If you have any nightmares mei mei-"
"I'll come and get you." River interrupted Simon's fussing. He was packing his clothes into bags in preparation for moving into Kaylee's bunk. River smiled at her brother's fussing, a clear sign he was nervous. Simon continued his fussing, "Or if you throw up, or-" he paused, running a hand through his hair and looking quite flustered. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea, I mean I'll be so far away from you, and the infirmary, what if-"
"Vomit is a side effect" River stated matter of factly.
"What?" Simon paused in mid-fuss. "Oh, yes, I know, I'm sorry about that." He paused and looked up at River, concern evident in his eyes. Then he went back to packing again until his sister interrupted him again.
"So you can stop worrying about that."
At first her comment didn't register, but then as his brain caught up to his ears he carefully accosted her, "River, are you saying you're not taking your medication anymore?"
"She's gone, they're gone, no more nightmares."
"Are you sure that's wise? I mean we don't know what they did to you even now."
"Doesn't matter. "
Simon almost threw up his hands in frustration. River had always excelled at annoying him when she set out to do so, but now he wasn't quite sure how to handle her. She was still crazy, and slightly unpredictable, but she had seemed more sane, more lucid, more Rivery since they had discovered the secrets surrounding Miranda. He had accepted she was psychic, but a part of him would always want to fix her.
She smiled sadly at him "Can't." Chagrined, he pulled her into a hug. Then he smiled mischievously "then again why would I want my bratty little sister back?" River seemed delighted by his reply, and stuck her tongue out at him. Before Simon could whack her across the face with his pillow, as befitted proper sibling behaviour, Jayne stuck his head in the room.
Seeing packing in progress he smiled the special smile he reserved only for needling Simon and said, "You two finally jumpin' ship? Not that I'd blame ya, must feel pretty bad gettin' Wash killed 'n all."
"Simon is leaving." River brightly exclaimed.
"That's the best news 've heard since we hit atmo." He said as he leaned against the door looking pleased with himself.
Before Simon could correct the situation River continued her declaration "He's tired of worrying I'm going to walk in on him and Kaylee." Now Jayne grinned genuinely, clearly pleased with Simon's horror. "Mei mei, that, that," he spluttered in complaint.
"So he's just movin' to 'er bunk huh? And here I got all 'xcited at the idea we'd no longer be harbourin' fugees." River seemed eager to continue their banter, but at that moment Inara arrived, with a bag over her shoulder and Jayne turned his attention to her.
"Now 'Nara leavin' that's a tot'lly diff'rent story"
"Wo de tian A." Simon sighed, as he mockingly turned his gaze heavenward-well toward the ceiling of the room, every direction was heavenward when you were flying through space. Yet another thing he had yet to get used to.
Inara smiled graciously, "I heard from Kaylee you would be moving your things and thought I could lend a hand." She glanced around the room. "It seems you have things well in hand though."
Simon nodded, "Yes, although an extra bag would be helpful. I'm surprised at how much is in here." Jayne seemed bored with all the polite talk and interjected "Capn' know yer movin' quarters?"
"Well, no, but-" Simon started to answer when Jayne chuckled, "Can't wait 'til he finds out. Capn' hates people changin' stuff on his ship wi'out his permission." Inara turned to Jayne, and trying to calm the now nervous Simon, said "I'm sure he won't mind." Jayne merely grinned smugly as though he knew better and said, "Oh sure, an' his bunk bein' right next to Kaylee's an' all." At that Simon blushed, and Jayne strolled away enjoying a successful torment of Simon. Simon rolled his eyes and turned to Inara, "Just when you think he couldn't possibly be any cruder..." She laughed as the two of them continued with the dismantling and packing of his room as River flitted about smiling and enjoying the fuss.
