Christmas on Serenity
Christmas on Serenity.
The laughter that filled the kitchen was almost as dense as the greenery on the tree that sat in the corner. Warm orange lighting cast its comforting light around the room and, dim as it was, highlighted the joy on each person's face as they sat down to a meal.
"I'm never going to understand how you manage to get this much fresh food, preacher," Mal said, smiling.
"You'd be surprised how many people bring offerings to the church," Book said, scraping a forkful of mashed potatoes off his plate, "the funny thing is, not many people admit to it."
"that part I understand," Mal grinned. Across the table, River laughed as Kaylee attempted to make her brother complete his reindeer costume with a fluffy red false nose.
"No, Kaylee, come on, the antlers are enough," Simon said.
"But no-one lookin' at you would guess you're Rudolph," Kaylee teased, "You could be Comet, or Blitzen, or one of them boring ones."
"I just said Rudolph because you-"
"The point is you said it," Kaylee said, reaching over and sticking the red foam onto Simon's nose. He grimaced playfully.
"Keep that on until I get back," she said, pushing her chair out and retreating from the table. River bit her lip as silent giggles wracked her small frame. Simon saw her; he pulled the nose off his face and reached across the table to stick it to hers. He pulled the antlers off and carefully slid them behind her ears.
"There you go, mei-mei," he said teasingly. River fell about giggling.
"Present time!" Kaylee appeared, leading Jayne out in a heavy Santa uniform, looking less than happy. Simon gaped. Inara barely kept a straight face.
"Yeah, it's a sight, ain't it?" he said menacingly as Wash started laughing. Kaylee elbowed him.
"C'mon, Saint Jayne, hand out the presents!" she said. Jayne walked over to the tree, grumbling.
"Mal, from Kaylee," Jayne said reluctantly. Mal pulled Kaylee into a one armed hug as Jayne passed him the floral wrapped present.
"Thanks, little Kaylee," he said, pulling out a pair of socks.
"River from… me," Jayne said under his breath. Simon raised his eyebrows.
"River… is it ticking?" he asked. Jayne shoved him.
"Kaylee, from the doc…"
"Wow, Simon!" Kaylee pulled out a shining silver bracelet.
"River, from Mal…"
River leapt up in her reindeer costume to hug Mal tightly. Mal pulled the red foam off her face and she wrinkled her nose at him.
"Go on, kid, open it up," he told her as Jayne continued distributing the gifts. Simon looked over and River pulled excitedly at the ribbon, drawing out a small rectangular box.
'What'd you get, River?" Simon asked her. She looked at Mal questioningly.
"You can open it, go on!" he said encouragingly.
River delved into the box and pulled out a ball made up entirely of rainbow transparent puzzle pieces. She examined it with wide eyes before looking up at Mal in thanks. He mussed her hair lovingly.
"You're welcome," He said. River wandered over to a side couch where she began to pull it apart carefully.
"Thankyou, captain," Simon said.
"No problem, doc," Mal said, "happy to keep your sis occupied." He looked over to where River was carefully examining the pieces and slapped Simon on the back.
"Merry Christmas doc," he said cheerfully as Kaylee pulled him over to dance.
Simon separated himself from Kaylee with some difficulty when he realised River was no longer in the room. He headed down to the passenger dorm, looking carefully as he went. He soon saw her silhouetted against her bedroom door.
"River?" he said, knocking.
"Come in!"
"What are you doing?" he asked. River was sitting cross legged on her bed, the puzzle ball half intact at her feet. River carefully selected a piece, held it up to the light before placing it in a well chosen position on the ball.
"I'm putting it together," she said simply. Noises echoed in the hall as all the other crew members made their way to their beds.
"Night doc, River," Mal said as he stuck his head in, but stopped as he caught sight of River examining one of the pieces. "Uh, she does realise that can go together in any order?" he asked Simon.
"I'm not sure," Simon said slowly. River lifted the half if the ball to the light and a piece fell out with the movement. River promptly moved it to a different pile.
"Doesn't want to stay. Not its place," she muttered to herself.
"Okay," Mal said simply. "Night doc. Night kid!"
"Night captain!" River called through her concentration. Simon made to hug River goodnight but she held up her hand.
"I'm very busy," she informed him. Simon raised his eyebrows and held up his hands in mock horror.
