zoe said. "I'll try to get a portal to you from this end." She had to hold onto a small sliver of hope that it would work, or what was the point in trying? "I'll see you soon, all right?"

She wasn't going to say goodbye. She just couldn't.