Title: Place in life
Series: Let it Flow
Author: Sevangel
Disclaimer: Not mine
Rating: PG-13
FYI: Well, here's the next part. It takes place directly after the last part, right after Regan told Inara that she was married to her father. I'm debating with writing a couple of peaks into the past at how everything came to be, (That will probably be better understood once this part is read.) but probably not unless it's wanted.
-
The bay is completely silent as everyone looks between Regan and Inara. The companion's hand is covering her mouth as she stares at the woman in front her.
Inara stares at Simon and River's mother, completely unable to comprehend what she just said.
"Mother, you can't mean…" Simon stammers, completely blown by what his mother just said.
Regan looks towards her son and opens her mouth to respond when River suddenly jumps off Jayne's lap and moves across the room to her brother.
River reaches up and starts unbuttoning the brightly colored shirt her brother is wearing. "Simon, you must cooperate." River says, stopping to smack his hand when he tries to stop her.
"Mei-mei, what are you doing?" Simon squeaks.
"You must take it off." River replies, spinning him around to pull the shirt off his back. River stares down at the shirt in her hand and then back at her brother. "You need to spend more time under the suns."
"Baby, what in the seven hells are you doin'?" Jayne questions.
River barely gives Jayne's glance before walking away from her brother and over to Wash and Zoe.
Wash glances down at River, a little worried about what Jayne will do to him if she tries to take off his shirt. He's a little startled when River thrusts his favorite shirt at him.
"Put this on." River instructs, pushing the shirt against Wash's chest. She walks the three feet over to Jayne's weight bench and picks up the hat Simon had on earlier. "And this too." River hands the hat to Wash and walks back to Jayne.
"Baby, whadda doin'?" Jayne asks, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. River pecks him lightly on the lips and grabs the knife strapped to his leg.
Spinning away from Jayne, River walks over to Inara and before any body can stop her, grabs the bottom the companion's blue dress and cuts it off.
"What the gorram hell are you doin'?" Mal yells.
River ignores him and steps back to examine Inara. "It will have to do." Then she walks away from the companion, grabs her brother's hand, and drags him out of the bay.
Mal starts to follow River when the door buzzes. Walking over to the door, he glances out it to see two federal agents standing outside his boat, a middle-aged man beside them. "Wash, put that hat on and move next to Kaylee." Mal orders, now understanding what the genius was up to. "Nara, stand by Jayne."
Mal waits until his orders are followed before lowering his bay door.
"That's her." The middle-aged man standing between the feds says. "That's the woman he kidnapped."
Mal looks at the man and then at Regan, the person he's pointing at. "I did what?"
"Kidnapped her." He repeats. "I saw you force her in here at gunpoint."
Regan steps forward gracefully. "I think there's been a misunderstanding." Regan says, smiling at the three men.
"Did he force you in here madam?" A federal agent asks.
"Well, yes, he did." Regan replies. "But it was a misunderstanding."
"Look, I was standing out by my boat when them two come runnin' up." The man says, pointing to Jayne and Inara. "And he was yellin' and wavin' his hands all over the place." His hand gestures to Wash and then to Alfred. "Then he came up, followed closely by her and some fancy lookin' guy that ain't here." Lastly, he points to Mal. "Then he pulled out a gun and forced them all inside."
"Yelling what?" The second fed questions.
"Well, now, I don't actually know." The man answers. "They was too far away and it was gettin' dark out. I could just make em out."
"Madam, if he's forcing you to stay in here, you just have to say something." The first fed tells Regan. "We can help you."
"That's very gracious of you but as I said before, it was just a misunderstanding." Regan says.
"We'll have to decide that for ourselves." The fed replies.
Mal steps forward angrily and is stopped when Regan places a hand on his arm. "It's okay, captain." Regan says. "My husband and I are in town for business and as we were getting off our private transport, I caught sight of Miss Serra. Her mother and I were friends before she was born and I mistakenly took her for her mother. My husband has never approved of her line of work and made that quite known. Captain Reynolds took offense to what my husband said and that's why the gun was brought into the situation."
"And your husband?"
"As I said, he has business in the area." Regan answers the feds question. "He is in a meeting right now, with your boss I expect."
Mal manages to keep his jaw from dropping open but just barely.
Alfred steps forward and hands one of the feds an ID card.
