Spin Me 'Round, Carry Me Down... Part 4: ~ DEMONS ~

When Kaylee woke, it was mid-morning the next day and River was sitting in bed next to her, her back to the headboard and her legs crossed and pulled up to her and held with crossed arms. She seemed to be staring off into nowhere in particular, and Kaylee couldn't help watching her for a while before groaning and shifting to a slightly different position to shake off the sleeps. "Good morning." Kaylee spoke.

"That's debatable, I think..." River answered wistfully. "But the sentiments are appreciated." She said, looking over to her. "It's raining."

Kaylee laughed, even though it hurt to laugh.

Two days later, and things were going well, Kaylee thought. River and her seemed to grow more of an understanding. A bond made deeper by circumstance, she supposed. But whether it was her imagination or something more real, she could swear she was understanding River Tam better lately. She was able to sit upright now, and she'd seen two sunsets, dragged out as she had been by River on that litter of hers, not that she minded it terribly of course.

Right now she was sitting on Inara's couch and reading one of her books. Her library pad had some interesting selections on it, to say the least. This one she'd chosen no less than the rest.

She heard a small crashing noise from outside followed by some cursing in Chinese on River's part. River'd been endeavoring to make a proper bathtub for them on and off for a day and a half now. It was sweet, really. The shower system on the shuttle still worked partly, but Kaylee couldn't well use it, injured as she was. That and Kaylee seemed to recall a talk she'd had about the subject with River at some point prior to their being stranded here on Opal, where in River had lamented about the lack of having real baths in space. The price of growing up privileged, Kaylee surmised, nevertheless finding herself wholly agreeing with her on the subject.

Trouble was, while River swore up and down she knew how to make a simple bath tub, had the engineering of it all worked out, apparently the slowly emerging tub shaped object out yonder had an idea in its head to make it difficult on her. It was all actually kind of funny, to see River have to try so hard at something like that when most things seemed to come so easy to her. It made her seem a bit more human and relatable somehow.

"This wood is full of demons." River said carrying a component of her tub with her into the cabin and setting it down in what Kaylee had dubbed River's work shop. "I must smite them." She proclaimed decidedly, choosing a tool one would rightly use on a piece of metal plating and using it creatively, going at the hapless log with it.

Kaylee chuckled just a bit and put the library pad aside to watch River work. It didn't take long and she was done, getting up and turning to see Kaylee regarding her. "I anticipate no further problems with this component." She informed Kaylee.

Kaylee titled her head a bit, reflective like. "I wish I could be more help with this. You're making it mostly for me after all."

River just smiled, delighted apparently. "My honor to serve." She made a little bow and went back out to face the demons.

Kaylee watched after her a bit, shook her head, and went back to her book. She was just getting to the good part, after all.

to be continued

and leave a comment for me if you want, I'd love to hear from you