Quiet Moments... Part 1: ~ FALLING WATER ~

It was a couple weeks and some later, and Kaylee was feeling in much better sorts. River's doctoring and the meds from the shuttle's emergency kit had worked their ways on her to where she was just sore and not quite rosy yet.

Today, like yesterday, she was in the bowls of the shuttle, looking over things and feeling worse and worse about the chances of the shuttle flying again... Least not without the right tools and spare parts, of which she had not anywheres near what she'd need for it. She might well've been able to get it done with what she'd had on Serenity, but not here though. She could work her fair share of wonders, but, for some things, there was just plain no getting around needing a replacement part. She lay back, defeated, and thought about River and how they were getting along and everything. River still made her a bit nervous now an then, no denying, and there was still something that made her feel not completely secure around her, but the girl was much more familiar to her now... It felt like River had become much more a part of her life. Like she understood her more now, so much so that she thought it would feel a little strange if they were separated. It was kind of like how she'd felt about her sister back on Isis. A sense of camaraderie and them being the only two. Except it was different than that... and maybe just all in her head.

River poked her head in just then. "Has the expedition met with any luck?" She asked her.

"Only if you mean the kind that's backwards and ornery." Kaylee told her. "Lost cause for sure, I'm thinking. What are you up to?" She asked. "You got a look."

"I always look, except when my eyelids interfere." River told her. "That doesn't matter now though. Come play in the falling water with me?" She asked hopefully.

She meant the waterfall at the lake nearby. "Sounds good to me." Kaylee decided with relief. She felt grimy and smelled of grease and smoke residue from the fire that'd happened a while ago, so a wash sounded heavenly. "No sense dwelling on this mess at least. Might was well be enjoying myself." The thought of being out of where she was an in the fresh air under open sky again being a happy one to her about then too.

"There's wisdom in that." River agreed. "Yitian jin chixu zheme jiu." She spoke as she disappeared back out of the maintenance tunnel hatch.

Kaylee just shook her head a little and smiled, that playful innocence River had about her sometimes lifting her spirits as it usually did. So she got herself tuned about in the small space and crawled her way out. When she poked her head out, she saw River packing up a picnic sack. "You're all full of useful things about you, aren't you?" She asked.

"Better than a Swiss army, that's me." River said distractedly, packing things in some precise order it seemed.

"Who're these Swiss people?" Kaylee asked.

"Pacifists." River replied.

"Why they need an army then?" Kaylee asked.

"It's a mystery." River told, tying up the picnic sack neatly and getting to her feet. "And mysteries are for fools and lonely philosophers who can't be bothered to learn how to swim right."

"Well that makes plenty of sense at least." Kaylee smiled.

River walked over to her and touched her side. "It didn't bother you, crawling in the demons' nest all morning?" She asked, running a finger down her ribs experimentally.

"Only a little. Water'll help." She met River's eyes. "Thanks for asking." Demon's nest was a name for it River'd come up with around the time the fire happened. Kaylee was discovering that was one of the tricks to understanding River, that she seemed to like to come up with her own names for things that were all her own for some reason. They always had a kind of odd logic to them though. She'd kind of made a game out of trying to keep track of all of um.

"Asking's easy." River replied, holding her eyes without blinking. "Your eyes have stars in them. And sky."

Kaylee smiled a small, soft smile. "Yours have falling water an sunshine." An words all a shimmer, she thought to herself.

"Then we have an understanding." River kissed her lightly on the cheek, turned, and walked away towards the ship's hatch with the things she'd packed for them. Which was another thing about River, that tendency to just walk off or show up at odd times. Somehow, she found she was getting to like it about her.

Kaylee touched her cheek and felt her skin heat just a little. "Wait up, you." She said after her, going and grabbing some of her things quick and heading out after River.

River was standing out in the clearing around their ship waiting for her. Kaylee shook her head a bit and came up beside her.

"The lake calls us, we should try to be more punctual." River told her as they started walking.

"I'll remember for next time." Kaylee replied.

"It's okay if you don't." River said back, walking beside her. "She won't judge you or me."

A few steps on, River took her hand in hers and Kaylee let her. River seemed to be doing that a bunch lately, and Kaylee had to admit, it was a comfort.

They walked through the woods to the river and followed its path to the small lake with the waterfall. It really was such a beautiful day out. It had just rained heavy yesterday and everything was all fresh smelling and pretty today. The sun was out and it was warm. A nice, soft breeze kicking up every now and then. Idyllic even.

Kaylee watched as River found a spot to put the picnic sack and her other things down in. Next, River started taking off her clothes to swim, no modesty about it, which was typical for River and didn't bother Kaylee any. It was kinda nice the other girl felt that comfortable around her, actually.

Kaylee herself was a bit more shy about it than that for some reason, though she couldn't say why exactly, and had found one of Inara's swimsuits to wear. Them being about the same size, it fit her fine. She was just taking off her shirt when she heard a soft splash behind her. She turned around and saw River's head and shoulders appear from under the water, she was smiling. "I win." She said.

"There wasn't a race, you know." Kaylee replied, going over and sitting on the edge of the lake, dangling her legs in the water.

"That's why I won." River smiled, coming over a little closer. At this part of the shore, it was a sheer drop into the water mostly.

