A/N: All right everyone, we are in the home stretch - hang onto something!

Thanks must once again go to Leiasky - for so many reasons, including her ability to sift through my angst and find the real gems of the story!

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A NEW LIFE, ch. 30: Doctor, Healer

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As the day dragged on, Simon couldn’t help but watch his sister as she worked. She moved with such ease and grace, even in the midst of all the sickness, her hands were gentle and her touch reassuring. He watched with particular interest as she comforted the children who were suffering. With a light hand to their foreheads or a quick squeeze of their hand, River seemed to know exactly what to say to make the little ones laugh or smile or even just drift to sleep. And Simon couldn’t help but be amazed.

“Your fever is breaking, Diana,” Simon said softly to the young woman he was treating. “And it looks like the rash is receding. Does it still itch as badly as it did before?”

Shaking her head, the woman looked at him tiredly and said, “No, doc. I am feelin’ a mite better.”

Placing a hand to her arm, Simon smiled and said, “Well, then, my work here is done.” Administering another shot of acetaminophen to keep her fever down, Simon told her, “Just rest. In about four days, you should be fine to go home.”

She nodded once and as her eyes drifted closed, Simon felt a light hand fall to his shoulder. “You’re doing well,” River told him quietly, offering her hand to him to help him stand.

Taking it gratefully, Simon hauled himself to his feet and surveyed the room. It was still full, a lot fuller than he’d like, but with so many people under his care, and the chance for the spread of the disease so great, he really couldn’t have expected less.

Turning his eyes back to his sister, he kissed her cheek and told her, “So are you, mei mei. You’re a godsend.”

Rolling her eyes at him, as he moved onto the next cot, River followed him and said, “I don’t know about that. Sometimes people just need a smile.”

Regarding her for a moment more, Simon told her, “You just summed up about three classes for me at MedAcad regarding bedside manner.” Looking back to his next patient, he added, “And your definition was much easier to understand.”

“That’s because I’m smart, you know,” she answered proudly, puffing her chest out a bit and giving her brother her best amused grin when he again brought his eyes to her face.

“Ai ya, don’t I,” Simon murmured. “River, can you-“

Turning again to face her, he noted her rigid stance and wide eyes instantly, his heart thudding against his rib cage. Standing, he placed a light hand to her arm and asked quietly, “Mei mei, are you all right?”

Taking a moment to pull her eyes from that far away place, when she finally did look at him, Simon saw the start of tears in her eyes. “Not everybody can be saved,” she murmured to him quietly.

Casting his eyes around the room, Simon looked for the distressed patient she was obviously referring too. Heading in the direction of the far right corner, he saw that Mrs. Wu was gesticulating frantically, although she could not form words as her sobs were so great.

Rushing to her side, he saw that she was distraught over baby Ella. The girl had been having a rough time of it, but not anything too startling, by Simon’s estimation. Looking to her now though he realized he’d been wrong. The child was struggling to breathe and Simon knew that could be disastrous.

“Mrs. Wu,” Simon said calmly as he knelt beside the child. “Mrs. Wu, I need you tell me. When did she start to have trouble breathing?”

River, who had followed him to cot, looked from the still frantic woman to Simon and said, “About an hour ago.”

Turning wide eyes to his sister, Simon breathed, “Why didn’t she get me?”

Again, River studied the older woman’s face and then looked back to Simon. “She felt bad. She can’t pay.”

Swallowing down the curse that threatened to burst from his mouth, Simon turned his attention back to the baby, hoping he wasn’t too late. “Tell her I don’t care about that. And get her to sit down. She’s liable to faint.”

River did as her brother instructed and then moved to his side, handing him the tools he would need before he even asked. After twenty minutes of working tirelessly, and ten minutes of the child not breathing, Simon finally hung his head in sadness. Looking to his sister, he covered her hand with his own and whispered to her, “Mei mei, I need you get me a sheet and then I need you to get Mal and Jayne to carry her outside.”

Her own wide eyes filled with tears, River nodded once, before looking over her shoulder to the mother. “Do you want me to talk to her?” she asked quietly, getting a surprised look from Simon. “I know what it’s like,” she added, her voice soft, “To lose a baby.”

