She's crying. He did it. He always did it. River knows, she always knows. I know. I am River.
Mal. Bad. In the Latin. I haven't forgotten. I remember.
He means well but if well means tears then well can't be good for you. It's just a hole in the earth. A well is bad; it mars the earth. It mars her face. It's not the first time. I can feel it every time she's near.
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'River! Where are you? River! Come here!' Simon calls fervently.
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Simon is calling me. I'll pretend I didn't hear. He thinks I don't know, but I know. Those men want to shoot us dead. Dead as ducks, dead as doornails. They'll lose. I know it. They want that lady, they want her baby. I wondered who was in there, but now I know. Now I know, I don't need to stay. I need to find her, but I know where she is. Simon did a good job, baby's safe. Safe, surely safe, serenity is not safe. Not now, not ever, sometimes. Only when everyone is on board.
She's slumped on the floor. I've found her. She's curled up in a ball. A ball that wants to disappear, to escape the pain. Simon has drugs, drugs take away pain, but not forever. Can't give her Simon's drugs. They won't work.
I have the cure, because I am River. Rivers are calm and soothing. They flow forever, I'll be there for her forever. Roving rivers read between the lines looking at loose pebbles fall from grace.
I scoot into her arms. They're warm and damp. Tears, rain. Raindrops.
She doesn't complain, she enjoys how I fit into her arms. I hug her hard. I hug her tight. Maybe make her feel alright. Her hair is draped down my head. She smells nice, smells sweet.
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'Teardrops keep falling on my head. But that doesn't mean your eyes will soon be turning red. Cryin's not for you,' sang River.
Inara halted her sobs momentarily to laugh at River's adaptation of the song. A choking laugh, but a laugh never the less.
'Oh River. You're such a darling. Crazy genius you are not. Child prodigy, no. You're a young woman. Simon worries too much, but I know you can take care of yourself, can't you?' murmured Inara.
River doesn't reply, she merely nods. Inara is soft and curvy. River is nowhere near as stunning as Inara but is as graceful as the sunlight dancing over Serenity when they are docked either in the sunset or the early dawn.
'If that is the answer, then you've answered yourself,' said River.
Inara nodded, wiping her tears, 'Yes, how silly of me.'
'No. Endearing. Inara. Ivory Inara is ingeniously Inara. Things of dreams,' states River a matter-of-factly.
Inara kisses River on the cheek, 'Thank you River.'
'Don't apologise for things that belong to you!' demanded River.
Inara is taken aback at River's kind words.
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She can only wonder what I mean. I don't always know what I mean, but I know I mean something. Simon knows I mean something, but never knows what I mean until too late. Is it mean that I don't know what I mean?
Nothing in the 'verse can stop me. Kaylee taught me that. I told Kaylee that and now I will show them. Nothing in the 'verse can stop me from loving Inara. She will just have to believe me.
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River looks at Inara squarely and kisses her fully on the mouth. She gets up and leaves. It is cold out of Inara's arms, but this is what River must do. She must lead Inara back to the room, to the birth room.
As Ranse comes in to claim his son, Inara grabs River, holding her close. River is not afraid of Ranse, not because he is not after her, but because Inara is holding her.
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Teardrops aren't falling on my head. They've stopped. She's not leaving; she's staying, for me. Bad Latin will not keep her from me. I keep the teardrops from falling on her head.
THE END
Did you like that? Short but sweet and sentimental I think. 'Heart of Gold' just filled me full of sadness for Inara, and I thought River was perfect to alleviate that pain. REVIEW!