Title: Damsels
Series: Our Mrs. Cobb
Author: Sevangel
Disclaimer: Not mine; all is owned by JW
Rating: PG-13
-
"Gorramit, Jayne, you need to calm down!" Mal shouts.
"Ain't calmin' down!" Jayne shouts back. "Why we just sittin' round here? We should be gettin' em back."
"We can't get em back till we know where they are." Mal replies. "And Zoe's talkin' to Sam…"
"I should be talkin' to him." Jayne interrupts.
"Jayne, he needs to be alive if'n he's gonna tell us where they are." Mal points out. "Why don't you go weapon up and I'll go check on Zoe's progress."
"Fine." Jayne agrees. "But if'n Zoe don't got it outa him by the time I get back, I'm beatin' it out."
Mal waits until Jayne is climbing down into his bunk before running back up the stairs to the bridge. "Zoe, how's it goin'?"
"He's scared, sir." Zoe turns away from Sam to face Mal. "He's scared this Burgess guy's gonna find out he's the one who told and kill him."
"So he ain't told you nothin'?" Mal asks.
"No." Zoe replies.
Mal walks around Zoe and perches himself on the console, a few feet in front away from Sam. "Look, kid, I get you're scared." Mal says. "But in bout five minutes, a very angry mercenary is gonna be stompin' up them steps. If you ain't told us where they are by then, he's gonna beat it out of you and there ain't a thing any of can do to stop him."
"You don't get it." Sam replies. "He'll kill me."
"We ain't gonna let him kill you." Mal assures him.
"You ain't gonna be able to stop him." Sam argues.
"He kidnapped three of my crew." Mal says. "Trust me, he ain't gonna be a threat to anybody no more."
"Burgess's gotta lota men." Nandi tells Mal. "And he'll kill anybody; man, woman, or child."
"He touched my wife." Jayne growls, stepping up behind Inara and Nandi. "He's dead; end of story."
"We loaded up good?" Mal asks.
"Yeah." Jayne replies. "Vera's ready to go and I brought some others."
"Good." Mal says.
"Well?" Jayne prods. "Where are they?"
The bridge is silent for a few seconds before Sam looks up at the visibly homicidal merc. "Burgess's gotta place few miles outa town where he does business he don't want nobody to know bout." He whispers. "He'd take them there."
"Need you to map it out for us, son." Mal says. "Wash's got a map up of this moon and we just need you to show us the area and how much security he's got."
Sam nods and walks over to stand behind the pilot.
"Jayne, you gonna be able to stay focused?" Mal says.
"I'm gettin' her back, Mal." Jayne growls menacingly. "And I'll kill anyone standin' in my way."
Mal nods but doesn't say anything. He agrees.
"Mal." Wash says.
"You got it?" Mal turns around to face the pilot.
"Not yet." Wash replies. "We're getting a wave."
The bridge goes quiet for a few seconds before Mal stomps forward to stand beside Wash. "It's probably Burgess, wantin' to make some kinda offer." He hits the button to answer the wave and crosses his arms, his features schooled as he glares at the feed. "Where are they?"
"Well, if that's not a rude way to answer a wave." A young, female voice says.
"Who are you?" Mal asks, cocking his head to take in the visual of the girl. The connection is a little blurry but he can make out long brown hair and big eyes on the face of a teenage girl, no older than River.
"Dawn." She replies. "Who are you?"
"Malcom Reynolds." Mal replies. "I'm a bit busy at the moment; what do you need?"
"I just wanted to talk to Willow." Dawn says. "Spike said she's with you and I want to talk to her. I haven't seen her in forever. Is she there? Can I talk to her?"
Mal sighs heavily. "I don't wanna have to tell you this…."
"Oh, god, she's not dead is she?" Dawn interrupts. "She can't be dead…."
"She ain't dead." Mal cuts in. "She's been kidnapped."
"Oh." Dawn mutters and then there's a brief pause. "Can you have her wave me when she gets back?"
"She's been kidnapped, Dawn." Mal explains slowly.
"That's no biggie." Dawn replies. "Wills is good at the kidnappee thing; she'll be fine. Heck, I'd be more concerned for the kidnappers than I would for Wills. She's a force to be reckoned with when need be, well, unless she's hung over. Cause then all she's gonna want to do is sleep." Dawn's head turns to look off camera but Mal can't hear who she's talking with or what's being said. She turns back to look at Mal after a few moments. "Spike wants to know if you're going to rescue her?"