Kissing her softly on the forehead, Simon whispered, “No, River, but thank you. Just get that sheet and then get Mal and Jayne, dong ma?”

Nodding once, River rose slowly and took care of covering the child, the whole time trying to ignore the painful wails of the heartbroken mother.

***

Ella was only the first of three patients to die the first four days, and it weighed heavily on Simon. He tried not to let it show, but as they lost two elderly people, his shoulders began to sag just a bit more, and River could see it. Her brother had always had a difficult time accepting death, it was one of the many reasons he’d become a doctor, but this was different. He felt responsible for these people in a way he’d only ever felt responsible for his family – he knew them, they were neighbors and friends, they had welcomed he, Kaylee and their children into their community, and Simon felt that is inability to keep them healthy was like a slap in the face.

She had tried to help him, tried to tell him it was okay, that people, especially the people of Aberdeen who had struggled through so much already would survive this too, but he wasn’t ready to hear it yet, and so River had just let him be. But now, she was looking for her husband. Jayne had been suspiciously absent for most of the day and after checking around the outside of the building, although he shouldn’t be out there, she did another sweep of the interior, finally finding him in the coat closet of all places.

Opening the door and stepping inside, she felt a wave of discomfort from him and moved towards him quickly. “Jayne?”

He had wedged himself into a corner and River could not see him in the dim light. Groping for the light cord she knew to be overhead and tugging it on, River gasped at the sight of him. His arms and neck were covered in bloody streaks from where he had obviously scratched at the rash there.

Moving to his side in an instant, River frowned at him and said, “You were avoiding me,” while placing her hands underneath and helping him to stand.

As she got him on his feet, he swayed mightily and River used all of her strength to steady him. Rolling his head around to look at her, he slurred, “I feel terrible.”

Trying to keep from panicking, River walked him out of the room, running into Mal on the way. “Whoa, Jayne what the hell happened to you?”

“Insult later, help now,” River barked, grateful when Mal drew Jayne’s other arm over his shoulder.

Walking him as quickly as they could down the hall and around the corner, River called for Simon immediately. “Simon! Hurry!”

Already treating a patient, one look at Jayne’s beleaguered form and Simon was there. As they dropped his heavy body onto a cot, his eyes immediately rolled back in his head, even as he continued to try and murmur something. Placing a hand to his cheek, River actually had to pull it back he was so hot. “He’s burning up,” she told her brother, her eyes filling with tears.

“Jayne.” Simon’s voice was commanding, but it had no effect on the mercenary. Testing his reflexes and his sight with a pen light, Simon frowned when his pupils refused to respond. Administering some medication to get his fever down, Simon asked, “River, how long has he been like this?”

Shaking her head, River bit back her tears as she said, “I don’t know. He said he was fine. He looked a little bad yesterday, but he kept telling me he was fine.”

Glancing up to Mal, Simon asked him, “Did you notice anything?”

Concerned obviously for his merc and River, Mal shook his head quickly and said, “His eyes were red the other day and he was walking a mite slow, but I thought it might be ‘cause o’ some of the meds you got him on for his shoulder.”

“Ai ya, his shoulder,” Simon hissed, getting up and sprinting across the room to where he had his charts. Returning in minutes, River could feel his concern, which moments before had been high but was now skyrocketing.

“Simon?” she questioned harshly, waiting for him to turn and face her. When he didn’t, she placed a hand to his shoulder and spun him around. “Simon, is he going to be okay?”

Trying to keep the alarm out of his voice, Simon told her calmly, “Mei mei, I’m going to do everything I can, but some of the medications that Jayne’s been on for the surgeries have weakened his immune system. It’s going to take him some time to fight it off.”

Gripping his arm even more fiercely, River whispered, “But he will, right? He’s going to be okay?”

“He’s going to have to fight, River,” Simon told her, again turning to his patient, and trying to erase the image of her teary gaze from his mind. “We’re just going to have to wait and see.”

