Simon snuffled a bit as he slept, his mind not too calm as of now. His thoughts were plauged by images of Niska, of River, of Kaylee, of blood... and the like. He was already wired to blow, and it didn't take much to wake him. So, he heard River walking down the stairs, barefoot as usual; usualy she just slipped under his radar. But not tonight. He sat bolt upright when he heard the reverbarating footsteps aproach. He looked at her, eyes hinting at his true fear: all of the 'what ifs' and 'maybes'. And, they were, now, rushing around in River's overcluttered mind like overly-excited swallows. Rutters... they had some pretty excitable swallows around here... River went over to him, staring with an intensity that made Simon shiver at it. She was rarely ever so single minded. "River, mei-mei... whats wrong?" River looked into his eyes, brown boring into blue. "Simon, let go now, you'll never let go." "Huh?" Oh, boy. More riddles. Oh, rapture. River rolled her eyes at him; wondering, and not for the first time, why her brother was cursed with such a narrow-minded mindset. She sighed. "No, you boob, Kaylee! You have to talk to her, or you might never find her again. She loves you, she'll understand. Tell her!" Simon's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Wha'?" "Gorramit, Niska!" Then, he understood. "River, its not that simple! I shot her! I-" "No, you didn't! Niska shot her! YOU SAVED HER!!! Whatever wrongs you did are negated by that! Stop beating yourself up over it! It wasn't your fault!" Simon heard someone coming down the stairs. He turned, and saw that it was Kaylee, looking rather tired and be-bothered. He turned back to where River had been, saying, "But, what do you-" But River was gone, melding with the shadows. He turned back to Kaylee, who had fully descended the stairs. She looked at him, and put her hands on her hips. "Simon, you mind tellin' me why you ain't in bed? Cuz, I been waitin' for a week to get proper sexed, and I think you need to explain a bit ta me as ta why you ain't obligin' me on that partic'lar aspect. So, you comin' ta bed, or am I gonna have ta drag you up there myself? I sure as Hell ain't gonna go back ta nothin' run on batteries again! Got 'nuff a that in the eight months I had ta wait for ya ta come 'round. So, huh?" Simon would have to wing it. And, since he was dealing with himself, that meant that he was screwed unless he managed to pull out a miracle fifteen seconds ago. Oh, joy. He took both her hands in both of his. "Kaylee, bao-bei, wait. I do have an explanation. And, its a good one, too," he added at her incredulous look. "You see... its... well... Niska... and, and the gun... and... the shot... and..." he was babbling. He seemed to make a habit of this. Joy. And, in his experience, babbling usually led to something very not good. Well, always, actually. Kaylee arched her eyebrow, in the way that meant, usualy, that she was not liking the way this particular conversation was going. Well, always, actually. "Simon, would you speak straight ta me, wouldya? Somethin's botherin' ya, so tell me whats up!" Her tone softned. "Pleae, Simon... I wanna help you. Let me help you." Simon took a deep, reasuring breath to steady himself. "Well... when... when Niska took us, and you had the gun, and... I..." "He shot me." Kaylee's tone brooked no argument. "No, bao-bei... I shot you." "Simon, I saw it, and you tried to save me, you-" "I was the one who aimed the gun, and-" "And it was an accident, and Niska was the one that pulled the trigger. You ain't got nothin' ta worry on." "But-" "Shhh..." Kaylee took his face in his hands. "Simon, you were the one who saved me. And, I know that you weren't trying ta hurt me. I love you Simon Tam. Always will." Then, slowly, softly, she kissed him. When she pulled away, he took a deep breath. "And... and, I love you, too, xin gan." Words first bespoke in the light of the Hunter's Moon, never more did they ring true. Words bespoke in love and loss and life and lust... these words, first fallen from his lips, and as from hers. "I love you, Kaylee," he said again. She embraced him, pulling him close to her. Then, she pulled him upright, a mischevous smile tugging at the corners of her full lips. She began to pull him up the stairs, leaving no doubt to his mind what was to come next.

TBC