My mind just keeps going places recently, I don't even know why. But as I keep walking down the street to my apartment, something outside of my inner bubble clicks.
It was actually more like a bang, sounded as if someone fell down, but why should I care? This is New York City, it's probably some drunk guy who lost his balance, there's a lot of those around here. But my mind, stubborn as always, decides that I should go and check it out. Maybe something happened, maybe someone needs help.
I walk slowly towards the place where I heard the sound. Great! An alley! A dark alley, the best place to go alone in the middle of the night when I hear an strange noise. Just very clever Ma... I mean, Rick. Either way, my mind has decided that there is no other way around it, I must know what happened or I probably won't be able to sleep tonight.
As I walk, I see a figure. A dark figure sitting on the ground, hugging its knees, most likely crying. See, I knew it, it must be some drunk guy who... but wait a second, that can't be a guy, it's too small of a body, too thin, too delicate. I don't know who she is, but she definitely reminds me of someone I rather not name.
I finally stand in front of her, eyes fixed on her hair, the only part of her I can see standing up, so I decide to kneel down. I stay like that for what feels like an eternity, until I see her stop sniffing and finally look up.
My world stops spinning, stops moving, no sound is heard on the streets, the only thing I'm able to distinguish is my fast heartbeat and her breathing. Can this be true? It can't be can it? How come this beautiful creature be sitting on the floor, alone, dirty, crying and beaten up? How can my precious Inara be like that? Is this a dream?
-Inara?
-Mal?
My heart has just been broken.