Book was fighting to come to consciousness far before he was ready to and he knew it. There were voices, warbling and echoing as if from the wrong end of a very long tunnel. His body would not respond to his demands for movement and the struggle soon exhausted him entirely. So he resided, suspended, and listened.
Zoe, whispered, furtively, softly; "She didn't just kill the man, Simon! She never touched the gun, never went for the knife. She tore him apart. With her bare hands!"
Jayne, growling like an enraged bear; "Don't go sticking nothing in her system lest she asks for it, doc! She's a woman now an' grown! Ye can't go treating her like a kid!...ye'll gorram have me to answer for, thats what! You stuck-up, prissy, go tsao de, hwoon dahn! Gun hoe-tze bee dio-se!"
Mum, and Dad; "This ain't the life I want for them, 'Nara! We coulda lost them, I coulda lost you! I can't do this anymore...can't...we've talked this over a million times, but this time...this ain't the life for a pair of kids; thieving and shooting and watching people die, killing...I won't let 'em have this life no more"
"What about Serenity? What about the others?"
"They got theirs to worry about too! They'll be fine! These youngin's deserve better'n this"
"Simon and River?"
"Alliance won't go near 'em, not after Miranda"
"That's fangpi Mal and you know it! This is not your choice to make"
His father's angry reply was lost in the haze as Book struggled to comprehend. Dad wanted to leave Serenity! He wanted to give it all up. It was all Atherton Wing's fault! A rush of hatred bubbled through Book's half-conscious system as he pictured the man's pale Core face. The fight continued to echo around him even as he fought. He didn't want to leave! This was his home! This ship, these people, were everything he knew and wanted.
"Get Simon!" "Honey, lay still-" "Please, bao bei just lay still" "Everything's gunna be okay, Book"
He felt a sharp pain, and then nothing.
"So whatdya reckon they're all talking about?"
"Dunno. But they even told 'Burn to rack off, an' I reckon he's the adult of all us"
"Must be about Auntie River...what she did..."
"Nah, I reckon it's got something to do with the way Uncle Mal and Auntie 'Nara have been actin' all weird; heard Mal talking on the WAVE to a guy in Persephone about buying a ranch"
"A ranch? As is, dirt side?"
Book groaned and shifted his weight, trying to get a good look around. The chorus of voices shushing each other was louder than the entire conversation. The first thing he saw calmed him instantly; Inde, grinning at him brightly from the bedside. The rest of the room focused slowly; there was Washburn, sitting on the other infirmary bed with a pair of crutches leaning against the wall. Beside him was Shuai-Dan, sitting a little closer than was necessary, her arm in a sling and a sickly expression on her face. Tai-Ao was standing in the doorway, obviously trying to hear the conversation in the kitchen, and had now turned to look at Book, grinning.
"About time you woke up, lazy bones" he teased with a grin. Book grimaced and Inde helped him to sit up. Shuai got up and handed him a glass of water, which he gratefully accepted.
"Drink it slow" she warned. He gave her a look and then raised an eyebrow as though suddenly noticing her sling.
"What the guay happened to you?"
She gave a death's smirk.
"Got shot. Ain't fun"
Book's eyes widened.
"That Wing hwoon dan shootcha?"
She nodded slowly and Book scowled. He met Burn's eyes, who nodded in reply to the unspoken question.
"Bastard had a sword. Got stabbed"
Book opened his mouth to make his feelings on that particular man felt, and then he stopped. There was an undercurrent here that he didn't like. He looked at each of them in turn; at Burn, watching Shuai watching him, at Inde, looking down, at Tai, now listening at the door again.
"What's going on?"
They all looked at each other and, as usual, referred to Washburn. He took a deep breath and looked Book square in the eye.
"It's Auntie River. That Wing guy? She tore him apart. Literally, limb from limb. Uncle Mal freaked out, so did Jayne. Everyone who was there is scared as hell-" He glanced pointedly at Inde, who was still looking at the ground.
"-They're all talking at the moment; my bet is that they all want out of this life, off Serenity. They don't won't us to get hurt anymore"
His eyes widened again and he looked around at the other, watching their reactions.
"So what, we're just gunna let them?"
Tai-Ao spoke; "C'mon, Book, none of us like it but...I mean, c'mon, Shuai got shot! 'Burn got stabbed! You and Inde got beat to guay and back! This ain't good for us! We're just kids!"