"My apologies, Mrs. Tam." The fed says after reading the screen held in his hand. "We're sorry if we caused you any distress or inconvenience."
Alfred takes back the card the fed hands him and steps back to stand behind Regan.
"It's quite alright." Regan says, smiling slightly at the agents and then man beside them. "You were just doing your jobs. It makes me feel so much safer knowing there are men like you, men prepared to do what they need to in order to ensure the safety of those unable to do it themselves."
"Thank you, Mrs. Tam." Both feds say.
Regan then turns and smiles at the man that came with the feds. "And people like you who aren't afraid to speak up when they see something wrong."
"Just tryin' to do my duty as a good citizen." He replies, growing slightly pink in the cheeks.
"Again, we're sorry for any trouble we may have caused you." The fed says as he motions for his partner to escort the man out of the boat.
"As I said before, it's quite alright." Regan replies.
Mal follows the feds to the door and shuts it once they're gone. He watches as the man returns to his boat and while the feds make their way out of docks.
Mal turns to face Regan and can't help the smile that floats across his face. "Damn, I ain't seen feds played like that in a good, long while." Mal comments. "It's too gorram bad your son didn't inherit your acting abilities."
"Simon never has been a good liar." Regan replies with a small smile.
"Shouldn't we be leaving?" Wash asks, taking off his hat.
"We leave, they'll know somethin' is up." Mal replies. "Paid to stay the night and we're stayin' the night."
"Oh." Wash mutters.
"Now, I'm just a bit confused bout somthin'." Mal says. "Your kids are known fugitives and yet they was walkin' all over themselves to apologize to you."
"My husband is highly connected to Alliance Defense." Regan replies. "And after Simon and River were declared fugitives, he did everything he could to help them be found, including turning over all of Simon's property and accounts. There may have been rumors and an investigation, but Gabriel Tam is still very respected and trusted by the Alliance."
"What's to stop him from just turnin' them in now?" Mal asks.
"The meeting he is attending right now is the last in a series of talks about merging a subsidiary company of Gabriel's with a private security firm located here." Regan answers. "The owner is antsy, to say the least, and any scandal will stop the merger."
"Oh." Mal replies.
Jayne grabs the bags of stuff him and River picked up and starts out of the bay.
"I'm guessin' he's goin' to find River." Mal says as he starts to follow his merc.
"What's going on?" Simon questions, looking between his sister and Mal. "River wouldn't let me leave."
"Some guy saw me hold a gun on your parents." Mal replies. "Some feds came by just to make sure I didn't kidnap her or nothin'."
"Feds?" Simon gasps. "We have to go. We have to go now."
"Don't start that again." Mal mutters. "We go and they'll know somethin's up. Your ma was able to convince em that it was all just a misunderstandin' and they left."
"So we're just going to stay?" Simon asks.
"Yep." Mal answers. "Now, I believe I'm a bit confused bout Simon and River's sishengzi of a father bein' Nara's father. Somebody wanna explain this?"
-
The mess is quiet even though the entire table is full. River is sitting on Jayne's lap and Zoe is sitting in front of Wash while the remaining people fill the remaining chairs. Nobody is talking and nobody has since they gathered in here 10 minutes ago.
"So, River." Kaylee says, uncomfortable with the silence. "Whadda buy?"
"Clothes." River answers. "A book to keep pictures in, some cigars, whiskey, ammo, and Wilbur."
"Wilbur?" Mal repeats. "Who the gorram hell is Wilbur? Jayne, you know I don't allow animals on my boat."
"There were cows." River says.
"Alright, I don't allow animals unless we're smugglin' em." Mal corrects. "What the hell is Wilbur?"
River moves off Jayne's lap and into the corner of the mess to sort through the bags Jayne sat down. She digs through them for a moment before finding what she's looking for and bringing back to the table. "This is Wilbur." River says, holding the object up.
"A gun?" Mal yells, looking at Jayne. "You bought her a ruttin' gun?"
"Actually, she bought it herself." Jayne replies. "With the money you gave her."
"That was supposed to be for clothes." Mal says.
"You really think I'm gonna let her put on underwear that you bought?" Jayne growls. "There weren't no way in hell I was gonna let that happen."
"Jayne bought my under things." River says as she settles back into Jayne's lap and holds her gun up to admire it. "I like him."
"I got all the ammo and it'll stay with my girl's stuff." Jayne replies. "Hell, Mal, it ain't like she don't know how to use it."
