A/N: Thanks to Kaynara and Leiasky for the beta.

Keep commenting ... pretty please, with strawberries on top??!?!?!

Mal wandered into the galley, glad to find it deserted. He needed time to sort through this impossible mess they had found themselves in. With a heavy sigh, he headed for the stove, putting on a pot of water and pawing through Inara’s stash of tea bags. She always kept the fruity ones near the top, but he had long ago cultivated his own taste for the bitter leaves and found that Earl Grey suited him just fine.

“You like the other flavors, too. You just won’t admit it.”

The voice that floated to him should have caused him to jump or maybe tense for a moment. But it didn’t; wondering if that meant he was growing soft in his old age, he waited until the kettle had boiled and then poured two cups of the steaming liquid. Turning from the stove and heading to the table, he placed one in front of River. She had drawn her knees up to her chest, folding herself into one of the chairs like a rag doll. With her big and all-knowing eyes she regarded him steadily, ignoring the hot liquid as Mal sat down heavily beside her and blew on his own drink.

“Be that as it may,” he answered, after taking a sip and burning the very tip of his tongue. “I can’t be lettin’ folks know I do. Ruin my image.”

River kept her silence for another minute as she watched him take another hesitant sip. While she had been trying over the past few days to keep a lid on her abilities to read others, she found Mal’s emotions strong, swirling on the surface in a myriad of colors that forced her to pay attention. Which was why she knew he cared as much about his image as he cared for Badger, who was still tied up on the deck below.

Resting a light hand to his arm, Mal glanced to her as she whispered, “That got ruined the minute you took on a crazy girl and her brother.”

Mal started to refute her claim and then decided against it. Chances were River already knew a half a dozen things he could say and had already formed retorts for at least a dozen more. The girl was good – no, not girl, he scolded himself, woman. She was a young woman, rapidly falling in love with his new mechanic and trying desperately to maintain an even keel. A state of being he was only too quick to dismiss if her craziness served his purpose.

“Look, River, I-“

“It’s not your fault.” Her voice was a ghost of a whisper and Mal wondered how he could even make it out. He watched as she drew one pale finger along the edge of her mug, her big eyes focused on the last few wisps of steam rising from the surface. “Not your fault I’m crazy. Not your fault that my abilities are of use to you.”

Clasping her hand firmly in his, Mal retorted, “Yeah, but usin’ you is my fault. An’ it’s gotta stop. You’re your own person now an’ I can tell you’ve been tryin’ to keep things under control. It ain’t righ’ o’ me to jus’ ignore what you want ‘cause it serves a purpose.”

“I don’t know what to do,” she finally admitted, lifting her sad gaze to his face. “I want to be normal. I want to be with Rafe, but I can’t …” Releasing a heavy sigh, she pulled her hand from him, placing them both in her lap and again casting her eyes to the floor. “It’s not right for me to pretend that I’m normal.” Pausing again, she finally murmured, “It’s just a lie.”

“River, there ain’t nobody in the ‘verse who’s normal,” Mal told her firmly. Reaching across the table, he cupped her chin in his hand and brought her face back up to look at him. “Normal’s the lie. Me an’ everybody else on this boat jus’ wants you to be River.”

“But I don’t know who she is,” she told him desperately, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper that Mal suspected was hiding tears. “Is she the girl I was before the Academy? Or the one who killed a room full of Reavers?” Her eyes searched his for an answer and Mal found he didn’t have one; which she had, of course, already known.

Glancing back over her shoulder in the general direction of the crew bunks, she added, “Or is it the girl I am when I’m with Rafe?” Sighing softly, she looked back to him and continued. “Maybe it’s the girl who’s your pilot, your albatross. Or the girl Simon remembers from his childhood. Maybe it’s the girl Rafe wants me to be or the one Jayne thinks I am.” Her agitation on the rise, River slammed her open palms on the table and pushed herself out of her seat.

Mal watched with a furrowed brow as her thin arms trembled from the weight of her conflict, a few tears pooling in the bottom of her incredibly huge eyes. “Don’t you see? I don’t know who I am – I only know what I was programmed to be.” Pounding a fist over her heart, she told him brokenly, “This only confuses the issue.”

He knew she had to be bruising the skin. Rising and reaching for her, River pulled away from him, dropping her chin to her chest, her hair falling across her face and hiding the pain she felt. Mal stood dumbfounded, uncertain of what exactly to do, and wishing, not for the first time, that Simon or Inara were here. They always seemed to know how to reach her.

