He didn't know what would be worse, the doc not knowing where River was, or the doc knowing where she was.
Simon said that he'd looked high and low, but River was nowhere to be found. Mal smiled at the concerned doctor and promised that she was still on the ship somewhere. Of course, he left out the where, and for good reason.
"Darlin'," he called.
She opened one eye sleepily. "Captain."
"Your brother's worried. He's been lookin' everywhere for you."
"He has," she nodded as she burrowed into the pillow just a bit further.
He crouched beside her. "What did I say 'bout findin' you in my bed?"
She smiled mischievously at him. "Good things?"
"Way I remember it, I said that you shouldn't be in my bunk 'cause you've got your own."
"Can't rest in my room. Simon pokes. Keeps me up. Wants to jab me with needles. Don't want to be found and stabbed."
A smirk spread across his face. "You're gonna run out of excuses to hide here soon enough."
"Going to run out excuses to let me, Captain."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You like it when I'm here. Don't like it when I leave."
He cleared his throat and stood up straight. "C'mon. We have to get you to your brother."
"Not denying it," she teased as she sat up.
"That don't mean that it's true."
"Doesn't mean that it isn't."
He huffed. "It ain't true."
"You're a bad liar. You would have made me leave by now if you wanted me gone."
"Okay that's it. Believe what you want to. I don't rightly care, but if you don't get goin' I'm gonna tell Simon where you are."
"He'll punch you."
"He won't. There's no reason for him to. Nothin' has happened between us."
"…yet…"