Chapter 7

Kaylee hurries into the engine room, quick to get it up and running , still berating herself as she works quickly to get them in the sky.

"Way to go Kaylee, make her run off like that..."

The mechanic grumbles to herself as she gets their home ready for takeoff. She sighs as she feels the space ship surge off the ground, it'd just be a few minutes more then they'd break atmo and be back in space again after weeks of being earth bound.

"Maybe this mess'll leave us down there on the ground. Maybe things will be normal again now, like they used to be."

The thought cheers her up a bit, giving her a glimmer of hope, though deep down she knows things have changed to much since Rivers injuries. They could never go back to that live now. All they could do now was make the best of this new situation they'd been handed. River watches the hustle and bustle of the crew from her hidey hole in Serenity, thinking them like ants trying to rebuild their home that’s been kicked in by some bad child. She lifts her head faintly, hearing the ships engine kick on. She shifts, laying her head against the cool metal of the ship wall, listening to the hum of the engine. Slowly, images drift through her mind, the familiar sound of the engine causing memories to drift up through the fog of her mind. Kaylee in the engine room, Kaylee elbow deep in grease and lubricant as she repairs the ATV or a busted engine part. Kaylee in the infirmary, the first time she heard her voice...

"...She called me a beauty."

The young reader whispers to Serenity quietly, eyes coming up again slowly, though her vision was still unclear, she reaches up to her face, fingers coming away wet. Tears? Why? She bites her lip, feeling a deep ache in her chest, and the sting of tears in her eyes, but didn't understand it. She still couldn't remember enough.

"What is this...?? the equations don't add up to a whole, still a broken girl.."

She shakes her head again, hugging her knees to her chest, resting her forehead on top of them lightly. Exhaustion slowly setting in at last, falling into a light sleep for the moment, memories disguised as dreams ruling her world again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jayne grumbles to himself as he heads down to his bunk as the ship lifts off the ground and hits atmo a few minutes later. He sighs as he drops down onto his bed, hand automatically stretching out to touch the cool metal of Vera hanging by his bedside, though today, as every day for the past few weeks, it brought no comfort.

"..Gorram girl...she don't 'member nothin'. Why am I still lettin' m'self worry 'bout some moonbrain anyway?"

He shifts, laying down and putting his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. Yelling in surprise when he sees a pair of deep brown eyes peering down at him through the grating of the ceiling, almost falling off his bed in surprise.

" Gorramit River!!! What the diyu are doin' 'bove my bed moonbrain!!??"

"Hiding...everything out there is all twists and turns...doesn't fit..."

"Right........so....yer in here why?"

"Because Jayne makes sense."

Jayne blinks at that, not quite understanding what the little crazy meant.

" I do what now?"

He watches as she lifts the grate, swinging down lightly, he grunting when she lands on his chest and stomach, slightly unnerved by the look in the girls eyes. Where had he seen a look like that before..?

"Jayne...makes...sense...Crew and Money, it is all up here."

She leans forward, knees pressing into his chest a bit painfully, tapping his forehead with a slim finger. Jayne swallows nervously, going cross eyed as he watches her finger closely.

"Ah...River girl...I'm having...a bit of...trouble...breathing..."

He wheezes faintly, River slowly getting off him, coughing as he sat up, rubbing his chest lightly.

"Why do words hurt?"

Jayne blinks, looking over at the girl in surprise.

"...huh?"

"Words...how can they hurt? Words have no substance to them, just air. Forced from the throat to produce sounds we use to communicate with another of the same species."

Jayne stares at her, a look of complete confusion on his face.

"Err...well...um..."

"I do not expect an answer, Jayne. You are a man of action"

River moves, climbing out of his bunk, passing Mal as she gets out, causing him to blink in confusion. Raising a brow he goes down into said bunk.

"...Jayne...pray tell...Why was our little witch down here...with you...alone...with you and your...guns...alone?"