Zoe often found herself sitting alone. Alone in her bunk. Alone on the bridge during her watch. Alone in the galley. Before Wash she'd been alone, and now, after, after Wash she was alone. Of course now was different. Now she was missing someone. Not that he was the first person to die on her. During the war she'd lost several friends, and after a few had ended up like Tracey, and a few had eaten their own gun. But she'd never missed a person like she missed him. Her husband. Hers, gorrammit.
She hadn't been lying when she said she wasn't so afraid of losing something she wasn't going to try and have it. Zoe knew loss. Whole family had died on the ship she'd grown up on while she was fighting the oh so mighty Alliance. So she knew grief. She and grief were better friends than she and happiness. And she still wasn't so afraid of losing something she wasn't going to try to have it. But this, this was new.
This made her feel utterly and completely alone. For this she needed Wash like she'd never needed no one before. She wasn't sure she could-
"New voice" River interrupted her thoughts as she sat in the co pilot's chair to begin her watch. Zoe turned to look at the girl turned pilot. River looked back with a small smile. Zoe wanted to smile back, but for some reason couldn't force herself to do so. Her frozen face, Mal would call it. But there was no point in forcing it, River would know it was fake. So she just nodded and turned back to the black.
"It's quiet." River said as they sailed together into the endless night.
Simon was studying the cortex. While he was on a tramp freighter and moonlighting as a criminal mastermind, it didn't hurt to stay up on the latest research. Especially neurological research. For example, he'd just learned-
"Now, I know ya think I haven' noticed."
Ai ya! Now he was in for it, if the Captain decided to take umbrage at his moving into Kaylee's bunk, things could get rather uncomfortable for him aboard Serenity. He turned, guiltily and opened his mouth to say something, anything, to defuse the situation before one of them started hurling insults, or punches for that matter. But before he could say something, Mal put his hand up, and said in a nonchalantly threatening voice, "The bulkheads are pretty thin, so if you make her cry I'll know."
Simon couldn't repress an involuntary shiver. Mal could be scary when he wanted to be. And Simon knew how protective he was of Kaylee. But before he could start to worry, Mal's face broke into a smug smile "A 'course I'll know a lot of stuff ya don't want me to know, sharin' a wall an' all."
"Wuh De Ma. Did you come down here for anything Captain? Or just to insinuate?"
Mal shrugged, enjoying Simon's unease, "Could use a dressing change." The man loved to needle him, but he was a doctor and as a doctor he would take care of his patient. Lost in his work he didn't notice Inara walk by.
Mal of course did. He couldn't help but notice her. And what she was carrying, bags. Heavy bags. Simon, not noticing Mal noticing Inara, bit back a grin, he had come up with an excellent way of tormenting the Captain, something he always enjoyed doing.
"You need to take things slower or these stitches are going to keep popping Captain. It's been almost a month, if you keep pushing you're going to end up with a seeping wound that'll get infected." Mal looked at him with annoyance; Simon smirked and continued, "I'd recommend staying in your bunk as much as possible." At this Mal looked horrified, clearly put off by the idea of hearing too much through those bulkheads. Simon was satisfied, he'd gotten Mal's goat and no one had been punched. Not a bad day's work.
Mal however, seemed unimpressed, and still focused on Inara said, "What's she doin'?"
"Who?"
"Inara."
"Oh, uh, she's moving-" But Mal didn't give him a chance to finish, jumping off the table and heading toward her. "Captain! That's not what I meant by taking it easy!" Simon called after him, then turned back to his research on the cortex. The captain would be back once he realized the dressing change wasn't quite done yet.
Inara sighed as she heard heavy boot steps tromping her way. There was a slight break in the gait meaning it was most likely Mal and not Jayne. Pretending she didn't know he was there, she surveyed the room. She had spent most of yesterday and today clearing out one of the unused passenger rooms, and now she was finally ready to begin making it her home. The room was clean and tidy, and already she'd hung up a few pieces of fabric along one of the walls. It would make a cozy little chamber when she was done with it. Not as ornate as her shuttle, but then she wouldn't be doing much entertaining.