"Why Wilbur?" Wash asks.
"He just seems like a Wilbur." River answers, setting the gun on the table in front of her.
Mal sighs and looks intently at Jayne. "Fine, but Wilbur is stayin' with your guns and she don't use it unless I say so."
River cocks her head to look at Mal. "She is sitting right here, captain daddy." River says. "And she won't use Wilbur unless she has to."
"You ain't gonna have a reason to use him." Mal replies.
"Are you done committing crime?" River asks.
"No." Mal answers.
"Then there could always be a reason." River replies.
"You ain't gonna be shootin' nobody." Jayne growls down at River, his arms tightenin' around her.
"Then I should let them shoot me?" River questions, tilting her head back to look at him.
"No." Jayne replies. "Course not."
"Fine then, little witch, you can use Wilbur if someone's tryin' to hurt ya." Mal agrees.
"Thank you, captain daddy." River beams.
Mal can't help but smile back. "Don't know why I even bother arguin' with you." Mal mutters. "You always end up gettin' your way."
Regan looks between her daughter and her daughter's 'captain daddy', glad that she has somebody trying to be a father.
"Mother, I believe there's something you need to tell us." Simon says, growing tired of waiting.
"It's a long story." Regan replies. "And one I fear I will need a drink to tell."
"I can make some tea." Inara volunteers, finally finding something she is able to focus on.
"That's very sweet." Regan says. "But I need something a little stronger than tea. Jayne, may I have a glass of the whiskey you purchased?"
"Yeah." Jayne replies. "It's in one of them bags, I'll grab it. Let me up, baby."
River stands up and Jayne moves out from under her to walk across the room. He picks up the heaviest bag and withdraws a bottle of cheap whiskey. "Probably ain't what you're used to." Jayne says as he sets the bottle on the table. "But it'll give ya a good burn."
"I'll get ya a glass." Kaylee says, jumping up and running across the room before anybody can stop her. She sets the glass on the table in front of Regan with a smile before sitting back down in her own chair.
Regan takes the bottle and pours a healthy doze in the glass. She puts the lid back on the bottle and slides it back to Jayne before taking a deep drink out of it. "I don't know what Simon has told you, about me or his father."
"Just that your husband is a piece of gose and you two was engaged when you was 12." Mal says.
"Yes." Regan agrees. "My father was contacted by Gabriel's father when I was 12 about our families combining once I was of legal age. My father accepted and I was told that we were to be married. I was a child and I didn't really understand what it meant so it didn't really change anything about how I acted. I was a lot like River was as a child; too curious for my own good and extremely stubborn. High-strung is the politest way I've ever heard it referred to. So by the time I was a little over 15 years old, I was uncontrollable. My father set me down a week before my 16th birthday and fully explained what would happen when I turned 18. He had decided that I wasn't ready for marriage and that I would need professional help in order to become ready. I was to go live at a companion training house."
"He wanted to ya to be a companion?" Mal cuts in.
"No, not a companion." Regan replies. "He wanted me to learn from companions."
"It's a very rare but does sometimes happen." Inara comments. "Some parents, if they are able to afford it, will send their daughters to a training house in order for them to learn what will be expected of them. They attended classes and things with those training to actually become a companion."
"On my 16th birthday, I was sent to the training house on Sihnon where I was to be turned into the perfect society wife." Regan continues. "I loved it there. Most companions are the most understanding and free-willed people that I've ever met. They don't ridicule or judge people. I spent the next 6 months learning about different things from art to science to dance to religion. But the things I was there to learn, the things dealing with what my husband will expect of me, I balked at. My father got impatient with my progress, there was a large amount of money riding on my marriage, and inquired about a stricter learning environment. He had to pay a great deal of money but eventually he was able to buy my way into an apprenticeship, much like that of what a companion trainee would have."
"Which is?" Mal questions.
"After a companion graduates, she or he stays with a registered companion to observe conduct and such." Inara answers. "They don't observe the actual acts, just the parts leading up to it. They must do that for a month before they are able to register themselves."
"Okay, so's you was paired up with a companion so you could learn to be a wife?" Mal says slowly, as though it's the dumbest thing he's heard.
"Yes." Regan replies. "I was sent to stay with a young but very promising companion by the name of Celeste Serra."
"My mother." Inara says.