“River?”

Turning sharply at the new voice, Mal actually felt himself relax just a bit as he took in Rafe’s confused and sleep-infused face as the boy stood in the doorway. His blue eyes traveled from River’s shaking form to Mal and back again as he slowly descended the few stairs into the room. Swallowing thickly, he took a hesitant step towards River, stopping immediately as she let out a small whimper and backed away from him.

Keeping his eyes focused on her, Rafe directed his question to the captain. “What happened?”

“I don’t rightly know,” Mal admitted. He realized, again, how much credit he had never really given Simon in the past. The boy had had to deal with River in this state more often than not and Mal felt a flare of guilt for ever implying that he wasn’t doing all he could. “She’s havin’ a bit of a crisis, I guess you could say.”

“Identity crisis brought on by environmental and social factors.” Her voice was still a whisper, but now it was toneless, and Mal shuddered as he remembered the few times he’d heard it in the past. “And the addition of multiple surgeries to affect the patient’s cerebral cortex and amygdala.”

Rafe’s throat constricted uncomfortably at her diagnosis. He had known she was struggling over the past weeks, but he had thought that perhaps their discussions had been helping. Apparently he’d been wrong. Moving forward even as she continued to retreat, he reached for her and took her firmly by the upper arms. “River, jian mei, look at me.”

Shaking her head fiercely back and forth, she murmured, “No, not strong, not beautiful. It’s a lie.”

“It’s not a lie, River.” Rafe wished he knew exactly what to do. Whatever it was, he would do it in a heartbeat. But from what River had told him, even Simon, her genius brother-doctor was often at a loss regarding her behavior and so Rafe did not hold out much hope that he would miraculously find a cure. “You have to believe me.”

“No, can’t give into feelings.” She wrenched herself out of his hold, again banging her small, sharp fist over her heart as if trying to beat them out of chest. “Feelings don’t count, can’t count. Can’t be quantified, can’t be explained.”

Rafe could hear the hollow sound of her striking herself and he reached for her again, catching the fist in his strong grasp. Placing his other hand to her cheek, he pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, “River, please. Don’t do this. Let me help.”

“Can’t help,” she murmured. With a pained expression that could have easily rendered both men speechless, she looked first to Rafe and then to the captain, before settling her gaze on the man she so desperately loved. Someone she loved to the point that it was making her crazier.

“Can’t be two people, only one,” she told him. Stepping away, she moved to stand before Mal and whispered, “Your albatross, your reader. That’s who I am.” Looking back to Rafe with eyes full of tears and sadness, she shook her head once. “Not a woman, not meant to be loved.”

Pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle the sob that rose at her admission, she turned and bolted from the room, leaving both men absolutely stunned. As Rafe felt any and all hope seep out of his pores, he started at the hand Mal placed on his shoulder. “Give her some time, son. She’s not used to all this.”

“She already told me about her past,” Rafe explained, trying not to be jealous of his captain. Why had she chosen him? It seemed incredibly unfair. “And I already told her it doesn’t make a bit o’ difference to me.”

Sighing heavily, Mal dropped his gaze to the deck, wishing he knew what to say to the younger man to make any of this easier. “An’ I’m guessin’ a part o’ her believes you.” Bringing his sympathetic gaze back to the mechanic, he added, “But there’s an even bigger part that don’t. An’ until she reconciles the two, I’m guessin’ you’re jus’ gonna have to be patient. There’s things she-“ Mal paused abruptly, knowing that the details of River’s troubled past were not his to share, even if he felt full disclosure was in her best interest.

Frustrated beyond belief, Rafe let out a small growl as he stalked across the room. “What is it you all aren’t tellin’ me?” he demanded, blue eyes no longer sad but angry. “What is it that River an’ you think I can’t handle?”

As Mal stammered in an effort to find a suitable answer, Rafe continued. “I already know her folks gave her up to them monsters an’ that what they did to her made her different, more different than any other folk. And I don’t care.”

Sighing heavily, Mal rubbed a hand across his neck, trying to ease some of his tension. It was as he suspected; there was a slew of information Rafe did not know and he was starting to believe that perhaps the weight of those secrets was what was affecting his albatross. In silence, he moved back to the pantry, opening his own locker and pulling out a half full bottle of honey colored liquid.