Jayne scowls at him, pushing himself up off his bed, still looking rather frazzled.

" Don't start on me Mal. I don't know what the girl was doin' down here. said she was hiding or somethin'. When I asked why, she started rambling about words and what not, then split. Rattled memories or not, girls still a moonbrain."

He shudders faintly, remembering the look in Rivers eyes only moments before. Why was it so familiar...? Mal shakes his head at the merc.

"Jayne, just keep your distance from her is all. And don't let her near your guns no more. After that last incident, I don't want no more risk bein' taken. 'Sides, she don't seem to partial to you. And my thinkin' is she almost remembers something, but not quite."

Mal eyes the merc carefully, watching him stiffen ever so slightly.

"I ain't messed up since Ariel Mal, I swore I'd never be that stupid again."

Mal nods slowly, still watching Jayne, one hand resting on the ladder.

"I know Jayne, but if you've messed up somehow...You need to let me know now, not later, or I’ll hold you accountable."

"...I ain't done nothin' Mal."

"If you say so Jayne...I'll trust you..."

Mal moves, heading back up onto the deck, shutting Jayne's door. Jayne sighing, sitting on his bed again, looking out into the open air of his bunk.

"...I'm gettin' shot out the air lock..."

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River slips through the ship silently, carefully making sure she avoids being in a room with Kaylee. Finally getting to who she was looking for. Inara sighs when her shuttle door opens.

"Mal, what have I-"

"Not Mal...but still bad."

Inara blinks, turning around quickly when she hears River, and her response.

"River, sweetie, why're you here? And your not bad..."

She moves, standing up and going over to the girl and leading her into the room, having her sit on the bed with her.

"Now...tell me, what’s wrong to have brought you here?"

River shifts where she sits, looking down at her hands almost shyly now.

"You...understand...feelings, yes?"

Inara raises a brow faintly, but nods when River looks back up at her.

"Yes...as a Companion I'm trained to read and understand the emotions of my clients. We can then make sure they are happier , by acting as the mood dictates. Its better if a Companion connects to a client, the emotions are more real that way."

River takes this in quietly, as if she's storing the information away for possible later use, and Inara got the odd feeling she'd probably do just that somehow.

"Then, you are the one to ask. Why...do feelings hurt?"

The companion blinks, a bit surprised by the profound question put before her, having forgotten for a moment River hadn't really had much of a childhood, and after what happened to her she might not have the same grasp on emotions other people did. Their little genius was still so immature in so many ways despite her growing up so quickly now.

"Sweetie...that’s not a question easily answered. There’s no real clear answer unless I know more about what type of painful emotions you want to understand...What’s wrong River?"

The girl squirms in her seat again, looking back down at her lap, then back up to Inara so quickly the Companion almost jumps.

"Don't tell. Its not yours to tell"

Inara doesn't understand at first, then nods, smiling gently.

"I won't tell anyone about anything that happens in this shuttle River. This is a safe place for you to come to. No matter what."

The uneasy River slowly nods and shifts, sitting on her knees. She takes a deep breath, almost welcoming the small twinge fro the tender scar tissue on her side, it almost distracting her enough to talk without to much fear.

"I don't...understand...feelings. They don't...follow any logic I know. Reason points that I should not feel this way, because I know Kaylee belongs to Doctor brother. I watched him...claim her..."

"Claim...? Oh!!"

Inara's eyes widen faintly as she realizes what type of 'claim' River meant. She not missing the tone in the younger girls’ voice when she spoke of the matter. Watching River as her hands tighten faintly on her lap, gripping the fabric of her dress tightly.

"...She's his. I know this. So my feelings do not add up. Why did her words hurt me, and why did she act as if she were upset by doing so??"

River looks back up to Inara, desperate for someone to make sense of the tangled mess of knots this matter was, eyes pleading. Something that would end up being logical, a rational explanation for all of this. Emotions, for all their being so very common, left her at a loss. So quick to change, so fleeting yet, so important, they hit you like a ship and sent you flying if you weren't prepared.

