Author's Note: I never bought Joss' explanation that the beginning of the BDM was really a flashback from when Simon busted River out before he came to Serenity. I thought for sure as I watched the movie, that she had been capture again and Simon and the crew had gone after her.

Therefore, River's rescue in this chapter incorporates the rescue in the beginning of the BDM. The dialogue and set-up are all taken from The Official Visual Companion, which contains the shooting script.

***

“River? Do you know where you are?”

River blinked rapidly to bring the scene into focus. She was on a planet, somewhere bright and strange, somewhere unfamiliar. She turned her head in both directions, trying to find something to anchor herself to. But there was nothing, no one, just vast openness with cities gleaming in the distance on all sides.

“No,” she answered quietly, her voice jagged and harsh to her ears. It hurt to form words. It hurt to think them.

“Are you sure?”

She again surveyed the landscape and concentrated hard. Was this a place she should know? Blinking again, she tried to clear the veil that covered her eyes and when she opened them for a second time she was in a room she would have known anywhere. It was her room, on Osiris, where she had been just days – was it really days? – before.

Trembling, she whispered, “Yes. Tam estate, Osiris.”

“Your home,” the disembodied voice elaborated.

Shaking her head violently, the motion only elicited a sharp wave of pain and a fresh batch of nausea. Feeling as though she would vomit, River clamped her mouth shut against the bile and swallowed the acid back down her already burning throat. “Not home,” she bit out through still clenched teeth.

“Where is home?”

She wouldn’t tell. They couldn’t make her. Oh, they had tried. The drugs they had given her, some of them anyway, were meant to make her weak, make her think all the thoughts they wanted to steal. They had opened her brain to get to one dirty secret and in the process they had embedded her mind with codes and algorithms meant to send conditioned responses to dormant muscles. One of these codes was meant to make her tell them everything. But she was stronger than that, she had to be … for Simon.

How they could see his face in her mind, she would never know. “Your brother isn’t safe, you know? We’ve managed to capture him. He’ll be killed.”

River shook her head, fighting back more nausea. They were lying, she knew that. Doctors could fool with her brain all they liked, but they had only succeeded in making her a stronger reader. She could tell a lie from the truth, even in their morally corrupt minds and she knew any assertion they made was false.

Just as she knew that they had no intention of killing her. Only of torturing her more. Well, it wasn’t torture – not to them; it was experimentation. These men did not view River as a human being and this made all the pain they caused, all the damage they did justifiable. River was a number, a commodity and therefore, her mind, her body, her life didn’t matter.

But she did matter, she mattered to Simon who was trying vainly to get to her. She could feel that as clearly as she could feel the duplicitous man in the room with her. While she and Simon had always been close it was her empathic abilities that had made them inseparable. No one had ever suspected, well, no one but the Academy, that she had that kind of power. Not even Simon, the boob. Some doctor, it hadn’t even been able to tell when his sister was reading his mind. So now, when she knew he was coming, when she knew he was doing everything in his power to rescue her, she could feel it. And that made any torture, any pain bearable. Because just like before, he would come for her. She had faith in him.

“River, we don’t want to do this, but your silence leaves us little choice.”

Everything went black again as River felt the cold knife on her scalp and the warm trickle of blood down her cheek. Simon, hurry.

***

“River!”

Simon awoke again from another nightmare concerning his sister. This was the third one in as many nights and Simon was beginning to think they were more than just nightmares. The dreams were so vivid, he suspected they were projected memories. That somehow, River was communicating with him. It was an idea that made his still healing skull ache.

Sitting up in bed, Simon checked his clock and realized he had at least three hours until the day cycle started. Knowing he would be unable to fall back to sleep, he considered what he could do in these wee hours of the morning. Deciding a walk to clear his head would be the best course of action, Simon put on a shirt and exited his bunk – almost tripping over a sleeping Kaylee in the process.