"The hell we are! We're kids of Serenity! Yeah, so it sucks sometimes, but do you guys seriously see yourselves someplace else? What, sitting in a classroom with a buncha snot-nosed little brats learnin' numbers and how to spell 'cat'? That ain't us! That ain't any of us! Tai-Ao, you're a pilot. Shuai-Dan, you're a mechanic. 'Burn, you're a merc like Jayne, protecting us! Me and Inde, we're backing you guys up, and I dunno what the hell I would do if I weren't keeping your go se prone asses outta trouble! It's...all I've ever, ever known..." he was almost crying by the time he finished his rant. All of the children looked guilty. All except Shuai, who was looking at Book with a smile playing her on her lips. She sat up straight.
"Well I'm with ya, Bookie. Ain't no way even my old man an' lady can get me to leave my home. An' Serenity is it"
Washburn looked at Shuai with a grin on his face, eyes lit up watching her. The new feelings thrummed through the group. Tai-Ao stood with a frown and his arms crossed.
"I still don't think it's a good idea. I'm going to get Dad, so he can check on Book"
With that, he disappeared through the door. Wash put his hand on his crutches as though to follow him, and then paused. Shuai shook her head lightly.
"Do you know what happened after I got knocked out?" asked Inde. Book shook his head.
"First thing I remember is coming to with a knife across my throat and you were gone. Earl started this whole hostage thing, demanded money and a ship. Dad came in through a window, shot Earl...then nothing. I dunno, I guess I passed out"
"Dad said your body reacted to the shock and shut itself down" supplied Shuai.
"How long have I been out?"
"A day or so" said Burn. Just then, footsteps echoed down the steel grating and Simon appeared at the door with Mal and Inara.
"Mum! Dad!"
The bustle of reunion took prominence for a few minutes as Simon quietly took Book's vitals. Then he stepped back, a stethoscope around his neck.
"Well, he seems fine. All vitals are normal, pupil dilation fine. You bounce back just fine, Book" he said with a small, serious kind of smile. He then hustled Burn and Shuai from the room, leaving Book with Inde, Mal and Inara. Inara had her arm around Inde, holding him, and her hand wrapped around Book's. Mal stood with his arm around Inara's waist and his hand on Book's shoulder. For a long time, they were quiet; each of them somehow connected to each member of this unit of their family. Then Book spoke, quietly, forcefully.
"It was real scary, ye know, not knowing if I was gunna be coming back, or if I was gunna lose Inde-" he gave his little brother a smile- "But, Dad, I don't wanna leave. I really don't. I know you all got a helluva scare an' all, an' I know that seeing...Auntie River...go...crazy was real bad, Inde, but this is our home! This is where we belong! I don't wanna leave!" he blurted it all out in fitful stops and starts. Inara made a small sound of comfort and kissed his forehead.
"Oh, my darling boy. We're not going anywhere"
"But...but Burn said that Dad..." he trailed off, looking at Mal now. Inara gave him a withering glare, and then looked at Book.
"Book, your father can be a little...overdramatic, sometimes. He and I had...discussions, about leaving. But it's all been cleared up now"
"You sure? What were y'all talking about in the kitchen just now?"
Mal and Inara glanced at each other. Unconsciously, Inara's hand tightened around Inde, and Book caught the gesture, then looked at Mal. He was caught between duty, anger and pain.
"Auntie River's okay, ain't she?"
"Isn't, not 'ain't', dear. Yes, she's..."
Mal finished her sentence.
"She's gunna be just fine real soon, Bookie"
Mal watched his family and felt his heart squeeze, caught in a fist of fierce protectiveness, pride and love. It was an overwhelming love that he had no idea that a grizzled and cynical old soldier could possess. Book saw his gritted teeth and looked between Inara and him.
"She's right, isn't she Dad? We ain't going nowhere"
Mal squeezed his shoulder and nodded, unable to speak through his locked jaw. Inara bumped him pointedly and he took a deep breath.
"Book, my son, Serenity is where we belong"
"Well I know that. We were just wondering if you did"
"We?"
"Me and 'Burn and Shuai. I dunno about Tai, coz he kinda freaked out, and Inde..."
Inde shook his head when Book looked at him questioningly, one side of his mouth pulling up.
"We're crooks, Bookie. Sometimes it's a bit scary, but you're my brother, so I know I'm gunna be alright"
Book felt his heart swell with his brother's declaration of utter faith. Mal was still looking between them, and suddenly felt a calm settle him. Calm like he'd felt as Inara took his hand in a brilliant red wedding dress, smiling at him from beneath the veil. Calm like he'd felt when he took to the sky for the first time with River at his side.
Calm like everything was going to be alright.
He hadn't realised he said it out loud until Inde replied, with his usual stalwart innocence.
"Course we are. Ships still flying, an' that's enough"