"Yeah." Mal replies. "Course we are."
"Oh, that's good." Dawn says. "And he said if you need anything; money or more muscle, we can send it."
"We're good." Mal replies. "We know where they are."
"Okey-dokey." Dawn says. "Then just have Willow wave me when she gets back and give her a big hug for me, okay?"
"Will do." Mal replies, reaching up to cut the connection off. "Gorram perkiness must be pumped through the air on their home moon."
"We've got it, Mal." Wash says. "According to Sam here, he doesn't protect this land much."
"And why's that?" Mal asks Sam.
"Only a few of us know bout it." Sam explains. "And the people he's taken there, well they don't ever leave, if you catch my drift."
"I caught it." Mal replies. "Book, I can count you in, right?"
"Yes." Book says.
"Good." Mal replies. "Me, Zoe, and Jayne are gonna be the one's goin' in. Book, you and Wash are the back up."
"You forgot me." Inara says.
"Nara, I ain't havin'…."
"I'm going, Mal." Inara interrupts.
"And so am I." Nandi adds. "I'm done standin' by and lettin' Burgess do what he wants."
"I'm going to." Simon says, holding up a hand when Mal starts to object. "I'll stay with Inara and Nandi. We don't know what's been done to them; it might be very necessary for me to be there."
"Fine." Mal agrees. "But you three are behind Wash and Book, dong ma?"
"Let's go." Jayne orders. He doesn't even wait for anybody to start following him; just heads out of the bridge towards the bay, Vera clasped tightly in his hand.
"She better be okay." Mal whispers to Zoe. "Cause I don't wanna see the damage Jayne's gonna do if she ain't."
-
"Willow." Kaylee whispers. "Oh, please, wake up, Willow."
"Ain't havin' no luck?" Billy asks.
"No." Kaylee says a little hysterically. "Neither one of em will wake up. He musta hit em hard or somethin'."
Billy scoots as close to Kaylee as his chains will allow. "Kaylee, it'll be okay."
"Ain't gonna be okay." Kaylee argues. "We've been kidnapped, Billy."
"I know." Billy replies.
"Well, well well, if it isn't the little sly whore."
Kaylee looks up to see a somewhat handsome man walking towards her, two big goons flocking his sides. She personally don't think he's attractive but she knows some women would. He's older than her, probably the same age as the captain.
"What do you want, Burgess?" Billy asks, sounding braver than he actually is.
"Watch your tongue, boy." Burgess orders. "Or you'll find that money-maker of yours all bruised up."
Billy glares up at him, biting his lip to keep his fear from showing.
"I see our two other guests haven't woken up yet." Burgess comments. "Guess I hit them just a little too hard."
"Or maybe we're just trying to ignore your loud ass mouth." Willow mutters, sitting up with groan.
"You better learn to respect your superiors, girl." Burgess warns.
River snorts. "Please." She says. "The only thing you're superior to is a cow's excretions."
Burgess opens his mouth to yell at them when Willow cuts him off.
"Look, we get it." Willow says. "You've got all the power and we're just the little helpless ones. And if we don't do as you order you're going to kill us, painfully. Can you just skip over all the lame threats and go away so we can go back to sleep?"
"You're awful brave." Burgess sneers. "But you won't stay that way for long."
"We both know if you were going to kill us we'd already be dead." Willow replies. "You need us for some reason and you can't very well kill us until you get it."
"So why don't you go work on getting what ever it is you want and leave us alone?" River suggests.
"Next time we talk, you're going to be begging for your life." Burgess says, glaring for all he's worth. "And once I get what's mine, I'll be back to make you learn some respect." He turns and leaves the room without another word, his goons following behind.
River and Willow head's both collapses back down, pain-filled whimpers leaving their mouths.
"Are you two okay?" Kaylee asks worriedly.
"There are little men pounding on drums inside my brain." River whimpers. "And I think I'm going to throw up."
"No, you can't." Willow says with a groan. "Cause I'll be right beside you."
"And I have a bump." River says, wrinkling her forehead with a wince. "Kaylee, how big is it?"
"Pretty big." Kaylee replies. "Jayne ain't gonna like that at all."
River visibly tenses up at the mention of her husband's name. "Don't want to talk about him."
