Chapter 2
Silly games for silly rabbits
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River had skipped back into her quarters, Simon trailing quietly behind her. He was hesitant about invading her space when she was aboard Serenity, but her exchange with Zoe had roused his curiosity.
There was a dull thud as River dropped down onto her bed. Simon stepped into the doorway and watched as river lay contemplating the ceiling above her. She had evidently decorated it with a beautifully detailed pattern. Kaylee had assisted her, and painted bright thickly lined butterflies and flowers about River's patterns. River's hair was splayed in every direction, and she had the air of a person not wanting to be disturbed.
"River what were you talking about before?" asked Simon.
He perched himself gently at the edge of River's bed.
"The man with a fascination for the theropod dinosaur… tyrannosaurus rex. He's been hanging around lately like a bad smell. Just like Zoe said… a bad smell." nodded River.
Simon drew a deep breath. He knew just how intelligent River was, but at times her psychosis was hazy and she still suffered odd moments, where her perception of reality and fantasy mingled together. It was still hard for him to determine whether or not she was being delusional, and a part of him felt he would never restore River to a completely stable frame of mind.
"We need to be cautious about discussing Wash around Zoe." said Simon gently.
"The captain feels she hasn't come to terms with his death yet. She could be pre-disposed to an episode of extreme depression, and we all need to support her if it comes to that." he continued.
"You're too late." smiled River.
"She's already taken, her mind… body… soul. She's just too stubborn to realize it." stated River. She hadn't taken her eyes off the painted ceiling.
Simon's face contorted, as he fixed River with a shocked look.
"Don't worry, for the time being we're all safe. She won't slit our throats in our sleep just yet. She's a good kid." stated River matter of factly.
"I should go and talk to her about it. She hasn't mentioned Wash since his… " Simon trailed off.
He liked Wash very much. He had a good way of defusing tense moments. Especially when it came to the captain being riled up… and Kaylee… she was the love of his life. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her, let alone living through it… What Zoe must have been going through.
"Kaylee doesn't like things that are imitating ducks, or swans anymore. You're to blame for that." muttered River.
Simon snapped out of his stupor.
"Do me a favour please River? Drop the Wash thing."
River fixed her brother with a mutinous stare. She sat up quickly and folded her arms together tightly, as she let out an angry huff.
Simon approached her, and placed his hands upon her shoulders, squeezing them gently.
"Please do this for me." he murmured.
River had started to breathe rather heavily. Her chest was heaving, and her lips were pursed together so tightly, it was as though she was sucking on a particularly sour lemon.
It happened in an instant.
River's cabin was full of shrill cries, and shrieks.
Her voice echoed and vibrated off the walls, as her cries began getting higher and louder.
She leapt from the bed to the floor and lurched over uncontrollably, her hair covering every inch of her face.
Simon's heart had leapt into his mouth, this was the worst turn he had seen in a while.
He started towards River, eyes wide in panic. He was only just starting to come to his senses. His ears were throbbing with the noise of River's cries. She was screaming at such a high pitch that he could feel it in his teeth, and he felt like his head was going to split in two.
"Please River just calm down, I'll get you to the infirmary and we can! …"
Simon was cut short.
One moment he was staring at River, and the next he wasn't. She had simply vanished…
… Or had she?
Simon heard the noise of ruffling, amidst River's continued shrieks.
In an instant she had yanked the blankets from her bed, she lifted them high into the air and stepped back towards Simon.
He tilted his head, and reached for the blankets but River was too fast for him.
She caught him in a whirlwind of fabric. Her ferocity was so fierce, that all went dark for Simon and he was left feeling disorientated, and shocked.
Before he knew it, he was a tangled mass upon the hard steel floor of River's quarters.
What was she playing at?
He noticed at once that the screaming had ceased.
He made to tear the blankets from himself, but found that he was unable to move his arms. Somehow amidst the frenzied blanket attack River had managed to bind his wrists together.
"River?" he mumbled through labored breaths.
"I'm sorry Simon." came a small voice.
"River what are you playing at?" questioned Simon authoritatively.
There was an odd shuffling sound, followed by the pounding of heavy boots.
Simon could feel the vibrations growing stronger, as the source of noise drew nearer.
"What's going on, is everything alright!" yelled Zoe.
From what Simon could tell Zoe was still out in the corridor.
"I'm here!" shouted the doctor in reply. "I'm alright, it's just River… I… She… was just playing a game!"
Simon didn't want the burden of River's odd behavior troubling Zoe at this time.
The doctor felt a pair of strong hands fall upon his side.
"What was with all the screaming doctor? Is River having another turn?"
Simon was glad Zoe couldn't see his face, for it would have given his lie away.
"No she's completely fine, this is just a… game… from our childhood." he lied.
Zoe let out an odd noise, as though she wasn't quite convinced. She began pulling at the blankets which entombed Simon. There was hardened strength within her hands, but it was evident that she was struggling to untangle River's work.
"You two must have played this game a lot. She's done you up good and tight doc." sighed Zoe.
"Yeah well… she's a bit of a mutant." chuckled Simon.
"River!" called Zoe. "Sorry doc, gonna need her help if I want to get these blankets off before the captain comes back."
There was complete silence.
"I don't like that…" mumbled Simon.
He was starting to sweat from the lack of fresh oxygen, and felt his face burn as his head throbbed.
"Please hurry…" whispered Simon.
Zoe tiled her head, and said "Hang on doc…" She drew in a deep breath, and boomed "Riv…"
"Yes?" A small voice cut across Zoe's.
Zoe looked over her shoulder to where River stood. "River, help me out will you? You've got a good set of hands on you if you were able to do this. But I think your brother needs some air, we don't have a spare doctor on hand if we lose this one" Zoe smiled.
River knelt down beside Zoe and her incapacitated brother, and began picking at the heavy blankets. It seemed as though she had lost her blanket wrapping abilities. She fumbled about half hearted, as her eyebrows were furrowed with frustration, and her teeth clenched together tightly over pursed lips.
Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay River?"
River didn't take her eyes from Simon, but nodded her head in reply.
"This would have been a synch if I had brought my blade." signed Zoe impatiently.
It took a good ten minutes, of both River and Zoe tearing at the blankets before they were able to release Simon from his binds. It became clear that his wrists had been wrapped up with the twisted corner of a sheet. Simon lay relaxed before the two women, as Zoe untangled the last of the blankets from his limbs. He sat up rubbing his wrists, and taking in the fresher air. River was staring off vaguely into the corridor.
"Thump" she whispered mysteriously.
Zoe and Simon looked at her.
Simon raised his eyebrows slightly, and followed River's gaze off into the corridor.
"I take it the crew are back." he murmured.
Zoe leapt to her feet, placed a hand on River's shoulder and extended a hand towards Simon. He took it gratefully and was yanked to his feet by her raw strength.
"Time to heal the wounds of battle I'm guessing." sighed Simon.
River rolled her eyes in an obvious sort of way, and Zoe smirked.
She looked to Simon, and thought carefully about her words. "I suppose the captain has some new prospects for work. We'll meet quickly in the dining area before letting the rowdy get some rest… if there's no stragglers that is."
"What… Jayne? Bring home a straggler?" coughed Simon. He looked slightly alarmed.
"Maybe I was meaning Kaylee." stated Zoe with a cheeky grin.
She headed towards the door, smiling at River as she passed. Her footsteps dropped to a dull beat as she marched off to the meet the rest of the crew.
"She's covering up." nodded River. " But not for long, her destiny is already in place."
Simon smiled nervously, before taking River's forearm and leading her from the room.
