Jayne and Simon were arguing in the cargo bay.

"I'fn that hu dun sister of yours makes us look for her again..."

"She won't, I talked to her about this."

"Well, she ain't here. She didn't get the message."

"The Captain isn't either. Are you going to yell about him too?"

"The Cap'n always has a reason. She don't cept wanderin'"

Simon mumbled something under his breath when they saw River and Mal coming towards them.

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Mal had run into River on his way back, or more correctly, she had run into him. They had been walking in silence for a few moments. When they had almost reached the ship he asked her, "What did you do last night?"

"Sat under the sky."

"That all?"

River turned to look at him but kept walking, "No."

Mal didn't know what to say when she didn't go on. Mal saw Simon and Jayne arguing and sighed. River giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"I don't understand the door."

Mal didn't understand that but he was used to it. They reached the bay and Mal told Wash to lift off. River went to her room to contemplate her next move.

---------------------------------------------------------------

She was deep in thought when Kaylee came in to talk to her.

"What cha thinkin bout so hard?"

"Potential actions. Kaylee?"

"Yeah."

"Would it be alright if I talked to you about something you won't understand?"

"Like what?"

"Simon says it helps organize thoughts to ask another person, but it may be a little muddled for anyone else to get it. Could I still vocalize my brain waves?"

"No problem genius."

River sighed, "Last night I made a mistake and I don't know how to fix it exactly."

"Could you just apologize or somethin'?"

"It is too complicated for that. I have to fix it." She sighed again, "Life is not easy. Life has choices and we don't always make the right ones. Sometimes our future depends on a right decision, but circumstances or the past get in the way. In order to make someone happy you may have to intervene. Timing is necessary in this but my timing was off. I now see what needs to be done but an concerned about my timing being wrong again."

"You're talkin about helpin someone that don't think they need helpin?"

River nodded. That really was basically it.

"That I know about. Sometimes interfering ain't what's best, but it sounds like it's too late for that decision."

River nodded again.

"People ain't perfect, but sometimes you just gotta let things happen."

"What if it happens wrong?"

"Well, then it does."

"If I go forward there must be certainty on everything, there can be no doubt." Now she had lost Kaylee. "In life there are some things that you must be certain about before you charge forward." Now she was back, "These are such things, and I am not certain how to create certainty."

"Create it?"

"Make sure someone is, in this case, two people."

"You may just have to ask them sweetie."

River considered that, "I may have to take your advice."

Kaylee smiled and got up from the bed, "Lunch is ready. Smells good."

She held out her hand and River took it.

----------------------------------------

When they got to the galley and all through lunch the tension was palpable. Jia was upset and only two people in the room knew why. River was again uncertain as to how to proceed. She went back to her room afterwards with a new plan of action. The start had to be with someone who had left the ship, Inara.

She went to the bridge and asked Wash where Inara had gone.

"Last I heard she was still on Persephone. Why?"

"When are we going back there?"

"Just talked to Mal and he said that is the best place to stir up business so we are going back right now. Need to talk to her?"

"Not really."

With that she left the bridge and an amused Wash. She went to find the captain. She found him in the cargo bay. She went up to him cautiously. She knew the memory of last night was still fresh in his mind. River decided to just jump in.

"You have to talk to Inara."

Mal turned to her astonished, "What?"

"You must talk to Inara. Finish that part of existence here. Only then can you move on like you need."

Mal was about to rail on her about interfering and what was her business, but she walked away before he could even speak. He was not sure what to make of her, and probably never would be.

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Mal didn't say much to anyone in the trip to Persephone. Jia was still upset and River refused to talk to him at all. If he had the opportunity to yell at her about minding her business, he never would have even considered her statements, but since he didn't have that opportunity, he was stuck wondering about her words.

At the moment of touchdown he had decided to take her advice. River was still no where to be found and he really should talk to Inara anyway. He left a protesting Zoe and Jayne to find the companion. He found where she was on the cortex. She wasn't hard to find. Mal decided to drop in unexpected like he always had on the ship. He went to her door in the ritzy section of town without a plan as to what he was going to say. He knocked on the door after a second of hesitation. She answered in one of her silk gowns that she always wore.

"Are you alone?"

"Yes."

One moment they were talking in the hallway and the next they were kissing in the apartment. They carried it to the couch and Laid down together. They continued kissing until suddenly Mal sat up.

"This will never work will it?"

Inara shook her head.