Turning back to her husband, River placed both hands to his cheeks and held his head steady. He was still hot to the touch, but she didn’t care. Leaning down next to his ear, she whispered, “You hear that, baby? You have to fight, dong ma? I need you to fight, Jayne.” Then, her tears came and she could only rest her head next to his and cry.

As Simon finished doing what he could for the moment, he rose, heading to another patient with Mal at his heels. “He gonna make it?” the captain asked him softly, risking a glance back to River.

Simon turned to him, his expression more tired than just moments before and sighed. “Honestly, Mal, I don’t know.”

Mal watched him go, wishing, like just about everyone else, that there was something more he could do other than wait and see.

***

It was night time again and Kaylee was having a hard time sleeping. She wasn’t overly surprised as she always had trouble drifting off without Simon lying beside her or even better, without lying in his arms. But she had managed for the past week to get some sleep, and as she again tossed and turned, she hoped she’d be able to now.

Whether it was minutes or hours later, Kaylee didn’t know, but as soon as Daniel’s pained cry reached her ears, she was up and out of bed like a shot, running to his room and flinging open the door. He was writhing on his bed, his hands over his ears and crying out for her and Simon.

Rushing to him, Kaylee took him by the shoulders and called to him, “Danny! Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

Looking to her with tear-stained cheeks, he pulled his hands down from the side of his head and breathed, “It hurts, mama.”

Pulling him into a tight embrace, Kaylee rocked him and asked, “What does, baby?”

“My head and my ears, they hurt really bad,” he whimpered, burying his face into her chest.

Leaning back from him a bit, Kaylee studied his face in the dim light. Placing a hand to his forehead, Kaylee pulled it back quickly as she realized how hot he was. Fear gripping her heart, she flipped on the lamp by his bed and sucked in a quick breath. His face was now covered in a red rash and Kaylee feared the worst.

Taking his face in her hands, she asked him urgently, “Danny, what else hurts? Do you hurt anywhere else?”

Her hands which had fallen along his jaw ghosted over the back of his neck and he cried out in pain again. “Ow,” he said, more tears forming in his eyes. Pulling back from her, he grabbed his neck and moaned, “That really hurts.”

Trying to keep a level head, Kaylee tucked him back in and said, “I’m gonna go get you some medicine for your fever all right? And some juice?”

“Fruit juice?” he asked hopefully, a yawn coming at the end of the statement.

Having risen, Kaylee turned in the doorway and told him with a smile, “No baby, orange juice, you need the vitamin C.”

With a sigh, he said, “Okay. And Mama?”

“Yes baby,” she asked quietly.

“Hurry back, okay?”

Fighting to keep her tears in, Kaylee answered, “As soon as I can.”

Shutting his door, Kaylee leaned heavily against it and took a deep breath.

“Mei mei?”

Blinking rapidly, Kaylee looked to her friend’s concerned gaze and tried to smile, but was unable to. “Oh, Kaylee, what is it?” Inara asked, pulling her friend in for a hug as her tears came.

“I think Danny’s sick,” Kaylee told her, trying to keep her voice down.

Frowning, Inara said, “But Kaylee, that’s not possible. Even Simon said he was given the vaccine when he was-“ Inara broke off as soon as she realized her mistake.

“Oh my God,” Kaylee said breathlessly, her hand flying to her mouth as she pulled back from her friend. “He gave it to the other babies when they was born, but he wasn’t there when Danny was born.”

Inara nodded once, having already come to the same conclusion. “And he probably just assumed Millie had taken care of it.”

With fresh tears in her eyes, Kaylee told her, “I gotta take him to Simon.”

Resting a comforting hand on the distraught mother’s shoulder, Inara smiled patiently and told her, “Kaylee, why don’t you just take care of Daniel? I’ll go over to the school and get Simon.”

“Oh, ‘Nara, I can’t ask you to do that,” Kaylee told her, her eyes again filling with tears.

“You didn’t ask, mei mei,” Inara told her. “Besides it’ll only take a few minutes by mule.”

“You know how to get there?” Kaylee called after her as she headed for the stairs.

“You just take care of that little boy, Kaylee,” Inara called back. “I’ll be back with Simon in just a bit.”

