Thanks to Annie and Kit-cat99 for reviews! This one's short but tomorrow's is close to 2,000 words! And that's just the morning segment... Enjoy!
A chair sits occupied next to a metal exam table, also occupied.
A monitor flanks the other side of the table, constant beeping filling the room as a bag hangs down and a tube winds to end against the pale, cool flesh of the patient.
The patient is all fixed up. Even still, she looked nothing short of hellish.
Her eyes are still closed, her body still unresponsive. Her blood transfusion was finally over, drugs being pumped into her system to encourage the quick healing of bones and then the regeneration of muscle and skin.
Outside the infirmary, into the kitchen sits the majority of the crew. Simon walks to the table, pot of coffee in hand. It had taken a day to fix River and make sure she was stabilized. A shot of adrenaline and five bags of blood later, the crew was sure that she would not crash.
The crew sips at coffee, all hoping the witch pulls through.
Kaylee sniffs and holds up her right hand, envelopes still clenched in her grasp. "I found these in the co-pilot seat. Figured," a hiccup marks the fact that she was still yet fighting tears and Simon lays his hand on her thigh, rubbing reassuringly as his shoulder brushes hers.
"Figured River meant to leave and let us find 'em later. One for everyone. I'm gonna go give Cap'n his. Here," Kaylee hands out the letters and walks to the infirmary with a fresh cup of coffee. She watches Mal for a moment and fights the tears a bit harder.
She walks in and meets his pained eyes. She holds the envelope out, "This was left at the front of a bundle of letters. One for everyone. From River."
He takes it and stares at it as it rests in a shaky hand. Kaylee looks at River and brushes a hand over her temple. She kneels by Mal, "Captain, here, ya gotta-"
He shook his head at her offer of the coffee, eyes still on the envelope. Kaylee swallows and smiles slightly, "'Kay, for now. Later then. She's too stubborn to let us go like this Cap'n, you know that."
Kaylee leaves Mal to rejoin the crew, notices the unopened letters. She frowns and picks up her own.
"Who's gonna open there's first?" she murmurs after a long stand of silence. She didn't want to open the envelope, she couldn't.
Silence still reigns as she sets her envelope away and Simon sits his on hers. The others pile theirs on as well.
"I can't read that. It's meant to be her last goodbye and with her how she is I'm not giving her reason to leave. We'll put them back in her bunk with her stuff." Simon's murmured words are the only ones breaking the silence.
Kaylee bites her lip, "The Captain,"
Zoe shakes her head and glances at Jayne, "He needs to read his. Reckon it ain't a goodbye."
Jayne nods to agree and three pairs of eyes settle between them. Zoe speaks again, "They told each other they love one another. I'm willing to bet that letter is one that holds River's heart, not her last goodbye. He needs to read that."
Simon, Kaylee and Wash stare and listen as Zoe explains everything, Jayne occasionally tossing in his own observations from the mess of it all.
In the infirmary, Mal toys with the corner of his letter. "Li'l 'tross I don't now if'n I want to read this or burn it."
He imagines what she'd say and finally opens the envelope.
"I'll read it to ya too then."