Kaylee looked in horror and fear, gaze shifting fitfully between the man she loved and this shadow of a man. This Reaver. It may have spoken as a man, but that is what it could never be. And she hated it for that. Kaylee didn’t hate many folks in the ‘verse. She thought everybody was shiny in their own way. Their were only two folk that she did hate. One was Cassandra, for trying to steal away her Simon. That cunt… And, the other was Federal Agent Jamus Smith. He was long dead, buried on Paquin. Along with Billy. He had stolen away her child, her first child. And for that, she cursed him to the fiery inferno that was the Seventh and last circle of Hell. So, all in all, about two folks she hated. And this thing. She couldn’t bring herself to think of it as a man. Yes, Simon had been one, but that was different. He was her soul mate!! She loved him, wanted to raise a child with him, spoil grandkids with him, wanted to grow old with him (with some mind blowing sex in between, of course). But he scared her. He had long ago learned how to control his rage, the Cold, as he called it. But it still scared her. She didn’t know if Simon would still be her Simon, the same Simon that she loved to death, after he dipped into his madness each time. He didn’t do so often, almost never… but once a day in a year was still too much, in her book. And, he hadn’t felt it for almost two years… until today. Damn, and it had to be on her home planet as well!!! Simon got closer to the beast in mans skin. This imposter. She heard a rustling behind her, and quickly turned around. There was River, dragging a dazed looking Tommy behind her. She had a wild look in her eyes, searching for… something. She got right next to Kaylee, setting Tommy up beside her, where he shook his head to clear it. Simon was almost standing on top of the thing, he was so close. The Reaver that sought redemption fell to its knees, a sinner repenting before the Christ. Simon looked down at it. Kaylee felt her throat tighten, and River’s eyes widened. Simon knelt before the Beast, the embodiment of the madness buried deep inside him. Just a short grasp of the knife and a lunge, and the Reaver could kill him. Kaylee couldn’t, daren’t yell to him. Simon gazed into its eyes, seeking some intangible quality there. He had dropped his knife back by Kaylee. “What is your name?” The Reaver made the rasping noise again, vocal cords running raw with the sudden use. “I… I don’t… know. It’s… lost…” Simon nodded gravely. “Give me your hand.” The thing before him obeyed, holding out its right hand, scarred and bruised and bloody. Simon picked up the knife before him, and pressed it to the Reaver’s callused skin. He gently pressed it and slid it languidly along the skin, drawing a thin line of blood on it’s hand. The beast bled the red blood of man. No Pax here. Simon smiled in relief. There was hope for this one yet. *** Simon gasped in delight, feeling himself swell with arousal. Kaylee rose before him, naked, a goddess from some forgotten time. And all goddesses should be worshipped. It was night at the Frye house, and all the days sad duties were done. All the considerable dead were buried, all the Reaver’s, townsfolk, and Frye’s. The Reaver’s were in a mass grave up north, while all the folk of this moon what fell to ‘em were buried in separate lil’ graves in the cemetery. The ship they had landed in had been scavenged for any valuable parts. The rest of it had been burned, a silent reminder of all the sorrow of this dark day. All were sweaty and tired. But Simon and Kaylee had seen too much grief. Right now, they needed happiness. And, only they could give it to each other right now. Goddess. Simon’s goddess. And he was prepared to worship her. Her full breasts shone in the pale moon light from the sheen of sweat on them. There was a fire in her eyes, showing a primal need for him. No slow, languid movements tonight. She needed to feel him inside her, now. The niceties of lovemaking could wait for the morrow. She only wanted him. And he was ready to give his all to her. She gasped as he entered her, driving his hard length deep inside her, filling her, completing her. She grasped him tightly in her arms, not wanting to let go. Here grasp weakened as she came to a stunningly good climax, but only just. She was used to it by now, and it was her fourth tonight. She just held him, rocking back and forth, burying her face in his neck. He pulled back, using a gentle touch to point her face forward. He put a kiss on her lips with a practiced ease that only came with the hundreds… thousands of times that they had made love. Almost a full minute later, when they parted, she shivered a little. Simon pulled her close. “Shh, shh. What is it, xin gan?” Kaylee looked up at him, into his eyes. She smiled at him. “Nothin’ Simon. Jus’… nothin’. Nothing at all.” Simon frowned at her, knowing that something was wrong. But he wouldn’t be able to pull it out of her tonight. No, not tonight. And, even if he could, he didn’t want to. It could wait for tomorrow. All of it. The Reaver in the town jail, River, Tommy, Mal, Inara… all of it could wait for the morn. Now, he just wanted… needed her. All of her. And she him. They had both seen so much grief… they needed this happiness, now more than ever. Simon held Kaylee, and they just lay there for an hour, each breathing in the others scent. *** “Okay, so what’s wrong?” Simon looked at her from across the empty table, his face showing his resolution at cracking the nut that was Kaylee’s resolution to not tell him. It was two in the morning, the sun was rising, and it looked to be a beautiful day. And, everyone else was still asleep. But, then, everyone else hadn’t been havin’ sex all night long. “Nothin’! Nothin’ at all!” Simon sighed. “Kaylee, xin gan, we both know that there is something wrong. And, unless you tell me, I can’t help you.” “Well… well, maybe I don’t want your help!” She winced when she saw the hurt look come across his face. “Do you really mean that?” The waffles and strawberries gazed up at them, silent spectator sin this game of hearts. Kaylee’s shoulders slumped. “No… no, I don’t. But, I… I don’t want you to help this Reaver here. I… I just don’ want ya to.” Simon looked at her. “Why not?” “I… its just…” with a sob, she threw herself into his arms, and he grabbed her