Looking down first in shock and then gratitude, Simon regarded the young woman’s slumbering form. She was beautiful, even asleep and Simon was reminded again of how foolish he had been over the past few months. He had done everything to ignore her advances, but she had still held in there, convinced he would eventually get it right and realize they belonged together. Simon didn’t know when his thought process had started to mirror hers, when exactly he had realized that maybe she was the one after all, but it was quickly becoming more apparent to him that Kaylee was someone he not only wanted in his life, she was someone he needed in his life. And that realization was simultaneously joyful and scary.

Kaylee had been loath to leave his side over the past few days, as he had continued to heal and they had fine tuned the rescue plan. However, after much urging and reassuring, Simon had convinced Kaylee that she needed a peaceful and full night’s sleep in her own bunk. Apparently, not as convincing as I thought, he ruminated.

Reaching down, he gently scooped her up into his arms and she fell easily against his chest, snuggling in. Simon smiled slightly at the familiarity of the gesture and then turned to bring her to his bunk. Laying her still sleeping form on his bed, he covered her with his blanket and then kissed her gently on the cheek. She stirred slightly at the touch, but didn’t awaken. Only reached out to grab his hand. Smiling again at the randomness of the ‘verse and the ridiculous guiding hand of fate, Simon shifted slightly to stay sitting beside her, any thoughts of a late night stroll through the cargo bay instantly forgotten eclipsed by her beautiful face.

***

“Mal, you can’t let him do this.”

The voice startled Mal from his sleep. He had dozed off on the bridge after hours of tossing and turning in his bunk. Rubbing his face to get the blood flowing, Mal craned his neck to take in his visitor. He had expected as much.

“’Nara, I ain’t lettin’ that boy do nothin’. We’ll be nearby the whole time. Doc needs us, all he’s gotta do is send up a flare.” Mal was really not in the mood to have this conversation, again. He had already had to reassure a very frightened and concerned Kaylee that Simon would be fine. He didn’t want to have to go through the same exercise with Inara.

Stepping fully onto the bridge, Inara stood just behind his chair, studying the night sky. The stars were barely visible through the smog and ambient light of Osiris, but they were there, if one knew where to look. Inara did.

“You know that if they want to kill Simon, no amount of closeness will get you their fast enough.” Inara’s tone held a note of warning and concern. It was a balance she often managed to strike when speaking with him.

“What I know is that Simon is the only one who can get in there and get his sister. What I also know is that if the Alliance wanted him dead, we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now, because the boy and his sister would already be six feet below.” Mal’s voice was harsher than he’d intended and he immediately regretted it. Looking behind him, he saw that Inara’s hand had flown to her mouth in an effort to stifle a cry. Mal saw tears welling up again in those beautiful eyes and he wished he could think of something that would take them away.

“There has to be another way,” she whispered, to no one in particular. “I can’t accept the fact that Simon will have to risk his life, again, to get his sister out of that horrible place.” Her gaze finally fell on Mal and she looked away quickly as more tears came.

“Inara, what’s really going on here,” Mal asked quietly, reaching to grab her hand and pull her to him. She came easily, for once not fighting his touch. “You’ve been on edge for a while now, even before this. What’s going on?”

“I guess, I just – I wanted these past few weeks to be full of laughter and joy. I wanted to –“ She broke off, unable to go on and Mal took her other hand in his, encouraging her to continue.

“Tell me, ‘Nara.” His voice was filled with concerned and it made her heart break.

“I wanted me last few weeks on board to be full of happy memories. Memories I could take with me.” The silence that settled on the bridge was palpable and Inara hated it.

“Your last few – what?” Mal was dumbfounded, uncertain of what he’d just heard, or thought he’d heard. He was pretty sure Inara had just told him she was leaving.

Of course she had mentioned it before, a few months ago, but after the Shepherd had left, the thought had apparently fallen by the wayside. Inara had stopped pestering him about suitable planets and timetables. From what Mal could tell she hadn’t been with a client in months. He had just assumed she’d decided to stay aboard, maybe was even re-evaluating where her life was going. He hadn’t known it was still her plan to leave them, to leave him.

