“This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters...”

River stirred from her place on the sofa. She rose up and silently walked towards the hanger, where the rest of the crew was. They were either carrying boxes for Inara or waiting to bid her farewell. River leaned over the railing and stayed perfectly still to watch them.

Kaylee hugged her and pulled away, wiping her eyes. “Do you really have to go, Inara?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. Don’t cry Kaylee.”

“Just don’ forget about us, okay?”

Inara smiled and patted Kaylee’s head. “Don’t worry...why would I want to forget Serenity?” “I know this hurts...”

River cocked her head at the whisper and pulled back from her grip on the railing. She slowly stepped down the stairs and stood outside the group, watching them with interest.

Mal walked over to Inara and scratched his head. “Well, I guess this is goodbye.”

Inara looked down at her hands and back up at Mal. “Only for now. It’s not like you will never see me again, Captain.” “Now talking's just a waste of breath...And living's just a waste of death...”

River’s eyes grew wide. Did this woman truly wish for death? Or was it just a strange poetic lust for the Captain? She tried to shake off the thought and started to walk towards the infirmary where she knew Simon would meet her later...

“Tell me you'd like boys like me better in the dark lying on top of you...”

The thought spilled from Mal and into River’s ears. She winced at his comment. His jealousy of Inara’s customers was always apparent, but to hear that come from him...well, it damn near struck her speechless.

“River, are you alright?”

River looked up at Simon and sighed. “He said why put a new address on the same old loneliness,” she said quietly as she walked towards the infirmary to get some quiet, but that was impossible. Her head always buzzed with thought, be it her own or someone else's. It always buzzed.

The buzz from those two would silence, but she knew a new, lonelier buzz would come from the Captain. But you didn’t have to be psychic to know that. It practically bloomed in his presence...