TITLE: "NEVER SIMPLE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Canon pairings

RATING: G.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "MYSTERIOUS WAYS"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: None. All "Firefly" stories archived at Fireflyfans.net

SUMMARY: "As the Captain slowly recovers and things appear to

settle another complication raises its' head."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"NEVER SIMPLE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

For the longest time he had no clue where he was. In a world of pain where every thought in his head was a jumble of syllables beyond his ability to decipher. Sounds were like clashing symbals, vision a blur of impossible images that moved at the speed of light then resolved into walking nightmares. He could almost taste the darkness. Touch it, ground himself in the root of that madness from which wise men never wake.

It took months, years, eons maybe before clarity came. Not in a rush, not in some conscious kind of order either, but in little blurry bites that coalesced into something familiar. Known. It hurt to wrap his mind about what those images meant. Confused him when they drew near, burned his flesh when they errupted into sound. The noise hurt, made him flinch and pull away. They learnt early on to speak soft and move slowly. Only one person at a time came to sit with him. When the world around him began to steady little snippets of memory broke away from the dark grey sludge where it had been hiding and informed him. He began to know colours. Distinguish shapes. By the time he found his dry cracked voice he could even put names to them. Squinting into the already dimmed lighting he felt a distant humour tease his senses, the face before him waiting for recog