“I’m sorry, Mal. Now is not the time to discuss something like this.” She said it brusquely, as if her tone could stop the conversation before it could get started. But Mal wasn’t about to let this go.

“I don’t understand. You haven’t mentioned going for quite a while. I thought –“

“You thought what,” she questioned, an angry edge in her voice. “You thought I’d just put my life on hold forever, waiting for you to—“ She broke off again and Mal wished on all the planets in the ‘verse she had finished that statement. If she could admit it, then so could he. But if she couldn’t or wouldn’t, then he didn’t have to either.

Raising her eyes to meet his gaze, she said, “I’ve been offered a position at a companion training house. They want me to teach some of the initiates. It will be good for me, very peaceful, serene.” She stopped again, swallowing a sob.

“As soon as Simon and River are back on board, I’ll be arranging for transport to the house.” She wanted to stay there, with his hands in hers and explain – explain why and how and when, all the things he was dying to know but could never bring himself to admit. All the things she was dying to tell, but could never force herself to voice. Instead, she bent down quickly, kissed him on the cheek and ran from the room.

Mal just sat there, elbows on his knees, staring into nothing and wondering when his entire ‘verse had been turned upside down.

***

It was another two days before they would be ready to move. Simon had overseen ever part of the operation, watching as the special lift was placed in Serenity’s belly, Kaylee never far from his side, making sure that no one hurt her baby. Simon’s parents were frequent fixtures on the ship now, directing people about as though their money were enough to excuse their behavior. As the days dragged on, Simon realized he was able to tolerate them less and less.

But he couldn’t begrudge them what their money had provided. He had managed to secure the proper idents, retinal scans and clothing he’d need to get in and hopefully, out, of the Academy undetected. Things were decidedly harder this time around. Now, while trying to plan his sister’s escape he had his own fugitive status to worry about. However, it was amazing what a little bit of cash could get someone and how much anonymity it could afford. That was something about his old life that Simon did truly miss.

He found himself, again studying his own makeshift script, running through the persona he would don the following day and trying hard to memorize the right phrases and keywords. His father had managed to smuggle him a few security vids of the Academy and while it hadn’t given him a glimpse of River, it had allowed him to closely observe the types of people who frequented the place. The images of people going on about their daily lives in the midst of such cruelty filled him with disgust. But he supposed it was a necessary evil he could accept if it would help him get his sister back.

Circling the cargo bay and reciting his lines, he didn’t notice when his parents entered the far end of the room, regarding him in their distant, yet loving way. He had almost done a full lap, before he caught them out of the corner of his eye. Stopping mid-sentence, Simon snapped his data screen shut and moved toward them. Whatever they wanted he might as well get it over with now.

Once he was standing in front of them, Simon had to admit they looked much more worn than only a few days before. He guessed the stress of the situation wasn’t good for either of them. Hell, it wasn’t good for anybody.

Breaking the silence, his father cleared his throat and asked, “Are you ready?”

Simon rolled his eyes at the complex simplicity of the question and said, “I doubt it. But I have to be. I have to get River away from that place, fast.”

This comment sobered them all and silence again fell between them. This awkwardness Simon had been preparing for since his father had found them just a few short weeks ago. And honestly, he’d been dreading it.

Before he could fully collect his thoughts, his mother stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Simon, we want to tell you how grateful we are,” she whispered, never dropping his gaze. “How grateful we are that you’ve allowed us to help. That you’ve forgiven us for what happened.”

That statement jarred Simon out of his comfort zone and brought everything he wanted to say rushing to the surface. Shrugging off her touch, Simon straightened his shoulders and said, “Do you honestly think that I can forgive you for what you did? Well, I guess it’s really for what you didn’t do.” He let his gaze shift between the two of them and saw the shock register on their faces. They had thought their son had forgiven them for everything and they had been sorely mistaken.

