Mal had sent them to the infirmary. It had seemed like the best place for them after the girl's episode. Screaming teenage girls weren't the best way to impress a prospective employer. Now the deal was set up, he figured he should go and check on the pair.
Walking towards the infirmary, he heard quiet whispers. An ominous sign. Whispering normally meant the girl was still freaking out and her wacky moments normally meant something bad was going to happen. Girl had an uncanny ability to see danger a mile off and then warn the crew, cryptically. Sometimes Mal just wished she'd come out with "Oh by the way, you're going to get shot and stabbed."
He lifted his hand to open the door and realized it wasn't the girl whispering, but her brother. Carefully peering through the window so as not to be seen, Mal could see that River was unconscious, probably due to some 'wonder-drug', and Simon was holding her hand. He appeared to be crying.
"I wish you could tell me what they'd done to you, mei-mei."
Mal tensed slightly. He knew he shouldn't be watching this scene unfold. This was something private, something between the siblings, yet somehow he couldn't tear himself away from the situation. He told himself it was because he was the Captain and he had a right to know what was going on on his boat. He knew this was complete fei hua but he'd be damned if he'd admit it to anyone.
"I feel so helpless. I can only imagine the things you must be going through. The things those gou tsao de purplebellies did to you."
This was a turn up for the books, the prim, proper doctor swearing? Mal suppressed a smile, now wasn't the time. He unconsciously found himself moving closer to the window so he could hear better.
"It wasn't meant to be this way." Simon sighed, "Things were supposed to be different. The Academy was supposed to help you, to better you. You were supposed to become a great scientist or something equally as brilliant. You were supposed to outshine us all."
His voice choked at this point and he put a hand to his mouth to hold back a sob.
"Instead you're stuck here with these… people. These thieves. The kind of people we'd never have associated with back on Osiris." He let out a sad laugh "And now we're fugitives, on the run from the same organization that we relied on to keep us safe. Relying on criminals to protect us from the law! The irony's almost unbearable."
Realizing Simon couldn't take anymore of this without the waterworks completely taking over, Mal opened the door to the infirmary and let himself in.
The younger man jumped at the sudden intrusion and turned to face Mal, his eyes red from the crying, tears staining his face.
"Captain, I, um… was… she's stable for now." Simon turned away from Mal, not wanting him to see evidence of his momentary loss of control. He continued his monologue facing the wall, busying himself with reorganizing the supplies, "The drugs I've given her should keep her calm for the rest of the night. Of course there's no guarantee but then again, there's never really a way to be certain with River." He laughed nervously; suddenly aware of the fact he'd been rambling.
"Shiny." Mal said, not wanting to embarrass the boy anymore by letting on that he knew anything more, "Luckily we managed to salvage the deal by pretendin' little River's freak-out was nothin' more'n the effects of alcohol. We've set course for Persephone and should be dockin' in a few days."
"Okay, well… if you'll, erm, excuse me Captain, I need to finish up here and get some sleep."
Mal nodded, "Of course."
He left the room and headed silently to his bunk.
Simon, glad that that distraction had gone, got back to re-organizing the equipment he'd moved to create the illusion of business. It took him mere moments. He headed to the door of the infirmary, deciding that sleep probably would be a wise idea round about now, and turned out the light. He took one final look at River, still laid asleep and sighed:
"I promise, mei-mei¸ I will fix you."
"Lights will guide you home,
And ignite your bones,
And I will try and fix you…" - Coldplay, Fix You
Translations
mei-mei - sister
fei hua - bullshit
gou tsao de - dog humping
R&R please?