"Make me stop flying!"

She reaches over quickly, grasping the startled woman’s hands as if she could anchor her to the ground. Inara squeezes her hands tenderly, trying to comfort her.

“Shhh….its okay mei-mei…relax.”

She moves, letting River rest against her, the girls head resting on her silk clad shoulder as she strokes her dark tresses gently. River curls into her lightly, not questioning the comfort for once, just accepting it. Inara rocks her gently humming a soft song to her as a mother would do to her frightened child. In a sense, she thinks to herself, that’s what’s going on. The companion, since River had come on board, had been the first real ‘mother-figure’ she’d had that treated her kindly and in understanding, unlike the girls’ real mother. Watching her when Simon couldn’t, caring for her, the two even just spending time together. Inara even brushing her hair for her as she did with Kaylee, letting her play in her shuttle when she was there. She thought of River almost as her child, since the girl needed guidance. She continues to stroke her hair, holding her close.

“Your okay sweetie…Listen to me, OK?”

River slowly nods, staying close to her.

“Now, don’t argue with me, and don’t speak till I’m done. It sounds to me, like you’re jealous of Simon. Don’t interrupt.”

Inara gently puts a finger to Rivers lips when she sees the teen about to protest that last statement.

“You can’t tell me you don’t care for Kaylee. You two are always together, she took care of you…She’s your friend. Now tell me, when you’re with her, what are you feeling?”

“…I get…flustered, but….happy. I like being with her, but when I’m close to her…I get…I don’t know…my body acts strangely.”

“Strangely?”

River nods slowly, licking her lips as she speaks again.

“My heart races, I get, nervous…I just want to make her…happy. But she has Simon to do that now, I’m not needed…”

She whispers this last part, staring off into space as she talks. Her head still on Inara’s shoulder

“She doesn’t need me….”

Her voice is softly, a slow, single tear sliding from one eye. Sliding down her cheek, rolling down to her chin before sailing off and landing on Inara’s silk covered lap, leaving a small dime sized stain.

“I’ve stained it.”

“No mei-mei, its fine…”

“I ruin things.”

River moves, shoving her self up even as Inara tries to calm her down again.

“River, no. Your human, we’re not perfect creatures. We have accidents. You’re upset, and confused. Let me help, come here…”

She opens her arms to the younger girl, slowly drawing her back into them. The teen turning her face into the companions shoulder, further staining the fine clothing as tears she can’t stop pour out as she sobs weakly.

“She doesn’t need me…”

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As the ship sails through space, Mal goes to the room he’s gotten Saffron set up in.

“Didn’t anyone teach you about knocking, Mr. Reynolds?”

“Yeah, but, you can’t lock the door on me ‘iffin I get in before you know I’m here.”

“..What?”

“…Yeah, ok, that made more sense in my head. Anyway, I’m not here to talk about my manners. I’m here strictly for business. We need details on how we’re getting’ this sister of yours out.”

“I know how to get her out. It’s the getting in that’s the problem. That’s what I got you and your crew for. Breaking into places is a specialty of yours after all isn’t it?”

Mal rolls his eyes, hands resting on his hips, fingertip stroking the hilt of his gun in an unaware fashion, still unable to just naturally trust this woman before him considering their past.

“We’re not just a group of common thugs who break into places all the time to take things.”

Saffron raises a brow faintly and Mal shifts, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well…okay, maybe we are but we certainly ain’t common.”

“I know that, fool. That’s why I picked you. It’s not because you’re my favorite crook in the universe. Far form it.”

The former army man scowls at Saffron, feeling himself start to bristle. More so when he sees Saffron smirk, realizing she’d been trying to get a rise out of him.

