She stumbled along the wall, one hand pressed over her eye. She was sobbing but she didn't care.

"Why are you doing this?" she cried.

He reached for her. She jerked away.

"What...I don't..." he fumbled for words. "Talk to me."

She moaned and lurched further down the corridor. "No! Please...just leave me alone!"

"I can't, not until you tell me what's wrong," he said, stretching out to her again. She physically threw herself away from him, tripped, and crashed to the floor. He was there in a heartbeat, checking her for injuries, helping her to her feet.

She shivered and moaned at his touch. "Please..."

Sensing that this was not the time, he let her haul herself upright and continue her haphazard journey unaided. "Talk to me," he tried again.

"No! Just...just go! Please! Leave me alone!" She swiped the air, as though this would frighten him off.

"I don't understand..." he said helplessly.

"I don't want you to!" she sobbed. "I just want...I just want you gone. It's your fault and I need you..."

"Yes?" he asked, moving closer. "You need me?"

"I need you to leave!" she cried near-hysterically. "It's your fault!"

He spread his hands in exasperation "What's my fault?"

"Everything!" she almost shrieked. "You don't know what I've seen, the things I did, the things they did. I..." She broke off shaking her head, the memories apparently overwhelming her.

"Who?" he demanded. "Who did things? What did they do?" Her head rocked like a reed in the breeze and the tears continued to roll. "Tell me!" He moved towards her, wanting to shake the truth from her.

"Don't!" she screamed, shoving him back. "Don't touch me! Don't even look at me!"

He simply stood there, gazing at her. "Why?" he asked her. "Just tell me why and I'll go."

"Because I can't stand it," she whispered.

He was mystified. "Can't stand what?" ."I can't stand having you around me."

"Why?" he asked, hoping the ideas flitting around his head were wrong. "I love you."

"But I don't love you!" she screamed at him, the force of her declaration bending her in half. "I don't love you anymore and I can't stand it! The way you look at me, the way you talk to me, the way you act, everything! I can't stand that you love me and I can't feel the same way. It's breaking me and I need to be away from you if I'm ever going to heal."

They stared at each other, breathing hard. He could feel a coldness wash over him.

"I'm sorry," she breathed. "I...I'm sorry it had to be this way. You deserve better. We both do."

He continued looking at her, this shattered woman once so strong.

"I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing, but I can't come back to Serenity. Not now." She looked at him sadly. He stared back, feeling something in him harden and withdraw. "Maybe someday, but not now."

"Alright," he nodded. "You just let me know when you're ready."

"I promise." She paused. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For finally understanding," she said.

He nodded again and turned to go. He walked away, leaving her alone in her steel tower of self-protection and feeling no closer to the truth than when he had arrived.