She turned around when she heard Mal clear his throat. When he didn't speak she sighed, "Mal?"
"Whatcha doin' down here? Didn' Kaylee fix up yer shuttle?"
He seemed unsure of himself, and truth be told so was she, so she responded evasively with "Any reason you're asking?" He shifted on his feet, uneasy with her question.
"Well, how are ya figurin' on conductin' yer business without usin' the shuttle?" He said it abruptly and abrasively, and despite years of training she couldn't help but snap back at him. "That's why you're asking? You're worried about rent? Or is it that you're worried I'll soil your precious ship by whoring right here?"
"Just curious is all. The shuttle's got more uh, comforts, got, uh, more room for...uh, all yer stuff." It was as close to an apology for bursting in on her she was likely to get.
"As you can plainly see Mal I don't have much stuff."
"Huh," he looked around the room, "Right, just that one trunk of stuff." He leaned gingerly against the door frame. Leave it to the man to complicate even the simple act of setting a room up for daily living. She sighed again, "Is there a reason you came down here?"
"What's got you so tetchy?"
"I'm tetchy? You came down here looking for a fight!"
"No-"
"You're always looking for a fight Mal. With everyone, anything."
"No, not, no. I thought..." He trailed off, and she glared at him expectantly.
"Where'd all the stuff go that were in here afore?"
"I put it all in Simon's old room."
"An' who exactly gave ya leave to do that?"
"Honestly, Mal,"
"It's my ship. I'm the Captain. Ya can't jus' go 'round changin' her how ya please."
"Fine. Would you like me to move it back? Or would you prefer I use Book's old room."
At that he glared at her, and she knew she'd gone too far. But for once Mal was inclined to make peace instead of fight, and though his eyes were dark he backed down.
"Jus' wanted to make sure you was all settled."
"By yelling at me?"
"Well, that weren't exactly plan A." He replied with a smile.
"Just what happened." She said sadly.
Now looking contrite Mal replied, "Right, so I'll leave ya to it. Unless, you, uh need any help movin' yer stuff."
Inara couldn't help but smile at him. The man definitely didn't want her to flee the ship again; she didn't think she'd ever heard him be quite so solicitous. "You're not going to ask why again?" She asked.
Mal shook his head, "seems ya don' wanna tell me, so I figure why ask again?" He winced and she noticed his shirt near his one side had been bloodied. "You should have Simon look at that." She said.
He glanced at the wound, then waved it off saying "Sure, sure" then smiling at her asked, "so yer not in need of help?"
"You're hardly in a fit state to help." She pointed out.
"Could get Jayne to haul yer stuff for ya, delegate, that's what Captains do ya know." He said, if he'd winked he would have been the picture of the rogue the girls at the training house pictured whenever her time on Serenity was gossiped over. She laughed, "And have him paw through everything, all the while complaining of the funny smell?"
Mal joined her laughter, only to wince and grab at his side. "Might be you're right on that." She turned her gaze pointedly to his side. "Might be you're right on that too. Reckon I'll pay Simon a visit then, leave ya to it."
As he left the room she found herself sighing once again, but this time in relief instead of frustration. She knew at some point they'd actually have to talk, but she wasn't quite ready, and though he seemed to want more from her than she was willing to give at this point, at least he wasn't pressing too hard for more. She wasn't sure how much longer her non answers were going to be good answers for Mal, but hopefully it would be long enough to get her affairs settled and decide what she wanted to do.
After Miranda things had changed. If she were honest with herself things had changed long before Miranda, before the training house, and if she were brutally honest, even before Serenity. But she wasn't quite sure what those changes meant, at least not yet.
CHINESE TRANSLATIONS
I do not speak Chinese at all, these translations are from: .com/wiki/Dictionary
Mei-mei little sister
Dohn-ma understand
Wo de tian a dear god in Heaven
Wuh De Ma Mother of God