"River." Kaylee says softly.
"No." River replies. "I will deal with my boob of a husband later; right now I want to go back to sleep."
"Right there with you." Willow says, turning as much as she can with a chain attached to her wrist. "You know, he could have been a little more considerate and gave us some blankets and pillows. It'd only be polite."
"He kidnapped us, Willow." Billy points out.
"Yeah, but I'm just saying would it kill him to have some manners?" Willow mutters, twisting around a little more until she ends up lying with her head on River's thigh. River in turn, lays her head on Willow's stomach.
"You're goin' to sleep?" Kaylee asks in shock.
"Yeah, what else are we supposed to do?" Willow asks. "We're the kidnappees, Kaylee; we have to be good damsels in distress and wait for the big heroes to come rescue us."
Kaylee scoots closer to Billy and leans against his side, both of them looking scared to death while Willow and River snooze behind them.
Willow. River telepathically says.
Ouch, not so loud. Willow scolds.
You, too. River winces. Can't you just..
With the constant drum solo going on, it probably wouldn't be the smartest thing. Willow replies. If we're going to die, then yeah, I'll blow them away...and most likely us with them.
We'll just wait. River says.
Yeah. Willow agrees. They'll be here soon.
River turns her head a little, using her hair as a blanket to keep the blinding light out of her eyes. And with the constant throbbing in her head, she realizes the only relief will be sleep. So with a yawn, she let's the fuzziness take over and goes back to sleep.
-
A knife whirls through the air and embeds deeply into the throat of a large man holding a large gun.
"Nice shot, Jayne." Zoe comments. "That all of em?"
"There's three inside." Jayne replies gruffly.
"How does he know that?" Simon asks.
"Gorramit, doc, we done told you to stay back." Mal says.
"I know." Simon agrees. "But you could hardly think I was going to obey. That's my sister and m…Kaylee in there."
"We're all going in, Mal." Inara says from his other side. "You just better get used to it."
"And Jayne never answered." Simon adds.
"Prints." Jayne explains. "There's 9 separate ones. We've taken out four."
"But that leaves five not three." Simon says.
"Yeah but look at them two sets." Jayne points a few feet away from the doctor. "See how's they're kinda smudged, like they was draggin' their feet. That's what prints look like when you force somebody to go somewhere. Them two must belong to Kaylee and Billy."
"Why them?" Simon asks, a little shocked and fascinated by what Jayne's telling him.
"I know that one belongs to Kaylee." Jayne points to one of the smudged prints. "Sole of her right boot got's a break in the front. The other one ain't River's, it's too big and since Willow wears the same size shoe, I know it ain't hers. And fore you ask, River told me she borrowed sandals from Willow so they gotta have the same size."
"Always knew you was a good tracker." Mal comments, completely impressed. "Didn't realize that good."
"Never gave me nothin' to track." Jayne replies, lining up with the front door. And before anybody can stop him, he places his foot into the center off the door and kicks it in.
"Guess we go in." Mal follows Jayne inside and spins to the right, his gun pointed out. "Where's Burgess?"
"I ain't tellin' you nothin'." The large goon replies.
"Wrong answer." There's a loud pop and the man goes flying backwards, blood seeping from the wound in his forehead.
Jayne shoots the lock off the door in front of him and then kicks it open. He drops to the side just as a bullet whizzes past him and then brings up his own gun. Another shot and the second goon hits the floor, blood oozing from a wound in his shoulder. "Where is my wife?" Jayne asks slowly, placing his boot into the man's bullet wound and pressing down. "I have to ruttin' ask again and I'm gonna start shootin' off parts."
"Downstairs." The man groans. "Door's right there."
"Thanks." Jayne shoots him in the forehead and steps over his body.
"Wait for me, Jayne." Mal orders, jogging across the room and jumping over the dead guy.
Jayne raises Vera and blows off the door.
"For effect?" Mal asks with a humorless grin.
Jayne grins back just as humorlessly. "Damn straight."
-
"Your worthless boyfriend gave me away." Burgess says, glaring at Billy as he fumbles through pockets looking for keys. "I rutting knew I shoulda killed him when I heard he was messing round with you."
"You best just give in." Kaylee advises. "I know my crew; you ain't gotta chance. They'll ruttin' kill you."