"Yes, your mother." Regan agrees. "She was living on a luxury liner at the time and I was moved into the room next to hers. It was…daunting at first. I had grown up with money but lived a very sheltered life. But now I was on a ship where the passengers changed every week, where I was treated as an adult instead of a child, and where I was in the company of a beautiful and fascinating woman."
Regan looks down at the glass in her hand. "I fell in love with her quickly, overnight I think." Regan whispers.
"Didn't see that one coming." Wash comments when the room goes silent again.
"Cel, she was a very focused woman, even when she was only 24." Regan continues. "She understood her job and what it entailed. And she understood what the punishment was for breaking any rules. She knew I was in love with her but she also knew what the consequences would be if anything were to happen between us."
"Which are?" Mal questions.
"Jail." Inara answers. "There are certain lines that must never be crossed and developing emotional or physical ties to a student is one of them. She would have had her license stripped and been placed on a penal moon for years if not decades."
"Seems kinda harsh." Wash comments.
"The guild is very strict with its customs and rules." Inara replies.
"Yes, the guild is very stubborn in its beliefs." Regan agrees. "We continued on as student and teacher for a few months and she taught me most everything I would need to know to be a proper wife." Regan looks down at her glass again, the retelling of her life starting to take its toll. "We made love for the first time two months before my 17th birthday. Cel stopped taking clients and I, except for on paper, moved into her room. To the outside world nothing had changed, we were still student and teacher. We still attended parties, she still flirted and charmed the men there, and she still paid rent. Cel was always very private with her affairs so it wasn't surprising when nobody noticed that she wasn't taking clients.
"The next three months went by in a blur and the more time that passed, the more I fell in love with her." Regan continues. "But it also made me realize what was to happen in less than a year. I didn't want to be married, not anymore and I couldn't imagine my life without Cel. Naively, I assumed my father would care more about my happiness than his wallet. I was wrong. I waved him and told him that I no longer wanted to be married, that I was in love and wanted to be with her. He didn't even respond, just cut off the connection. When he didn't wave back, I assumed he just needed time to deal with everything. I was wrong again.
"A week later, Cel told me she had an appointment, one she couldn't break." Regan voice cracks a little but she manages to continue. "I knew what she meant by appointment and was hurt and angry. We fought for the first time and I stormed off. A few hours later, a man in his early thirties found me sulking next to the swimming pool and told me to come with him. I assumed he was taking me to my old room and was a little shocked when he took me to the room I'd been sharing with Cel."
"You just went some man you'd never met?" Zoe speaks up for the first time.
"I had met him." Regan replies. "I knew him since I was 10; he was an employee of my father's."
"Who?" Simon asks.
"Me." Alfred replies.
"You?" Simon says. "Did grandfather send you to bring mother home?"
"You're getting ahead of the story, Simon." River tells her brother. "All will be told in time."
"You know?" Simon questions River.
"I didn't before but everything is flowing out now and I can't help but see." River replies.
"See?" Regan questions.
"River's a seer." Kaylee says, waving her hand. "Can ya finish the story now, you went into Nara's ma's room and…"
Regan looks at her daughter for a second and swallows heavily before speaking. "Alfred took me into Cel's room and the first thing I saw was a handsome, rich man buttoning his shirt. The second thing was my lover lying huddled under the blankets of the bed we shared for the past 3 months. Then the man held out his hand and introduced himself as Gabriel Tam."
"Father?" Simon gasps. "Did he…"
"He didn't force her." Regan interrupts. "She was very clear about that. It was about power; he was showing both of us that he had all the power and he was right. With one call, he could ruin her entire life. Then he went on to say that he had too much riding on our future marriage and that he refused to let it be ruined because of a whore. Then he told us both to pack our things; he had contacted the guild and wanted his future wife to get a more intense education. We were taken off the liner, on a private transport, and taken to Hera where he owned a private, floating island. He told me that we would be getting married and our engagement party would be a week before he turned 30. He said I had until then to get over my fascination with Cel. He left Alfred with us to ensure that we didn't try to run and then he was gone. Alfred left us alone and there was nobody else on the island. It was just the two of us; the months that followed were the happiest of my life. About 4 months into our time there, Cel discovered she was pregnant. She hadn't been devoted in her use of birth control after she stopped taking clients and all it takes is one time. After the shock, we were ecstatic."
