The nurse shut the door. River crouched down, rummaging through the piles of letters for anything with her name on it. Others were doing the same, else hovering around in anxious wait for their turn. River rose, a package and two letters in her hand. She walked over to Madeline and handed her the package. Madeline nodded her thanks.
The two girls wandered off into a side room, crawling onto a bed and examining their treasures. River stroked the paper as though she could hear Simon's words by touching the ink. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' Simon had written, 'but I don't think it's possibly for me to be any fonder of you. I love you, mei-mei. Write back soon.' River clutched at the paper and, folding it carefully, hid it under her pillow.
"Storyteller?"
River looked up. Madeline was holding out a book. River took it. 'Tales of Earth-That-Was.' The younger girl moved over beside River, leaning her head on her shoulder.
"Mummy sent them," Madeline whispered. "Be a story teller?"
River hugged Madeline. "Only for you, mei-mei." Little sister. Just as Simon had called her. River blinked, fighting back the pain in her heart before opening the book.
"She wants to do what?!" Mal asked, half laughing. Simon couldn't help joining in.
"I… don't know," Simon raised his hands in despair. "She just said that she wanted to go back."
"Well clearly she's tired of this stable life," Wash joked, "looking forward to the pain and torture and all those lovely things."
Mal stood and faced Simon.
"You'd better find out from your boo-tai jung-tzahng-duh sister exactly why she's wanting to go back to crazyville," Mal said, "if there's trouble brewing I'd like to hear about it." Simon stared.
"Did you just…credit River with having a genuine reason for saying something?" Simon asked, the hint of a smile threatening to appear on his lips. Mal glanced over his shoulder to where Wash was staring at him. He took Simon by the shoulder and marched him a little way away from the controls.
"I'd have to be a fool not to notice that she tends to be right 'bout a lot of things," Mal muttered, "so you go ask her. If it ain't anything it ain't anything, but I got a feeling in my gut that it's worth checking out." He patted Simon on the back and gestured toward the door. Simon sighed and left.
"Hey doc," Zoe said has she passed him. Simon looked up.
"Hi," he said, "um…have you seen River?"
Zoe stopped on the stairs.
"I think I saw her around some of the storage areas," she said, "is she alright? She seemed… odder that usual."
"I don't honestly know," Simon sighed, "thanks."
"Any time!" Zoe's voice floated back through the kitchen. Simon made his way through the ship until he spotted a side door open slightly.
"River?" he asked cautiously. There was almost no light in the room, Simon tripped over something hard as he went. He found her amid a pile of heavy objects, she was pulling more and more out as he approached.
"River, what are you doing?!" He asked.
"There isn't one here!" River yelled.
"Come out of here, River," Simon helped her up. They walked out into the light. Simon sat her down.
"Talk to me, mei-mei," he said lovingly. River smiled, making Simon smile too. She loved it when he called her that.
"I need to find mine," River said softly.
"Your what?" Simon prodded.
"My little sister," River said, "I lost her, and now I remember, but how could I have forgotten… my sister…" River dropped her head, her eyes red and tearful.
"Shh, it's okay," Simon tried to ignore his confusion, as he leant forward and hugged her.
"River, you don't have a sister," Simon whispered.
"I do," River sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve, "I just forgot."
"Tell me about her," Simon said softly. River shook her head.
"I don't remember much. I wish I did," she looked up at Simon. "I just know I promised to get her out, and that we would read stories. And I remember her name."
Simon made his way slowly up to the front of the ship. Mal turned as he heard him approach.
"So, what did the genius have to say?" he asked brightly. Simon sighed and readied himself for the reaction.
"She wants to rescue someone from the academy," he said slowly. Mal's face froze.
"Right, let's go," Wash said jovially.
"Wash!"
"Captain?"
"Now is sure not the time for your fei hua," Mal said. "Doctor, do you have any idea what you just said?"
"I think I have more of an idea than you," Simon said seriously.
"What are we going to do?" Wash asked. Mal laughed.
"Do? We're going to… going to…" he stopped and glared. "Well I ain't exactly sure what we're going to do." He said, pursing his lip and crossing his arms in an effort to maintain composure. He started downstairs but found Simon blocking his way.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to talk to you jeing tsai sister, if it's alright by you," Mal said sarcastically.
"What does that entail?" Simon looked fiercely at the captain.
"I ain't gonna hurt her, if that's what you're thinkin'! Go-hwong tong," Mal growled and pushed past Simon. Simon stumbled to one side. He quickly pulled himself up and ran down the stairs to catch up with Mal, only to find him standing at the base. Mal sighed and turned to Simon.
"Where is she?"
River rested her head on her hands as she lay on the bed, staring unblinkingly at the wall. She did not stir as Mal opened the sliding door.
"What's this I hear 'bout you wantin' to head out on some crazy rescue mission?" Mal stepped into the room, followed closely by Simon.
"Words." River said.
"Come again?"
"You hear words about me. Word you don't know what to think about. So you seek confirmation." River said calmly, still not shifting her gaze.
"Fair enough, but that's no where near what I meant." Mal bent low, until he was eye to eye with River, who slowly moved her eyes to meet his.
"So why is it so important we rescue this person?" Mal said gently.
"Don't ask questions you already know the answer too," River turned her gaze away.
"I don't know the answer, which leads me back to my question," Mal said in frustration.
"You do."
"No, I really don't," Mal bit his tongue, trying not to sound angry. River stayed silent. Mal sighed left the room.
"So what are we going to do?" Simon hurried after him.
"We'll continue to Whitefall, dump the goods and find another Job," Mal said simply.
"We're not going to attempt a rescue?" Simon asked in incredulity.
"No, we ain't."
"Why-"
"Until she can give me a half-way-to-legitimate reason for plowin' head first into a top secret alliance stronghold, I ain't taking Serenity anywhere near it!"
"She has a good reason, captain, she just can't-"
"I ain't in the mood for arguin' the point, doc," Mal growled at Simon, "and you'd best not forget that this is my ship." Mal turned and began walking away.
"Then drop me and River off on Osiris."
Mal laughed.
"You have got to be kidding me."
"I'm not," Simon walked forward. "We'll do this with or without your help."
"Why," Mal became serious.
"It's important to River. Will you drop us there or not?"
"You've really got an intent to be doing this, don't you?" He asked.
"I do."
Mal breathed out harshly through his nose. He looked up at the roof as though hoping to see an answer written above.
"You come up to the bridge in two hours, give me all the info you have. After that I'll consider whether or not to help you with this boo-tai jung-tzahng-duh endeavour. Now I ain't promisin' anything," Mal pointed his finger cautioning at Simon's chest, "But I am willin' to give you the benefit of the doubt."
"Why?" it was Simon's turn to ask. Mal sighed.
"Sometimes I get what your sisters on about. How many times you going to ask me that question before you believe my answer?" He walked away, leaving Simon standing alone in the middle of the kitchen.