“Now listen here-”

“Mal, as long as you’re taking MY job and MY money, I’M in charge. Got it? Unless you’d rather I go find someone else to give my piles of money to…”

“I…Gorramit woman! Fine! You’re the boss but this is still my boat. Don’t get any fancy notions about that. I’m still Captain of this crew.”

“Please, I’ve no want for a ship like this junker. Its little more then flying scrap….”

She quiets at the warning growl from Reynolds.

“…Okay, fine. Truce?”

“Truce. For now.”

Saffron nods, taking Mal’s hand firmly.

“For now…”

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Meanwhile, River is currently fast asleep in Inara’s shuttle. Worn out from sobbing into the older woman’s’ arms. Inara getting on clean clothes, setting the tear stained gown aside to be washed. Glancing over at the exhausted teen, reaching down and gently smoothing her wild curls back from her face, thumb wiping away one last stray tear from her damp cheek.

“Mei-mei…you hurt so much, it’s not fair. You’re to pure for this…You feel too much because of what they’ve done. And now you finally feel love of your own, and you can’t enjoy it.”

The companion sighs, her heart acing for this girl before her. Finally moving, silently slipping out of the shuttle and heading to the engine room to find Kaylee and speak with her.

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The ships mechanic, at the moment, isn’t in her usual hide away, taking care of her beloved. No, she was in her bunk, with Simon. She lying on her side, watching him put his clothes back on.

“Why don’t you stay for longer? You don’t gotta leave right after every time ya’know…People do often cuddle after sex, or even have MORE sex.”

She grins, biting her bottom lip lightly in a seductive way, winking at him. Simon clears his throat, buttoning his shirt.

“Yes, well…”

“Simon, can I ask you something?”

“Alright, but make it quick. I have to go check on River. See if she’s recovered any memories, run a few tests to see if I can get a reaction…”

Kaylee growls suddenly, sitting up and smacking him smartly across the cheek, sound of hand against flesh startlingly loud in the tiny room.

“Don’t you EVER speak of her as some sort’ve…sort’ve experiment!!! She’s your sister Simon! Did you ever stop and think that she doesn’t need ‘Doctor Simon Tam’ right now?! She needs her big brother!”

“But she doesn’t even remember-”

“But you do!! There’s no excuse! You’ve…been so cold towards her lately. You’re not making any effort to comfort her, or be close to her. There’s no excuse for that!”

“I can’t treat her emotionally while she’s like this, she doesn’t know me, and so she can’t miss me.”

Kaylee grits her teeth, getting up and putting the ladder to her room down.

“Out. Now. Before I do something I’ll regret later.”

“Bao-bei-”

“Bi zui Simon!!! I said out now!”

Simon blinks, surprised, but grabs the rest of his things and rushing out. Kaylee to mad to even yell right now, yanking on her clothes, climbing out of her room and heading for the ships engine. Bumping into Inara on her way out, surprised enough for her anger to ebb.

“’nara? What are you-?”

“Kaylee, can we talk?”

“Sure…’bout what? Not pigu headed doctors who are totally insensitive I hope.”

Inara blinks, but shakes her head.

“No…we need to talk about River.”

Something in the mechanics heart tightens, fear making it race. Straightening her back quickly, looking into Inara’s dark eyes.

“Why?? Did you find her? Was she hurt? Is she okay? Where is she??”

The companion blinks again at the rush of questions, chuckling softly to herself as she leads the young flustered woman into the engine room, halting her from running off to search for the young witch asleep in her shuttle.

“Calm, Kaylee…She’s okay, she’s asleep in my shuttle, safe and sound. Her injuries are no worse then before, but she’s very…confused and upset right now.”

Kaylee relaxes, and then frowns, sitting on her hammock as they get to it.

“Upset…? Over what I said?”

“I think so, also, she saw…you and...Simon when you were….’together’…”

“Together…? Oh...OH! Wode Mi…”

Kaylee blushes scarlet, looking more ashamed then embarrassed. Like a guilty child caught doing something wrong.

