Glancing at the watch again, Rose was convinced that there had to be a way to fix it. "Is there any sort of technology around here? Something I can use to make it work?"

"No. In comparison to the technological advances and innumerable amount of alien species in your reality, our equipment and ideals are gravely antiquated."

"So," Rose had gotten used to deciphering overly complicated dialogue from her time with the Doctor. "You're saying that you don't have any technology like this?"

"Correct. No aliens in the Verse."

"There are no aliens here?"

"We only had Reavers. Humans gone mad. Eat the flesh. Wear the skin. Take no prisoners. They have been eradicated in the last four years. Many eradicated by yours truly."

Rose smirked at the way she said it. "Just humans, then? Plain, old, boring humans?"

"Not boring. You'll see. Come with me."

River held out her hand and Rose blankly stared. After shaking it a few times with one of River's typical you're an idiot looks, Rose awkwardly accepted the invitation. She allowed River to lead her up the steps, though apprehension was building. She almost didn't want to see the world that she had carelessly fallen into.

They quietly traveled through the ship until they arrived on the bridge. River went to the nose of Serenity and Rose decided to follow. Although Rose was uncomfortable with the situation, she felt oddly at ease with River for some unknown reason. Once River sat down, Rose chose to join her. They both stared at the space beyond the windows.

A smile crossed Rose's face. "I haven't been up here in so long. Never gets old."

"You'll like it here," River assured her. "We're criminals."

"I'm sorry, you're what?"

"Outlaws. Cowboys. Always on the run. Finding trouble. Everything you've missed. Not bad people. Only trying to survive."

"Are you from Earth?"

"Earth is dead. We used it all. Kept going. Kept living. Very persistent. Like you."

Rose couldn't believe that River knew so much. And, she couldn't believe that this was it. That this was her reality, and she was trapped in it. Then, Rose abruptly had a thought and backed away from the strange woman.

"Hold on…how can I trust you? How can I know that you aren't keeping me here for some reason? You just said that you're criminals."

"Trust is a variable. Changes. Fluctuates. I avoid variables when possible. I am incapable of a lie. I would tell you if you could find the Doctor. I would help you. Can't. Impossible odds. We don't have the technology. Don't know that we could. It's too late for your world, but this world is just beginning."

Rose allowed her words to sink into skin. She studied River for a moment to determine if she could trust this person. A feeling came into her mind that reminded her of the day a man in a leather jacket first took her hand. She trusted him right off. She knew that she could. Somehow, she knew that she could trust River as well.

"You never told me how you know so much about me," Rose softly mentioned.

"They call me a reader. Essentially a psychic. I can see you. The parts you don't show. You're lost. Broken. Like me. I'm River Tam. You're Rose Tyler. RT and RT. Cute. More common ground."

"Yeah," Rose chuckled. "So, you're a psychic. Guess that's not hard to believe after all that I've seen. Were you born like that?"

She averted her gaze. "Predisposition to psychic ability. Taken to the Academy. Experiments. Tore my mind to shreds. Needles in the brainpan. Made me what I am. Was an assassin. Fugitive. Hunted."

"A fugitive?"

"Not anymore. Long story. Very long story. For another time. Blood and death. Lost so many. Book and Wash."

"Book and Wash? As in reading a book and putting clothes in the wash?"

"Book was a preacher. Followed the broken book. Hoban Washburne. Previous pilot. Husband to Zoe. Master to dinosaur toys. Friend to all. Leaf on the wind. Soaring in the stars. He had funny shirts."

Rose lowered her chin out of respect. "I'm sorry. Are there others on this ship?"

"Yes. They're sleeping. They'll be awake any time now."

"So, what's your role, then?"

"I'm the pilot."

"You look young to be one."

"Twenty-one. Started at seventeen. You were nineteen at first. Leather jacket. Big ears. Really big ears. And nose. Like a snout. Your mother slapped him. Hilarious."

"You playing in my head?" Rose lightheartedly asked.

"Can't help it. I feel everything. Hear everything. Know everything. It floats. Lilly pads in the pond. Drifting. Moving in the current. Log catches them all. It just happens. Don't blame the log for the direction of the current. I like lily pads. They belong to frogs. Hop."

To her amazement, Rose cracked a tiny smile. She liked how this woman spoke. River was probably the most interesting person she had met since the man in the blue box. If everyone were as colorful as River Tam, she wouldn't mind this place. River grinned when she caught the thought.

"Well, you've got this crew," Rose started to think. "Do you have room for one more?"

"There is a twenty percent probability that the Captain will allow your passage on a temporary basis, a seventy-nine percent probability that he will ask you to leave, and one percent probability that he will allow you to be part of the crew. Depends on how tight his pants are today."

"Well, I'd like to stay here until I know what's going on out there."

"Don't worry, Rose Tyler. I'll be sure that you can stay. He's allowed others before. However, they didn't appear from another reality."

"They didn't? Oh, I'm surprised. Here I thought that happened all the time…"

Both women laughed at Rose's sarcasm. Rose was sure that she should be devastated, angry, sobbing, howling to go back home…but she was only a bit sad. She was almost relieved to escape the monotony of her old life. Mum was busy with little Tony, Pete still wasn't quite a dad, and Mickey ran off with some doctor a year back—and now she had met a former fugitive psychic criminal in the middle of space. It was refreshing in so many ways. It'd probably wear off, but for now she'd enjoy it.

"Hello, mei mei," Simon Tam suddenly appeared on the bridge. He hadn't noticed the new arrival. "Did you sleep better or should I tweak your medications again?"

"I didn't sleep, yet it wasn't the medication," River answered while gazing into Rose's sparkling eyes.

Simon turned around and uncomfortably waved. "Hello. Where'd you come from?"

"It's a bit complicated," Rose responded politely. "I'm Rose Tyler."

"I'm River's brother, Simon. It's nice to meet you…in the middle of space…"

Sighing, River decided to tell him the story. "Rose Tyler is a humanoid female from an alternate reality who was lost on her native planet of Earth and transported to a separate universe with her family where she attempted to jump between worlds with an extra-terrestrial transport device. However, it was damaged in a crash landing and overloaded during the transfer that caused her to leap to the farthest possible alternate reality, which is our universe. She materialized in the cargo bay at exactly fifty-seven past four o'clock. She's fun."

Simon blinked and glanced at Rose, and she just shook her head. "I'll explain it later. I'm not from this world is all I can say. If you don't believe me, I have the device here."

She passed the strange gizmo to Simon. He looked it over and looked back at Rose. "It's unlike anything we have here."

"Yeah," Rose confirmed. "I was a time traveler."

"She isn't lying and she isn't crazy," River snapped. "Careful what you think."

Simon put his hands defensively in the air. "It's just a very outlandish story."

"And having a psychic for a sister isn't a bit weird to you?" Rose countered.

"Touché. Given that we are in the middle of nowhere and there is no fathomable way that you could get here, I actually believe you. Strangely…"

"We need her," River announced. "We need her on this ship. Trust me, Simon."

"Who do we need, little albatross?" Mal asked once he stepped onto the bridge.

River pointed. "Captain Malcolm Reynolds, her name is Rose. Rose Tyler."

"Hello," Rose gave a cheery smile.

Mal folded his arms. "Get off my gorram ship."