Chapter Six

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River lays up on the catwalk aboard Serenity, one arm dangling down off the side. Hair hiding most of her face, sheilding the frustrated look in her dark eyes. The image of Simon on top of Kaylee playing over and over in her mind, unable to let it go.

"...they looked like one"

She mumbles into the cool metal of the floor, warm breath fogging it over for a moment. She tracing meaningless shapes into the patch as it disappears slowly.

"They are for each other...that is how it was...I think"

She groans, rolling onto her back, hands covering her face, peeking through her fingers up at the ceiling. Hearing someone approach , fingers snapping shut quickly, hiding her troubled eyes.

"River? Why're you laying on the catwalk like your back in your coma?"

Wash's voice reaches her ears, he peering down at the prostrate teen. River peeking through her fingers again slightly.

"...hiding"

"Hiding, of course. The old 'If i can't see them then they can't see me' trick. A true classic, works every time."

River rolls her eyes, but drops her hands, Wash smiles at her cheerfully.

"So why're you really out here?"

River shifts, sitting so her legs dangle off the catwalk, putting her arms on the railing, resting her head on them faintly, hair dangling about her face like a curtain, sighing faintly.

"Simon and Kaylee are busy being one, and a River does not run between them."

The pilot blinks, confused at first, then snickering as he gets what she's talking about.

"So THAT’S what those sounds were in the house. Mal though it was me and lambytoes. I'd love to take credit, but sadly I am only human, and not even the Great Wash can please his wifey when she's in another room altogether. Though there was this one time-”

"Information not relative, Bath."

"Its Wash, actually."

"Water is water, though you are not me."

She smirks at his confused look, giggling lig