“Gorramit…I better go, I dunno…explain or something. I mean…”

“And why should you explain doing something normal for people in love do?”

“I don’t love Simon...I can’t. He’s so…clinic like. He’s in love with his work. I thought I loved him.”

Inara nods faintly, she understood what the flustered girl spoke about. Kaylee leans back, groaning as she rubs her face.

“…I’m not sure now if I ever really loved him. I mean, maybe at some point but then…something changed…When River spoke to me when Early was here. Telling me to be strong, she’d fix it…I can’t believe we ever thought her bad ‘nara. She’s strange but…She’s so…So…she could never be bad. She can kill, like Jayne, but she’s been forced to do so, now, I don’t think she’d kill if she could help it.”

The companion smiles at the mechanics struggle to find words to describe their young friend.

“Its hard to find the right word, River is certainly one in a million. I suppose this mission is to make sure she stays that way. I don’t want what was done to River done to anyone. I don’t even wish it upon the people responsible…I couldn’t be that cruel…”

Kaylee grumbles, but somewhere deep down she disagrees. The ones that did this weren’t people at all. They were monsters.

“I think you should go talk to River, Kaylee. I believe you two have a lot of things you need to get out in the open. Why don’t you go now? Mal won’t be upset if your not here, things are going smoothly so far. I’ll give him a talking to if he whines.”

Inara smiles at the girl, who nods. Kaylee smiling slightly.

“Yeah. I think I will. She’s in your shuttle yeah?”

Inara nods, letting the girl get up. Kaylee smiles at her again, giving her a quick hug.

“Thanks ‘nara, talking to you helps me calm down.”

“No thanks needed mei-mei. Now, go wake River. Just don’t upset her or we’ll never get her out of whatever hiding spot she’s gotten into next.”

Kaylee giggles, shaking her head.

“Sometimes I think she knows this ship better then Captain. I wonder where she goes all the time.”

“Who knows, I doubt we’ll ever know for sure. Unless she tells you for whatever reason. But I find that very unlikely. She loves her secrets. And hiding. And she’s lovely at both.”

“Remember that time she hid in Wash and Zoë’s room? Up under their bed?”

Kaylee giggles as Inara chuckles, nodding.

“I’m amazed we ever got her to come out of her next hiding spot after that. Poor girl. I’ve never seen Zoë look so horrified. We didn’t see her for almost a full week. It took River almost a month to go to that side of the ship again. And she still makes a wide pass when she goes by their room.”

The sunny blonde giggles again as she thinks back to the look on Rivers face as she came tearing into her room, hiding in her bed. Scaring the diyu out of the mechanic. The two girls had spent the entire week together, Kaylee bringing her food and drink when the others went looking, talking late into the night. Kaylee quiets slightly as she thinks of that night.

“She didn’t have nightmares then…”

She touches her chest lightly, remembering one night in particular. Forgetting Inara was there.

-Flash back-

“River! S-stop!”

Kaylee squeals as River pins the older girl to her bed, tickling her without mercy. River grinning widely.

“Say it!”

“Okay! O-Okay! S-Simon is a boob!”

River smiles in triumph, halting her hands. Kaylee laying on her bed, flushed and breathing hard. River moving suddenly so she’s sitting with her, making Kaylee squeak a bit in surprise when she lays down beside her, resting her head on the mechanics chest. Dark brown curls spilling over her shirt front, onto the blankets.

“River…what are you doin’?”

“You’re overheated; I’m checking your body’s vitals for any need to worry.”

Kaylee blushes, feeling Rivers ear pressed to her chest, knowing she was listening to her heart and her breathing. She not sure why that thought sent an odd tingle coursing through her. River shifting a bit, seeming to pause for a moment.

“Your heart is going to fast, exactly 150 beats every minute. 37.5 beats every 15 seconds.”

