Malcolm sighed heavily and stuffing the envelope in the back pocket of his breeches he made his way over to the bed to greet Serenity's newest occupant. He crouched down next to the bed expecting to find a teenage girl staring up at him, the girl wasn't a child, wasn't a teenager, but was a young woman older than River and probably close to Kaylee in age.
Her silvery grey eyes were enormous in her small elfin face; her hair fell in long, pale golden waves around her shoulders, her frame petit and delicate.
Mal caught his breathe, she was unusual looking, very attractive in an other-worldly kind of way.
Mal resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, instead choosing to introduce himself. "I am Malcolm Reynolds; I am the captain of Serenity".
"My name is Mist". The girl replied softly.
"Mal". Simon interrupted their brief exchange. Mal stood up stepping away for the bedside as he introduced the ships medic.
"This is Simon, Dr Tam". Simon placed his bag upon the bed and brought a chair over so that he could sit next to the bed.
"I'll leave you to it". Malcolm commented in his best captain's voice.
"Can you tell me about your accident?" Simon questioned her.
Mist shook her head "I don't remember, I…"
"It's ok". Simon said soothingly. "Just tell me what you do remember".
"I remember a white room, bright lights that hurt my eyes, tall, white, shiny people whispering, red and pain in my head, in my back, my chest, tingling and heaviness, lying on a hard bed, people moving me, hurting me, a man my father". She paused clearly distressed at her confusion.
Simon reached out tentively and stroked her cheek, the action having the same calming affected it did on his sister, River when she became incoherent and distressed.
"Will you let me examine you?" Simon requested. "I'll try my best not to hurt you".
Mist nodded in response her uncertainty evident as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth.
He took the hand closest to him in his own and asked her to grip his hand, getting the response he expected. He asked her to move her arms, to hold them off of the bed for as long as she could, to reach above her head, to flex her muscles, to push her hand against his own. He worked his way over her body, testing her muscle control, her strength and muscle tone, sensation and involuntary reflexes.
Almost as soon as Simon had finished examining her, her eyes closed and she was fast asleep.