walkwithheroes | The Naming of Names

Title: The Naming of Names

Rated: G

Characters, Pairings: All characters. Main pairing is Wash/Zoe. However, there is light Kaylee/Simon, Mal/Inara, and maybe some very light pre-River/Jayne if you look hard.

Timeline: After ‘Objects in Space’, and 'Serenity' story goes from seven months after the movie to nine months after the movie. Totally AU and , so no spoilers.

Summary: The naming really is the hardest part.

A/N: Written for Angie, who said she wanted a W/Z fic. Yeah, it’s my first Firefly fic. It’s a one-shot.

It wasn’t supposed to be that hard. She had been through war; was career military. Yet the hardest thing she had ever had to do seemed to be naming the baby. Really, this should be the easy part. That’s what everyone said. Simon had told her that the labor was the hardest and that the naming was the best and easiest part.

And yet, four day old baby boy Washburne had no name. Not that there hadn’t been suggestions, oh the crew was full of those. Book thought that a name from the bible would be fitting. Inara suggested pretty names that sounded more like beauty products or planets then a baby. Jayne had chuckled and offered his name. Kaylee and Simon had both thought naming the baby after Wash or a respected family member was a good idea. Mal had said the baby should be named something and soon, cause he wasn’t about to call the kid ‘baby boy’ its whole life. River, well, she had spoken in her regular River way and left the whole lot of them confused.

As for Wash, he kept bringing up Rex for a name. Zoe was having none of that. Her first born was not about to be named after some dead animal from Earth-That-Was.

“But, it’s a good name that will strike fear into the hearts of men.” Wash protested. He held the baby in his arms, showing the little thing the consol and all the buttons. “See the buttons, Rex?”

“Our son isn’t named Rex, husband.” Zoe stated in her firm way.

“And yet, it’s the name he likes best.” Wash answered. “See, he kind of smiles when we say it.”

Zoe’s response was silence.

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“He’s a happy, healthy, baby.” Simon stated as he washed his hands. As far as Simon could see, the baby was rather perfect. “He’s a bit small for a month old, but he was born a bit early. It shouldn’t be a problem.” He turned around to look at Zoe. “I’d say the only thing he’s missing is a name. Have you and Wash come up with anything?”

“No.” Zoe answered simply. “He keeps going back to Rex, though.”

Simon offered her a small smile. “I could think of worse names for a baby boy. The name Jayne comes to mind.”

“Hey!” Jayne, who had been just outside, stuck his head in. “I was-”

“Named after a respected family member.” Simon and Zoe finished for the mercenary.

Jayne just rolled his eyes, made a noise, and headed into the cargo bay.

Simon shook his head before turning his attention back to Zoe. “You know, Rex isn’t a completely horrible name. And if you give him a middle name, well, he’ll always have a choice.”

Zoe looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms. Simon did have a point and it would make Wash happy…

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Three hours later, the entire crew sat around the table, ready for dinner. A place had even been set up for Baby Boy Washburne. Zoe had told Mal that she and Wash had news, which Mal hoped meant they had named the baby. Everyone filled their plates, laugher filling the air of the large room.

“Hey!” Suddenly all eyes were on Mal. “Zoe and Wash got somethin’ to say.” Everyone who wasn’t Zoe or Wash turned to look at the couple.

“Have you decided on a name?” Inara asked them.

“They better have.” Jayne muttered to himself. “Kid needs a decent name. Like Jayne for example.”

River cocked her head to one side and looked across the table and at Jayne. “Jayne is a girl’s name.”

Kaylee and Inara shared a small laugh before Simon shushed his sister.

Wash cleared his throat. “Hey, we got something to say here. We did come up with a name for the baby. Something that will surely make everyone happy.”

“We’re calling him Hoban Malcolm Washburne. Rex for short.” Zoe told the others with a small smile.

This news was met with applause from the others.

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A day later, the crew of Serenity found themselves planet side.

Which gave Book the idea to have a ‘non religious naming ceremony’ for the baby. The ceremony was done at dusk, just outside Serenity. Book stood before the crew and said some words about life and the never ending circle of things. Mal cleared his throat when it got a little too religious.

Afterward there was dinner. And dinner brought laughing and talking over one another and stories about abbeys and E.R.s. When the plates were all cleared away, the crew stayed at the table, just talking.

It wasn’t until late that Kaylee stood and gave Simon a look, as if to say it was time for the two of them to be in bed. Simon waited until he knew that Book would see River back to her room before he joined Kaylee. A couple of minutes later, Inara yawned and excused herself from the table. Mal followed a moment later, saying that he suddenly felt very sleepy himself. Book went shortly after that, though he couldn’t get River away from the table, she seemed very interested in the story Jayne was telling her about how he first got Vera. After a while, Jayne stood, glanced down at River and then headed off. River skipped out of the room a second later, quietly humming the wedding march to herself.

Wash and Zoe and baby Rex stayed at the table for a bit longer. After a long while, Wash picked his sleeping son up and gave Zoe a kiss. “Time for bed.” He kissed the top of the baby’s head. “Come on little Rexie.”

“Rexie?” Zoe raised an eyebrow. “Now, I agreed to call him Rex, but certainly not Rexie.”

Wash just shook his head and the sound of his voice carried through the ship. “Come on, what am I going to affectingly call him, Hoban? Hobie? No, Rexie just fits him better. See? He’s smiling. You know-”

Zoe suddenly kissed her husband, mostly to get him to be quiet.

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: The Killers-Midnight Show