TITLE: "LIFELINE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Zoe/Wash, Kaylee/Simon.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: Sequel to "BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE BLACK".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "River calls on all her strength and ability to keep the

Captain stable. Mountjoy and his crew get a nasty surprise. Inara

learns that the House Mother was not lying."

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.

"LIFELINE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

It was hard. Seemed to take forever to make any headway or sense through the numbing lethargy holding body and mind in thrall. Pain was a deep dull constant, a background noise making his brain ache in sympathy. He knew not where he was, all sense of the here and now a blur of shattered pieces he had no way of putting back together. Heat sang through his veins and scorched his skin. Perspiration soaking through his bloodied clothing and stinging against his skin. He felt, sensed, heard a sound. A murmur most-like. Not so much words as vowels joined together like some funeral dirge. The dark was dragging at him again, pulling him down and down and down but the murmuring though quiet was inveigling its' way through the pores of his skin and every synapse in his brain sparked with the knowing of it. What did it mean? Ah. Something familiar. He should know, recognise it but the grasp of that knowledge baffled him. It was too difficile and his brain too clumsy.

His body shifted sparking pain like hot needles piercing his body. His mouth sagged but only a gurgle of sound bubbled out through crimson tinged lips. As if from a vast distance he became aware of movement, a rocking sensat