River strode along the line of waiting ships at the Eavesdown Dockyard, oblivious to vendors, passers-by, and security goons alike. She was trying to focus on the ship -- the transport, the one that Badger had told her to take. The ship that was going back to Nassau Point, so that River could find Simon. She was working hard to maintain her focus, because Badger's reaction to the name "Nassau Point" had thrown every nerve she had left into high alert, and her damaged brain was screaming at her that something was off -- something wasn't right.

It didn't matter. The ship was really headed for Nassau Point, she was certain of that. Anything else could be dealt with later. Getting to Nassau Point was what mattered. She had to get back to Simon.

So focused was she that the memory, when it hit, completely blindsided her, dropping her to the pavement in an agony of emotion.

Kaylee sat in a folding chair under a brightly colored umbrella. "You're gonna come with us," she said to the man in shepherd's garb who was walking past.

Book turned, saw her. "Excuse me?" he said.

"You like ships," she told him. "Don't seem to be looking at the destinations. What you care about is ships and mine is the nicest."

River cried out. This spot. This spot. This was the spot where Serenity had first taken on Book. And Simon.

And River, frozen in a cryo-chamber like forgotten left-over pot roast.

She couldn't possibly remember that moment. Not from within herself. But the memory was tied to this place, and it had waited here in ambush until this moment.

A hand touched her shoulder, driving the memory to a safe distance.

River looked up, into the face of her silent companion. Into Book's face. If the memory had ambushed him, there was no sign of it on his face, or in his psyche. Feeding herself on his calm, River looked past him, her gaze trailing upward.

A ship loomed over them. Not Serenity, which she had half-expected to see, but a decomissioned Alliance troop