out of reflex. “Oh, Simon… I’m afraid! Afraid that one day, you’ll change, an’ I won’t get ya back! I…” her voice trailed off into more sobs. Simon ran his hand soothingly through her hair. “Shh, shh, its alright. Kaylee, wanmei, bao-bei, I am not going to change like that, not ever.” Through her sobs, the words came out, “You… you don’ know that!” Simon just kept running his hand through her hair, and used his other to rub small circles on her back. “I will not turn like that. And you know why? ‘Cause of you.” She sniffed. “Wha’…?” He smiled. “Yes, you. You saved me. As long as your with me, I’ll always come back. I only change when its necessary, and that isn’t often. You saved me. I know that the cold will never go away completely, but I will be able to control it, as long as I have you. Just you. Always you. I love you.” Tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks, and she managed a smile. Simon smiled right back at her. She sniffed. “Oh, you must think me powerful silly, cryin’ like this…” Simon wiped away the tears that stained her cheeks. “Yes, I do. But it is one of the things I love about you the most.” She giggled a little. He picked up a strawberry and put it close to her face. “Now, eat. Doctors orders.” She took a bite, chewing it in that way that made him want to, alternately, write poems and sonnets about her beauty, or, in the more direct approach, make love to her wherever they happened to be. To date, it was always the latter. Which was the second reason that Kaylee kept strawberries on board whenever she could. She swallowed a bite. “Oh, you take such good care of me, Doctor.” “With pleasure.” Simon made sure not to break his track record. No sonnets here. *** The Reaver looked at Simon as he entered the cell it was berthed in at the town jail. Cement walls, with a wrought-iron door in front. Cozy. Oh, look. It has a bench. Cozier. Simon took out a small syringe filled with a yellowish liquid. Simon had an alcohol prep in his other hand. “Now, this will help you break the Cold out of you. It won’t go away fully… but it won’t control you anymore.” It gave no sign of understanding; it just continued to stare at the wall. Simon took it as a kindness that he wouldn’t have to go farther. “Now, when I give this to you, you’ll go into a deep sleep. There, you’ll be on your own. Whatever you fear most will probably be their.” Still no sign of understanding. Simon wiped the prep over the things arm and slid the needle into a vein. The yellow liquid inside emptied out. “Jack.” Simon’s head jerked up and looked at it quizzically. “Jack… Dunham. My name is Jack Dunham.” Simon stepped back. “Good luck.” *** White. Blinding white. Not light, just white. Mist was on the ground, and it was white too. For miles upon miles, there was just light and mist. Jack looked at his arms. They weren’t scarred like they were before. He put his hands to his face. It was like… like the day before he had felt the Cold’s awful bite. The only landmark in the mist was a rock. A rather large rock, wide and generally flat. Perfect for sitting on. In fact, someone was sitting on it. A woman, in a white gown. How original. She was slim, and her back was turned to Jack. He went forward, and soon was behind her. He heard the sound of a crying baby. He placed his hand on her thin shoulder. She had black hair. “Hello, Miss?” She turned. “Hello, Jack.” Jenny was smiling, and Molly as in her arms. His wife and baby girl… here, now. How could it be? He fell to his knees. “Jenny… I’m so sorry… I… I can’t…” She quietly placed two fingers to his lips. “Shh, shh. Its okay, Jack. You don’t need to be sorry. I’m not mad at you. And, neither is Molly.” “Its not okay! I… I killed you.” “No, Jack, not you. Never you. This monster inside you, that’s what killed me. Not you. Its been seven years, xin gan. Its time to let go.” “I can’t. I could of fought-“ “And you could have died. Jack, there isn’t anything that’s keeping you like you were. You are killing yourself, Jack. And its over me. I don’t want you to die for me Jack. Neither does Molly. Do you want to hold her?” Jack nodded dumbly, still on his knees. Jenny handed him their daughter. Molly was still cute as ever, and as light as he remembered her to be. He smiled. “I missed this,” he confessed. “I know.” Jenny smiled all the wider. “Jack, its time to let go. We are gone, its time to move on.” “I don’t want to move on. I want to be here, be with you two.” “But you can’t, Jack. I love you, more than anything. But we can’t stay here long. In fact…” behind her, a sliver of light came out, and slowly got wider. “…its time to go.” She slowly bent down, and took Molly from his grasp. Jack lurched up and grabbed her arm. “Wait… please, let me come with you.” Jenny turned to him, and kissed him on the lips. He closed his eyes and savored the taste of her. When she pulled away, he sighed unhappily. He understood it now. But that didn’t mean he had to like it. “Wait.” He leaned forward and kissed Molly on top of her head, covered in the soft brown fuzz that babies had. “I love you, Jenny. And I love you, Molly.” Jenny smiled at him, radiant as ever. “And we love you. Goodbye, Jack.” She turned, and stepped into the golden light. Jack sat down on the rock, and held his face in his hands. Tears fell onto the soft, misty ground. “Goodbye, my love.” *** Simon looked at his charge. He had been out for… lets see… four hours now, with nary a word. Maybe it hadn’t done enough… or maybe it had done too much. Suddenly, the mans eyes opened up with a snap. Simon stared at him. Maybe he was cured… or maybe not. He couldn’t tell. “Jack…?” Tears welled in his eyes. “I never got to say goodbye. I never said good bye to her. My little girl… my wife… GOD!” Tears fell from this mans eyes. He was a beast no more. Simon hoped that he could help. “Goodbye, Jenny. Goodbye, Molly. I love you both.” Simon felt a hand intertwine with his. He looked over, and found Kaylee there, eyes shining. Simon felt his own eyes start to water. When he had gotten back from being a Reaver, Kaylee had been there to help him through it. But… Jack had no one to lend him a hand. Maybe… just maybe, he could find some help here. The sun shone through the little window in the small cell, illuminating the three souls inside. One lost, one found, and one a light in the shadows.