PART 4:

The world thundered to the beat of his heart, all light in the ‘verse narrowed to a pinpoint illuminating the path to the hospital. Mal’s skin burned despite the cold, and he ran, singly focused, with Inara in his arms. She wanted to walk, but the blindness slowed her too much for Mal’s liking. She asked him to stay calm; she could feel his pulse racing. Unable to soothe him, she wrapped her arms delicately around his neck, closed her eyes, and tried to be calm enough for the both of them.

Bursting into the emergency room, Mal scanned quickly for a doctor, a nurse, anyone who could help. Simon’s words echoed in his head. The room was wide, sterile, bright, and about half full of bored, tired, and infirmed people waiting to be seen. A few cries emerged from distant hallways, and the air smelled of plaster casting.

“Mal, put me down,” Inara whispered in his ear.

Mal complied reluctantly, keeping one hand on the small of her back to guide her. She clung to his arm, keeping her chin down as she followed his lead. He was glad she couldn’t see herself, hair messed up, wearing a hotel bathrobe over that silly pink shirt. Mal tried, awkwardly, to smooth her hair as they walked. When they got to the desk, a bored receptionist slid a clipboard across the desk.

“Ma’am, we need to see a doctor immediately,” Mal told the woman.

The woman looked up, considered them briefly, then pointed to the form again. “Fill this out and we’ll call for you.”

“I just spoke to a doctor,” Mal explained. “He told me to get my friend here to a hospital immediately. This can’t wait.”

“It won’t be long,” the woman answered with forced sympathy. “Please, fill out the form.”

“I don’t think –”

“Mal,” Inara interrupted, gripping his arm tightly, her breathing labored.

“’Nara!”

Mal’s heart nearly stopped as she gasped and wheezed, her knees shaking. Mal guided her to sit on the floor, watching helplessly as she struggled for air. A dark-skinned, male nurse rushed to their aid, scooping Inara effortlessly in his arm