Simon and Kaylee request from Laby Anne Boleyn.

"Baby Makes Three"

"Bleaurgh"

Kaylee stood up from the fold down toilet and wiped her mouth. What've I got? She keeled forward again as the acidy liquid bore its way up her throat. It burns… it tastes disgusting… and it hurts! She retched like never before. I'm so sick… what could it be? She held her abdomen as the fluids escaped the confines of her stomach and burned through her esophagus. Simon! Her mouth was full, so she couldn't call his name, she couldn't beg the good doctor for help, she couldn't ask him to hold her hair back from her face and tell her that it would be okay. He can't know… he can't know that I'm—the word was unthinkable to say the least. What happened over in Canton… he can't be blamed for that. We were both a bit sloshed… she thought about the night, which seemed all too fuzzy. I would remember doing that though… wouldn't I?

"Kaylee?" Simon's voice called from the hallway above; there was a certain note of fear that tinged his voice, causing Kaylee's heart to melt in her chest.

"'M down here, Simon," she called, once again standing up from the toilet and wiping her lips of the nauseating residue.

"Kaylee, what's wrong?" he asked, storming down the ladder, then raced to her side, "Are you sick?"

"No." she was flustered and flush, he can't know, "Just ate something, probably. 'S nothing serious."

"I don't know, Kaylee," he held a hand to her forehead, the scorching flesh terrified him, "You've got a temperature. Maybe you should come to the infirmary and let me check you out."

"You can check me out just fine in here," she crossed her arms and sat down on the bed, "I'm not sick."

"Kaylee, you're burning up," he held both his hands to her cheeks, looking deep in her eyes, "There's something wrong."

"Simon, I'm just--" she leaned forward, trying to avoid Simon's chest, and retched again, "Fine."

"Kaylee, it could be alcohol poisoning, it could be food poisoning, it could be a bug," Simon pulled her hair away from her face, "Please, let me help you."

"Alcohol poisoning?" she looked up and her eyes grew wide, "From Canton… the milk?"

"If it's that, then Jayne should be sick too," Simon furrowed his brow, "He's not been sick, though."

"Jayne wouldn't--" tell you if he was sick. She doubled forward again, heaving all over the cold metal floor.

"You're sick, that's for sure," Simon shook his head. Why won't she admit it? Why's she hiding it from me? She's sick, that's obvious. Why can't she tell me? He put a hand on her shoulder, "Kaylee, it'll be okay. Just… come with me. Let me take care of you."

"N-no, I'm just fine," she pulled away from his soft fingers and crossed her arms again, "I don't need any help."

"Yes, you do," he held fast her shoulder, not letting her go, "Kaylee, I know what's wrong."

He don't know the half of it. "How?"

She's pregnant… I knew something else happened. "All the symptoms, they point to one thing."

Symptoms? Is it that obvious? "So, what's--" she keeled forward once more.

You're pregnant. "You've got food poisoning."

No, I'm pregnant. "Really?"

Nope. "Yes."

"Then why do I need to go to the infirmary?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Because that's not really what it is. "I've got some medicine that will help with the vomit."

Morning sickness… not food poisoning. "Whatever you've got, I guess." She stood up beside him and staggered forward. He caught her and half-carried her to the ladder then helped her up.

"Thank you, Kaylee," Simon said while helping her into the hallway, "For letting me help you."

"Not that I wanted to," she muttered while limping toward the infirmary, leaning almost entirely on Simon's shoulder. I can't believe I'm pregnant.

I can't believe she's pregnant… "Here we are," he opened the door to the hospice and allowed her in. "You know the drill."

"Yeah," she sat up on the examination table. She was entirely spent from heaving her guts out in her room for the previous three hours.

"Lay back," Simon got out the sonix-ray machine and calibrated the beam for 'child in womb'. "Here we go."

Kaylee rolled away from him, "Nuh-uh. You said food poisoning, not pregnancy."

"I've got to rule out all the possibilities," he reasoned, pleading with his eyes. Stop denying it, Kaylee. We both know the truth…

"Then rule out food poisoning first," she stood up, clenching her stomach.

"Fine," he set down the machine the pulled out a syringe and a small glass bottle, "Hop back up."

Kaylee did so hesitantly, then reclined in the chair and put out her arm.

"Thank you," he gave her the injection. It's not food poisoning and we both know it. He watched her in silence as her eyes slowly fluttered shut. If I need to knock her out to check, I will. But we both know… he picked up the machine and held it over her abdomen. The small LED light flashed green. Positive.