It had been a week since her last round of treatments.
Before she was put to sleep for her treatments that day, River heard for the first time in a long time Simon's thoughts.
I'm coming méi-mei just hang on I'm coming.
Enthralled by this she waited for Simon to make his move.
In her sleep River felt a powerful sense, it wasn't a emotion, she didn't quite know what is was but she felt that is was good.
A few minutes later River heard a voice that she hadn't heard in years; her brother's.
Simon crouched down in front of her and replied concernedly "River, it's Simon please, it's your brother, River can you hear me, méi-mei if you can hear me say something anything please!"
She was too weak form the day's treatments to respond to him right away her mind was still in a great deal of pain.
River felt Simon take the needles and wires out of her brain and the central needle out of her forehead.
After he had taken out the last wire River felt his smooth gloved hands gently caressing her face, the sensation of his hands on her face made her feel overwhelmed with relief and happiness.
She thought overjoyed Simon you're here!
River heard him let out a shocked breath.
Simon whispered horrified "Wǒ de shàngdì yǒu shé me duì nǐ zuò dì nàxiē húndàn!"
River then opened her eyes and saw that he was pulling her gently out of the chair.
Suddenly River's mind was hyper aware of her brother's presence.
Still weak she took deep breaths and started to think relived Simon I knew you would come for me I just knew it! I knew they hadn't hidden me that well!
Simon said to her anxiously "Come méi-mei we have to go before we're discovered!"
He walked over to the door and looked out the window to make certain no one was coming.
River taking one more second to gather herself came up behind him and said cryptically "Simon, they know."
Simon gasped his eyes went wide with fear and concern.
River opened her mind to his Oh mèi-mei what have they done to you?
As soon as the coast was clear Simon gently but firmly grabbed hold of River's right hand and replied hurriedly "River come let's go!"
Simon then led River out of the room and down a hallway.
As they walked briskly he said strategically "We can't make it to the surface form in here-"
Suddenly he stopped her and said urgently "River, shàngqùle!"
She nodded and quickly and gracefully scaled a protruding pipeline stretching herself atop the ceiling.
Once the coast was clear he and River then went to the elevator shaft of the building.
Simon quickly took out what appeared to be a chrome crowbar swiftly he separated the windows of the elevator shaft.
Once the windows were open he and River climbed into the shaft seconds after they entered a platform came barreling down it.
River looked up and saw a spaceship of some kind which the platform was attached to.
Simon said to her anxiously "On the platform River, cōngmáng!" River jumped on the platform and knelt on it Simon climbed on as well.
Once he was behind her he asked worriedly "River are you all right? She nodded.
Simon then fished out of his pocket a comm link.
He shouted into it quickly "We're on pull us up, xiànzài!"
As soon as the words left his mouth the platform rose up into the ship.
While they were being pulled up into the ship River could no longer contain her relief and excitement.
She stood up and threw her arms around her brother's waist embracing him fiercely.
River chocked out happily as tears of imaginable relief streamed down her face "Simon, I knew you would find me I knew I wasn't down that deep missed you.. so much... I ...love you!"
Simon embraced her back and said voice thick with emotion "Mèi-mei I've missed you so much, I love you we will never be apart again."
They separated slowly.
Suddenly River looked at him fear eating at her happiness it caused her mind to become filled with unbearable terror and dread.
She thought frighteningly
The Hands of Blue will find me I know they will.
They'll never stop looking.
Never stop.
This is just a trick.
River started screaming hysterically "No this is a trick a tactic to get me to break they sent you to make me talk that's all they want they want me to talk tell Dr. Mathias I will do better, tell him that, but please don't make me sleep don't send me back I don't want to go back, please, no!"
In one fluid movement River unwound her arms from around her brother's waist and slid across the platform.
She wrapped her arms around the metal cord of the platform and clung to it fiercely.
River screeched incoherently "No you aren't real you are a illusion a illusion aren't real you are not real they sent you here to make me talk and then you will make me sleep I won't do it I won't, I won't do it I won't!"
Simon exhaled and replied softly "Please mèi-mei it's me it's Simon, your safe, please come here really it's all right it is I promise."
He offered her his right hand trustingly.
River was still wary but her once clouded eyes faded away to clear recognition.
Slowly she gave him her right hand and Simon quickly pulled her into a reassuringly warm hug which calmed River instantly.
He said soothingly gently smoothing her hair with his right hand "Ssh sssh, mèi-mei sssh they're gone they're gone it's all right I'm here I'm here we're safe your safe."
River relaxed in her brother's arms her utter hysteria forgotten.
She thought happily I knew you would come. I just knew it!
River then looked up at her brother with absolute relief.
Still unsure she looked at him and asked warily "Si-Simon, this isn't a illusion, this is real you are really here?"
Simon broke into a relived grin and replied happily "Yes River this is real, it's really me, it's Simon and I'll never let you go again not never."
With that he squeezed her reassuringly once.
River nuzzled herself against his chest for a few minutes, taking in the sheer reality of the situation at last he was here and he was with her.
She brought her head up looked into her brother's eyes and replied softly "I didn't think you'd come for me."
Simon squeezed her tightly.
He gave her a small smile and said affectionately "Well you're a dummy."
He gathered to his chest Simon then whispered thickly "Mèi-mei it's all right we're together now and we will never be apart again, I swear to you."
River emitted a near inaudible giggle and said teasingly "Not nice to swear in front of your mèi-mei."
He kissed her on the top of her head and replied sweetly "You are such a brat."
Simon then took out a full syringe form his front shirt pocket.
River once again slid to the edge of the platform and wrapped her arms tightly around the metal cord and held onto it for dear life.
She shouted indistinctly covering her hands over her ears "No, no more needles, please don't make me sleep please no not the darkness I can't go back into the darkness I can't, I can't!"
Simon again that day offered his sister his right hand.
He said reassuringly "River, please I won't hurt you you need to rest you've been through much in the last couple of hours you need to sleep please, mèi-mei , I swear we will see each other again when you wake up nothing will happen to you when you are asleep you'll be safe."
His words had not swayed River's resolve she still hadn't moved form her spot at the edge of platform.
Simon took a deep breath and replied pleadingly " Please méi-mei, you can trust me you can."
River once again opened her mind to his
I really hope I won't have to use force oh my méi-mei will I ever know the true pain you've endured? Simon thought concernedly
She quickly closed her mind off to his.
River clasped her right hand with her brother's she then slid across the platform and into Simon's lap.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.
River took four deep breaths to further compose herself.
Finally relaxed she replied trustingly "I believe you Simon, do it, I won't fight you."
Simon squeezed her once reassuringly.
He then tapped the injection twice.
River took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Just before Simon injected her she heard him say softly "When you wake up again we'll finally be safe I promise sleep now my qīn'ài de xiǎo tián mèi-mei."
He then injected her.
River felt the serum take effect almost instantaneously it flowed through her veins with immense speed. She soon fell asleep soundly in her brother's arms.
For the first time in almost three years she was able to rest with out a single thought or emotion clouding her mind.
Mandarin Translations
Wǒ de shàngdì yǒu shé me duì nǐ zuò dì nàxiē húndàn- My god what have those bastards done to you!
Qīn'ài de xiǎo tián mèi- sweet dear little sister
Cōngmáng - Hurry
Shàngqùle - go up
Xiànzài – Now