River wandered around the cargo bay, looking for something, but she didn’t know what it was. She wanted to find it, but didn’t know what to look for. Hell, she didn’t know what she was looking for in the first place. She just knew that she had to find it. It was a month since Tommy had gotten her pregnant, and he still didn’t know. Not for lack of trying on her part, mind, but she couldn’t find a good place to tell him. Firefly’s are notoriously bad places to get someone alone in. In fact, Simon didn’t actually know that she and Tommy had taken the next step, beyond innocent kissing. Of course, he had his suspicions… but, Kaylee kept him distracted well enough. Her feet brought her down, right into the exact middle of the cargo bay. She knew that she had found it… but what it was still eluded her. But she had found it… that was good… wasn’t it? Still, the silent urge to find this place was gone… who had it been? She felt Tommy enter the room, trying to sneak up on her. He already knew that he’d never do that, what-with her being psychic and all, but he tried nonetheless. She turned to face him as he got to within three feet of her. He hugged her close, and she laughed when she felt his skin against hers. He nibbled her ears, one after the other, finally whispering in her ear, “so… what was that you wanted to tell me?” She kissed him first, before answering. “Well… I am-“ NO!!!! NO ROOM, TOO CLOSE!!!!!! GET ME OUT, OUT, OUT!!!! IT’S TOO SMALL, GET ME OUT!!!! DELIVER ME FROM THIS PRISON!!!!! WHY AM I SENTENCED TO THIS HELL?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!? The voice screamed through her head, alighting all her neural pathways in fire. “GET ME OUT OF THIS ETERNAL DARK!!!!!!!!” River fell to her knees, clutching the sides of her head, trying to stop the pain that coursed through her head, wiping away all traces of sanity. She screamed until her throat was raw and red, and when no more sound could escape, she continued to scream in her mind, retreating into its dark recesses for some vestiges of comfort and safety. None was forthcoming. *** Simon heard the screams of his sister, and fear coursed through his veins, and all the possible tortures that could be heaped upon her ran through his head, each one more terrifyingly real than the last. Even as he ran, Simon felt the all too familiar touch of ice that could so easily drown his sanity in rage. He silently begged his feet to run faster as his sisters screams resonated around his home. *** Tommy looked at River, as he held her down, trying to stop her from hurting herself. The thought that she could hurt him hadn’t gotten through to his mind until she gave him a scorpion kick right to his cheek. Luckily, his head had been turned slightly, so that he hadn’t been hit on the nose. Lor’ knows, that could a killed him quite neatly, with bone shards to his brain. He heard Simon as he stormed in, looking really scared. That didn’t bode at all well for him, as Tommy knew what Simon could do when he got angry. River had told him about… Ariel. And he was right to be scared. River hadn’t been this crazy since before Tommy had come aboard. Simon took in all of this little situation in less than a second. Then, he yelled at Tommy, “GRAB HER SHOULDERS, I’LL GET HER LEGS!!!” Tommy stared at him for a second, then obliged when the command got into his numbed mind. He grabbed River by the shoulders, and headed toward the infirmary, knowing that that was where Simon needed to get her to. Mal, Inara, Kaylee, Zoë, and Jayne got there just as the duo left, River still yelling and thrashing about. *** River snored peacefully now, as the smoother coursed through her veins. Tommy gazed down at her lovingly, wondering how she was going to be after this. He was oh so rudely snapped out of his train of thought when Simon slammed him against the wall, cold fire dancing in his eyes. His voice was low, but Tommy had no trouble hearing him. “What did you do to her?” “I ain’t done nothin’ to her!” Simon pulled his arm back. “Liar.” Tommy closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to fall. *** Simon looked at Tommy. Little rutter. He clenched his arm, so wanting to pop him right square in the face. He felt someone pull his arm back. It was Kaylee. Her eyes were shining. Simon looked at his wife. “Simon… he ain’t done nothin’ ta River. Please, don’t do it. Don’t go where I can’t follow.” There was a pleading note to her voice. Simon’s shoulders slumped. He shivered, and then felt the cold drop off him. He mustn’t let himself get too angry. Then… Simon shivered again, but not because of any coldness. He let his hand slip off of Tommy’s throat, which he had been clenching. He would have never done something like that before… well, best not dwell on those thoughts. River groaned, showing Simon that it was time to find a stronger sedative. She gave him a look of… pity?... before leaning over the side of the chair and throwing up onto the floor. Simon rushed over to her, as did Tommy. The rest stayed outside the room, not wanting to get in the way of the good doctor. Simon felt her forehead with his hand, and Tommy held her hand. River looked up at Simon weakly, her head still spinning from her ordeal. He was prepping the needle, ready to plunge it into her skin. “No… don’t…” Simon leaned into her, smiling sadly. “Mei-mei, I need to get a blood sample to figure out what’s wrong with you.” River looked at him for a moment before answering. “No… no need to… I’m… pregnant. All this comes from him who is in me. A little Tommy…” Her head lolled to one side as she feinted, falling head over heels into the void that is sleep. This time, no one stopped Simon from sending a punch that sent Tommy careening back into the counter. And, no one really wanted to.