"Where's Sam?"

River had grown accustomed to him being there when she was unconscious. But she wasn't on the Serenity, or in his apartment, or anywhere she knew. She was in a bar.
"Easy, girl."
"Mom, she won't take this well. Hell, if it goes all the way reality bends!"

River blinked as she awoke. She was laying on a pool table, wearing a white dress. She sat up slowly and came to the conclusion she was in a bar. She realized this because behind the counter was Ellen. Sitting next to it were Jo and a man with a mullet. Except Jo was wearing a dress suit and her hair seemed to be glowing.
"Serenity?" River whispered. Jo responded and she realized Jo had returned to her Angelic existence after death.
"Hello Raziel."
"River." She replied. Serenity/Jo paused and exhaled.
"Thank God. You're not completely dead yet. The rush of two life times worth-for you three-of memories coming back? Not the best thing in the world."
"Not completely..." River's eyes went wide.
"You got hit by a hummer." The man with mullet started and Ellen whacked him. "What?"
"She's not dead, Ash. You can afford to explain it all." Ellen hissed.
"Rachel!"

River blinked and looked around. The voice was distant and familiar...
"See-well for one, for all intensive purposes, I still mostly Jo these days, just with Serenity and Jean's memories." Jo sighed. "You're on the brink of life and death. Crystal called an ambulance. You're probably in the hospital. They're trying to bring you back."

"Rachel, damn it, don't go again!"

"I can hear a voice. He's calling for Rachel though." River whispered.
"Then I don't have long. River, there's problem." Jo sighed. "Michael and Raphael found out you're around. There is likely to be interference from Heaven now. Cas and Vera will be ordered to return. They will not have time to teach you how to use your abilities."
"So what am I supposed to do?" River cried out. "I don't even know where Lucifer is, or how to find him!"
"...Michael and Raphael don't know that I plan to come find you." Jo stated.
"Jo...you know what's at stake." Ellen whispered.
"...Mom." Jo faced her. "I need to do this. For the resistance."
"Resistance?" River barely had time to ask as the scene blurred.

"Wake up!"

"Simon...?"

The doctor standing over River with the defibrillator looked just like her brother.
"You've survived." He exhaled. "Thank god..." He dropped the device and hugged her.
"Doctor, she called out the name Simon. This isn't Rachel...her name is River."

As Crystal spoke, pieces slid together. This was the Simon of that day and age. He'd lost his sister-Rachel, River's past life. And so, in the future, Simon would do everything to save her. River blinked as she hugged him back, exhaling.
"...your sister loves you. Always." She whispered as she spotted Jo in the lobby. "But I'm not her. Not yet."

Without warning she broke away and ran to Jo. Crystal and the Doctor yelled out as the Angel grasped River's hand. And then they were gone.