Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to update this time, I just haven't had time to sit down and write. I appreciate all the words of support. I especially appreciate Sorcas, who has taken the time to give me valuable critiques to help make this story better.

Chapter 7

"In the world I fill up a place,which may be better supplied when I have made it empty" -William Shakespeare

"You've got a wave comin' in sir."

Mal tossed the ball he was holding to Jayne and looked at Zoe, "Comin' from who?"

"Dock master on Helios."

Mal went to the cockpit and tapped the screen, bringing up the vid feed, "Wasn't expecting to hear from you Thomas."

"Wasn't expecting to need to call ya," the man on the screen said, "Figured you'd want to know there's been some interest in your boat since ya left yesterday."

"Really now? What kind of interest would that be?"

"Three men showed up just after you lifted off, asking about you and your crew, wantin' to know where you're headed. Asked specific questions about that little girl you got with ya."

"And where are we heading?"

"Why, I told them the truth. You're headed for Persephone, dropping a load there and then most likely headed back this way."

Mal smiled, "It's always nice to know you count on your friends to be so truthful. Nice to hear from you Thomas. You tell that wife of yours I said hello."

Disconnecting the feed, Mal turned to Zoe, "Looks like this job may have some complications we didn't foresee."

Zoe leaned against the console behind her, "Who do you think was asking after us?"

"Not sure, but I doubt they were looking to invite us for tea."

"Do we tell the others? If they think we're heading for Persephone, we'll have time to drop payment on Morpheus and get clear."

"We can't assume they believed what Thomas told them. I think it's best we be prepared for trouble when we get planet side."

oOo

Ophelia entered the shrine with measured steps. The room always made her feel at peace, no matter what troubles she was dealing with on the outside. A small fire burned in a brazier in the corner, warming the small room, illuminating the tapestry that hung behind it. She ran her hands along table where the tuning stone sat, the sleek edge cool against the fingers.

When she had first been taught to use the tuning stone, it had frightened her a little. Connecting to one mind was an overwhelming feeling, connecting to a group of minds could be staggering. As a Scholar, she was trained to connect and communicate with multiple Talents at a time. It also meant she was the one who communicated with the Elders.

Sitting down, she traced the outline of the black tuning stone, focusing her mind as she caressed it's cool contours. The stone begin to glow slightly, the light dim, but steady. Ophelia closed her eyes and let her mind drift, her senses opening and allowing the light to seep in around the corners.

She felt the touch of another mind, like a living thing, enter her mind.

Greetings Ophelia.

Greetings Elder Marcus.

The girl has stabilized, but Elder Mithos is not sure how much longer he'll be able to maintain the connection at a subliminal level. Her connection to the Flux is increasing, which has helped some, but he is concerned that there will be damage there as well if the connection isn't severed soon. He says that it requires more and more energy to repair the damage to her mind each time she sleeps.

Jeremiah and the others have gone after her. They shouldn't have a problem getting her off the ship.

When do you expect them to return?

The ship was sent to a planet approximately five days travel from Morpheus. Jeremiah and his team left three days ago and won't reach them before they return to the Black. They plan to board the ship before it reaches Morpheus and remove the girl.

And you believe this is a good plan?

I do. I trust Jeremiah and the others. If we wait until they're planet side again, we risk bringing unwanted attention to ourselves.

We have faith in your abilities Ophelia, and in those you lead. Keep in contact with us, we would like to know as soon as you have the girl with you. We will need to assess how damaged she is and if she can be helped.

I understand.

The connection faded just as quickly as it had arrived and Ophelia exhaled sharply, trying to counteract the dizziness that swept over her. It was easier to come back from the darkness now, but it still left her slightly dazed for a few minutes. She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes again. She hoped that Jeremiah and the others were able to reach the girl in time. She couldn't stand to see another one lost to the madness.

oOo

"What we know is this. Someone is askin' a whole lot of question about us and our business, " Mal said, "They seem to be particularly interested in River. Now to my way of thinkin' that can't be a coincidence. What we're gonna need to do is figure out who they might be."

Simon stood up and began pacing, "After Miranda, after the feed went out, I thought they'd forget about coming after her."

"We don't know that it's the Academy," Zoe said.

Simon shoved his hand through his hair, his face showing his frustration, "Who else would be looking for River? Who else has a reason to want to find her?"

"Well, that's the million dollar question ain't it?" Jayne said. "If'n I were a bettin' man, I'd say it's likely someone lookin' to collect the reward."

"There ain't no reward no more," Kaylee said, "Ain't no reason for there to be."

Jayne dropped his head and looked away.

"Jayne," Mal said, "You got somethin' you'd like to share with us?"

Jayne looked at Mal, his eyes locking with the other man's, "I hear things. Can't keep trouble from finding us if you don't know where there's likely to be trouble. There's still an open bounty on the girl."

"And you never thought to share that with us?"

"Didn't seem like it was important. We been keepin a low profile and now that's she's not acting all moon brained everywhere we go, didn't seem likely we'd be drawin a lot of attention."