"Does that have to matter?"

Inara started to cry silently as she nodded.

Mal got up and walked to the door. He opened it and walked away without looking back or saying another word. Inara began to cry in earnest. They both knew that it really was over now. They were both surprised that it didn't hurt more.

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Across town Badger was listening to Jia rant.

"Who does he think he is? Thinks he can just use me like that and I'll just take it?"

"He doesn't appreciate you..."

Jia hadn't heard him, "I mean really, what did he think to accomplish by kissing me? I am not a substitute and don't deserve to be."

"Love I...

"I can't believe he would treat me like that. My father always said he was a man of integrity. That wasn't integrity. That was..."

"JIA!"

Badger got her attention.

"Seems to me that you should be findin' yerself another occupation."

"But I love my job."

"Sometimes the job ain't eno..."

"Maybe if I talked to him about it. That's what I'll do."

"That wasn't what I had in..."

"Thanks badger, you're a real help."

She left without another word. For the first time he could remember, he had more to say.

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River was the only one in the cargo bay when Mal got back. She had a questioning look on her face. It cleared up when she saw the look on his face.

"It's for the best."

"Yeah."

They looked at each other for a while more before Mal walked past her to look for his now angry second in command.

He found Zoe ranting to her husband in the cockpit.

"We gonna look for jobs or are you gonna yell some more?"

Zoe walked past him and Wash told Mal, "Good luck."

They gathered Jayne and headed out.

--------------------------------------------

River was the only one in the cargo bay when Jia returned.

"Where's the captain?"

"Looking for work."

Jia nodded and went to walk past River. River stopped her by putting a hand on her arm. This surprised Jia. River didn't usually touch anyone.

"It's time for the hard road."

She let go of Jia's arm and walked away. Once again, Jia was confused by River, but she was getting used to it.

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The trio returned around nightfall without a job, but in surprising good spirits. Mal put his arm around Kaylee's shoulders and headed to the galley to have a late dinner. River sat silent through the boisterous meal, but afterwards went right for her brother.

"What's wrong meimei?"

"You can't let anything get in your way or you will lose her."

"Lose who?"

"Kaylee."

"What about Kaylee?" Simon's face was now getting red.

"She could be what you need but you mustn't let anything get in your way. Other's lives complicate, but must not stop."

She left him confused but thinking about her words.

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River found Kaylee in the engine room.

"What's up River?"

"You can't let his excuses ruin things."

"Who's excuses?"

"Simon's. He loves you. More than he is willing to admit."

River left Kaylee confused but happily considering her words.

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River found Shepherd Book in his room. She knocked without entering.

"Can I help you River?"

She came in with her eyes closed. "Is the hair away?"

Book smiled, "Yes River."

She opened her eyes and flopped down on his bed.

"What can I help you with?"

"How do you heal someone who is broken?"

"You aren't broken River."

"Not me. Someone else."

"How are they broken?"

"Rage consumes them inside. No external sensors."

"Who are we talking about?"

"The archangel."

"You mean Jia?"

River nodded.

"How is she consumed by rage?"

"Father, Mother, Brother. All souls will not leave. Holds them down as barrier to new feelings. Too cautious."

"Maybe I should be the one to talk to her River. Loss can be hard to deal with."

"No dealing, holding. Swims in anger."

"How do you know this River?"

"Feel it. Hear it. Now I've seen it."

Book didn't want to dig any deeper, though he wanted to know more. "I will talk to her."

"She hides behind, shadows have no sunrise."

"I will offer her a way out of pain. Most people take that."

"A way out of pain?"

"Yes. Offering another way is met by resistance but can be helpful."

River nodded and left. She would let the holy man try and help, but she knew the shadows were deep. Jia needed to be fixed from the inside. She didn't think he could help, but would let him try first.

----------------------------------

Jia sought out Mal after she had cleaned up in the galley. She wanted to escape Jayne's reminiscing about his women. He could get descriptive. She found him just outside the infirmary with no one in sight. He turned and started to walk the other way when he saw her but she wouldn't let him leave.

"Sir I have to talk to you."

He reluctantly turned, "Yeah."

"About the other night. I can't..."

"I am really sorry about that."

"You should be. I will not be used as some second best."

He was taken back, "I did not use you."

"It was so obvious it wasn't me you wanted. I'm not her."

He pulled her close until his face was inches from hers. "I don't see anyone else."