"Excuse me I'm sure."
"It's okay," River said, turning back to the puzzle, "you didn't know."
"Goodnight, River," Simon smiled sadly.
"Goodnight."
A sharp rapping at his door brought Simon into wakefulness. Panic flooded him in the dark as he became tangled in his sheets before falling out of his bed.
"oof," he said, before picking himself up in what he hoped was a dignified manner. He found his light and made his way to the door, which was still under attack with loud knock.
"Hello?" he said before River rushed past him into the room.
"Simon, look!" she said excitedly. Simon squinted, his eyes still adjusting to the light.
"What am I looking at?" he asked sleepily.
"This!" Simon found the puzzle ball shoved into his face.
"What? Oh, River-" he groaned.
"It's how it was! Well, how it should have been, before the colour was drained, but it's hollow and represents, and the people found their place and all are held upright by the same force, don't you see? No one lies down! Not tainted, not dead, but free!" she beamed at him.
"We should set it in orbit!" she said happily.
"Really?"
"I'm serious!" River pouted at the patronizing look on Simon's face.
"I know, mei-mei," he said, wiping the grin off his face for fear of offending her even more, "but its night time. If you still want we'll… set it in orbit tomorrow."
"No, we can't!" River said, suddenly alarmed, "if we wait to long it will all be overcome! No one will be there, it'll linger…Simon…" Her face fell beseechingly.
"River, it's night time," Simon repeated. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder comfortingly. "We'll do it tomorrow." He guided her back to her room, taking the ball from her and sitting it on a shelf.
"Goodnight, mei-mei," he said. River rolled over and ignored him. Simon sighed as he shut her door, wishing he understood what was going on in his sister's damaged mind. As he stepped into his room he heard something rebound off the wall and break into pieces. He also heard River sob.
Serenity was a hive of activity the next day. Simon greeted Kaylee as she passed before knocking on River's door. When he received no answer he slowly opened it, but was alarmed when he found it empty. He ran quickly to catch up with Kaylee.
"Have you seen River?" he asked worriedly. Kaylee shook her head.
"Gos se," Simon muttered.
"Simon, stop worrying!" Kaylee said brightly, "she can't go far!"
"Sorry," Simon muttered.
"You say you were looking for your moon-brained sister?" Simon spun around. Jayne bit into a cold turkey leg.
"Yes?"
"She's sitting on the stairs, speaking some ruttin' gibberish," he said through a mouthful of meat.
"Thanks… I think," Simon mumbled to himself. He hurried down to the cargo bay where he found River sitting on the metal stairs, her skirt falling between the gap in each platform. She was tossing the puzzle ball around in her hands, muttering.
"River?" Simon asked, but she didn't hear him.
"Get up…get up! Please get up…" she was whispering, "you, get away, go! Run! No, move, do it, don't lie down, you can't lie down, don't freeze. Walk run, talk breathe… do anything! Please! One of you, I don't care who just move!"
"River?" Simon tried again, coming to sit behind her. She stopped and glared at him.
"I see you put that back together," he attempted normal conversation. River glanced down at the ball in her hands and shook her head.
"This is what I knew would happen," she said so quietly Simon barely heard.
"What's happened?"
"Nothing. It stopped. I told you it would," she looked at Simon, a tear rolling down her cheek. Simon was shocked; he pulled her into a hug and wiped her eyes with his sleeve.
"Hey, mei-mei, what's wrong?"
"I don't know," River said, smiling slightly, "when do I ever know?" Simon laughed slightly. He looked down at the ball clutched in her hands.
"You still want to put that in orbit?" he asked her. River straightened up and nodded.
"They deserve that," she whispered. Simon didn't question her.
"Okay."
He pulled her up and the walked slowly to Serenity's doors. Simon opened the inner door and River carefully placed the ball inside.
"Gwai gwai long duh dong?" Mal came up behind them as Simon closed the door, "what's going on here?" Simon gave him a cautioning look as River glared at Mal.
"We need to put the ball in orbit," Simon said pointedly. Mal stared, but caught the hint in Simon's words.
"Oh… okay," Mal said. Simon hit the button and the ball was sucked out into space. River tiptoed to look through the two round windows as it floated away.
"Now they're at peace." She whispered.