Regan turns to look directly at Inara. "It may have been his seed that made you but you were my child." Regan says firmly. "I talked to you inside her belly every night. I took care of your mother; made sure she was happy, sated, safe, and loved. I was the first person to hold you after you were born and I named you. You were my child. Three months after you were born, it was time for me to return to the life laid out for me. I didn't want to go; it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do but it wasn't only my life. If I tried to run and Alfred didn't stop me, I don't even want to think what Gabriel would have done to him. And if we had ever been caught, Cel would have been placed on a penal moon and Inara would have been put in an orphanage. I wouldn't let that happen."
"It was raining." River whispers. "And the rain felt cold sliding down your cheeks along with your tears as you kissed goodbye."
Regan's hand clenches around her glass as she composes herself. "Yes." Regan agrees quietly. "It was raining. I returned home and within a month was Mrs. Gabriel Tam. Simon was born a year later and River a little over 6 years later. I worked hard at being the perfect wife and the perfect mother, not over emotional but not cut off; completely balanced. It was hard, very hard to pretend but I was and am willing to do anything to keep my children safe. A few months after River's 13th birthday, Gabriel said that he had been contacted by various families about River and that it was time for her to learn her place in life. He wanted to send her to the guild to learn what was expected of her. I didn't want my daughter to end up like me; stuck in a marriage that she never wanted with a man she barely tolerates so I searched for alternatives. I found the academy and contacted them about River and then told them they would have to approach Gabriel as though they had never heard from me. It took me a few weeks but I was able to convince Gabriel that the Guild would not offer the kind of rigid structure that River needed. He finally agreed with me and when she was 14, we sent her to the academy. My hope was that by the time she graduated, she would be independent and strong enough not to fold under her father's thumb as I did mine.
"After a year or so, I received a letter from River." Regan continues. "I knew within two lines that something was wrong. The letter wasn't written by my brilliant daughter, it was written by a terrified and tortured girl who just wanted out. But I also knew any outward move by me would be immediately stopped by Gabriel; he had sent her there and she would remain there, everything else be damned. So I did something I told myself I would never do; I contacted Cel. Well, actually, Alfred contacted Cel on my behalf. I knew if anybody had the contacts to find out what was going on, Cel would. She didn't hesitate for a second to help; just asked whom she should contact with whatever she found out. I instructed Alfred to have her contact Simon with any information, as I knew he would never stop looking for River. After a few weeks, she found a group of people already investigating the Alliance and put the in contact with Simon. When the feds came to our home to tell us our children were fugitives wanted for crimes against the Alliance, I was beyond relieved. My children were safe and they were together; I knew Simon would do anything to keep River safe and vice versa."
Simon stares at his mother in shock; he still remembers the indifference she showed when he first became concerned about the academy hurting River.
"I wanted my daughter to be able to fall in love and be loved in return." Regan says, looking at River and Jayne. "And it's wonderful to see that it happened although, isn't he just a little….large?"
"He fits perfectly." River replies with a smile.
"Oh, little witch, I didn't wanna know that." Mal groans. "And Jayne, wipe that smirk off your face 'fore I do."
Jayne just rubs his hand on River's belly and smirks at Mal. "You know you ain't gonna do nothin' with River on my lap." Jayne drawls.
Mal glares at Jayne.
Regan can't help but smile at the happy look on her daughter's face. Jayne is nothing like what Gabriel would have picked out for River and she's glad. Any man that Gabriel would have picked out would have treated River like an object. And while Jayne may seem very possessive of River, she doubts that the captain would tolerate him mistreating her. Her gaze moves across the table to her son and the girl sitting next to him. Her boy is in love and judging by the looks she's sending him, the feeling is returned. She just hopes her son's penchant for behaving as proper as he can doesn't make him loose her before he ever gets her.
"I'm sorry, I don't know your name." Regan says to the girl next to Simon.
"Oh, I'm Kaylee." Kaylee tells Simon's mother cheerfully. "I'm the mechanic. And that guy in the shirt Simon was wearin' earlier is Wash, he's the pilot and the woman on his lap is his wife Zoe, she's the second-in-command."
"And you commit crime?" Regan asks.
"Yes." Simon replies.
"Hey, now." Mal protests. "Not all our work is illegal."
"Just most of it." Wash adds.
"I'm assuming it's very dangerous." Regan comments.
"Can be." Mal replies. "But for the most part, only me, Jayne, and Zoe are the ones bein' fired at."