"Only if they make it past Johnny and Bobby." Burgess replies. "I don't see that happening."
Two audible gunshots are heard and Burgess turns his head to smirk at them. "And there goes two of yours." Then he spins around, pulling a square looking gun out of the holster on his side. "Johnny, Bobby, that you?"
"No."
Burgess screams as a bullet pierces the skin of his hand. He drops his gun and looks up to see a huge man, holding the largest gun he's ever seen, walking down the steps with a smaller man right behind him.
"Jayne." Kaylee sobs with relief.
"You alright, Kaylee?" Jayne asks. He puts the barrel of Vera against Burgess chest and turns his head to look at Kaylee. And a few feet behind Kaylee, he sees his wife unconscious on the floor; his vision goes red.
"Yeah." Kaylee replies.
Simon runs over and drops down beside the mechanic. "Did they hurt you?"
Kaylee shakes her head. "Just forced us to go with em at gunpoint."
"But they knocked River and Willow out." Billy says. "Don't know why them and not us."
Simon turns his head when he hears a large crash just in time to see Burgess go flying across the room and hit a wall.
"Jayne's pissed." Kaylee says, watching with wide eyes as the merc pummels on Burgess.
"Yes." Simon agrees and turns to face Mal. "I don't want to move them in case they have concussions."
"Oh, they ain't unconscious, Simon." Kaylee says. "They're sleepin'."
"What?" Jayne stops mid-punch and turns to look at Kaylee. "They're what?"
"Sleepin'." Billy repeats. "They woke up an hour ago when Burgess and his goons came in and argued with him for a few minutes before goin' back to sleep."
"I'll wake em up." Kaylee says. "Cap'n, you wanna get the keys to the cuffs; he set em on top of that table over there."
Mal grabs the keys and walks over to release Kaylee and Billy.
"Willow, River, you gotta wake up." Kaylee prods, poking them both.
"Oh, goddess, I thought we already did the whole threatening thing." Willow mutters with a groan. "Look, buddy, we get it; if we don't do what you say you'll kill us. I really don't feel like rehashing it with you again, okay."
"Willow, Mal's here." Kaylee says.
"It's about time." Willow replies. "River, get up; we've been rescued."
"Baby, you okay?" Jayne drops Burgess to the ground and runs over to drop down beside her. "Answer me."
"No." River answers, sitting up with a groan. "You hurt me."
"I know." Jayne agrees. "And I'm sorry but right now I need to know if'n you're okay."
"I think I'm going to throw up." River whispers. "And there's a little drummer inside my head and he won't stop pounding and I have a bump." She points to her forehead.
Jayne takes one look at the large goose egg on her forehead and stands up with a growl. He picks Vera up from where he dropped her and stalks over to where Burgess is trying to stand up. "You hit her?"
Burgess screams again, his good hand moving down to touch his now mangled knee.
Jayne aims Vera at Burgess's other knee and pulls the trigger. "You piece of shit."
"Stop." River orders.
Jayne turns his head and sees Mal removing the cuffs off River and Willow's hand.
"Wait." Willow adds, grabbing River's hand. They walk slowly over to where Jayne is standing over the almost dead body of Burgess, Vera smoking in his hand. "Hey, Mr. Kidnapper guy, where's your bathroom?"
-
River tightens her legs around Jayne's hips and turns her head to look at Kaylee. "Kaylee, what's wrong?"
"Mal, slow down." Willow says.
"Stop wigglin'." Mal orders, struggling to adjust her in his arms.
"You could just put me down and let me walk." Willow says.
"We done tried that, remember?" Mal replies. "You threw up and almost fell over."
"Oh yeah." Willow agrees. "But I want to know what's wrong with Kaylee."
"We was kidnapped." Kaylee whispers, her hand clasped tightly in Simon's.
"I know that." Willow replies. "Is that why you're upset?"
"Yeah." Kaylee says. "Ain't you?"
"Not really." Willow replies. "After a while, you kinda get used to the whole kidnapping thing."
Mal tightens his arms around Willow and turns his head to look at Inara who is wearing the same look he knows he's wearin'.
"Uh, oxygen becoming an issue." Willow grunts out. "You're squeezing too tight, Mal."
"Sorry." Mal mutters and loosens his grip.
Willow turns to look at Inara and lays her head down on Mal's shoulder. She tries not to but Mal's even footsteps soon lull her to sleep.
