We All Fall Down
Chapter 1
Mal slowly became aware of his surroundings, but the dream was still persisting into consiousness. The song again. "Ring around a rosie, a pocket full of posies. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down." At that, he shot up, but immediatley felt someone's hands pressing him back down. He tried to fight back, as a voice cut through the fog in his mind. "Captain, calm down! You need to rest!" Simon's voice. Simon. Doctor. Yeah, that's right. . .I think. He relaxed, and opened his eyes; squinting against the infirmary's bright lights. "That's better." He heard Simon say, letting him go.
The fogginess didn't go away. "Why do I feel all. . ." " You're heavily medicated. You were sick and delirious." Simon cut in, giving him a smoother for any other pain. His mouth felt dry, "How long?" Simon seemed unsure of whether or not to answer the question. Mal was going to ask again, when Sheperd came in saying, "A month." Like it was something normal. "Oh, a month. That's fine." He threw his hands in the air, wincing as a sharp sting reminded him of the needle in his arm. "That's ruttin shiny!" Simon pulled his arm back down, having to re-adjust the needle. "Why in a liou coe shuai du biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze, was I outta commision for a whole rutting month!" Sheperd glared daggers, "Ni bu gan kai ni de hwang chiang." He said stonily. Simon stepped suddenly, "That's enough! Now ee-chi shung-hoo-shi." The two of them stopped. "Xei-xei." Mal rolled his eyes, this was getting ridiculous. "If you'll be patient, captain. I'll explain everything." Simon took a deep breath and began, "It started when you contracted a rare type of brain fever. . ."
A few hours later
The doctor had just finished explaining why Mal wasn't 'here' the past month. The others had come down, at Sheperd's bidding, and were all looking at him expectantly. Mal took a deep breath to steady himself. . ."Huh." Inara rolled her eyes. "That's Mal allright." He glared at her, "And what's that supposed to mean?" He asked, getting defensive. Simon gave an exasperated sigh, "Bì zuî!" Everyone stared. "Everyone out of my infirmary, NOW!" The others, still shocked, began to file out. "What is it with all of you and you're uncanny abilities to upset my patients?" He asked closing the door in their faces. He shook his head, walking back over to Mal. "You're worse than a pack of wild dogs." Mal laughed, as Simon prepared another shot. "Come on, doc. Do I really need another?" whined Mal. "Hopefully, not for too much longer, Captain Reynolds." Simon injected the serum into the I.V. "Just something to help you sleep."
The medicine was starting to kick in, when the door opened, and River stepped in. She had felt the captain's unease as he slept. She had seen the nightmares. Simon looked up from his work, "Mei-mei, what are you doing up? It's already late." She was looking at Mal, but answered, "Not late. Not anything. No concept of time in space. It's irrelavent." Simon smiled, "Do you always have to correct me?" He smiled, as she gave him a rare grin, that reminded him of their lives before all this. "Do you always have to need correcting?" He rolled his eyes, and went back to work. She studied the captain cautiously. His eyes were half closed, and he jerked every now and again with the dream. She bit her nails, "Not better. . ." she whispered. "Still inside." That's when Mal started screaming. . .
Simon sprang into action, when Mal screamed, and started convulsing. River had dropped to the floor in tears, sobbing hysterically. Simon had somehow managed to get to the comm, and yelled, "Jayne, get down here now!" He ran back towards the bed, attempting to hold him down, praying, I hope he gets here soon. . . Less than a minute later, Jayne came rushing in, Vera in tow. "What's the trouble, Doc?" Simon yelled, "Put that blasted gun down and help me hold him!" Jayne all but dropped it when he saw what was going on. He rushed over to the bed, and forced Mal back down. He was still screaming, when Jayne had an idea, "What bout them there straps? The ones you used on that crazy reaver wannabe?" Simon nodded, and pulled the straps around Mal as fast as possible. Once they were tightened, Jayne stepped back. "What's ruttin wrong with him? I thought he was better now!" Simon shook his head, doping him. "I have no idea. He was fine earlier."
River, who was still sobbing, whimpered, "Whispers in the night." Simon and Jayne looked at River apprehensively. "Whispers in his head. Whispers of the forgotten. Whispers of the dead. . ."