With a sigh, Kaylee watched Inara go, and then hurried down to get the medicine and juice she’d promised her son, so she could get back to him.

***

Jayne was coughing again, badly, and River did not like it. Helping to support his head as he sat up, she held a towel in front of him trying not to notice the blood that came away on it. Flopping back down on the cot, he groaned a bit, before again falling to sleep, and River did her usual routine of wiping his face and neck down with a damp cloth, being sure his IV was hooked up properly and that his head was elevated enough to make breathing easy. And then she’d just sit next to him, her knees pulled into her chest, and rock, while she watched him toss and turn.

It was torture for her to see him in so much pain, but it was absolute agony to feel it. His body was one giant nerve, raw and exposed, and every cough, every fever spike, every streak of rash, dug into River, her mind, her heart, her body, making her want to scream or sob or run away. But she didn’t. She stayed with him, because she knew that if their situations were reversed he would never leave her, not for a minute.

Reaching out with a shaky hand, River took one of his and held it gently. Rubbing her thumb along his wrist, she edged a bit closer to him, their heads now on the same level and she started to speak in low tones. “It’s time for you to be better, Jayne,” she told him, trying to keep her voice steady. “It’s time for us to live our lives, however we want.”

She paused for a moment, studying him, how his chest rose and fell with each labored breath. Stifling a sob, she told him, “It’s time for me to move on, with you. I know that I can’t have a baby. Even the surrogacy …” She allowed her voice to trail off as she found Simon’s tense form, working a few rows away with some of the sicker patients. “Well, I know now, I can’t ask that of Simon and Kaylee. That’s not fair to them, not after all they’ve done for me. So, it’s just you and me, baby, going wherever we want, doing whatever we want.” Closing her eyes, she felt a few of her tears slide down her cheeks, and she leaned in closer to press her lips to his face. “But you’ve got to get better, because I need you.”

“Albatross.”

It was Mal’s voice, quiet and steady, and River pulled away from Jayne quickly, wiping at her cheeks. Looking up to him, she asked, “Yes, Captain?”

Kneeling down beside her, Mal placed a hand to her cheek and smiled faintly. “Aw, don’t cap’n me, lil’ one. How’re ya doin’?”

Shaking her head, River looked back to Jayne for a moment and when she again brought her eyes to Mal they were full of tears. “Not so good,” she finally confided.

Mal’s own heart broke for her. He had always hated to see River in pain, from the minute he’d met her, and this now, was just too much for one person to take, he knew that. “He’ll be all right, mei mei,” Mal told her quietly, pulling her into a hug. “He’s a stubborn hundan and you know it. He ain’t goin’ no where.”

Closing her eyes in an effort to hold her tears in, River wrapped her arms around his neck and murmured, “I hope so, Captain Daddy. I hope so.”

Across the room, Simon looked over to Jayne’s cot, seeing Mal and River locked in a fierce embrace. Knowing that he should check on his sister, but grateful that she had Mal, he was about to head in that direction when the door to the school opened and Inara entered the room a few moments later.

“Inara?” Simon asked, hurrying to her side. “What are you doing here?”

Smiling sadly at him, Inara told him softly, “I’m sorry to come with more bad news, but it’s Daniel. Kaylee thinks he’s really sick.”

Frowning to his friend, Simon told her, “No, that’s not possible. I made sure-“

Placing a hand to his arm to stop him, Inara reminded him gently, “Simon, you weren’t there when Daniel was born. And I bet that Millie didn’t even think to give him the vaccine.”

His eyes widening in horror as he realized she was right, Simon hurried to collect a few things. Mal and River, who had noticed the commotion had risen and joined the two of them, Mal hugging his wife tightly. Looking to River with concerned eyes, Simon cast a glance over her shoulder to the all the sick people beyond. “Go,” River told him, pushing him in the direction of the door. “I’ve been watching. I can help. Plus most of them are getting better now.”

Nodding once, Simon told her, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Kissing Mal lightly, Inara followed the agitated doctor out the door. After they’d gone, Mal looked to River and asked, “What’s this sickness called again?”

“Measles,” River answered, moving back into the room and begin to circulate among the cots.

