Just follow the sobbing. That was a philosiphy that he had learned, early on, meant that someone (usually, him), was in some deep go-se. But, luckily, he could see a slim ray of hope to end her pain. He found Kaylee in the corridor, not far from where he had left that Aryan hussy. Her body was racked by sobs, and it hurt to see her sad. In pain, all because of him. No, not him. Cassandra. He thought images of her in some rather painful, and compromising, posistions (in front of Jayne), hoping his psychic sister would catch them. And hurt that bitch for hurting his beloved. He reached out a hand for her, and touched her shoulder. "Kaylee, xin gan, I-" She moved forward slowly. "Why don't you and your 'true love' go back to kissing?" She said bitterly. *** She watched as Simon left. Ah, well, there were other fish in the sea. So what if this particular rich doctor had gotten away? There were other men with taste for her...attributes. "Simon's not rich." From out of the shadows, out stepped River. She stepped toward Cassandra. "Hes not rich," she repeated. "He lost it all when he saved me. But, he's still my brother. And he loves Kaylee, with all his heart. So, I'll thank you, not to hurt them anymore!" Rivers hand snaked out, and brushed Cassandra's neck. Her entire left side went numb. Pressure points. Cassandra shuddered when the hand lifted. River smiled. "Oooh...Simon doesn't like what you did. This is from him. And for Kaylee." The psychic advanced on the life-wrecker. Cassandra was too afraid even to scream. Pressure points. *** NO!!! He would not let this end like this. Not let them end like this!!! He thrust out his hand, grabbed her shoulder. He pulled her back, pulled her into his strong arms. Closer still. He kissed her, before she could do a damn thing. Kissed like...like that first time, on the floor of the engine room, with River overhead, giving her silent consent. But this time, the times were unhappier, and River was dealing silent justice to Casandra. Bitch. "Kaylee, let me explain." They had broken apart only after the need for air had thrust them apart. "Why should I? Simon, you kissed her! Who can you explain that?" Her voice was accusing. He winced, and silenty prayed to Books god, Inara's Buddah, and the all powerful Zues to let him not put his foot in his mouth. Again!!! "Kaylee, I didn't kiss her. She kissed me!!!" "Oh, please! That is kinda hard to do, get kissed when you don't wanna!" He could hear the tears in her voice. Damn!!! Why did he have to be the reason? "Kaylee, bao-bei, I do not love Cassandra. I love you. And, even if you weren't the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, I'd still love you. And, y'know why?" She sniffed. "Why?" He smiled, that swai smile that had captured her heart, mind, and soul. "Because, you are the nicest, kindest, and most loving person I have ever had the pleasure to know. And you have had my heart firmly in your grasp since the first week I have come on board Serenity." A tear broke away from her eye, and rolled down her cheek. He leaned in, and kissed it away. She smiled. "Awww, you finally said somethin' all poetical like. 'Knew you'd come 'round." She sniffed again, but wasn't sad no more. Thank God above. And, since he didn't know which one of 'em had helped him, he thanked all three whom he had prayed to. She laid her head on his chest. Covered by his shirt, the only way to know he had ever been through anything other than rough loving was the scar on his right hand. And his eyes. Eyes, the window to your soul. And his soul was as scarred as his body. He kissed the top of her head. "Kaylee, xin-gan, I love you." An idea struck her, and she smiled. "Prove it." He looked at her suspiciously. "How...?" "Take me. Right here, right now. In this very hall. Right in front of your room. Not in it. Here. Show me that you don't care what anyone else thinks about us." He gaped at her. "Uh...Kaylee...you...I...uh..." She pouted at him. He shrugged. "Oh, well. Haven't had sex in a month anyhow." Indeed, before he had been Reaverfied, he hadn't been celibate for more than a few hours. He took her in his arms, and lowered her to the floor. They took off eachothers clothes, quickly, just like their first time. Hell, first day. She ran her fingers through his hair, mussing it, as he kissed her on her neck, on that spot that drove her crazy. The spot that had started all this go-se. He had meant to tell her all that he had kept hidden, about what had happened to him on Ariel. But, she had taken his apology as sincere. And, if she wanted sex as a part of it, who was he to refuse? She set the pace, not too fast and not too slow. Just right. He