They stood in silence for a while before he pulled back. "You don't need to worry, if I kiss you again it will be just me and you."

That was not what she expected. She thought she should say something as he turned and walked away, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

In her room down the hall, River smiled. She had everyone where they needed to be.

--------------------------------------------

That night was a strange one for most on Serenity. Book was thinking how to help Jia. Simon was holding Kaylee thinking about her, and their future. He had never thought about it before because he didn't want to think that far ahead anymore. Kaylee had fallen asleep in Simon's arms thinking about the same thing. River's words had stuck with both of them. Mal fell asleep not thinking of Inara for the first time in a while. Jia fell asleep wondering about Mal's strange behavior. Zoe, Wash and Jayne were the only ones not having a strange night.

River drifted asleep thinking about the past but in a new light. She didn't think of it in terms of sadness, she thought in terms of happiness it was over. She had never seen it that way, but her hallway had given her hope. She dreamed of a new hallway. The hallway was brighter. Again she ran to the end. This time the doors didn't end. They just ceased to be important and faded, eventually completely. She was left with a hallway with paintings on the wall, murals. The murals started moving. Suddenly it occurred to her that the murals were not murals, but reality. She saw Simon, happy. It was her goal, Simon's happiness. It was what she existed for. Simon had given up everything for her, now she would give it back to him better than before. She saw happiness and smelled happiness. She felt it like sunlight, like a light breeze. It smelled of flowers and joy, of favorite places and people. Of new beginnings and necessary ends. Of life. Of love. She awoke with a smile on her face. But soon felt a shock and held back a scream.

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A half an hour earlier, Book had sat Jia down to talk to her. He started out stating his purpose of helping her with her anger. She started out defensive, but downshifted into conversational tones. Book soon realized talking wasn't going to help if she stayed with bare facts like she always did.

"You are just telling me what I want to hear."

"That's impossible since I don't have any idea what you want to hear."

"Do you really think you are doing your departed family any favors by not letting them go?"

"You shouldn't mettle Preacher. I don't appreciate it."

She was trying to sound menacing, but not succeeding. "If you don't take the chances you don't get any of the benefits."

"Benefits of what?"

"Of loving someone."

"The only benefits I have ever seen are pain and suffering." She hadn't meant to say that but it just popped out. "I have things to do."

"No you don't. You just want to avoid this conversation. Fine for now, but you should think about the fact you have a brother and sister that would like to see their sister happy."

He knew he had hit the right target when she didn't reply.

It was at this moment River had to hold back her scream. Jia's shadows shifted. Pain leaked out. River removed Jia's pain from her own consciousness. Now her path was clear. River got up and headed out of her room towards the galley. She interrupted Book and Jia and asked Jia to follow her. River led her to the empty engine room. She let Jia go ahead of her and closed the door behind her.

"What's happening River?"

River locked the door and turned to Jia. She closed her eyes. Suddenly Jia fell to her knees and let out a scream that could be heard all over the ship. Book raced to the engine room but couldn't open the door. Mal and Jayne showed up but still couldn't get it open. Jia continued to scream in such a way that was of suffering and absolute pain. Everyone in the ship was at the door trying to open it. Kaylee was crying. Wash was covering his ears. Zoe was panicking. They didn't know what was going on, but just that they had to get the door open. AS suddenly as it had started, the screaming stopped. The door slid open just as suddenly. Simon ran in to Jia's side. Zoe and Mal ran to her as well. Everyone else stayed outside. She was on her knees with a stunned expression. Simon was trying to get any answer out of her. River stood in the doorway waiting. Jia looked up at her.

"Are you alright Jia?"

"I feel like everything has just been lifted off my chest. It's all gone. How did you did that?"

"You needed to work through it. That is what I did."

"Don't that usually take years?"

"It does. But I couldn't wait that long."

River looked at Simon.

Jia understood. River walked out of the engine room with a smile on her face.

Jayne finally came in the engine room, "What did she do to you?"

"She saved me."

-----------------------------------------------------

Everyone except Jia avoided River for the next few days. Jia was different. She was freer, happier. Jia's acceptance of what had happened made it easier for everyone else to put it in the back of their minds.

River had felt Jia's ghosts leave the ship. The blanket that had been there wasn't there anymore. Her emotions were on the surface like everyone else's. Jia now had the same presence as everyone else. There was no one else. Just her.

River was elated. She no longer felt as broken. Life should be easier from now on, at least in the direction of Simon and Kaylee.