Remember Me

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As days turned into a week, and a week bled into two, River still laid unmoving and unconscious in the infirmary. Even with the lack of noticeable change, Kaylee remained beside River, talking to the comatose teenager for hours on end every single day without fail.

At least in her own mind, Kaylee’s actions were meant to keep River caught up on things going on in the ship and with the crew, as if she were still with them and not unable to respond. It startled the once-chipper mechanic to think about how important those haunted eyes were to her, along with how she yearned for just one more moment to observe the younger girl’s massive doe-eyed expression when joined with either one of River’s crooked smiles…or one of River’s silly little comments that both confused and amazed Kaylee at the same time.

“Come on sweetie…ya gotta wake up now...no one else plays jacks with me well as you do…and you still gots ta tell me all those secrets ‘bout Simon, ya promised me.”

Kaylee’s softly whispered pleas floated gently into River’s ear, followed closely by one more quietly uttered sigh, adding to a whole slew of sighs already uttered over the past several days. Even when sitting vigil, the young woman couldn’t remain still, shifting faintly in her seat to lay her head down on the diagnostic bed beside River’s tangled mane of chocolate tresses only moments after taking her friend’s hand gently in her own to stroke the wounded psychic’s knuckles with her grease-stained thumb. Kaylee’s neck soon became sore, though her eyes never strayed from watching the faint rise and fall of River’s chest…or the strips of gauze taped over the teen’s ribs to protect the still-healing wound.

“…Any change, Doc?”

Outside the infirmary, the two young women are observed themselves by Mal and Simon, the ship captain solemnly watching his usually cheerful mechanic hover over her friend before turning his focus to the doctor beside as the man sighed and sadly shook his head.

“Nothing. Yes