“I haven’t forgiven or forgotten for one second what your ignorance, your stupidity cost us. Cost River; it almost cost her her life.” Simon’s anger was quickly on the rise and he found he didn’t care. These feelings, this anger had been growing inside him for the better part of three years and if this was the last time he would see his parents, then he was going to release it, so he could start building a new life that didn’t revolve around rage.

“Simon, that’s no way to talk to your mother.” His father’s voice held an edge that had long ago become comical to him.

“No dad, you’re wrong. It’s the only way for me to talk to either of you.” Simon was shaking with the ferocity of his emotions. “So help me, if it’s the last thing I do, I will make you understand what you put River through, what you put me through. Your daughter is a shell of the girl you once knew. She doesn’t laugh anymore, she barely smiles, she never dances…” Simon trailed off as he found himself lost in thoughts of the past. Dance recitals and rehearsals, images of River floating through their living room, as light as a feather, giggling over some new choreography she had learned and begging Simon to lift her in the air like a prima ballerina. Just the thought of the happy-go-lucky girl she had once been saddened him to no end.

“Because you refused to believe me, to trust me, she had to stay in that horrible place where they did –“ Simon couldn’t finish the thought. He had dwelt on it for too long over the past year and he didn’t want to think about the damage the Alliance was causing again as River was subjected to more of their tests, to more of their enhancements.

“I am going to rescue my sister tomorrow,” Simon said, dropping his voice to a low growl and fixing his parents with a glare that made them tremble. “And then we are going to fly far away from this planet and start a new life. A new life without either of you. We don’t need you anymore and you’d be better off to forget us entirely.”

The words stung his mother deep down, because she knew they were true. The past few days had not been a step toward reconciliation for the Tam family, it had been a means to an end. Simon would not and could not forgive them for what had transpired all those years ago and Regan had to admit, she didn’t blame him.

“Simon, I…” His father tried to retaliate, to scold his son for his tone and his words. To make him feel guilty for making his own mother cry, but Gabriel knew he had no leg to stand on. Simon was right, to an extent; both he and Regan were responsible for what had happened and they were responsible for what was happening now. It had been Gabriel’s foolish pride that had started this latest chain of events and although Simon would not ever believe it, Gabriel would never forgive himself.

“Go.” Simon’s voice was cold and harsh and it dug into Regan’s heart like a knife. Glancing quickly to her husband, Gabriel took her elbow and directed her towards the door. Simon did not turn to watch them leave.

Standing in the doorway, the night air brushing past them, both Tams turned to look at their son, knowing with certainty it was the last time they would see him. Finding the strength to speak, Regan called to him. “We will always love you both. You will always be our children.” With a sob, she let Gabriel lead her off the ship and into the night.

Simon was frozen to the spot for what seemed an eternity. He let out a long, slow breath completely unaware he’d even been holding it in. He turned to look at the now closed door and realized that what he’d wanted for years had finally transpired; his parents were gone, out of his life and his sister’s life for good. He had thought it would bring him great relief, a sense of satisfaction that he had finally outgrown them. But instead, all he felt was an immense sadness that weighed heavily on his heart.

“Hey.”

Simon turned at the sound and saw Kaylee there, of course. She was never far from him lately, her concern for him as he healed, quickly turning to concern for him as he planned River’s rescue. Simon had never seen such fear in the young woman’s eyes – well, maybe a few months ago when Early had been on board, but not before and not since. Not until now, and Simon hated the fact that he was at least partially to blame.

“Hey,” Simon answered, his voice shakier than he expected. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“I could say the same thing to you, doc,” she chided, entering the hold and coming to stand in front of him. “You are still healing you know.”

Simon nodded but didn’t take her bait. She wanted him to make some comment so that the easy banter they exchanged could break the tension. And while the thought would normally fill Simon with glee, he didn’t have the energy or the strength to dance around someone else in his life. He had spent his entire childhood and most of his adult life pretending to think and feel things he didn’t. He had spent a long time, denying many of his emotions just to please others and he was tired of it; all of it.

“You ‘kay,” Kaylee asked, reaching out to squeeze his hand, bringing his gaze back to her.