"For the most part." Simon mutters. "I recall being shot in the leg."
"That didn't have nothin' to do with any of my jobs." Mal replies. "If you recall, it was a bounty hunter comin' to get you and River."
"True." Simon agrees. "What about Kaylee, Wash, and Book. The only ones who haven't been shot are River and Inara."
"Fed after you, dead guy who weren't so dead but it didn't have nothin' to do with a job and okay, Book did get shot cause of a job." Mal replies. "I try to keep you'll as safe as I can and given the circumstances, I think I do a damn good job."
"You do, captain daddy." River assures him. "Simon is just being picky."
"Brat." Simon mutters.
River sticks her tongue out at her brother.
Regan was able to keep herself from crying during her entire story but to see her children so happy and carefree, she can't help the tears that slip down her face.
"Regan, it's time." Alfred says quietly.
"I know." Regan replies, wiping tears off her face. "We have to go."
"What?" Simon says. "Why? Where?"
"Your father's meeting is almost over." Regan replies.
"You're just going to go back to him?" Simon questions in shock.
"I have to." Regan says. "If I am not back before him, he will know something is wrong and will contact the Alliance."
"You really mean to go back to that bun tien-shung de ee-duai-ro?" Mal cuts in.
"Yes." Regan replies as she stands up. "I will not allow anything to happen to my children."
Simon stands up and steps in front of his mother. "You don't have to go back." Simon says. "There has to be something we can do…"
"Shh." Regan whispers, pressing her finger against his lips. "It's okay Simon. River's safe and so are you; that's all that matters." She hugs him tightly and kisses his forehead. "I'm sorry I wasn't the type of mother you deserved but I need you to know I love you; everything I've ever done is about keeping you and River safe."
"I know." Simon assures her, kissing her forehead. "I love you too."
Regan turns around to see her daughter standing behind her. "My baby girl." Regan says quietly. "My beautiful baby girl."
River hugs her mother tightly. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby." Regan says, kissing her forehead.
Inara walks quietly over to Regan, her brain still trying to sort through everything they were told.
"You are so beautiful." Regan says, her hand gently pushing a lock of hair behind Inara's ear. "I've thought about you every day of my life; wondered what you looked like, what you were doing, and if you were happy."
Inara doesn't know what to say so she just hugs Regan briefly before stepping back.
Regan looks at her children standing in front of her and smiles reassuringly at them. "Your father may not be the best man in the verse or a good father but I don't want any of you to ever think that you aren't loved." Regan says. "I have never regretted having you, River and Simon and I know Cel has never regretted having you, Inara. I just wanted you to know that. Captain Reynolds, will you and Jayne walk us to the door, please?"
"Yeah." Mal replies, motioning for Zoe and Jayne to follow him. "But you can call me Mal."
Regan waits until they're by the door before turning to look at them. "I'm going to a spa on Beaumonde next month." Regan says. "It's called Flowers and I will be there for two weeks. If you are anywhere close to there, I would like to see my children again."
"He gonna be there?" Mal asks.
"No." Regan replies. "He will be very busy with the merger by that time and even if he weren't, he never goes with me to spas; he just sends Alfred."
"Know a couple guys there that we get jobs from." Mal says. "We can be there."
"Thank you." Regan says gratefully. "Keep them safe."
"We will." Mal replies.
"Keep her happy." Regan tells Jayne.
"I'm tryin'." Jayne says.
"It's working." Regan assures him. She then follows Alfred through the opening door, looking back at the ship once.
"That was..interesting." Mal comments as he shuts the door behind them. "Now we gotta deal with the backlash."
Jayne nods his agreement as he follows Mal and Zoe back to the mess. The moment he steps through the doorway, he finds himself with a 90 lb genius wrapped around his body, her body shakin' with sobs. Jayne sits down heavily in his chair and River curls into his lap, her face pressed against his chest.
Mal looks around the table and drops down into his seat with a sigh. River is curled in a ball on Jayne's lap as he tries to calm her. The doc is sittin' beside Kaylee with a dazed and hopeless look on his face. And Inara, well, he ain't never seen her look so wounded, so lost. Book is sittin' beside her, tryin' to give her some type of comfort.
Mal reaches across to grab the bottle of whiskey Jayne left sittin' on the table and takes a huge drink. He was ruttin' right; there's a backlash and he's got no idea how to deal with it.
-