Resuming his seat, he pushed the tea cup away and gestured for Rafe to join him. As the younger man sullenly took a seat, Mal uncapped the liquor and took a swig, before passing the bottle to his crewman. Eyeing it for a moment, Rafe hesitated and Mal told him, “Look, son, if’n we’re really gonna talk ‘bout this, you’re gonna need it. Trust me.”

Frowning, Rafe took the bottle and took his own drink, his eyes watering as the rich liquid burned a pleasantly warm path down to his belly. Setting the bottle back on the table between them, he regarded Mal with clear eyes as the captain asked, “I’m guessin’ she never told you ‘bout Miranda?”

Rafe’s eyes clouded with confusion and Mal sighed again. Taking another drink, he murmured, “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” before he settled back and began the story.

They were only about an hour out from the rendezvous point with Badger’s slavers, but Mal still could not sleep. He had shooed Rafe off to bed, the man’s eyes wide as saucers as he finished divulging the key moments of River’s past year. He’d felt a sting of guilt for betraying her confidence, but he quickly dismissed the regret. He couldn’t have her or Rafe moping about his boat, miserable without the other. Just another reason why he hated shipboard romances. And if she wanted to take a swing at him for telling the truth, then he’d let her – but Mal refused to apologize.

Wearily making his way to the bridge, he steadied his hand against the bulkhead as the room swam slightly. Maybe finishing off that bottle of whiskey hadn’t been the smartest idea during a job, but he couldn’t take it back now. Waiting until the pilot’s seat stilled its circular motion, Mal stumbled into it and let out a heavy sigh. Talking about River and Miranda and all that had transpired had dredged up quite a few unpleasant memories for Mal himself. The images of Wash and the Shepherd now floated in his mind’s eye, as did the look of his ship as he’d set eyes on her again, before they’d had a moment to fix her up.

The memory of his crew, bloody and broken, of Haven, smoking and ruined, of the grave sites of their friends were all again at the forefront of his consciousness and he wished like hell they’d leave him in peace. Of course, the memory of Kaylee’s pained expression when he’d left her on Sihnon a little over three days ago was there as well, and that one was almost worse.

But even Mal had to admit that all of his memories of the past year were not bad – there were a few, quite a few actually, that were good, very good. Of course, almost all of them revolved around a certain former Companion with dark, curly hair and a sultry smile … a woman of such class and dignity she should have taken one look at him and his boat and walked hurriedly in the opposite direction. But, for whatever reason, she hadn’t. Inara Serra had rented his shuttle and then stolen his heart and he found comfort in that knowledge.

Flipping on the cortex, he keyed in a special access code and waited as the screen blinked to life. His mind still wandering to all the glorious days and nights he’d spent with his arms wrapped around Inara’s warm form, he felt himself drifting into a dreamy, alcohol-laced sleep as the screen finally displayed the image he’d been seeking.

Peering at him with sleepy eyes, Inara questioned huskily, “Mal? Is that you?”

Giving her a slow, sloppy smile, he drawled, “Hey there, darlin’.”

Frowning immediately, she let a bit of her annoyance show as she accused, “You’re drunk.”

Straightening in his chair, he raised his chin indignantly. “I am not,” he told her, doing his best to concentrate on each word so he would not slur them. “Just had a few sips with Rafe, is all.”

“Is River all right?” Inara knew the young mechanic; for him to be up in the middle of the night, drinking was a sure sign that something was very wrong.

Nodding once, Mal told her, “Yeah, she’ll be fine. This ain’t exactly been the easiest job we’ve ever pulled.”

“You’ve never pulled an easy job,” she retorted easily, her voice holding no real malice. Studying him in silence for a moment, she finally asked, “Have you heard anything?”

Sobering, Mal rubbed a hand over his face to shake off the hazy effects of the drink. “Yeah, actually, we have. That’s why I called. I thought maybe you could tell Kaylee an’ the doc for me.”

Nodding once, Inara sat forward eagerly. “Of course. What did you find?”

“Well, Badger, unfortunately,” Mal reported, wrinkling his nose in a familiar expression of disgust that brought a small smile to Inara’s lips. “Apparently, he was a bit more knowledgeable on the subject of slavers than I gave him credit for.”

