Prompt #3- Who.
River's fingers danced along the hull of Serenity, feeling the cracks and shards like splinters on her own heart.
Her poor ship was damaged, damaged by those who loved her, cut by those who adored her and desecrated by those who were supposed to protect her.
No matter how much River had tried to explain it to her on Miranda, Serenity hadn't understood and had cried, wept buckets as she was breached and brushed with death.
Now she sat in the Alliance dockyard, ready to be piloted back into the black and she still didn't understand.
Didn't understand why her crew turned on her or why she was in the place where the other ships who liked to shoot at her were berthed. She didn't understand why she was being made to fly when she was so tired.
River felt tears run down her face as she caressed the cold metal.
"So sorry," she muttered and placed a gentle kiss on her bulkhead. "Had to be. She needed to save the verse, save the crew, save her. Bandage up the hurt. She'll be better soon."
River turned to see Jayne walking hesitantly around the side of the ship, his arm and shoulder still bandaged heavily, stained with blood. In his other hand he held a welding torch. He stopped as he saw her and started to shift uneasily until he saw her tears.
"Hey, girl, you okay? Trouble?"
River sniffed and shook her head. "Trouble done."
"Then what ya done crying for?"
"She's broken. They took her parts and tore them to pieces, covered her in blood and made death her cover. They were supposed to be good for her and make her more than she was but they just made her hurt again. She doesn't understand and just wants to be whole. It hurts that they don't understand."
Jayne tightened his grip on the welder and nodded slowly. "But with the big secret all let out now, you're talking clearer and less crazy-like. We'll get ta understanding ya more and you'll get better. Ain't no need ta be so sad, girl."
River just stared at him for a moment, emotion swirling in her eyes. "She was talking about Serenity."