She wouldn’t talk to him. Wouldn’t even look at him. She sat next to Jayne, holding his hand as he lay unconscious, staring into his face.

Simon tried everything. Pleading. Cajoling. Even getting angry with her.

“Damn it, River, you can’t just ignore me!” He went to take hold of her arm, but she pulled it away before he could touch her.

Freya called from outside in the common area. “Simon, could you join me for a moment?”

“Can’t it wait?”

“No.”

Simon stepped out of the infirmary to face the other woman, leaning on her stick. “Are you in pain?” he asked.

“No. But someone else is.”

He glanced back over his shoulder at his sister. “I‘ve been trying to help her -”

“Not River.”

He looked at her. “Then who?”

“Kaylee.” Freya’s look was a mixture of sympathy and pity. “She heard, Simon.”

He closed his eyes. “I know.” There was an ache in his heart, and not just for River.

“You really need to speak to her.”

Simon shook his head. “It’s not the right time. I should really stay here -”

“There won’t be a right time, not for what you have to do. But you still have to do it.”

He stared at her then dropped his head. “I’ve blown it with Kaylee, haven’t I?”

“I don’t know,” Freya admitted. “She’s very angry, and upset. You need to go and apologise.”

“But I -”

“Simon, just do it. Fall on your sword if you have to. But you don’t want to leave this to fester.”

“And if she doesn’t listen?”

“Oh, I didn’t say she’ll listen. She won’t. It’s going to take more than an apology to make things right.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. What I said, what I did … shooting Jayne … I can’t even get it all straight in my own head, let alone explain it to anyone else.”

“You were worried about your sister. Simon, everyone gets that.”

“But there’s more to it.”

“So tell me.”

“Everything.” He collapsed onto the yellow sofa. “It’s just everything. River, Jethro, Jayne … what happened to you … my sterility … it all … Freya, I can’t get away from it.”

“