Muttering a strong curse under her breath, Inara said, “I can’t believe even he would sink that low.” Swallowing back her disgust for the man, she pressed, “And?”

“The slavers got one more ship to hit for they head out to sell.” Mal again wiped at his face, suddenly wishing he had some cold water to splash on his skin. That normally did the trick in waking him up. “We’re on our way to intercept ‘em now.”

Her brown eyes widening in fear, Inara said, “You can’t, Mal. What good are you, Zoe, Jayne and River going to be against a ship full of professional slavers?”

“Hey now, this is no time to be questioning my abilities,” Mal retorted, frowning mightily. “’Sides, River’s gonna stay here, be our getaway driver. So it’ll be me, Zoe and Jayne.”

“Oh, yes, that changes the odds immensely,” Inara muttered sarcastically, offering him an eye roll that he found absolutely adorable. “Mal, this-“

“Look, ‘Nara, as much as I’d love to come up with another plan, time is up. We’re scheduled to meet up with these gents in less than an hour. If’n we’re gonna get Kaylee’s family back the best place to get at ‘em is when they’re still on board. Once they’ve been sold, we’ll have to deal with a whole bunch of security that I know we can’t breach.”

She knew he was right, but that didn’t make her fear for him or her worry for the rest of the crew any less. “Just be careful, all right?” Her brown eyes now full of concern, she studied him intently. “I mean it, Mal. I’m expecting you and I have to decades more of fighting ahead of us.”

“An’ makin’ up?” he asked with a sly grin that made her heart flutter.

“Yes, you egotist. And making up.” She smiled to him then, a genuinely warm smile that he had seen hundreds of times and would gladly die to see hundreds of times more. “So you have to come back. In one piece, dong ma?”

Whistling softly through his teeth, Mal told her, “Now that’s a tall order, darlin’.” Gesturing to his chest, he said, “You know how this skin just attracts bullet wounds.”

Her face sobering at his morbid attempt at humor, she told him haltingly, “That’s not funny, Mal.”

She was right. “I’m sorry, darlin’, I shouldn’t o’ said that.” Blushing slightly, he dropped his eyes from the screen in a look of contrition and then glanced back to her. “Back in one piece. Got it.”

Silence fell between them as Inara’s heart raced at the thought of the danger he would soon be placing himself in. Swallowing thickly, she met his steady gaze, amazed at the power those blue eyes had on her from such a distance. Mal stared right back, easily lost in the warmth of her brown eyes, even from so far away.

“You all right?” he asked softly, thinking that maybe he’d seen a flash of something else in those beautiful orbs.

Nodding once, Inara told him stiffly, “I’m fine.” Trying not to let any of her guilt show at using Kaylee’s volunteer work as an oeuvre to finding her daughter, she added, “I’m just worried about you and Kaylee.” Lowering her voice, she confided, “She’s not doing well, Mal. Not at all.”

Swallowing hard, Mal bit back the anger he felt at the complete unfairness of the ‘verse. “Just tell her to hold on. We’re gonna get her family back to her right quick.”

She nodded again and then lifted her hand to the screen, gently resting her fingertips against the cool surface. Mal mirrored the gesture and smiled at her. “I’ll see ya soon, darlin’,” he promised in a whisper.

“I know,” she admitted, her voice just as soft, before she forced herself to end the connection.

Once the screen had again turned to black, Mal slumped in his chair. Oh yeah, this was gonna go great.

Simon answered the door, praying that it wasn’t his parents. While he had not seen them since their dinner party with the Butlers, he was still hesitant to try and entertain them, especially given Kaylee’s current state.

However, his momentary fear gave way to unbelievable gratitude as he ushered Eli and Evelyn into the apartment. Shaking Eli’s hand and offering Evelyn a kiss to the cheek, Simon showed them into the living room.

“It’s wonderful to see you both,” he told them, a genuine smile on his features. As they sat, he took a seat across from them and asked, “Can I get you anything?”

Waving away his politeness, Eli told him, “No, Simon, we’re fine. Besides, if we need anything, we’re both full grown adults and can get it ourselves.”

Relaxing for what felt like the first time in months, Simon nodded and sat back in his seat as his two guests regarded him closely. Clasping her hand over her husband’s, Evelyn asked, “How is Kaylee?”

