Author's Note: Dedicated to Anonymous (63.235.125.81), who requested, and I quote, "another one, maybe April? Springtime, renewal and all that, with Simon finally coming to terms with his loss and moving on just a little. Please?" I hope you like. :)

Serenity was grounded on April 15th. “Can’t fix it in the sky,” Alf said indifferently. “I’m gonna need a shop.” Mal pulled Simon into the infirmary. “You’re okay with this?” Simon shrugged. “I’ll be fine.” “I don’t want a repeat of last time.” Simon’s eyes drifted over to his desk. “It won’t.” “Stop blaming yourself,” Mal told him. “It won’t get easier.” Simon half-smiled. “It really won’t,” he agreed, walking out of the infirmary. The path down to the church was lined with flowers. Simon was almost overwhelmed by Kaylee’s presence. “Hello,” he said quietly, bending down to pick the most vibrantly purple flower. “I’ve missed you.” He tucked the flower into his vest pocket and kept walking, down the hill and through the wrought-iron gate marked “Engelside Cemetery”. Kaylee’s grave was under a tree, in a spot that sunlight hit directly in the afternoon. There were flowers, and it made Simon feel less guilty about not being able to visit. He ran his fingers through the grooves that spelled out her name and then pulled a piece of paper out of his breast pocket. “Hi, bao bei,” he said. “I’m sorry I haven’t been in awhile. I’ve…uh…been writing to you.” “Who is she?” a voice behind him asked. Simon jumped. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that. Especially not in graveyards.” He turned to face his assailant, then stepped aside so she could read the gravestone. “Kaywinnit Lee Frye,” she announced dramatically. “Kaylee,” Simon instantly corrected. The girl smiled. “You know her?” There was a lump forming in Simon’s throat. He swallowed hard, trying to shove it down. “I guess one would say that.” “So who was she?” “Who are you?” Simon countered. “Emily.” Simon smiled in spite of himself. “I’m Simon.” He gestured to the grave. “She was everything.” Emily raised her eyebrows. “Everything?” Simon looked over at the grave. “You probably won’t understand.” “And what if I do?” Emily sat down, facing Simon. “She was going to be my fiancé.” Simon willed himself not to cry. “What happened to her?” “She got sick. By the time I admitted to myself what was happening to her, she had three months left.” “Oh, Simon, I’m sorry.” She paused. “I’m sure she was beautiful.” That was enough to make Simon cry. “She was so smart,” he said. “She could fix anything, just by looking at it.” “How long has it been?” Emily asked gently, reaching up to brush a piece of Simon’s hair out of his eyes. “Seven months,” he hiccoughed. “I’m sorry, Simon.” “She made me promise I’d wait.” He leaned back against the grave, wishing irrationally to feel something other than stone. “And I’m going to.” Emily smiled. “Do you live here?” she asked. Simon shook his head. “I live…” he hesitated. “On Serenity. Do you live here?” “Serenity?” “She’s a ship.” Emily smiled again, teasing slightly. “She?” Simon flushed, and Emily couldn’t help finding it endearing. “She isn’t much, but she’s home.” “I think that’s sweet.” Emily twisted a blade of grass between her fingers and Simon stilled them with his own. She looked up at him and smiled. “What do you say we get out of this graveyard and get something to eat?” Simon looked at Kaylee’s grave for a long time. “I don’t know,” he said. “I…I haven’t been here since she died and I think…” Emily pulled him up. “You want to know what I think?” “What?” “I think you need a break.” Simon sighed. “I suppose you’re right,” he said. “I can always come back later.” Emily smiled. “There’s a café down by the mechanic’s—is that where Serenity is?” Simon nodded, and the two started walking towards the town, Emily talking animatedly and Simon tagging behind, only half-listening.

Back in the mechanic’s shop, River sat in the cockpit of Serenity, smiling. “Hey, li’l albatross, whatcha doin’?” Mal asked. “Simon.” Mal tried to stifle a chuckle at the obvious double entendre. “What’s Simon doing?” “Moving on,” River replied. “That’s good,” Mal said, ruffling her hair and walking out into the shop, humming. River wrinkled her forehead. “He doesn’t like it, though.”

Simon was quiet when he arrived back on Serenity a few hours later. “Did you have fun?” Mal asked. “Li’l one told me you were goin’ out.” Simon nodded politely, but retreated to the infirmary without elaborating. He hadn’t had fun. Emily had been fairly determined to make him forget, and he didn’t want to forget. He’d promised Kaylee he’d remember, and that was all there was to it. He sat down heavily in his chair, picked up the capture River had given him for Christmas, and started to watch. He didn’t hear River creep in and sit next to him. “She isn’t angry.” “River, I need some alone time right now, if that’s all right.” “Kaylee won’t betray you happiness, Simon. She just doesn’t want to be forgotten.” “I’m afraid to forget.” River reached over and hugged her brother. “You won’t. You’ll be happy, and live a long time, but you won’t ever forget the girl you loved first. And she’ll wait for you.” Simon sobbed, and River stroked his hair. “Don’t be sad. Go see Emily. You’ll feel better,” she promised. He looked up at her. “Do you really think so?” She smiled. “I know so.”