"Besides, I'm still injured." Kaylee pointed out.

"It's okay to lose you know." River comforted her playfully. "It's playing the game that's important. Or so the wisdom says."

"And what game would we be playing then, if that's the case?" Kaylee bantered back.

"That's a good question. You should try to answer it. It could be of vital importance one day." River informed her. "Probably not today though." She allowed.

Kaylee giggled a little at that. "If you say so."

"I don't think your ears have been lying to you, if that's what you're worried about." River said by way of comfort, then dunked her head back under water promptly.

Kaylee giggled a little more. "River, come on."

River appeared again a few inches away and tugged on her ankle a little. "Youyong lai he wo yiqi?" She prompted.

Kaylee sighed and pushed off, slipping herself into the water with her shipmate, hardly making a sound. "There, happy?" Kaylee asked when she kicked up so her head was above water again.

"Yes." River replied. "Come on, follow." She further prompted, starting to swim out into the lake.

Kaylee smiled and followed along. "Alright, just don't go too fast!" She called after her.

Kaylee caught up with her at the other side of the lake, just a little ways from the waterfall. "Come on!" River encouraged, swimming under the waterfall and getting up on the stone ledge under it so the water was falling down over her body. Kaylee watched and saw how much River was smiling. Their eyes met and she was a little dazzled by the feeling it gave her. Like they were the only two anywheres almost. In any case, not to be out-done, Kaylee swam after River, under the waterfall, and got herself, with a hand up from River, onto the ledge next to her. The water was pretty loud, so they couldn't talk. The fall wasn't too high though, so the water wasn't hitting them all that hard. It felt really nice actually. Relaxing.

She felt River take her hand in hers again, and Kaylee squeezed her friend's hand back, turning so their eyes met. River's smile was infectious. She really seemed to have come alive out here in a way Kaylee wouldn't have quite expected. She was still the same old River Tam of course, just more... relaxed, more care free somehow, like she'd got a glimpse of on the ship with the apple that day a while ago. More even. It was a pretty sight.

River reached over and touched her cheek. Just a small touch, and then pulled her hand away and slipped off the rock-ledge, pulling Kaylee by the hand down with her into the water. It was a jumble of rushing water pushing them down to the lake floor, but she kept her hold on River's hand and kicked along after her as River led her back up. They both broke out laughing upon breaking the surface.

"That was fun. But don't think I won't get you back for that." Kaylee warned.

"I wasn't thinking that at all." River told her. "But I look forward to it none the less." She said simply in acceptance.

"Let's go back to the shore. I'm... I'm feeling kinda worn out, tellya the truth." Kaylee admitted.

"Of course!" River took her hand again. "Come on, we should go eat anyway. The day is escaping us, even though I wish it wouldn't." She tugged her along again a little before letting her go so she could use the hand to swim with.

Kaylee followed her back to shore and watched as River got up on shore first and helped her up. "Sorry about this." Kaylee offered.

"About what?" River asked.

"Getting tired, you know." She offered.

"That's nonsense. The lake likes you too much, and I agree with her." River told her.

Kaylee sat down on the lake's edge and started drying her hair with the towel River rushed to bring her.

"I'll go get the food ready, don't go anywhere." River admonished her.

"Wasn't planning on it." She said to herself, looking after her shipmate as she went off, drying herself with a second towel as she went. She really does have a nice body..., she thought to herself as she watched River's graceful movements.

After sitting there a few moments more and feeling her energy come back some, Kaylee got herself back on her feet and walked over to where River was setting up their little informal picnic, having put on her clothes again.

She sat the towel down against the tree that was there and sat down with a happy sigh. "It really is beautiful today, ain't it?" She asked wistfully.

"It is." River agreed.

Kaylee looked to her and their eyes met. Had River been watching her just then? Huh. Wonder what that's about, she idly mused.

"You like being in the water, don't you?" Kaylee asked, laying her head back against the tree and closing her eyes.

River seemed to consider that a moment. "I am jealous of fish gills sometimes, but I don't want to be a mermaid in a small lake, I don't think..." She told her.

Kaylee laughed at that, smiling to River. "You sure have got a way a thinking about things." Kaylee found herself commenting.

"We all do." River replied simply. "That's what's amazing... and what's sad."

"Hm. Well, luckily today we've got the amazing and not the sad then, huh?" Kaylee offered.

"Maybe. But I think we could have done it on purpose." River said offhandedly. "That's why I enjoy thinking about quantum physics as much as I do sometimes."

"...If you say so." Kaylee answered, getting up and investigating the food River was laying out. Her stomach was telling her it was time to eat.

As usual, the food River made was very good, and likewise the company.

They spent hours there just relaxing, talking sometimes. Kaylee was sure she'd caught River watching her that same way as before a few more times, but she really didn't think too much of it.

Though, in the back of her mind, she had to admit, she was kinda curious about it.

Chinese translations for this chapter:

"Yitian jin chixu zheme jiu" = "A day only lasts so long"

"Youyong lai he wo yiqi?" = "Come swim with me?"

(please note: I'm only getting my Chinese from Google Translate, so I can't guarantee it's accurate at all)

to be continued

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