Till Death Do Us Part

Chapter Three: Alternate Plans

Chapter Three: Alternate Plans

As it turned out, Doc Randall Flynn had been at one long time ago, Shepherd Randal Flynn in his young adulthood. He had surrendered to passion and love when he met his beloved Aggie and he thereafter left the clergy. Due to the war breaking out about a decade after, the Alliance didn't put removing his title on their priority list. His Shepherd's license was never revoked. Doc had been performing double duty as doctor and marrying folks in Arcadia. Doc had always had the medical capabilities even while he was a Shepherd, but he didn't make it all official to have people call him "doctor" until after he married Aggie.

That night, he and Mal agreed to let Wash and Zoe mull it over to have Doc marry them on Saturday instead of transporting Zoe early and risk more injury. Mal had no problem in telling his immediate crew about the proposed change in wedding plans. The original plan was to have the wedding on Beaumonde with catered food and drink after and with extravagant decoration. All planned, ordered, and payed for by Inara Sera. Now, with Zoe's injury, those plans would have to be squashed. And Mal would have to inform the Companion. That was one talk, or more fair to say confrontation, that Mal was not looking forward to.

After Mal left the Doc for the evening, he went to Wash whom he found by Zoe's side holding her motionless hand. Wash heard the proposal silently and he agreed, but he also felt he should wait until he could discuss it with his bride first. After all, it was her wedding as well. Wash thought it wouldn't matter when it takes place, just that it does. But, he admitted, Zoe deserves a decision too. Mal thought that fair and then he left Wash in Zoe's presence for the night. Jayne was still nowhere to be found, but Mal had surmised that Jayne wouldn't be shedding any tears over the change in venue. The only thing Jayne had been looking forward to was the free food and drink. Letting sleeping Jayne lie in bed with his newly found endowed woman, Mal didn't even begin to look for him. He then headed back to Serenity to see Kaylee.

As Mal approached the ship, Wash's words earlier echoed as he gazed at the outline of the Firefly against the fading light of the horizon. Mal walked up on the main ramp keeping to the extreme left and reaching out with his fingers to lightly touch the beginning walls of Serenity. He then headed to the engine room where he found his mechanic working in the usual jumpsuit stained with grease. Her reaction to the news didn't surprise Mal one bit.

"What about Inara? Kwong-juh duh, Inara is gonna miss the wedding. What is she gonna do with all that food? All those...strawberries...and cake, too. It's not like we can go fetch her and come back by Saturday. And that shuttle would never make it here. I wonder if I could boost its drive motivators sometime to expand its range. No, it's life support would never-"

"Kaylee! That's all well and known. Doesn't seem we have much of a choice."

"I guess Zoe and Wash don't want to postpone."

"He didn't mention it when I told him of Doc's offer. He wants to get it over with, but he also wants to wait till Zoe wakes up to get her opinion."

"Yeah, that's the right thing to do, I guess. Is she all right?"

Mal brought her up to speed on Zoe's condition and afterwards he cherished his mechanic's wide positive smile. It was what he needed right then.

Mal continued, "I'll send a wave to Inara in the morning. It's in the wee morning hours on Beaumonde right now. At least in the morning here it would be late afternoon there." He pretended not to notice the small smirk Kaylee chose right then. She knew her Captain was stalling so he could prepare a conversation with the lovely Companion. Kaylee, like the rest of the crew, also knew Mal would never admit to a verbal stalemate with Inara Sera.