Well here is chapter 5, hope you enjoy! This one has a nice death in it. I'm not saying who! This chapter actually depressed me to write so it had better be good.

The song is'My Immortal' by Evanescence, I just thought it really fit River well.

Chapter 5: Saying Goodbye

First off Simon thinks he's imagining it, then Jayne cocks his head upwards listening.

"I'm so tired of being here,
Suppressed by all my childish fears.
And if you have to leave,
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone.
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears.
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.
And I held your hand through all of these years.
But you still have
All of me."

Simon stands up and moves out of cover. He can't help himself. River is walking…more like drifting, along the catwalk high above them.

"Doc…" Jayne hisses at him.

Simon's gun hangs loosely at his side. He's never heard River sing like this. It hardly sounds like her. It's like a choir in an empty cathedral, all echoes and angels. It sends unwanted chills down his spine. She's still wearing the blue dress she had on when she left with Kaylee, but its in tatters round the bottom, like its been ripped. Her feet are bare. She walks, light as a feather, along the catwalk. Finally she comes to a stop in the centre of the section running along the far wall. She leans on the railing.

Simon darts forward into the large open space before he even thinks about the fact that he might get shot. There's no stairs. Who builds a factory with no rutting stairs?

River smiles at him. But gradually her gaze slides past her brother.

"You used to captivate me by your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me.
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase."

Jayne feels compelled to follow Simon. Her voice is ringing in his head. He shakes his head to try and get it out. He can't take his eyes off her. Jayne's hands tighten on Vera as he stands. He knows better than to walk into the open, but he can't make his feet obey him. River's voice is like the siren's song, and it's going to lead him to his doom.

"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears.
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.
And I held your hand through all of these years.
But you still have
All of me.
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone.
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears.
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.
And I held your hand through all of these years.
But you still have
All of me."

As the song dies away River looks down at the two men gawping at her. They're safe enough. No feds here. Not anymore. She leans forwards so the rail is under her armpits, letting her hands hang down. She licks her lips.

"Prince Charming is looking for his swan princess."

"What?" Jayne grunts out loud.

"I didn't say anything," Simon says looking at him with a frown.

Jayne realises she's in his gorram head. She's not moving her mouth. She is in his head.

"Don't talk just listen little tin soldier all in red. Need you to do something. Guard him. He's going to go mad. I can't kill you with my mind." She smiles softly at him. "You never found my glass slipper Jayne. Doesn't matter, I'll swim barefoot."

Her eyes are wide and dark, and Jayne can't tear his gaze away from the crazy girl two storeys above them.

"I'll be sleeping beauty. Does that make you the Beast? Copper for a kiss. I was waiting…" she smiles sadly at him, and all Jayne wants to do is kiss those pink lips and hold her in his arms while he kills them all.

"River…" there is a warning tone in Simon's voice.

She turns her head to one side. "I told you there was singing."

Simon's eyes go wide as saucers when he realises she isn't speaking out loud. This isn't possible. Science says it isn't possible.

"I'm sorry I was mean," her voice is so soft. "I love you."

Simon rubs his temples. Not real not real not real.

"Of course I'm real. Simple Simon. My wan mêi brother. I could have done this at the Academy. Let the voices in. But I waited. I waited for you. Knew you would come. Thought you could make it better. But you can't. It isn't your fault. You tried. If I let the voices in I will drown."

She smiles at him in a way which makes him want to fall to the floor and bawl his eyes out.

"Can't dam a river forever. Goodbye Simon, my lìngrén jingyi big brother."

She steps back from the railing and suddenly feels cold. She can't look at their faces. This is what I fought against for so long. Time to stop swimming. Time to go under.

She holds out her arms to her sides and lets herself fall backwards. The voices come quickly. Singing and accusing. Feels like I'm falling forever.

"River!" Simon screams at her, and she almost kicks her feet and swims back to land. But she can't, must swallow water. Salt on her tongue. There are mermaids.

She's dead before her head hits catwalk. And at the exact moment her head strikes metal Jayne passes out.

Translation Notes

Wan mêi - perfect, beautiful

Lìngrén jingyi - stunning, amazing