Family. Right. Of course they are -- the others, at least. That's how Wash sees everyone else, too, and he pushes away the little sting of disappointment that it's how Tucker sees him. He accepted it already awhile ago, that his feelings needed to stay a private secret, so he moves past it now, nodding.

"We were. You just beat us to it."

And there's something to that. He hadn't been alone this time, hadn't been tortured or even really been much of a prisoner, so it was different. But circumstances aside, he can't really articulate how important it was that someone came for him. That it was Tucker leading the charge just adds more feeling to it, and Wash knows he should just push it down and get on with the situation at hand, but. Tucker can't understand. He doesn't know that Wash has been left behind before. And that last time, when he actually needed the rescue, no one came. He hadn't mattered enough to anyone.

It changes so much inside him to know that now, he does. And he can't even explain it. Because it's upsetting, and it involves Epsilon and Carolina, who Tucker's made peace with at the moment but still isn't really happy with. Wash isn't going to dump this on the other solider. It's his burden. His issue.

"Don't get a big head about it. I just needed to say that." He stands a little straighter, as if he could lift his head above the waves of emotions that he needs to keep in such tight control. "Are you ready to head back? They're probably interrogating the space pirate that came along with us."