She lifts her head a bit, studying Kaylee’s face in slight concern, tilting her head a bit.

“You need to calm down. Should I go get Simon?”

Kaylee blinks when River starts to move, stopping her from getting up.

“N-no, I’m fine. Really…”

River watches her, and then slowly nods after a moment, laying her head back down. Head returning to its spot on the blondes’ chest. Kaylee fights to stay calm, why should this make her uncomfortable? It was a perfectly normal thing to do if River was concerned about her well being.

“…Your hearts going faster, something is bothering you. Are you in pain?”

“Yes…I mean, no! No pain, at least…not like you mean.”

River moves again, not lifting her head from Kaylees breast, but does look up at the older girl.

“What other kind of pain is there…? If it’s not something a doctor can fix then…?”

“It’s…hard to explain River. Its not ‘real’ pain. It doesn’t even hurt, I’m just thinking about something confusing me is all.”

“What?”

River gets a wicked glint in her eyes suddenly when Kaylee doesn‘t answer, lips curling into a small smirk slowly. The young mechanic raising a brow, starting to shift.

“River…what’s that look for?”

River smirks wider, moving suddenly and tickling the mechanic a-new. Kaylee shrieking in surprise and laughter. River grinning as she continues her ‘attack’.

“Tell me!”

“R-River…!!”

“Tell, and I’ll be good!”

“O-okay! I’ll tell!”

River smiles smugly in victory, flopping back down onto Kaylee, Head on her chest again. Sighing happily. “Thank you Kaylee…but I don’t want to know right now.”

“Then why…?”

“She wanted to know one day, you’ll tell her. When It’s really, really important. When she’s…I’m…Less moonbrain, and more girl. When Simon finds medicine that stays…When I’m a River again.”

Kaylee looks down at the young teen quietly shifting a bit, hand slowly stroking the soft, dark curls. River curling up close, ear pressed to Kaylee’s heart, listening to its steady thuds as it finally slows down to a more normal pace. It almost hypnotic, lulling her to sleep. Kaylee stays awake for a couple hours more, watching her quietly. Stroking the girls’ hair from her forehead gently, fingers tracking over her soft skin, along the curve of her cheek.

“…What are you doing to me…?”

-End of Flashback-

“-Listening to me Kaylee?”

Kaylee blinks, snapping out of her thoughts quickly.

“What? Sorry, I…my mind wandered for a moment.”

“I was just asking if you were okay. You seemed lost to me for a second.”

Inara raises a brow slightly, watching the blush creep up the young girls’ cheeks, smiling a bit.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m fine. Umm…I’m gonna go ahead and go check on river. She’s in your bunk right?”

She moves, slipping out of the engine room quickly, leaving Inara chuckling behind her and shaking her head lightly. She sighs, her face growing more serious, moving to go find Simon, and have a few words with the young doctor.

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River is still sleeping as Kaylee arrives. Curled up on the large, soft, deep red satin sheets that covered the Companions bed. Arm tucked up under her head, dark tresses spilling out over the red of the sheets, making a striking contrast. Kaylee pauses for a moment, watching her before quietly sitting down on the edge of the bed. Reaching over, she strokes a loose tendril back away from her face, the sleeping girl shifting a tad but not waking up.

“Shhh…its okay sweetie…”

Kaylee murmurs softly, smoothing her hair back gently, watching the girls’ features calming again. The older girl smiles softly, fingers gently tracking the curve of her cheek as she had that day in the past, River tilting her cheek into her hand, still sleeping, sighing softly. The mechanic bites her lip faintly, glancing around as if making sure they were alone, then leaning down, moving to kiss her cheek. Freezing when Rivers head turns again, their lips catching. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t move, her eyes widening, startled anew, when she feels Rivers lips move against hers, kissing her! She moves to pull back, nearly squeaking in surprise when she feels River stop her with a hand on the back of her neck. She just barely managing to pull back enough to speak.