"I don't like it." Simon says, filtering his gaze between his sister and Willow.
"Like what?" Jayne asks quietly, trying not to wake River up. He can feel her even breaths hitting his ear.
"We shouldn't have moved them until I was sure they don't have concussions." Simon says. "They shouldn't have fallen asleep that easily. With what happened before, I should have examined them before we moved them."
"Let's just get em back to the house." Nandi says. "We can worry bout what was done to them there."
-
"That's it, baby." Jayne rubs circles on River's back with one hand while his other hand holds her hair away from her face.
River dry heaves a few more times and then rests her forehead on the cool porcelain of the toilet.
"You done puckin' or you got more in there?" Jayne asks softly.
"Done." River whispers.
"C'mon then, let's get you in a cool bath and rinse all that gunk off you." Jayne picks River up and carries her over to the bathtub. He sits down on the edge with her on his lap and turns the water on. He sticks his hand under the flow to make sure it's cool enough and then places to stopper in the drain.
River leans against Jayne's chest while he strips off her dress and boots. She doesn't make a noise until he places her into the bathwater. "It's cold."
"I know, baby." Jayne agrees. "But if'n it's too hot, it'll make you sicker."
River wraps her arms around her bent knees. "Too cold."
"Just let me clean you up and then I'll take you back to bed." Jayne grabs a sponge and squirts some of the soap stuff onto it. "Uncurl, baby doll."
River straightens her knees out and leans back so that Jayne can wash off her sweaty and dirty body. "You made me cry."
Jayne's hands pause for a second. "I know."
"Don't do it again." River says.
"I won't." Jayne assures her. Jayne gently washes River's belly, still unable to get the image of her lyin' on the ground all chained up. He ain't ever felt as much anger as he did when he saw her like that; he wanted to rip Burgess into a thousand different pieces and if Kaylee hadn't said she was only sleepin', he woulda. Hell, in the end, the bullet he put between Burgess's eyes didn't feel like enough. "No, baby, you can't go to sleep." Jayne says when River's eyes drift shut. "Gotta wait for your brother to check you out first."
"My head hurts." River whines.
"I know." Jayne tosses the sponge onto the shower-rack and pulls out the stopper. "Stand up."
River slowly moves to her feet, the slow, easy movements making her head pound twice as much as it was.
Jayne grabs a towel and wraps it around River's naked body. Then he scoops her up into his arms and carries her out to the room they're usin' at the whorehouse. He sets her on the bed and towel dries off her body before grabbin' one of his shirts and pullin' it over her head. "You awake?"
"Mm hum." River murmurs, her eyes closed as she lies down on her side.
Jayne eyes her wearily and walks over to the door. He opens it, intent on goin' to find the doc and is a bit startled to see him standing there. "I was just comin' to find you."
"I was coming to check up on River." Simon says, holding up his med bag. "Then I'll go see to Willow."
Jayne steps aside to let Simon pass and then moves to stand behind him as he examines River.
"Mei-mei, I need you to sit up." Simon says softly.
River slowly sits up, her eyes opening to glare at Simon. "I want to sleep."
"In a few minutes." Simon replies as he checks her vitals. "Your head hurts?"
"Yes." River answers.
"I'm assuming you too drank last night." Simon says.
"Yes." River agrees.
"How much, do you think?"
"We drank four pitchers and each had a drink from each pitcher." River replies. "There was 5 different types of alcohol in each pitcher so I'm going to guess about 20 shots."
"Jesus, baby, you coulda drank yourself into a gorram coma." Jayne says, eyes widening in shock. "No wonder you just spent 20 minutes puckin'."
"River, I can't believe….and you were still walking?" Simon gasps at his sister, completely shocked by her statement.
"Yes." River replies. "Can I go to sleep now?"
Simon nods.
River crawls up to the head of the bed and then burrows under the covers.
"She has a slight, very slight concussion." Simon says to Jayne. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on her. If you think something's wrong, anything, come find me."
"I will." Jayne assures him.
Simon nods to Jayne and leaves the room.
Jayne eyes the bed, wantin' nothin' more than to climb into it with her, but he figures she's probably still pissed at him.
"Jayne, come sleep." River murmurs, patting the spot beside her.
Jayne kicks off his boots, pushes down his pants, and moves in behind her, cradling her body with his.
