Sorry, this isn't NEARLY as long as I thought as it was (I type on my ipod, so its hard to tell the length).
Mal had his head in his hands. The last half hour was a blur, and not knowing Natara's fate was a new kind of worry. He had no recollection of how he had gotten there, but was still in the waiting room when an hour had passed. Two hours. Ken left, saying he would be back later. Amy came, waited with Mal. Three hours, Amy left, but told Mal Captain Yeong said he could stay as long as he needed. Also, that she would like to say Kai sends his regards, but in reality said something he probably didn't want to hear right now. Three and a half hours later, Ken returned to see if Mal was still there. He must have taken pity on him, sitting there helpless. Or, by what he called him before, 'a puppy waiting for their owner'. Ken said he was going to find out what happened, and Mal gave him a sarcastic 'good luck'. He had tried every time anyone came within earshot of him, and this hadn't gotten him anything. Mal watched as Ken talked to a young receptionist, apparently speaking softly to appeal to her better nature. Mal was no longer surprised at the lack of information he obtained, of course yelling at the woman every five minutes didn't make her in a particularly helpful mood. Ken returned a few minutes later, his face unreadable. He sat down next to Mal, and his mind immediately jumped to the time he was told his mother had died. The big, sympathetic eyes, ones that thought they understood. Ones who never would understand. "Some friends are special" he started "They can't be replaced". Mal felt his stomach drop, until Ken said "but sometimes they don't need replacing".
