Once the Captain had gone Simon pulled her up and hugged her tight. Kaylee clung to him but she had no tears left. There just weren't enough tears in the 'verse for how she felt and now all she wanted was the sleep she couldn't have.

"It'll be alright, Kaylee." He whispered and she wanted to believe him but there wasn't much confidence in his voice. "We'll figure this out and make it stop."

"Really think River will know what to do?" She asked weakly. River could do amazing things but this still didn't seem like something she would be able to handle.

"I think she'll have a better chance than the rest of us of figuring something out." He admitted after a moment. "Just have to find her. If I pretend to sleep she'll show up fast enough."

"Guess I should let you, then." As much as she didn't want to, she released him and stepped back. He almost took a step to follow her but restrained himself. He always restrains himself. She thought bitterly as she left the infirmary and walked. There wasn't any goal in mind since she had nowhere to be, nothing to be done so far from anywhere.

It wasn't long before she found herself in the cockpit, her heart aching as she remembered she'd never see Wash's goofy smile again. She heard a rustle and stepped around the console to see River curled up and flipping through a manual. "You okay?"

"Serenity is lonely… have to learn to keep her company. Simple. She wants me to know." River muttered.

"You're… learning to fly?" Kaylee blinked. She hadn't taken the time to consider who would take Wash's place. Of course the Captain could fly and she might be able to figure out the details since she knew the mechanics but it hadn't even occurred to her that River would be interested.

The girl looked up at her, wide eyes haunted. "Already know. Just remembering her."

"Oh... " She sat next to her and watched as River flipped rapidly through pages filled with text and diagrams so fast Kaylee didn't have time to register the contents of one before the next page came around. "Simon said you might know how to make all this stop... "

"Apply brakes." She answered without looking up. "Turn off the engine."

"No, I mean the dream Reaver." Kaylee said nervously. It didn't bode well when she was like this.

"Gas." River said, looking up from the manual for a moment. With a small nod she looked back down and resumed flipping pages. "Lots of gas."

"You mean we just need to go faster or never stop or-"

"SIMON!"

Kaylee barely had the time to register the interruption before River had disappeared, only the fast retreating sound of footsteps indicated that she had not simply vanished. Simon… She quickly hopped up and followed after but stopped at the top of the stairs as River's horrified scream echoed out over the cargo hold.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there before she felt a hand on her shoulder and the Captain moved her aside. "Ain't no reason for you to go down there."

All she could do was nod and watch him hurry down to the infirmary. She didn't want to see… not after the others. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing Simon like that. There were no tears left, Kaylee stumbled toward the kitchen - away from another dead friend.