I'M BACK, BABY!!! !!!! *** I sit here clutching useless list, And keys to doors that don't exist I crack my teeth on pearls I tear into the history, Just show me what it means to me in this world...

'cause I'm due for a miracle, I'm waiting for a sign. I'll stare straight into the sun, And I won't close my eyes 'til I understand or go blind... She watched them from the shadows, cradling the cold metal to her chest, seeing them argue. About her. "I don' care none, doc, I don' trust that crazy sis a yers while one a my guns is missin'!" "She can't have it, Jayne! Besides, even if she did, she wouldn't know what to do with it!" A small, timid voice spoke up. "That ain't even so." Kaylee. Damn her. Mal spoke up, finally. "You got somethin' you ain't tol' us yet, lil' Kaylee?" She could only nod her head. "See? I tol' ya, theres someat wrong with crazy, shes gonna kill us all!" Jayne was vehement about it. "Shut up, Jayne," said Simon, quick to defend her. "We don't know what Kaylee's going to say yet!" "Hey, you wanna go?!?!?!" Jayne stood up, fists clenching in anger. Wash, who was sitting next to Zoe at the end of the table, said, "Now, children, if we can't play nice, than we won't play at all!" "Bi Zhui!!!" Inara stepped in. "Boys, sit down and shut up! Let Kaylee speak!" She turned to her friend. "The floors your, mei-mei." "Right." Her voice was stronger now. "Well... it was when we went to save Cap'n from Niska. We all went in... even me. 'Fraid ta say, I got pinned, by Niska's men..." she shivered. "Ain't none of us got a problem you not bein' a killer, Kaylee," stated Mal. "Right. So, then, River comes up. Takes my gun. Takes one look at these three what got me pinned. Closes her eyes... and killed 'em all." "She SHOT them?" Simon sounded like he didn't believe her. "Yeah. Shot 'em all dead. Without even lookin' at 'em." She sounded scared. She should be. She stood up, released the shadows from herself, holding the cold, comforting metal infronrt of her. She stepped out infront of them. Just an object. Jayne saw her first. The object has no mercy. Has no concience. Has no pity. The object shot him three times. Blood spattered and flew from the holes in his chest and stomach. "He looks good in red," she whispered. Someone screamed. But the object is only a tool. A tool for destroying everything. And everyone. She turned, and put a bullet in Kaylee's forehead. Zoe stood up, reaching for the pistol at her hip. She shot her before she could fully stand up. The object had its own agenda for these poor souls. Mal came up behind her, tried to grab her. She turned, and gave a sidekick to his chin. His head flew back with a sickening crunch of his neck snapping. Inara screamed again. She put a bullet in her brain-pan, and Inara Serra crumpled to the ground, dead. Wash stared at Zoe, a forlorn look in his eyes. The object has no law but itself. She came up and shot him in the back of the head. That only left- "River... why?" Simon. He cradled Kaylee's rapidly cooling body to himself, tears staining his cheeks. River came up to him, held the gun to the side of his head. "I'm sorry, Simon. The object made me do it. And she fired. *** She awoke screaming, Simon cradling her in his arms, stroking her hair and trying vainly to comfort her. "Shhh, shhh... mei-mei, its alright now... your safe... don't worry River, no ones going to hurt you..." She clung to him desperately, crying into his shoulders. Into the cold, quiet room, she whispered, "But will you be?" I see the part but not the whole, I've studied saints and scholars both, And no perfect plan unfurls. Do I trust me heart or just my mind Why is truth so hard to find in this world, Yeah, in this world...

'cause I'm due for a miracle, I'm waiting for a sign. I'll stare straight into the sun, And I won't close my eyes 'til I understand or go blind...

I know theres a point that I've missed A shrine or stone I haven't kissed, A scar that never graced my wrist, A mirror that hasn't met my fist But I can't help feeling that I'm

due for a miracle, I'm waiting for a sign. I'll stare straight into the sun, And I won't close my eyes...