For those of you who would like to see the prompt table I'm working from Go Here.

These stories are all standalone's unless otherwise noted.

Thanks to Tamsibling for the beta!

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9. Massage

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Simon frowned as he looked over the test results one more time. It was late and he should be in bed, but night was when he could concentrate the best. With River sound asleep, and no one on the crew needing him for anything, he could sit, read and re-read the notes he’d made over the last few months.

River had been doing better, but Simon didn’t really know why. Up until recently, he’d had to change her medications frequently. Her body had been breaking them down at an astonishing rate, but since he’d been shot, of all things, her psychosis had lessened considerably.

He shifted his weight off his injured leg and rubbed the back of his neck with the palm of his hand. He was a doctor, he fixed people. He’d done everything he knew how to do and used everything he had at his disposal. But, he wasn’t sure anymore if his little sister could be fixed, was even less sure that he would be the one to fix her.

So engrossed in his journal, he didn’t hear Kaylee poke her head tiredly into the infirmary. “What you still doin’ up, Simon?”

At the unexpected sound, Simon glanced up so sharply, he threw himself off balance and gripped the counter to keep from falling over. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Ain’t no fair answerin’ a question with a question.” She moved into the room and only stopped when she was facing him, hands on her hips. “Ignorin’ your own orders?”

Simon grinned sheepishly at her and slowly closed the journal. “Doctors really do make the worst patients.”

She dropped a hand to his forearm and tugged gently. “Well, nurse Kaylee is here to make sure you start followin’ ‘em.”

Simon smiled so widely, Kaylee thought her knees would buckle. To her, there wasn’t anything prettier than that smile. And he did it so rarely that it was near impossible to suppress her excitement the times she could bring it out of him.

Simon rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous. “I’m not really tired.” He wasn’t tired, and now that she was here, he really wanted her to stay. And even though they’d gotten close over the last few weeks, he didn’t know how to ask her.

Kaylee shrugged and slowly turned him toward the entrance. “Then we can sit on the couch. You need to rest that leg, right?” She turned those beautiful green eyes on him and whatever he was going to say vanished leaving a nod as his only response.

“Well then, we can sit an’ talk for a bit until you get tired.” She led him slowly, talking animatedly all the way, and didn’t notice his eyes linger on her face, or sweep down to where her hand gently guided him toward the common room.

“Aren’t you tired? What are you doing up so late?” Simon let himself be positioned on the couch so that he could stretch out his injured leg. He swallowed thickly when Kaylee sat on the armrest behind him. He didn’t like not being able to see her.

“Oh, I’m up at all hours checkin’ my girl. Then there’s them doctors who don’t follow their own orders, you know. Have to keep an eye on them.” She smiled mischievously at the back of his head.

Simon arched his neck back and swallowed thickly when he found her smiling at him, her wide, expressive eyes, sweeping across his face. He forgot to breathe for a moment as his heart did a little somersault in his chest.

“I – ah – thank you,” was all Simon could push past his lips.

Kaylee placed both hands on his cheeks, and for a split second Simon thought she was going to lean forward and kiss him. A jolt of disappointment rushed through him when she turned his head away from her. “I know how ta make ya sleepy. Just sit here an’ I’ll relax ya.”

Simon opened his mouth to speak but when her hands dropped to his shoulders and squeezed gently, all that escaped his lips was a rather loud exhalation of air. He heard her amusement at his reaction but then his eyes fluttered closed as her strong fingers continued to squeeze his shoulders, attempting to rub the tension right out of them.

“Yer real stiff, Simon,” Kaylee said as the palms of her hands pushed against his shoulder blades.

Simon shifted uncomfortably and was glad Kaylee couldn’t see the look on his face as he glanced down at his pants. In more places than one, it would appear, Simon thought as her hands continued to work their magic against his shoulders.

“Gotta relax more.” When her fingers slid up his neck and pressed in an uneven pattern, goose bumps pebbled his skin. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as her strong fingers worked to remove the tight coil of stress from his muscles.

What she didn’t realize, or perhaps she did, was that a new kind of tension was spreading through his body, one that her fingers were causing and would be unable to relieve.

She concentrated on his neck for a few long moments and when her hands moved to his hair, and began to massage his scalp, her name fell so quietly from his lips, she knew he’d hoped that she hadn’t heard.

Kaylee smiled knowingly and continued her work, but leaned over his shoulder, her breath hot against his neck, and whispered, “Yes, Simon?” Her eyes glittered with mischief when she noticed how his hands were folded in his lap.

When he didn’t answer, she did instead. “Not tired, yet, huh?”

“Not at all,” he finally admitted.

When she noticed how his voice had deepened, Kaylee felt a warm glow spread through her body, and trembled slightly. She’d been with enough boys to know that he was aroused and she couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face at the thought that it was her touch that had excited him so much.

Silence fell as her fingers slid through his dark hair and she marveled at its softness. She’d dreamed of touching him for so long, she couldn’t really quite believe she was doing it now – and he was letting her. He must be really tired - or distracted. She stared at the back of his head, her eyes sweeping downward, and had to visibly restrain herself from leaning forward and wrapping her mouth around the lobe of his ear.

Kaylee bit her lip as her hands slid from his hair and her fingers slipped just beneath the neck of his sweater to touch his warm skin.

With a heavy sigh, his head lolled back against her leg and she slowly, tentatively slid off the arm rest and wedged herself behind him. He shifted slightly to give her more room, but said nothing. Her hands felt too good, he never wanted her to stop, and his addled mind couldn’t have formed words even if he tried.

As she settled, he leaned against her and this time his head pillowed against her chest. A soft sigh escaped his lips and Kaylee smiled again, her eyes lighting with a brightness that had been dimmed by Early’s invasion of their home. Encouraged by his reaction, she draped her arms around his shoulders and flattened her hands on his chest. Warm and comfortable, it wasn’t long before he was sound asleep.

Smiling wryly, Kaylee pressed her cheek against his temple and deeply inhaled his unique, clean scent. Unable to resist the urge, she turned her head and pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth and then settled in for the night.

A smile passed across her face as she closed her eyes and tightened her arms around him, wondering what the morning would bring.

Simon smiled in his sleep, his dreams unable to hold a candle to the real thing.

END

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