A/N: This is me disclaiming and saying that all these characters and the ship and the 'verse belong to Joss the Boss. Not mine.

A/N: Length isn't everything...but I hope to post a pretty decent one in a few days.

Also I can kill you with my brain if you read this and don't comment.

Chapter 5

As the entourage rushed back up the ramp wheels were set into motion. Simon instantly morphed into doctor mode assessing Kaylee’s condition. Mal hovered in the infirmary, while Zoe stood completely still gripping Wash’s hand which rested on her shoulder just outside. River sat curled up on the stairs beside Jayne who stood leaning against the railings. Inara stayed as close to Kaylee as she could without getting in the doctor’s way. “She gonna be alright?” The amount of emotion in Jayne’s voice as he appeared in the doorway caused Mal to do a double take. “I’m not certain. The trauma to her head and the blood loss alone are severe.” Simon opened his mouth to say something else, but then seemed to think better of it. He bent over her and tried to focus on each task at hand. “Jayne.” Mal called to him and Jayne walked over to him, leaning close. “Go fetch the shepherd. And be quick about it. I want off this rock.” Jayne nodded and moved from the doorway. One single tear rolled down Inara‘s face and Mal moved slightly behind and beside her, placing his hand on the small of her back. Simon continued to work unaware of anything except his patient and his hands.

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Jayne entered the tiny musky back room of the bar and quickly took in his surroundings. Shepherd Book knelt leaning closely over Thayer whose body was now prostrate on the ground. He made a face, both confounded and questioning at the same time. “Well now preacher, I always figured you for women folk.” After one of those ’feel the other person out’ kind of silences, Book stood and went to where Jayne was standing. “Kaylee?” Book possessed a way of just calming you with his voice, but right now Jayne wasn’t too taken with the idea o’ bein’ calm around this man. Jayne just nodded his head, “Hurt, though. Doc’s workin’ on her right now. Mal sent me to fetch you. You happen to get a why outta him, preacher?” Book shook his head and waited for it. “Then what in tarnation is he doin’ on the floor?” Jayne cocked his head expectantly. “Tried to escape.” Book spoke softly and Jayne knew something was up. “Hummh. That so?” “It is.” then after a moment, Book said a little too sharply for Jayne’s liking, “I think we might outta get back to Serenity and off this moon. Now.”

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Simon walked out of the infirmary drying his hands on a pristine white hand towel. All the occupants of the room stood and look at him expectantly. “The trauma to her head is quite serious. She’s unstable and we’re going to have to keep a constant watch over her. She’ll need her vitals to be checked every fifteen minutes among other things. The ICP caused by the cerebral edema is going-” Jayne cut him off with, “The IC-what?” Simon took a breath and started over. “Intracranial Pressure. The trauma to her brain has caused brain swelling, which in turn has caused excessive pressure to build up where it shouldn‘t.” he took a deep breath which turned into a sigh. Mal questioned, “Can you control the swelling? Make it go down?” “It’s hard to say. I can administer drugs to keep it from swelling further, but…but if it doesn’t go down on it’s own…” his voice trailed off. Inara took a step forward. “What happens if it doesn’t go down?” Simon hesitated and then said very quietly, “She’ll die.” Everyone in the room went speechless and the silence hung heavily in the air.

*********

“Preacher, I believe you got a tale that needs accountn’.” Mal’s brows rose and he crossed his arms across his chest. Mal and Book stood just inside the cargo bay doors, set apart from the others who were hovering over the infirmary. “Not altogether sure what you mean, Captain.” “What I’m meaning, Shepherd is that Jayne tells me that he found Thayer getting’ awful acquainted with the floor when he went to git you. I’d love a little narrative ’bout that.” Shepherd Book licked his lips and swallowed before looking directly into Mal’s eyes. “I think we might outta want to wait a spell ’fore we start dissecting this particular situation.” Book made sure that his voice was laced with intonations of ‘trust me’. Mal cocked his head to side as he asked, “Why would that be?” “Because they weren’t after Kaylee.” “Shah muh?” Mal’s arms fell down of their own accord. “I think it best for now, if we concentrate on Kaylee and getting her better.” Mal opened his mouth to speak, but Simon poked his torso through the doorway. “Captain.” Mal nodded to Simon and turned back to Book. “We ain’t finished.”

Simon looked up at Mal from Kaylee’s side as he entered the infirmary. Mal watched Simon expectantly. “Her condition is going to require around the clock observation.” “You said that before, Doc.” “Yes, but what I didn’t say was that if she wakes up-” “When. When she wakes up.” Mal said curtly. Simon swallowed “Yes, yes. Of course. When she wakes up we have no way of knowing how she’ll react to her situation. Victims of head trauma often are very disoriented and confused. Everyone will need to allow her to adjust slowly. Also, since we don’t know what she experienced before she lost consciousness,” Simon said that last bit more like a question. “she may be in an anxious and possibly even hysterical state. I’d like to be with her as much as possible.” Mal gave an affirmative nod and said, “Wouldn’t ‘spect you to do different.” Simon just looked at Mal, but Mal couldn’t read what was in his face. “There something’ you not telling’ me, doctor?” “I just…with a head wound, it’s difficult…I can’t do much, to-” Simon gave a helpless little sigh and then stood himself back up to full height, pushing his emotions back down. There was a moment of understanding and cohesion between the two men that left them both a little more comfortable with the other.

*********

Simon was looking over some of Kaylee’s test results, hoping to find something he could work with, when he heard her. “Simon.” Her voice was so weak it nearly broke his heart. He turned to her and all doctor thoughts went out the window. Even when examining his sister, Simon knew that there was something to be said for emotional detachment, but his brain and heart were certainly not connected at the moment. “Kaylee? Kaylee can you hear me?” He bent over her, one hand stroking her forehead and hair while the other held her hand. Her eyes still closed she moved her head back and forth as if she were trying to force herself awake. “Simon…Simon…don’t leave…please” “I’m not going anywhere Kaylee. I’m right here.” At the sound of his voice, Kaylee struggled to open her eyes and saw a very blurry Simon, but it was nonetheless, Simon. She smiled very faintly and looked at him. “Hey, you.” “Hey, you too.” Simon’s smile was so broad Kaylee thought she was dreaming. “Missed you.” he said. Kaylee smiled a little bit more and started to close her eyes again. “No, no, Kaylee. Kaylee? You have to stay with me. Stay with me Kaylee. You can’t leave me.” Kaylee opened her eyes wider and looked at him with a little more coherency. “Aw, silly, I’m not leavin’ you. I love you.” Simon’s smile fell off of his face as he considered what she was saying. And then without hesitation he said, “I love you, too Kaylee.” She smiled broadly and then her whole frame went alarmingly rigid and her eyes rolled back into her head.

To be continued in part 6