"Oh please," Simon said, "You think we believe that? You tried to sell her out on Ariel, you were probably planning on doing it again. How long have you been planning it? Is that why you suddenly have such an interest in keeping her "safe". You've been protecting your investment?" he sneered.

Jayne shot a look at River where she sat alone on the couch, and saw her face go pale. He opened his mouth to deny what Simon had accused him of, but the looks on the faces of the others stopped him. He could see they had already decided Simon was right. Without a word, he turned and stalked out of the galley.

"Captain," Kaylee said, "You can't believe Jayne was really meanin' to sell River out. Not after what we've been through."

"Can't rightly say what I believe. Seems he would have spoken up if he had pure motives, though, don't it?"

River, silent until that moment, stood up and walked to stand in front of Mal, "Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving," she said before she followed Jayne from the room.

A look of confusion crossed over Mal's face, "Why do I feel like I've just been scolded?"

Inara, who had chosen to refrain from joining the conversation until that moment, said, "I believe she was telling you that you have all chosen to think the worst of Jayne without having any real reason to."

oOo

River stopped in front of the hatch to Jayne's bunk. She knew he was inside, she'd heard the hatch slam shut after he climbed down. She raised her hand, intending to knock. She stood for several minutes, just staring at the hatch. Even if she did knock, what would she say. I'm sorry, you were right and I'm a danger to everyone I love. That would be a good start.

River lowered her hand and leaned her forehead against the cool metal of the bulkhead. She only wanted to have a normal life, or as close to normal as possible. She could see now that it was a dream. As long as she was around, everyone she cared about would be in danger. Jayne was right about her, she should have left Serenity long ago.

Sighing, she straightened away from the bulkhead and pushed the hatch to Jayne's bunk open, not bothering to knock. She knew if she knocked, he would only tell her to go away.

Jayne heard the hatch open and dropped his arm across his face, "Jesus Mal, can't a man just get some peace? You can yell at me later."

"The captain is still in the galley with the others."

Jayne moved his arm away from his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows, "I gotta admit, yer the last person I expected to see comin' in here."

River took a step into the small space, glancing around. She'd never been in Jayne's bunk before. The room suited him. It was sparsely decorated. A few pictures of half-naked women graced the wall closest to the bed. There were clothes draped over the side of the only chair in the room and the bed was rumpled. It also smelled like him. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to focus her thoughts. When she opened her eyes again, Jayne was looking at her strangely.

"I came to tell you that I understand why you didn't say anything about the bounty. Even if the others do not."

Jayne sat for a moment, "You do, huh? Well, I guess everything will be fine then," he said. He regretted the words almost as soon as they left his mouth. Her face was still pale and she stood near the ladder, twirling her hair between her fingers, something she did when she was anxious or nervous. He scrubbed his hand across the top of his head and stood up, "It don't bother me none, them thinkin' I was gonna sell ya out again. I earned that. I've done things I'm not proud of, but.."

River looked up, "You were right. I just wanted you to know I understand that now."

Before he could say anything else, she was scrambling up the ladder. He sat back down on his bed and scratched his head, "What the hell did that mean?"

oOo

Rivers sat with her knees pressed to her lips and stared out into the black, listening to Serenity hum in the silence. Everyone else had long since gone to bed. The threat of bounty hunters temporarily forgotten. Zoe had cried herself to sleep, clutching one of Wash's shirts. She had tried to close herself from the waves of pain, but hadn't been able to remove herself entirely. She had sobbed with each tear Zoe shed. And now she sat alone, staring into the nothing, her mind littered with the other woman's sorrow. Oddly, tonight, it felt like more of a comfort to River than a burden. The pain reminded her that she was still alive, still human, no matter how the others viewed her.

After a few more minutes River reached for the control panel and pressed a series of buttons, setting the autopilot. She left the cockpit, trailing her fingers along the familiar lines of Serenity's walls. Where they had once felt alive under her fingers, they only felt cold now. She was beginning to feel like she had before Miranda, her mind a jumble of thoughts, a tangle she could unravel.

She stopped when she reached the door to Jayne's bunk and trailed her fingers over the door again. Heat radiated from it, traveling through her body like a soothing balm. It confused her that the only place she felt connected to the world now was near Jayne. He was brash and often crude, but now she saw it was more mask than reality. He was more like her than anyone would have guessed. She dropped her hand reluctantly and continued down the hallway to her room. Stepping over the threshold she glanced around the room, the feeling of disconnection rushing over her again.

She stood in front of the small mirror on the wall next to her bed and stared at her reflection. It seemed foreign to her, like a picture of a girl she'd seen once. Logically, she knew the person she was looking at was her, but it still felt alien to her. Reaching out one hand she used her finger to trace the outline of her face. Wide eyes stared back at her from a face that seemed pale and drawn. Dark brown hair hung like a curtain framing the sharply angled face. She saw tears rolling down the cheeks and reached up to touch them.

Turning from the mirror she curled up on the bed in a tight ball and closed her eyes willing herself to sleep. She could feel it pulling at her and she wished, for a moment, that she could feel this numb all the time.