Yes there is more. Lots!

And it does get darker.

I apologise for killing River. Least I surprised you!

Chapter 6: Blood

"Run!" Zoë comes hurtling through a door to Simon's left.

Simon numbly points a shaking finger up to the catwalk without a word.

Zoë swears and goes to check on Jayne. "What happened to him?"

"Passed out. Unknown cause. Probably just a non-cardiac syncope episode."

Zoë looks round at him with a look that says that she has no idea what he has just said. "We've got to go."

There's a sudden burst of gunfire from outside the door Zoë has just entered by, and Simon jumps.

Mal comes racing into the room, barely staying on his feet with his pace. The whole of his shirtfront is red with blood, and it continues to drip from his nose. He skids to a stop and spits a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

"River?"

"She's dead sir," Zoë gestures upwards.

Mal curses obscenely even for him. He looks to Jayne, swears again then nods to Zoë. "We go. Now."

"But River…" It's the first time Simon's spoken since Mal entered.

"No time. They're coming," Mal's voice cracks slightly and Zoë can hear the fear there.

Mal hauls Jayne up over his shoulder, staggers a little until he balances the new weight. He throws Vera to Zoë.

"Go!" He yells it so forcefully that Simon is shocked into moving. He goes a few metres then turns back.

"River."

"You want to die? We. Will. Die. Slowly. Probably more painfully than her if you don't gorram go!"

Simon swallows and his grip tightens on the pistol so hard that his knuckles go white, and he runs.

Kaylee is sat on her folding chair just far enough up the ramp to avoid the rain. She insisted Wash help her down here. Her head is still throbbing but she doesn't want to wait in the infirmary. On her lap sits a comm and Wash's stegosaurus. The rain outside has lessened slightly and there is a rainbow in the sky. But Kaylee's thoughts are far from rainbows.

Then she sees three shapes merge into view through the rain. Three? There's meant to be five. She thumbs on the comm.

"Wash!" There's no need to say anymore. In moments Wash, Inara and Book are there.

No there are four, not three, Mal is carrying Jayne. Where's River? No…Oh God no. They stumble up the ramp, soaking wet. Mal's face is dripping with blood. Kaylee pulls herself to her feet, and takes one look at Mal's eyes and she knows. They were too late. Oh no Simon. She moves to him without a word and puts her arms around him. He stands stiffly, his arms at his sides. His eyes are blank and he's starting to scare her.

Wash grabs hold of Zoë and holds her close to him, ignoring the wetness. "Zoë," he whispers in her ear.

Zoë clings to him tightly. She came back this time. River didn't.

Inara's composure fades completely and she grabs the stair rail for support. Her whole body is shaking.

Mal lays Jayne down on the deck. His head lolls to one side and Mal thinks that the mercenary is dead. Mal spits a mouthful of blood and turns away. He kicks one of the nearby crates, cracking it. She was just a girl. Mal had failed them.

Book starts to pray. "Dear Lord, protect the soul of River as she ascends to your Heavenly realm. Bless the souls of those who tried to help her. Bless us all."

There's a roaring sound in his ears. Like the sound when you press a seashell to your ear. Simon knows that that's the sound of the blood pounding through your head. Scientific fact. It's drowning out everything else around him. He knows that Kaylee has her arms around him, but he can't feel them. Maybe she's crying. He can't tell and right now he can't bring himself to care.

He should be checking on Jayne. But he can't make himself do it. He'll leave the man lying on the cargo bay floor before he'll help him.

He can hear Book praying, a far off echo. Amen. Like an empty cathedral. Where angels sing. River sang. River killed herself. With her own brain. She'd said that to Jayne that time. Just a macabre joke. I didn't believe it. But she said she waited for me to save her. Didn't kill herself at the Academy because she knew I'd come.

He doesn't recall when he pulled himself away from Kaylee and headed for the infirmary. River wanted to die. She did it with a smile. That smile flickered in front of his eyes. His baby sister wanted to die. Mei mei. River.

He turns on the tap and plunges his hands under the scalding water. There's so much blood. He scrubs at it with a small nailbrush. Why isn't it coming off? Why can't I get rid of this blood? Her blood. Always hers.

"Simon?" The voice is soft and gentle, and almost destroys him.

She gently pulls his hands out of the water.

"The blood…" he starts.

"There is no blood. Simon I'm so sorry."

Then Inara envelops him in her arms and rocks him against her.

Kaylee has sat on the floor against a wall tears running down her face. She doesn't know what to do. Book kneels beside Jayne's body and feels for his pulse.

"We have to go back," Book says infinitely calm.

"What?" Mal looks up, his face horrific with the blood.

"We have to collect River's body." Wash winces but Book continues. "How we treat our dead Captain…"

"…Is what makes us different, I know." Mal sighs. "We can't do anything tonight. We best tend to the wounded. Get him to the infirmary. We'd best get some sleep too." Mal feels like such a liar, he knows he won't sleep and he's pretty sure much of his crew will be awake until the early hours. He runs a hand under his bloody nose. It won't stop bleeding.

"Wash, Book take Jayne. I've got something to do first. Zoë."

Zoë nods back. She knows what has to be done.

"Kaylee, go with them. This isn't a place for you."

Kaylee scrambles to her feet and hurries from the room, after Book and Wash carrying Jayne between them slowly.

Mal grabs a comm.

"Bester. Cargo bay. Now."

Mal knows he shouldn't really have pistol whipped Bester, but it seemed a good idea at the time. Zoë doesn't even tut. He spits out a mouthful of blood. Mal hauls Bester back to his feet by his collar. "She's dead!"

"That ain't my fault. I didn't kill her!"

Mal's voice is low and dangerous. "Because you talked to a gorram fed a girl died."

"Hey! I didn't know! She was just a girl in a bar!"

Mal grits his teeth and forces his words out past them. "Get off my boat. Now!" Mal shoves Bester away from his and spits more blood.

Bester knows better than to argue. Maybe Chac isn't so bad. There will be other ships. And Reynolds will still owe me.