“R-River...????”

“You’re not very quiet. I woke up when you came in.”

Rivers eyes open, looking up at the startled woman, biting her bottom lip softly, looking away slightly.

“I shouldn’t have done that, but…”

“No, no. It’s okay.”

Kaylee blushes, shifting, sitting up again. River releasing her this time. She rubs the back of her neck faintly, still able to feel the warmth and pressure of Rivers fingers lingering. Not really wanting the feeling to leave.

“You just, surprised me.”

“So, if…I don’t surprise you…than…I can kiss you?”

“Yes. I mean, no! You can’t just go kissing anyone River. It has to mean something. A kiss is special.”

River studies her from where she lays, then sits up. Getting almost uncomfortably close.

“…I don’t want to kiss just anyone. She wants to kiss you. You’re her someone special. Even if it can’t be explained and it breaks the rules.”

Kaylee’s eyes widen, but she doesn’t move, doesn’t speak.

“Now, I’m going to kiss you Kaylee. No surprises anymore…”

River leans over, breath mingling with Kaylees for the briefest of moments before she presses their lips together. Her hands rising, burying her fingers in that thick golden hair. Smiling against the other girls’ lips as she feels her sigh into her mouth. Kaylee’s eyes flutter closed as River kisses her, amazed at the electric shock that runs down her spine, making her shiver. One of her own hands coming up and resting on the back of Rivers neck. A flush spreading across her skin, feeling the kiss down to the pit of her stomach and making her toes curl. Simon had never kissed her like this! Shoot, no one had EVER kissed her like this before.

“Ai ya bao bei…”

She finally speaks breathlessly as the kiss is broken slowly, panting softly . River bites her lip faintly.

“See…? No surprises.”

She looks up at Kaylee faintly, smiling a bit. Kaylee blinks, then grins slightly.

“No surprises.”

She smiles, leaning forward, kissing River again. Feeling the psychic smile against her lips before returning it happily. Though the innocent kiss soon changed into an almost hungry passion, and the mechanic didn’t try to stop River as she shifts, pinning the older girl down onto the now rumpled covers. River moving so she’s almost on top of her now, straddling Kaylee’s waist, hands holding Kaylee’s wrists above her head. Breaking the kiss for a moment to get her air back, panting, hair falling to frame her face, cheeks flushed. Lips swollen faintly from the kisses. Kaylee swallowing hard, just as flushed and breathless.

“Wu de tyen ah River…don’t stop now!”

River puts a finger to her lips gently with a small, almost sad smile.

“No. Still Brother Doctors…not right. Make it right first.”

Kaylee tires to protest, but she’s silenced with another fiery kiss that leaves her breathless and aching for more. River shakes her head.

“Tell Simon. Then, you’re MINE.”

Kaylee manages to nod mutely this time. Fighting a whimper when River gets off her. Those dark eyes burning into her, she didn’t want to stop either, but she’d come to understand people a bit better lately. Heartache made a person mature rather quickly after all. She reaches over, stroking Kaylee’s cheek a moment.

“…You make me whole…somehow…I…can be calm, around her…She-I, can stay more girl, then moonbrain.”

She lowers her head faintly.

“…I need you…love you…Kaylee.”

Kaylee’s breath catches in her throat at that. Oh screw Simon, she thinks to herself, moving forward again, kissing river firmly, pulling the girl to her. The young witch moaning in pleasure and slight surprise. The moan allowing Kaylee access to her mouth, she sliding her tongue into the kiss, tangling with River for dominance, winning in the end. The younger girl almost sighing into the kiss, eyes closing. The mechanic shifting, pinning river against the headboard, pressing close. Her hand moves, sliding under Rivers top, making her shudder when she feels Kaylee’s fingers on her skin. The path the older girls fingers take feeling like her skins on fire, breathing picking up as the ships mechanic slowly works her way up, inching her top up bit by bit. Kaylee shifting, breaking the kiss, though they don’t remain gone for long. Lips moving to Rivers throat, making the girl bite her lip and tilt her head back to expose more of the soft flesh for her, all thoughts of waiting gone from her mind.

