“River, honey? What are you doing?” Inara called from the catwalk. She exchanged a worried glance with Mal, coming to greet her as her shuttle docked, and the two of them hurried to the main floor of the cargo bay.

River was sitting next to Jayne's weight bench, staring blindly into space as Jayne sweat through his daily workout. Only when Mal loomed into her line of vision did she blink and come back to herself.

“Somethin' wrong, Albatross?” Mal asked, pitching his voice low. Though River had been noticeably more coherent in the long months since the Miranda broadcast, helping the crew of Serenity to escape more than one deal gone wrong, she still had her off days. Since they had seen her only that morning, bursting into seemingly-random tears at the breakfast table, this unsupervised, eerie silence was somewhat unsettling.

River's lips curled into a private smile. “Too much heat this morning, Captain. Two by two they proceed, down the aisle and under the sheets – the girl was washed away in flame. It is cool inside the man's head, though, and the river ceases to steam.”

Again Inara and Mal exchanged wary looks, causing River to roll her eyes. Before she could attempt another explanation, Jayne settled the weight-bar back into place and interrupted. “Too much sexin', Mal. That's all. Four o' you musta overloaded her somethin' fierce; stronger the feelin', harder it is to keep out.”

Inara blushed from her hairline to the low-cut neck of her dress, and Mal shuffled embarrassed feet. “That what the problem was, little Albatross?”

River nodded, shifting her eyes away from his discomfited gaze.

Inara opened her mouth once, twice, before speaking. “River? What did you mean, that it's cool inside Jayne's head?”

River cocked an eyebrow at Inara, smirking slightly. “No sex.” Her smile faded. “Too sad inside of Zoe, and she likes her privacy. The man does not mind the intrusion.”

“Now wait here,” Mal snapped. “You mean to be tellin' me that you've been hangin' out in the mind of my mercenary? Th