River turns around and snuggles into Jayne's chest. She might still be a little mad at him but that doesn't mean she wants to sleep without him.
Jayne wraps his arm around her body and leans down to softly kiss her forehead. "I didn't mean it the way you thought." He whispers. "I ain't that stupid, you're the best ruttin' thing to ever happen to me."
"No matter what?" River asks. "You'll keep me always?"
"Always." Jayne agrees.
"That's nice." River rubs her face against his chest, a small smile crossing her lips.
"Yeah." Jayne slips his hand under the bottom of her shirt to rest his hand against the small of her back. "It is."
-
"Simon, it's nice that you're concerned and all but I've had concussions before." Willow says. "I know what they feel like; I'm just hung over. Now, go away."
"Willow, let him check you out or I swear…." Mal starts.
"You'll what?" Willow interrupts. "Chain me up? Been there, done that; it's not like they describe in the brochures."
"Why do you joke about this?" Inara asks, wringing her hands in front of her. "You were kidnapped, Willow."
"I know." Willow replies. "But…I was 16 the first time I was knocked out and kidnapped. After a while, you kinda get used to almost dying and you learn to joke it off otherwise it'll drive you insane."
"What kinda life did you lead fore appearin' in my boat?" Mal questions.
"Technically, I appeared outside your boat and my life…most of the time it was okay." Willow replies. "Scary as hell most of the time but I was comfortable and while I wouldn't say I was happy-happy, I was pretty content. This, being here, this is so much scarier than all the Spikes in the world holding broken bottles against my face and threatening to shove through my brain. Now, can I just go back to sleep?"
"Yes." Simon says. "But I'd rather you not be alone, in case something happens."
"Well, you work on finding me some guard people and I'll work on going back to sleep." Willow moves up the bed to crawl under the covers.
"Doc, do me a favor and go tell Zoe she's in charge for a while." Mal orders. "Then go stay with my mechanic to make she don't wake up scared. We'll deal with Willow."
Simon nods and leaves the room.
"Deal with?" Willow mutters. "That sounds like I'm going to be punished. I'm not, am I?"
"You should be." Mal says, glaring at her, only her eyes are closed so she can't see him.
"Stop glaring at me." Willow mutters. "I'm not an infant, Mal, and I am allowed to go out without your permission."
"No, you ain't." Mal replies.
"You're just lucky that I don't have the motivation to get up." Willow says. "Cause if I did, you'd be sorry for thinking you can go all cave man on me and get away with it."
Inara shakes her head, completely amused by their bickering.
"Don't get that look, Miss Serra." Mal says.
"What look?" Willow asks.
"The one where she don't know what to do with us." Mal explains. "Like we just confuse the ruttin' hell outa her."
"You do." Inara replies. "Both of you."
"We try." Willow says. "Look, I'm sleepy and I'm not going to be able to sleep with you both standing over me, staring down at me like you're waiting for me to keel over or something…."
"We're not leavin'." Mal interrupts.
"Did I mention anything about leaving Mr. Jump to Conclusions guy?" Willow replies.
"Willow." Mal warns.
"That's my name." Willow says. "Don't wear it out."
Inara can't help it, she giggles.
"Glad you find us amusin', Nara." Mal comments.
"I do." Inara replies.
Willow sits up with a growl and grabs Inara's arm. She tugs hard, pulling the companion down on the bed beside her. Then she reaches over to grab Mal's hand and pulls him down onto her other side. "There." She declares, wiggling around trying to get comfortable. "You two can be as concerned as you want as long as you're not standing over me while you do it."
After a few minutes, Mal kicks off his boots and tosses his gun onto the table beside him. He props his head up on one hand and studies Willow for a few moments before moving his gaze over to study Inara.
"She scares me, Mal." Inara whispers, brushing the hair out of a sleeping Willow's eyes. "It's like she has no fear."
"Except for frogs." Mal points out.
"I'm not joking, Mal." Inara says.
"I know." Mal replies. "Scares me too. She rushes into some situations like a gorram superhero and I just gotta wonder how she's made it this long if she's always been this way."
"And how much longer she's going to make it if she continues." Inara adds with a yawn.
"Ain't nothin' we can do bout it right now." Mal says.
"I know." Inara agrees.
"You could go to sleep." Willow suggests, startling both of them. "And I'm also afraid of spiders."
-