Frowning, Simon could tell his expression betrayed his anxiety as the husband and wife shared a concerned look. “Not well,” he admitted, shifting in his seat. Glancing towards the bedroom, he added, “She’s sleeping a bit more regularly now and I haven’t had to use a smoother, but …” Again meeting Eli’s gaze, he told the man, “The incident with the glass has thrown me. I’m really worried about her.”

Rising, Evelyn sat beside Simon on the sofa and patted his knee. “You’re doing everything you can for her, Simon. We know that and so does she.” Simon smiled faintly at her encouragement. Holding his gaze for a second more, she finally asked, “Do you mind if I go sit with her?”

Shaking his head, Simon answered, “No, I’m sure she’d enjoy the company. She was sleeping a little while ago, but …”

Again patting his knee, Evelyn flashed a grand smile to Simon and her husband as she moved from the room. “Oh, we’ll be fine. Don’t you worry.”

Both men watched her go, Simon feeling another deep swell of gratitude to the Butlers. In truth, he was growing weary of sitting with Kaylee. She hadn’t made much of a move to get out of bed in the past day or so and he hadn’t wanted to push. But given her injury, he was also wary of leaving her alone. Simon was simply relieved that Evelyn had volunteered; maybe Kaylee would be able to speak with her about things she didn’t want to discuss with Simon.

“And how are you, son?”

Eli’s deep voice pulled Simon from his thoughts. He offered the man a wan smile and retorted, “You really want me to answer that?”

Returning Simon’s grin, the older doctor sat back and said, “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

Sighing again, Simon leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, studying his hands intertwined before him. How was he? Honestly, he wasn’t sure. “All right, I suppose,” he began slowly, his eyes still focused on his fingers. “Worried, of course, anxious-“

“And scared out of your mind,” Eli added, offering Simon the courtesy of speaking the words so he wouldn’t have to.

Smiling wryly, the younger man glanced to his boss and friend and asked dryly, “Is it that obvious?”

Shrugging, Eli answered, “Maybe not to some, but you forget – I met you when Kaylee was in grave danger. I’ve seen you in a state of distress before. I know the signs.”

Sitting back with a small harrumph, Simon murmured, “Well, there goes my theory that I’m actually hard to read.”

Smiling wide, Eli told him, “Oh, not to worry, son. You’re not as transparent as all that, at least not to those who don’t know you.”

Simon grinned, guessing that were true. There had been plenty of moments in the past when both River and Kaylee had been able to read Simon’s emotions or mood with little to no influence from him. It had initially caught him off guard as no one before had ever had that type of insight into his psyche; not even his parents.

“Speaking of transparent,” Simon drawled, allowing sarcasm to color his tone. “How was your evening with my parents?” As Eli best decided how to form an answer, Simon added, “I haven’t seen them since that morning.” Leaning forward, he dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper and asked, “You didn’t kill them did you?”

Laughing jovially, Eli was glad to see Simon join him. The boy looked about fifteen when he smiled, his eyes sparkling with joy that Eli had only seen Kaylee and his sister normally bring about. Recovering first, Eli answered, “No, they are both alive and well.” Pausing, he studied Simon in silence for a moment, trying to determine how best to address the topic of his father.

Simon noticed the suddenly serious expression that crossed Eli’s face and mentally cursed his father for whatever the man had done to either offend or upset his friend. Leaning forward, he said hurriedly, “Look, if my father or mother did or said anything to upset you or Evelyn, I-“

Raising a hand, Eli’s statement was harsher than he anticipated. “Don’t ever apologize for them, Simon.” As Simon blinked in surprise at the bite to the man’s words, Eli quickly did his best to explain. “In fact, if anything, I should be apologizing to you.”

Blushing fiercely Simon dropped his chin to his chest and let out a small chuckle. “I assume you were subjected to some of my father’s opinions.”

Sitting back again, Eli answered, “I could care less about his political affiliations. It was his dismissal of you and Kaylee that sent both Evelyn and I over the edge.”

Anger flashed in Simon’s eyes as he took in the statement, his gaze snapping back up to lock on Eli’s face. His body tensing as it readied itself to do battle with his father, he demanded, “What did he say about Kaylee?”

Rising, Eli realized his mistake and mentally kicked himself for it. He and Evie had come over here to help the two of them, not make it worse. Sitting beside Simon, he patted the man’s knee in reassurance. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with. Let’s just say they were a bit put out about having to reschedule the wedding and a bit less concerned about the whereabouts of Kaylee’s family.”

