Title: Given Up Characters: Kaylee, Simon, Mal Words: 691 Disclaimer: I do not own Warning: Dark, um...yeah I'm a drama whore

Author's Note: Not betaed, Sequel to Sweet Surrender. This is pretty dark folks. I wasn't going to write a sequel, but I was bored at work and this is what came out. Don't throw things at me. Maybe a tissue warning???? Images by maantre

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Her hands shook as Simon took them in her own. He carefully led her forward and helped her sit on the edge of the infirmary bed. His cool doctor eyes scanned her body, assessing her condition. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine, reminding her she had not escaped it yet. “Kaylee, did you take all the pills in this bottle?” Simon asked, holding the plastic container in front of her. She blinked and stared at him wordlessly. Why couldn’t it all go away already? “Kaylee, you have to talk to me,” Simon pleaded.

“I don’t remember,” she shook her head. Maybe she just didn’t want to remember. Kaylee licked her chapped lips and let her eyes fall to the ground. Simon didn’t hesitate, he moved to the cabinets, mumbling to himself before returning with a small cup with a liquid inside.

“Drink this,” he ordered. It would go away if she drank it, Kaylee knew that, she could see it in Simon’s eyes. She brushed the cup away and laid back, her eyelids closing. She needed the darkness. It was becoming a part of her, but it moved like slow, thick honey. It traveled over her skin, attempting to fill every pour until she couldn’t breathe anymore.

Simon moved to the wall, pressing the comm button and talking into it too softly for Kaylee to make out. Time suspended itself as her eyes remained closed and she pushed every other thought away from herself.

“There’s blood.”

“I know”

“Where’s Jayne?”

“Just help me.”

“Kaylee?” A sudden bright light filled her vision. She tried to swat it away but her limbs were to heavy.

“Help me sit her up,” Simon said, the light going away, then coming back at a different angle. She could feel hands on her face now, forcing her eyelids open, forcing her to stay with them.

“Kaylee,” it was Mal’s voice. “Mei mei, I need you to drink this for me.”

“No…please,” Kaylee whispered as the light went away and two sets of hands helped her sit up.

“Don’t make me force you,” Mal warned. "I'm not gonna sit here and watch you die, Kaylee." Kaylee just looked away, not even bothering to answer. The captain reached out and took her jaw in his hands. He pressed the cup to her lips, forcing the liquid into her mouth. She cried out as it hit the back of her throat, its foul odor and taste giving it away immediately. She wanted to fight the urge, but it was too strong and after a moment her whole body shook as she retched into a metal pan that Simon held out for her. She could feel a hand rubbing her back up and down as her stomach rejected everything out of it. When the tightness in her abdomen finally passed and Kaylee stopped throwing up, the two men eased her back down in the bed.

“Where’s Jayne?” Mal asked again.

“I haven’t called him yet,” Simon shook his head. “Getting the medicine out of Kaylee’s system was more important at the time and I didn’t know how Jayne would react. I needed someone with a cool head.”

“He needs to be down here,” Mal growled.

“I know,” Simon sighed.

“Why’s she got blood on her?” Mal asked.

“Mal…”

The captain’s voice lowered and he took a step closer to the doctor. “Don’t, Simon. Tell me straight, why has my mechanic got blood on her?”

“I haven’t fully examined her, but my guess is she miscarried the baby,” Simon said, his voice dropping to a whisper as well.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Kaylee said softly. “It hurt too much, I couldn’t sleep.” Tears welled in her eyes at the memory. The pain was too fresh in her mind. She had come looking for Simon in the infirmary when it happened. SHe had cried hard, not wanting to be alone but unable to find the help she needed. The reality of the sitiation had hit her hard, she hadn't been able to handle it.

Both men turned and looked at her and she shivered under their gazes. Not a million blankets in the world could have kept her warm at that moment. Kaylee squeezed her eyes shut wishing for black. She felt a hand sooth her hair back as a tear slipped down her cheek.

“Get Jayne,” Mal ordered. “Tell him his wife needs him.” ________________________________________________________________________________________________________