Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of these characters, they belong to Joss Whedon. Joss is Boss. :
A/N: This is my first fanfic based off of lyrics (Undiscovered by Ashlee Simpson). I thought it would be a good start and I knew instantly that I wanted to do a Firefly fanfic for this song. I hope it's received well and please remember that comments are love, so share the love!!
'I need you.' River thought, her tears soaked into her lumpy pillow as they continued to fall. She pulled her knees closer to her chest underneath the mound of blankets on her bed. She was cuddled into a petite human ball and had been for a long time, it had been days since she had seen anything but the inside of her dimly lit room. She didn't have the strength to move and didn't have the heart to dare venturing beyond her bedroom door.
"River?" Kaylee's small voice hesitantly called out to her quietly from the hall. "River, it's me." She tried to slide the door open only to find it locked. "Open up, sweetie. It's been days, this can't be healthy."
Kaylee had made it a point to check in on River, faithfully, everyday for the past two weeks. She hadn't gotten any closer to the young girl than her bedroom door, which had been locked to everyone, even Simon. The girl was hurting terribly and Kaylee, being the sympathetic person she was, could feel her pain.
Maybe it was time to start letting people in again, or at least Kaylee.
River crawled out of her warm bed and picked up the beam of wood that blocked the sliding door and opened it to see her friend's worried, but slightly triumphant, expression.
"Oh, sweetie." Kaylee enveloped her in a tight hug.
No matter how tightly Kaylee tried to hug her, it didn't dispel the aching that radiated from her heart.
She shut the door and got back into bed, Kaylee sat across from her and watched her every move. She didn't move. Not a single finger.
"You want me to go beat him up for you?" The mechanic asked cheerfully.
River tried to imagine Kaylee going up against Jayne. He was so big and strong, she was the exact opposite. Besides, they all knew Jayne didn't fight fair. Kaylee would only end up bloodied and hurt, that is if Jayne ever agreed to fight her in the first place.
"What would that fix?" River's voice came out awkward, as if it didn't belong in her mouth. The words felt sharp and rusty in her throat.
"Yer right, it woulnd't fix nuthin'...I just want ya to feel better."
"Why?" River could feel a new ball of anger, sadness and despair rising in her throat, making it feel tight and hard to breathe. "Why did this happen?" A fresh batch of hot tears welled up in her dark eyes. "Why doesn't he want me anymore?"
"Well, first of all, he's crazy. Absolutely insane for lettin' go of someone so wonderful'n amazin'. An' second of all, Jayne's always wantin' more than what he has. Ya don't really want someone like'em in your life, do ya?"
"I...I love him. I'm in love with him."
Kaylee wrapped her fingers around River's hand and held it firmly.
"Love is a very funny, strange thing. Are you sure about this?"
"I feel..." River looked into her friend's worried eyes. She tried willing the tears to stop, but they just kept coming and making new tracks down her cheeks. "I feel like I'm suffocating without him, as if I can't breathe."
Kaylee sighed heavily. She pulled out her brightest smile and squared her shoulders.
"I can't stand to see you so lovesick. And even though I think ya can do loads better'n Jayne, I'm gonna help ya get yer man back."
"You will?" River wiped her face with the sleeve of her arm.
"Absolutely"
The younger girl tried to return a smile, but was only able to conjure up a very slight grin. "All I want is for him to take me back."
"If we work hard enough, he will." There was a mischievous note in the mechanic's voice. "We'll show him a new side of you, a side he's never seen before. A side of you he -"
"left undiscovered." River finished.