“Tian xiao de,” Simon muttered beneath his breath, shaking his head stiffly. “They’re really unbelievable.”

Agreeing with that assessment, Eli moved his hand to Simon’s shoulder and squeezed slightly. Waiting until the younger man’s eyes were back on his face, he told him sincerely, “I’m sorry, Simon. Sorry for ever giving you a hard time regarding your relationship with your parents. I should have known that for you to have such strong feelings it must be deserved. I guess as a parent, I didn’t want to believe that, but I can’t deny what I was witness to. I … well, I’m sorry,” he finished quietly, dropping his hand to his lap and looking away.

Simon studied his profile for a moment, his anger at his father quickly fading into deep respect for the man beside him. Simon was fairly certain that the great Gabriel Tam had never apologized to anyone a day in his life. For Eli to admit so openly that he’d been wrong – and more importantly, that Simon had been right – only served to prove how good of a father and a man Eli was.

Swallowing hard, Simon blinked once and said, “Thank you, really. That means a lot coming from you.”

Clapping him on the back, Eli added, “I hope you know how much Evie and I care for you and Kaylee both. Anything you need, anything at all, just ask.” As Simon smiled his gratitude, the older man answered, “That goes for your sister too.”

Stiffening involuntarily at the man’s words, Simon felt an irrational fear grip his heart. Of course Eli had met River before, fairly briefly, but they still had met, and he knew, in vague terms that some of the rift between Simon and his parents had to do with his little sister. And now, after so many years of being away from the Alliance and no longer afraid of their scrutiny, Simon wondered why he should be so nervous.

Turning to fully face the man, Simon asked, “What does this have to do with my sister?”

Noting the boy’s sudden change in demeanor, Eli raised his hands in a sign of truce. “I just meant that I can’t believe River has a good relationship with them either. And she’s decidedly younger than you. Every girl needs guidance or advice now and then.” Lowering his voice, he reminded him, “And Evelyn and I have raised two beautiful daughters, if I do say so myself.”

Smiling tightly, Simon nodded once and tried to will his heart rate to slow back to normal. Watching closely as Simon’s fists again relaxed, Eli asked, “Is everything with River all right?”

Nodding again, Simon swallowed hard and rose, walking across the room to stare out the sliding glass doors to the darkening night sky. Crossing his arms over his chest, Simon answered, “Yes, of course. She’s fine. She went with Mal and the others.”

“And that Rafe character?” Eli teased, rising to stand beside the young man. “How is it, knowing your sister’s finally fallen in love?”

His face blanching at the man’s words, Simon stuttered, “Ah, fine, I guess. Listen, Eli, I’d really rather not talk about River.”

A bit surprised at the man’s bluntness, Eli nodded and murmured, “All right, of course. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Sighing heavily, Simon again dropped his chin to his chest, rubbing anxiously at the back of his neck. He trusted Eli and Evelyn and knew that the older man was only trying to be kind; it wasn’t fair for Simon to so blatantly dismiss his compassion.

“I’m sorry, Eli,” Simon said quietly, lifting his gaze back to the man’s puzzled expression. Wondering if there was anyway he could explain his behavior, he added, “River has been through a lot. Her and I together have been through a lot and … Well, we’ve had to go it alone for a while now and I just …” Simon paused again, another sigh escaping his lips involuntarily. River’s storied past and his own struggle to heal her was something he had discussed with Eli in roundabout, non-specific ways. Now that he considered the man a surrogate father and Eli had all but professed that he thought of Simon as his own son, he wondered what fear could possibly be the cause for his silence.

However, Eli seemed to realize that Simon’s reticence was borne from more than just a fierce brotherly love. “It’s all right, Simon. I never meant to imply anything but support.”

Smiling softly, Simon murmured, “I know. And maybe some day I’ll fill you in on everything that’s happened with River. But not today.” Glancing back over his shoulder, he cast a forlorn gaze in Kaylee’s general direction before adding, “Not now.”

Eli returned the young man’s small grin and nodded. “I agree with you there, Simon. I think we’ve got all we can handle.”

As if to prove the point, the door chime sounded and Simon hurried to greet the latest visitor. As he opened the door to meet Inara’s concerned gaze, he smiled tightly to his friend as she told him quickly, “I have news.”

Chapter 12