Sorry about the delay! I've been traveling, and haven't had the internet I thought I would.
Next chapter should be the last chapter.
Let me know what you think!
Inara's after Kaylee, fluttering downstairs in a ribbon of cloth and worry, reaching for the girl on the bed, grabbing her hand. "River?"
River peeks up at her, half-asleep. "Remember you."
Inara collapses down in a heap, sighing with relief. "I'm glad. Oh, mei-mei, I'm so glad." She pulls River up in a hug, rocking her back and forth.
"You don't have to cry," River whispers into her ear.
Inara nods, biting her lip.
"But it's okay if you do. Don't mind."
"Thank you, River. But it's alright. I'll be fine. I was just so worried."
"She went asleep. Went…went walking, but there was an earthquake and she was asleep…"
"I know, I know. But it's okay."
River falls asleep soon after, and sleeps for the rest of the day, waking up once during the night when Simon gives her a bag of fluids.
"Ge-ge?"
"Hey, mei-mei. How are you doing?"
"Thirsty. Dry."
Simon grabs a cup and fills it with water, helping her upright to drink from it. "Here. Take it slow."
They sit on the bed together, she leans into his shoulder and he wraps his arm around her and sways them back and forth like she's a baby again.
"Inara and Kaylee came to see you, right? Was that fun?"
"Came downstairs like stormclouds, was going to rain but they…" she blinks up at him, her eyes wide. "The sun came out…"
"Yes."
"They all came…when she was asleep. All came, but then…dinosaur and warrior…they couldn't come. Entry not advised."
"We didn't want Zoë to get sick with the baby. But it's okay, the-"
"The baby is fine," she finishes for him. "Happy and warm."
"She should be here soon. A month, maybe."
"Isn't time yet," River replies, certain. He nods, knowing better to challenge her.
"Will you tell me when it is?"
"Yes. Sleepy."
"Okay." Simon stands up. "You should get some sleep then. I think other people want to come see you tomorrow, is that okay?"
River nods, her eyes already slipping closed. "Kaylee wants to have a picnic…" She giggles and reaches up, grabbing her brother's hand. "You can come, if you want, but you have to bring something."
Simon sighs, smiling. "You know I can't cook, mei-mei. Not anything worth eating, anyway"
"She'll help you…Kaylee…or Inara…or…" her eyes flutter shut, and she struggles to open them. "I'm right here."
His voice shakes a little as he replies, his mind wandering to all the times he had nearly lost her. "I know. And I'm very happy."
"We're here."
Simon squeezes her hand. "And we're not going anywhere."
River keeps her promise and shows Inara how to draw the butterfly, painting it with fine make-up onto Inara's cheek. Kaylee coos over it until River finally laughs and paints a rainbow on Kaylee's cheek. Mal asks if River's starting a business and isn't quite quick enough to avoid getting a smiley face dabbed on his.
"Hey, now! What was that for?"
"Mean old man," River said back, laughing through her still-weak lungs. "Now with smiley face."
"Gorrammit, I look like a child at a fair…"
"Naw, Cap'n," Kaylee laughs. "It's cute. I think it suits you."
Jayne walks by and laughs from the doorway.
Wash comes in later and hugs her hard. River's afraid for a second that he's trying to press her into him, eating them both. "It's good to have you back, mei-mei."
He helps her up off the bed and lets her stand on his feet, holding her weak body up and slowly pivoting in circles, dancing. Zoë stands outside the airlock and claps her hands, swaying back and forth to the imaginary music until she's told off with a quick internal kick to the ribs.
"Your daughter wants to dance," River whispers up to Wash. "How are your dinosaurs?"
"Good. When you're up next, I'll let you be the T-Rex. How does that sound?"
She nods, and then sways, nearly falling, and he has to help her back into bed. Even then she makes a vague attempt at her usual graceful curtsey. "Thank you for the dance."
He bows back to her. "The pleasure was mine."
The Shepard reads her stories from his book in a section called Revelations as she settles down to bed, a bowl of oatmeal sitting between them. River's explaining to him what the different bits mean symbolically, and he's nodding and giving his own opinions, stopping occasionally to ask her to take a bite.
Seven bites and twenty pages later, she's almost asleep. "Goodnight, River."
"When do you want it back?" she whispers.
"What? Oh, the medallion. Why don't you hang on to that for awhile?"
"Pirate treasure," she whispers teasingly. "But you're not a pirate."
"No? What do you think I am?"
"A grandpa." She catches his facial expression. "Not yet, but soon. Simon says it's soon. We never met our grandpa. Family's all gone, can't go back…"
"I think you found a new one. And I know that doesn't make it better, but I hope you know how loved you are, River."
"She knows." River opens her hand, looking at the charm that she's kept clenched in it. "She knows."
