Blue Sun Room FICTION - SUSPENSE

Orphaned Soul, Part 3

Monday, August 2, 2004

Inara and Shephard Book try to help a troubled girl who has lost her brother, and perhaps her mind

CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 4864    RATING: 9.0 (G)    SERIES: FIREFLY

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Inara pressed her forehead harder against the bulkhead, but the cold of the metal did nothing to relieve her raging fever; its solidity could not compete with the substance of her nightmare.

Change course. Run.

Hell with you.

She's dying.

You're not gonna let her.

Yes, I am.

Everybody's so mad...

Enough! Mal, do it.

Don't ever tell me what to do on my --

Kaylee screamed. Inara looked up, startled. No, not Kaylee. River. Another innocent. One still in danger. River screamed again. One whose nightmares surpassed her own.

Inara willed herself to rise, her companion training chasing the despair from her ageless face. She crossed quickly to the bed, catching River as she lapsed again into unconsciousness, and lowered her gently to the cushions. Inara pulled a blanket over her as Shephard Book stepped through the curtains that separated the cockpit from the rest of the shuttle.

“Sorry about the rough landing; it’s been a while since I’ve flown one of these.”

Inara smiled slightly. “We didn’t notice a thing.”

“How is she?”

“I’m not sure…she’s been through a lot today,” Inara replied, gently brushing the hair away from River’s face.

“You both have.”

Inara did not look up.

“She was a special girl,” he continued, sitting next to her. “We kinda got to be be friendly right a–”

“–will you hand me that bowl?” Inara interrupted, unwilling to risk losing what little control she had mustered in the face of his sympathy. “We should try to bring her fever down.”

Book nodded. “We need to find her some help,” he replied as he knelt to retrieve the shallow lacquered bowl. “The Alliance had her in that institution for a purpose, whatever it was, and they will want her back.”

“The guild scarcely has a presence here on Whitefall. We shouldn’t expect much help from that quarter.” Inara said, runnin

Comments
Monday, 02 August 2004 22:34
Eeek, gorrammit. Reavers! Permission to panic? I hope the next part is up soon before I need medicating... Ali D :~)
Shiny fic
Monday, 02 August 2004 23:01
goosebumps!! ok, ok, i'm hooked. what happens next?
Tuesday, 03 August 2004 04:50
Reavers! Ahhhh!
Tuesday, 03 August 2004 16:48
Oh...my...God...!!!

Shiny, you had better post more of this soon!!!
Tuesday, 25 January 2005 18:38
Oh! ...A shiver just ran down the back of my neck!

Brilliant story Shiny! I need to read more!!!

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