“-Just in here. She went to check on River for me, really, she’s fine SIMON.”

Kaylee’s head jerks up as she hears Inara’s voice coming closer, paling when she hears Simons name. River blinking, but picks up on the urgency, scrambling away from the other girl, fixing her clothes quickly, brushing her hair down around her neck to hide the marks left. Curling up on the bed again quickly, and for all appearances, seeming to go right back to sleep. Kaylee jumping up when Simon and Inara enter the shuttle, smiling brightly.

“Hi!”

Simon nods to her slightly, though seems set on ignoring her otherwise.

“I’m just here for my sister.”

“She’s fine.”

“Yes well, I’d still like to run some tests to be sure. And she’s overdue for her checkup.”

Kaylee starts to bristle again, but Inara shakes her head faintly. Now was not a time to fight.

“…fine, I’ll wake her up.”

She moves, ignoring Simon now, leaning over River. Touching her shoulder lightly, River fighting the urge to shiver as she feels her hand, shifting a bit. Acting as one slowly waking up. Stretching faintly, rubbing her sleep bleary eyes. Simon moving past Kaylee, getting his sister up.

“We’ll be in the infirmary.”

He states, leading the girl out. River shooting a glance back at Kaylee, biting her lip slightly. Inara watches the wash of emotions over Kaylee’s face silently. Going to her once Simon and River were gone. Placing a hand on her shoulder.

“You both confessed to each other…”

Kaylee bites her lip, but nods faintly.

“In a way…Simon senses something, I know it.”

The Companion sighs softly, but doesn’t argue. She was trained in reading people after all. She knew Simon knew something. She just wasn’t sure what. She moves her hand from the mechanics shoulder, touching her cheek softly. Making her look up into her eyes.

“Don’t be saddened. Now you know your feelings, and are open to them. You don’t have to deny your heart, and you know River feels just as strongly…”

The younger woman slowly nods, a small smile appearing on her face, it soon growing into a full blown ‘Kaylee grin’.

“She loves me ‘Nara! I know it! I ain’t ever felt something this strong before. It’s…its amazing! When we kissed, it was like…Like my whole body got the shivers. But the good kind, like when I worked on Serenity’s engine the first time, only better.”

Inara smiles at the girls face, lowing how lit up it appeared to be fore the first time in ages. She leans over, kissing Kaylee’s cheek gently.

“There’s the girl I know and love. Now, sit down and tell me about everything. I want details!”

The younger woman giggles but sits back down on the bed with Inara, telling her everything.

-----------------------------

Meanwhile, Simon pulls River down into the infirmary.

“Sit on the table, I got a drug I want to try. It should help your memory and get your spurts of emotion under control.

“Memories fine. Remember the important things, or I’ll replace them. The mind comes and goes as it wishes, no control. I know my emotions. All are right, just…I seem to react more strongly then you all. All bottled up, ready to pop. I’m always in the act of popping, so I can’t bottle it.”

Simon shakes his head at his sisters ‘rambling’.

“You don’t know what your talking about. You don’t know better.”

“You told me I’m a genius, smarter then you. So how come now you treat me like I’m in your IQ range?”

River glares at her brother, clear anger in her eyes. Simon blinks, gritting his teeth. River wincing as he pushes the needle in a bit roughly, blinking when she feels the medicine hit her. Looking over at Simon, head already starting to feel heavy.

“You don’t know what your talking about River, you need rest. This will help…”

He catches her as she passes out, picking her up and carrying her to her room. Tucking her in.

“I have big hopes little sister…Big hopes…”

He strokes her hair back gently, finally moving and leaving the room quietly.

Wu de tyen ah-Dear god in heaven

Ai ya- Damn