“Yeah,” he sighed, dropping her hand as he distanced himself from the girl, trying vainly to make sense of what was happening. “I just … well, I just told my parents that I don’t need them anymore and to forget River and I ever existed.” Turning back to face her, a rueful grin was plastered across his fine features. “It hasn’t been the best night.”

“Probably not,” Kaylee agreed, crossing her arms over her chest. “But it needed to be done.”

It was not the response Simon had been expecting, not from her, and the sheer assuredness with which she said the words made him chuckle. She laughed back at his reaction and soon the two of them were laughing uncontrollably, tears streaming down both their cheeks at the entire situation. It was a much needed and welcome release and when Simon was finally able to take a deep breath a few minutes later, he felt incredibly light, like he could just float from the room.

Glancing over to Kaylee, he saw her wipe away the rest of the happy tears and gaze back at him with such joy and tenderness he almost forgot to breathe. Going back to her side, he took both her hands in his, and said, “Thank you. I really needed that.”

“I haven’t laughed that hard in a good long while,” she told him, meeting his gaze.

Reaching down, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips and then pulled her to him. “This has been a crazy couple of days, Kaylee,” he told her needlessly, holding her tightly. “But I’m so glad you’ve been here with me.”

“Me too, Simon,” she murmured, burying her face into his chest and holding him back. “Me too.”

***

As soon as Simon stepped into the Academy, he felt a chill. Maybe it was the bluish tint of the lighting or the cold, sterile walls. Or maybe it was the fact that he knew what was happening behind each closed door he past, but whatever the reason, the cold seeped into his bones and he had to will himself not to shudder.

When they brought him to the room that held his sister, he had to will himself again not to react. Only this time, it would have been far more violent than a shiver. As he asked the doctor a string of useless questions, he watched River intently, trying to pick up any clues that might help him later as he again worked to put the pieces of his sister back together. Some of the doctor’s answers could prove useful, and in order to listen Simon had to tear his eyes from his sister’s shaking form and focus on the man. The longer he looked at him, the more malicious his thoughts became.

It wasn’t until he had the perfect opportunity, had distracted the doctor enough that he could truly put the plan into motion. Dropping to one knee and jamming the rod he was holding to the ground, Simon waited as the pulse radiated through the room, knocking out everyone in its wake. Satisfied they were unconscious Simon approached his sister carefully, hoping that whatever drugs they had her on would not prevent her from moving. He needed River mobile in order for this to work.

“River. Wake up, please, it’s Simon.” He cautiously lifted a hand and removed the device they had jammed into her forehead, wiping away the trickle of blood it left behind. Swallowing angry tears, he said, “River. It’s your brother. Wake up …”

Distracted by a noise outside, Simon left her side to make sure they hadn’t been discovered already. Removing the outer jacket he’d been wearing, Simon immediately felt much more at ease in the orderly’s tunic they had procured. It reminded him of his days in the hospital.

Satisfied that they hadn’t yet been spotted, Simon turned to again try and rouse River, and almost walked right into her. “Simon,” she stated, no hint of surprise in her tone. “They know you’ve come.”

***

The term mad dash was an understatement. River and Simon were barely one step ahead of the hospital’s security as they rushed through corridors, barely dodging bullets and blue-handed men. It was such a relief for Simon to reach the lift shaft that he had to continuously remind himself that they were not out of the woods. Quelling the hopeful feeling, Simon decided he could feel grateful when they were safe aboard Serenity flying away from this ruttin’ planet at full burn.

As Simon watched River make it onto the waiting lift that had descended rapidly down into the shaft from above, he saw her unsteady movements, her normally graceful steps punctuated with hesitation and jerkiness. She was damaged again. Simon’s eyes and heart filled with an inconsolable sadness, but he buried it deep as he joined her on the platform and waited for Kaylee to pull them to safety. It didn’t matter how broken his sister was; she was back with him now and he could make her well. He had to. She was his mei mei and that was his job.