The Universe's Mixer

The past few days had been filled with quite a lot of hubbub. Fred's memories were back and she'd been able to identify her attacker. Jack hadn't had much time to talk to his ex-girlfriend about the attack or how she was feeling now as they'd had a superhero camping out to make sure that Fred was safe. And then it was all over and supposed Sam, the man who'd attacked her, had been 'fixed.' Jack wasn't too sure that he bought that nonsense about him being without a soul or that he trusted the hunter, but he supposed he didn't have a choice for now.

He did recognize that there were stranger things in this City than he'd ever imagined possible, but he didn't just want to assume that Fred was safe now. Even if Dinah seemed to believe that she was.

He still had to go to work every day and he still came home later than he was comfortable with. He'd also back off on the security detail at Dinah's urging, though he didn't back off entirely. He still didn't feel as though the brainy female who was his temporary roommate were safe and he wanted to make sure that she was protected.

On this particular day, he stopped to pick up tacos on the way home. He was familiar with her favorite foods and he thought that she'd been through enough already-the least he could do was pick up some comfort food. He let himself in to the apartment and looked around for any sign that she was home.

He supposed that at some point she would want to look for a place of her own, but he wasn't planning to push her out the door.

"Fred?" he called as he closed the door behind himself and set his keys on the table in the hallway.

Wash wouldn’t have thought he’d gotten so much enjoyment from eating a dill pickle, but the movie theatre sold them and so, it wrapped in a wax paper swaddle, he walked out of “Pretty Woman” with one last bite of the surprisingly scrumptious pickled cucumber. He popped it in his mouth and balled up the trash shoving it into the side of a bronze colored trash bin.

Hm, that was weird. Where was the door? And this was a weird looking trash bin. He explored the domed top and mechanical looking implements. He chewed one last time on his pickle as he poked the whisk looking armature curiously.
( continued )

Wash had the cargo door open in preparation for Maxine’s arrival from school. Even after he had insisted he wait at the bus stop in front of the park for her Maxine had insisted she walk back to the ship herself. And though he fully trusted a five year old girl with the simple task of walking less than a block through the park and trees to a well hidden space ship, he decided to set proximity alert to small blonde child anyway.

Well, roughly speaking. Though apparently raccoon also classified as small blond child.

He was under the pilot’s display working on fixing some electrical shorts with his tongue sticking out neatly at the corner of his mouth when the alarm went off again. He sat up quickly, narrowly missing smacking his head on the side of the console, and listened for tiny feet up the ramp.

“Maxine? That you? Come on up! Or...or should I meet you?” he asked himself this quietly. “Wait, or...something! I’ll meet you!”

( continued )

Okay. How did Shepherd Book do this thing again?

Wash was sitting in front of a dismantled engine in Serenity. He was feeling much too proud to call on Tony or Oswin. He knew he could do this but his calm and patience was being tested and frustration was building to dangerous levels. He'd already thrown two wrenches in anger and the third was looking at him nervously.

He was no Kaylee and how she kept so smiley was beyond him.

So now? He was praying. Because that was the last thing a sane man did before going insane.

So, his hands covered in grease and fingers in bandages, he put them together under his chin.

"Dear God," he said in complete desperation and sincerity. "Hi. I know we haven't talked much. But I got a friend who's pretty close and since he's not a part of this world nor any world anymore I figure he could put a good word in for me. I'm more of a Buddhist by practice, but I'm always up to trying out new things. So.

"God, could you pretty please make my engine work? Or maybe give me a better engine and make it work? Or maybe use your godly mojo to lift this pile of go sé off the ground at least high enough to make me feel like I'm not going moonbrained on this pile of earth I've landed myself in?

"Also, God, while I'm at it. There's this little girl living with me mostly now. She's not here today, but she is the majority of the time and I just want to not screw up with her too much cause I'm thinking I might.

"And, one more thing. I'm not a greedy man but could you maybe not have Tony kill me? I'd appreciate that. But if you can only do one thing right now making Serenity fly would be shiny. I promise I won't curse and I'll eat all my veggies and I'll read that book that's about you cause I hear it's pretty good.

"Love...Wash.

"Uh! P.S.! I've got this sore spot in my back that...y'know what? Don't worry about it. Engine! Thanks!"

Wash sighed miserably and rubbed his black streaked head with a dirty rag. Oh the futility of it all!