I do not own Firefly or any of it's characters ; )
UPDATE 5/7/09: Lots of streamlining. Some changes throughout and LOTS of mistakes corrected. Probably going to do this in 2 batches as its going to take a while.
Update 5/13/09: Made a few more changes and fixed a few more mistakes throughout.
Mal waited anxiously outside the infirmary. While their most recent job was complete and they had been safely in the sky for nearly an hour, no job would be complete without shots being fired or received. In the case of their latest job, matching bullet holes, front and back of River's left side. The shot didn't even slow her assault as she continued to mow down all those in their way back planet side. None of the crew even realized she was hit till they got off the mule on Serenity.
Simon emerged from the infirmary wearing his best calm-doctor-post-surgery-cool; "She's sedated."
"She gonna be alright?" Mal asked.
"Blood loss was minimal and the bullet was low caliber. Entry and exit were clean, no organs punctured or damaged. Knowing River, she'll probably be awake in an hour and beating up Jayne by dinner no matter how many times I tell her to stay off her feet."
Mal laughed quietly to himself. Ever since the events of Miranda, he had developed a fatherly pride in how strong River had become.
"So you think…" Mal attempted to speak but Simon had more on his mind, "I can't keep doing this Mal!"
Mal absorbed the doctor's outburst with a slight flinch and replied, "Can't keep doin' what?"
"Fixing my rutting sister! I got her out of that place so no one would be able to hurt her anymore. She's an 18 year-old girl who's already been through more than everyone on this ship combined. She hears everyone's thoughts day in and day out. While we sleep in silence, our dreams are in her head. She'll never know any kind of peace, she doesn't deserve this, any of…"
Mal cut Simon off and now it was his turn to rant.
"You think I don't see what she goes through?! That I don't see it every time she breaks down how bad she's hurtin'?! You think I enjoy bringin' her back to you bleedin'?! You think its not killin' me seein' her on that gorram table with a hole in'er?!"
"You certainly didn't seem to mind putting her in a position to be shot!" Simon began to trail off ranting while Mal composed himself and not so delicately pushed the doctor onto the couch in the common room. Mal spoke again, this rare time, softly and rationally.
"You're my medic, she's my pilot, you're both my crew. We've all been through a lot together and I'd be lyin' if I said I considered ya any less than family. Every time I take either of ya outside those doors, I make myself responsible for ya. Every time we're on a job and I hear a gun go off I'm prayin' it'll be me gettin' hit, hell I got more practice with it than all'a ya. But things don't always go according to plan."
Simon sat frustrated but he had now known Mal long enough to know that when he was quiet he was at his most lucid. It didn't change the fact that River still lay in the infirmary with a hole in her side.
Mal offered his hand to Simon to help him off the couch and continued, "No one on this ship is sorrier than me that somethin' happened to River. But she is going to be ok, right?"
Simon nodded in apparent defeat. Mal had a way of speaking with each of his crew; this was his way with Simon.
"I'm sorry Mal, I just…I can't stand seeing her get more hurt than she's already been."
"I know, and if I don't need her on a job, you have my word I won't be askin'. If I do, know that shy'a bein' dead, ain't nothin' gonna stop me from putting myself between River and a bullet."
Mal and Simon shook on this agreement, Simon cracking just a hint of a smile, "I better go check on her."
Mal patted the doctor on the shoulder, "Get yerself some rest doc. I'll make sure she's alright. 'Sides, I'm sure there ain't much more ya can do and I doubt much has changed in the past 2 minutes."
Simon nodded and headed to Kaylee's bunk, while Mal entered the infirmary to check on River.
Seeing her still and asleep, his heart always broke for her. Everything Simon said, everything she'd been through, Mal would never know the half of it. It was a rare moment for the captain to weep for someone, but the sight of River at peace always broke him down effortlessly.
He quickly collected himself and simply sat beside her. For a moment the Tam sibling's time on Serenity played back in his mind. While they had certainly brought some less than pleasant times on the rest of the crew, as long as they'd have him as they're captain, they would always be his crew.