moaned into her neck as he felt her inner walls clench around him. She mewled out as he bit her. Just like... With a cry, he wrenched out of her. No, not again! She looked confusedly at him, and at the lok of horror and panic on his face. She felt her neck with her finger. It came away bloody. With a strangled cry, Simon opened the door and flung himself down the ladder of his room. *** River looked at her charge. Cassandra lay huddled by the door, sobbing brokenly. Weren't a mark on her. So she couldn't complain. Hell, even if there was, she couldn't do a damn thing. Not after what she had done to Simon and Kaylee. "Now, I believe that we have come to an understanding," said River. Cassandra wimpered in reply, to much in pain and fear to speak. *** Kaylee threw down the clothes first, before sliding down the ladder after Simon. She found him huddled in the farthest corner of the room, trying to dissapear into th ecold metal walls. He was sweating, partly from their cut-short intercourse, and partly from the cold sweat that he had broken into. She leaned against the wall and slid down next to him. She sighed, the metal was cold against her bare back. "Simon, whats wrong? You ain't never been scared of a little blood. Whats goin' on?" "I don't want to hurt you. Love you too much to risk it." She frowned at him. "Whadaya mean?" "My dream. And...the blood...Oh, GOD!!!" Hot tears spilled down his cheek, and he hung his head. Kaylee, moved in front of him, and put his head onto her left shoulder, the one he hadn't bit. "Shh, shh. S'alright, Simon. I'm here for ya. Tell me...what happened. Please? I want to help you, but I don't understand whats wrong. Please, tell me what I can do. Tell me what happened." He sobbed into her shoulder for a few minutes more, bare cheek on naked shoulder. Then, he said, "when all this started, it was when we were making love. And...I bit you. And, Kaylee, thats when it all started. I tasted your blood. And I liked it!!! And thats what started all this, all this shit we been in." He broke into a fresh flood of tears. Kaylee pulled him closer. She could see how this could break any other man. But he wasn't. He was here, he was afraid, and he was crying on her shoulder. He was vulnerable, and she loved him all the more for it. But he wasn't finished. "And, and, I had a-a dream. About you. I...I killed you, with a knife. I...I had it almost a week after I first bit you. And...a-and I've had it twice more since we've left Ariel. Oh, Kaylee, I'm afraid!!! Afraid that I'll go back to how I was. i c-c-could hurt you again!!! And, I don't want to do th-th-that!!! Thats why I've been avoiding you. I...I don't know whats happening to me. And...I'm afraid. Afraid that I'll do something that I can't control. And I couldn't live with myself if I did that!!!" He sobbed again, and more tears broke away. She hugged him even closer, letting him cry all he had to cry. "Simon, listen to me. Listen! I...you...what you did on Ariel, that wasn't you. It was the pax, and the Alliance, and the operatives...but not you!!! And you're afraid for me, and that shows that you are not what you're afraid you are. And nothin' can change who you are now. You are Simon, and I love you for that. For all you are. Simon, on Ariel, when you saw me, you ran away. That showed me that you were still in there, still alive. And, not a Reaver, despite what you done." She kissed him on his wet cheek. A thought struck her. "Simon...how was it?" He stopped crying. "How was what?" "Y'know...being almost a Reaver. I...I need to know. To help ya. Its the last part to all this, your fears. Please, Simon...I can't help if you don't let me in." He took a deep breath. He had confided to her all his biggest fears...did he dare tell her this one? Yes. "It was cold. So cold. And, the only thing that is warm...is blood. Thats why they do what they do. The attacks...and the radiation. Its a glimmer of what they want. Its only a hollow imitation...but it keeps away the cold. For a little while, at least." Kaylee gulped. "Wow...I...I din't think thats why they did it. I thought...that it was just for pleasure, all the blood and killin'. Simon...I...I didn't know." "And your lucky that you don't. And, if I can help it, no one else will." He stood up. She followed. But, instead of going for the clothes, he pulled her close. His eyes were red, and her shoulder was wet. But that didn't matter. And, from their shared grief...sprang forth life. Simons name was ripped from Kaylees *** thanks to all ya'll who've played along with me. I think that this story will have two more chapters (But, then, I've never been good at keeping quotas...) STAY SHINY!!!!!