“Huh.” Mal’s trademark grunt wasn’t loud enough for anyone to hear, but River watched from over his shoulder as he stood about, trying to puzzle out where exactly he’d heard of ‘measles’ before.

“Oh, wait a second,” Mal asked, walking up behind River as she checked some IVs. “Isn’t it called somethin’ else too? Somethin’ like ru-somethin’? Rubeola?”

Nodding once, River told him, “It is.”

“Well, I done had that when I was a kid. The whole farm got it, my ma was fit to be tied, she had to do all the work herself for a week.” Mal looked around the room and murmured, “I don’t remember it being this bad though.”

Following his gaze, River said quietly, “Because it wasn’t.”

***

Simon had jumped off the mule and was halfway up the path by the time Inara brought the vehicle to a full stop. Hurrying up the stairs to his son’s room, Simon stopped just over the threshold, and watched as Kaylee cradled his sleeping form to her chest. Sensing his eyes on her, Kaylee turned to look at him with a tear-stained face and murmured, “Simon?”

Moving quickly to her side, Simon kissed her on the cheek and then took Daniel from her, laying him down on his bed and beginning to check his vitals. As he worked, Kaylee rose and backed up towards the door, leaning heavily against the wall on the far side of the room.

“Daddy?”

Daniel’s strained voice reached their ears and Simon smiled lightly at his son as his reddened eyes opened. “Hey, buddy, I’m here,” he told him quietly, placing a light hand to his face.

“I don’t feel so good,” Daniel told him, blinking his eyes in an effort to keep them open even as they watered in the dim light.

“I know, sweetheart and I’m really sorry about that. I’m going to make you better, okay?” Simon willed his voice not to crack as he felt immense guilt for his own foolishness. As Daniel nodded once, Simon whispered, “Okay. Can you tell me what hurts?”

Kaylee listened, barely comprehending as Daniel proceeded to tell Simon about his ears hurting, and his chest, as well as his neck. Plus his nose was runny and his eyes were watering and he was really hot and then really cold. As he continued to talk, his voice getting heavier with fatigue, Kaylee could only continue to listen in horror.

As Simon moved about, preparing a few other things to make his son more comfortable, his little voice called out, “Mama?”

Moving to his side in an instant, Kaylee blinked back her own tears, as she sat across from Simon and took his hand. “Yes, baby?”

“Daddy said I didn’t have to worry,” Daniel said, opening his eyes again with difficulty to look to his mother.

Blinking back tears, Kaylee told him, “I know, but sometimes Daddy doesn’t know everything.”

“Sorry, buddy,” Simon told him. “Can you forgive me?”

“As long as you take care of me,” the boy murmured, before he again felt the pull of sleep and was unable to fight it.

Leaning forward and placing a kiss to his son’s forehead, Simon murmured, “Always, sweetheart, always.” And then, he set to work. Kaylee watched as Simon worked with sure hands and movements, giving their son some medication and setting up the portable IV he’d brought along.

Finally, when he was done, he sat back with a heavy sigh and looked to Kaylee. She was not watching him any longer, but instead had refocused all her attention on Daniel’s sleeping form. Reaching across their son, Simon squeezed her shoulder and murmured, “Bao bei?”

Shaking her head quickly, Kaylee knew that if she spoke with Simon she would lose it and she couldn’t do that, not now, because she had to be strong for her son.

Simon could see the fear in Kaylee’s face and the concern. Rising, he moved around the side of the bed, and sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. “He’s going to be okay,” Simon whispered, his lips right by her ear.

“You know that for sure?” she asked him, her voice stilted as she tried to withhold her tears.

Dropping his forehead to her shoulder, Simon let out a sigh and then finally admitted, “No, I don’t. But if he’s already got the rash, then that means he should be getting better within just a couple of days.”

“What about his ears?” Kaylee asked, never taking her eyes from Daniel’s face. “He said they hurt real bad.”

Nodding, Simon followed his wife’s gaze to their son’s form and said, “Well, one of the complications is ear infections, and since Danny tends to get those anyway-“

“He got ‘em again,” Kaylee finished softly. Rubbing the back of Daniel’s hand for just a minute more, she let out a huge sigh and then turned in Simon’s embrace, holding him tight to her. “I’m just really glad you’re here.”

