Thank you for all the lovely reviews – I apologize (those of you who are still following) for the long absence of a new chapter. I got stuck trying to figure out where this story is going, and how dark/angsty it should be. Still stuck, really. There's a fine line I think to writing this sort of fanfiction, and it's so easy to get carried away or go overboard.

I also got swept up in a side-affair with writing Smash fanfiction. I love Christian Borle...his acting in Smash and pretty much everything he's ever done. It's funny though, the Smash fanfic community is pretty tiny even with two full seasons and reviews/favorites are few and far between in comparison to a single story in the Firefly community with only two chapters! So basically you guys are all awesome.

Anyways, I should stop rambling. Comments and constructive critiques are always welcome, especially so with this chapter as I'm still unsure of where this story is heading (a couple options, to be sure), so please let me know your thoughts!

Those who review/message me with ideas will more than likely influence the direction of the story – particularly on the pairing. Simon with Jayne or Mal? Or both? (for you threesome shippers). It'll really affect how I write the next chapter, so I'd love input. The chapter is intentionally short because I'm still deciding how things will go, but depending on the speed of input and inspiration, I hope to have the next chapter out in a couple weeks max.

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Chapter 3

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Simon collapsed on his bed, exhausted. After returning to the ship, he had managed to catch River in one of her better states of cognizance, and successfully injected her meds with little fuss for the evening before settling her down with some simple art supplies they had picked up some time ago.

The crew had returned irritated after a small scrap had broke out at the location for their meeting, delaying their job and leaving Jayne with a nasty cut on his arm. Simon had stitched it up and applied a simple topical pain reliever, but Jayne had shoved the medi-tray over and pushed Simon back against the counter after he refused to give him a stronger dose for the pain, wanting to save it in case worse trouble arose later on. It resulted in some more delicate medical supplies being ruined, which meant more things to replace, leaving Simon in near tears due to Jayne's actions.

He cleaned up after Jayne left and returned to his room, concern over facing Mal with news of the most recent setback quelling any appetite for the mushy protein that was their staple diet. He was sure Mal would only place blame on him, and try and add it to damages Simon already owed. Instead he reached out to grab the pad with his notes on River's medication, intent on finding a solution to her complex psychosis symptoms.

Simon fell asleep in the midst of reading late into the night and woke up groggily the next morning to the stomping of boots and roar of the engine as the crew readied the mule for the day. He moved about dressing quietly, thinking carefully about his own approach to his plans before going into the kitchen. Inara sat at the table sipping tea while Shepard Book looked to be preparing his morning meal. He paused just before the table, hesitating for a brief moment before speaking.

"Inara. I was wondering if...perhaps...would you be able to look after River for the day? I need to pick up medical supplies from a contact today, and can't bring her with me."

Inara looked at him with a raised brow. "The entire day? Surely picking up medical supplies can't take that long. I have meetings to arrange with clients for tomorrow..."

Simon tried to quickly think of an excuse for the length of time he'd need for his "simple errand", but Shepard Book stepped in before he could blurt out a reason.

"I'll look after her. You go and do as needed, son."

Relieved, Simon nodded, surprised at the preacher's offer after the comments he had made just a day earlier. "Thank you, I'll try to return as quickly as possible." he promised.

Setting out, he began backtracking his steps from the day before. The shadier part of Persephone was a complex maze, filled with dark passageways and cluttered buildings piled on top of one another with no logical order or structure. If he wasn't careful, he could land himself into trouble if he accidentally wandered into the wrong area within the black-out zone.

Although he doubted Mal cared about his personal well-being (at all), he did care about his ship, and any risks Simon took that ended in failure might be traced back to the firefly-class vessel which would ensure the wrath of the already furious captain. For whatever reasons, River loved the dilapidated ship, and while his own relationships with its crew were strained at best, it was the only place he knew was safe for him and his sister.

Simon kept a careful eye out for men stumbling home after a night at the brothel. There were quite a few in the area, he suspected, and sure enough he spotted a nondescript building where men emerged groggy and hung-over, most likely with wallets emptied from the night's entertainment. It wasn't the same one he'd seen the night before, but it'd do.

He approached the building nervously, trying to gather his courage. Looking to make sure no one was watching, he knocked on the door. After no response, he turned frustrated back towards the street only to hear the click of a gun-lock being pulled back behind his head.