“Kaylee, I dunno what started the fight.” Mal hefted Simon into the covered sleigh, the doctor tumbling in as the others caught up walking from the saloon and Zoe grabbed the horses. They were moving out double time, because Boss Tigg had more than one son, and the Tigg Boys stood up for one another. Walking away, he took Nui from Zoe to take her back to the transport to be hitched, hollering to reach his mechanic's ears as they moved in. “He was fine, happy as a lark with us. Sippin’ his drink, talkin’ about the ranch, the drive, his dreams and hopes and all that sentimental fluff. Then after a bit he went up to the bar to order egg rolls, Bailey sidled up, then I turned away and all of a sudden your beau had Bailey against the bar.”

Before anyone else could get in and see, River jumped in back, and cuffed Simon up against the side of the head as he was sitting up.

“Ow!” Simon rubbed the side of his scalp, giving her a sore glare.

“Stupid, stupid boy.” The reader growled a whisper, eyes slanted, dark and foreboding. “Need to be careful, choose your battles. He wants the excuse to hurt you, get you out of the way. Permanently. Brute against brains. I don’t want to have to bury my di-xiong.”

Simon gawked.

River grabbed him by the shoulders and forced eye contact. “Promise to be careful.”

He dropped his jaw, but only made incoherent sounds, mostly ‘Ums’.

“Shi-yan.”

“I… I.. promise.”

River let go, and resumed being gentle. “Good.” With that, as the others reached the covered sleigh, she went over to her own corner, leaving him stupefied.

“Wouldn’t have somethin’ ta do with that mountain sized infatuation Tigg has on you?” Zoe asked more to the doctor than the mechanic. HBacking Tao in and hitching the sturdy stallion up, she patted his neck and tossed the reins back to the drivers bench.

Kaylee took a seat next to Simon as Mal went to go tell Wallace Upton that he was going to have to get that drink and smoke later. Sitting next to the quiet, almost ashamed Simon Tam, she nudged