Burying his face in her neck, Simon held her back and whispered, “Me too, bao bei.”

Neither one of them said anything for several moments, but it was finally Kaylee who asked quietly, “How’s it been goin’ out there?”

With a heavy sigh, Simon pulled back from her, and brushed a few of her tears off her cheeks. “Not so good,” Simon told her quietly. “We lost Mrs. Wu’s baby, Ella, and the Hendersons.”

Gasping, Kaylee’s eyes filled with more tears. “Oh, but Ella was such a happy baby and she was so little,” Kaylee said, trying not to cry. “Oh poor Adele, she must be beside herself.”

Nodding, Simon tried to banish the image of the wailing mother from his memory. “There’s something else, Kaylee that I need to tell you.” Fearing what other information Simon felt he had to impart, Kaylee nodded once and he continued. “Jayne is sick, really sick.”

Swallowing hard, Kaylee asked in a whisper, “Like he could die?”

Simon didn’t want to admit it, but it was the truth. The longer he fought against the pneumonia that was ravaging his lungs and didn’t get better, the more Simon feared for him. Looking back to his wife’s fearful eyes, he hated having to tell her such bad news. “I don’t know,” he finally said. “But it doesn’t look good and River … well, River’s just beside herself.”

“Oh, poor River,” Kaylee sobbed, again wrapping her arms around his neck. She shivered a bit as she thought of what would happen if the situations were reversed. Her poor sister, who just days ago had asked her to help her be a mother, was now faced with the very real possibility that her husband might die.

Feeling her shake against him, Simon pulled back from her and asked, “Are you all right?” Not waiting for an answer, he reached up a hand to her forehead and frowned. “You feel warm to me.”

Smiling at him, despite all that was happening, Kaylee whispered, “Well, that’s cause you’re here.”

Returning her grin, he muttered dryly, “Nice try. How long have you been feeling badly?”

Frowning at him, Kaylee sighed and said, “Simon, I’m fine. I don’t even have a rash.”

“Yes, but the rash will come. Come on, let’s get some things packed for you and Daniel,” he said quietly, pulling her gently from the room.

“But why?” she called, looking forlornly over her shoulder at her sleeping son.

“I need you and Danny to come back to the school with me, so I can keep a close eye on you.” Simon explained, walking with an arm around Kaylee’s waist to their room.

“But I can take care of him,” Kaylee whined, even as she and Simon made it to their bedroom and he pointed towards the bed. Making sure she was seated, Simon moved to pack a bag.

“And you will, but I want to make sure you get well as soon as possible.” Looking to her again, he kissed her lightly and said, “Doctor’s orders.”

Smiling to him, Kaylee was amazed at how much better she felt just having him close. “Well, I don’t never want to disobey my doc,” she teased, standing behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

Smiling at her, Simon told her, “That’s right. Because there will be consequences for patients who don’t do exactly what the doctor says.”

Pressing a kiss to his neck, Kaylee smiled and murmured, “Yes, doctor.”

Turning in her embrace, Simon had no choice but to smile at the playful look in her eyes. Kissing her again, he asked, “Do you ever not think about sex?”

“Not think about sexin’ you,” she asked, her brow furrowing as she pretended to consider his question. “Nope, I’m always thinkin’ ‘bout that.”

“Thus the reason we have four kids,” Simon murmured, before turning back to finish his packing. Keeping an arm around her shoulders, Simon pressed a kiss to her temple and said, “All right, get dressed. I’m going to get Danny. I’ll meet you down at the mule.”

“Okay,” she told him. “What about Ry?”

Smiling at her, Simon said, “Inara’s here, she can watch her. Plus, I’m thinking that Mal may not be as susceptible as we thought. I might be able to send him back with the mule. He can help.”

Kaylee nodded once and then moved to dress. Simon watched her for a moment from the doorway and then with a quiet sigh moved down the hall to collect his son, praying that this would start the end of what had been a very trying time.

***

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